What makes us human? The unfortunate 'rat people' of Pakistan could provide the answer.

The Telegraph (UK) ^ | August 1, 2006 | by Armand Leroi

[aculeus]

Nazia, a 30-year-old with microcephaly. She guards the shoes at the Shua Dulah shrine

[RightOnTheLeftCoast]

[RightOnTheLeftCoast]

[RightOnTheLeftCoast]

I know it's not right to make fun of these unfortunate people, but the temptation of "DemocRat People" is irresistable.

[blam]

Hobbits?

[Coyoteman]

To aculeus: Interesting article. Thanks.

To RightOnTheLeftCoast: I beg folks to please stop posting that disgusting picture. It ruins an otherwise interesting and informative thread, and is no longer funny (post it once you're a wit; post it twice you're a half-wit; arithmetic progression from there).

[aculeus]

To RightOnTheLeftCoast: I beg folks to please stop posting that disgusting picture. It ruins an otherwise interesting and informative thread, and is no longer funny (post it once you're a wit; post it twice you're a half-wit; arithmetic progression from there).

Thanks. I hope it does some good but these "wits" tend to be a thick as boards.

[the invisib1e hand]

Microcephaly cannot be cured. But it can now be prevented. Now that some of the mutations have been found, parents from families with a history of the disorder can have their newly conceived embryos tested. If the embryo has two copies of the mutation, it can be aborted.

Come now. You mean, the law will require the embryo to be aborted.

Abortion to the...rescue?

How casually we toss the term around now, in our public press. Simple solution. What else will soon be just as palatable?

[Southack]

"To be sure, chimps have versions of these genes, but the human version is different. So different, in fact, that their evolution must have been driven by natural selection."

Rubbish. "Natural Selection" merely eliminates an existing group/population...it doesn't change anything in a gene.

[RightOnTheLeftCoast]

Then my wit is down by a few decimal places by now.

Sorry.

...But which picture are you talking about?

[vbmoneyspender]

Microcephaly cannot be cured. But it can now be prevented. Now that some of the mutations have been found, parents from families with a history of the disorder can have their newly conceived embryos tested. If the embryo has two copies of the mutation, it can be aborted.

I have a better solution. How about not marrying your cousin.

[Coyoteman]

...But which picture are you talking about?

I was referring to the Helen Thomas picture; I didn't notice the same person had posted both.

The second is equally disgusting, but does not show up so often, so has not become so objectionable.

But I really am tired of the Helen Thomas picture. I'm tempted to start hitting the abuse button when it shows up. Sorry to spoil your fun but that is optical abuse.

[Rudder]

Should a child be born with an insufficiency of one of these proteins, the neuroblasts fail to divide.

DNA is the locksmith and proteins are the keys.

[justche]

Who is that??(Post three)

[GATOR NAVY]

I have a better solution. How about not marrying your cousin..

Watch it there, buster. You're treading on thin multicultural ice. < /sarc>

[MarineDad]

The Great Nostrildamus, of course.

[RobbyS]

What makes us human is that we have human parents --and a soul. Is it so hard to admit that these are merely unfortunate souls?

[MainFrame65]

Just grind up a few senators, suck up some stem cells from the goo, and inject 'em into these poor folks. The senatorial fat-headed genes ought to fix them right up.

[RobbyS]

You are saying that modern science has caught up with folk wisdom?

[RightOnTheLeftCoast]

Congressman Henry Waxman, D-Santa Monica.

The only Congresscritter with his very own emoticon:

:8)