July 5, 2011

On this date in 1996, Dolly the Sheep was born, thereby sounding the death knell for the natural order of things in this crazy, mixed-up world. As you may recall, Dolly the Sheep was the first mammal ever successfully cloned, but she certainly was not the last. Immediately after her “birth” (if you can call it that (1)), Scottish scientists announced plans to clone a lion, that they might — and I quote here — “[l]ie down… tog[ether].” 

Either that, or something about a “down-lined toga.” They were from Scotland. Sometimes it gets a bit broguish in there.

*****

On this date in 1830, France invaded Algeria. And then on this date in 1962, Algeria gained its independence from France. Wow. That was lucky timing, right? Like a 1 in 365 1/4 shot. 

(1) You can.