The questions-not-worth-their-own-thread question thread VI

[Mad Man]

Should I quit coming to this forum altogether?

Why would you want to do that?

how could i sleep 12 freaking hours?

What did I tell you about partying so hard

 

[GoodGame]

Is the Jon and Kate divorce a shock to you?

 

[Mad Man]

Is the Jon and Kate divorce a shock to you?

No not really, what was a shock was Jon not taking any of the kids with him.

 

[Phlegmak]

Why would you want to do that?

I've grown tired of certain things here, and I spend way too much time here.

 

[SS-18 ICBM]

Anyone know when gene regulation was first discovered?

 

[GoodGame]

Anyone know when gene regulation was first discovered?

I think it was with the LAC operon in bacteria. Or are you asking about the one gene, one protein doctrine (which would be with metabolic research in the early 20th C. probably with yeasts EDIT: Beadle).

EDIT: Seems the LAC operon was the work of Monod, Lwoff, and Jacob that netted them a 1965 Nobel in medicine/physiology

The three researchers based their work on the findings of American geneticist George Wells Beadle that gene-directed enzymes affect biochemical processes. Jacob's experiments with E. coli showed that the medium in which the bacteria are grown affects the type and amount of enzymes the bacteria produce (induction). From this, the three scientists proposed that the bacteria regulate enzyme production. If grown in the sugar glucose, the bacteria produce very little of the enzyme -galactosidase, because they do not require it for metabolizing glucose. But if they grow in lactose, E. coli bacteria produce much more -galactosidase, which they need to metabolize lactose.

To explain how the bacteria regulate enzyme production, the scientists theorized that there are three types of genes, a gene being a deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) triplet or triplet cluster. An operon is a gene cluster composed of two types of genes: Z (structural) genes, which carry the instructions for protein production, such as for the -galactosidase, and O (operator) genes, which control whether the Z genes' instructions are carried to the cell's ribosomes for protein production. The third type, called R (regulator) genes, instruct production of proteins that control the activity of other genes. In E. coli, when lactose is not present, an R gene instructs production of a repressor protein that binds to the O gene, turning the gene "off" by preventing it from being copied by ribonucleic acid (RNA). When lactose is present, the repressor binds to it rather than the O gene. This allows the O gene to turn the Z gene "on." Research showed the theory to be correct.

http://www.bookrags.com/biography/francois-jacob-andre-michael-lwoff-and-jacques-lucien-monod-wsd/

http://books.google.com/books?id=Qe...xaSgCQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=7

 

[SS-18 ICBM]

No, not the "one gene, one protein" doctrine, I meant the actual instance of genes and gene activity being modified or regulated by the cell. So it seems it was discovered in the early 1960s. Thanks for answering my question. You deserve a cookie.

 

[GoodGame]

Are those Gluten-free?

 

[SS-18 ICBM]

I don't think so, unfortunately.

 

[cardgame]

Some of them look VERY chocolatey

Question: Is there any difference other than political correctness between a hispanic and a latino?

 

[Huayna Capac357]

Hispanics are all those of Spanish descent while Latinos are only (and also in the case of Brazilians, etc.) from Latin America.

EDIT: Of course no one actually uses them correctly, but that's what they mean.

 

[Cutlass]

Some of them look VERY chocolatey

Question: Is there any difference other than political correctness between a hispanic and a latino?

Brazilians are latino but are not hispanic.

 

[cardgame]

Ok, thanks

one more question: anybody think there can be a democratic country while not including free speech, free press, expression, thought etc.?

 

[Huayna Capac357]

Yes. Democracy purely means that there are free elections. You're talking about a liberal democracy.

 

[cardgame]

Yes. Democracy purely means that there are free elections. You're talking about a liberal democracy.

Yes, but as luiz put it,

The discussion about the true meaning of democracy is a good one. While obvioulsy it is possible to have "rule of the people" without any liberal values, in reality one must ask onself how democratic can a society really be if speech and information in general are controlled. I mean, how can the people decide their fate if they don't have proper access to information, if they can't even debate their ideas in public?Nope, I would say that any democracy worthy of the name would also have to be liberal.

 

[GoodGame]

Ok, thanks

one more question: anybody think there can be a democratic country while not including free speech, free press, expression, thought etc.?

Probably not one I'd like, but.......SPARTA!?!?!

 

[Azale]

Probably not one I'd like, but.......SPARTA!?!?!

If having a token legislature with little real power means you are a democracy, then North Korea is a democracy.

I was under the impression that the dual kings and then the ephors held most of the power?

 

[GoodGame]

If having a token legislature with little real power means you are a democracy, then North Korea is a democracy.

I was under the impression that the dual kings and then the ephors held most of the power?

I'm no expert. I'm sure a history major would give a better criticism. But if you ignore the slavery (Helots) then it was good to be Spartan and they had a kind of (emerging) democracy with separation of powers.

The article seems to elude to the Council of Elders (Gerousia)as a representative Senate branch, and the Assembly as a representative, junior legistative branch. And the Kings as ceremonial.
The Ephors seem to be the mayors/executive branch.

Another notoriously "conservative" aspect of the Spartan constitution was the "Council of Elders." Although this body was elected, as were similar institutions in other cities, the Elders had to be over 60 years of age and were elected for life. In consequence, they were not subject to the most effective of democratic censures: re-election.

Sounds like a Senate branch, with representational democracy

The "Ephors" were five officials or executives responsible for carrying out the day-to-day running of the city, including the receiving and sending of ambassadors. They were elected for only one year and could not be re-elected.

The Assembly, which is believed to have met on a monthly basis, was composed of all adult males. Although it could only vote on the bills presented by the Council/Ephors, the common misconception that the Assembly could only vote "yes" or "no" is belied by accounts of lively (not to say rowdy) debates. The Spartan Assembly was powerful and was even known to have exiled kings. Nevertheless, the Spartan Assembly never attained the absolute tyranny of the Athenian Assembly—a point praised widely by ancient writers, who saw in Sparta's more balanced (two-chambered) democracy a means of controlling the fickleness of the mob.

Wikipedia supports that the Kings were not some kind of totalitarian rulers as we think of kings in the medieval sense.

Aristotle describes the kingship at Sparta as "a kind of unlimited and perpetual generalship" (Pol. iii. I285a),[28] while Isocrates refers to the Spartans as "subject to an oligarchy at home, to a kingship on campaign" (iii. 24).[29]

The duties of the kings were primarily religious, judicial, and militaristic. They were the chief priests of the state and also maintained communication with the Delphian sanctuary, which always exercised great authority in Spartan politics.

Over time, the kings became mere figure-heads except in their capacity as generals. Real power was transferred to the ephors and to the Gerousia.

 

[Trajan12]

What are the largest circulated French language newspapers or other journalistic publications?

 

[Phlegmak]

Democracy means everybody has equal power in directly affecting and creating laws. The US isn't a democracy, nor is any other nation on Earth. Supposedly ancient Athens was a democracy, but only the elite landowners or something could participate.