Back to Life

“My voice has a life of its own.”
-Judy Davis as 'Judy Garland'
in the 2001 movie
Life With Judy Garland ‘Me & My Shadows’

In January 2009 of this year an article by New Scientist was written about the recipe for making any creature and how it is written in its DNA. So last November, when geneticists published the near-complete DNA sequence of the long-extinct woolly mammoth, there was much speculation about whether we could bring this behemoth back to life.

Creating a living, breathing creature from a genome sequence that exists only in a computer's memory is not possible right now. But someone someday is sure to try it, predicts Stephan Schuster, a molecular biologist at Pennsylvania State University, University Park, and a driving force behind the mammoth genome project.
The full article link:
http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg20126905.000-ten-extinct-beasts-that-could-walk-the-earth-again.html?full=true
Does this mean in years to come that we can analyze the complete DNA sequence of Judy Garland and bring her back to life, too? Nothing is impossible.

Twenty-five years ago today:

March 21, 1984, Wednesday

I was wearing my ‘cool green’ pants today. A lot of people liked them.

I called Cartier Jewelers to confirm the cancellation of my ROLEX watch transaction. Ooops, maybe next time! I also called my First Chicago VISA to take care of my billing inquiries.

I stopped by at the Denevi Camera shop after work where they replaced my batteries. My camera unit works fine now. I bet my brother, John, left the power switch “on”. Creep!

PHOTO:
Self-Portrait
with a camera
taken on
August 27, 2007


I kept my appointment with Robin, leaving my third sperm sample. I was congratulated because my “sperm count” was exceptionally high. I did not know how to react to that.
“Oh, that’s great,” I said trying not to appear too embarrassed about it.

I have a physical exam scheduled for next Thursday at 5PM and that will be that (I guess). The next step will be that they’ll ‘knock up’ some gal for me ‘from me’. Haha-It all sounds so extraordinarily funny.

I had a couple of tuna sandwiches with Dad. I went to pick up my IRS documents from H&R Block along with my Sacramento check for a whopping $86.18.

Dad stopped by my place to see John’s new bird. I hung out and watched the latest episode of Dynasty. I slept. Tomorrow is payday.

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My Bloodline to Western Asia

Does anyone remember the 1980s song 'Turning Japanese' by The Vapors. Now I know why I loved it so much.
http://search.live.com/video/results.aspx?q=the+vapors%2C+turning+japanese&docid=550992151215&FORM=VIVP27

And now I know why I really felt like I was turning Japanese when I was touring Japan in December 2004 (as per my impromptu photo illustrated here while waiting for a high speed train in Tokyo).
This is a fascinating discovery for me:

My DNA cousin, John Earl Spencer, gave me some new insight yesterday after I had just received some newly completed deep clade results on my DNA. I learned that my haplotype is "R1b1b2a1b". A haplotype is a genotype of genetically linked loci that are inherited in a block as a single unit.

A haplogroup is further defined as all the male descendants of the single person who first showed a particular mutation, called a SNP. These special mutations are extremely rare, and identify a group of people over a period of tens of thousands of years. Your haplogroup assignment indicates which part of the phylogenetic tree of male Homo Sapiens you descend from.

I had already traced my first known Armijo descendant to the Basque region of SPAIN in the small beach resort town of Laredo, Spain where an ARMIJO is buried in a cemetary. This new bloodline development tells me that my roots actually descend some 40,000 years ago to Western Asia. The countries in Western Asia are not limited to Japan, Singapore or South Korea, of course. Western Asia includes other countries like Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Oman, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, Turkey, UAE(United Arab Emirates) and Yemen.


John E Spencer sent me a source from Ancestry.com that provided the following R1b information:

You belong to haplogroup R1b, The Artisans, who first arrived in Europe from west Asia about 35,000- 40,000 years ago at the dawning of the Aurignacian culture. This cultural was remarkable for its subtle yet significant technological progress, like the shift from random flint collection to the use of a single stone core to shape flint tools as needed. Aurignacian decorative beads and jewelry could also be the first sign we have of the uniquely human quality of self-awareness and adornment. Additionally, some anthropologists believe that the Aurignacian culture was the first to paint. Either way, the people of this time period left behind fascinating cave paintings in France, Spain and Portugal.

Other experts believe that the Perigordian culture was prevalent at the time when the Artisans first arrived in Europe. This culture distinguished itself with different technological advances, such as denticulate tools with saw-tooth notches for cutting meat or wood and for smoothing and polishing.

There are several known subgroups of R1b. We're not yet able to tell you which (if any) of these subpopulations you match to, so we'll tell you a little about a few of them. Population genetics is a rapidly advancing field, and new data may allow us to match your DNA to a specific subgroup in the future.

One subgroup of the Artisans, R1b3 (sometimes called R1b1c) is associated with the Cro-Magnons. Based on archaeological excavations, particularly in France, it's believed that the Cro-Magnons wove clothes, built huts and painted.
The Ice Age may have played a role in the dispersion of the Artisans. At the peak of the Ice Age a European ice shelf extended as far as southern Ireland, mid England and northern Germany, completely covering Scandinavia.

Most of continental Europe was tundra and the land only supported trees as far south as southern France, northern Italy and areas north of the Balkans and across the Black Sea. Thus, the Artisans most likely moved south of the tree line for their resources, making permanent homes where their descendants remained even when the ice shelf receded. Others returned north once resources were again available.
About 70% of individuals currently residing in southern England are members of the Artisans.

Other members can be found at high rates in the modern day populations of Spain, Portugal, France, Wales, Scotland and Ireland. Based on this observation and other archeological and historical information, it is likely that your ancient ancestors also populated these areas. The Artisans include a genetic group known as the Atlantic Modal Haplotype (AMH), which features greatly among the Irish and Welsh populations.

Some researchers believe that the genes associated with the AMH moved with the early Celtic migrations. Although ancient ancestral Celts were a diverse group and varied in many ways, certain mythologies are consistent throughout most Celtic traditions, despite geographic or tribal boundaries. More than 300 Celtic deities have been described, many of which are reflected in classic Roman counterparts. The god Lugh (or Lugus) may have played an important role among those deities. Folklore and storytelling has infused Lugh's character with magic and fantasy, given him credit for thunder and lightening, and placed his stage in the sky. The widespread acceptance of Lugh in Celtic culture is supported by the use of his name as the root of city names. Lyon, the present day city in southeastern France was called Lugdunum in Roman times. The city of Leiden in south Holland may also have its roots in the name of the god.

R1b1c4 and R1b1c6 are very specific Artisan subsections found primarily in Basque populations, but also in Catalan, Spanish, French, British and German populations.
A unique modern day population, the Basque people self-identify as a discrete ethnic group in north-central Spain and southwestern France. Early Basque culture was basically democratic and their pre-Christian religion was formed around a superior female goddess, Mari. A rich mythology of Basque creatures and characters includes imps, giants, dragons, soothsayers and other nature-based deities. Traditional Basque cuisine was dictated by the mountains and sea surrounding Basque country. Lamb, fish and beans are typical ingredients of a Basque meal. The language associated with the Basque people is euskara, which linguists believe exists in a family by itself, and is not related to English or other western European languages. Members of the Artisans can be found at high rates in South America. Populations geneticists ascribe this finding to the movement of peoples from Iberia to South America over the last 500 years.

I felt a need to document this information in my blog today. What I want to know now is if I have any claims to oil fields. Smiles.

Twenty-five years ago today:

January 14, 1984

Today was a nice, relaxing Saturday.

Gilbert did--in fact--call me at 10am.
"What happened to you last night," Gilbert asked with tension and concern in his voice.
"I just couldn't stay there any longer...so I left," I replied.
"I don't think I can trust you any more."
"I'm sorry you feel that way but there were a couple of people bugging me and I had to get out."
Gilbert was still stressed from my response and said he had to get off of the phone and think about it.
As far as I was concerned he can think all he wants. It's very much his loss, not mine.

I went cycling after a homemade pancake breakfast at Mom's house. I saw Suzy Miller walking along the beach when I rode by on my bike. We talked and I confided in her about the $2000 proposition from Gilbert last Wednesday night.
She laughed.
Suzy then gave a 'thumbs up' yes to next Saturday night. It will include David, Stevie and his friends. There will be ten of us. It should be fun.

I took a nap after the bike excursion. After seeing my brother, John, on a Saturday it would make any one feel lazy.

Bill Helbush called and invited me to San Francisco tomorrow to look through some shops. I was not ready for another San Francisco scene, so I passed. I gave some excuse about having plans with a friend to see a movie.

By the time Saturday night arrived I had made up another excuse to my cousin, Sandy Gallegos, about going out for a movie. Instead I chose to stay with my 'mom and dad' and watch the 1981 Kathleen Turner classic, "Body Heat"
http://search.live.com/video/results.aspx?q=body+heat%2C+kathleen+turner&docid=537912803695&FORM=VIVP13
and an episode of the situation comedy, "Mama's Family".
http://search.live.com/video/results.aspx?q=mama%27s+family&docid=548782146062&FORM=VIVP19
That sums up my Saturday night...but I had a great time just being with mom & dad.

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Where Do I Come From ?

"A molecule that interacts with another molecule has a much greater chance to luminesce."
-actor Alan Rickman's last line in the movie "Nobel Son"

I have been reading the book "The Seven Daughters of Eve" by Bryan Sykes (a professor of genetics at the Institute of Molecular Medicine at Oxford University). He wrote:

We may know our parents, even our grandparents, not far beyond that, for most of us the trail begins to disappear into the mist.

He reminded me of that movie GATTACA when he wrote:

DNA has just four key components. A for adenine, C for cytosine, G for Guanin and T for thymine.

In the 1997 movie, GATTACA, people are cloned. I feel like watching it again:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=EKTJioYKHcI

I plan on writing more about this fascinating book that will ultimately explain how we are all descendants (maternally) from one of seven daughters of Eve (Ursula, Xenia, Helena, Velda, Tara, Katrine, or Jasmine). I just wanted to touch up on an article I just read that was published yesterday (January 7, 2009). It is about ten extinct beasts that could possibly be brought back to life. The writer of the article, Henry Nicholls wrote:

THE recipe for making any creature is written in its DNA. So last November, when geneticists published the near-complete DNA sequence of the long-extinct woolly mammoth, there was much speculation about whether we could bring this behemoth back to life.

Creating a living, breathing creature from a genome sequence that exists only in a computer's memory is not possible right now. But someone someday is sure to try it, predicts Stephan Schuster, a molecular biologist at Pennsylvania State University, University Park, and a driving force behind the mammoth genome project.

Does this mean that one day we can resurrect Sigmund Freud, George Washington, Katherine Hepburn and Clark Gable? It may seem far-fetched but for the right price who knows what will be possible in another hundred years. I would like to have a mini-clone of myself. Seriously! I could teach myself new things. You may read the full article here by Henry Nicholls if you'd like:
www.newscientist.com/article/mg20126905.000-ten-extinct-beasts-that-could-walk-the-earth-again.html?full=true

Twenty-five years ago today:

January 8, 1984

GEICO Insurance Agency called today. I made arrangements with them to provide me with Auto Insurance over the telephone.

I watched the 49er versus Washington Redskins football game. Then I decided to go bicycle riding (after I shaved my moustache). I also had my haircut by Cheryl (who suggested a 'body wave' for me). What is a body wave?

The bike ride was exceptional and exhilarating. I once again bumped into Susan and Nancy. I casually invited them out for tonight. Susan was driving her car when they saw me on my bike. She didn't say anything when I suggested the outing. Her friend, Nancy, said that she had to go to work now. I asked Nancy where she worked.
"Oh, at El Taco in San Leandro," she said in a not very excited tone.
I told them I would ride my back all that way to chat. So I did and learned that Nancy is only a senior at San Leandro High School (jail bait?). I gave Nancy DeSilva my business card and suggested she call me sometime this week. We'll see if she calls or not.

I found a great Paris poster of an older gentleman on a bicycle with a child on the backseat with a french baguette. I was with mom at Longs Drug Store when it captured me. I had to have it. It was a crowded shopping day. We survived and I was most happy with my new poster.

Once I returned home to my pad I washed clothes. Mom came over to help straighten up a bit, too. She is so darn good to me.

Leslie Fonseca called just when I noticed a message that Sherri had left me:
"Leslie called!"
It is flattering for me as I do really like Leslie. It's just 'the child' that brings about a 'hang up' deep down inside me. I discussed it a bit with Rose Rodarte, a married co-worker.
"It's not so bad that she has a baby," Rose said.
And it is true. I guess it is not a bad thing. It's simply a question of how I truly feel deep down that counts. I guess I would prefer my 'own' kids with my 'own' chick. What can I say? Why waste precious time?

Wake up! Leslie is a nice girl. I may see her again. When she called we talked a while about our day.
"I will call you again tomorrow," I reassured her.
She kind of giggles at times and it sounds like she's a little girl herself. I am seriously infatuated at this point.

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What Color Are Your Jeans/Genes ?

"A traveler from an antique land...lives within us all," claims Bryan Sykes, a professor of genetics at Oxford University.

The photograph displayed today is a college-aged group celebrating Halloween 2008 (Cal State University, Sacramento). My niece, Ally Elizabeth Armijo, is the one pictured in the tie-dye t-shirt. It's nice to see a HAPPY photograph. I felt like sharing this one as the smiles may be contagious. I excitedly discovered this photo from a FACEBOOK Photo ensemble belonging to Denae Davis (hopefully she won't mind that I used it for my blog).

It is coincidental how I wrote my DNA tidbit blog yesterday. Today, in the NY Times there is an article, TEST SHOWS SPAIN'S ETHNIC MIX (Gene Test Shows Spain's Jewish and Muslim Mix).

I am actually part of 3 different DNA group studies (ARMIJO surname, NEW MEXICO DNA, and the IBERIAN PENINSULA Project). I am one of 626 individuals (as of today) in this IBERIAN PENINSULA Study project that is open to those who's Y-DNA (father's father's father's...) or Mt-DNA (mother's mother's mother's...) line extends to Spain, Portugal, and/or Andorra (Iberian Peninsula). It is hopeful that this DNA project will discover the different people who made a mark on all of us who have roots on the Iberian Peninsula.
(http://www.familytreedna.com/public/IberianDNA)

The NY Times article states that the genetic signatures of people in Spain and Portugal provide new evidence of the mass conversions of Sephardic Jews and Muslims to Catholicism in the 15th and 16th centuries after Christian armies wrested Spain back from Muslim control (per a team of geneticists reports). It seems 20% of the population of the Iberian Peninsula have Sephardic Jewish ancestry and 11% have DNA reflecting Moorish ancestors. It is another great example of what we are learning from all of this DNA research. Impressive!

Around the late 1990's I had heard about a maternal New Mexico Leyba cousin who visited the Washington DC National Archives. He learned that one of my Spanish Great Great grandmothers was shown to have arrived by boat into America with Sephardic Jewish heritage 'way back when'. I still do not know which grandmother exactly. However, when I read this kind of information from geneticists research findings I find it most fascinating. It encourages me to research further for more answers.

Yesterday, my dear friend, Brenda, who commented on my blog recommended a book by Bryan Sykes called THE SEVEN DAUGHTERS OF EVE. That is where I found the first line quote by Sykes (above). I added the book to my WISH LIST at Amazon.com. It sounds like a book that is right up my alley.

Please feel free to comment and make recommendations on all of my forthcoming or past blogs. I rely on your input and suggestions.

It is time to depart and meet dear friends over at the Museum of Modern ART in New York City. I will likely find some photo opportunities and brush shoulders with unknown relatives. Smiles.

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Have You Had Your DNA Tested?

"You can't make an omelet without breaking eggs."
--Paulo Coelho

Do you know your DNA markers? I do. I have always been interested in my family history. I believe it stems from those holiday family gatherings when I was six years old. I specifically remember the year 1966 and how it always be a house full of relatives, fun and laughter.

As of a few months ago I now know my DNA panel 1-12 markers. I sent in for a DNA kit via http://www.familytreedna.com ">.
I learned that my predicted haplogroup is: Rlblb2*; M269. What is the significance?
I feel I am one step closer to new, knowledgeable aspects of my familial identity. I was sent a list of exact matches of others who have shown to have similar DNA markers to mine. For example, I met a so-called "DNA cousin" named John Earl Spencer. We don't really know our exact paternal family lineage connection. We do know that we are related somewhere along the bloodline. I find it fascinating.

I am expecting a new Deep Clade test result (whatever that means) that will be performed in a series of rounds to pinpoint my position on the current Y-DNA Haplogroup Tree. This will refine results and show who may match my DNA markers more precisely. I know most of my ancestry is from Western Europe (SPAIN) but I really am having fun with this sort of research that was never accessible ten years ago. It could lead to greater medical history discoveries. I will also meet new family (like John E Spencer) that I may never had known otherwise.

More genetic breakthroughs are coming soon in this 21st Century. I still think I would NOT mind having a mini-clone of me. The photo above was taken when I was about 4 years old with a scary looking Santa. If I had a new mini-clone of me I would not expose him to such a fearful Santa. The mini-clone of me would look like me (I imagine) but it would be a new person reflective of his new teachings and experiences.

My DNA will be stored for 25 years at the University of Arizona. I have no idea what benefit that will serve. It is still nice to know a part of me will be kept there for safekeeping (I think).

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