Chimpanzees, Neanderthals and Homo Sapiens

I've always wondered if some of my family members weren't descended from Neanderthals. Now we know for sure.

It turns out that 1 to 4 percent of the genes carried by non-African people come from interbreeding between Homo Sapiens and Neanderthals about 80,000 years ago. Why non-African? Because the human beings left behind in Africa never interbred with Neanderthals. For more details, read the article in today's Washington Post.

But wait - there's more. It turns out the Neanderthals carried about 73 genes of the more ancient chimpanzee version rather than the modern human version. The interesting thing is that northern Europeans, the Chinese and Papua New Guineans carry traces of Neanderthal ancestry, including the chimpanzee genes, but Africans do not.

That stands a lot of nineteenth century assumptions on their head.

Town Bored?

I wasn't able to attend Tuesday night's Oriental Town Board meeting, as I was tied up with Pamlico County's primary election. But I did take a look at the agenda ahead of time. I had hopes that on the occasion of the sixth regular meeting of the current board, they might actually take some action. No such luck.

I'm thinking, though, that the Tuesday meeting might mark a significant milestone. To verify the milestone would require a thorough search of the town's minutes over the last 111 years, but I think we may be approaching a new record for dithering.

Words

"When I use a word," Humpty Dumpty said, in a rather scornful tone, "it means just what I choose it to mean - neither more nor less."

"The question is," said Alice, "whether you can make words mean so many different things."

"The question is," said Humpty Dumpty, "which is to be master - that's all."

Through the Looking Glass.

The White Queen

"Alice laughed: "There's no use trying," she said; "one can't believe impossible things."

"I daresay you haven't had much practice," said the Queen. "When I was younger, I always did it for half an hour a day. Why, sometimes I've believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast."

Alice in Wonderland.

Public Records

We've had a few discussions over the past year or so about public records in North Carolina. Among other things, a public record is pretty much any record made of the public's business.

Here's what North Carolina General Statutes have to say:

"§ 132 1. "Public records" defined.

(a) "Public record" or "public records" shall mean all documents, papers, letters, maps, books, photographs, films, sound recordings, magnetic or other tapes, electronic data processing records, artifacts, or other documentary material, regardless of physical form or characteristics, made or received pursuant to law or ordinance in connection with the transaction of public business by any agency of North Carolina government or its subdivisions. Agency of North Carolina government or its subdivisions shall mean and include every public office, public officer or official (State or local, elected or appointed), institution, board, commission, bureau, council, department, authority or other unit of government of the State or of any county, unit, special district or other political subdivision of government.

(b) The public records and public information compiled by the agencies of North Carolina government or its subdivisions are the property of the people. Therefore, it is the policy of this State that the people may obtain copies of their public records and public information free or at minimal cost unless otherwise specifically provided by law. As used herein, "minimal cost" shall mean the actual cost of reproducing the public record or public information.)"

Seems pretty clear.

So any record made by a public official in connection with the people's business is a public record. It doesn't matter whether it was made on or with a privately owned piece of equipment, it is a public record. And it must be turned over to the public agency's official custodian of public records.

More on Learning

It's good to learn from your mistakes.

It's better to learn from those of others. As Eleanor Roosevelt once noted, you can never live long enough to make them all yourself.

Learning

A man only learns in two ways, one by reading, and the other by association with smarter people.

Will Rogers

Voting Convenience

I've been telling people about the on-line conveniences for voters in North Carolina, but I hadn't tried them out.

Until now.

I decided to look for my very own sample ballot for the May 4th Primary. Here's how:

1. Log on the the Pamlico County Government web site;
2. Click on Departments;
3. Select Elections;
4. Click on "Registration Lookup and Sample Ballot;"
5. You will find yourself at the State Board of Elections site;
6. Fill in your name and date of birth, then select Pamlico from the drop down list of counties;
7. Click "submit" and you will see your voter information, including voter history;
8. Click "my sample ballot," and you will see your very own ballot style for the May 4th Primary, based on your party registration and where you live.

Amazing!

The State Board of Elections has posted this information for every registered voter in North Carolina.

You still have to make up your own mind who to vote for.