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I wonder whether you have ever noticed how some tangerines heave a sigh when
you make the first dent in their peel. I've no idea whether this means that
they are related to us, but it remains very much to be seen whether the
scientific community would at all be willing to confirm this in the wake of
the crushing reports of our trivial genetic blueprint. Read how we are
marginalised by the fourth estate - or is it that feeling worst affected by
the debacle, they have found compensation by joining the rest of us on the
scaffold of genetic exposure? "Het Parool" (one of the broadsheets) tells us
that we only have twice the number of genes of a fruit fly and only a
handful more than an earthworm, while NRC Handelsblad (another broadsheet)
compares us to the sand-hopper and the mouse, the latter having only 300
fewer genes. The funny thing is that both papers wax lyrical about the
cause, which is that human protein has greater capabilities than that of
other organisms. Surely the only conclusion to be drawn from this is that
our journalists lack confidence, or perhaps deep down they had always hoped
that as fundamental fall guys they'd be proven to have just a tad more to
show for in the genetic department. Or do you reckon it's all to do with
excessive pressure of work, which makes them fob us off with chipboard or
orange juice while it's clearly trees we want?
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