Grammar CAN save civilization as we know it.

I homeschooled my two youngest boys. Some people think I'm a saint for doing so, which I certainly am not. Some people think I'm the spawn of satan, which most of the time I'm not. Actually, it was a lot like any other educational environment, but without the politics. Anyway, one thing that I stressed was the proper use of spelling, grammar, and punctuation. Since I got to pick out the curriculum, I chose the classic method, which included diagramming sentences. Okay, call me a nerd, but I always enjoyed diagramming sentences. It was like a puzzle and art class all in one. And you got credit for it! Not as much fun as Sudoku or Cross Sums, but close. The boys were not as enamoured of this process, but they did it. And they learned. They know their grammar. They don't always use it, as evidenced by their MySpace pages, but they do know it.

Well, now I have my vindication. Grammar can save the world. Or at least help clean up some of the nasties. Granted, it's a different kind of grammar, one on the molecular level. But scientists are learning that sticking to the rules of genetic grammar could enable them to fight some of the more difficult bacteria, including drug-resistant microbes and anthrax.