diff --git a/tools/taxonomy/lca.py b/tools/taxonomy/lca.py
index 0b9785d9dd5..ca6a320af24 100644
--- a/tools/taxonomy/lca.py
+++ b/tools/taxonomy/lca.py
@@ -1,10 +1,9 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env python
 #Guruprasad Ananda
 """
-This tool provides the SQL "group by" functionality.
+Least Common Ancestor tool.
 """
 import sys, string, re, commands, tempfile, random
-#from rpy import *
 
 def stop_err(msg):
     sys.stderr.write(msg)
@@ -42,8 +41,8 @@ def main():
         """
     except:
         stop_err("Syntax error: Use correct syntax: program infile outfile")
+    
     group_col = 0
-
     tmpfile = tempfile.NamedTemporaryFile()
 
     try:
@@ -68,10 +67,6 @@ def main():
     prev_vals = []
     remaining_vals = []
     skipped_lines = 0
-    first_invalid_line = 0
-    invalid_line = ''
-    invalid_value = ''
-    invalid_column = 0
     fout = open(outfile, "w")
     cols = range(1,25)
     block_valid = False
@@ -105,8 +100,6 @@ def main():
                         out_list[1] = str(prev_vals[0][0])
                         out_list[2] = str(prev_vals[1][0])
                         out_list[24] = str(prev_vals[23][0])
-                        #print >> fout, prev_vals
-                        #sys.exit()
                         for k, col in enumerate(cols):
                             if col >= 3 and col < 24:
                                 if len(set(prev_vals[k])) == 1:
@@ -116,17 +109,14 @@ def main():
                         while k < 23:
                             out_list[k+1] = 'n' 
                             k += 1
-                            
-                        # print >>fout, '\t'.join(out_list)
                         
                         if rank_bound == 0:     
-                            print >>fout, ''.join(out_list)
-                            print 'n'*( 24 - rank_bound )
+                            print >>fout, '\t'.join(out_list)
+                            #print 'n'*( 24 - rank_bound )
                         else:
-                            print '\t'.join(out_list[rank_bound:24])
+                            #print '\t'.join(out_list[rank_bound:24])
                             if ''.join(out_list[rank_bound:24]) != 'n'*( 24 - rank_bound ):
                                 print >>fout, '\t'.join(out_list)
-
                         
                         block_valid = True
                         prev_item = item   
@@ -145,15 +135,11 @@ def main():
                         val_list.append(fields[col].strip())
                         prev_vals.append(val_list)
             
-            except Exception, exc:
+            except:
                 skipped_lines += 1
-                if not first_invalid_line:
-                    first_invalid_line = ii+1
         else:
             skipped_lines += 1
-            if not first_invalid_line:
-                first_invalid_line = ii+1
-     
+            
     # Handle the last grouped value
     out_list = ['']*25
     out_list[0] = str(prev_item)
@@ -173,14 +159,13 @@ def main():
     if rank_bound == 0:     
         print >>fout, '\t'.join(out_list)
     else:
-        print ''.join(out_list[rank_bound:24])
-        print 'n'*( 24 - rank_bound )
+        #print ''.join(out_list[rank_bound:24])
+        #print 'n'*( 24 - rank_bound )
         if ''.join(out_list[rank_bound:24]) != 'n'*( 24 - rank_bound ):
             print >>fout, '\t'.join(out_list)
         
     if skipped_lines > 0:
-        msg= "Skipped %d invalid lines starting with line %d.  Value '%s' in column %d is not numeric." % ( skipped_lines, first_invalid_line, invalid_value, invalid_column )
-        print msg
+        print "Skipped %d invalid lines." % ( skipped_lines )
     
 if __name__ == "__main__":
     main()
\ No newline at end of file