Link Between Math & Genes

Researchers have discovered an unexpected link between number theory in mathematics and genetics, providing critical insight into the nature of neutral mutations and the evolution of organisms. The team found the maximal robustness of mutations—mutations that can occur without changing an organism’s characteristics—is proportional to the logarithm of all possible sequences that map to a phenotype, with a correction provided by the sums-of-digits function from number theory.


An interdisciplinary team of mathematicians, engineers, physicists, and medical scientists has discovered a surprising connection between pure mathematics and genetics. ThAnd yet, again and again, number theory finds unexpected applications in science and engineering, from leaf angles that (almost) universally follow the Fibonacci sequence, to modern encryption techniques based on factoring prime numbers. Now, researchers have demonstrated an unexpected link between number theory and evolutionary genetics.

Specifically, the team of researchers (from Oxford, Harvard, Cambridge, GUST, MIT, Imperial, and the Alan Turing Institute) have discovered a deep connection between the sums-of-digits function from number theory and a key quantity in genetics, the phenotype mutational robustness. This quality is defined as the average probability that a point mutation does not change a phenotype (a characteristic of an organism).

The discovery may have important implications for evolutionary genetics. Many genetic mutations are neutral, meaning that they can slowly accumulate over time without affecting the viability of the phenotype. These neutral mutations cause genome sequences to change at a steady rate over time. Because this rate is known, scientists can compare the percentage difference in the sequence between two organisms and infer when their latest common ancestor lived.is connection sheds light on the structure of neutral mutations and the evolution of organisms.

Number theory, the study of the properties of positive integers, is perhaps the purest form of mathematics. At first sight, it may seem far too abstract to apply to the natural world. In fact, the influential American number theorist Leonard Dickson wrote “Thank God that number theory is unsullied by any application.”     READ MORE...

Largest Cruise Ship

 

The Need for Alcohol

My father used to come home from work every night and stand by the kitchen sink with a bottle of Bourbon and a glass.  He would pour the glass half full of Bourbon and drink it down, then fill the glass with water and drink all of that down.  Sometimes, he would stand there for 10 minutes before doing it again, and sometimes once was enough.

After watching my dad do that every night, I decided I would never put myself in a position where I felt like I had to do that.

I am still amazed when I talk to people who feel the need to drink alcohol every night after work.  To me, it seems like something is wrong with them or something is wrong with work.

This one guy I talked with said he drank a six pack of beer every night except Friday nights.  On Friday night, he would get himself a pint of whiskey and a steak.  Once the steak was cooked, he would drink the pint of whiskey while eating the steak.  After 20 years of doing this, he ended up becoming a very obese individual.  A routine operation killed him because he was so overweight.

I am not sure what has caused so many people to drink alcohol daily...  but, what I notice when watching TV or some kind of series, those characters drink alcohol and smoke cigarettes all the time as if it were a normal part of life.

People who let themselves get influenced by actors on the screen must have weak personalities that continue to influence their bad or inappropriate behavior.

I am not opposed to drinking and I drink beer, wine, and usually vodka and tonic or gin an lime.  But, I don't drink because I am stressed out.  I don't drink because I am angry or in some kind of emotional pain.  I drink because it is relaxing, somewhat enjoyable once in a while, and only have 1-2 drinks and no more.

In 2015, I would have 1-2 drinks a month and now it is probably 1-2 drinks a year.  There are other ways for me to relax I have found plus the cost of alcohol is rather high and does not seem like a good way to spend one's money.

 

Retired in East TN Blues

I am so frigging happy that I do not have to drive in the traffic of a big city.  

I am so frigging happy that I do not live in area where there is a high level of crime.

I am so frigging happy that I do not live in an area where BLM and CRT and WOKE dominates the local politics.

I am so frigging happy that there are two large recreational lakes on either side of my location.

I am so frigging happy that the East TN Valley is protected from bad weather by the Smoky Mtns on one side and the Cumberland Plateau on the other side.

I am so frigging happy that I have a back yard that is large enough for me to have a small vegetable garden.

I am so frigging happy that I live in a community where the neighbors all around me are thoroughly enjoyable and pleasant.

I am so frigging happy that I live in a community where I can walk around the community day or night without the fear of being mugged.

I am so frigging happy that the restaurants that are around me are not just cheap but provide quality food with which I am totally satisfied.

I am so frigging happy that I do not have to wait in line to charge an electric vehicle because my car only works on gasoline.

Life in the south is GOOD.

Life in the south is REWARDING.

Life in the south is PEACEFUL.

Life in the south caters to OLD PEOPLE.

Life in the south in INEXPENSIVE.

Critical Race Theory

What is Critical Race Theory? 

Critical Race Theory, or CRT, is an academic and legal framework that denotes that systematic racism is part of American society — from education and housing to employment and healthcare. Critical Race Theory recognizes that racism is more than the result of individual bias and prejudice.

What is Racism?

prejudice, discrimination, or antagonism by an individual, community, or institution against a person or people on the basis of their membership in a particular racial or ethnic group, typically one that is a minority or marginalized.  It is the belief that different races possess distinct characteristics, abilities, or qualities, especially so as to distinguish them as inferior or superior to one another.

Here is the problem with CRT...

Because CRT uses the phrase systematic racism, it can no longer pertain to just American Blacks or Blacks in America because systematic racism by its own definition includes ALL MINORITIES.  This means that CRT MUST INCLUDE:  Native Americans, Jews, Irish, Native Alaskans, Native Hawaiians, Hispanics, and Asians.

Why do I make this claim?

Whites comprise 60% of the American population, THEREFORE, all races less than 60% are considered minority races and must be included in the definition of RACISM.

My impression of what CRT is supposed to accomplish is to attack the white population of the USA because their ancestors at one time practiced SLAVERY.

The BLACKS that are promoting CRT are not including all the other minorities because they do not want to include all the other minorities because they are only interested in punishing the white people because of slavery.  Blacks and CRT could care less about all the other minorities since they were not involved in slavery.

Without all those other minorities, it will be difficult to prove that systematic racism exists in the US of America.

However, as a WHITE MALE, I would have to say that there is a negative attitude towards BLACKS which could be construed as a prejudice, but I don't think the prejudice is actually a byproduct of slavery.

Whites prejudicial attitude towards the BLACKS is predicated upon the behavior of blacks in a given area, location, or state.

I went to high school (overseas), college, and was in the military with BLACKS and had no problem with them nor they with me.  Not only did we learn or work together but we socialized as well.

I had no problems with BLACKS during my entire working career of 45 years in the southern states of NC, VA, KY, SC, and TN.  I had no problems with BLACKS when I went on vacations on the east coast, the Caribbean, Europe, Hawaii, Alaska, or Mexico.

All negative interactions with BLACKS came in the big cities of Atlanta, Washington DC, Baltimore, Chicago, and NYC.

As far as minorities are concerned, I have had very little interaction with Hispanics, Asians, Native Americans, Native Alaskans, or Native Hawaiians.

As far as SYSTEMATIC RACISM existing in the US of America, I don't see it and I don't believe it exists at all.  HOWEVER, there is a growing HATRED in both the BLACK and WHITE communities for each other.  This HATRED is perpetuated on both sides.  It is not just the WHITES.

Whatever is going on between the WHITES and BLACKS is REAL and it does EXIST and it is getting WORSE...  but, it is not RACISM...  give it another word if you will, but RACISM does not apply.

Reflections of a Lifetime

When I was in high school, I was very active and playing the following sports:  football, basketball, baseball, softball, track and field, and volleyball.

  

When I was in high school, I was not a very good student and made "B's" without spending too much time studying. 

When I was in high school, I enjoyed racing cars on the highway, tried to hide from police, and could not resist going to a party.

 

When I was in college, I was bored by my professors as the classes we were taking were designed to FLUNK US OUT.  These classes were like being back in high school all over again except they went into a little more depth and detail, expecting you to memorize what you would never use again.

From that standpoint, college seemed like a total WASTE OF TIME for both me and the professor.

While in college, I played no sports nor was I very interested in attending any of the games that were being played on campus.  I pretty much stayed to myself.

After two and a half years of college, I quit and enlisted in the US Navy to avoid being drafted into the Army or Marines and sent to Vietnam.  I knew that I did not like war nor did I believe in war and wanted to avoid it as best as I could.

Two years later, I returned to college, finished my degree and began my career.  Five years later, I enrolled in grad school to pursue an MBA.  It was a solid degree and there were not many of us around the workplace.

I spent 60 hours in grad school and today I can get than same degree and only spend 30 hours.  I question their level of knowledge and competence after only spending 30 hours in training.

I worked in a variety of jobs that revolved around education for 45 years before I retired at age 67.  After retirement, I continued to teach business classes at night for five years, just to have something to do.

Many people my age and younger have decided never to retire and to work in some capacity until they die.  And, while that is fine for them, I had no desire to do that.

If I had continued to work, I would have had more money which is a good thing, but towards the end of my career, I began running into incompetent bosses who simply wanted you to kiss their asses and I refused to do that.

When I was a boss, I never had any desire for any of my subordinates to kiss my ass...  although a few tried and I got rid of them.

I enjoy being retired as does my wife.  I still shave every other day but I wear no coat and tie.  Mostly I wear old clothes unless we are visiting people, going out to dinner, or on vacation.

It seems odd to go on vacation when one is not working but it is nice to get away from routine, even if there really is no routine.

Fortunately, we managed to save enough money for retirement that we can pretty much do what we want.  Oddly, there is really not that much that we want to do.

The Race

 

Lighter & Stronger Than Steel

Researchers from the University of Connecticut and colleagues have created a highly durable, lightweight material by structuring DNA and then coating it in glass. The resulting product, characterized by its nanolattice structure, exhibits a unique combination of strength and low density, making it potentially useful in applications like vehicle manufacturing and body armor. (Artist’s concept.)






Researchers have developed a highly robust material with an extremely low density by constructing a structure using DNA and subsequently coating it in glass.

Materials possessing both strength and lightness have the potential to enhance everything from automobiles to body armor. But usually, the two qualities are mutually exclusive. 

However, researchers at the University of Connecticut, along with their collaborators, have now crafted an incredibly strong yet lightweight material. Surprisingly, they achieved this using two unexpected building blocks: DNA and glass.

“For the given density, our material is the strongest known,” says Seok-Woo Lee, a materials scientist at UConn. Lee and colleagues from UConn, Columbia University, and Brookhaven National Lab report the details on July 19 in Cell Reports Physical Science.

Strength is relative. Iron, for example, can take 7 tons of pressure per square centimeter. But it’s also very dense and heavy, weighing 7.8 grams/cubic centimeter. Other metals, such as titanium, are stronger and lighter than iron. 

And certain alloys combining multiple elements are even stronger. Strong, lightweight materials have allowed for lightweight body armor, better medical devices, and made safer, faster cars and airplanes.  READ MORE...

Silence

Southern Living

 In the southeastern states, we will be mowing our yards well into October...  at least some of us will...  others will simply let the grass tassel and not mow again until the spring.

While Fall is a good time to plant grass seed, the preferred time is in the spring when nature is beginning it new growing cycle.  It is also a good time to plant shrubs and trees.

In previous houses in which we live, my wife and I spent a lot of time, money, and effort making sure that our yard was full of trees, shrubs, and all sorts of flowers.  While all of that looked good, as we got older, preparing the landscaping for the spring growth became a chore we no longer wanted to do, no matter how nice our yard looked.

We removed all our flower beds and put in grass so that all we had to do was mow.  There were still areas that we could not change to grass because they were on a hillside and mixed with trees and shrubs, so we left them alone.

When we finally downsized, we eliminated 80% of our problem with our new location.  Less time to mow and weed eat and less time to prepare our flower gardens...  our new flower beds are full of hostas that require minimal maintenance.

Some of our neighbors have no trees in their yards and the only flower beds they have are at the corner of their driveways.  All they do is have to mow.  Other neighbors, old like us, have planted trees for shade and shrubs and flowers that require minimal maintenance.  It probably takes them one to two hours a week to care for their yards.

In no time at all, our warm weather will be gone and the cold and chilly temperatures of fall will have arrived.  No one will be out in their yards and no one will be walking on the streets for exercise.  All of us will be inside doing one thing or another and we will be complaining how cold it is and that we cannot wait for spring and summer.

Wize Advice

 

Empower Individuals Not the Government

View of Russian-born American writer Ayn Rand (1905-1982) on the set of "The Today Show" in New York City, March 23, 1961. Behind her is a quote from her 1961 book, "For the New Intellectual." (Raimondo Borea/Photo Researchers History/Getty Images)




The United States is mired right now not only in a political crisis — but in an existential crisis.

The deep divide between left and right is accompanied by incessant attacks on foundational institutions, beliefs and values that threaten to topple the most powerful and successful society in the history of humanity.

There is hope. And it comes from one of the most powerful champions of individual liberty.

Philosopher and author Ayn Rand offered a guide for the United States to step back from its political precipice and return to greatness: a nation reunited by core common goals, ideals and prosperity.

"She believed what the Founding Fathers achieved was pretty close to perfection," Yaron Brook, chair of the California-based Ayn Rand Institute, told Fox News Digital.

"She also believed that the nation wasn’t living up to the promise of what the Founders had actually created. But she thought they did as good a job as anybody could [in] setting down the principles of how a country should govern itself."

Rand is best known as the author of "Atlas Shrugged."

Her signature 1957 novel is dubbed "a cornerstone of pro-liberty literature" by Students for Liberty.

She was an immigrant who escaped revolutionary-era Russia and found intellectual freedom and success in the United States.  READ MORE...

Yellow Jackets

 

Censorship in America

 FOX News reported this morning (and I have no reason to doubt them yet) that none of the other networks except MSNBC have reported on the story about Devin Archer testifying to the House and that the transcript of his testimony has been released to the public.

What this tells me is that the LIBERAL MEDIA NETWORKS in the US of A do not want the AMERICAN people to know the TRUTH about the BIDENS.

What if these same networks did not want the general public to know the truth about:

• the Chinese military strength
• the Chinese desire to DEFEAT America
• the Russian war in Ukraine
• North Korea getting closer to becoming a nuclear power
• the truth about Aliens visitations on earth
• that our military is currently not powerful enough to defeat China in a war
• that our nuclear weapons stockpile is not as large as the government has claimed
• that AI/Robots will take your job by 2025
• that our government care more about money than people

It would not surprise me at all that if the America People knew the WHOLE TRUTH, that there would be a REVOLT in this country.  I believe that neither liberals or conservatives like being lied to and if it happened enough they would respond negatively.

It would also surprise me that if the general public knew that the government did not really have the money, or finally admitted that they could not get the money TO TAKE CARE OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE, that the general public would rise up and revolt and demand a new government.

Currently, taxes do not provide us with all the money that we need, and the WEALTHY are still able to hide millions away from the IRS so that those monies will never be taxed.  It is the WEALHY that FORCES our government to borrow money...  not the poor people.

 What will happen in the good ole US of A when it can NO LONGER borrow money?

They will print up more money...

Printing up more money will increase inflation...

AS AN AMERICAN YOU SHOULD DEMAND TO KNOW THE TRUTH ABOUT YOUR GOVERNMENT...

The Old America is GONE

I grew up in the 1950s and 1960s and while it was a much simpler way of life, we still had the rule of law that we had to obey.  We respected our elders to some degree until the Vietnam War and it was obvious that males were males and females were females even though we had individuals from both genders who wanted to experiment with the other side.  

Most of the people were patriotic, they voted, voiced their opinions in public and respected other people's points of view.  We had no concerns or fears that the government or any organization would try to censor our views other than our employers who made it clear politics was not up for discussion in the workplace.

We grew up with television heroes and muscle cars, cheap gasoline and the acceptance that people were entitled to make a reasonable profit if they owned a business.  There was a HUGE LINE between management and labor that was not crossed and there was an animosity between management and labor that would never be resolved.

In the 1960s all of that changed with the counter culture movement and the hippies who preached non violence, sex, and drugs as a solution for everything.

Out of the culture of the 1960s came a distrust:

• for the law
• for the government
• for politicians
• for the older generation

And, as black Americans began to flex their political muscles against the white establishment...  it was only natural that in a short matter of time, slavery would become the issue that once again divided the nation.

This time it revolved around:

1. Black Lives Matter
2. Critical Race Theory
3. WOKENESS
4. Reparations

• In the early 2000s before all this took place, it was painfully obvious that politicians from both parties DID NOT CARE about fixing anything that was wrong with America, such as:
• wage and price discrepancies
• wages between management and labor
• racism in the workplace and in communities
• our corrupt politicians
• the corrupt legal system
• the corrupt law enforcement system
• our declining educational standards
• our declining infrastructure (roads and bridges)
• our battle with climate change
• our rising medical costs
• our weakened military
• all the tax loopholes to avoid paying taxes

Most of us who grew up in the 50s and 60s not only lost respect for our country and it's leaders, but we stopped believing that the USA would ever change back to the way it was...  and, I don't mean a white led society but a society of all races and genders, coming together to solve problems and make this place a better country in which to live.

Just a quick for instance...

I was not racist until BLM, CRT, and WOKENESS started pushing their beliefs on everyone else.  Now, I don't want to do a damn thing for that race of people.

Currently, in the USA, 

12% of the population are black

60% of the population are white

There are more whites than blacks and the whites are beginning to think that maybe we should not do so much for the blacks anymore.  If they want something, let them earn it the old fashion way with hard work.

An issue that the blacks have not possible thought about.  If the liberals push for abortions to be legal in every state, now that the Federal Govt is no longer responsible for them...

MY GUESS IS THAT MORE BLACKS WILL GET ABORTIONS THAN WHITES

What does this mean?

It could possibly reduce the % of blacks because whites are having babies.

 

Frank Lloyd Wright

 

Oldest Languages in the World

Ancient Greek is among the oldest languages in the world. Credit: Maurice Flesier / CC BY-SA 4.0 / Wikimedia Commons



Determining the exact “oldest” languages can be challenging as the origin of many ancient languages is often shrouded in mystery. However, based on historical evidence and linguistic research, historians and philologists can make educated guesses.

Ancient written languages emerged as a revolutionary development in human history, allowing civilizations to record and preserve their knowledge, culture, and history for future generations.

The study of ancient languages, known as philology or historical linguistics, is vital for deciphering ancient texts, understanding cultural interactions, and tracing the migratory patterns of early human populations. Comparative linguistic analysis allows researchers to identify language families and reconstruct proto-languages, which can provide insights into prehistoric societies and their ways of life.


The oldest languages and the importance of writing
According to the British Library, the invention of full writing systems seems to have occurred independently in at least four distinct instances. The earliest of these occurred in Mesopotamia (present-day Iraq) around 3400 to 3300 BC, where the script known as cuneiform was employed. 

Shortly thereafter, around 3200 BC, a writing system emerged in Egypt. By 1300 BC, during the late Shang dynasty in China, there is evidence of a fully functional writing system in use. Sometime between 900 and 600 BC, writing also made its appearance in the cultures of Mesoamerica. In addition to these known instances, there are certain regions like the Indus River Valley but the scripts remain undeciphered.

Although the dates of these developments suggest the possibility of writing spreading from a central point of origin, there is limited evidence of direct links between these writing systems. Each system possesses unique characteristics, indicating independent invention in various parts of the world.  READ MORE...

No Evil

 

Double Standards

 Ever since I was 16 years old (59 years ago), I have known beyond a shadow of a doubt that there will always be double standards based upon who you are.  These double standards don't always apply to the law but most of the time they do.

I remember in high school there was a classmate of mine who did all sorts of negative things that other people were blamed for because he created the impression of being innocent.

After high school, I enlisted in the military because I was about to be drafted and there were others my age, who were overlooked for the draft because their parents were wealthy or influential or both.

After college when I was in the workforce, there were people in supervisory positions that were incredibly incompetent but were there because of who they knew.  They would take your ideas and never give you any credit...  especially when it would lead to a promotion.  You just stop giving ideas and look for another job.

In 2023, it is no different.  Hunter Biden is guilty of all sorts of crimes that others who have been charged with the same or similar crime have spent time in jail or prison.

Hunter is the son of President Biden.

Most of the people that I know will tell you outright that they do not like double standards and will stop voting for a particular person or party because of those double standards.

Right now, Trump is being charged with all sorts of crimes and President Joe Biden remains untouched  regarding all the money he has received from foreign governments that could compromise the security of the USA.

DOUBLE STANDARDS...

No Regrets