DNA and a short statement on belief.

DNA: Deoxyribonucleic acid.

Between 2.2 and 2.6 nm wide.  A double helix--a twisted ladder.  Alternating sugars and phosphates as the outside of the ladder with four base-types connected in the middle with hydrogen bonds, thus making the rungs of the ladder.

 The bases in the middle are Adenine h-bonded to thymine or guanine h-bonded to cytosine--always a purine attached to a pyrimidine. 

Use and Storage of DNA

So, how does this DNA stuff work?  Well, basically the pattern of the four bases designate certain sequences as genes; the basic function of a gene is to produce proteins.  So basically, DNA guides development by dictating the proteins that are produced by cells.

Most of DNA is dormant--simply in-between sequences that are not used as genes at all.  So, how is DNA used?  Well, DNA is used to create RNA, which is used to create proteins.  In this process, RNA copies and translates DNA through a process called transcription.  So, if the nucleus of the cell is like the hard drive of a computer, then DNA is all of the little data files that designate what actions a computer takes.

So, how is DNA kept? Like, does the cell have a refrigerator or pantry or something?  Basically, DNA is kept in the nucleus in conglomerations called chromosomes.  The double helix, DNA, is again about 2 nm in length.  It is wrapped around a set of proteins called histones.  There are basically 5 histones.  Histone 1 (which is not actually necessary for DNA to function properly and is only used to help compact DNA), histone 2A, histone 2B, histone 3, and histone 4--here referred to as H1, H2A, H2B, H3, and H4. Two units of each of the four H2-H4s combine to form a structure called the nucleosome.

When DNA is not compacted (when the cell is not undergoing mitosis), DNA is generally not visible.  Sometimes, though, it can be seen under the microscope as what appears to be beads on a string.

In this form, the DNA strings (including the nucleosome beads) are about 10 nm in width.  During mitosis, DNA is more compact.  It is still in a string form, but the strings are folded in a certain way.  It is not known for certain how the nucleosome string packs together, but when it does, it is about 30 nm wide.

These 30 nm fibers make up the coils of the condensed chromosome.  When chromosomes are in their condensed form, they look like an X, which will be broken apart during mitosis as the chromosome is broken into two sister chromatids.  The final chromosome is about 1400 nm, each sister chromatid being about 700 nm in width.

Here is a summation of the structure of the chromosome:

Belief

I believe in the decency of man. I believe in peace. I believe in equality. We as humans only have this one existence. Let's use it, explore it, love it.

(BTW, I wrote all of this. I took the images from wikipedia or a google search. So. Hope it was coherent and that you liked it.)

Meaning of Life Number 2

Ok, Bros (I'm only talking to one bro, though--maybe with a ho thrown in--since only one bro actually reads this and comments), so what I want to talk about today is the meaning of life.  A while back, one of my friends took off with an idea that another friend had about a lot of people writing down the meaning of life, and then putting it together in book form. Well, he kind of put it on hold for a while and never really started back up, but still, the intent was there. So, the meaning of life.

Well, as you may have guessed, the only objective meaning that can be found is "to die". As far as subjective meaning goes, that varies from person to person because it is a personal opinion.  So guess what! I'm gonna tell you my updated version of "meaning of life" (for the original one, go here).  Ok, so there are two contributing factors and then a final product, a final meaning.

Factor 1: Struggle. To do anything in this world, you have to fight. You have to consider, attack, and defeat.

Factor 2: Peace. At the same time that you are struggling, you must be at peace. That may seem like an oxymoron or a contradiction, but it's not.

Knowing others is intelligence;
knowing yourself is true wisdom.
Mastering others is strength;
mastering yourself is true power.

If you realize that you have enough,
you are truly rich.
If you stay in the center
and embrace death with your whole heart,
you will endure forever.

From Tao Te Ching, Chapter 33
As translated by S. Mitchell, 1995

So what is the result? What is the meaning there? The meaning is in the fact that you have completed a quest. You have sought and found. Ultimately, the combination of struggle and peace should give you at least some sense of success in whatever you do. The individual meaning will be individual and specifically different for all of us.  I'm not even sure what my end goal is in life. I read somewhere that you are supposed to be able to look back on your life when you are old and smile at the memories (One of those motivational posters).

I have an idea, but it is not quite concrete, though I will attempt to give you a concrete end-goal: I want to be satisfied. I want to be semi-wealthy. I want to have a sense that I have made a difference--not on the world--but on lives. I want to help people that are like me--thereby helping myself. I want the affliction of people like me lifted. There is little purpose for it besides the sadism of an unfair universe.

So, I intend to lift that sadism from the lives of, at the least, a few decent souls.

Gay Bar

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Frickin' Hilarious and AWESOME SAUCE. :3

Mon pere

The other day my dad made a joke that a man at our church is a failure because his son turned out gay.  And I think that irony is hilarious--however awfully bigot-ish in nature the remark was.

School in 1984

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First day of my high school final year tomorrow! I'll be a senior!! Kind of excited. Also, 1984 is a rather technical book.

Anyway, enjoy your life!