Thanks. Unfortunately I am one of those unfortunate men who as far as I can work out have a slightly more feminine brain than average, and am rather shy, thus completely missed any cleavage flexing. I've got one of Mr ridleys books, about game theory and life and stuff, maybe I had better read it again. Genome is one of his newer ones. Anyway, what my thoughts led onto was that a mischeivous person, such as yourself or anyone else, could write up the idea in suitably scientific fashion and float it around the internet, and see who bit, and have some fun with them. You know, who would like it if you suggested male parasitism started with the Y chromosome, or who would really, really hate it if you suggested such an idea. I dont quite know how to write such an article, might work it out in a year or two, but if someone else beats me to it, fine. Just give me credit for the idea is anyone asks. As for Gendanken, she isnt very girly at all in many ways. Theres a whole variety of men and women out there who arent eitehr "girly" or "manly". Oddly enough really girly women dont last long here, only the well balanced ones. Hyper male men dont seem to either, or maybe they dont have the brains.
Guthrie: Not an entirely novel idea. (lost sleep last night trying to find this book) Here it is, but first: There is one specific gene on the Y chromosome that seems amazingly powerful compared to the rest on the same section- a gene called SRY. Its almost single-handedly responsible for the masculinization of a fetus, making a penis from a clit with the snap of its code. Its amazing because genes (or alleles) are usually responsible for one thing- eye color. This one- this one gene- begins a whole cascade of changes that make little girls boys. Its this gene that the X chromosome stalks and seeks to destroy: In other words: "The driving X chromosome destroys the sex ratio in favor of females but the spread of the new mutant SRY restores the balance" So, I'm made to think of the X chromosome as having gotten so big in comparison because that y gene is so damn clever. Its as if both are in a boxing ring, but she cannot beat him alone so she not only grew to twice his size but doubled in order to match his wit. And we're the clever gender? Roman: You left out the garage-sized German forehead.
