Open Thread December 1, 2022

Yesterday, the newsletter from The Conversation had three different articles onn genetics, two of which related directly to conflict during pregnancy between the mother’s and father’s genes, The third focused on how assumptions can disguise the meaning of the evidence as to whether certain traits are genetic or not. Coming so soon after the short take we had on genetic anomalies, I was interested, but a short take will not do justice to the subject. Instead, I’ll provide links to all of them, here, here, and here. I will warn you that the authors use anthromorphism to make some points – genes don’t (as far as we can tell have consciousness, and therefore they don’t “want” to do things, nor do they experience feelings of hostility. But the effects are as if they did.

Cartoon –

Short Takes –

Crooks & Liars – Report: Feds Are Still Not Concentrating On Domestic Terror
Quote – Although the Department of Homeland Security and the FBI have identified domestic terrorism, specifically white supremacist violence, as “the most persistent and lethal terrorist threat,” the federal government has continued to allocate resources to focus on international terrorist threats instead, according to the report.
Click through for article (and a link to C&L’s source.) I can think of reasons – mostly having to do with relative difficulty. But, doggonit, if one thing is more dangerous than another, we need to focus on the thing which is more dangerous, no matter how difficult it is to do so.

Axios – Oath Keepers founder Stewart Rhodes found guilty of seditious conspiracy
Quote – Why it matters: Rhodes, a prominent figure within far-right American politics, faces a maximum of 20 years in prison from the conviction, [and] the jury also found him guilty on other charges…. The big picture: The verdicts may serve as a preview for the upcoming trial against Proud Boys leader Henry “Enrique” Tarrio and other members who were also charged with seditious conspiracy for their actions around and on the day of the riot.
Click through for details. While technically this does not set a “legal precedent” (but it will, I’m betting – Rhodes lawyer says he will appeal, and I trust it will fail), it will help give confedence to any other prosecutors wh, becaue the last time before not the charges was pressed (in 2010),the jury failed to convict.

Food For Thought