The Off Topic Topic

[Valmy]

Color me surprised the Jews still outnumber the Muslims in NYC.

What is up with one county that is equally Baha'i and Buddhist?  Is there one of each?

[jimmy olsen]

Those numbers are nuts!

https://www.uni-due.de/imperia/md/content/water-science/ws0910/2031b_02z_ws0910_suttle_marine_viruses.pdf

Viruses are by far the most abundant 'lifeforms' in the oceans and are the reservoir of most of the genetic diversity in the sea. The estimated 10*30 viruses in the ocean, if stretched end to end, would span farther than the nearest 60 galaxies. Every second, approximately 10*23 viral infections occur in the ocean. These infections are a major source of mortality, and cause disease in a range of organisms, from shrimp to whales. As a result, viruses influence the composition of marine communities and are a major force behind biogeochemical cycles.

Each infection has the potential to introduce new genetic information into an organism or progeny virus, thereby driving the evolution of both host and viral assemblages. Probing this vast reservoir of genetic and biological diversity continues to yield exciting discoveries.

The oceans cover more than 70% of the Earth's surface.
They control the climate, provide a significant amount
of the protein that is consumed globally and produce
approximately half of the Earth's oxygen. Microorganisms
are a major force behind the nutrient and energy cycles
in the world's oceans and constitute more than 90% of
the living biomass in the sea. It is estimated that viruses
kill approximately 20% of this biomass per day. As well
as being agents of mortality, viruses are one of the largest
reservoirs of unexplored genetic diversity on the Earth

[Jacob]

Those numbers are nuts!

https://www.uni-due.de/imperia/md/content/water-science/ws0910/2031b_02z_ws0910_suttle_marine_viruses.pdf

Viruses are by far the most abundant 'lifeforms' in the oceans and are the reservoir of most of the genetic diversity in the sea. The estimated 10*30 viruses in the ocean, if stretched end to end, would span farther than the nearest 60 galaxies. Every second, approximately 10*23 viral infections occur in the ocean. These infections are a major source of mortality, and cause disease in a range of organisms, from shrimp to whales. As a result, viruses influence the composition of marine communities and are a major force behind biogeochemical cycles.

Each infection has the potential to introduce new genetic information into an organism or progeny virus, thereby driving the evolution of both host and viral assemblages. Probing this vast reservoir of genetic and biological diversity continues to yield exciting discoveries.

The oceans cover more than 70% of the Earth's surface.
They control the climate, provide a significant amount
of the protein that is consumed globally and produce
approximately half of the Earth's oxygen. Microorganisms
are a major force behind the nutrient and energy cycles
in the world's oceans and constitute more than 90% of
the living biomass in the sea. It is estimated that viruses
kill approximately 20% of this biomass per day. As well
as being agents of mortality, viruses are one of the largest
reservoirs of unexplored genetic diversity on the Earth

That is all very interesting and all, but the real question is: are the viruses wearing pants, and if so, how old are they?

[Syt]

Not old enough to satisfy insatiable Tim.

[Eddie Teach]

I wonder how close Hinduism is to Islam in Texas.  We have more Indians here now than we did in 1491.

Or Buddhism, for that matter.  I admit, my perception is skewed because I live in one of the Vietnamese/Thai sections of DFW, but there an awful lot of them.

I think immigrants from those areas tend to be disproportionately Christian. But then, so are Arab-Americans. 

[derspiess]

Yeah, pretty much all the Ayrab-Americans I've known have been Christian.  Particularly my Syrian uncle.  He's *really* Christian.

[Syt]

Teenage Putin (left).

[Valmy]

Huh.  He looks exactly the same except in color.

[derspiess]

I'm guessing he had more hair back then.  Maybe even in an early Beatles-style cut like his buddies.

[jimmy olsen]

Damn, he really does look the same!

[DGuller]

He looks like Pope Benedict from his Hitlerjugend days.

[Caliga]

They still dominate South Florida, but Muslims have conquered the center:

I'm most curious what the one county is in the US where Christians aren't even the majority.  I would guess it's in Hawaii?

[Admiral Yi]

Putin looks like a ferret.

[crazy canuck]

Putin looks like a ferret.

He is also short.  Explains a lot.

[Jacob]

Putin looks like a ferret.

And not the cuddly kind, either.