Jefferson and Sally

http://polaris.icmb.utexas.edu/CH391L/Handouts/Jeff2.pdf

Interesting story about the love affair between the president and His african american slave and its proof 2 centuries later.

Amazing power of DNA!

Also a lesson on human frailities of even Great leaders,

Isn't it obvious all races are equal? [That is a man of different race could make Sally a mother!]

Emphatic proof, Human races are not sub species or anything!

That doesn't mean there are no cultural differences, though - there are enough differences between even South and North india, or even Kerala and Tamil Nadu.

So it could be very hard for an African or European [or descendants - like in America] girl to live for life with me or for me to live with an European or African girl! It is because culture shapes us much more than for other animals. Given that either side has a lot of choice, I wouldn't be willing to risk an experiment [Even leaving aside the fact I am in love with my cousin].

Add to that nutritional differences! With 1.75 m I am not in serious danger of being followed by African or European Girls!

For human height, With 1.65 m average in India and 1.78 m in US! For females it is even worse, with 1.52 m and 1.64 m respectively.

In fact my cousin is only 1.55 m and I am already too tall for her:)

Dr.Watson's recent comment about Africans not being as Intelligent and similar views are totally BS! Aren't we all Africans in a way?

Is he saying we are not that intelligent, then? Maybe there is some truth in it, given world wars, hitler, religious fanticism, spiritualism etc.!

That said, His views on something doesn't take away anything from his Greatness - He discovered DNA.

But I don't like him the way I like say Newton.

But I would still respect him. He is entitled to his opinion. But his organisation [Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory] did the right thing in removing him from a position, where he would be expected to make an impartial, race neutral decisions and given his views it would be impossible for him to do that.

[I am reminded of many Indian brahmin scientists who still cling to brahmin supremacy in intelligence!]

America, the great!

Detention Camp Remains, but Not Its Legal Rationale
By WILLIAM GLABERSON
Published: June 13, 2008

Despite the Supreme Court’s decision stripping the legal premise behind the Guantánamo Bay detention center, it will not close today or any day soon.

Gives very big reason to be proud of America and its people!

They have the backbone to stand up to the administration's abuses.

Unsung heros and heroines of Kerala!

I am referring to the men who work in Gulf and their wives who live in Kerala [TamilNadu and other places - but mainly it is a phenomenon in Kerala]. Although local society looks at them with derision [mainly due to jealousy] for their alleged wealth - I think they live a very hard life. Thye are married and there for officially can't love anyone else and their loved ones are far away. Each dealing with their problems in a lonely way. They have to keep their emotions and biological instincts in artificial check, there by becoming psychologically stressed to say the least.
But because their pain and stress is mostly psychological, society has a hard time understanding it. But it doesn't make it any less real.
My parents have been this way for 17 years! So I know what I am talking about.
They are heros [and heroines] because they have the mental fortitude to bear this and work for their family. How many men runaway or don't care about their family? How many are actually abusive [mainly due to drinking]?
BTW, alcohol is something in which we would do well not to emulate western society - it is a drug and worse than many other drugs like LSD, cannabis etc.
Only reason western society accepts it is for the same reason, most of our societies accept religion - history. But just like passing of years doesn't make Muhammed's [or any other "prophet" like Smith, Saibaba] lies truth, passing of years doesn't make Alcohol less harmful.
But we tend to make fun of western society for their alleged immorality in things like sexuality and materialism, I would argue western society is surely advanced in terms of morals as to accept all races and religions [atleast grudgingly] compared to our untouchability among our own religion. As for sexuality I would be uncomfortable with their culture [due to my upbringing], but it is more closer to human nature than our expectation of perfect monogamy for life. As for materialism [in the form of science at least] is removing the suffering of lot of people in the form of agricultural revolution, electricity, medicine and positively gives happiness to atleast some people like me in the form of mathematics and physics - [I would ]. Our mysticism and spiritualism [euphemism for superstition] didn't do anything for humanity and did some harm by making people neglect their family [malayalees remember the movie, Chinta vistaya shyamala?]

We would do well not to follow westerners in Alcohol and they would do well not to follow us in spritualism and religion!

Article about food and global crisis!

He discusses about how biofuel and excessive meat in developed countries is screwing people around the world.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2008/apr/15/food.biofuels

Food crisis!

Grains Gone Wild
By PAUL KRUGMAN
Published: April 7, 2008
How did the food crisis happen? The answer is a combination of long-term trends, bad luck — and bad policy.

BTW, in india [as in many other countries] inflation is going up as well!

Note that bio ethanol actually screwing things up!

Why I like US!

I won't mention obvious differences due to it being a developed country compared to say India or Egypt with its infrastructure, freedom, democracy etc.

Following are I think pretty unique to US in no particular order:

1. Best people from a lot of countries are here - Atleast they had the energy to getup and take the struggle of immigration, compared to average TV watching, easy go population and at best they are really the very best of the countries like India, China etc.
2. It has no [single] identity called american - which leads to easier integration into american "identity" and unbelievable tolerance [compare the situation in India where 2 villages fight with each other, 2 castes fight with each other, 2 religions fight with each other etc.]
3. People here, really work hard [but not as crazy as Japanese] say compared to Europe. If all countries were like EU countries - [breastfeeding the populace, 30 hours work, killing the enterpreneaurial spirit and competition - (we can't run so we will penalize you for running fast)], humanity will stagnate and die away in a few generations.
I think US strikes right balance here.
4. US companies provide employment for a lot of world population compared to any other country directly [Most of the other countries are overwhelmingly dominated by natives] or indirectly [how many have been lifted out of poverty in China through say walmart goods]
5. It has world's best universities - Science and technology is easily humanity's single most important achievement - for example that feeds burgeoning population in India and explains how I am here through Evolution - art, literature etc. comes in long after essentials are met.

Only country I can think of matching US in a small scale is Britain.

The Pleasure of Finding Things Out

The Pleasure of Finding Things Out

by Richard Feynman!

Nice video - light non-technical!

Relative harm of various drugs!

Yes - Alcohol is #5 on the list compared to LSD, cannabis or ecstasy!

WHAT HAVE YOU CHANGED YOUR MIND ABOUT?

This site has nice answers to this question by eminent thinkers of our time.
http://edge.org/q2008/q08_1.html

Darfur

Today there was a program about Darfur and china's selfish behaviour on PBS. It was very sad to see Darfur people in totally helpless situation.

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/darfur/

We blame US all the time for behaving selfishly in Iraq. What about China's continued support of Sudan's genocidal regime?
[I am not saying that justifies US - just that China is behaving in very similar ways for oil]

Of course, no prizes for guessing who is the joker in every drama - UN

Why IQ tests are not predicter of success!

Feynman had an IQ of 123 and the guy with highest IQ is virtually unknown.

While I think IQ is broadly indicative, as an absolute number it is useless.

Someone with an IQ of around 70 is certainly deficient and people with above average IQ are in general intelligent etc.

Use of IQ as indicator of success in inverse way by people especially concering africans [and african americans] is completely racist and baseless.

Daylight saving time!

As if we didn't have enough of complexity in telling time already!

Look at this:

1 year - 365 or 366 days!
1 day - 24 hours
1 hour - 60 minute
1 minute - 60 seconds
1 second - 1000 milli seconds

No doubt all the children go nuts, when taught this! what is the relation between 365, 366, 24,60,60,10.

In US, also dates are in Month/day/year order! what kind of arrangement is this? To me day -> month-> year is logical.

Now to add more fun we have daylight saving time!
I hope now they don't decrease time between 12 to 1 from 60 to 30 minutes [lunch time] to boost economy!