Its also highly unlikely that junk DNA would have remained in the genome if it had no purpose
This is a common error; the reverse is actually true. Cells (and by extension, us) serve DNA. Cells (again, by extension, us) are merely vehicles for DNA to replicate - they're the unit of evolution. As a consequence, the DNA does not care whether it contains 'junk' bits. It only cares if it's faithfully copied. Btw, this is an astonishing consequence of evolution that personally blows my mind. If anybody's interested, read The Selfish Gene by Richard Dawkins.
Note: I'm aware that DNA is a mindless macro-molecule. It just easier to anthropomorphism it for the purpose of discussion.
You must be an Albertan! I don't mean any disrespect, but Albertans need to stop beating that dead horse called the NEP. It was 35 bloody years ago! Were you even born? It may even be relevant for your comment, but it still drives me nuts. Every time I'm in Calgary, it takes no less than 5 minutes for someone to mention the NEP. Doesn't matter the topic, eventually the NEP is mention. WTF!
That's the whole point! Canadian regs required a higher ratio than both Europe and the US. So in fact, it was a better regulatory framework that saved the Canadian banks.
Your certainty actually demonstrates your lack of intelligence, especially since you've clearly developed your opinion from very limited data - or more accurately - from other peoples opinion.
With the exception of the last few years, the value of gold reached a peak around 1980. Even today, it's still about half the value it was then. So to say that if we still had the gold standard today, the dollar would be worth 100 times its current value is very, very wrong (look it up!).
The only reason to peg the value of a currency against an external factor (i.e. gold, but any anything will work - I personally like NY real estate; it can't be stolen!) is to curb inflation. Politicians find it almost irresistible not to print money eventually (i.e. to pay for a war - yes, hello there GWB). causing inflation. This is especially true when you're a reserve currency like the USD was (note the past tense).
Gold bugs are obsessed with gold. They think it's a magically substance. In reality it's a pain in the ass: expensive to store (bulky), difficult to transport (heavy), and extremely environmentally damaging to extract from the ground.
Oh, even gold exhibits inflation: as the more gold is mined from the ground, the value decreases (same effect as printing money). If the value ever go over $2K/ounce, you would see so much production capacity come online it would make your head spin (and the earth cry). Granted, it's not as easy as printing the stuff.
Dropping both the penny and the nickel allows everything to be rounded to 0.1 of a dollar. Rather than $2.85, it would become $2.8 or $2.9 - the number of decimal places is arbitrary since we could always sell things to 3 decimal places if we really wanted (i.e. - $2.848 - of course, we would need new coins to do so).
I'd think an obvious reason might be that the more affluent you are, you can move out to the nicer suburbs...
This is entirely subjective. In most cities that I've lived, the suburbs offer only cheap track housing with names like 'Spring Meadows' or 'Urbandale'. Sure you can find upscale enclaves (usually just means larger, cheaply built houses on double sized lots - so called executive homes in market speak) in the areas surrounding cities, but these are the exception rather than the rule.
The core of cities (or more likely, just outside the core) are where the affluent live. This is certainly true in Boston, San Francisco, etc. I believe people move to the suburbs because it is more affordable.
I have an oak stump in my backyard which was ground to just below grade about 5 years ago. If I hit it with an axe today, it still goes 'thud'. There has been, as far as I can tell, absolutely no decomposition - what a pain in the ass!! Let me tell you, tough stuff.
I could just as easily argue that the word "vegetarian" doesn't make sense since (most) non-vegetarians also eat vegetables.
No. A vegetarian eats only vegetables. By your argument an 'avegetarian' only eats meat. In most sensible languages, a separate word is used to describe such a person. Put another way: a herbivore eats plants, a carnivore eats meat, and a omnivore eats both. There is no real word such as 'anti-herbivore'.
The word 'atheist' is completely pointless to begin with and should be rejected as useless jargon. How many words describe what you do not believe? How about:
Aquinist: A person who does not believe in unicorns. Adentite: A person who does not believe in the tooth fairy.
Typical eurocrap. Dutch and other northern European counties are going to implode under their stifling and rigid (and boring!) mono-cultures. Ever wonder why the US has such a progressive and creative culture (no I'm not American). How many Nobel prizes has Holland won lately? Or how many new companies have emerged there since the 60s? This also applies to Europe in general. There is a very simple concept that most Europeans don't understand: Origin of birth does not entitle you to be surrounded by people practicing the habits you're accustom too (i.e. your culture, language, etc.). Simply put, you should respect other people regardless of their habits. If people choose to live in Holland and never learn Dutch that is THEIR CHOICE. The majority should NEVER be able to force their culture on a minority. That is racist. But how can you expect immigrants to integrate? You can't. If they want to integrate that is also THEIR CHOICE. Most Europeans don't like (or understand) this idea at all, which is why, despite their liberal pretence, they are generally racist (and don't even know it). Compare Amsterdam to New York. In Amsterdam immigrants are rotting in ghettos (with the Dutch going "oh why, oh why don't they just integrate or leave"). In New York, waves of immigrants have been coming for centuries creating one of the riches cities in the world. Both the US and Canada have problems with racism, but it pales in comparison to Europe. How many 'home-grown' Islamic terrorist attacks have occurred in the US lately? For all you prospective immigrants out there, go to the US or Canada...avoid Europe like the plague.
Evolution is fact. If you want to find another word to describe something that is true, go ahead. By your definition, orbital mechanics is also just theory. You're using semantics to obscure the truth.
scientists hope to breed plants that can handle the wide range of temperatures that will be found on Mars.
Just come to Ottawa (Canada). Minus 35 C in the winter, plus 35 C in the summer! And I see corn growing across the street. Why am I living here again...might as well move to Mars.
I have to agree with the original poster on this one. A rational mind simply cannot believe that any of the major religions, as they are currently presented, are true. Even without logic and reason, they are simply to childish to be true: world floods, walk on water, water to wine, conflicting moral values, an absolute powerful god who is powerless, etc. They are just fairly tales (or creation myths) based 'very loosely' on historical events. All societies have them. In fact there are thousands of creation myths telling thousands of different stories. They can't all be right. I'm always surprised that people still believe in them today. Strange.
If you don't understand this, then you are an idiot. I'm sorry, but it is almost not worth explaining...
Things can be true and an approximation at the same time. A good example is F=MA, which true for 99.99% of the time except at relativistic speeds. Therefore, F=MA is true most of the time, but an approximation some of the time.
There is a major split between quantum theory and relativistic theory at the moment. Some theorists are saying that both models cannot be right. One has to go. But, each may be subset of the other. Therefore, relativity may be true for a very specific set of conditions but incorrect in general. If your interested, google it.
Except a heliocentric solar system has been proven. Evolution has not.
The process of evolution is FACT!
Repeat after me...
The process of evolution is fact.
The details are continuously modified and refined to adapt to new evidence, but all science works this way. Newton's laws of motion are fact, but only an approximation. A better approximation is Einstein's relativistic approach. A new theory may soon (or not) be developed that is even better than Einstein's approach. If fact, some people think that Einstein's theories are completely wrong. But they work and are a good predictor for specific conditions (think GPS calculations). And so on!!!
Slashdot Mirror
Its also highly unlikely that junk DNA would have remained in the genome if it had no purpose
This is a common error; the reverse is actually true. Cells (and by extension, us) serve DNA. Cells (again, by extension, us) are merely vehicles for DNA to replicate - they're the unit of evolution. As a consequence, the DNA does not care whether it contains 'junk' bits. It only cares if it's faithfully copied. Btw, this is an astonishing consequence of evolution that personally blows my mind. If anybody's interested, read The Selfish Gene by Richard Dawkins.
Note: I'm aware that DNA is a mindless macro-molecule. It just easier to anthropomorphism it for the purpose of discussion.
PCB
You must be an Albertan! I don't mean any disrespect, but Albertans need to stop beating that dead horse called the NEP. It was 35 bloody years ago! Were you even born? It may even be relevant for your comment, but it still drives me nuts. Every time I'm in Calgary, it takes no less than 5 minutes for someone to mention the NEP. Doesn't matter the topic, eventually the NEP is mention. WTF!
Sorry, just needed to vent....
That's the whole point! Canadian regs required a higher ratio than both Europe and the US. So in fact, it was a better regulatory framework that saved the Canadian banks.
This happens anyways. I often take work home and use my machine at home. I bet a lot people do this...
PCB
What's the old adage, "Countries don't have friends, only interests".
Your certainty actually demonstrates your lack of intelligence, especially since you've clearly developed your opinion from very limited data - or more accurately - from other peoples opinion.
With the exception of the last few years, the value of gold reached a peak around 1980. Even today, it's still about half the value it was then. So to say that if we still had the gold standard today, the dollar would be worth 100 times its current value is very, very wrong (look it up!).
The only reason to peg the value of a currency against an external factor (i.e. gold, but any anything will work - I personally like NY real estate; it can't be stolen!) is to curb inflation. Politicians find it almost irresistible not to print money eventually (i.e. to pay for a war - yes, hello there GWB). causing inflation. This is especially true when you're a reserve currency like the USD was (note the past tense).
Gold bugs are obsessed with gold. They think it's a magically substance. In reality it's a pain in the ass: expensive to store (bulky), difficult to transport (heavy), and extremely environmentally damaging to extract from the ground.
Oh, even gold exhibits inflation: as the more gold is mined from the ground, the value decreases (same effect as printing money). If the value ever go over $2K/ounce, you would see so much production capacity come online it would make your head spin (and the earth cry). Granted, it's not as easy as printing the stuff.
-PCB
...A tad bit racist, don't you think.
...green and red and goes 350 miles per hour?
If something came to 10 cents, you wouldn't be able to pay with a quarter.
Good point...never thought of that!! I completely agree with the rest of your post.
-PCB
Dropping both the penny and the nickel allows everything to be rounded to 0.1 of a dollar. Rather than $2.85, it would become $2.8 or $2.9 - the number of decimal places is arbitrary since we could always sell things to 3 decimal places if we really wanted (i.e. - $2.848 - of course, we would need new coins to do so).
-PCB
You're a pompous idiot...
I'd think an obvious reason might be that the more affluent you are, you can move out to the nicer suburbs...
This is entirely subjective. In most cities that I've lived, the suburbs offer only cheap track housing with names like 'Spring Meadows' or 'Urbandale'. Sure you can find upscale enclaves (usually just means larger, cheaply built houses on double sized lots - so called executive homes in market speak) in the areas surrounding cities, but these are the exception rather than the rule.
The core of cities (or more likely, just outside the core) are where the affluent live. This is certainly true in Boston, San Francisco, etc. I believe people move to the suburbs because it is more affordable.
-PCB
I have an oak stump in my backyard which was ground to just below grade about 5 years ago. If I hit it with an axe today, it still goes 'thud'. There has been, as far as I can tell, absolutely no decomposition - what a pain in the ass!! Let me tell you, tough stuff.
-PCB
I could just as easily argue that the word "vegetarian" doesn't make sense since (most) non-vegetarians also eat vegetables.
No. A vegetarian eats only vegetables. By your argument an 'avegetarian' only eats meat. In most sensible languages, a separate word is used to describe such a person. Put another way: a herbivore eats plants, a carnivore eats meat, and a omnivore eats both. There is no real word such as 'anti-herbivore'.
PCB
The word 'atheist' is completely pointless to begin with and should be rejected as useless jargon. How many words describe what you do not believe? How about:
Aquinist: A person who does not believe in unicorns.
Adentite: A person who does not believe in the tooth fairy.
PCB
Come to Sweden. Honestly.
If you're white...otherwise don't bother!
PCB
Typical eurocrap. Dutch and other northern European counties are going to implode under their stifling and rigid (and boring!) mono-cultures. Ever wonder why the US has such a progressive and creative culture (no I'm not American). How many Nobel prizes has Holland won lately? Or how many new companies have emerged there since the 60s? This also applies to Europe in general. There is a very simple concept that most Europeans don't understand: Origin of birth does not entitle you to be surrounded by people practicing the habits you're accustom too (i.e. your culture, language, etc.). Simply put, you should respect other people regardless of their habits. If people choose to live in Holland and never learn Dutch that is THEIR CHOICE. The majority should NEVER be able to force their culture on a minority. That is racist. But how can you expect immigrants to integrate? You can't. If they want to integrate that is also THEIR CHOICE. Most Europeans don't like (or understand) this idea at all, which is why, despite their liberal pretence, they are generally racist (and don't even know it). Compare Amsterdam to New York. In Amsterdam immigrants are rotting in ghettos (with the Dutch going "oh why, oh why don't they just integrate or leave"). In New York, waves of immigrants have been coming for centuries creating one of the riches cities in the world. Both the US and Canada have problems with racism, but it pales in comparison to Europe. How many 'home-grown' Islamic terrorist attacks have occurred in the US lately? For all you prospective immigrants out there, go to the US or Canada...avoid Europe like the plague.
PCB
Evolution is fact. If you want to find another word to describe something that is true, go ahead. By your definition, orbital mechanics is also just theory. You're using semantics to obscure the truth.
PCB
scientists hope to breed plants that can handle the wide range of temperatures that will be found on Mars.
Just come to Ottawa (Canada). Minus 35 C in the winter, plus 35 C in the summer! And I see corn growing across the street. Why am I living here again...might as well move to Mars.
PCB
I have to agree with the original poster on this one. A rational mind simply cannot believe that any of the major religions, as they are currently presented, are true. Even without logic and reason, they are simply to childish to be true: world floods, walk on water, water to wine, conflicting moral values, an absolute powerful god who is powerless, etc. They are just fairly tales (or creation myths) based 'very loosely' on historical events. All societies have them. In fact there are thousands of creation myths telling thousands of different stories. They can't all be right. I'm always surprised that people still believe in them today. Strange.
-PCB
What's the problem with it?
PCB
If you don't understand this, then you are an idiot. I'm sorry, but it is almost not worth explaining...
Things can be true and an approximation at the same time. A good example is F=MA, which true for 99.99% of the time except at relativistic speeds. Therefore, F=MA is true most of the time, but an approximation some of the time.
There is a major split between quantum theory and relativistic theory at the moment. Some theorists are saying that both models cannot be right. One has to go. But, each may be subset of the other. Therefore, relativity may be true for a very specific set of conditions but incorrect in general. If your interested, google it.
PCB
Repeat after me...
The process of evolution is fact.
I know a great deal about evolution. What specific parts do you think are unproven? Delusion must be a wonderful state of mind.
PCB
Except a heliocentric solar system has been proven. Evolution has not.
The process of evolution is FACT!
Repeat after me...
The process of evolution is fact.
The details are continuously modified and refined to adapt to new evidence, but all science works this way. Newton's laws of motion are fact, but only an approximation. A better approximation is Einstein's relativistic approach. A new theory may soon (or not) be developed that is even better than Einstein's approach. If fact, some people think that Einstein's theories are completely wrong. But they work and are a good predictor for specific conditions (think GPS calculations). And so on!!!
PCB