New Name

Just wanted to give credit for the development of my new blog name. Although "Rulerman" has great sentimental value, "Glazed Over" is just way better, and quite accurate I might add. Thanks to Bryan Main and the think tank that is the Main family. Visit them at The Loft. I am currently entertaining ideas on the subtitle that is to appear under "Glazed Over" on my blog heading. Something about double helices, fantasy football, the Holy Spirit, and Krispy Kremes. It needs work.

I would also like to take this time to introduce you to the two new additions to the Glaze household. Both are male, 12 weeks old, and very furry. Yes, they are kittens, adopted after the unsettling loss of our cat, Tiger, after only three years here on Earth. The two quadrapeds are aptly named Dunkin and Shipley. Think about it. There it is.

I hope that with the blog make-over and the additional feline brain power, the blog will move forward, at a more consistent pace, hopefully.

Blood and Jail Cells

The question: If I were to receive a blood transfusion, and the next day commit a crime, and I happen to leave some blood at the crime scene, would the DNA evidence be compromised?

First of all, I think it highly unlikely that even the most dedicated criminal would feel well enough to break the law the day after a blood transfusion. Second of all, I would be very disappointed to know that there existed a person who was in need of a blood transfusion, blessed enough to actually receive one, and then thank God by committing a crime the very next day. But all that aside, we must examine the science of the question.

Human blood is composed of three types of cells: red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets. Of these, the white blood cells are the only component that is considered complete, meaning they possess a nucleus and DNA. Red blood cells are designed to efficiently transport oxygen to the body and carbon dioxide away from the body. Platelets are not true cells, they are more like discs that have chipped off a larger cell, and are used in clotting. These two cell types do not contain a nucleus or DNA.

Blood used in transfusions usually contains only red blood cells. Therefore, in theory, none of the donor’s DNA is being imported into the recipient. And even if there happened to be some stow away white blood cells, the recipient’s immune system would attack and kill them, probably within 24 hours. So, again in theory, the recipient, also known as the criminal, could be identified using DNA evidence.

Now a bone marrow transplant, on the other hand, can cause some confusion when dealing with DNA. The development of blood cells, or haemopoiesis, originates from the stem cells located in the bone marrow. In this case, the transplanted stem cells would populate the recipient’s blood with cells containing the donor’s DNA, and since the recipient’s bone marrow has obviously failed, there would be little to none of his own DNA in his bloodstream. This situation can, and has, caused some serious issues concerning DNA evidence.

And I know that the post’s title sounds like a Wheel of Fortune Puzzle answer.

Bad Blood

By now, if you have been reading my posts, like a good (and patient) reader, then you should know all about CoDIS. But for everyone else, CoDIS is a network of DNA databanks that house DNA profiles. These profiles come from convicted offenders, crime scene evidence, unidentified human remains, and several other sources. These profiles are regularly searched and shared across state lines in attempts at solving unsolved crimes. It can provide a lead on a cold case (called a “hit”), or simply confirm the identity of a suspect the police have already apprehended. But, a new wrinkle has developed in the search methodology.

“Familial” searching is a technique (that I have written about before) where a crime scene profile is deliberately run through the offender databank in the hopes of getting a list of profiles that are genetically similar to the evidence and using this information as an investigative lead to interview family members of the near matches. This type of searching is based on the fact that relatives have more similarities in their DNA than do non-relatives. Siblings have the most similar DNA, while a parent and child are close behind.




Currently the FBI does not perform these types of searches, but it doesn’t seem out of the question for the future. The UK is already utilizing this technique and has had some success. It was used in Cardiff, Wales in 2003 to solve a 1988 murder of a 16 year old girl named Lynette White. Analysts identified a single rare allele within the DNA profile typed from the crime scene evidence. The UK National DNA Database searched for individuals with the identified rare allele and it led to a 14-year-old boy with a similar overall DNA profile. Further investigation led police to the boy’s paternal uncle, Jeffrey Gafoor. Jeffrey Gafoor’s DNA profile matched the profile from the crime scene evidence. He confessed and was later convicted of the murder of Lynette White.

There are, however, some privacy issues. One of the most popular criticisms include statements such as, “I shouldn’t be considered a suspect in a case just because my brother or cousin is a felon.” It’s being perceived as an involuntary intrusion.

But, whether is an infringement on my rights or not, you gotta admit, it’s pretty amazing.

Back That Up

“Back that up!” Usually the call of geeky computer programmers or rappers named Juvenile, but it’s rapidly catching on with NFL head coaches. And what matters to head coaches, matters to fantasy owners.

In the past two weeks, ten out of thirty-two NFL teams found themselves without their starting quarterback on the field. That’s about five sixteenths (the fraction won’t reduce any further) of all the teams in the National Football League that had their quarterback, their “field general,” their leader sitting on the bench. A backup QB leads a life of uncertainty. He patiently waits on the sidelines, fetching the coach’s Gatorade, sometimes for years, just for one chance to prove his worth. These eleven quarterbacks (the Raiders are actually on their third) stepped between the lines as an effect of two causes. Seven were replacing injured starters while four got the nod due to underachievement by their senior pigskin chuckers.

Two of these teams were on a bye last week, Baltimore with Billy Volek and Tennessee with Vince Young. But of the remaining eight teams that did play, what would you figure their win/lose ratio to be? If you supposed “not good,” then you would be right. Five teams, Seattle with Seneca Wallace, Pittsburg with Charlie Batch, Arizona with Matt Leinart, Miami with Joey Harrington, and Dallas with Tony Romo, all lost. Two teams, Kansas City with Damon Huard and Tampa Bay with Bruce Gradkowski, both won, albeit by game winning field goals at the end of the game. And flying in the face of all logic and reason, the Oakland Raiders with Andrew Walter and Marques Tuiasosopo, won convincingly. And for those keeping score, that would three eighths of the backup quarterbacks that won.

So, what can we learn from all this? 1) If you are an NFL starting QB, upgrade your Aflac. 2) Trends show that if you are a backup QB, you have better luck the longer and more phonetically challenged your last name is. 3) If you are a fantasy football owner, don’t expect much out of a backup quarterback. And, 4) the Raiders were so bad with their starting QB, that a backup did not hurt them in any way, and as the NFL’s only winless team, the law of averages simply caught up with them and afforded them an unearned win.

If you find yourself in peril with your stud QB sidelined for whatever reason, here are three I would recommend for week 8 (and I use the term ‘recommend’ very loosely). Charlie Batch for Pittsburg – he can pass with the best of them and has five touchdowns with zero interceptions. Matt Leinart for Arizona – he will be up against a downright pitiful pass defense in Green Bay. Vince Young for Tennessee – he will probably rush for as much as he passes for against a porous Texan defense. You can probably find these guys hanging out in your Free Agent pool, and if you decide to pick one up, good luck!

Bye-Week Blues

AHH! The dreaded bye weeks have arrived. And if you did not plan ahead, then you are feeling my pain. The evil television companies have devised an evil plan to increase profits, and they enact this plan under the cover of “more games to broadcast for the fans.” Well, this plan has wreaked havoc on my fantasy team. So, I have put together a list of a few players to watch for on the waiver wire. If you’re lucky, you’ll be able to find one or more of these bye-week specials to get you through.

Quarterbacks – It seems as if Daunte Culpepper has seen his last game starting for Miami this season, barring an injury to Joey Harrington that is. Harrington played decent enough and will most likely continue to start. Damon Huard is consistently playing his guts out, and is the best of the rest for fantasy starters. Philip Rivers has the best matchup this week against the 49ers.




Running Backs – Leon Washington is close to taking over the starting position for the Jets, if he hasn’t done so already. The regular starter out with a knee injury leads to increased playing time which leads to increased point production for you. Lendale White in Tennessee is also getting more touches and is likely the “mighty mighty” Titan back for the future. Try to get him now, while is value is still low, it will go up. Denver’s running back Cedric Cobbs is also….no wait…never mind. I’ve got C4 on my fantasy equipment manager team.

Receiver/Tight Ends – Bryant Johnson in Arizona looks to get a lot more looks now that No.1 Larry Fitzgerald is out 2-5 weeks. Of course you may want to sit him against Chicago (along with any other player up against the Bears), and then play him later versus Oakland and Green Bay. Wesley Welker may turn into Joey Harrington’s go-to guy in Miami. He’s catching more balls than any other Dolphin. Jerramy Stevens is back for Seattle. He should start this Sunday and could play a big role in Hasselhoff’s passing game.
Defense – If you need a get-you-through-the-bye defense, consider Miami vs the Jets. I know what you’re saying, “Miami? What the..?” But Chad Pennington threw three interceptions last week, come on, live a little.

In addition to the waiver wire acquisitions, don’t be afraid to peek at the line-ups of other fantasy owners in your league. Offer a trade here and there, the worst they can do is say no, and who knows, maybe you’ll get the Marques Colston for the Chris Chambers. Anyway, good luck to you, and to me.