What's a virus, that you are mindful of it?

scientists have discovered a monstruous virus, called the mimivirus, which "is so much more genetically complex than all previously known viruses, not to mention a number of bacteria, that it seems to call for a dramatic redrawing of the tree of life." (cover article in discover mag). studies of viri have always been enigmatic, from the original experiments prompting continued debates about whether the virus is truly "alive",
to the renegade-style sea-faring science by j craig venter, whose group has discovered millions of new viri in two years (the previous total of known species was 4000).

to be honest, i thought the mimivirus had been discovered several years ago by abc and drew carey (whose humor is anything but contagious) in his sitcom sidekick character of the same name.