Posts with Comments by Pseudothyrum
Fat and tuberculosis
A story for you Razib - "Evolution faster when it's warmer" - http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/8115464.stm
Could explain why there us so much more genetic diversity amongst equatorial Africans as opposed to White Europeans or Asians who live in colder northern climates.
Could explain why there us so much more genetic diversity amongst equatorial Africans as opposed to White Europeans or Asians who live in colder northern climates.
Which countries does the NYT cover most and least?
"Does the phrase "Blood for no oil" ring a bell?"
Of course it does -- and that is what the Iraq War was/is, "blood" (war) for oil...a way for America to shed some blood in order to secure the resource which keeps its economy and military afloat and head of all others. Again, without abundant oil America would grind to an absolute halt -- all top U.S. government officials know this and worry (even obsess) about it constantly. This obsession and worry is kept largely behind the scenes to avoid causing panic in the public arena because most people don't realize how dire and complex the energy situation is in America.
"the Middle East is incapable of democracy or a free market in the near future."
Who cares? Democracy and the "free market" are highly overrated and even false concepts in my opinion, and have been for at least the last 100 years in most Western countries who have embraced them. Democracy and the "free market" meant something deacades ago, and they may still on a more local levels, but geostrategically these concepts are outmoded in the extreme. It's all about centralization and control now.
"During the time we've occupied Iraq, we have not gotten any kind of discount on Iraqi oil. I think we're going to leave Iraq , and I doubt if we'll get any discount on or special access to oil then, either."
We haven't received discounts, correct...but by our armed presence we have obviously secured steady/special access to Iraq's oil, and this is what counts. The majority of U.S. soldiers will leave Iraq as you say, but a decent amount will definitely stay behind for decades if necessary to guard America's access to this steady and reasonably secure supply of oil/energy because, again, without this oil America's economy would utterly collapse.
Of course it does -- and that is what the Iraq War was/is, "blood" (war) for oil...a way for America to shed some blood in order to secure the resource which keeps its economy and military afloat and head of all others. Again, without abundant oil America would grind to an absolute halt -- all top U.S. government officials know this and worry (even obsess) about it constantly. This obsession and worry is kept largely behind the scenes to avoid causing panic in the public arena because most people don't realize how dire and complex the energy situation is in America.
"the Middle East is incapable of democracy or a free market in the near future."
Who cares? Democracy and the "free market" are highly overrated and even false concepts in my opinion, and have been for at least the last 100 years in most Western countries who have embraced them. Democracy and the "free market" meant something deacades ago, and they may still on a more local levels, but geostrategically these concepts are outmoded in the extreme. It's all about centralization and control now.
"During the time we've occupied Iraq, we have not gotten any kind of discount on Iraqi oil. I think we're going to leave Iraq , and I doubt if we'll get any discount on or special access to oil then, either."
We haven't received discounts, correct...but by our armed presence we have obviously secured steady/special access to Iraq's oil, and this is what counts. The majority of U.S. soldiers will leave Iraq as you say, but a decent amount will definitely stay behind for decades if necessary to guard America's access to this steady and reasonably secure supply of oil/energy because, again, without this oil America's economy would utterly collapse.
"They represent the parts of the world, like Iraq, where we're wasting a bunch of money to squat over an over-glorified sandbox, hoping that our colonial piss will transform it into a lush oasis."
You really aren't a very good geostrategic thinker -- however terrible the occupation of Iraq has been (and I agree it's been horribly mismanaged), in the long-term it may well be seen as a very smart move by the Bush admin. because it was able to secure relatively stable access to abundant oil supplies for America in the next few decades until alternatives to oil/gasoline are invented.
You do realize that America's economy would grind to an absolute halt without a steady supply of oil, don't you? And that the economy (i.e., money) trumps national sovereignty, human rights, ideologies both right and left, religion, and ALL other issues?
Think about it...
(The invasion and toppling of Iraq also had the added bonus of removing Saddam from power, who was an enemy of the Bush family and the Israelis - not to mention an enemy of "free market capitalism" [the Baath Party was a socialist and secular party - it was technically called the "Arab Socialist Baath Party"...and it's now banned in Iraq]).
You really aren't a very good geostrategic thinker -- however terrible the occupation of Iraq has been (and I agree it's been horribly mismanaged), in the long-term it may well be seen as a very smart move by the Bush admin. because it was able to secure relatively stable access to abundant oil supplies for America in the next few decades until alternatives to oil/gasoline are invented.
You do realize that America's economy would grind to an absolute halt without a steady supply of oil, don't you? And that the economy (i.e., money) trumps national sovereignty, human rights, ideologies both right and left, religion, and ALL other issues?
Think about it...
(The invasion and toppling of Iraq also had the added bonus of removing Saddam from power, who was an enemy of the Bush family and the Israelis - not to mention an enemy of "free market capitalism" [the Baath Party was a socialist and secular party - it was technically called the "Arab Socialist Baath Party"...and it's now banned in Iraq]).
Do you like the sound of your own voice?
A recent study shows that a rounder face means men are more aggressive:
"The male sex hormone testosterone makes faces more circular and now scientists have studied whether this characteristic is also linked to behaviour."
- http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/main.jhtml?xml=/earth/2008/08/20/sciface120.xml
"The male sex hormone testosterone makes faces more circular and now scientists have studied whether this characteristic is also linked to behaviour."
- http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/main.jhtml?xml=/earth/2008/08/20/sciface120.xml
Re: baby-faced aggressiveness -- this is apparently true; according to this article more testosterone than normal tends to make male faces more round...
"A rounder face 'means men are more aggressive' "
By Roger Highfield, Science Editor
Last Updated: 12:01am BST 20/08/2008
Men with round faces tend to be more aggressive, a study of sportsmen has shown.
The male sex hormone testosterone makes faces more circular and now scientists have studied whether this characteristic is also linked to behaviour.
The shape of the face may have been honed by evolution to mark a man likely to be aggressive. A Canadian team studied 90 ice hockey players and found the rounder the face, the more aggressive the players.
- http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/main.jhtml?xml=/earth/2008/08/20/sciface120.xml
"A rounder face 'means men are more aggressive' "
By Roger Highfield, Science Editor
Last Updated: 12:01am BST 20/08/2008
Men with round faces tend to be more aggressive, a study of sportsmen has shown.
The male sex hormone testosterone makes faces more circular and now scientists have studied whether this characteristic is also linked to behaviour.
The shape of the face may have been honed by evolution to mark a man likely to be aggressive. A Canadian team studied 90 ice hockey players and found the rounder the face, the more aggressive the players.
- http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/main.jhtml?xml=/earth/2008/08/20/sciface120.xml
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