Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Blonds get last laugh after media's gaffe - Bad reports cited study predicting extinction of blondes
The New York Times ^ | October 2, 2002 | The New York Times Staff

Posted on 10/02/2002 4:06:17 AM PDT by MeekOneGOP

click here to read article


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-70 next last
To: DBtoo
I guess we should expect the RH-negative (blood) factor to disappear as well. It is also recessive.
41 posted on 10/02/2002 5:45:34 AM PDT by OldBlondBabe
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 21 | View Replies]

To: chance33_98
Hey, when did Switzerland move????

42 posted on 10/02/2002 5:46:00 AM PDT by Fintan
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 31 | View Replies]

To: OldBlondBabe
I guess then, (depending on the genes of my children's mates) I could have a red-haired grand-baby?

Now accepting rich granparent applications :)

43 posted on 10/02/2002 5:48:28 AM PDT by chance33_98
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 38 | View Replies]

To: Always Right
Yep; after a thousand years blondes and blue eyes still keep popping up in the middle east, from prisoners traded during the "golden age" of Islam.
44 posted on 10/02/2002 5:50:11 AM PDT by Publius6961
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14 | View Replies]

To: Under the Radar
"So if homosexuality is genetic and they do not reproduce why do we still have them?


And your evidence that homosexuality is genetic is what? You pose this question as proof of something?"


I've found this an interesting argument. The gays claim to be "born that way" which would indicate genetics, yet if researchers found a "gay gene" would couples (discovering this with prenatal tests) consider aborting their "gay" fetus?
45 posted on 10/02/2002 5:53:38 AM PDT by OldBlondBabe
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 34 | View Replies]

To: Congressman Billybob
Blonde? and a father?
I sure hope you mean blond...
46 posted on 10/02/2002 5:53:39 AM PDT by Publius6961
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 35 | View Replies]

To: anniegetyourgun; NordP
Where's Nord with our picture?

How did the blonde explain how his helicopter crashed?

He said it was getting cold, so he turned off the ceiling fan.

47 posted on 10/02/2002 5:55:45 AM PDT by McLynnan
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: Under the Radar
What I haven't seen is an honest analysis and description of how population genetics work, in a way that demonstrates this purported phenomenon is bogus. Please help us to understand how this allele will not die out.

It's called the 3 percent rule. Nature abhors absolutes. Even if 97 percent of a population is affected by some environmental condition sufficient to cause death at least 3 percent will be resistant to that exact condition and will propagate to form a replacement population. Thus even decendants of Dinosauers still walk the earth today.

The sun could go nova tomorrow and enough terrestrial life has already escaped from Earth to eventually seed a new planet somewhere far, far away from this solar system. It would not necessarily be recognizable to the current population of Earth but it would be from and of the Earth. This would, of course, include some form of the blonde gene.

Hope this helps.

Best regards,

48 posted on 10/02/2002 5:57:44 AM PDT by Copernicus
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 22 | View Replies]

To: Copernicus
Yes, it does help, thank you. :)
49 posted on 10/02/2002 6:03:44 AM PDT by Under the Radar
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 48 | View Replies]

To: Under the Radar
In genetics, an allele (alternative form of a gene) that will show in the phenotype observed characteristics of an organism) only if its partner allele on the paired chromosome is similarly recessive. Such an allele will not show if its partner is dominant, that is if the organism is heterozygous for a particular characteristic. Alleles for blue eyes in humans and for shortness in pea plants are recessive. Most mutant alleles are recessive and therefore are only rarely expressed.

For every characteristic of a plant or animal that is inherited, there are two genes present in the cells determining this characteristic in all but a few examples. By characteristic we mean height or eye colour or ability to make a particular enzyme. If the two genes are identical (homozygous state) the characteristic you see in the organism is determined by the two genes. However, one gene may be different from the other (heterozygous state). If so, the two genes are alleles contrasting genes for a characteristic. In this case it is possible that one of them determines the characteristic you see and the other does not. The characteristic you see in this case is said to be dominant. The other allele not expressed in this case will only be expressed when present in the homozygous state. This characteristic is said to be recessive.

Sometimes the allele that produces the dominant characteristic is described as being a dominant allele and the one that tends to produce the recessive characteristic as being the recessive allele. This is not really the correct use of the terms dominant and recessive. An allele is one of two or more alternative forms of a gene. This is best explained with examples. A gene which tends to produce blue eyes in a person will have an alternative allele that tends to produce brown eye colour. In a plant that may be found in tall and short forms may have an allele that tends to produce tall plants though its alternative allele produces short plants.


In real people terms, a single-gene change cannot "die-out". If a single member of a couple carries the recessive trait but is brunette, fifty percent of the kids will have the carrier state. If both members of a couple are carriers that are brunette; they will have 25% blonds, 50% brunettes that are carriers; and only 25% "pure" brunettes. The reason for the vast range of shades seen in our world is a condition called variable penetrance (stop smirking), in which the dominant gene is not able to totally shut down expression of the recessive gene.
50 posted on 10/02/2002 6:32:32 AM PDT by WilliamWallace1999
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 22 | View Replies]

To: chance33_98
So if homosexuality is genetic and they do not reproduce why do we still have them? ;)

You make a great point, but that is an erroneous use of the term genetic. If homosexuality is inherited, it is better termed a multifactoral type inheritance. This is also the case with conditions like cleft lip and palate. They occur less that 1% of the time in general population, but occur at a rate of 5-10% in families with a prior history. That is about the same pattern seen with homosexuality. The word genetic technically means inheritance linked to a specific gene or group of genes and follows a pattern of inheritance predictable by the chromosomes on which it resides (sex-link or autosomal). Blonds will keep popping up no matter what we do to stop them.

51 posted on 10/02/2002 6:41:56 AM PDT by WilliamWallace1999
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 24 | View Replies]

To: Publius6961
Yep; after a thousand years blondes and blue eyes still keep popping up in the middle east, from prisoners traded during the "golden age" of Islam.

Besides, as long as there are any blondes out there, I will do all I can to make sure their genes go on.

52 posted on 10/02/2002 6:45:21 AM PDT by Always Right
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 44 | View Replies]

To: WilliamWallace1999
Blonds will keep popping up no matter what we do to stop them.

I have no plans on stopping them :)

I agree with you though, I was thinking about that recently while studying genetic algotrithms (which are pretty cool). So gays are either 'genetic' anomalies or they just like being gay and it has nothing to do with genetics at all. I don't care either way but I was just wondering :) Thanks for the post!

53 posted on 10/02/2002 6:52:17 AM PDT by chance33_98
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 51 | View Replies]

To: McLynnan; anniegetyourgun
Here I....I mean WE are!

NordP

54 posted on 10/02/2002 8:09:06 AM PDT by NordP
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 47 | View Replies]

To: Always Right
Besides, as long as there are any blondes out there, I will do all I can to make sure their genes go on.

The first step is making their jeans come off.

55 posted on 10/02/2002 9:03:35 AM PDT by PBRSTREETGANG
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 52 | View Replies]

To: MeeknMing
Here's something wacky: my mother's family is all dark-haired (all Swedish, second-generation), and she turned out blonde. My father has dark hair and brown eyes, and my sister and I both have blond hair and blue eyes. My brother-in-law has dark hair and brown eyes, and all my nieces are blonde/blue. The Mrs. has dark hair and brown eyes; what are the odds our children will beat the odds?
56 posted on 10/02/2002 10:32:10 AM PDT by warchild9
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: NordP
Thanks, Nordie! So nice we are all natural blondes with none of those telltale roots.
57 posted on 10/02/2002 12:16:26 PM PDT by McLynnan
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 54 | View Replies]

To: MeeknMing
As long as there's Clarol, there will always be blonds!
58 posted on 10/02/2002 12:42:05 PM PDT by gracie1
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: gracie1
What? No pictures of the Swedish Bikini Team yet????

Well, I can fix that:


Swedish Bikini Team on Display!

59 posted on 10/02/2002 1:22:29 PM PDT by balrog666
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 58 | View Replies]

TAKE BACK THE SENATE!

VOTE OUT THE DEMS!

DONATE TODAY!!!.
SUPPORT FREE REPUBLIC

Donate Here By Secure Server

Or mail checks to
FreeRepublic , LLC
PO BOX 9771
FRESNO, CA 93794

or you can use

PayPal at Jimrob@psnw.com
STOP BY AND BUMP THE FUNDRAISER THREAD

60 posted on 10/02/2002 4:33:49 PM PDT by Mo1
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 50 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-70 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson