DrDNA

My first thought is you are making a LOT of assumptions that may or may not be valid. For one, was RNA even first self replicating molecule? And was replication even the first meaningful act of that molecule? I mean was the first RNA molecule a self replicating ribozyme or did it do other things like make something else first that facilitated the act of replication. Then there is the time issue and the possible role of intermediates. It looks like you are assuming that it was almost instantaneous. I doubt that it just went: no RNA -> bam RNA -> bam replication....I guess it could have, but I doubt it. Are your "parameters" for ribozymes? Also, "parameters" would depend on the nucleotide/nucleobase/sugar structure, so I assume you are assuming that RNA structure and composition was then as it is now. How many base options? four? I see no "paramater" for environment....eg pH, temp, salinity, buffering capacity of the local environment, amount of oxygen, amount of sulphur, other important ions/compounds/elements, was it done partially on a solid matrix (clay?) or entirely in solution......etc...etc All of your "parameters" depend on these and more. When I think of parameters, I think of independent input variables. But your "parameters" are actually dependant output variables. Maybe it is the difference in chemistry/biology and programming....? It looks like you are trying to model ribozyme activity; one activity of which can be replication....which is a handful all alone. Have you thought about getting that down pat before trying to make the broad leap to biogenisis? EDIT: Oh. I forgot a biggie. With ribozymes, it's all about sequence. It will be arbitrarily assigned as GACUCUUCUCAGGGCC The sequence which allows an organism to reproduce, in my model, is CUCUUCUC. If that sequence is present in an organism's genome, that organism is very very likely to replicate its entire genome, in my world model. 1. that is not arbitrary 2. Something this small will self replicate???. It can't bend back on itself. Are you mixing ribozymes with protein mediated replication (DNA and/or RNA reverse trans?)? Reference please. Why are you using this, how did it come about, and how are you modeling the higher order structures of this sequence???

Please don't listen to them any more. Not many (any?) legal things on this earth are worse for you than smoking. And speaking as a former long term nicotine addict, it is VERY VERY hard to quit. On the bright side, smokers are less of a financial burdon on society because they die early

I didn't know a lot of that. Thanks for the tutorial!

Yes. I said "the story is" because it is not my story and (in my op) may not be entirely factual That said, I do recall reading at the time that a significant amount of hydrazine contaminated the debris that made its way to the ground from the Columbia incident. Are you advocating doing nothing? That is one of the first questions that came to my mind as well. This should pretty much show beyond a resonable doubt to any sane person that we don't need nuclear anything in space....at least in the immediate future for sure. I agree that this it is likely that this is a major factor in the decision, but I am not convinced that it is the only one. For the record, I believe that most would agree that certain equipment is best kept out of the wrong hands. And my understanding is that the the Chinese did NOT do the same thing. 1. The Chinese incident was an intentional weapons test. This one probably is not. 2. In the Chinese incident, they apparently didn't care how much space debry they generated nor any other consequence. I'd be careful making off the cuff comparions between the US and China. In many cases, there is none. I can absolutely guarantee you the US military does indeed care about space debris. It has a VERY severe impact on military satellites and military operations.

That thing is coming down regardless of what anyone tries to do. It is not being brought down intentionally. The story is that it contains 1000 lbs or so of hydrazine (the same amount it went up with) because they have not been able to fire the control rockets. Besides big chunks of metal that could give a major headache, there is a fear that it will break apart over, and rain toxic hydrazine down on, a major inhabited area. If they shoot it too soon => a bunch of dangerous orbiting space junk. If the shoot too late => atmospheric interference and probably can't hit it.

He should have had to the sense to not even poke this one with a long pole. And how the heck did torture and other sick ways and means to circumvent or destroy an individual's "God given rights" guaranteed by the constitution and ammendments become a "conservative" point in the first place? It doesn't make any sense at all. That's absolutely not "conservative". If he continues to try and drape himself in what is percieved to be "conservative" clothing, November for Mr Maverick is going to be mighty sad and mighty ugly. He won't have ANY clothes and he won't be emperor.

Wow. He took away one of the few things I respected him for. Check out his voting record over the past year. He has been a NV on way too much in my opinion. http://www.votesmart.org/voting_category.php?can_id=53270 And then he shows up to vote nay on this?

Wild bores can definitely fend for themselves. And even a domestic pig gone feral is one mean hombre. You don't want to mess with it. It can take care of itself. Believe me. And its hair grows longer when it goes feral. It really changes dramatically. Also, domestic turkeys are so dumb that, when it rains, they look up and drown. Yet a wild turkey (besides being an excellent burbon), is one of the sharpest creatures out there. Very difficult to sneak up on and kill in the wild.

Early to bed early to rise. You should be thankful you can go to sleep easily. It really is a blessing. Millions of people can't.

Sounds exactly like Physical Biochemistry....could even be Physical Chemistry from a biological chem angle.

Obsolescene of an organism = end of species / Same for cars. Traits and characeristics that make them suited to environment = species thrives / People buy more of that type of car therefore car makers make more. Ram with big horns gets more hot ram chicks / Guy with BMW, Porche or Corvette gets hot human chicks Animal with brain too small for big powerful body eventually dies out / Guy with small brain and big powerful engine eventually crashes car All that's missing is procreation and many children were actually concieved in cars. You need to watch more Monster Garage man!

But cars are subject to natural selection....well, sort of anyway....via the free market.....bye bye Pacer, Pinto, Gremlin, and Vega.....

Do they add fluoride to your drinking water over there on the other side of the big pond YT?

Am I the only one that can't figure out what this has to do with "bugs adapting"?

Well, for one, fluoride is ionic (F-) so it would not be a gas. The stuff in tooth paste is usually Na+ F-. Next, fluorine gas (F2) is one the most reactive things around (it even reacts with argon) so you would have GREAT difficulty isolating it. Fluorine gas is usually produced by electrolysis and it reacts with whatever it comes in contact with as soon as it is produced. Which is a good thing because fluorine gas is VERY VERY toxic. Wiki has a good write up on fluorine. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fluorine I hope that helps

You know, a lot of the nay sayers on the political right leaning side are convinced that Global Warming is nothing but a ploy by the socialist leaning left to gain control of the economy, industry and consequently power. Just because someone cries wolf does not mean there is a wolf, but on the other hand, it does not mean that there is no wolf either. The problem here is the messengers. Messengers like Al Gore, Suzuki, various high profile actors and musicians using their pulpits to communicate unverified information, the fear of immanent doom and now (apparently) intimidation. In the other camp, the osctriches have their heads in the sand, fingers in ears and humming, claiming there is no wolf, convinced that the existance of global warming proponents proves that Ed Asner and his angry band of socialists are not be far behind and poised ready to take control of your money. My question is, are they or aren't they and how does that fit into the equation?

Area 51 is used to develop and test black budget and top secret military equipment. The X File-like mysteries surrounding Area 51, alien conspiracy theories and extraterrestial UFO stories provide a near perfect cover for any unidentified military object that happens to be flying in or out of the area. I'd say more, but I'm being monitored.

Back to McCain: I have a prediction. McCain will win the nomination, the Republican base will come together in a luke warm manner after the convention and lose the election (no duh huh?). McCain will get trounced soundly by Hillary who will be given her party's nomination after she effectively negotiates every American's first born child away in a back room bargaining session at the Dem convention. She promises the Superdelegates the moon and the stars; which WE will pay for later. Republican turn out for the election will be an all time low. A third party candidate will also get a huge chunk of the vote. The Republican machine will blame the voters for not accepting "the lesser of 2 evils"..."handing the country to the liberals"....ticking us all off even more....and alienating their base even further. The democrats will take credit for "obeying the will of the people", when in fact, none of it will be because of any of their own doing....It will all be by default, because of this luke warm "neocon" nonsense we have been and are being fed. The momentum will carry for a few years and we continue to have a Democrat president AND congress for at least six years. Government will grow to an enormous size in an attempt to right all the wrongs of this world. The Dems, being in full control, will eventually screw it up beyond our wildest dreams, so eight years from now we will elect another "neocon" trying to evoke the Regan legacy in words only but without substance and the cycle will repeat itself OR the economy will be SO bad that we will elect a fascist and/or isolationist.....effectively blaming the world for all our problems at home. If McCain wins (small chance of that though), almost the same thing happens. Just delayed after 4 more years of a "neocon"-type "Bush legacy" and then it will be Obama, not Hillary. PS; Can we make it a politics of NASA and space exploration thread?

But some people are in fact turning a blind eye to global warming because of the messengers and the tactics of the GW messengers.

There are many advantages, but on the other side of the coin, we have Africanized bees displacing native honey bees, kudzu vines overtaking the natural flora in the southern US, giant cane toads down under, zebra mussels in the great lakes, and dandelions as a very problematic weed in much of the US. Herbacide resistant weeds from cross pollination with GMO crops are also a risk. These are not all necessarily a result of GMO (nor are they all animals), but it does give some indication of the dangers associated with disrupting the natural balance with non-native flora or fauna.

Why not start a new thread to discuss NASA and space exploration? This one is supposed to be about right wing agnst over McCain. And Obama is on the left. In the meantime, here are some counter points for your new thread: What is NASA's mission in the 21st century? What have they done for me (Janet tax payer) lately? NASA needs to figure out how to stop dragging its feet and work on problems of real human consequence or we should take its budget and spend it on critical issues like alt energy research. Pretty soon, the private sector is going to kick NASA's butt in low orbit space anyway.....after that, the sky is the limit. How come the number of people on the team tracking near earth asteroids is smaller than the staff at a neighborhood McDonald's (to borrow an estimate thrown out on a documentary on the Discovery Channel)? After the Big Mac of all asteroids hits the earth and exterminates the human species, I'm going to say I told you so. Gene Roddenberry and George Lucas have given NASA a free ride for too long already.....they need to get their own marketing group.

That is correct; fidelity is not always 100% (and can depend on a number of factors including the polymerase used, buffer, impurities, pH, salt strength, temp,.....). But re: pcr. What danger is involved in a few DNA mutations occuring in a microcentifuge vial and/or a PCR apparatus?

drink warm milk ---> stand next to microwave while it heats up ---> dreaming How do you propose to heat it up in the microwave after you've already consumed it?

Looks like Watson has company. Obama will be assassinated if he wins: Nobel winner Lessing If Barack Obama becomes the next US president he will surely be assassinated, British Nobel literature laureate Doris Lessing predicted in a newspaper interview published here Saturday. Obama, who is vying to become the first black president in US history, "would certainly not last long, a black man in the position of president. They would murder him," Lessing, 88, told the Dagens Nyheter daily. Lessing, who won the 2007 Nobel Literature Prize, said it might be better if Obama's Democratic rival Hillary Clinton were to succeed in her bid to become the first woman president of the United States. "The best thing would be if they (Clinton and Obama) were to run together. Hillary is a very sharp lady. It might be calmer if she were to win, and not Obama," she said. http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=080209175746.yzhlvcyb&show_article=1 I wonder if her views have anything to do with the fact that she is an elderly white female....fits the would vote for Hillary profile perfectly (as reported by polling results.....except Brits were not included of course.....)

If'n it ain't fit to be posted in open forum, it ain't fit for my email box.........