Coded Logic

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Posts by Coded Logic

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  205

  Mathematically Measuring Evolution.

  by towerwatchman in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  mathematically measuring evolution.. when judging relationships in terms of morphological characteristics we will always be bound by the subjective.

  morphologically one cannot exactly measure the distance between two organisms strictly in mathematical terms.

  using the standard method of taxonomy we cannot quantify the difference between a horse and a mouse, or know which is closer mouse to cat, or mouse to fish.

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  Coded Logic

  If we really do want to measure evolution we're going to have to be willing to do the math. Not sure how deep you want to get into this but the information is readily available for anyone who wants to take a stab at it.
  

  Also, I agree with Caedes. It would be nice if you could provide the source for your OP and the mathematics you used to reach your conclusion.

  Of the four methodologies I provided to look at our DNA here are some of the calculations we can use -

  1.) Mitochondrial DNA:
  

  

  The variable RW above is the average fraction of wild-type nucleoid among mitochondria (i.e. the average of (1−RM,imito)) in a cell. The sigmoidal function is motivated by the activity data of cytochrome c oxidase (COX) as a function of the relative proportion of wild-type and mutant mtDNA in cybrid cells (see Fig. 1B) [38]. COX is an enzyme complex involved in the mitochondrial ATP production and its activity is used as an indicator of mitochondrial respiration function. Based on the equation above, the maximum amplification of mtDNA replication by retrograde signaling (at RW = 0) is rmax +1, which has been reported to be ∼16 times the basal rate [39]. A linear function can also be used in place of the sigmoidal function above, without changing the general trend and conclusions from the model simulations

  
  

  (A) During a mitochondrial fusion, the nucleoid information (W and M) of the precursor mitochondria is retained and a fission site is created (bold line). During fission of a previously fused mitochondrion, a fission site is randomly chosen from the possible sites in the mitochondrion selected for fission. The redistribution of nucleoid contents between the two daughter mitochondria is determined randomly according to a Binomial distribution, while the particular nucleoids to be transferred are randomly taken from a Hypergeometric distribution. During fission of a primary mitochondrion, i.e. mitochondrion without any fission site, nucleoids are randomly distributed between two daughter mitochondria. (B) Steady state distribution of mitochondrial size as a function of mitochondrial size. In the figure inset, the fission propensity is shown as a function of mitochondrial size (number of nucleoids). (C) Mitochondrial fusion-fission and nucleoids mixing rate. Mitochondrial heterogeneity in each cell is represented by the mean coefficient of variation (COV) of RMmito. The mean COV of RMmito is scaled such that the steady state value is −100%. In this case, the mixing time τ is defined as the time for the scaled COV of RMmito to reach −63.2%. A faster decrease in the mean COV of RMmitoindicates a faster mixing and hence is indicated by a smaller mixing time constant τ.
  
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  205

  Mathematically Measuring Evolution.

  by towerwatchman in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  mathematically measuring evolution.. when judging relationships in terms of morphological characteristics we will always be bound by the subjective.

  morphologically one cannot exactly measure the distance between two organisms strictly in mathematical terms.

  using the standard method of taxonomy we cannot quantify the difference between a horse and a mouse, or know which is closer mouse to cat, or mouse to fish.

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  Coded Logic

  Hahaha, well I suppose I should be happy that you've changed your position from Archeopteryx is "just a bird" all the way to Archeopteryx is "just a bird with unique features". I guess that's progress.

  ;)

  But, if we're being honest, it's NOT just a bird with unique features is it? It's a "bird" with features that are inherently reptilian. It's a "bird" with the exact sort of features we would expect to see during a speciation event in which "birds" were much more like their dinosaur precursors.

  Not only that, if you'll recall, you were the one to bring up morphological and anatomical differences. I'm not sure it's really fair to cry foul (or perhaps, in this case, fowl) now that it's "too subjective" a topic since you've decided you don't like where the evidence is leading.

  But all that's neither here nor there. To you're broader point, we have a multitude of mechanism for looking at and measuring the difference in species. We can do this in several different ways:

  1.) Mitochondrial DNA

  2.) X Chromosomes

  3.) Endogenous Retrovirus'

  4.) Allele Frequencies

  These are each independent methods of studying various aspects our DNA to determine hierarchy. For example, evolution predicts that our closest cousins are chimpanzees', followed by guerrillas and then orangutans. And when we look at our mitochondrial DNA (this is what's used in paternity and ancestry tests) we observe the exact same thing.

  The same is true when we look at the family lines along the x-chromosome. We find that human's closest cousins are chimpanzees followed by guerrillas and then orangutans.

  Next, we can do something very different. We can see what endogenous retrovirus' (ERVs) we share with other animals. According to evolution, we should expect that any ERVs we share with orangutans we'd also share with guerrillas and chimpanzees since orangutans are our most distant ape cousins. And, conversely, we'd expect that there would be some ERVs we'd share with chimpanzees and guerrillas that we don't share with orangutans. Guess what? This is exactly what we observe!

  Lastly, we can look at allele frequencies (or, more broadly, genotype frequencies). And the species with which humans have the lowest number of genetic variants is . . . you guessed it, chimpanzees! Wow, what a stunning surprise. Want to wager which species might be next closest? Or next closest after that? Why guerrillas and orangutans of course!

  So there we have it, four independent methods of studying DNA that all converge on the exact same hierarchy. But we don't have to stop there. There's a host of other methods we can use too!
  

  5.) Homologous Structures

  6.) Vestiges

  7.) Atavisms

  8.) Phylogenetic Heterogeneity

  9.) Allopatric Speciation

  . . .

  And want to guess the hierarchy at which all these methods also arrive?

  This is an important point. There's not just lot's of evidence for evolution. There's lot's of methodologies that all converge on the same answer. In science, having two independent methods reaching a similar conclusion is generally considered rock solid. In biology, evolution doesn't just have two. There at least nine that I know of (and I'd not be surprised if there are even more).

  In closing, I'd like to mention I don't think there's anything wrong with your skepticism (a demand for evidence). So long as you stay true to the flip side of that coin as well - keeping an open mind (aka - following that evidence where it leads).
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  205

  Mathematically Measuring Evolution.

  by towerwatchman in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  mathematically measuring evolution.. when judging relationships in terms of morphological characteristics we will always be bound by the subjective.

  morphologically one cannot exactly measure the distance between two organisms strictly in mathematical terms.

  using the standard method of taxonomy we cannot quantify the difference between a horse and a mouse, or know which is closer mouse to cat, or mouse to fish.

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  Coded Logic

  But what is unique to evolution is the amount of imagination that is used. All you have here is a bird.

  -Towerwatchman

  No imagination necessary my friend. There are multiple lines of evidence showing that Archeopteryx is more than just a bird:

  1.) All modern birds have beaks or bills. The Archeopteryx, however, does not have a beak. Instead, it has a jaw.

  2.) The spinal cord in modern birds attaches underneath the skull. In Archeopteryx, the spinal cord attaches to the back of the skull (like all other reptiles).

  3.) The thoracic vertebrae in modern birds is always fused. In Archeopteryx, the thoracic vertebrae are free.

  4.) Modern birds have a saddle shaped cervical vertebrae. Archeopteryx has a cervical vertebrae with conclave vertical facets (much like Tarbosaurus).

  5.) Birds have short articulating ribs. The Archeopteryx, however, has long ribs that do not articulate.
  

  6.) Birds do not have a gastralium. Archeopteryx, like all reptiles, does.

  7.) Birds metacarpals (hand bones) are always fused. But the metacarpals of Archeopteryx, like all reptiles, are free and flexible.

  8.) Birds have 11 to 23 vertebrae in the sacrum (the vertebrae that run through the pelvis). The Archeopteryx has only six bones in it's Sacrum (the same number as in reptiles).

  9.) Birds have an elongated pubis that angles backward. The pubic shafts of Archeopteryx is short and not angled backward.

  10.) Birds have a short tail with the vertebrae at the end fused into a pgostyle. The Archeopteryx has a long boney tail with many free vertebrae up to the tip.

  There are many other differences too that put the Archeopteryx is more than just a bird.
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  205

  Mathematically Measuring Evolution.

  by towerwatchman in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  mathematically measuring evolution.. when judging relationships in terms of morphological characteristics we will always be bound by the subjective.

  morphologically one cannot exactly measure the distance between two organisms strictly in mathematical terms.

  using the standard method of taxonomy we cannot quantify the difference between a horse and a mouse, or know which is closer mouse to cat, or mouse to fish.

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  Coded Logic

  ‘… we are not even authorized to consider the exceptional case of Archaeopteryx as a true link. By link, we mean a necessary stage of transition between classes such as reptiles and birds, or between smaller groups. An animal displaying characters belonging to two different groups cannot be treated as a true link as long as the intermediary stages have not been found, and as long as the mechanism of transition remains unknown.’ [Human Destiny] Evolutionist Lecomte du Noüy

  
  

  Hahaha, you're citing a quote from the 1800s as being authoritative on the topic? Really?

  .

  Towerwatchman,

  Why don't you read the finding of experts in the field of archaeology, taxonomy, and stratigraphy instead of the empty assertions a someone who was not an expert in the field and never researched Archaeopteryx?
  
  Why don't you read what those who actually have taken the time to do their due diligence (research, analysis, peer review, and publication) have to say instead of just cherry picking quotes that tickle your ears?

  Here's what real science on Acheopteryx actually looks like:

  https://bioloskiblog.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/nature2013godefroit.pdf

  http://www.senckenberg.de/files/content/forschung/abteilung/terrzool/ornithologie/archaeopteryx.pdf

  http://hs.umt.edu/dbs/flightlab/EvolutionofAvianFlightMusclesandConstraintsonPerformance.pdf

  
  
• 
  17

  Saying "CNN is fake news" is fake news

  by Coded Logic in

  1. social
  2. current

  cnn has the highest rated accuracy level out of any cable network.

  okay, so that's not setting the bar very high.

  but i see people on this forum bashing cnn ad nauseam.

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  Coded Logic

  CNN has the highest rated accuracy level out of any cable network. Okay, so that's not setting the bar very high. But I see people on this forum bashing CNN ad nauseam. And no one ever goes after any of the other networks who are far worse. What gives?

  http://www.politifact.com/punditfact/article/2015/jan/27/msnbc-fox-cnn-move-needle-our-truth-o-meter-scorec/

  Is it just a case of people regurgitating what they think sounds good without doing two seconds research - or is there something else at play?
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  51

  Why are Republican's so consistantly dishonest?

  by Coded Logic in

  1. social
  2. current

  it hasn't gone unnoticed that the republicans who are saying, "we need to get to the bottom of the obama wiretapping" and "let's investigate this" - are the same people, when it comes to trump's russian ties, who are saying, "we shouldn't look at this at all - it's just a bunch of lies and hype.".

  no evidence whatsoever for claims about obama need a congressional investigation.

  but mountains of evidence about trump with more coming out everyday can be swept under the rug.

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  Coded Logic

  It hasn't gone unnoticed that the Republicans who are saying, "We need to get to the bottom of the Obama wiretapping" and "Let's investigate this" - are the same people, when it comes to Trump's Russian ties, who are saying, "We shouldn't look at this at all - it's just a bunch of lies and hype."

  No evidence whatsoever for claims about Obama need a congressional investigation. But mountains of evidence about Trump with more coming out everyday can be swept under the rug. Republicans have no moral compass at all.
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  2

  "Approaching Adulthood"

  by Coded Logic in

  1. watchtower
  2. scandals

  nailed it!.

  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ciffoxewoww.

  .. also, didn't the jws say before the commission that if an adult had sex with a minor who was "approaching adulthood" than it wouldn't be considered sexual child abuse and wouldn't be reported?.

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  Coded Logic

  Nailed it!

  /

  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CIFfOxEWoww
  

  . . .
  

  Also, didn't the JWs say before the commission that if an adult had sex with a minor who was "approaching adulthood" than it wouldn't be considered sexual child abuse and wouldn't be reported?
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  74

  Why is Trump so effective???

  by Coded Logic in

  1. social
  2. current

  i think trump is an absolute idiot.

  his tactics, however, are undeniably effective.

  thought i'd just put together a short list of some of the things he does.

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  Coded Logic

  Thank you Freedom of Mind for taking the time to reply. I'll try and address some of your comments in order:

  1.) I'm not sure it's fair to compare President Clinton's actions to President Trump's actions in regards to the State Department because it sets up a false equivalency. To be clear, the issues is NOT that Trump is putting his own people in charge. Rather, the issue is that Trump has fired nearly every leadership role in the state department MONTHS before he will be able to get conformations or replacements for them. This is a huge problem for a country seeking a leadership role in the world. Gutting the State Department is like turning the US into a sailing ship without sails. Trump can spin the helm to his hearts delight - but the ship isn't going anywhere.

  And this is nothing like Bill Clinton who had his replacements lined up and ready to go BEFORE dismissing any prior appointees. Trump is just being plain reckless.

  2.) I'm not sure why you're saying MSM is "making stories" about Kellyanne Connoway. The only persons responsible for the parade of nonsense coming out of the mouths of Trump's media team are - Trump's media team. The fact that they habitually run around peddling conspiracy theories and false narratives is deeply concerning. And, more importantly, a great many articles and air time has been spent on Scott Pruitt's scientific illiteracy.

  It is possible to cover both the lies/idiocy of Kellyanne and simultaneously cover the lies/idiocy of Scott. News is not a zero sum game.

  3.) Your comments regarding the UN remind me of when my congregation went to visit Bethel and we stopped at the UN building along the way. The brother conducting the tour went on about how, "since the UN was formed there have been over 300 wars" and how it was a total failure.

  Of course, what the brother failed to mention was all the wars that the UN had STOPPED from ever happening. He failed to mention all the wars that were shortened in length because the UN intervened. He failed to mention all the treaties signed that prevented countries from using chemical, biological, and nuclear weapons on the battlefield. And he failed to mention all the cases in which the UN managed to broker a lasting peace between countries.

  The value of the UN cannot be overstated. And to threaten to abandon it like Trump has is a fools gambit.

  4.) Between January and September of last year the US Coast Guard seized over 416,000 pounds of cocaine (with an estimated value of 5.6 billion dollars). And by the end of the year it had intercepted additional 26 tons of cocaine. I'd hardly call that a "negligible impact".

  Perhaps if we had smarter drug laws (aka educating people on safe recreational use instead of felony charges) we wouldn't have to spend so much on our Coast Guard. But that's a whole separate topic.
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  74

  Why is Trump so effective???

  by Coded Logic in

  1. social
  2. current

  i think trump is an absolute idiot.

  his tactics, however, are undeniably effective.

  thought i'd just put together a short list of some of the things he does.

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  Coded Logic

  Minimus -

  Name calling is a poor substitute for an actual argument.
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  74

  Why is Trump so effective???

  by Coded Logic in

  1. social
  2. current

  i think trump is an absolute idiot.

  his tactics, however, are undeniably effective.

  thought i'd just put together a short list of some of the things he does.

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  Coded Logic

  If you don't think the sky is falling then I'm afraid you simply haven't been paying attention. Here are just a few of the things Trumps administration has done / is in the process of doing:

  1.) Trump's administration has gutted the State Department and is severely curtailing the US' ability to respond to world events. https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/jan/29/state-department-purge-trump-foreign-policy

  2.) Trump has put in charge of the EPA a man who doesn't believe in global warming. https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2017/03/trumps-war-on-the-climate-begins/519159/

  3.) Trump wants to cut funding to the the UN by over 50% which would cripple peace keeping operations all across the globe. http://thehill.com/policy/international/un-treaties/323781-trump-wants-un-funds-cut-over-50-percent-report.

  4.) Trump wants to cut funding to the coast guard by 1.3 billion dollars which would allow illegal drugs and weapons to flood into the country like never before. https://www.aol.com/article/news/2017/03/13/nearly-60-congressmen-have-called-trumps-1-billion-cut-to-the/21884818/

  5.) Trump wants to cut funding to the TSA and FEMA by over 900 million dollars which would make already long airport lines even longer and severely inhibit our ability to react to natural disasters and provide funding to states declaring emergencies. https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/09/us/politics/trump-budget-coast-guard.html?_r=0

  6.) Trump wants to increase our nuclear arsenal which increases the risk of proliferation and increases the likelihood of other countries starting nuclear programs. http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trump-exclusive-idUSKBN1622IF

  7.) Trump is poised to start a trade war with our two biggest partners in trade - China and Mexico which could skyrocket the price of food and goods here in the states. https://www.forbes.com/sites/danikenson/2017/02/06/not-much-left-stopping-trumps-trade-war-with-china/#911126d4d1cc

  8.) Trump has said he wont defend members of NATO which has greatly increased the threat of Russia to our European allies. http://www.cbsnews.com/news/nato-jens-stoltenberg-russia-vladimir-putin-us-europe-allies/

  9.) Trump as made of White House Press Office a bad joke and the office of the President lacks all credibility. When the wolves really do show up no one is going to believe Trump because he's cried wolf WAY too many times. http://www.cnn.com/2017/03/13/politics/sean-spicer-donald-trump-wiretapping/

  10.) Trump is making health care unaffordable to the lower middle class but is giving huge healthcare tax breaks to the rich. https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/critics-say-aca-risk-strategies-are-having-reverse-robinhood-effect/2016/01/13/e41cf574-b48f-11e5-a842-0feb51d1d124_story.html?utm_term=.1de4c4e87bae

  Anyone of these by themselves is cause for immense alarm. Instead of attacking liberals for claiming "the sky is falling" maybe you should try opening your eyes.