1012 = ?!

steganography. the art of conveying hidden messages such that only the intended recipient understands the meaning and existence of the message.


i was recently the recipient of such a message. the other night when i uncorked a bottle of wine, i found that the cork conveyed a message - 1012. of course, many of you are probably thinking that this is just a date stamp or a factory code, but that is because you were not the intended recipient of this message (nannynannybooboo). i am absolutely certain that this message was meant for me, and that i am the wine company's link to the outside. i am to convey this message, translated, to the people of the world.

for all you readers out there that have no idea what 1012 means, it is the position in the hepatitis delta virus (HDV) genome that is edited by human ADAR1. the heart of my thesis research beats around this site, 1012! and there is a wine company out there that knows this.

but what message is this wine company trying to convey to me? is there HDV replicating in the wine they produce? is this wine meant to be imbibed only by people that have HDV replicating in their liver - maybe as a therapeutic?
i can't even begin to guess. but i am sure that this message was meant for me, and that this is the first of many messages to come. i will continue to buy wine from this company. i will buy it and i will continue to translate their communications. one soused day soon, i will be privy to the ingenious of this wine company.

and my dear readers, you will be the second to know their musings!