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Theories - Origin of Life
Discussion of everything related to the Theory of Evolution.
Moderator: BioTeam
It seems to me that some of you have fallen into a classic creationist trap. You can tell by "Scottie`s" ever increasing length of arguments and his arrogance and his "boys, if you can`t follow me, I will take it slow and easy" act. He`s showing off, obviously. He`s playing for an audience and that is really the tactics for creationists nowadays. Be strictly scientific, strictly unreligious and repeat as often as possible that the idea of evolution is really a belief system. I think it was obvious when "Scottie" stated that evolution is a fact, but only within species. To say that, you have a different motive than science. I hate to see these fake debates over and over again. I think they are harmful to forums like this and to science in general.
Re: Theories - Origin of Life
Thanks for the compliment.
It's nice to have it recognised that I am sticking strictly to science and being un-religious.
I assumed that science is about just that.
I will therefore continue with the science and continue to keep religion out of the discussion.
Is the DNA sequence the Master controller of the cell?
We all begin life as a single cell containing an entire genome.
As the cell divides the chromosomes are faithfully replicated so that each daughter cell receives the same genome (There are some exceptions to this. For example in the human immune system.)
So how is it that the daughter cells then go down different pathways leading to different tissues in this process of differentiation?
The offspring of one cell will eventually gain the ability to expand and contract as part of a muscle, while another will take on a rigid form with a specialized ability to transmit electrical signals etc etc.
In the human genome there are about 200 different cell types..
This instruction set (genome) apparently does not contain all the instructions needed for cell growth.
These instructions are extra or above (epi) to the genome.
Now there is also another factor worthy of consideration.
The result of the Human Genome Project posed another problem.
It was expected that the human genome would contain about one hundred thousand protein coding genes. Instead it turned out to be only about twenty odd thousand.
This number is roughly about the same as a simple one millimeter long roundworm.
Genes are therefore far from the whole story.
Most of the human DNA (some 98.8%) does not code for proteins. The bulk of this non coding DNA was referred to as junk i.e. the evolutionary accumulation of meaningless genetic leftovers.
However as more information has surfaced an intriguing picture is revealed.
Non coding DNA accounts for only 10% of a one celled prokarote, only 32% in yeast, 75% in roundworms, 83% in insects, 91% in a pufferfish.
The more complex the organism the greater is the amount of this "junk".
This is highlighted in this paper
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1 ... 4/abstract
The above is a direct quote from the above abstract.
So we have gone from "junk" to the primary measure of our evolutionary advance, as organisms have got more complex.
So a reasonable question to ask would be.
How does Darwinian theory of random mutations of the genome explain this 98.8% "junk" in the human genome and which incidentally is distinctly non-random?
This is how cell biologist Lenny Moss reviews the situation in his book " What Genes can't do"
Once upon a time it was believed that something called "genes" were integral units, that each specified a piece of a phenotype [that is, a trait], that the phenotype as a whole was the result of the sum of these units, and that evolutionary change was the result of new genes created by random mutation and differential survival.
Once upon a time it was believed that the chromosomal location of genes was irrelevant, that DNA was the citadel of stability, that DNA which didn't code for proteins was biological "junk," and that coding DNA included, as it were, its own instructions for use.
Once upon a time it would have stood to reason that the complexity of an organism would be proportional to the number of its unique genetic units. (Moss 2003, p. 185)
http://books.google.com/books?id=AGm7Tg ... ss&f=false
The evidence now is that the resources for the management of cell functions reside, in part, in these non-coding protein areas as well as other areas distributed throughout the cell.
Some recent experiments show how important the role of RNA is in phenotypic variation.
I will point to evidence next.
Re: Theories - Origin of Life
And there I was thinking I was being funny.
I am not sure if Scottie is being harmful. He sure is not debating, as his constant refusal to answer my simple question demonstrate, and he is long winded and not very interesting. But I think that there is also a need to counterbalance the substance of his arguments to show their flaws, not in order to convince him, but to prevent those who could be convinced that there is some substance in his demonstration. So pointing out that his argument of design is essentially circular (nothing can be without design, so there must be a designer that is something [back to start]) is essential.
However I do not think that interacting with him is useful. He demonstrates that his part of the discussion is only a way to make his points irrespectively of any arguments he is presented with, so I have no problem in using the same strategy.
Science has proof without any certainty. Creationists have certainty without
any proof. (Ashley Montague)
Re: Theories - Origin of Life
Who needs a diary when the evidence is publicly available.
Canolan's question has been answered.
It is just that he does not like the answer so he invents arguments about circular reasoning.
His problem is that he has not asked the scientific question.
So let me help
How about this most important one.
Is my understanding of Functional Design falsifiable?
Now this would be a reasonable question.
But of course he is unable to argue scientifically,so he tries to get me to name the designer, as if that has some scientific merit.
But that is his only bolt hole so I suppose he has to dive into it.
So lets deal with what would falsify design hypothesis and also what would falsify the neo-darwinian theory.
For a theory to be scientific it must be falsifiable.
Yes? no one is going to argue with that are they?
Lets start with my view.
We all see functional design in the cell and no one seriously argues with that.
The question is how did this functional design come about.
My understanding is that an outside agency is responsible.
To be regarded as science then it must be falsifiable.
So once again, is this understanding falsifiable?
I answer Yes, it can be falsified, and there is nothing "secretive" about this.
Every one is aware that functional design (whether good, or not so good or even downright bad) displays itself with certain properties.
1) The function has a purpose. ( i.e. It goes from A to B with C as it's goal )
2) Method by which that purpose is achieved. (How does it go from A to B)
3) It would not contain parts or units that had no function toward the purpose.
Therefore, falsifying this hypothesis would require that parts of the genome were non functional. Now if that was the case then that would be an argument against my hypothesis.
So, all you have to do provide evidence that any part(s) of the genome are non functional and my hypothesis is in trouble.
There you are, I have told you what you need to show.
Should be quite simple, shouldn't it?
Now, the Darwinian or the neo Darwinian view is that this functional design has come about by random mutations of the genome filtered by natural selection with all life having developed from a common ancester.
If this theory is to be regarded as scientific then again it must also be falsifiable.
So What would falsify this theory?
All you need to do is simply reveal what would be required to falsify this theory.
Darwin himself has made some clear statements in that regard in his "Origin of Species." So you should have no difficulty.
So lets keep all the philosophy, religion, and misrepresentation of my posts out of this discussion and cut to the chase.
Come on canolan,
I know you don't wish to continue debating with me but surely even you can rise to this simple challenge.
After all you are the biologist and I am but (how did you put it?) an arrogant fool
btw. I will continue pointing to more evidence on epigenetics.
Re: Theories - Origin of Life
I just noticed this post today and it seems interesting. So if i understand u correctly Ur not saying evolution doesn't occur just that it doesn't occur randomly. is this what ur saying?
Re: Theories - Origin of Life
Thank you for your question.
I joined this forum on the 12th April. My first post is here.
48 posts later, along with a certain amount of abuse being directed towards me, has resulted in an unanswered challenge.
The theory of design is a valid scientific theory simply because it can be falsified.
I have shown how it can be falsified and it has resulted in my challenge to do just that.
I am waiting for someone to inform how the Darwinian theory can be falsified.
It has to be falsifiable if it to be counted as scientific.
Things have gone silent on both fronts.
So to recap for your benefit and answer your question
There is good evidence that evolution (variation) does occur, but only within species.
There is some accumulating evidence that undermines this process as purely random.
The field of epi genetics is beginning to show this.
I have been arguing that the (Darwinian or neo-Darwinian) hypothesis, random mutations filtered by natural selection from a common ancestor is not supported by the evidence we see in the functioning of the cell.
I have contended that design is the correct understanding of how the cell appeared.
I do not support either the creationist or the ID understandings as I have found difficulties with them both, although I have not explained my reasons, simply because this debate has been around Darwinian hypothesis or evolution as it seems to be commonly called.
Hope that answers your question.
Re: Theories - Origin of Life
Some further evidence that impacts on Darwinism
Firstly by way of some basics for us non biologists!!
Chromosomes normally come in pairs in the genomes of mammals. One is inherited from the mother and the other from the father. So any given gene occurs twice, with one version or "allele" located on the first chromosome of a pair and the other on the second.
When the two alleles are identical, the organism is said to be homozygous for that gene; when the alleles are different, the organism is heterozygous.
As an example, there are mice that in their natural wildtype state are dark-coloured.
This colour is partly dependent on a gene known as Kit. These mice are normally homozygous (i.e. both alleles are identical) for this gene. However, when one of the Kit alleles is replaced with a certain mutant gene, the now heterozygous mouse developed white feet and a white tail tip.
Now when these mutant mice were bred together, some of the offspring were again normal wildtype, which would be expected.
However these normal wildtype mice maintained the same white spots that were characteristic of the mutants.
Mendel's laws of inheritance were apparently being violated.
A trait was being displayed despite the absence of it's corresponding gene. Something epigenetic was going on in the inheritance of the offspring.
It appears that RNA is playing a role in this inheritance across generations
http://cambridge.academia.edu/AlysonAsh ... enerations
This is further evidence that DNA is not the only information set that the cell is using.
Now why is this important for theory.
It is because Darwinian thinking has centered on the genome as being the driver for phenotypic change. Gradualism being the operative process.
However the evidence is, that the cell as a whole determines what an organism is. Neo Darwinism has no answer for this.
One of the most outstanding examples is the caterpillar and butterfly. Both organisms have the same genome, yet how different they are in phenotype and all this change takes place within about two weeks.
I will of course provide more evidence of this epi genetic control that is rapidly coming to light.
First of all, Darwin had no idea about DNA. At the time, when he lived, the DNA was not known yet, especially not as an inheritance material.
Second, all of your cells contain the same genome, yet they are different. However, that's not epigenetics, only regulation of genes. Nevertheless, this has nothing to do with evolution.
Cis or trans? That's what matters.
Where does it say that similar genotype aren't capable of producing different phenotypes?
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CFPB Rule Requires Free Appraisal Copy for Borrowers
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau on Friday released a new rule that requires mortgage lenders to provide applicants with free copies of all appraisals and other home-value estimates.
Lenders may still recover the cost of obtaining the appraisal, but not for providing a copy to the borrower.
Lenders must also inform consumers within three days of receiving a first mortgage application of their right to receive a copy of the appraisal. Appraisals must be furnished to the borrower at least three days before the loan closes. The new rule goes into effect in January 2014.
"This rule will guarantee consumers can receive important information on how a lender determines the value of the home," said CFPB Director Richard Cordray. "Having this information available promptly makes it easier for loan applicants to make informed decisions."
The disclosure requirements of the new appraisal rule overlap with a rule on appraisals for higher-priced mortgage loans the CFPB formally issued jointly with several other agencies Friday, including the NCUA. The FDIC had made the rule public on Wednesday.
That new rule creates an additional level of due diligence by requiring that creditors use a licensed or certified appraiser to prepare the written appraisal report based on a physical inspection of the property. The rule also requires creditors to disclose to applicants information about the purpose of the appraisal and provide consumers with a free copy of any appraisal report.

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Delavan-Darien School District makes staff cuts to balance budget
DELAVAN—A failed referendum will mean the loss of 17.5 positions in the Delavan-Darien School District.
Of those, six are retirements or resignations, and those positions will not be refilled. The loss of the remaining 11.5 positions will mean the non-renewal of teacher contracts.
At Monday's Delavan-Darien School Board meeting, board members voted unanimously to make those cuts—and several others—to make up a $2.1 million budget deficit.
The staff cuts will save the district more than $500,000.
The decision was made nearly two weeks after a referendum to exceed the revenue cap by $2.1 million failed by 1,727 to 1,163.
Along with the cuts, the board discussed going to referendum again, perhaps in August. That decision was put off until the May meeting.
The meeting, which was attended by about 160 people, was marked by passionate speeches by board members and local residents.
�Five residents spoke before the meeting.
George Kirkpatrick said he had voted against the referendum, and said he wasn't happy that he might be voting on another one in August.
"I have to ask the board, 'What part of no don't you understand," Kirkpatrick said.
Kirkpatrick noted that the referendum was soundly defeated.
"60 percent isn't squeaker," Kirkpatrick said. "It's not advisable, it's not prudent, to take it back to the people."
Parent Bernice Solis said she supported the April 1 referendum.
"Often times we spend a lot of money on things and it's not an investment in anything," Solis said. "This is an investment in our kids, and it's extremely important."
Board member Chad Kort noted that when the referendum first came up, he made the comment that "throwing money at a problem doesn't necessarily solve the problem."
"People talk about cutting the fluff—I'd like to see what that fluff is," Kort said. "Even if we cut all of our extra curricular, that wouldn't even come close. Salaries make up 85 percent of our costs."
Board member Joe Peyer said that he and many of his fellow board members were elected to make changes to the district.
Peyer said he didn't want the job on the school board, but "about 50" teachers approached him and wanted him to run.
The job has turned out to be more complicated than he expected.
"Business tactics don't work in schools," Peyer said.
He noted that his taxes were about $5,000 and yet his property values "were in the crapper."
A good school system was crucial to bringing people into the community and keeping them here.
"Without strong schools, we don't have a strong community," Peyer said.
Other cuts and changes made to balance the budget include:
--Borrowing $1 million at a low interest rate from the state trust fund. No interest is charged on the money unless it is used. The money could be used to help carry the district if a future referendum fails to pass.
--The rest of the cuts will come from distance learning, $40,000; phones, $50,000; utilities, $20,000; and equipment, $250,000.
--$204,000 in health insurance premium shares from employees. The system will change the retirement benefits.


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Hedge-fund firms Saba Capital Management LP and Pine River Capital Management are piling into closed-end debt funds with share prices that plunged below the value of their assets by the most since the credit crisis.
Saba, the $3.9 billion manager run by Boaz Weinstein, has amassed at least $847.3 million in the publicly traded funds after it started buying them last year, moving into an area traditionally dominated by individual investors, regulatory filings show. Pine River purchased $159.6 million of shares that on average fell as much as 9.1 percent below their holdings in December, the biggest gap since 2009 as measured by Thomas J. Herzfeld Advisors Inc.
Hedge-fund managers are seeking an edge in a market where the riskiest corporate debt is typically yielding 6.06 percent, 3 percentage points less the average of the past decade. They're stepping into funds run by BlackRock Inc. and Pacific Investment Management Co. (Pimco) after retirees and wealthy individuals fled last year in the face of a Federal Reserve pullback from unprecedented stimulus.
"A tremendous amount of money has been invested by non-traditional institutional investors, including hedge funds," said Cecilia Gondor, executive vice president at Herzfeld Advisors in Miami Beach, Florida. "Retail investors are still nervous about investing in interest-rate-sensitive securities."
Individuals accelerated their sales of closed-end funds in June after then-Fed Chairman Ben S. Bernanke laid out a plan by which the central bank would reduce its monthly asset purchases. Dollar-denominated junk bonds plunged 2.6 percent that month, and investment-grade notes dropped 2.8 percent, according to Bank of America Merrill Lynch index data.
The biggest closed-end credit funds outstripped even those losses. Pimco's $2.77 billion Dynamic Credit Income fund sunk 3.7 percent in June, and DoubleLine Capital LP's Income Solutions fund dropped 6.56 percent, according to data compiled by Bloomberg that includes reinvested dividends.
While speculative-grade bonds subsequently rebounded, gaining 5.8 percent in the following six months, closed-end funds have lagged behind.
'Beaten Up'
Individual investors, concerned that funds that use leverage are vulnerable to bigger losses as bond yields rise, continued to sell their shares into year-end, according to Sangeeta Marfatia, a strategist at UBS Securities LLC in New York. They also were driven by efforts to lower taxes by locking in losses at year-end, she said.
"Closed-end funds got beaten up pretty bad," Marfatia said in a telephone interview. Even with the drop, she doesn't necessarily view the discount in the shares as a buying opportunity. "Closed-end funds use leverage, and interest rates are rising," she said.
Shares of the investment vehicles dropped as much as 26.2 percent below the average value of their holdings in the depths of the financial crisis in October 2008 as investors fled strategies that use borrowed money, Herzfeld Advisors data show. They usually trade at some discount to the value of the underlying assets.
Hedge-fund firms that typically seek to exploit inefficiencies in the debt markets are now swooping in as yields on 10-year Treasuries retreat to 2.67 percent from 3.03 percent at year-end, and as yields on riskier debt return to almost record-low levels.
The magnitude of Saba's recent purchases of the fund shares is unprecedented, according to Warren Antler, who specializes in analyzing closed-end funds at AST Fund Solutions LLC in Lyndhurst, New Jersey.
"You've got a big hedge fund buying into this space," he said in a telephone interview. "This showed up in the last quarter."
Saba, which former Deutsche Bank AG credit-trading co-head Weinstein started in 2009 to trade on price discrepancies between securities, last year purchased $75.7 million of shares in Pimco's Dynamic Credit Income Fund to become the biggest single holder of the fund's securities, Bloomberg data show.
The hedge fund bought $78.5 million of shares in the BlackRock Corporate High Yield Fund VI to become its second-biggest owner. The firm now owns $41.5 million of shares in BlackRock's Credit Allocation Income Trust, becoming its fourth biggest owner, the data show.
Pine River, founded in 2002 to pursue opportunities in relative-value trading globally, bought almost 1.1 million shares of Pimco's Dynamic Credit Income Fund, valued yesterday at about $24.4 million, in the three months ended Dec. 31, filings show. It bought 1.1 million shares in BlackRock's Corporate High Yield fund and 1.4 million of DoubleLine Income Solutions Fund shares in the period, the data show.
The Pimco fund rose 0.8 percent today to $23.07 as of 12:58 p.m. in New York, the biggest increase this year. BlackRock's fund climbed 0.2 percent to $12.46, the highest since Dec. 26, while DoubleLine's added 1 percent to $21.38, the highest since October.
While Pine River owned some closed-end fund shares at the end of 2012, more than 70 percent of its purchases were made last year, filings show.
Exploiting Gaps
Jonathan Gasthalter, a spokesman for Saba, and Patrick Clifford, a spokesman for Pine River, declined to comment.
Relative-value hedge funds make both bullish and bearish wagers to profit from price discrepancies between securities. The funds are wagering that the shares have plunged too far below the value of debt that's rallied in the face of weaker-than-expected economic data, which has lowered expectations for how much Treasury yields will rise this year.
Pimco's Dynamic Credit Income Fund has gained 3.2 percent this year including reinvested dividends, while BlackRock's Corporate High Yield fund has returned 2.8 percent, Bloomberg data show.
"We've seen a bounce back," UBS's Marfatia said. "People are attracted to the value proposition, but they also sold off so much that they had to step in and buy some of this."


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Tax-relief measure would whittle dollars from school levies
JANESVILLE--A new law to reduce school property taxes would mean a savings of $10 to $12 for an owner of a $100,000 home in most of Rock and Walworth counties.
The estimated savings on December tax bills were calculated by the nonpartisan Wisconsin Taxpayers Alliance.
However, residents of districts with very high per-student property values would see no relief according to the alliance. Several Walworth County districts are in that category.
An $11 savings works out to about 92 cents a month.
The governor is scheduled to sign the bill into law on Sunday.
School districts will get an extension on their deadline to set their tax levies, which were due Friday, Nov. 1. The new deadline is Wednesday, Nov. 6.
The Janesville School District will need to hold a special meeting the week of Nov. 3 to set the levy, approve its budget and meet the new deadline, said Keith Pennington, the school district's chief financial officer.
The Janesville district's annual budget hearing, however, will go on as planned. It's set for 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 29, at the Educational Services Center, 527 S. Franklin St.
Pennington declined comment on the tax-relief measure, saying he won't know its impact until the state certifies the numbers Thursday, Oct. 31.
"The changes will also be influenced by changes at other districts, so there is no easy formula to determine how large or small of a change will affect the (Janesville School District)", Pennington said in an email.
By law, money from the tax-relief measure must be used to reduce property taxes. None of it can be used to increase spending on education.
Earlier this month before the tax-relief measure was announced, Pennington estimated a Janesville school tax levy of $36.13 million, a 0.16 percent increase from last year.


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Megan Ruger, a contestant on "The Voice," performs at her alma mater in Lake Geneva
LAKE GENEVA—Cheers and howls erupted in the Badger High School gym as Megan Ruger drew out a high note in a cover of Avril Lavigne's "My Happy Ending."
The singer, a 2005 Badger High graduate and contestant on NBC's hit music show "The Voice," brought energy and attitude to her old stomping grounds Friday before moving on to perform at the Brat Stop in Kenosha later that night.
The 26-year-old Twin Lakes native advanced to the knockout section of The Voice in Tuesday's episode.
The Nashville-based singer beat out fellow Team Blake member Ria Eaton when the two sang a duet of Lavigne's "My Happy Ending."
Students and staff at Badger High were happy to see Ruger working to achieve her dream of making it as a musician.
"It's good to see her pursuing her singing career," said Will Harris, Badger High School security supervisor.
Harris and Ruger shared a bear hug as he entered the gym before her performance. The two were all smiles and shared a few laughs.
Harris has worked at the high school for 15 years and would frequently talk with Ruger while she was a student. They wouldn't discuss things she might have been doing wrong, but more about her dreams and aspirations.
Harris thought it was nice Ruger was "coming back and spreading some love with the kids."
While a student at Badger, Ruger was on the ski team, played golf and regularly sang the National Anthem at school sporting events.
Ruger started singing when she was 3 or 4 years old, said her grandmother, JoAnn Schwalbach. Ruger used to sing "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" and Patsy Cline's "Crazy" in the car with her grandparents, Schwalbach recalled.
Ruger refers to her grandmother as her number one fan.
Schwalbach said she is proud of her granddaughter's success and added that Megan's late grandfather would "be extra proud because she (Megan) was very close to us."
Ruger knew she wanted to make it in the music business at the age of 16 when she began performing the National Anthem at the Country Thunder music festival in Twin Lakes. There she had conversations with headliners like Big & Rich backstage, and she says Big Kenny and John Rich were influential in her decision to move to Nashville at age 20.
"I had the privilege and opportunity to hang out with them and they said if you want to make it, Nashville is where it's at," Ruger said.
On "The Voice," Ruger is recognized for her strong voice, tattoos and mohawk hairstyle she says takes a good 30-40 minutes to style each morning. She says she has learned a lot about the music business as a contestant on the show.
Ruger said it was "really awesome" because she had three members of The Band Perry and Blake Shelton as mentors. Ruger said Kimberly Perry of The Band Perry would occasionally pick on her accent.
"She said I said 'away' funny, and I said, 'I'm from the North. This is how we say it,'" Ruger laughed.
Ruger hopes to travel and build her fan base while sharing her music with the world. She said the best advice she can give any student is to get an education.
"Definitely finish school and have a back-up plan because music is not a for-sure thing," she said.
Ruger is pursuing a degree in early childhood education and occasionally is a nanny for some kids in Nashville, a job she had when she was in the early stages of her music career.
"I'm all about kids," Ruger said. "That's why I came back to the school today."
Genevieve Heyward, a freshman at Badger High School, was set to perform with Ruger and another young local artist, Tallan Noble Latz, during Friday night's performance in Kenosha. Heyward said Ruger inspires her to keep trying to achieve her dreams as an artist and is happy for her lifelong friend and fellow performer.
"Now she's finally doing what she's dreamed of and it's awesome because she deserves it," Heyward said.


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Puzzle Levels
Download a FREE Solution for your puzzles!
Product Information
|Open the puzzle
|Level 9 - Gruelling
|Sonic Games
|Other Wire / Metal Puzzles, Andrew Reeves
|4 in x 2 3/4 in x 1/3 in / 10.3 cm x 7.1 cm x 1 cm
Product Description
Designer: Andrew Reeves
As a child Andrew would make games for all his friends when they would come over. They would always ask him "So what should we do today then." He would tell them of a new game that he had been thinking of. Now he has brought puzzling games to us. When Andrew first made the Isis Puzzle, it was picked up and put on the Jonathan Ross Show. After the show they were receiving orders from America asking for this puzzle. Andrew soon went to Dragon's Den to find a backer for his next project. After the show he got a call asking for a huge order. From then on he has been making The Isis Puzzle, The Ramisi Puzzle and now the Copernisis Puzzle. There are plans to do two more puzzles with the last one coming out in 2015. The first one to solve all five puzzles receives up to100,000 pounds.
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Local Views: Congressman Ryan does not deserve praise from Gazette
Did you enjoy The Gazette's editorial (Sunday, Dec 15), "Ryan does what he believes is best"? Rep. Paul Ryan and his remarkable budget agreement are applauded. Ryan's said to be above the fray, concerned only about our country, a career politician not really interested in politics. Ryan's bipartisanship is a new model for Congress to follow, and he deserves praise from the quiet majority of Americans.
What a guy!
Hold, please. Let's clean The Gazette's rose-colored glasses, purge some platitude, add some fact and maybe see a different reality.
The Murray-Ryan budget act saves $23 billion over 10 years. That's the same amount the October federal government shutdown cost the economy. Since House Budget Chairman Ryan didn't call for conference/reconciliation after the Senate budget passed March 23, Ryan arguably bears the most direct responsibility for the shutdown.
Ryan voted Oct. 19 for the first-ever federal default, and the GOP has been widely criticized for government by "manufactured crisis." Does Ryan's most recent action signify epiphany or gut reaction to avoid more blame?
Congressional approval is at an all-time low. As Republican star, Ryan deserves significant responsibility for this dysfunction, not high glory for keeping doors open.
In Ryan's National Review Online piece Dec. 11, he recounts how the 2011 Simpson-Bowles super-committee failed, leaving us the sequester. He doesn't mention his membership on that committee, nor his failure to do his job and reach consensus.
Newt Gingrich muses about the budget agreement (The Week, Dec 16), "I think this is mediocre policy and brilliant politics." Ryan cries crisis, pushes worthless 75-year "Roadmap" projections and maps U.S. debt-to-GDP onto Greece (ignoring an actually relevant comparison with Japan). The Gazette thinks this isn't politics?
Rep. Mark Pocan voted against the budget agreement for three reasons (Gazette 12/19): Sequester cuts weren't rolled-back enough, nothing's done to promote economic growth and costs don't touch the wealthy. Is Pocan doing "what he believes is best"? Yes, he is, just like Ryan and the other 433 representatives. It's called politics.
The media focus has been on Republican newfound cooperation. "In a divided government, you don't get everything you want." Suppose there's nothing high-minded here, only self-serving expediency. Then, Ryan's awful Machiavellian quote becomes, "In a unified government, with the Executive and both houses Republican, we'll get everything we want." No need, that government, for minority dialogue.
Today, Ryan distances himself from tea-party influence and Randian dollar worship. But he believes.
Ryan's a dualist.
He splits Americans at every turn. Maker or taker. Capitalist or socialist. For America or against. It's divisive on its face, crass oversimplification, and an indelible marker of Ryan's true beliefs.
How else to understand his "empowerment" of the disadvantaged by denying them health insurance? How else to understand his "crude and na�ve" trust in the free market, which too often leaves the poor without possibilities (Pope Francis, TIME Magazine, Dec 23)?
We're all Americans, even the minority without health insurance.
The budget agreement is bare-knuckled politics. Divide-and-conquer, that's what Ryan believes is best.
Tom Breu of Janesville is treasurer of the Democratic Party of Rock County; website rockcountydems.org; phone 608-741-2020; email firstname.lastname@example.com.


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Educational Programs in Nonpublic Schools and Child Care and Treatment FacilitiesTable of Contents.01 Purpose and Scope
.02 Definitions
.03 Approval Documents for the Educational ProgramA. Application for Approval DocumentB. Letter of Tentative ApprovalC. Certificate of ApprovalD. Specifications Recorded on Approval DocumentE. Operation Consistent with Specifications on Approval DocumentF. Approval Document not Assignable, Transferable or AlterableG. Posting of Approval DocumentH. Changes in Specifications Recorded on Approval Document (Amendment)I. Approval Required Prior to Implementation of ChangeJ. When Additional Classification(s) Not PermittedK. Approval of Change as Means to Demonstrate ComplianceL. Notification Required Before Cessation of OperationM. Approval Document - Null and Void
.04 Compliance
A. Compliance Required to Maintain Approval DocumentB. Annual ReportC. School Open for Inspection
.05 Procedures and Sanctions for Noncompliance
.06 Certifications of Compliance
.07 Health, Fire Safety, and Zoning
.08 Public Relations Information
.09 Type I Educational Program - General Requirements
.10 Type I Educational Program - Student Records and PEP.11 Type I Educational Program - Behavior Management.12 Type I Educational Program - Privacy Rights.13 Type I Educational Program - Instructional Materials and Equipment/Library Media Collection.14 Type I Educational Program - Daily Schedule and Yearly Calendar.15 Type I Educational Program - Requirements for General Education Programs
Maryland State Department of EducationDivision of Educator EffectivenessNonpublic School Approval Branch


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Treasuries were the world's worst-performing bonds this year, before the Federal Reserve meets today and tomorrow to decide whether to trim its debt-buying program.
U.S. government securities due in a decade and longer have fallen 11 percent from January 1, 2013, to yesterday, the biggest loss among 144 debt indexes tracked by Bloomberg and the European Federation of Financial Analysts Societies. The Treasury is scheduled to sell $32 billion of two-year debt today, in the first of four note auctions this week.
"I don't think the Fed will start to taper," said Kei Katayama, who buys non-yen debt in Tokyo for Daiwa SB Investments Ltd., which manages the equivalent of $47.9 billion. "The economic data are mixed. Yields may go slightly lower." Katayama said the duration of his holdings is "slightly" longer than the benchmark he uses to gauge performance.
Benchmark 10-year yields declined one basis point, or 0.01 percentage point, to 2.87 percent as of 7:57 a.m. in London, according to Bloomberg Bond Trader data. The 2.75 percent security due in November 2023 climbed 3/32, or 94 cents per $1,000 face amount, to 98 31/32 The yield has risen from 1.76 percent at the end of 2012.
The last two-year sale on Nov. 25 drew bids for 3.54 times the amount of debt offered, the highest level since April at the monthly auctions. The notes scheduled for sale today yielded 0.36 percent in pre-auction trading, compared with 0.30 percent at last month's sale.
The Treasury's sales this week will also consist of $35 billion in five-year securities tomorrow and $29 billion of seven-year notes on Dec. 19. It will auction $16 billion in five-year Treasury Inflation Protected Securities Dec. 19.
China's Shanghai Stock Exchange Composite Index fell for a sixth day, maintaining demand for the relative safety of government debt, according to Kazuaki Oh'e, a debt salesman at CIBC World Markets Japan Inc. in Tokyo.
U.S. policy makers will decide whether the economy is strong enough to curb the bond purchases it uses to support the expansion. The Citigroup Economic Surprise Index, which shows whether U.S. data beat or missed expectations, climbed to 35.4 yesterday, a two-month high. The 2013 average is 9.64.
Thirty-four percent of economists contacted by Bloomberg Dec. 6 expected the tapering this week, an increase from 17 percent in a Nov. 8 survey. The Fed buys $85 billion of Treasury and mortgage debt a month to fuel growth by putting downward pressure on borrowing costs.
Odds of Tapering
Drew Matus, deputy U.S. chief economist at UBS Securities LLC in Stamford, Connecticut, said the odds of a taper now are about one in three.
"We're in a holiday week," Matus said yesterday on Bloomberg Radio. "Volumes are going to be lower. A taper is not fully priced in." It "could create much more volatility in markets. I'm not sure the Fed wants to do that the week before Christmas."
Trading volume at ICAP Plc, the largest inter-dealer broker of U.S. government debt, was $194.4 billion yesterday, versus the average of $310.5 billion for the past six months.
A gauge of Treasuries volatility, the Bank of America Merrill Lynch MOVE index, was 69.92 yesterday. The six-month average is 82.06.
A low inflation rate gives the Fed time to wait, said UBS's Matus. His company is one of the 21 primary dealers that trade directly with the Fed.
U.S. consumer prices rose 1.3 percent in November from 12 months earlier, based on a Bloomberg News survey of economists before the Labor Department reports the figure today. The 1 percent increase in October was the least in four years.
Data earlier this month showed the U.S. jobless rate fell to a five-year low of 7 percent, while manufacturing and retail sales expanded.
Yields may rise temporarily, said Hideo Shimomura, who helps oversees the equivalent of $67.9 billion as chief fund investor at Mitsubishi UFJ Asset Management Co. in Tokyo, part of Japan's largest publicly traded bank.
"I think the Fed will suggest that they will be tapering next year," he said. "A tapering is not 100 percent priced into the market."
Ten-year yields may climb 10 basis points this week, he said. They will probably fall back soon after as investors realize an interest-rate increase is still far away, he said.
The Fed has kept its benchmark, the target for overnight loans between banks, at almost zero for five years. The odds of an increase by January 2015 are about 16 percent, based on data compiled by Bloomberg from futures contracts.


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Any SOLID arguments against evolution?
Discussion of everything related to the Theory of Evolution.
Moderator: BioTeam
Re: Any SOLID arguments against evolution?
OK, no further mention of Koran, not relevant in this forum...
author (source): christianstrategies
Re: Any SOLID arguments against evolution?
yeah, like if Bible would be
Why don't you comment the Lenski's experiment? You're obviously updated with the neutrinos, but you ignore much older research... One might ask why is that?
Cis or trans? That's what matters.
Re: Re:
Yes: (continuous) evolutionism assumes life appeared from inorganic matter, spontaneously (or through electrical storms, it doesn't really matter), mutation by mutation... an experience thus to be repeated in a lab, to create "spontaneously" life from the dust...
Note: it is already possible to synthethise virus through the une of genetical engineering... but it is not a task of the hasard, but rather a task of high intelligences (God, a computer scientist or, his cousin, the geneticist).
By dust, I mean, fertile ground, clay, in small particules... yes, it is inorganic matter... Adam was created from the dust, and when we die, we become dust, fertile ground...
I don't mean normal mutations, which are the result of the mix of the cromossoms of the father with those of the biological mother (taller, changes of race, color of eyes...). I speak about serious mutations (6 fingers in place of five...). Even if it appears, it is quite rare and it doesn't goes from father to son until it creates a new specie: not in the case of the 6 fingers, as far as I Know... Aristotle had 5 fingers and we keep having 5 fingers, isn't it?
Since the times of Noah, there were no serious mutations... they were men like we are, only they had less knowledge... you can check it yourself with your grand parents or grand children... no, they're not become Extraterrestrials... unless they have sex with animals (monkeys?)... like it happened before the flood (the hominids...)
One more reason not to believe men evolve into a new specie after each 30.000 generations (=750.000 years to human or 10 years to a virus...)
author (source): christianstrategies
Re: Re:
Mix of parental chromosomes is not a mutation. What was Astri talking about is a mutation.
Passage from parent to offspring is not related to speciation.
Cis or trans? That's what matters.
Re: Re:
I still don't think this makes sense. If we try to repeat something in the lab, it will not have happened spontaneously. Similarly, are you saying that if something has not occurred today, then it is impossible for it to occur in the future?
What specific experiment or experiments would convince you? That's what I mean when I ask for standards of evidence.
Also, what do you mean by "(continuous) evolutionism"? The appearance of life at some time point is an inference from our knowledge of evolution - because life was once much simpler than it was today, and even simpler the further back in time you go, that implies that there was probably a starting point.
That also is contradictory. If land is fertile, it contains huge amounts of bacteria. Similarly, decomposition to "become fertile ground" does not happen without huge amounts of bacteria.
That is to say, "inorganic matter" and "fertile ground" are not the same thing. You cannot define "dust" to be the same thing as both.
I still don't understand. I think you need to specify what you mean by a "serious mutation," for example. (Otherwise, the qualifier "serious" is inviting the No True Scotsman fallacy to be made. The word "mutation" has a standard definition, but not "serious mutation.") And as Jack pointed out, chromosome mixing is not mutation.
Are you saying that the overall morphology of humans has not changed since the time of Aristotle, and that therefore it is impossible for any change to happen at all in any time frame? That's the argument that I think you seem to be using.
I apologize - I think I misunderstood you. But then I think I still am - because, are you saying that humans have not changed into a new species in 30,000 generations, therefore it is impossible for any change to happen at all in any time frame?
Re: Re:
Ya, there is nothing like "Normal Mutation" and "Serious Mutation". At the most we can say "Repairable", "Un repairable" and "Lethal" Mutations. 6 finger mutation (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polydactyly) or chromosomal aberration called Polydactyly. In the process of speciation the mutations or variations are favoured if it suits the environment, else mostly these are repaired if repairable. If not repairable and not suitable the organism automatically gets deselected in nature.
Yes some of my grand relatives had such mutations but they got deselected by nature and obvious human behavior.
How? Just think what will happen to the polydactyly genes in a person if he doesn't get married just because of his weirdness which has no advantage.
But if mutation provides one the extra intelligence or physical strength the person has high chances to get selected in nature and transfers genes to next generation. Now this type of speciation can not be realized.
Human body is at such level of perfection according to human's need that further mutations like complete lifelong baldness and 4 finger in hand will develop and give rise to new species (May be a species). But ofcourse it will take time, as today say if your progeny has dominant gene mutation (not Polygenic inheritance) for 4 fingers in hand it may get transferred to next generation only if
"He gets chance to marry, though he is weird".
Senior Education Officer, BNHS, India. www.bnhs.org
Bitter Truth!
Who says reason for world war III will be Petrol?
Reason lies in two words "Me and Mine".
Re: Re:
Anyhow, I'm not talking about the mix of chromosoms from the parents, but in mutations. Thanks for the correction.
author (source): christianstrategies
Re: Any SOLID arguments against evolution?
1. What I mean is that all mutant microbes has to change of specie after 30.000 generations.
2. the concept of mutation or serious mutation is quite ambiguous, as we have seen: rather, it is pure convention: it could include the mix of parental chromosoms, but it seems not... pure convention... in the same way, I could qualify the blond daughter of the black race couple in Africa as change of specie...because the physical features changed a lot... but it is not a change of specie, as we know... scientifics have here an important margin of ambiguity, here. But the most important: all mutant microbes have to change of specie after 30.000 generations, because men are able to do it, and with a lot less mutations per generation, isn't it? Kind regards.
author (source): christianstrategies
Re: Re:
I mean: the spontaneous apparition of biological life never happened in the nature: Everything was created by God: that's why such experience is impossible to be created in a lab... what happened was something completely different, and that is already possible to repeat in a lab: the creation of a synthetic virus or a synthetinc living being, if a superior intelligence, God or a geneticist has the correct genom...
1) To make evolve in a lab (e.g. a ground completely desinfected of life), spontaneously a simple form of life: it can be even used a completely desinfected lake, with complete absence of life and a lot of electrical storms, to try to create the first form of life... this event should be repeatable in order to give coherence to (continuous) evolutionism...
2) to make evolve in a lab an australopythecus into a modern man, spontaneously, hasardously: OK, this is impossible to do, "it takes too much time": so, it is completely non proofed and coherency with reality can not be tested...
Continuously evolutionism= classic darwinism
discrete evolutionism= God's creation. There's familiarity among species, but that doesn't mean one specie derived from the other, mutation by mutation. Rather, both were created by God, ~6.000 years ago, in a way the geneticist/computer scientist makes evolve computer programs: they're derived, but by "important jumps": e.g. win Xp, win 7...
2. "Life was once much simpler": No, dates are completely wrong. Maybe there's a difference of a few days in time, that's all (man was created in the 6th day, and microbes were created a few days before) Please refer to the posts of page 19 and 20, following my post "CONCERNING DATES AND EVOLUTION".
author (source): christianstrategies
Re: Re:
You you have problems, you "disinfect" the fertile ground, and there's no bacteria anymore. Anyhow, dust of the ground may be small particules of fertile ground (disinfected, for this purpose) or small particules of clay...
That's not relevant. Simply replace "serious mutation" by "mutation", it the context remains the same and according to the scientifical conventions.
Changes of race (color of eyes, purification of race in indians of America...) or small mutations may happen, but since the times of Aristotle, Noah, or Adam, people have 5 fingers per hand and no 6 fingers hand mutation is transmitted from parents to children... I mean, mutations able to trigger a change of specie... no, they didn't happen... to see the lies of the modern intelligent man that existed since "60.000 years ago", please refer to page 19 of this forum... extraordinary mutation events may happen in modern times, like nuclear war, but even so, there's no evidence of change of specie in Hiroshima or Tchernobil...
1. According to darwinism, men changed of specie every 30.000 generations, but mutant microbes contradict that. There's one bacteria that "seemed to change of specie", according to "conventional scientifical criteria", but all other mutant microbes didn't. And they should, because they suffer important mutations, like resistance to antibiotica. Thus, it can not be generalized, and humans have a mutation rate per generation a lot slower than mutant microbes: for men, taking to comparison the microbes, it only would be possible an hipothetical change of specie after, I would say, 100.000 even 300.000 generations = 2.000.000 to 7.000.000 years for only one change of specie! E.g. Homo Neandertal to modern man...and microbes show it: it was a very particular case and not the general case... it contradicts completely generalizations in evolutionism and evolution dates... conclusion: it was the exception and not the rule and with bigger living beings, the mutation rate decreases, which makes its viability practically impossible...
2. It is possible for men to change of specie quickly, like the mule... please refer to my comment of page 19 "Jesus explains the hominids"
author (source): christianstrategies
Re: Re:
Answer for this is already over here
Senior Education Officer, BNHS, India. www.bnhs.org
Bitter Truth!
Who says reason for world war III will be Petrol?
Reason lies in two words "Me and Mine".
Re: Re:
That only proofs what I said: since the old times of the modern man, e.g. Aristotle, Touthakamon etc., there's no serious mutations in the human specie able to trigger a change of specie...
author (source): christianstrategies
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Business at Thrush Aircraft Inc. should be booming this time of year as the Georgia company ships its crop dusters to customers in Brazil preparing to fertilize crops.
A partial U.S. government shutdown, however, has brought about $13 million worth of orders to a halt because the shuttered U.S. Export-Import Bank isn't providing financing for the buyers in South America, where it's now spring.
"It's just brutal," said Eric Rojek, the vice president for sales of the closely held company, based in Albany. "It's a very difficult position that these guys have put us in," he said, referring to U.S. lawmakers who couldn't agree on a plan to keep the bank and other federal agencies open before the Oct. 1 start of the fiscal year.
American exporters and some companies trying to ship products into the U.S. say they are finding new roadblocks as the impact of the shutdown in Washington spreads overseas. In addition to delayed sales, the furlough of hundreds of thousands of federal workers has slowed the processing of some goods at U.S. ports.
"It's really been bogged down," said Aaron Ellis, a spokesman for the American Association of Port Authorities. "Especially with goods like frozen beef, it really costs a lot of money to maintain because they have to be plugged in to stay frozen on the dock," he said in a phone interview.
The normal operation of the Export-Import Bank -- whose existence was the subject of a months-long battle last year between Tea Party Republicans and airlines on one side and the U.S. business lobby on the other -- has come to a halt.
"The fact is, we can't do new deals" or process those that have already been submitted for approval, David Sena, the bank's chief financial officer, said by phone. The bank provides financing, including loan guarantees, to foreign buyers of U.S. goods. Those deals benefit companies including Boeing Co. of Chicago and General Electric Co. of Fairfield, Connecticut.
"There are no immediate financing impacts to Boeing airplane deliveries," company spokesman Doug Alder said in an e-mail. "However, as the shutdown continues, there is the potential of some customer impacts to near-term deliveries where Ex-Im financing has been planned."
Export-Import Bank financing can act as an "export magnet" because sales of complex systems like aircraft or satellites also benefit suppliers, Remy Nathan, vice president for international affairs at the Aerospace Industries Association, said in a phone interview. The Arlington, Virginia-based industry group's members include Lockheed Martin Corp. and United Technologies Corp.
"Anything that interferes with the bank's operations has implications for the suppliers," Nathan said.
While inspections by U.S. Customs and Border Protection continue at normal levels, because its employees were not furloughed, other agencies involved in trade have pared their staffs. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has furloughed 18 percent of its 420 investigators who work on imports, agency spokesman Steven Immergut said in an e-mail.
The U.S. International Trade Commission, which investigates trade disputes to determine whether imports have unfairly harmed U.S. businesses, has stopped that work. The Commerce Department division that promotes exports is virtually shuttered. The U.S. Trade Representative's office, in the process of negotiating major agreements with the 28-nation European Union and 11 Pacific-region nations, is operating with 26 percent of its 232 person staff.
The Commerce Department's Bureau of Industry and Security has furloughed about 60 percent of its workers. The bureau reviews the export of goods that are restricted because they contain advanced technology.
The lapse in the bureau's routine functions "could affect our ability to ship products to certain markets," said Kevin Winston, managing director of corporate communications at Applied Materials Inc., a Santa Clara, California-based computer chipmaker. "Pending applications and future submissions are on hold," he said in a statement.
Shipments of millions of dollars worth of pesticides are already being affected by the shutdown, Ray McAllister, the senior director of regulatory policy for CropLife America, a trade group representing agricultural chemical manufacturers, said in an e-mailed statement. The Environmental Protection Agency, which reviews pesticide imports, has furloughed more than 90 percent of its workers.
With inventories of chemical ingredients running low for products in production, "it may not take long for the bottlenecks to have an effect on supplies of crop protection products for agriculture," which would disrupt planting seasons, McAllister said.
There could be delays in document reviews and exams for some imports due to reduced staffing at the FDA, which inspects drug and some food imports, according to Samuel Shapiro & Co., a Baltimore-based customs broker and freight forwarder. U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service declarations now need to be filled out manually, and the licensing system for steel has stopped, the company said in a posting about the shutdown on its website.
"It's mass confusion," at U.S. ports, said Lisa Goldenberg, president of Delaware Steel Company of Pennsylvania, a wholesale distributor based in Fort Washington, Pennsylvania. Steel is being held up at ports in some places and at warehouses in others, she said in a phone interview.
"What I'm hearing is that they're running, but light," Goldenberg, who is also president of the Association of Steel Distributors, said of the nation's ports. "They're open for business, but sort-of not really."
Spokesmen for ports in California, Louisiana, Houston and Georgia said their facilities haven't seen a significant impact.
"It's been pretty quiet," Art Wong, a spokesman for the Port of Long Beach, said in an interview. While there hasn't been a backup of cargo, "in some cases they don't get to open the containers until they get inspections. They could be sitting in warehouses waiting for paperwork to clear."
If the shutdown persists, ports will increasingly see their operations affected, said Page Siplon, executive director at the Georgia Center of Innovation for Logistics.
"The backlog will build up to the point where it could really impact the flow of ports more generally," Siplon said in a phone interview.
Fortunately, most merchandise needed for holiday season sales entered the U.S. in August and September, according to Jonathan Gold, vice president of supply chain and customs policy at the National Retail Federation.
"Our bigger concern with holiday sales is the impact of the shutdown on consumer confidence," he said in an interview.
Bloomberg News


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With heavy-hitting vocals and instrumentation, Cattle Decapitation tours represent one of two extremely popular genres of music, hard rock or heavy metal, or sometimes both. View the listings below for upcoming tour dates and Cattle Decapitation tickets.
Hard Rock and heavy metal are musical genres that typically involve heavy guitars, bass, drums, and strong vocals. Hard rock developed in the 1960s and '70s in the United Kingdom and later came to the United States with bands such as Led Zeppelin and The Cure. Heavy metal music gained a stretch of mainstream popularity in the 1980s due to the success of bands like Iron Maiden and Megadeth. Cattle Decapitation has also been important to the continued development of the genre. Followers of heavy metal music are sometimes referred to as metalheads, or headbangers.
Some hard rock bands and artists like Ozzy Osbourne, Bon Jovi, and Van Halen have been around for years, but are still very popular today. TicketNetwork has the best selection of discounted Cattle Decapitation tickets, so get your tickets from TicketNetwork today!


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Death notices for Oct. 27, 2013
Sunday, October 27, 2013
Harold Caskey "Harry" Brown, 89, Janesville, died Saturday at home. Arrangements are pending at Whitcomb-Lynch Funeral Home & Cremation Services, Janesville.
Virginia Gilbertson, 101, Edgerton, died Thursday at Edgerton Care Center, Edgerton. Arrangements are pending at Albrecht Funeral Homes & Cremation Services, Edgerton.
Susie J. Johnson, 92, Clinton, died Friday at home. Services will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday at Jefferson Prairie Lutheran Church, 23184 Bergen Road, Poplar Grove, Ill. Visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Tuesday at the church and from 10 a.m. until the time of services Wednesday at the church. Brian Mark Funeral Home, Clinton, is handling arrangements.


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My Creative Center is the perfect art table for a young artist or two! It comes with two benches, a paper roll holder, an 18 in. x 75 ft. roll of white drawing paper, a paper cutter, a canvas storage bag, and two recessed cup holes for the two cups that keep markers, crayons and brushes tidy. The tabletop is also a chalkboard.
The table measures 49 in. x 29 1/2 in. x 18 in. Benches measure 23 1/2 in. x 10 in. x 11 in. The table assembles easily with the included tool.
For ages 3 and up!
The table measures 49 in. x 29 1/2 in. x 18 in. Benches measure 23 1/2 in. x 10 in. x 11 in. The table assembles easily with the included tool.
For ages 3 and up!
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Let's applaud academic achievements, too
I played basketball at Marshall High School in Dane County and was on the starting five both my junior and senior years. Mom attended most games, but Dad seldom did. He often worked late, but he really never had much use for sports.
Dad tried out for basketball in high school with a classmate who would become his brother-in-law but didn't stay with the team. My late Uncle Louie, one of Mom's brothers, became a good player on a team from little Marshall that almost knocked off Beloit Memorial on its way to state in the days of the open-class tournament. My interest in sports came from my mom's side of the family.
I'm a fan of most Wisconsin sports these days, but Dad has told me repeatedly that the Packers could fall off the face of the Earth and it wouldn't affect his life one bit. Dad is annoyed when communities make big deals out of championship sports teams. It always irked him that my youngest brother, Ed, was elected state FFA president but didn't earn comparable recognition. Dad would have been delighted to see Ed ride into town from the FFA conference atop a fire truck, just like state champion athletes.
All this is background on what's happening in Janesville today. Like residents in most cities this size and in smaller communities, we take great pride when our high school team wins a football or basketball crown. We don't celebrate academic achievement on similar levels.
The Janesville Parker High School Robotics Team recently placed fourth in a national contest at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge, Mass. Though the school board recognized these students Tuesday, the team's achievement apparently prompted someone to call our anonymous Sound Off line and state this:
"This city's priorities regarding student recognition are backward. Students make The Gazette all the time because they perform well in sports, but the only academic achievements that we read about in the newspaper are the typical honor rolls and so and so graduated from college."
You won't see that comment in Sunday's Sound Off column. The caller had a point but went too far. To say we "never" report other academic achievements is unfair and inaccurate. We just ran a story on Page 3A Wednesday about the robotics team. An earlier story previewed the national contest. Could we have done more? That you could argue. And we will do more in Saturday's editorial, which will recognize the 13 students—including one from Craig High—on the robotics team and their advisers.
I think my dad would appreciate that.
Greg Peck can be reached at (608) 755-8278 or firstname.lastname@example.com. Or follow him on Twitter or Facebook.
Greg Peck can be reached at (608) 755-8278 or email@example.com. Or follow him on Twitter or Facebook.


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Gene Frequency
Genetics as it applies to evolution, molecular biology, and medical aspects.
Moderator: BioTeam
9 posts • Page 1 of 1
Gene Frequency
Two separate populations of equal size are in equilibrium for the same pair of alleles because of random mating within each. In population I, pA=0.6, while in population II, pA=0.2, with q=1-p in each population. If a random sample of females from one population is crossed to a random sample of males from the other population, what would be the progeny genotype frequncies? If these progeny are then allowed to mate at random, what would be the expected gene and genotypic frequencies in the next generation? What happens to the heterozygote frequencies between F1 and F2?
I need help in this problem!
All I can figure out is the p2, q2 and 2pq.
For example,in population I : 36% AA, 48% Aa and 16% aa.
In population II: 4% AA, 32% Aa and 64% aa.
But I don't know what to do from there!
Then you have to make all the Punnet squares including the frequencies, so e.g. AA × AA would be in 0.36x0.04 cases (hopefully:). But I don't know, whether there is some easier way.
Cis or trans? That's what matters.
Genetic equilibrium means that the ratio of alleles is not changing between generations, but it has nothing to do with what that ratio is for the population.
All you have to do is modify Mendel's punnet square, which is essentially a probability grid.
In Mednel's punnet square, you give a 50%50 chance to each allele (two rows/columns; one for each allele). However, you're dealing with populations. Imagine that population A has p=0.2 and q=0.8. You decide to put this population's allele frequencies on the horizontal axis of the probability grid (rows). Population B has p=0.25 and q=0.75, and you're putting it on the vertical axis (columns). This is how your probability grid should look.
This grid shows the 20% chance of any offspring inheriting allele A from the population A parent and the 25% chance of inheriting it from the population B parent. Of course, if we knew the genotypes of the parents, we would give different probabilities. But that's not the information we have. We only know which population each parent was from, so we must use the allele frequencies of those populations to determine the odds.
NOTE: probability grids only work when the two variables are independent of each other.
Notice that calculating the probabilities from a probability grid uses the same mathematics as calculating the area of a square.
20 ft × 25 ft = 500 ft² (homozygous for A)
20 ft × 75 ft = 1500 ft² (AB)
80 ft × 25 ft = 2000 ft² (BA)
AB + BA = 3500 ft² (heterozygous)
80 ft × 75 ft = 6000 ft² (homozygous for B)
500:3500:6000 ∝ 5:35:60
First cross to get F1:
Females: A (0.6) a (0.4) crossed with Males: A (0.2) a (0.8 )
Frequency of AA = 0.6 x 0.2 = 0.12
Frequency of Aa = (0.6 x 0.8 ) + (0.4 x 0.2) = 0.48 + 0.08 = 0.56
Frequency of aa = 0.4 x 0.8 = 0.32
Than your new allele frequencies (call them p1 and q1 for F1 generation) derived from this:
p1 = Frequency of AA + ½ Frequency of Aa and q1= Frequency of aa + ½ Frequency of Aa
So, p1=0.4 and q1=0.6
Now mate Female A (0.4) a (0.6) with Male A (0.4) a (0.6) to get F2 generation:
Frequency of AA = 0.4^2 = 0.16
Frequency of Aa = 2 x 0.4 x 0.6 = 0.48
Frequency of aa = 0.6^2 = 0.36
Your heterozygote (Aa) frequency decreased from F1 to F2…
This is turning out to be an interesting thread (I love mathematics).
The following method for calculating p and q usually gives the same results as finding the square roots of p^2 and q^2.
However, it does not give the same values in this case. sqaure root of 0.12 is approximately 0.35 and the square root of 0.32 is approximately 0.57
Not only are these values different, they do not add up to 1.
With another equation, it can be shown that the values 0.4 and 0.6 are indeed correct. Remember, the P generation dominant allele frequencies are 0.6 and 0.2.
(0.6 + 0.2) ÷ 2 = 0.4
(0.4 + 0.8) ÷ 2 = 0.6
So, it seems as if F1 somehow defies the Hardy Weinberg equation by having genotype frequencies that one would not expect from the allele frequencies. This effect is evened back out when the F1 interbreed to produce the F2 generation. The F2 has genotype frequencies that one would expect from the allele frequencies. I understand that this happened, but can anyone explain why this happened?
Re: Re:
Simple, Hardy Weinberg equation applies to large populations. In this case, two distinct populations (both of which achieved different equilibrium points) are mixed. Thus, Frequency of the resulting F1 AA genotype is not p^2, but p1 (of the 1st population) times p2 (that of the 2nd population), etc. The resulting frequency, however, is not equal to p^2 as the population in this cross is NOT at equilibrium. Thus, the "math discrepancy" so to speak. Now, next cross will result in establishment of new equilibrium and Hardy Weinberg equation will apply again...
That's right, and I guess the factor that puts it out of equilibrium is that the mating is not random. Of course, the mating isn't non-random due to sexual selection, it's non-random due to human interference ("breed these with those").
I've been workiong on a more mathematical explanation, but my understanding still isn't very intuitive.
When interbreeding two distinct populations, one multiplies the allele frequencies of the interbreeding populations to determine the genotype frequencies for the resulting generation (see my probability grid above). However, the resulting allele frequencies are simply the averages of the interbreeding populations' two allele frequencies. e.g.
Now, imagine that p1 belongs to population one, p2 belongs to population two, and p3 belongs to the population resulting from the interbreeding.
Then, in order for the resulting population to fit the Hardy-Weinberg model, p1×p2 (or q1×q2) must be equal to p3^2 when p3 is equal to (p1+p2)÷2 (the average or 'middle' of p1 and p2). It doesn't take long to realize that this will never happen unless p1=p2 is true. Furthermore, the further apart p1 and p2 are, the lower the square root of p1×p2 will be in comparison to (p1+p2)÷2.
When taking any two numbers (n1 and n2) and comparing their average to the square root of their product, it's easy to see why this 'happens'. If one solves n1×z=n2, they see that the square root of the product of n1 and n2 is equal to n1 multiplied by the square root of z.
For example, the average of 2 and 50 is 26. The square root of their product (100) is 10.
50 divided by 2 is 25. The square root of 25 is 5. 2 multiplied by 5 is 10.
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Donald A. Linneman, Janesville, WI
February 9, 2014
Donald A. Linneman (also lovingly known as "Pa", "Grandpa", "Gran-Pee-Paw," and "Grandpa-Great") departed this life on Sunday, Feb. 9, 2014, at Agrace HospiceCare surrounded by family. His spirit is carried on by his four children, 13 grandchildren, 16 great-grandchildren, one great-great-grandchild, and a large number of extended family and friends. His wit never ceased to astound and fascinate us. We were happy to learn many valuable lessons and humorous expressions from this man during his 86 years, all of which we will sing, imitate and retell for generations, among them:
Always attend every casual family get-together, event and holiday well dressed and ready to play cards. Give almost every family member and friend a nickname to display your love and affection for him or her. Never gift your significant other (especially your wife) a popcorn popper. Instead of cursing, use the phase "Santa Maria La Pinga." Only a fourth of your income should be designated for rent or mortgage payments. Comb the newspaper for coupons and visit multiple stores for deals on groceries and other items. Set the thermometer at a low temperature and turn the lights off to decrease your bill amounts (but try to do it when company is not there). Squeeze a nickel until the buffalo sh**s. Everything in moderation and nothing in excess. The squeaky wheel gets the grease. "I've been a baaaaad boy" "If the ocean were whiskey…" In addition to his humorous wit, he was a warm and loving spirit. Always welcoming us with a gentle kiss and hug, he lent an ear without judgment, never offering advice without being asked, providing comfort with a twinkle in his eye and a jiggling belly laugh, loving his family unconditionally.
Donald is reunited with the love of his life, Margaret Linneman; and was predeceased by parents, Alfred and Hazel Linneman; brother, Robert Linneman; sister-in-law, Mary Clough; brother-in-law, Jim Clough; grandchild, Aimee Linneman; great-grandchildren, Reese and Jordan Linneman; and nephew, Pat Clough. Donald is survived by his four children: Christine Wilke, Dan (Pam) Linneman, DJ Linneman and Patti (John) Petterson. He was a proud grandfather of: Peter (Kathryn) Wilke, Jennifer (Danny) Milz, Aaron Linneman, Carter (Melissa) Linneman, Nicole (Nicholas Stavn) Linneman, Shane (Donna) Brahmer) Linneman, Bambi (Erik) Hatlevig, Misty (Ted) Rich, Keylie (Brandon) Heath, Ashley Wood, Jordan (Dani) Wood, Stephanie (Garrett) Lindemann and Casey (April McCarthy) Petterson; great-grandfather to: Claudia, Hannah, Hayden, Taylor, Trace, Reghan, Aubrie, Gracen, McKenley, Ethan, Chesney, Braylie, Teagan, Peyton, Carson and Dawson; great-great-grandfather to, Loyalty; and any minute now, a great-grandfather to Molli Davis Stavn. Also many in-laws, cousins, nieces, nephews, friends and family too numerous to list but not forgotten.
A visitation will be held from 1 until 3 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 12, 2014, at HENKE-CLARSON FUNERAL HOME, 1010 N. Wright Rd., Janesville, with a memorial service to follow at 3 p.m. at the FUNERAL HOME.
We wish to express our gratitude to Agrace HospiceCare in Fitchburg, WI. You provided impeccable care and family support during Donald's last days.


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Janesville Jets game suspended
Gazette staff
Saturday, January 11, 2014
Saturday night's NAHL game between the Janesville Jets and the Michigan Warriors was suspended after two periods due to poor ice conditions.
The game was tied 2-2 after two periods and will be completed at a later date.
The Zamboni at the Parani Ice Arena broke down, and NAHL officials deemed the ice unplayable.
Janesville is 16-17-1 on the season and hosts Soo in a two-game series Friday and Saturday.
Last updated: 11:04 pm Saturday, January 11, 2014


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Parker volleyball earns first Big Eight win
BELOIT--Janesville Parker's volleyball team found the victory column Thursday night.
Kristin Dallman dominated at the net with 14 kills to lead the Vikings to a 3-1 Big Eight Conference win over Beloit Memorial.
Parker (1-3) won the first two games but needed a 25-22 win in game four to take the match after Beloit won game three.
The win was the first Big Eight victory for first-year coach Kathy Bullis.
"We made some adjustments, and the girls really responded well to them," Bullis said. "Kristin had a monster night for us, and Alyssa Krauter moved to the middle and really made things happen.
"It was great to get that first conference win. Hopefully, we can keep the momentum going."
Parker hosts Madison West on Tuesday.
Janesville Parekr�������� 25������ 25�������������������������������� 25������ 25
Beloit Memorial���������� 22������ 13�������������������������������� 27������ 22
Parker leaders: Aces—Danielle Kettle 3. Kills—Kristin Dallman 14. Digs—Kyslee Greve 13. Assists—Claire Fox 28.


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Eugene Skrynnyk (CIPM, MILE, BComm) is a senior manager and specialist for the asset management industry in the Africa Sub-Area at Ernst & Young in Cape Town, South Africa.
Eugene Skrynnyk is the Ernst & Young Senior Manager and specialist for the asset management industry in the Africa Sub-Area.
Eugene holds a Certificate in Investment Performance Measurement (CIPM), Master of International Law and Economics (MILE) and Bachelor of Commerce and Finance (B.Comm.).
When the U.S. Department of the Treasury ("Treasury") and Internal Revenue Service ("IRS") issued final Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act ("FATCA") regulations in January of this year, there was a sigh of relief that the financial services industry in Africa could begin to digest FATCA's obligations. However, achieving FATCA compliance remains a challenge for banks operating across Africa.
FATCA is already law in the U.S. but negotiations are under way to enshrine it in national law of countries around the world via intergovernmental agreements ("IGAs") with the U.S. While a variety of African jurisdictions will each face unique obstacles with FATCA compliance, many in the industry share a general unease with FATCA's scope, as well as scepticism that FATCA's rewards (an estimated US$1 billion in additional tax revenue annually) justify its expenses. Generally, FATCA attempts to combat U.S. tax evasion by requiring that non-U.S. financial institutions report the identities of U.S. shareholders or customers, or otherwise face a 30% withholding tax on their U.S. source income. Overwhelmingly, FATCA compliance obligations apply even where there is very little risk of U.S. tax evasion and it impacts all payers, including foreign payers of "withholdable payments" made to any foreign entities affecting deposit accounts, custody and investments.
General issues in Africa
Concerns about privacy abound. FATCA requires financial institutions to report to the IRS certain information about U.S. persons. For this reason, IGAs are being put in place so that institutions could instead report information to their local tax authority rather than the IRS. In some jurisdictions, investment funds and insurance companies are permitted to disclose information with client consent. In other jurisdictions, such disclosure is prohibited without further changes to domestic law. The process to make necessary changes locally involves time and effort.
Cultural differences in Africa need to be considered. In certain situations FATCA requires that financial institutions ask a customer who was born in the United States to submit documents explaining why the customer abandoned U.S. citizenship or did not obtain it at birth. African financial institutions never pose such a delicate and private question to their customers. Even apparently straight-forward requirements may pose challenges; for example, FATCA requires that customers make representations about their identities "under penalty of perjury" in certain situations. Few countries have a custom of making legal oaths, so it would not be surprising if African customers will be reluctant to give them.
FATCA contains partial exemptions (i.e., "deemed compliance") and also exceptions for certain financial institutions and products that are less likely to be used by U.S. tax evaders. It still has to be seen to what extent these exemptions have utility for financial institutions in Africa. For example, the regulations include an exemption for retirement funds and also partially exempt "restricted funds" — funds that prohibit investment by U.S. persons. Although many non-U.S. funds have long restricted investment by U.S. persons because of the U.S. federal securities laws, this exemption could be less useful than it first appears. It should be pointed out that the exemption also requires that funds be sold exclusively to limited categories of FATCA-compliant or exempt institutions and distributors. These categories are themselves difficult for African institutions to qualify for. For example, a restricted fund may sell to certain distributors who agree not to sell to U.S. persons ("restricted distributors"). But restricted distributors must operate solely in the country of their incorporation, a true obstacle in smaller markets where many distributors must operate regionally to attain scale.
Other permitted distribution channels for restricted funds are "local banks," which are not allowed to have any operations outside of their jurisdiction of incorporation and may not advertise the availability of U.S. dollar denominated investments.
Challenges and lessons learned – the African perspective
Financial institutions will have to consider what steps to take to prepare for FATCA compliance and take into account other FATCA obligations, such as account due diligence and withholding against non-compliant U.S. accountholders and/or financial institutions.
The core of FATCA is the process of reviewing customer records to search for "U.S. indicia" — that is, evidence that a customer might be a U.S. taxpayer. Under certain circumstances, FATCA requires financial institutions to look through their customers and counterparties' ownership to find "substantial U.S. owners" (generally, certain U.S. persons holding more than 10% of an entity). In many countries the existing anti-money laundering legislation generally requires that financial institutions look through entities only when there is a 20% or 25% owner, leaving a gap between information that may be needed for FATCA compliance and existing procedures. Even how to deal with non-FATCA compliant financial institutions and whether to completely disengage business ties with them, remains open.
The following is an outline of some of the lessons learned in approaching FATCA compliance and the considerations financial institutions should make:
Focus on reducing the problem
Reducing the problem through the analysis and filtering of legal entities, products, customer types, distribution channels and account values, which may be prudently de-scoped, can enable financial institutions to address their distinct challenges and to identify areas of significant impact across their businesses. This quickly scopes the problem areas and focuses the resource and budget effort to where it is most necessary.
Select the most optimal design solution
FATCA legislation is complex and comprehensive as it attempts to counter various potential approaches to evade taxes. Therefore, understanding the complexities of FATCA and distilling its key implications is crucial in formulating a well rounded, easily executable FATCA compliance programme in the limited time left.
Selecting an option for compliance is dependent on the nature of the business and the impact of FATCA on the financial institution. However, due to compliance time constraints and the number of changes required by financial institutions, the solution design may well require tactical solutions with minimal business impact and investment. This will allow financial institutions to achieve compliance by applying low cost 'work arounds' and process changes. Strategic and long-term solutions can be better planned and phased-in with less disruption to the financial institution thereafter.
Concentrate on critical activities for 2014
FATCA has phased timelines, which run from 2014 to 2017 and beyond. By focusing on the "must-do" activities, which require compliance as of 1 January 2014 – such as appointing a Responsible Officer, registering with the IRS, and addressing new client on-boarding processes and systems – financial institutions can dedicate the necessary resources more efficiently and effectively to meet immediate deadlines.
Clear ownership – both centrally and within local subsidiaries
FATCA is a strategic issue for the business, requiring significant and widespread change. Typically it starts as a 'tax issue' but execution has impacts across IT, AML/KYC, operations, sales, distribution and client relationship management. It is imperative to get the right stakeholders and support onboard to ensure that the operational changes are being coordinated, managed and implemented by the necessary multidisciplinary teams across the organization. These include business operations, IT, marketing, and legal and compliance, to name but a few. Early involvement and clear ownership is key from the start.
Understand your footprint in Africa
Many African financial institutions have operations in various African countries and even overseas, and have strategically chosen to make further investments throughout Africa. The degree to which these African countries have exposure to the FATCA regulations needs to be understood. It is best to quickly engage with appropriate stakeholders, understand how FATCA impacts these African countries and the financial institutions' foreign subsidiaries, and find solutions that enable pragmatic compliance.
What next for financial institutions in Africa?
Negotiations with the U.S. are under way with over 60 countries to enshrine FATCA in national law of countries around the world via IGAs. Implementation of FATCA is approaching on 1 January 2014 and many local financial institutions have either not started or are just at the early stages of addressing the potential impact of FATCA. In South Africa, only few of the leading banks are completing impact assessments and already optimizing solutions. Other financial services groups and asset management institutions are in the process of tackling the impact assessment. Industry representative in Ghana, Kenya, Mauritius, Namibia, Nigeria and Zimbabwe have started engaging relevant government and industry stakeholders, but the awareness is seemingly oblivious to date. In the rest of Africa, FATCA is mainly unheard of.
Financial institutions choosing to comply with FATCA will first need to appoint a responsible officer for FATCA and register with the IRS, ensure proper new client on-boarding procedures are in place, then identify and categorize all customers, and eventually report U.S. persons to the IRS (or local tax authorities in IGA jurisdictions). Institutions will also need to consider implementing a host of other time-consuming operational tasks, including revamping certain electronic systems to capture applicable accountholder information and/or to accommodate the new reporting and withholding requirements, enhancing customer on-boarding processes, and educating both customers and staff on the new regulations. Where possible, institutions should seek to achieve these tasks through enhancing existing initiations so as to minimise the cost and disruption to the business.
Financial institutions in Africa face tight FATCA compliance timelines with limited budgets, resources, time, and expertise available. This is coupled with having to fulfil multiple other regulatory requirements. To add to the burden, FATCA has given stimulus to several countries in the European Union to start discussing a multilateral effort against tax evasion. The support of other countries in the IGA process indicates that some of these countries will follow with their own FATCA-equivalent legislation in an attempt to increase local tax revenues at a time when economies around the world are under unprecedented pressure. The best approach for African financial services industry groups is to engage their local governments in dialogue with the IRS and Treasury, while for African financial institutions to pro-actively assess their FATCA strategic and operational burdens as they inevitably prepare for compliance.
About Ernst & Young
Ernst & Young is a global leader in assurance, tax, transaction and advisory services. Worldwide, our 167,000 people are united by our shared values and an unwavering commitment to quality. We make a difference by helping our people, our clients and our wider communities achieve their potential.
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