From PBS

Extract Your Own DNA


Our DNA contains the genetic recipe for making us who we are. It controls what we look like and can influence our propensity for contracting some diseases. Each strand is only about 50 trillionths of an inch long, but did you know that you can painlessly extract a visible amount of your own DNA in the comfort of your kitchen? All you'll need is a buffer solution, a couple of drinking glasses, a paper clip, and some spit.

A buffer solution works in several ways. It breaks open the cheek cells floating around in your saliva so that the DNA is released. It keeps the strands from clumping together too quickly. It deteriorates the proteins surrounding your DNA. And it has just the right pH balance for your DNA to thrive—a too-acidic or too-alkaline solution would destroy it.

Here's a simple recipe for a buffer solution that you can make in your kitchen and a list of other items you'll need. If you're under 18, you should ask an adult to help.—Rima Chaddha
Ingredients

1/2 cup distilled or bottled water
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp of detergent
1 drop pineapple juice
1 oz 90% isopropyl alcohol (chilled in freezer beforehand)
Tools

1 spoon
1 paper clip
2 drinking glasses
Your spit
Procedure

1.

Add the distilled or bottled water to one of your drinking glasses. (Tap water contains impurities that can damage extracted DNA.)
2.

Use the spoon to stir in the salt and baking soda until they've completely dissolved in the water. The salt will prevent your DNA from bunching together before it has separated from surrounding proteins, and the baking soda will give the solution a neutral pH.
3.

Mix in a teaspoon of detergent and just a drop of pineapple juice. The soap will break down your cells and liberate your DNA, while the juice destroys the proteins surrounding it.
4.

Take a small amount of water—not your buffer solution—and slosh it around in your mouth for about 30 seconds. Then spit into the empty glass. You now have a fresh collection of cheek cells from which you can harvest your DNA.
5.

Pour some of the buffer solution into the glass containing your saliva. You should add about twice as much buffer as you have spit and water.
6.

Stir gently. You should now have a soup of DNA, broken cells, and proteins all mixed together.
7.

Gently pour the isopropyl alcohol down the side of the glass so that it sits on top of the mixture. This should be straightforward, because alcohol is less dense and therefore lighter than your buffer solution and saliva.
8.

Let the mixture stand for two minutes. You will soon see strands of DNA floating up toward the alcohol.
9.

Remove the DNA from the solution by unbending your paper clip to look like a hook and then gently swirling it around the alcohol to collect the strands, which gathered together will resemble a translucent slime.

Remove the clip and voila! You've just successfully extracted your own DNA. Although a single strand is too small to be seen by the naked eye, you can see your DNA here because you've collected a lot of it from a large number of cells. When the strands left the cheek cells, they intertwined into larger, more visible masses.

MrBaby!!!!!

Gene pulled up out front and caught MrBaby with his pants down on the porch. Yelled at him from across the street, 'get your pants up, boy!!!' and he said MrBaby grabbed them and pulled them up really fast. I ran out on the porch and yelled at MrBaby, 'pull your pants up now!!!' Silly MrBaby, he has no modesty. LOL

Later, we got to see Leo's new puppy, Tiger. MrBaby wanted to keep him. Poor MrBaby, he cried when Mommy told him that he couldn't keep the puppy.

Mommy Found the Camera!!!!!!!!!

Here are some pics of MrBaby at the construction site.

The face drawings were done earlier all by himself. They are in the last picture.

Double Ooops

Cindy slipped and told Mother.. Then, later, I found out that they had overpaid me by $1051 at IPFW.

Started writing up the court papers to sue for the grudge call.

MrBaby Drew a Picture of Missy Kitty

What someone wrote to me about the 22nd..............

Paying attention to issues you recently set aside enables you to regain a handle on your life. Returning to basic routines can put you in a survivalist mode of operation as you think about eliminating unnecessary activities. Nevertheless, don't allow yourself to become overly limited by what you've done so far in your life. You're done with the past; now it's time to look ahead.

Uh oh

Mom said that she heard that they are closing up the borders between here and Bolivia............ If we are going, we need to go SOON!!!

Driveby? Fireworks with Squeeling Tires?

Who knows any more? I called the desk Sargent off my cellphone and told them, never heard from the cops, so nobody must have been hurt,then I heard Danny and his friends out in the back goofing around saying 'help!' over and over, had Kobe all bent out of shape, poor dog.

Made it to Brownlee's and got it figured out on the tab, Jasmine was pissed at them for being so lazy. I don't blame her. Then we went to Family Dollar and just made it back, rain was right behind us. MrBaby woke up just as I was getting ready to open the door.

Bad Day Today Ten Years Ago

I talked to all three of the kids, reminded Josh what today was, as well as Corey. Didn't mention it to Ashe, except that I told her that ten years and a week ago was when she zipped herself up in the tent bag. I also told her about telling MrBaby that, and how he was scared of Mommy going in the tent.

Wonderful Morning Except.....

MrBaby said Mommy had icky breath. LOL, silly baby, but at least he was honest.

Big Storm This Morning

Blew the lights out.

10 Year Anniversary of Last Full Day

And yes, we are still here in the USA...... But Mom did go get her passport.

I didn't talk to any of the three older kids today at all. I don't think they even know what today is. I don't know if that is sad or a good thing.

Londa is trying to get me to call a dating service now, it's free the first month, she says. All you do is talk on the phone. I talk on the phone enough as it is. I told her that, and that if I just wanted to talk to guys on the phone, all I have to do is dig out my phone books. Why will she not understand I am not interested in men????

Had to go back out to Wally World and get a refund on that stuff. Sheeesh, the girl underpaid me. MrBaby still got his caterpillars, though. Silly boy. I called Wally World, and the girl said she forgot to put the skates on it. I can pick it up on Monday.

MrBaby has been going around with a red cape on saying he is a superhero, but it comes out sounding more like 'diaper pail'. *giggles* Too cute.

MrBaby learned how to skate backwards!!!!!!!! Yay!!!!!!!!

And I thought I posted Yesterday. Oooooops.

John came over and gave me $300, now I am just waiting for the other $171.

Uh oh

Baby First TV went bye bye as we were watching it and recording it. At least MrBaby Didn't get too upset about it. He had fun watching the box on the screen bounce around after it switched on.

When we went outside, we found that they had already started tearing down the building across the street on the lot. Here are some pics.







We also found a dead bird. Poor birdy.



It was over by the portapotty.

Pictures From today and a Few Before???

Uhhhmmm...

MrBaby has found his boy parts. Mommy caught him on the couch. MrBaby has no shame, and he just giggled. Silly MrBaby, Mommy loves you so very very very very much, you are so sweet and adorable.

Happy Father's Day!!!!

Ten years ago, Mommy took brothers and sisser out to Pony Town Campground.

MrBaby and Mommy went outside and MrBaby decided to play a game. Mommy doesn't know where he learned it at. The way you play the game is to go up and poke someone, and say 'tummy ache' and then giggle. Very cute. Mommy loves you so much, you lil pumpkin tater.

Princess Tested NEGATIVE for Feline Leukemia

Very nice to hear, and then she was vaccinated against it, as well as rabies and distemper. Grandma Judy was very relieved.

Twoie Died Today

Our poor Two Two Pie died today. He had feline leukemia, and he passed away at the vet's office.

Later on, we went outside and found yellow flowers the same color as Twoie, and Mommy told MrBaby that they were from Twoie because he knew MrBaby would miss him.



MrBaby said that Twoie was happy now, and then when he took a nap, he obviously had a dream about Twoie, too, because when he woke up,he said that he had seen Twoie playing with other kitties, and that he had told MrBaby that he was happy again. Mommy asked MrBaby if Twoie could talk like we can and he said 'uh huh'. I am gonna miss that silly cat.

We made a big track today!!!

Tom called and while we were talking on the phone, MrBaby and Mommy put together a big track. Here are some pictures:

Then Mommy saw Missy Kitty outside, with Twoie fighting another cat, and she took some pictures.





Gene called yesterday and said he wasn't going to be able to pay the utility bills, unlike what he said. He said he was tired of not having any money. Theresa sure does have the poor guy snowed about the family finances. I never thought I would see him like this. I talked to Judy about it and she said she would go ahead and pay the utilities so we wouldn't have to move out of here in a week's time. I know she doesn't want us to move at all. If the neighborhood wasn't so bad, I'd see if Josh would just stay here when we left, and let him pay the utilities and then if we ever came back, we'd have a place to stay. Plus, Corey and Clayr would be able to stay here if they ever wanted or needed to.

Oh, and MrBaby decided that it would be cool to dump Mommy's bathroom stuff down the tub. He got his own detangler, too. There goes the witch hazel, hydrogen peroxide, and the detangler. It made a pretty light pink foamy concoction. Silly MrBaby. Mommy loves you soooooooo much!

Erm...

The second hat isn't too bad, but still too tall. Lots of work on these hats..........

Londa is on her soapbox again, so Mommy did some research into sperm donors and paternity. What was found points out that he's in the clear, so we're all good.

Uh, and for Today....

Well, the first hat was an embarrassment, to say the least. Much too big, around, and height-wise.
Gene told Mommy that he never went with Theresa on vacation, but instead stayed in town all week to work on his house. Seems he's gotten the message that Mommy isn't interested any more, as she didn't see him or hear from him once. Very nice. He did say he could leave the utilities on until mid July, though, but after that, he can't afford them any more.
Tonya found the phone conversation that Bobby thought he had erased. Oooops.

Air conditioner installed today, living room window

Erin's Surgery

Jeremy was NICE Today!!!

Hoping so much that he comes around and understands more what we are wanting to do for these kids, not just ours but all the kids there. I want to get out of here so bad!!!!!!

Jeremy is so MEAN!!!

Dang, Will Josh Act His Age???

OMG

We left Bear over at Grandma's house yesterday. This was MrBaby's first day without his bear, all day. He did pretty good without him, though. Grandpa found him in the garage. Bear is safe, as long as Lacey doesn't get him, lol.