We’re Renaming this Blog AAIO^2. Just Because.
It’s not just “fitness studios” and lofts anymore; Ann Arbor scientific companies are getting in on pretentious A2-themed names, as evidenced by Fifth Avenue “evolutionary drug development” firm Genetics Squared, whose logo is a gamma with a superscript 2.
Also check out this month’s Current for a local blogger inside joke: Josh Steichmann defends local band Great lakes Myth Society from charges of uncoolness by pointing out that “Even that blogger who wears the natty sport jackets, usually a hipster barometer, shows up.” As of this writing, the blogger in question strenuously denies the hipster allegations.
I actually understood the local blogger inside joke.
Which means I’m gonna slowly back away from the computer for a bit. Well, when I don’t have to do research and analysis and ah, fuck it. Go internet.
[Hipster is such a dirty word.]
If you have a link to the drug company, I’m quite curious as to how a start-up can promise “evolutionary drug development”. I thought that usually required investing in some pretty darn expensive equipment and personnel. Then again, maybe it’s just another medical marijuana group. [Win a pound of pot!]
posted by Jen on June 3rd, 2005 at 3:39 pm ePeople on this blog use the word “hipster” more than I’ve heard any other single word used in my entire life. That’s including articles, prepositions, etc.
posted by Real Big on June 3rd, 2005 at 4:48 pm eYeah, I feel so very unhip just reading it. What exactly does hipster MEAN, anyways?
posted by Anonymous on June 3rd, 2005 at 4:53 pm eMan, just when I thought blogs couldn’t get any more onanistic. It’s like a fuckin’ Douglas Hoffsteader text!
posted by js on June 3rd, 2005 at 7:00 pm eIsn’t genetics squared the company with genetically engineered chicken eggs? I think they’re trying use them to custom-produce drug compounds and vaccines.
Or maybe a super dose of THC.
posted by Lehigh Valley Refugee on June 4th, 2005 at 12:18 pm eThis blog usually winds up on municipal issues. How can it be accused of hipster? I do prompt for interesting stories with usually no response. [Different thread: kudos to the sewer canoeist and lumber sleeper.]
I’m hundreds of miles away and I only know what I read online. Someone please explain.
posted by A Different Jon on June 4th, 2005 at 2:27 pm eIt’s 45 degree rain over here [edited]
Okay, it’s bright and sunny. Why am I on the Internet?
posted by A Different Jon on June 4th, 2005 at 4:21 pm eThis is off-topic and a bit nitpicky, but the “win a pound of pot” fundraiser Jen mentions in the first comment was the work of win-the-war.com, which is not a “medical marijuana organization” considering that it is 1) not concerned with medical marijuana, but rather with outright legalization, and 2) not really an “organization” in the generally accepted meaning of the word, insomuch as it consists of exactly one man: Bruce Ritchie.
Bruce — who, tellingly, uses the Doonsebury-derived moniker “Z. Harris — is politically naive, hopelessly underfunded, and incredibly unprofessional and disorganized. Worse, his campaign is also quite probably in violation of campaign finance laws. It’s a shame that his efforts have received so much press coverage (Freep, etc.) when he is so clearly destined to fail, especially when realistic reform is taking place on the medical marijuana front with local initiatives in Flint, Ferndale, and Traverse City this year, organized by the same people behind the successful initiatives in Detroit (60%) and Ann Arbor (74%) last year.
I fear that the only results of his campaign will be disenfranchised activists, money wasted, and yet more negative, stereotype-enforcing publicity, all of which will hurt efforts to bring about legitimate drug policy reform in the future. It would be funnier if it weren’t so frustrating.
posted by Josh on June 6th, 2005 at 5:01 pm eThe reason genetics2 is called genetics2 is because they use a machine learning technique called genetic programming to evolve computer programs that help discover and refine gene therapy treatments.
The “evolutionary drug development” comes from the use of genetic programming, which evolves computer programs. I suppose it’s also marketing double-speak for “the next step in drug development”. *shrug* If startups didn’t hype themselves, they’d all fail.
posted by turd' on June 8th, 2005 at 4:11 pm eAww. Spam?! Jackasses.
posted by js on June 13th, 2005 at 9:52 am e