It's a hunch.

Pfft. You're so loosey-goosey about these things. Next you'll be telling me you believe in psychics!

I will say, it always amuses me the excitement a couple of Martian mushrooms or plankton (or whatever they are) can cause in people. They don't spur the same excitement in me, because, you know, of all the living things I might find on an alien planet, plankton, mushrooms and cockroaches would be sort of, no big whoop.

But even others similarly clueless in the ways of ecology and xenobiology get starry-eyed about the idea of life on other planets. It's sort of sweet, but I confess I also find it sort of baffling.

Well, even if very simple life is found on Mars, it proves that life is possible on other planets besides Earth. Or at least it's an extra data point to support the theory that more advanced forms of life are likely elsewhere.

Plus more evidence that we here on earth are not so special/unique.

I will say, it always amuses me the excitement a couple of Martian mushrooms or plankton (or whatever they are) can cause in people. They don't spur the same excitement in me, because, you know, of all the living things I might find on an alien planet, plankton, mushrooms and cockroaches would be sort of, no big whoop.

I don't think it's so much excitement about the microorganism itself as the implications. If life shows up on the planet next door, then it seems to indicate that life might be pretty common. Combine that with the number of extra-solar planets being found and it seems like there might be a lot of life out there.

I'm pretty skeptical about the announcement being anything conclusive though.

Hey, my interpretation is perfectly rigourous, given the input text.

As for life--the quantum leap is not complex life. It's just life. As a kid I used to spend hours wondering about, say, silicon-based life, and how that could possibly work. The idea of how alien life could be not like us fascinates me. And then, you know, there's the idea of what in the solar system mandates commonality, and what diversity...right. I need to go get that food.

But they're only talking possibility. So I have no idea how far that could go.

[link]

Saturn, Cassini.

PR: Okay. WHOA. Didn't see that coming. I was convinced it was going to be Daniel or Santino. And then, hello to the dark horse.

I realized, after Chloe won, that I don't see ANY of them being "The Next Great American Designer." Or even a designer that I'm remotely interested in. Like, I have totally followed Jay since his win and look forward to the day when I can actually buy his stuff. These people? NSM.

I do think that Daniel should take Michael Kors up on his offer. Stylistically, it would be a good fit and I think he'd learn a lot. Then, in ten or fifteen years, maybe he could be the next Michael Kors or Calvin Klein or whatever.

Mostly, I'm just blah on the season as a whole.

Cassini. That's totally cool.

Kristen, I'm with you.

PR: When I look back at last season's top three, the shows this year were really pretty bland. I love Santino, and a week ago I was convinced he'd win, but while I loved a few of his dresses last night, I don't think his collection "told a story," as Nina kept saying. Jay's, last season? Diverse, but you could look at any piece and know he designed it. Aside from Chloe's weird affinty for big puffy sleeves, none of the collections last night had a real voice. Daniel should totally take Michael Kors up on the offer -- he's only 24, and it would be a huge chance for him to learn.

I loved the season overall, and I think Chloe will probably make the most of the opportunity, but I was a little underwhelmed last night.

Saturn, Cassini.

That's the big announcement? Just because there's liquid water, they're saying "possible life?" Or is the "possible life" something else?

So, not so much life, as...water?