ZAVibes

Evolutionary changes are supposed to take place gradually and randomly, under pressure from natural selection. But a team of Princeton scientists investigating a group of proteins that help cells burn energy stumbled across evidence that this is not how evolution works. In fact, their discovery could revolutionize the way we understand evolutionary processes. They have evidence that organisms actually have the ability to control their own evolution.

Let’s get a few possible misconceptions out of the way first. The Princeton group, composed of researchers Raj Chakrabarti, Herschel Rabitz, Stacey Springs and George McLendon, haven’t proven that intelligent design is a valid scientific theory. Nor are they claiming that DNA is making a set of conscious decisions about growing extra legs or wings (though that would admittedly be cool).

What they are saying is that evolution is not entirely random, as Darwin believed. The researchers were tinkering with a set of proteins forming the electron transport chain, a system that regulates energy use in cells. They discovered that the proteins were correcting any imbalance imposed on them through artificial mutations, constantly restoring the chain to working order. A mathematical analysis revealed that these proteins seem to make these minute corrections all the time, steering organisms toward evolutionary changes that make the creature fitter.

Said Chakrabarti:

The discovery answers an age-old question that has puzzled biologists since the time of Darwin: How can organisms be so exquisitely complex, if evolution is completely random, operating like a ‘blind watchmaker’? Our new theory extends Darwin’s model, demonstrating how organisms can subtly direct aspects of their own evolution to create order out of randomness.
Their work seems to confirm ideas held by Darwin’s colleague Alfred Wallace, who co-discovered the theory of evolution. Wallace believed that life forms undergoing natural selection could adjust their evolutionary course “exactly like that of the centrifugal governor of the steam engine, which checks and corrects any irregularities almost before they become evident.” In other words: Wallace believed that organisms had a kind of evolutionary feedback control mechanism.

Added Rabitz:

What we have found is that certain kinds of biological structures exist that are able to steer the process of evolution toward improved fitness. The data just jumps off the page and implies we all have this wonderful piece of machinery inside that’s responding optimally to evolutionary pressure.
The researchers put together a paper recently published in Physical Review Letters, which suggests that control theory could help explain evolution. This is likely to spark a lot of debate. But Chakrabarti says their ideas fit neatly within theories of evolution:

Biological change is always driven by random mutation and selection, but at certain pivotal junctures in evolutionary history, such random processes can create structures capable of steering subsequent evolution toward greater sophistication and complexity.
In other words, organisms are evolving ways to evolve better.

Here’s more info at News At Princeton

The lovely looking Nokia BH-804 smallest Bluetooth headset was revealed some time back now and is expected to release Q4 this year, we have looked online and cannot seem to any place that you can buy it which means it is not out yet, maybe we are wrong so if we are please tell us.

The Nokia Bluetooth Headset BH-804 has been designed with cutting-edge technology with genuine aluminum case; it is very slim indeed and will be a great partner with your mobile phone. The latest audio features will give you superior audio quality thanks to the digital signal processing (DSP) for background noise cancellation.

The Nokia Bluetooth Headset BH-804 also features clear and crisp conversations whilst on the move two user-friendly buttons including volume level and basic call functions, it also comes with a neck strap and desk-top charger.

It is compatible with phones supporting Bluetooth wireless technology, for more information please visit www.nokia.com/bh-804

I’ve got to give it to the South Park guys yet again. Last night was the presidential election episode.

Kind of.

It picked up with Obama giving a speech after winning the count, then we see McCain’s concession. Then we cut to the people of South Park going nuts. (I really liked the way they mocked those nutjob McCain supporters who said the end of the world was here because a Muslim terrorists was elected.)

But that was only the B-plot.

The main plot was rather simple. You see, for the past decade, McCain and Obama have been the leaders of a criminal thief ring — think Ocean’s 11 with Obama as Clooney and McCain as Pitt. Sarah Palin’s actually a genius. Michelle Obama’s a security expert. And the scam was set up so that Obama or McCain would become President because there was a secret tunnel under the Oval Office leading to the Smithsonian and the room containing the Hope Diamond, which they were going to steal.

What amazed me about the episode — which for the most part was only rather average for South Park — was the turnaround time. I’m sure they’ve had it ready to go for about a week now, but I can’t help think that they actually did two versions. One version where Obama is elected, and a version where McCain is elected.

Nice work, guys. Though I’m sure that, if you would have tried, you could have found some way to really work Cartman into the show.

Cameron: …she didn’t understand, McCain aides told me today, that Africa was a continent and not a country, and actually asked them, they argue, they say, if South Africa wasn’t just ‘part of the country’ as opposed to a country in the continent….”

O’Reilly: “So her frame of reference in history and geography and current events was weak, according to your sources. And. So. That. But she can be tutored, I mean the woman’s not stupid here…”

No, O’Reilly, I’m afraid that’s pretty stupid. If you don’t know Africa is a continent, you’ve been ignoring the world since the first grade. And 16 years of education cannot be crammed into a few weeks. I knew Palin was a lightweight, but damn. Damn!

In ancient Greece (469 - 399 BC), Socrates was known for his wisdom.

One day an acquaintance ran up to him and said,

“Socrates, do you know what I heard about one of your students…?”

“Wait a moment,” Socrates replied. “Before you tell me, I’d like you to pass a little test. It’s called the Test of Three.”

“Test of Three?”

“That’s correct,” Socrates continued.

“Before you talk to me about my student let’s test what you’re going to say. The first test is Truth. Have you made absolutely sure that what you are about to tell me is true?”

“No,” the man replied, “I just heard about it.”

“All right,” said Socrates. ” Now let’s try the second test, the test of Goodness. Is what you are about to tell me about my student something good?”

“No, on the contrary…”

“So,” Socrates continued, “you want to tell me something bad about him even though you’re not certain it’s true?”

The man shrugged, a little embarrassed.

Socrates continued, “You may still pass, because there is a third test, the test of Usefulness.

Is what you want to tell me about my student useful to me?”

“No, not really…”

“Well,” concluded Socrates, “if what you want to tell me is neither True nor Good nor even Useful, why tell it to me at all?”

The man was defeated and ashamed and said no more.

This is the reason Socrates was a great philosopher and held in such high esteem.

It also explains why Socrates never found out that Plato was banging his wife.

In Jerusalem, an American female journalist heard about an old rabbi who visited the Wailing Wall to pray - twice a day, everyday - for a long, long time.

In an effort to check out the story, she goes to the holy site and there he is!

She watches the bearded old man at prayer and after about 45 minutes, when he turns to leave, she approaches him for an interview.

“I’m Elizabeth Smith from CNN, Sir. Just how long have you been coming to the Wailing Wall and praying?”

“For about 50 years,” he informs her.

“50 years! That’s amazing! Exactly what do you pray for?”

“I pray for peace between the Jews and the Arabs. I pray for all the hatred to stop and I pray for all our children to grow up in safety and friendship.”

“And how do you feel, Sir, after doing this for 50 years?”

“Like I’m talking to a fucking wall…”

Eddie wanted desperately to have sex with this really cute, really hot girl
in his office, but she was dating someone else.

One day Eddie got so frustrated that he went up to her and said, “I’ll give
you $100 if you let me have sex with you.”

The girl looked at him, then said “NO.”

Eddie said, “I’ll be real fast. I’ll throw the money on the floor, you bend
down, and. I’ll finish by the time you pick it up.”

She thought for a moment and said that she would consult it with her
boyfriend. So she called him and explained the situation. Her boyfriend
said, “Ask him for $200 and pick up the money really fast. He won’t even be
able to get his pants down.”She agrees and accepts the proposal.

Over half an hour goes by and the boyfriend is still waiting for his
girlfriend’s call. Finally, after 45 minutes the boyfriend calls and asks,
‘what happened?’

Still breathing hard, she managed to reply, “The bastard had all quarters!”