possiblydrunk

Well, knowledge of those experiments would be relevant when arguing the merits of GOF research, I'm not. I'm simply saying that Derek Lowe claimed that the uproar over these experiments was overblown because they were not GOF based on a certain narrow definition. The definition itself is not agreed upon by all molecular biologists, virologists and microbiologists. Derek Lowe could have made a variety of arguments around why the experiments were not as dangerous as media reports would have you believe. But he chose to focus on a technical definition of GOF that is hard to defend.

It's not my definition. And I can't tell what experiments you're referring to, so it's not reasonable to comment. But the experiments done at BU had the potential to produce new viable virus sequences that could display a phenotype that included increased pathogenicity. The researchers had no way of knowing what the results would be in advance. They followed all safety protocols -- that's not being questioned. But their experiments would qualify as GOF experiments under a variety of definitions.

Derek Lowe expresses a narrow definition of GOF to make his point and defend the research. Interestingly, using his definition, no proposed experiment could be classified as GOF because his definition depends on a successful outcome where a more pathogenic virus is produced which can only be determined after the fact. He misses the point that there are various definitions of GOF, and more importantly, that the people concerned about the experiments aren't concerned about the precise definition of GOF -- they are concerned with experiments that might reasonably generate successful GOF mutations.

"In other words, any selection process involving an alteration of genotypes and their resulting phenotypes is considered a type of Gain-of-Function (GoF) research, even if the U.S. policy is intended to apply to only a small subset of such work." [0]

"...experiments that encompass all influenza viruses, SARS-CoV, and MERS-CoV that can be reasonably anticipated to increase pathogenicity or transmissibility in mammalian species" [1]

[0] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK285579/#sec_28 [1] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK285579/#sec_30

I think if you set speed to 1, it's realtime.

Is there a way to set the time to 'now'?

Item 5(g):

5. involve the sending, posting, or publication of any messages, content, or materials that, in PayPal’s sole discretion, ... (g) are fraudulent, promote misinformation, or are unlawful, ...

Noticed that the updated PayPal TOS includes a prohibition on posting misinformation. PayPal has sole discretion as to what constitutes misinformation (or any other violation). And the fine is $2500 per incident.

> If you read that level of intent and nuance into word choice, life is going to be very hard and confusing if you meet someone not in your culture bubble.

This has been my experience. Be patient and give the 'questioner' a chance to show they are 'asking'.

Not questioning the post or it's conclusions, but how does Kurtis 'know' that the drives are fake? Is it just the price point? Are there reliable lists to check? Curious as to how to spot fakes.

I would never think about regrets, my own or those of others. While there is always the lure of capitalizing on the knowledge, it's rarely worth it. Thinking about negative things (that is a regret after all) in the past is pointless -- you can't change it and you don't know where your life would be if you 'just made that one change'. Changing your own life based on other people's regrets will yield unpredictable results. Live in the present and think about the future. Avoid regrets. They are a trap.

They are amazingly durable, but they can't handle a (now dead) chipmunk :(

Wow, didn't know it was still alive (in one form or another). I remember getting gcc running and installing busy box. It became something of a challenge to see what you could install and run on this tiny machine.

Early 2000's (2002?) there was a pocket PDA device that ran linux and had a workable keyboard - the Sharp Zaurus SL-5000D (developer edition). 32 Mb RAM! Had a JVM installed. Got mine at Java One with a Linksys 802.11b Network Card. Fun (at the time) to boot up linux and SSH into my servers.

  Processor: StrongARM (206 MHz 32-bit SA-1110)
  Operating System: Linux 2.4 (Embedix)
  Memory: 32 MB SDRAM, 16 MB Flash ROM, 
  Display: 3.5in 240 x 320 pixel, Color Reflective TFT LCD, 16 bits (65,536 colors) 
  Power: Removable, rechargeable 3.7V Lithium-Ion battery pack, Built-in 3.0V back-up battery, 5.0V AC adapter
  Communications: USB Docking Station, IrDA infrared port
  Expansion slot: One CompactFlash Type I / Type II slot, One Secure Digital slot
  Audio: Stereo headphone jack
  Size: 2.90 x 5.40 x 0.80in. (74 x 138 x 21mm)
  Weight: 7.3 oz (206g)

In a similar vein ...

  Now there's no more oak oppression
  For they passed a noble law
  And the trees are all kept equal
  By hatchet, axe, and saw

Rush - The Trees

Maybe rule 10 explains rule 9 :)

Nice! I love the symmetry in:

The future was better in the past. The past will be better in the future.

>There are a few more things that I think would be fun to do:

First off, it's beautiful! Second, just because you can, doesn't mean you should :)

I think it's art, so be careful about adding more. The minimalism is beautiful. Just a bunch of moving lights, but they capture the feel of night driving! If you add everything mentioned as upgrades, it will be a simulation. An impressive engineering feat, but (I think) less as a work of art.

I wonder, what does someone who's never ridden/driven in a car at night 'feel' when they see this?

The article mentions that:

“We physicians find it UNCONSCIONABLE that no other solution is proposed to this situation other than medical assistance in dying,” they wrote.

In the vast majority of cases, nothing, as the mutations will likely be silent. In the worst case, a point mutation could possible lead to the development of a cancer. But remember, the article says this has been going on all the time as natural process. It's not new. So no increased risk from this process.

The former, though likely still at a pretty low rate. These instabilities can result in mis-pairing at replication which results in a mutation in the replicated strand. Article suggests that this may be a significant source of mutations that was previously not considered.

Article says: We find it to be several orders of magnitude greater than the observed rate (10−8 per base pair) of spontaneous mutations through, for example, copying errors, suggesting that tautomerisation may well play an important role in point mutations.

Reprimanded by dang - another milestone achieved! I feel strangely honored and ashamed at the same time :)

Yes, this! Perfectly stated. Why can't this be codified in law?

The tyranny of the local maxima. Maybe society should expend more energy to help you get off your local maxima and onto a new higher local maxima rather than facilitating your demise.

>That seems not only misleading to me, but pure lie.

Did you bother to read the article about the woman, or just the headline? From the linked article:

A 51-year-old Ontario woman with severe sensitivities to chemicals chose medically-assisted death after her desperate search for affordable housing free of cigarette smoke and chemical cleaners failed, advocates say. ... “The government sees me as expendable trash, a complainer, useless and a pain in the a*," 'Sophia' said in a video filmed on Feb. 14, eight days before her death, and shared with CTV News by one of her friends. She died after a frantic effort by friends, supporters and even her doctors to get her safe and affordable housing in Toronto. She also left behind letters showing a desperate two-year search for help, in which she begs local, provincial and federal officials for assistance in finding a home away from the smoke and chemicals wafting through her apartment.

Not directed at your comment. But is calling a person a "crotchety and elitist angry person" necessary to the point being made? Seems a bit ad hominem to me.

Anger isn't needed to make a good point! Politeness works just as well :)

20+ year old DNA samples, even stored deeply frozen, could accumulate damage that would be amplified during library prep prior to sequencing. To make the case, they would really need appropriate control samples from the same time periods stored under the same conditions.

> Stop being a crotchety and elitist angry person ...

Sounds familiar, like I just read an example of it :/

Lol. So true ...

If you want to master many things, you must first master one. Pick a personal or professional interest and start learning. Do it now and don't waste time choosing, for the choice will ultimately not matter.