JHAQ

Recently I noticed that both McCaine & Obama were left handed . I also have noted that MANY Presidents are left handed too -- far out of proportion to the general population . Has any study been made of this & any speculation as to why ?

I also have type 2 diabetes & control blood sugar with metformin , glucophage & insulin ( I was also on Avianda before its heart effects became suspected ). I cannot add to what has been said above except you will die in increments if you do not get treatment . Retinipathy ( perhaps ending in blindness ) , general neuropathy , & poor healing of any wounds in extremities eventually leading to perhaps gangrene necessitating amputatiuon(s) .

The biological definition of lifes purpose is to survive long enogh to establish an individuals entities genome into the next generation . To what purpose remains unclear .Maybe despite many failures & dead ends an entity with God like powers ??

Senescence & death are the price we pay for the ability to reproduce sexually .

A medieval anachronism perhaps but separation of a largely ceremonial head of state from the executive head does have its advantages -- both in terms of the basic character & motivations of those seeking office and in terms of historical continuity & oversight . Somebody ( reported in Greenspans book--- maybe Churdhill ) said only candidates who did NOT seek the office of the US Presidency should be elected to it . ( Gore any one ?)

Absolutely YES but only with proper constraints . It is therein where lies the difficulty--- the main one being how to do it without putting pressures on people deemed "imconvenient " for any reason . My many dogs have died far better deaths than many of my relatives .

The physiological effects of NO on the vascular system is well known but I am puzzled by how it remains as NO & is not oxidised to toxic NOx . How does it avoid this in the body & presence of oxygen carrying blood ?

I (M) ( age 78 ) am prochoice because a fetal entity has NO anticipatory foreknowledge of its imminent demise so if the termination is painless it does not suffer . What H.sapiens has is the uniqueness of being the only animal who knows death & its conflict with that evolutionay imperative to survive at almost any cost

Outrageous . Dawkins & Hitchens are right Outrageous . Dawkins & Hitchens are right .A literal interpretation of the bible would tie anybody in knots anyway with all the inconsistencies & contradictions . Outrageous . Dawkins & Hitchens are right .A literal interpretation of the bible would tie anybody in knots anyway with all the inconsistencies & contradictions .

To me death is the price organisms pay for the ability to reproduce sexualy in terms of genome transmission . Only clones ( except perhaps for their mitichondrial DNA ) & organisms which replicate by fission are essentially immortal . Again , we were "dead" before we were ever conceived & will return to that state of non - sentience , non -existence when we die .

Incipient speciation ---

I feel the humane killing of "crop" animals is a very different thing from torture & killing for pleasure .In the former case there is no ( nor should be ) any anticipatory foreknowledge of imminent death .

Just think of the migrations which might be attempted IF the direst predictions of climate changes actually become manifest .

Perhaps the measure of "doing good " is longevity ( not so good in some places perhaps) . Imagine living in the middle ages --and in the days of the black death .

I would appreciate hearing from any members who have /are using Avandia & any adverse experiences they may have had . This request is in light of recent (contested ) reports . I am a type 2 diabetic ( 12 years now , age 78 )& have been taking 2 times 5 mg / day for several years now ( along with glucophage , glucotrol & 35 units insulin ( Lantus ) daily ) -- all so far w/o any problems & reasonable blood sugar control . My feeling is that croaking from a heart attack is a better option than from the ravages of diabetes .

A good point but one must realise perceptiveness of the brain was an evolutionary product which for survival purposes would have to deal with reality as it is .

Dont confuse species with breeds . All modern dogs of any type are fundamentally interfertile ( and of the same species ) even if size differences preclude "normal " copulation . One could say breed differences are the first step in speciation but the same could be said for different human races -- all of whom are also interfertile .

I basic evolutionary biological terms ( purpose of a living organism is to perpetuate its genome ( & establish it into the next generation ) , the answer is obvious -- save the kids . But is this still true in an era of exlosive uncontrolled relentless population growth ?

I just returned from the UK ( where I was born & went to school & college ) after attending a funeral for a close relative . I was staggered by the cost of living there , the congestion , the traffic & the hassle of daily living ( downtown congestion pay to park parking , queues at every check out counter & other obsolete practices ) -- all despite the incredible natural beauty of the country . It cost a pound at least to buy what a dollar buys here & real estate costs are thru the roof . If anything it is an indictment of relentless population growth ( 600 /sq mile ) compared to here ( around 35 sq mile ) .Brown vs Blair ?? They are not the basic problem .

A dead one

To me patriotism is genomic affinity in action . Blind adherence to a tribal commonality & as such an evolutionary phenomenom for perpetuation of closely related genomes .

True selfishness may be definable as that which promotes biological replicative success even if it is via conventionally definable seeming unselfish behaviour . All ( successeful ) life is a genomes way of making another genome .

Why not alchemy & creationsim too ?

Yes-- with controls . Obvious on the face of it . Too many reasons to iterate .

If ghosts ghouls & spirits etc are supernatural why are they clothed -- or can innanimate materials have ghosts too ? Ghosts should be naked if they can only originate from dead once living entitiies .