14FEB11

From CleanPosts

From an evolutionary perspective, any sexual preference other than XX for XY and XY for XX individuals is a dead end. (Of course, what we see is probably not genetic, rather it is result of wiring mistakes during development.)

Not so much a wiring mistake but the less common of two stable configurations (known in chaos theory as strange attractors) which arises as a natural consequence of economizing the procedure for wiring the brain. With handedness, the less common configuration comes out to be 15% of the total. With homosexuality the less common configuration has a gender factor, so about 8% of men vs. 5% of women. The human genetic code is dense but not that dense; it is not sufficiently exhaustive to direct the hook-up of every neuron. This would be necessary if the brain was like a digital computer, where every transistor must work correctly and every circuit path must be correct. But the human brain has evolved to function quite well with neurons that misfire 30% of the time or more. We exist in a sea of mental “noise” that would stop any algorithmic process dead.

While it is true that same-sex attraction doesn’t make sense from a purely genetic standpoint, in a larger anthropological context, there is some benefit to having a rich old uncle or aunt to focus on filling certain niche occupations in the tribe without the burden of raising a brood of their own.

Births for February 14

• 1462 Edzard I the Great, earl of East-Friesland (1494-1528)

• 1515 Frederick III the Vrome, monarch of Palts

• 1546 Johann Pistorius, German theologist/historian

• 1707 Claude-Prosper J de Cr‚billon, French writer (Le sopha)

• 1760 Richard Allen, Phila, 1st black ordained by Methodist-Episcopal churc

• 1766 Thomas Malthus, England, population expert (Law of Malthius)

• 1806 Lajos, Count Batthy ny, revolutionary premier of Hungary (1848-49)

• 1813 John McNeil, Bvt Major General (Union volunteers), died in 1891

• 1817 Frederick Douglass, abolitionist

• 1819 James Green Martin, Brig General (Confederate Army), died in 1878

• 1824 Winfield Scott Hancock, Mjr General (Union volunteers), died in 1886

• 1829 Alfred Iverson Jr, Brig General (Confederate Army), died in 1911

• 1835 Fran‡ois Haverschmidt, writer (Snikken en grimlachjes)

• 1845 Cecil De Vere, 1st official British chess champion (1866)

• 1847 Anna Howard Shaw, US, suffragette

• 1853 Jan van R˜sw˜ck, Flemish journalist/mayor (Antwerp)

• 1856 Frank Harris, England, journalist/writer (My Life & Loves)

• 1858 Joseph Thomson, Scotland, geologist (Thomson's gazelle)

• 1859 George Washington Gale Ferris, engineer/inventor (Ferris Wheel)

• 1864 Israel Zangwill, England, Jewish author/Zionist (Children of Ghetto)

• 1864 Robert E Park, US, sociologist (human ecology, marginal man)

• 1864 Robert E Park, US, sociologist (human ecology/marginale mens)

• 1869 Charles Wilson, English physicist (Wilson cloud chamber-Nobel)

• 1881 Otto Selz, German psychologist

• 1882 George Jean Nathan, US, editor/author/critic (American Mercury)

• 1892 Nikolaj A Orloff, Russian/British pianist (Chopin)

• 1893 Kay Fisker, Danish architect (Hornbeck House, Copenhagen)

• 1894 Jack Benny, (Benjamin Kubelski), Waukegan, Ill, "Oh! Rochester!"

• 1895 Max Horkheimer, German philosopher/sociologist (Studies in prejudice)

• 1898 Fritz Zwicky, Swiss astronomer (super nova)

• 1899 John Randall Jr, Michigan, historian/philosopher (Western Man)

• 1902 Fred Scott, Fresno Calif, singer/actor (Vincent Lopez)

• 1902 Ray "Crash" Corrigan, Milwaukee, cowboy (Crash Corrigan's Ranch)

• 1902 Stu Erwin, Squaw Valley Calif, actor (Stu Erwin Show)

• 1904 Hertha Kuusinen, Finnish communist

• 1905 Thelma Ritter, Bkln NY, actress (Miracle on 34th Street)

• 1907 Johnny Longden, jockey/trainer (1958 Racing Hall of Fame)

• 1909 A Moses Klein, Montr‚al, poet (Hath Not a Jew...)

• 1912 Edmund George Love, US, teacher/historian/author (A Small Bequest)=

• 1913 Ab (Albert) Visser, poet/writer (Man Without a Head)

• 1913 James Pike, Okla City, bishop (Beyond Anxiety)

• 1913 Jimmy Hoffa, Teamsters leader who disappeared in 1975

• 1913 Mel Allen, Birmingham Alabama, sportscaster (voice of NY Yankees)

• 1916 Edward Platt, Staten Island NY, actor (Chief-Get Smart)

• 1917 Herbert A Hauptman, NYC, x-ray crystallographer (Nobel 1985)

• 1921 Hugh Downs, Akron Oh, TV journalist (20/20, Concentration)

• 1921 Skeezix, of "Gasoline Alley" discovered on Wallets' doorstep

• 1923 Jay Herbert, golfer (1960 PGA winner)

• 1924 Countess Mountbatten, of Burma

• 1925 Elliot Lawrence, Phila, orch leader (Guide Right, Howard Cosell)

• 1927 Lois Maxwell, Kitchener Ontario, actress (Miss Moneypenny)

• 1928 Ben Garrido Blaz, (Rep-R-Guam, 1985- )

• 1929 Matthew G Martinez, (Rep-D-CA, 1982- )

• 1931 Bernie "Boom Boom" Geoffrion, hockey star/beer spokesman

• 1931 Phyllis McGuire, Middletown Oh, singer (McGuire Sisters)

• 1931 Vic Morrow, Bronx NY, actor (Combat, Roots, Twilight Zone the Movie)

• 1934 Florence Henderson, Dale Ind, actress/singer (Carol-Brady Bunch)

• 1935 David Wilson, British governor (Hong Kong)

• 1935 Mickey Wright, San Diego Calif, golfer (4 times LPGA champ)

• 1936 Andrew Pine, Jennings Fla, actor (V, WEB, Wide Country)

• 1940 Porpoise, 1st born in captivity in US (Marineland, Fla)

• 1941 Paul Tsongas, (Sen-D-Mass)

• 1943 Eric Anderson, Pittsburgh Pa, singer (Avalanche, Be True to You)

• 1944 Alan Parker, English actor (Bugsy Malone)

• 1944 Carl Bernstein, Washington Post investigative reporter (Watergate)

• 1945 Gregory Hines, NYC, actor/dancer (White Nights, Taps)

• 1945 Hans Adam, prince of Liechtenstein

• 1945 William Hill Boner, (Rep-D-TN, 1979- )

• 1946 Tim Buckley, rocker (Blood, Sweat & Tears-When I Die)

• 1946 Tina Aumont, Hollywood Calif, actress (Master of Love)

• 1947 Heidemarie Rosendahl, German FR, long jumper (Olympic-gold-1972)

• 1947 Judd Gregg, (Rep-R-NH, 1981- )

• 1947 Pham Tuan, 1st Vietnamese space traveler (Soyuz 37)

• 1948 Pat O'Brien, reporter (Entertainment Tonight)

• 1948 Wally Tax, guitarist

• 1949 Ewa Aulin, Stockholm Sweden, actress (Candy, Fiorina LeVacca)

• 1949 Jackie Martlin, "Jackie the Jokeman", comedian (Howard Stern Show)

• 1949 Richard E Neal, (Rep-D-Massachusetts)

• 1951 Kevin Keegan, British soccer player/manager (Newcastle United)

• 1956 Dave Dravecky, pitcher (SF Giants), had arm amputated

• 1956 Howard Edward Davis Jr, Glen Cove NY, lw boxer (Olympic-silver-1976)

• 1958 Perry Stephens, Frankfurt Germany, actor (Loving, All My Children)

• 1960 Jim Kelly, NFL quarterback (Buffalo Bills)

• 1960 Ken Wahl, actor (Wanderers, Wise Guys)

• 1960 Meg Tilly, (Margaret), LA Calif, actress (Big Chill, Impulse)

• 1963 Zach Galligan, actor (Gremlins)

• 1967 Manuela Maleeva, Sofia Bulgaria, tennis player (1984 US Open Mixed)

• 1972 Mayne One, rocker (Young Nation)

• 1977 Nathan Osmond, Utah, vocalist (Osmond Boys)

• 1985 Jacob Parker, actor

Passings for February 14

• 1400 Richard II, king of England (1377-99), murdered at 33

• 1528 Edzard I the Great, count of Austria-Friesland (1494-1528), dies

• 1571 Benvenuto Cellini, sculptor/author (Autobiography), dies at 70

• 1571 Odet de Coligny, Cardinal of Chƒtillon/bishop/count of Beauvais, dies

• 1779 James Cook, Scottish explorer, killed in fracas with Hawaiian

• 1780 William Blackstone, English lawyer, dies

• 1820 Karel F, Duke of Berry, murdered

• 1831 Vincente Guerrero, Mexican revolutionary hero dies

• 1891 William Tecumseh Sherman, Union Civil War general, dies at 71

• 1916 Petko J Todorov, Bulgaria writer (Zmejova), dies at 36

• 1943 David Hilbert, German mathematician (Hilbert Space), dies at 81

• 1950 Karl G Jansky, Czech discoverer of cosmic radio sources, dies

• 1967 Sig Ruman, actor (Schultz-Life With Luigi), dies at 82

• 1969 Vito Genovese, US mafia chief, dies at 71

• 1975 Pelham G Wodehouse, English/US writer (Piccadilly Jim), dies at 93

• 1979 Adolph Dubs, US ambassador to Afghanistan, murdered

• 1982 Henk Schaer, (Hendricus JM Schaareman), actor, dies at 79

• 1987 Bola Sete, guitarist, dies at 63

• 1988 Frederick Loewe, US composer, dies at 86

• 1991 Arno Breker, German sculptor (3rd Republic), dies

• 1991 John A McCone, Head of CIA (1961-65), dies

• 1992 Roepie Kruize, hockey player (Olympic-bronze-48/silver-52), dies

Special events for February 14

• 1130 Jewish Cardinal Pietro Pierleone elected as anti-pope Anacletus II

• 1349 2,000 Jews burned at stake in Strasbourg Germany

• 1540 Emperor Charles V enters Ghent without resistance, executes rebels

• 1630 Dutch fleet of 69 ships reaches Pernambuco Brazil

• 1711 1st performance H„ndels opera Rinaldo

• 1778 "Stars & Stripes" arrives in foreign port for 1st time (France)

• 1794 1st US textile machinery patent granted, to James Davenport, Phila

• 1803 Apple parer patented by Moses Coats, Downington, Penn

• 1848 James K Polk became 1st pres photographed in office (Matthew Brady)

• 1859 Oregon admitted as 33rd state

• 1862 Galena, 1st US iron-clad warship for service at sea, launched, Conn

• 1867 Hartford Steam Boiler Inspection & Insurance Co issues 1st policy

• 1867 Morehouse College organizes in Augusta, Georgia

• 1872 1st state bird refuge authorized, Lake Merritt, CA

• 1883 1st state labor union legislation; NJ legalizes unions

• 1889 1st trainload of fruit (oranges) leaves Los Angeles for east

• 1891 J Palisa discovers asteroid #304 Olga

• 1894 Venus is both a morning star & evening star

• 1895 Oscar Wilde's "Importance of Being Earnest" opens in London

• 1896 Winnipeg Victorias beat Montreal Victorias 2-0 for Stanley Cup

• 1899 US Congress begins using voice machines

• 1900 Date of events in movie "Picnic at Hanging Rock"

• 1903 US Dept of Commerce & Labor established

• 1907 1st US fox hound association forms in NYC

• 1910 J Helffrich discovers asteroid #697 Galilea

• 1912 1st US submarines with diesel engines commissioned, Groton, Ct

• 1912 Arizona becomes 48th state

• 1914 High Council of Labor forms in Hague Netherlands

• 1918 USSR adopts New Style (Gregorian) calendar (originally Feb 1)

• 1921 Little Review faces obscenity charges for publishing "Ulysses," NY

• 1925 Emergency crisis in Bayern ends, NSDAP rises again

• 1929 St Valentine's Day Massacre in Chicago, 7 gangsters killed

• 1931 Spanish Govt of General Damasco Berenguer falls

• 1932 K Reinmuth discovers asteroids #2290, #2560 & #2879 Shimizu

• 1936 L Boyer discovers asteroid #1377 Roberbauxa

• 1936 National Negro Congress organizes in Chicago

• 1940 British merchant vessel fleet is armed

• 1941 Carson McCuller's "Reflections in a Golden Eye" published

• 1941 Cebrie Park in the Bronx renamed Halsey Street

• 1941 German Africa Corps lands in Tripoli, Libya

• 1942 Japanese parachutists land in Palembang Sumatra

• 1943 Soviets recapture Rostov

• 1944 Anti-Japanese revolt on Java

• 1944 Carl Wick publishes "Salmon Trolling for Commercial & Sport Fishing

• 1945 Per£, Paraguay, Chile & Ecuador joins UN

• 1946 Bank of England nationalized

• 1949 1st session of Knesset opens in Jerusalem

• 1950 USSR & China sign peace treaty

• 1951 Sugar Ray Robinson defeats Jake LaMotta & takes middleweight title

• 1952 6th Winter Olympic games opens in Oslo

• 1952 Comedian Joey Adams marries gossip columnist Cindy Heller

• 1954 Sen John Kennedy appears on "Meet the Press"

• 1954 WTOC TV channel 11 in Savannah, GA (CBS) begins broadcasting

• 1955 WFLA (now WXFL) TV channel 8 in Tampa-St Petersburg, FL (NBC) begins

• 1956 Indonesia resigns from out Neth-Indonesian Union

• 1956 Khrushchev denounces Stalin at USSR Communist Party Conference

• 1956 Verhoeven/Nauta/De King/Wijnhout win Dutch Elfstedentocht skate

• 1958 Arab Federation of Iraq & Jordan forms

• 1959 $3.6 million heroin seizure in NYC

• 1960 Marshal Ayub Khan elected president of Pakistan

• 1961 Element 103, Lawrencium, 1st produced in Berkeley Calif

• 1962 1st lady Jacqueline Kennedy conducts White House tour on TV

• 1963 US launches communications satellite Syncom 1

• 1966 Australia introduces 1st decimal currency postage stamps

• 1966 Wilt Chamberlain breaks NBA career scoring record at 20,884 points

• 1967 Aretha Franklin records "Respect"

• 1968 WHKY TV channel 14 in Hickory, NC (IND) begins broadcasting

• 1971 Movie "Ben Hur" 1st shown on television

• 1971 Richard Nixon installs secret taping system in White House

• 1972 John & Yoko co-host "Mike Douglas Show" for entire week

• 1972 Luna 20 (Russia) launched to orbit & softland on moon

• 1972 USSR launches Luna 20; unmanned probe soft-lands on Moon, returns

• 1974 Harvard College discovers asteroid #2039 Payne-Gaposchkin

• 1978 In girls' HS basketball, Chicago Latin beats Harvard St George

• 1980 13th Winter Olympic games open in Lake Placid, NY

• 1980 US launches Solar Maximum Mission Observatory to study solar flares

• 1982 "Night of 100 Stars" takes place at NY's Radio City Music Hall

• 1982 L Brozek discovers asteroid #3424

• 1985 Hostage CNN reporter Jeremy Levin is released in Beirut

• 1987 53,745 largest NBA crowd to date-Phila at Detroit

• 1988 Bobby Allison at 50 becomes oldest driver to win Daytona 500

• 1988 General hospital star Jackie Zeman marries Glenn Gorden

• 1989 Boxer Mike Tyson & actress Robin Given divorce

• 1989 Khomeini orders Moslems to murder "Satanic Verses" novelist Rushdie

• 1989 Robin Givens is granted a divorce from Mike Tyson in Dom Rep

• 1989 Union Carbide agrees to pay $470 mill damages for Bhopol disaster

• 1992 Ceasefire in Somalia begins

• 1992 Merlene Ottey runs world record 60m indoor (6.96 sec)

• 1993 Fire in Linxi Warehouse in Tangshan, China, kills 79

Songs for date February 14

• 02/14/41 --- High On a Windy Hill (Dorsey, Jimmy)

• 02/14/41 --- It All Comes Back To Me Now (Krupa, Gene)

• 02/14/41 --- Song Of The Volga Boatman (Miller, Glenn)

• 02/14/46 --- You Won't Be Satisfied (Until You Break) (Brown, Les)

• 02/14/46 --- Oh! What It Seemed To Be (Sinatra, Frank)

• 02/14/47 --- Anniversary Song (Lombardo, Guy)

• 02/14/47 --- Managua, Nicaragua (Lombardo, Guy)

• 02/14/47 --- Open The Door, Richard (McVea, Jack)

• 02/14/47 --- Open The Door, Richard (Three Flames)

• 02/14/53 --- Your Cheatin' Heart (James, Joni)

• 02/14/53 --- I Believe (Laine, Frankie)

• 02/14/70 --- Rapper, The (Jaggerz)

• 02/14/70 --- Bridge Over Troubled Water (Simon & Garfunkel)

• 02/14/76 --- Dream On (Aerosmith)

• 02/14/76 --- Money Honey (Bay City Rollers)

• 02/14/76 --- Sweet Love (Commodores)

• 02/14/76 --- Sweet Thing (Rufus)

• 02/14/81 --- Rapture (Blondie)

• 02/14/81 --- Kiss On My List (Hall & Oates)

• 02/14/81 --- What Kind Of Fool (Streisand, Barbra)

• 02/14/87 --- Come Go With Me (Expose)

• 02/14/87 --- Let's Go! (Wang Chung)

• 02/14/87 --- Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now (Starship)