Balta1701

Great piece here in The American Prospect updating us on the term of our new Ambassador to the U.N., John Bolton. I'll excerpt most of it, but not all, just in case anyone's worried about copyright stuff.

From the "Quotes that are too good not to post" file....

Dear Lord this will be fun.

QUOTE(JUGGERNAUT @ Sep 7, 2005 -> 01:18 PM) http://www.uchospitals.edu/ - findings on frequency of mutation in humans. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2005/...50111170714.htm Humans Are A 'Privileged' Evolutionary Lineage Lahn: "The making of the large human brain is not just the neurological equivalent of making a large antler. Rather, it required a level of selection that's unprecedented. Our study offers the first genetic evidence that humans occupy a unique position in the tree of life." www.sciencedaily.com/search/?keyword=Bruce+Lahn&topic=all&dates=1995&dates=2005&sort=relevance I looked through those links you've given us, and I must say, hopefully without being edited in the future by the moderators, I think you're heavily misinterpreting the conclusions of the group you're citing. If I understand your argument correctly, you're saying that the person's research implies that there is a greater rate of mutation appearing within human development than within other species, something you're using to argue as evidence of the unique place of humans. However, I believe you are ignoring the key point...in particular through your selection of the text you quoted in this post. From the same article, I believe this excerpt sums up the problem with your reasoning: What the author is in fact saying is that there is a normal background rate of mutation, given by the rate of mutations that do not affect the phenotype. There is also a rate of mutations in proteins that are expressed in the phenotype of the organism. These two rates are identical. What the authors of this paper have found is that when a beneficial mutation did appear in human brain development, it was adopted with extraordinary speed. In other words...there was an incredibly huge selective advantage for a proto-human which posessed a larger and more developed brain. This is in fact no where near an argument for ID...it does show that human evolution has occupied a unique place in recent history in that there was some sort of extraordinary selective pressure towards larger brains for proto-humans. It does not say that the mutation rate in those genes was found to be different.

QUOTE(Rowand44 @ Sep 7, 2005 -> 02:56 PM) Yes and good for big MO, I hope he keeps it up, I wish him nothing but the best. As for Reed, he's been bad offensively this year but it's his first year so I definitely wouldn't give up on him yet. That being said, that deal was an absolute steal. I only agree with you because KW immediately went and signed Garcia to an extension. Without that...the deal would be a wash at best.

QUOTE(CaliSoxFanViaSWside @ Sep 7, 2005 -> 02:56 PM) I think he's already shown it's not absolutly necessary to add another pitch. Not absolutely necessary...but could it really hurt? Just to have 1 more pitch in his back pocket that he throws like 2 or 3 times per game just to throw people completely off? A slider or a cutter? I think that'd just be the icing on the cake.

QUOTE(BigSqwert @ Sep 7, 2005 -> 03:05 PM) wtf...i updated my avatar with a Randy Moss pic (big raider fan). I see it on my PC. Guess it didn't go through?? All I see is a "Gary the no trash cougar" extended by about 50% in the horizontal direction. "Give a larbage...throw out your garbage" *edit - Moss just popped up.

QUOTE(CaliSoxFanViaSWside @ Sep 7, 2005 -> 03:02 PM) Glad I'm not the only one who caught that. It is pretty funny. I just laugh at the idea of Paulie getting a triple myself...I still can't believe he had 4 of them in 99.

QUOTE(BigSqwert @ Sep 7, 2005 -> 03:01 PM) When do you think that will be? I need to travel that week for a couple days and want to schedule it around game 1. I'm guessing 10/04. I know we haven't clinched anything yet but I'm very optimistic. WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED TO GARY THE NO TRASH COUGAR?!?! It's like they put him in a taffy pulling machine... (I'm not the only one seeing this am i?)

QUOTE(Steff @ Sep 7, 2005 -> 02:44 PM) The national winner of the Roberto Clemente Award will be announced at a press conference prior to Game Three of the 2005 World Series and will receive a $25,000 donation from John Hancock to the charity of his choice. John Hancock also will make a $30,000 contribution to Roberto Clemente Sports City in Puerto Rico in the name of the national winner. With any luck...Aaron will be there anyway, so the MLB won't have to spend any extra to fly the guy in for game 3.

Good to hear.

QUOTE(JUGGERNAUT @ Sep 7, 2005 -> 02:23 PM) www.kli.org/tlh/phrases.html nuqDaq 'oH puchpa''e'. Only at SOXTALK would a thread of this nature digress to Kli-speak. :rolly At least 1 of the phrases on that page is either wrong or out of date...they said the Klingon for "Today is a good day to die" in Episode 1 of Star Trek DS9: Season 4, and that's not the phrase they have on the page. How scary am I right now?

QUOTE(JUGGERNAUT @ Sep 7, 2005 -> 02:23 PM) nuqDaq 'oH puchpa''e'. Only at SOXTALK would a thread of this nature digress to Kli-speak. :rolly My work here is done.

QUOTE(Greg The Bull Luzinski @ Sep 7, 2005 -> 02:25 PM) Konerko will shock us all today and steal third right before he comes home on a passed ball by the sinker baller. By the way...that commercial with the guy in the laundry room yelling "It's the cycle" when Konerko's up to bat...have other people seen this one...I'm wondering how many people realize the inherent problem with that one.

QUOTE(SpringfieldFan @ Sep 7, 2005 -> 01:58 PM) Sure, try Brandon as a reliever, but... Just promise me that if he is dominent in the pen that he won't be considered "too valuable" a reliever to be used as a starter again (i.e. the "Cotts" theorem). SFF That is 1 promise I can give to you 110%. I want this kid throwing 7 innings every 5th game starting next year. The last 2 games have at least sold me on that...especially if he works on adding in another pitch in the offseason. I still don't think Cotts has the pitches to be a dominant starter, but he has the pitches to be a dominant reliever. And on top of that...he's a lefty...and lefty relievers that can get people out are a hell of a prize in this game today.

So is anyone else worried that A.J. won't be getting any sleep when the playoffs roll around?

AFC East 1. Bills 2. Jets 3. Patriots 4. Dolphins AFC North 1. Steelers 2. Ravens 3. Bengals 4. Browns AFC South 1. Colts 2. Jaguars 3. Texans 4. Titans AFC West 1. Chargers 2. Chiefs 3. Broncos 4. Raiders NFC East 1. Eagles 2. Cowboys 3. Giants 4. Redskins NFC North 1. Vikings 2. Lions 3. Packers 4. Bears NFC South 1. Falcons 2. Panthers 3. Saints 4. Bucs NFC West 1. Arizona 2. Rams 3. Seattle 4. 49ers Playoffs Conference Colts over Chargers, Vikings over Eagles Super Bowl Colts over Vikings Awards MVP: Peyton Manning (is he ever not?) Coach of the Year: Mike Mularkey

QUOTE(greasywheels121 @ Sep 7, 2005 -> 02:08 PM) No, they aren't bannable offenses. Presumably, the logical thing for an admin to say is that it's fine to criticize players ability, decision making, or even the fact they're getting playing time... But it's not tolerable to insinuate that players are getting playing time in exchange for sexual favors from the manager.

QUOTE(Steff @ Sep 7, 2005 -> 01:54 PM) I say "that's incorrect", followed by the correct information. That seems to work. It also helps not to resemble a condescending donkey. A condescending elephant however, I'm sure is fine. Blast this place and it's secret right-wing innuendoes!!!

QUOTE(Gene Honda Civic @ Sep 7, 2005 -> 01:37 PM) http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/0907051fema1.html I think Bush's "What didn't go right" last week still tops that one.

QUOTE(JUGGERNAUT @ Sep 7, 2005 -> 01:51 PM) Can we use negative context in foreign languages? Just asking. If I swear at someone...but I do so in Klingon...do I get banned for nerdiness?

Wow...opening at home again...2 years in a row...I was starting to think I'd never see the first time. Anyone else wondering whether sometime between June 20 to 25, we'll be seeing a world series rematch?

Damn...if people get on base...that is one incredibly fast lineup (outside of PK, AJ, and Jurassic of course)

QUOTE(WilliamTell @ Sep 7, 2005 -> 12:01 PM) The first few years he could've done a better job with, but he was probably learning to be a manager. But when you basically give the division rival Cubs your best players at the time and give up Giles and have Kendell leave, there's not a lot you can do. Not to mention the gigantic contract that they gave to Kendall...I mean come on, the guy's getting paid $10 million this year...hasn't hit a single home run, and is batting .255.

So...is anyone else quite happy we got this guy out of our organization right now?