Posts by DJS

43

Evolution is a Fact #3 - ERVs

by cofty in

part 1 - protein functional redundancy.... part 2 - dna functional redundancy.... imagine you are teacher with suspicions that some of your pupils have been copying from each other.

comparing the correct answers in all of their assignments might not provide conclusive evidence.

they could simply claim they had all carefully revised the same textbooks so it shouldn't be surprising that they all gave the same answers.

DJS

CB,

"If the same remnant of a virus was found in exactly the same place in the genome of two different people it would be irrefutable evidence that they both inherited it from a common ancestor."

The smoking gun for evolution it would seem. If we didn't evolve then your god made the same mistake over and over and over and over. He didn't just have a bad day; he had a bad millennium - or thousand.

Someone provide a better explanation. Sometimes theists claim god used both evolution and creation. Try that.

This is also a non-economic forum, a non-military strategy forum, a non-global political forum, a non-relationship forum …… But we talk about all of these things regularly.

Keep talking CB; you are about to make this your greatest hit, surpassing the one where you justified trying to steal an elderly sister's fortune.

43

Evolution is a Fact #3 - ERVs

by cofty in

part 1 - protein functional redundancy.... part 2 - dna functional redundancy.... imagine you are teacher with suspicions that some of your pupils have been copying from each other.

comparing the correct answers in all of their assignments might not provide conclusive evidence.

they could simply claim they had all carefully revised the same textbooks so it shouldn't be surprising that they all gave the same answers.

DJS

Clambake,

There are two acceptable responses in a debate: 1. Refuting the evidence, the manner in which it was collected (by whom - possible bias, whether scientific methods were employed, whether it has withstood peer review, etc.). Please provide counter evidence or refute Cofty's; and 2. the analysis or evaluation of the evidence - Cofty has presented the evidence in a simple manner so that evolution dunces such as me can understand. If you have a problem with his evaluation, please point it out. To this point, you have used the following debating tactics, which are employed by someone who can't do either 1 or 2 above:

Name calling

Questioning the motives of the opponent

Citing irrelevant facts

Sloganeering

Rejecting facts or logic as opinion

Mockery

Innuendo

43

Evolution is a Fact #3 - ERVs

by cofty in

part 1 - protein functional redundancy.... part 2 - dna functional redundancy.... imagine you are teacher with suspicions that some of your pupils have been copying from each other.

comparing the correct answers in all of their assignments might not provide conclusive evidence.

they could simply claim they had all carefully revised the same textbooks so it shouldn't be surprising that they all gave the same answers.

DJS

Clambake,

The old DJS (circa 2015) would have said something like: "What's the matter Clambake, did you run out of old womens' life savings to pilfer so you thought you would annoy Cofty?"

But that was the old DJS.

291

Evolution is a Fact #1 - Protein Functional Redundancy

by cofty in

i intend for this to be one of a series of bite-sized ops on the evidence for evolution.. introduction to dna genes are sequences of dna made up of words (codons) each of which are three letters (bases) long.

there are only four letters in the genetic alphabet (acg&t) each word or codon is the recipe for one amino acid.

there are 20 different amino acids in living organisms.

DJS

@sowhatnow: "while I sit with a deer in the headlight expression on my face".

But you wear it so well Oh Queenly One. Men, and when I say 'men' I mean me, are attracted to that air between the ears' look.

8

What happens At The Edge Of The Universe?

by Brokeback Watchtower in

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

DJS

You meet my ex-wife

Where time seems to stand still because of the sheer agony and anxiety you are experiencing. And after that everything gets darker and darker until you are completely sucked in where nothing, not even light, can escape.

Oh, I'm sorry. That's the edge of a Black Hole.

My bad.

6

Curiousity interest - Russian President Putin Attends Orthodox Christmas Mass last week in Turginovo Church

by fulltimestudent in

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cvfi14wdugo

DJS

OC,

Excellent fill in the blank comments. Thanks!!!

6

Curiousity interest - Russian President Putin Attends Orthodox Christmas Mass last week in Turginovo Church

by fulltimestudent in

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cvfi14wdugo

DJS

In addition to the publicity mentioned above, this fits in with Vlad's long term strategy to rid Mother Russia of anything that isn't part of what he deems to be her heritage and history. This strategy has served him well to energize and mobilize his followers (us against them), many of whom feel lost in the post-Cold War Russia. They have lost their place at the top of the heap, along with the US, in determining global political and military change. The mojo he had during the last Winter Olympics has been lost due to global recession, $30 oil, an exodus of capital and investors and sanctions.

Capitalism has brought many gains to Mother Russia, but it has also resulted in a flood of diverse ideas and philosophies. Vlad and his henchmen might vigorously place barriers in the way of the J-Dubs, Evangelicals and to some degree Muslims, but they are building a wall around the Russian Orthodox Church, which Vlad and the Impalers see as true Russian. The May 2015 law Vlad signed regarding "undesirable foreign groups" illustrates this mentality.

Some think that Vlad has moved from being an atheist to a staunch X-tian; Intel analysts see a shrewd tactical and strategic move by a true blue KGBer who would like to go back to the good old days. Those days include the Russian Orthodox Church.

291

Evolution is a Fact #1 - Protein Functional Redundancy

by cofty in

i intend for this to be one of a series of bite-sized ops on the evidence for evolution.. introduction to dna genes are sequences of dna made up of words (codons) each of which are three letters (bases) long.

there are only four letters in the genetic alphabet (acg&t) each word or codon is the recipe for one amino acid.

there are 20 different amino acids in living organisms.

DJS

sowhatnow,

I can't wrap my tiny brain around a lot of science either, such as quantum physics, some of the minutia associated with evolution and what's up with girls, for examples. Thankfully there are a lot of very smart people engaged in such studies, however, and we can learn from them.

What you can do My Highness of Clean, is closely evaluate your feelings and beliefs about such topics, especially religion. To swallow the entire religious manifesto hook, line and sinker means that you are tied with steel cables to your most basic human factor. Your emotions. As Fraulein Maria said (sang?). Let's start at the very beginning. That's a very good place to start.

Even better: Decide today that you will live an evidence based life. You won't regret it. The rest will take care of itself.

291

Evolution is a Fact #1 - Protein Functional Redundancy

by cofty in

i intend for this to be one of a series of bite-sized ops on the evidence for evolution.. introduction to dna genes are sequences of dna made up of words (codons) each of which are three letters (bases) long.

there are only four letters in the genetic alphabet (acg&t) each word or codon is the recipe for one amino acid.

there are 20 different amino acids in living organisms.

DJS

SSC and Cofty,

You each point out the primary issues with this site and between the religious and the non-religious in general, regardless of the topic. The only thing required for sentient (barely?) beings to believe is to feel. For thousands of years religions have made quick converts from the illiterate and uneducated by giving them a bowl of rice, a 'miracle' or a promise of a paradise wherein all of their problems will be gone.

Whatever thinking or knowledge the religious typically consider is confirmationally biased with one intention - to maintain and confirm those feelings and beliefs. The highest rung on our evolutionary ladder is one they avoid at all cost; that rung is to consider the full breadth, depth and width of our knowledge on a particular subject and scientifically or empirically test that knowledge to see if it stands up to scrutiny.

It is too scary for them, as they would rather resort to the only tools they have to respond to such knowledge, and that is almost always name calling or red herring arguments and a myriad of other debating tactics employed by those who have no evidence, no facts and who cannot refute the evidence and facts presented.

Like junkies, they are addicted to their emotions and they don't even know it. Religion and confirmation bias are two of the most damaging aspects of our species.

76

What is your relationship with ALCOHOL?

by nicolaou in

here in the uk new drinking guidelines have been issued which suggest "no more than 14 units a week - equivalent to six pints of beer or seven glasses of wine.".

another piece of the advice which is getting a lot of attention is that "if people drink, it should be moderately over three or more days and that some days should be alcohol-free.".

already people are making cries of "nanny state!

DJS

Nicolau,

Like many, I have a family and extended family with drug and alcohol dependency and abuse problems. It has caused great strife in their lives and the lives of their families. In addition, the US government has spent a lot of $ on drying some of them out (ultimately to no avail), confining them (again, to no avail), and subsidizing the health care costs associated with the various ailments and issues that drug and alcohol abuse can cause, as well as other benefits related to broken families (food assistance, etc.). No doubt the UK government has done the same.

Just a bit of research reveals the costs to society for alcohol abuse and dependence. To think that a responsible government wouldn't issue guidelines, etc. is ridiculous. Those who don't control themselves will usually be controlled by someone else.