PPPPrrrreeeettttyyy sssssuuuuurrreeee yyyyoooouuuuu ggggoooootttt the topic covered

Okay, I've gone and done my research. this article is the most readable, and covers a lot of what researchers have found. Studies have been limited by funding, however, as genome studies cost millions of dollars a piece! This is from Rain and Roses by the author Rosenko. Have a happy summation!!

As someone who finds human sexuality (and the causes behind it) fascinating, I was very interested to read this article on a recent genetic theory of male homosexuality. (Don’t worry, it’s much more readable than my description makes it sound.) The question it tries to answer is this: Assuming a genetic basis for homosexuality, specifically male homosexuality, one would think that it would be self-limiting – two men are incapable of creating a child to pass on their genes, after all. But male homosexuality is seen at a low-but-constant rate in all kinds of societies. So, what gives?

For those who are too lazy to even read Slate’s rundown, here’s the Campbell’s Condensed Soup version: The technical term is “sexually antagonistic selection”, which basically means that while the trait is harmful for one sex, it’s advantageous for the other – enough to make up for the deficiency introduced in the first sex. We’ve already seen examples of this odd occurrence in other creatures, so it’s more than plausible for it to happen in humans, too.

But Rose, I hear you thinking. In order for this theory to work, the male homosexuality gene needs to give females an evolutionary boost. What possible procreative advantage could women gain from having gay male relatives?

Glad you asked!

Here’s a fascinatingly odd bit of data: Numerous studies have found that the female relatives of gay men produce children at a significantly higher rate than other women. Not only that, but among the female relatives of a gay man, those who are related to his mother have even higher birth rates than those related to his father. So it’s quite possible that whatever gene is responsible for male homosexuality also causes increased fertility in female carriers – more than enough to offset the lack of offspring from their gay male relatives.

Assuming this theory is correct, that brings up a couple of interesting potential conclusions:

First, and perhaps most obviously, all the family-values folks who are so concerned about gay people spreading their gayness like a disease can bugger off (so to speak) – the lack of evidence for the gay-disease model is now supported by a strong argument that only men who are genetically wired to be attracted to other men will be. (The flip side of that, of course, is that male homosexuality will always be around at that low-but-constant level, so y’all just need to get used to the idea that some guys are just going to prefer other guys to women and that’s that. Leave ‘em alone, already.)

Secondly, this and several other studies attribute female homosexuality/bisexuality to societal rather than genetic factors, which could explain the increasing amount of evidence finding female sexuality to be far more fluid than male sexuality – we’re not genetically hard-wired the way most guys are, so most of us aren’t limited to being attracted to one sex or the other except by societal factors. (I don’t buy the oft-pronounced theory that bisexual males don’t exist; I’ve known several. They do seem, however, far less common than bisexual females. This would also account for the fact that when I ask friends about their thoughts on the all-humans-are-inherently-bisexual theory, female friends often seem more receptive than male friends.)

Thirdly, one could make a pretty strong argument that it’s not a male-homosexuality gene per se that’s getting passed along; it’s an androphilia gene, one that increases attraction to men. The above-mentioned accounts aside, I have met women who just couldn’t imagine sleeping with someone of the same sex. Usually they didn’t react to the idea with disgust, the way men did; they just (if you’ll pardon the vulgarity) really, really loved the ****. I’d be very interested in seeing the rates of homosexual males among their relatives as opposed to in the general population…

The one thing I’ll admit I’m worried about is that, as with all homosexuality-is-genetic theories, folk will start going on about how it just proves that them queers are inferior and have got faulty wirin’ and should be fixed (or worse, exterminated). I need to find a convenient link to the DSM-IV’s definition of a disorder – specifically, the part that says that in order for something to be a disorder, it has to cause mental or physical suffering to either the person exhibiting it or others interacting with them.

Can you please reiterate the contents of the Cornhusker provision? And give us an update on whether they got what they wanted?

FindMe, can you give us a sample of your work? I will give both objective and subjective comments. You can do the same for me? Above. I prefer criticism to love. It's the only way to grow.

In this next section, the author, (who does know she is racked with depression and anxiety disorders) gets ready for a first encounter with Phineas, whose mother runs the Coffee Bean.

Alright, so I'll try getting some air time again, ha haha. This is a snippet from a story about a college student named Phineas Farthing, who doesn't know he is developing the disease of schizophrenia. (Above)

Why do people dig up crap from 20 years ago? Just looking for more cow chips to sling. The FBI runs on secrecy and feeds on classified information. How would you be so surprised the Suthers looked into the criminal records of someone he loved? Big whoop. Attempts to break down the government include airing out all the dirty laundry. It takes a lot of valuable time to do laundry. Must we dwell on every poop streak we find in the underwear?

Didn't know that. Sounds counterproductive. I guess much of the world hasn't heard about the gene mutation that is the underlying cause. It's like telling an MR person to quit being so dumb.

Yup, no toilet paper either. They were nice to me though, too nice, followed me all around. I do love the Louve though. Beautiful rolling vineyards and the Science and Industry museum. Don't know if they knew we were fighting the wrong war or not, kind of doubt it. They took a big risk not helping us, though. Next time we may decide to turn our backs when they need assistance. The people who were really unfriendly and hateful to me were the British. But as you pointed out... It's a limited experience with a limited view.

Ok, I guess I don't wish him dead, I just want him to shut up and get off the airwaves. I don't want to talk about his penis problems and don't want to see any more photos of him getting ready to flick a booger. So disgusting.

The Big Brother comment is overreactionary. As is most of what Republicans have said about what Obama is trying to do. If the health care system were working fine, he wouldn't have had to add the drastic measure of offering an OPTION, and it is only and OPTION. One you may have to take if the big insurance companies don't start getting reasonable in their coverage. It's like this: You have a class of school children who are offered the chance to be democratic about the school lunch program. Left do their own doing, most of the food gets hogged by the bullies and the quiet ones go hungry. Even ridiculed. If you believe medicare and medicaid are the humanitarian way to go, the most altruistic, then you believe the social service should be added as well for adding an option, which happily also brings competition to what is essentially a trust, a monopoly system geared for profit, not for saving lives. It's a trust bust, not a big brother deal. Why in the hello would the government want to take care of its people? For profit, for invading our privacy, for conducting science experiments? No, for Justice.

Thank you for the clarification MsHarmony. The problem with no child left behind as I saw it when I was teaching, is that there wasn't enough funding to implement all the new requirements. The good thing is the outreach and the intervention/identification parts of the program. However, as usual, teachers are given more and more extra mandates to deal with, and very little, if any, extra time and funding. They are expected to volunteer their free time and do fundraisers to make up for the needed materials. It doesn't surprise me either that teachers and parents were left out of the decision-making loop. That's par for the course in this country.
Now, if education were really top priority, teachers would be fairly compensated for all they do, and we wouldn't have the shortages we continue to experience of qualified teachers, extra rooms needed and up-to-date educational materials.

People in this thread are largely unresponive.

You are all a bunch of babies... I feel so sad for all the tortured souls , who bring it all upon themselves. But if I HAD to choose, Democratic hands down. Sorry idiots.

Very nice to hear you admitting, if only through implication, that GW's admin fked everything up. Now you plan on crying because Prs. O can't fix it all in one day, I.E. isn't GOD? I think he's doing a fantastic job with the gargantuan problems he has to face every day. Protests are counterproductive at this point in time. Be real and talk about the bright side of life for a change. We should be cheering him on! Dang, if you woke up in the morning and we told you you had to be president, what would you do? I think I'd jump off a bridge. Fanta, get in here and go over all the cool stuff Mr. President is working on. You can do it my man!!

That may be true...but if other idiots are listening, then you have yourself a "party"! Yellow journalism is alive and well. You can scream about that.
Better yet, choose not to tune in. Now, there's an active way to vote for programs that provide better coverage. And honestly, unless you get out there and involve yourself in government as it is happening, it's the ONLY way. I can only watch guys like Beck and Limbaugh for entertainment value, and then only for about one minute before I'm ready to hurl. Hey, you're not missing anything. You can still see what the manipulators like BbbbBeck are doing by watching Rachel Maddow or Keith Oberman. And it's much more entertaining.

Now we're talkin'. IMO this is a pretty neat research idea for a college student to come up with. It's not easy coming up with research projects. One that can help people is good cheer in my book. The focus was to develop and implement a useful new technology tool. Then go ahead and implement it. (Imagine hard hard that is to accomplish). We all know how these kinds of research have gone terribly wrong in the past. No evil plot to defunk world peace here.

Back to thinking about the effects on human emotion caused by yellow journalism. This "Nonissue" is a prime example. People end up wasting a lot of time arguing, sometimes screaming about nothing. For instance, is the Octomom really causing damage to our society? It use to be fair game to have 15 kids, and the church was fully behind you. This was clearly an accident. She only wanted one more. But now she has to deal with becoming the hub of a rigorous debate. She said herself, she just wanted to be left alone. Now, if people really wanted to solve the overpopulation issue, condoms would be available for free, all across the world.

Additionally, grants are not just freely given out. You have to write a very good grant proposal, with all the research done in advance as to its cost, impact and methods of implementation. It must have been a real ground-breaker or it wouldn't have been given wings. Debate is all fun and good, but don't get your undies in a bundle. Thanks for listening.

Hi NJ Mom,
Do you think you might be able to find out who wrote the poems? We are all so touched and moved by them. I'd like to be able to say who wrote them before sending them to anyone. Maybe you could email the originator and ask them where they came from. Thanks again, My Gen

Alrighty then. Give us a hint. You know how we love guessing games.
I know you write excellent poetry. And I think you might be suffering depression. A little sardonic. Are you Stephan King?

I would like to thank MissTina2 for bringing us the news, and for starting this incredible debate in such a captivating way. It was a great read. Personally, I feel that in reality the issue is moot. No amount of water is going to aide or abett these people taking their lives into their own hands. Think about it. It's just water. Water isn't going to turn the tide of immigration one way or another. I wonder if any of you would say that no MASH units should be made available in enemy territory. No Red Cross. Or no humanitarian efforts to starving people as long as they are doing anything illegal. Do you always follow the law? Shouldn't the man who can save his wife's life steal the drug that will save her? Let he who is on the moral high ground cast the first stone. Thank God for those of us who would save a life, regardless of circumstance.