Scientific American: The Evolution of Evolution

 
The latest edition of Scientific American is all about "The Evolution of Evolution."

Here's how the editor-in-chief, John Rennie introduces the articles.

When Charles Darwin published "On the Origin of Species" in 1859, he touched off a Cambrian explosion in evolutionary thought. Naturalists had theorized about evolution for centuries before him, but their ideas were generally unfruitful, untestable or wrong. Darwin's breakthrough insight was not that a simple mechanism—natural selection—made evolution possible. Rather it was that in organisms whose environments changed nonrandomly and whose reproductive success in that environment depended on inherited traits, evolution became inevitable.

In the decades that followed, Darwin's ideas connected up with the nascent field of genetics and then, at an ever quickening pace, with molecular biology, ecology and embryology. The explanatory power his concepts proved irresistible. Today 200 years after his birth and 150 years after "Origin of Species," Darwin's legacy is a larger, richer, more diverse set of theories than he could have imagined.

You will enjoy reading the articles to see exactly what Scientific American means when they talk of a "richer, more diverse set of theories." Here's the list.

SciAm Perspectives: A Theory for Everyman; by The Editors; 1 Page

Evolution should be taught as a practical tool for understanding drug resistance and the price of fish.

Darwin's Living Legacy; by Gary Stix; 6 Pages

A Victorian amateur undertook a lifetime pursuit of slow, meticulous observation and thought about the natural world, producing a theory 150 years ago that still drives the contemporary scientific agenda.

Testing Natural Selection; by H. Allen Orr; 8 Pages

Biologists working with the most sophisticated genetic tools are demonstrating that natural selection plays a greater role in the evolution of genes than even most evolutionists had thought.

From Atoms to Traits; by David M. Kingsley; 8 Pages

Charles Darwin saw that random variations in organisms provide fodder for evolution. Modern scientists are revealing how that diversity arises from changes to DNA and can add up to complex creatures or even cultures.

The Human Pedigree; by Kate Wong; 4 Pages

Some 180 years after unearthing the first human fossil, paleontologists have amassed a formidable record of our forebears.

This Old Body; by Neil H. Shubin; 4 Pages

Evolutionary hand-me-downs inherited from fish and tadpoles have left us with hernias, hiccups and other maladies.

What Will Become of Homo sapiens?; by Peter Ward; 6 Pages

Contrary to popular belief, humans continue to evolve. Our bodies and brains are not the same as our ancestors’ were—or as our descendants’ will be.

Four Fallacies of Pop Evolutionary Psychology; by David J. Buller; 8 Pages

Some evolutionary psychologists have made widely popularized claims about how the human mind evolved, but other scholars argue that the grand claims lack solid evidence.

Evolution in the Everyday World; by David P. Mindell; 8 Pages

Understanding of evolution is fostering powerful technologies for health care, law enforcement, ecology, and all manner of optimization and design problems.

The Science of Spore; by Ed Regis; 2 Pages

A computer game illustrates the difference between building your own simulated creature and real-life natural selection.

The Latest Face of Creationism; by Glenn Branch and Eugenie C. Scott; 8 Pages

Creationists who want religious ideas taught as scientific fact in public schools continue to adapt to courtroom defeats by hiding their true aims under ever changing guises.

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Gene Genie #41

 
The 41th edition of Gene Genie has been posted at ScienceRoll [Gene Genie #41: Carnivalome].

Gene Genie is the blog carnival of clinical genetics and personalized medicine. I’ve received more than 25 submissions for this edition which is dedicated to the human genome and videos in clinical genetics.

The beautiful logo was created by Ricardo at My Biotech Life.

The purpose of this carnival is to highlight the genetics of one particular species, Homo sapiens.

Here are all the previous editions .....

1. Scienceroll
2. Sciencesque
3. Genetics and Health
4. Sandwalk
5. Neurophilosophy
6. Scienceroll
7. Gene Sherpa
8. Eye on DNA
9. DNA Direct Talk
10. Genomicron
11. Med Journal Watch
12. My Biotech Life
13. The Genetic Genealogist
14. MicrobiologyBytes
15. Cancer Genetics
16. Neurophilosophy
17. The Gene Sherpa
18. Eye on DNA
19. Scienceroll
20. Bitesize Bio
21. BabyLab
22. Sandwalk
23. Scienceroll
24. biomarker-driven mental health 2.0
25. The Gene Sherpa
26. Sciencebase
27. DNA Direct Talk
28. Greg Laden’s Blog
29. My Biotech Life
30. Gene Expression
31. Adaptive Complexity
32. Highlight Health
33. Neurophilosophy
34. ScienceRoll
35. Microbiology Bytes
36. Human Genetic Disordrs
37. The Genetic Genealogist
38. ScienceRoll
39. Genetics & Health
40. Human Genetics Disorders
41. ScienceRoll

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Epigenetics at SEED

Epigenetics is one of the latest fads in biology. It arises out of evo-devo and its proponents tell us that epigenetics will transform the way we think about evolution. I've been trying to understand this phenomenon starting with some simple questions about what, exactly, is so new. I'd be happy if someone could just explain what they mean by "epigenetics" [Epigenetics in New Scientist, Epigenetics Revisited, Epigenetics, Epigenetics Again].

Eva Jablonka is a Professor at the Cohn Institute for the History and Philosophy of Science and Ideas at Tel-Aviv University (Israel). Jablonka was one of the 16 people who met in Alterberg, Austria last summer to discuss the faults in modern evolutionary biology. She writes an article entitled "Extending Darwinism" in the latest issue of SEED magazine.

I and several other biologists believe the MS [Modern Synthesis¹] is in need of serious revision. Growing evidence indicated that there is more to heredity than DNA, that heritable non-DNA variations can take place during development, sometimes in response to an organism's environment. The notion of soft inheritance is returning to reputable scientific inquiry. Moreover, there seem to be cellular mechanisms activated during periods of extreme stress that trigger bursts of genetic and non-genetic heritable variations, inducing rapid evolutionary change. These realizations promise to profoundly alter our view of evolutionary dynamics.

Nothing new here, folks. It's just the same old gibberish that we've been hearing for the past several years.

If there is as much natural variation induced by environmental factors as lab studies suggest, then rapid evolutionary change could occur without any genetic change at all.

Eva Jablonka
But there is one thing that's worth noting. Eva Jablonka has done what few of her fellow epigeneticists have attempted. She defines what she means by epigenetics!

Epigenetics is a term that includes all the processes underlying developmental flexibility and stability, and epigenetic inheritance is part of this. Epigenetic inheritance is the transmission of developmental variations that have nothing to do with changes in the DNA base sequences. In its broad sense, it covers the transmission of any differences that do not depend on gene differences, so it encompasses the cultural inheritance of different religious beliefs in humans and song dialects in birds. It even includes the developmental legacies that a young mammal may receive from its mother through her placenta or milk—transmitted antibodies, for example, or chemical traces that tell the youngsters what the mother has been eating and, therefore, what they should eat.

Yes, but does it include the kitchen sink?

The good thing about incorporating these things into evolutionary theory is that it solves the problem of creationism. As long as creationism is passed on from parent to child then it becomes part of evolution. Isn't that cool?

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1. Her version of the Modern Synthesis only includes natural selection.

A Holy Alliance?

 
Mario Beauregard is an Associate Researcher in the Departments of Radiology and Psychology at the University of Montreal in Montreal, Quebce, Canada. He is best known as the co-author of The Spiritual Brain with Denyse O'Leary.

Jeffrey M. Schwartz is a research psychiatrist at the School of Medicine at the University of California at Los Angeles (USA). He signed the Discovery Institute's "Scientific Dissent from Darwinism" statement.

Beauregard and Schwartz joined in a holy alliance to write a letter of protest to New Scientist concerning an article published a few months ago. The article was critical of people like Beauregard and Schwartz who mix religion and science.

Your writer's attempt to smear scientists who are looking for new directions, while perhaps entertaining, is a poor substitute for thoughtful coverage of a growing area.

Perhaps we should be looking to writers like Denyse O'Leary for thoughtful coverage?

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The Problem with Microarrays

 
From The Endeavour by John D. Cook: Why microarray study conclusions are so often wrong and from Reproducible Results: Three reasons to distrust microarray results

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[Hat Tip: A Blog Around the Clock]

Does Your Heart Bleed for Jodi?

 
Times are tough these days. People have lost their jobs and many are struggling to put food on the table and keep a roof over their heads. Christmas is not going to be a happy time in many households across North America.

The New York Times, bless its heart, is not unaware of what's going on. Lisa Foderaro has written an article that's sure to bring a tear to your eye as she documents the devastating effect of job loss on the life of a teenager [As the Rich Get Poorer, Teenagers Feel the Crunch ].

Jodi Hamilton began her senior year of high school in Woodcliff Lake, N.J., this fall on the usual prosperous footing. Her parents were providing a weekly allowance of $100 and paying for private Pilates classes, as well as a physics tutor who reported once a week to their 4,000-square-foot home.

But in October, Jodi’s mother lost her job managing a huge dental practice in the Bronx, then landed one closer to home that requires more hours for less money. Pilates was dropped, along with takeout sushi dinners, and Jodi’s allowance, which covers lunch during the week, slipped to $60. Instead of having a tutor, Jodi has become a tutor, earning $150 a week through that and baby-sitting.

“I just thought it would be responsible to get a job and have my own money so my parents didn’t have to pay for everything,” said Jodi, who is 17. “I always like to be saving up for something that I have my eye on — a ring, a necklace, a handbag.”

Later on in the article we hear about some other teenagers who have been forced to find a job.

Teenagers from working- and middle-class families are, of course, feeling similar — if not more acute — pressure. Sumit Pal, 17, a senior at Information Technology High School in Queens, said his parents cut his $5 weekly allowance two months ago after the deli where his father works started to lose business. Sumit was interviewed two weeks ago for a job at a company that sponsors rock bands.

“I don’t mind losing my allowance,” he said. “It goes toward other things, like groceries.”

How nice of Ms. Foderaro to mention that the lower classes are also, "of course," feeling the pinch.

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[Hat Tip: Canadian Cynic pointed to this posting on The Vanity Press: Pitchforks and Torches Time]

What Is the Scientific Method?

 

There are lots of interesting things in this month's issue of SEED magazine. One of them is a survey of scientists in the USA, UK, France and Germany.

SEED magazine conducted a survey where it asked the following question of 1000 scientists in the USA, UK, France, and Germany: "Does the scientific method describe how you do science?" [SEED: State of Science].

81% said "yes."

I would answer "no" but my answer depends very much on what I think the question means. I think it's fair to use the common understanding of the "scientific method," the one that's taught in fifth grade.

Here's the simple version that's described on the Wikipedia site [Scientific Method].

1. Use your experience: Consider the problem and try to make sense of it. Look for previous explanations. If this is a new problem to you, then move to step 2.
2. Form a conjecture: When nothing else is yet known, try to state an explanation, to someone else, or to your notebook.
3. Deduce a prediction from that explanation: If you assume 2 is true, what consequences follow?
4. Test : Look for the opposite of each consequence in order to disprove 2. It is a logical error to seek 3 directly as proof of 2. This error is called affirming the consequent.

Is this what most people think about when they hear the term "scientific method"?

If you are a scientist, how would you have answered the SEED question and what definition of "scientific method" do you have in mind?

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Religious Scientists

 
There are lots of interesting things in this month's issue of SEED magazine. One of them is a survey of scientists in the USA, UK, France and Germany.

SEED asked a total of 1000 scientists whether they were "atheist or agnostic," "practicing nonbelievers," "believers," or "spiritual" [SEED: State of Science].

Here's the result, in percent, for each of the four choices.

USA: atheist = 17%, nonbelievers = 6%, believers = 53%, spiritual = 24%
UK: atheist = 44%, nonbelievers = 10%, believers = 35%, spiritual = 11%
France: atheist = 50%, nonbelievers = 6%, believers = 39%, spiritual = 5%
Germany: atheist = 40%, nonbelievers = 24%, believers = 32%, spiritual = 4%

I find this surprising. The distribution isn't that much different from the general public in each of the countries. I was under the impression that scientists are considerably less religious than the society in which they live.

Perhaps this is because the SEED definition of scientist is more flexible than the one I would use. Here's the breakdown of their survey group.

Social Science: 24%
Medicine: 23%
Life Sciences: 15%
Engineering: 12%
Physical Sciences: 9%
Computer Science: 9%
Mathematics: 8%

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Richard Cizik Resigns

 
Most of you have never heard of Richard Cizik. Let me explain why his resignation is important.

A few days ago I posted an opinion on framing and referred you to Matt Nisbet who claims that Richard Cizik is a good example of how to present science to the general public. Cizik is Vice President for governmental affairs of the National Association of Evangelicals (NAE). Nisbet thinks he is the top climate communicator [see Communicating the Truth about Climate Change].

I quoted from Nisbet's blog where he refers approvingly to a Cizik interview with Terry Gross.

Yesterday Christianity Today announced that Richard Cizik has been forced to resign his position in the National Association of Evangelicals [Richard Cizik Resigns from the National Association of Evangelicals]

Richard Cizik resigned Wednesday night as vice president for governmental affairs of the National Association of Evangelicals (NAE) during a week of growing uproar over his comments that he is shifting his views on same-sex unions.

"Although he has subsequently expressed regret, apologized, and affirmed our values, there is a loss of trust in his credibility as a spokesperson among leaders and constituencies," Leith Anderson, president of the NAE wrote to board members today. Cizik did not return calls for comment.

Last year, more than two dozen evangelical leaders sought to oust Cizik, who has been vice president for 28 years, because of his "relentless campaign" on global warming.

"For better or for worse, Rich became a great, polarizing figure," said Charles Colson of Prison Fellowship. "He was gradually, over a period of time, separating himself from the mainstream of evangelical belief and conviction. So I'm not surprised. I'm sorry for him, but I'm not disappointed for the evangelical movement."

Cizik spoke mostly on the environment in a December 2 interview with Terry Gross on National Public Radio's Fresh Air, but he made brief remarks about same-sex civil unions, gay marriage, and his early support of President-elect Barack Obama.

In a short portion of the program, Gross asked him, "A couple of years ago when you were on our show, I asked you if you were changing your mind on that. And two years ago, you said you were still opposed to gay marriage. But now as you identify more with younger voters, would you say you have changed on gay marriage?"

Cizik responded, "I'm shifting, I have to admit. In other words, I would willingly say that I believe in civil unions. I don't officially support redefining marriage from its traditional definition, I don't think."

I wonder if Matt still thinks that Richard Cizik is the best example of successful framing?

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[Hat Tip: Friendly Atheist: Christian Leader Resigns Because of His Almost-Tolerant Views of Homosexuals]

Noah's Ark

 
Yesterday I dropped a hint about a plastic model of Noah's Ark. I suggested it might make a good gift ... in case anyone was thinking about gifts.

Ms. Sandwalk was a bit insulted 'cause we already have a perfectly good ark that she made—complete with animals. Here's a photo of her work. I have to admit that it's a lot better than the plastic model.

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Matt Nisbet Explains His Anti-Dawkins Spin

 
Here's Mat Nisbet explaining why Richard Dawkins is such an evil person. In the second part of this video he tries to explain why scientists don't like Matt Nisbet very much.

The most interesting question is near the end of the video when he states that no one would ever criticize the National Academies for misrepresenting science in order to make it seem compatible with religion. He knows that this is not true (e.g., An Example of Framing by Matt Nisbet). We have a word for people who delberately say things they know to be untrue ... it's called framing.

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Belief in Astrology Falls to Second Last Place!

 
According to the latest Harris Poll only 31% of Americans believe in astrology and only 24% believe that they were once another person.

Other interesting facts are that a substantial majority of Americans believe in multiple supernatural beings (polytheism). Besides the regular God, they believe in angels and the devil.

	Believe In	Don't Believe In	Not Sure
	%	%	%
God	80	10	9
Miracles	75	14	12
Heaven	73	14	13
Jesus is God or the Son of God	71	17	12
Angels	71	17	12
The resurrection of Jesus Christ	70	18	13
Survival of the soul after death	68	15	17
Hell	62	24	13
The Virgin birth	61	24	15
The devil	59	27	14
Darwin’s theory of evolution	47	32	22
Ghosts	44	39	17
Creationism	40	31	29
UFOs	36	39	25
Witches	31	54	14
Astrology	31	51	18
Reincarnation–that you were once another person	24	53	23

In other news, 37% believe that the Old Testament is the word of God but only 14% believe The Torah is the word of God.

15% say they are not at all religious and 10% don't beleive in God.

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Denyse O'Leary Loses!

 
The results are in and Denyse O'Leary's blog Post-Darwinist did not win in the Best Canadian Sci/Tech category. Here are the final results from Best Sci/Tech Blog of 2008.

1. Sync, the Tech & Gadgets Blog 108 votes 35.29%
2. Synchro Blogue 87 votes 28.43%
3. DeSmogBlog 56 votes 18.3%
4. Post Darwinist 31 votes 10.13%
5. Dusan Writer 24 votes 7.84%

Bill Dembski demonstrates that he has been following the vote very closely. He also demonstrates why he is so good at math [Reinstating the Explanatory Filter].

P.S. Congrats to Denyse O’Leary, whose Post-Darwinist blog tied for third in the science and technology category from the Canadian Blog Awards.

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Universal Declaration of Human Rights

 
Yesterday was the 60th anniversary of the signing of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. It was adopted on December 10, 1948 by the General Assembly of the United Nations. Most of the current members of the United Nations ignore the majority of articles in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights yet they are allowed to remain members of the United Nations.

PREAMBLE

Whereas recognition of the inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world,

Whereas disregard and contempt for human rights have resulted in barbarous acts which have outraged the conscience of mankind, and the advent of a world in which human beings shall enjoy freedom of speech and belief and freedom from fear and want has been proclaimed as the highest aspiration of the common people,

Whereas it is essential, if man is not to be compelled to have recourse, as a last resort, to rebellion against tyranny and oppression, that human rights should be protected by the rule of law,

Whereas it is essential to promote the development of friendly relations between nations,

Whereas the peoples of the United Nations have in the Charter reaffirmed their faith in fundamental human rights, in the dignity and worth of the human person and in the equal rights of men and women and have determined to promote social progress and better standards of life in larger freedom,

Whereas Member States have pledged themselves to achieve, in co-operation with the United Nations, the promotion of universal respect for and observance of human rights and fundamental freedoms,

Whereas a common understanding of these rights and freedoms is of the greatest importance for the full realization of this pledge,

Now, Therefore THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY proclaims THIS UNIVERSAL DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS as a common standard of achievement for all peoples and all nations, to the end that every individual and every organ of society, keeping this Declaration constantly in mind, shall strive by teaching and education to promote respect for these rights and freedoms and by progressive measures, national and international, to secure their universal and effective recognition and observance, both among the peoples of Member States themselves and among the peoples of territories under their jurisdiction.

Article 1.

All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights.They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.

Article 2.

Everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration, without distinction of any kind, such as race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status. Furthermore, no distinction shall be made on the basis of the political, jurisdictional or international status of the country or territory to which a person belongs, whether it be independent, trust, non-self-governing or under any other limitation of sovereignty.

Article 3.

Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person.

Article 4.

No one shall be held in slavery or servitude; slavery and the slave trade shall be prohibited in all their forms.

Article 5.

No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.

Article 6.


Everyone has the right to recognition everywhere as a person before the law.

Article 7.

All are equal before the law and are entitled without any discrimination to equal protection of the law. All are entitled to equal protection against any discrimination in violation of this Declaration and against any incitement to such discrimination.

Article 8.

Everyone has the right to an effective remedy by the competent national tribunals for acts violating the fundamental rights granted him by the constitution or by law.

Article 9.

No one shall be subjected to arbitrary arrest, detention or exile.

Article 10.

Everyone is entitled in full equality to a fair and public hearing by an independent and impartial tribunal, in the determination of his rights and obligations and of any criminal charge against him.

Article 11.

(1) Everyone charged with a penal offence has the right to be presumed innocent until proved guilty according to law in a public trial at which he has had all the guarantees necessary for his defence.

(2) No one shall be held guilty of any penal offence on account of any act or omission which did not constitute a penal offence, under national or international law, at the time when it was committed. Nor shall a heavier penalty be imposed than the one that was applicable at the time the penal offence was committed.

Article 12.

No one shall be subjected to arbitrary interference with his privacy, family, home or correspondence, nor to attacks upon his honour and reputation. Everyone has the right to the protection of the law against such interference or attacks.

Article 13.

(1) Everyone has the right to freedom of movement and residence within the borders of each state.

(2) Everyone has the right to leave any country, including his own, and to return to his country.

Article 14.

(1) Everyone has the right to seek and to enjoy in other countries asylum from persecution.

(2) This right may not be invoked in the case of prosecutions genuinely arising from non-political crimes or from acts contrary to the purposes and principles of the United Nations.

Article 15.

(1) Everyone has the right to a nationality.

(2) No one shall be arbitrarily deprived of his nationality nor denied the right to change his nationality.

Article 16.

(1) Men and women of full age, without any limitation due to race, nationality or religion, have the right to marry and to found a family. They are entitled to equal rights as to marriage, during marriage and at its dissolution.

(2) Marriage shall be entered into only with the free and full consent of the intending spouses.

(3) The family is the natural and fundamental group unit of society and is entitled to protection by society and the State.

Article 17.

(1) Everyone has the right to own property alone as well as in association with others.

(2) No one shall be arbitrarily deprived of his property.

Article 18.

Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance.

Article 19.

Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.

Article 20.

(1) Everyone has the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and association.

(2) No one may be compelled to belong to an association.

Article 21.

(1) Everyone has the right to take part in the government of his country, directly or through freely chosen representatives.

(2) Everyone has the right of equal access to public service in his country.

(3) The will of the people shall be the basis of the authority of government; this will shall be expressed in periodic and genuine elections which shall be by universal and equal suffrage and shall be held by secret vote or by equivalent free voting procedures.

Article 22.

Everyone, as a member of society, has the right to social security and is entitled to realization, through national effort and international co-operation and in accordance with the organization and resources of each State, of the economic, social and cultural rights indispensable for his dignity and the free development of his personality.

Article 23.

(1) Everyone has the right to work, to free choice of employment, to just and favourable conditions of work and to protection against unemployment.

(2) Everyone, without any discrimination, has the right to equal pay for equal work.

(3) Everyone who works has the right to just and favourable remuneration ensuring for himself and his family an existence worthy of human dignity, and supplemented, if necessary, by other means of social protection.

(4) Everyone has the right to form and to join trade unions for the protection of his interests.

Article 24.

Everyone has the right to rest and leisure, including reasonable limitation of working hours and periodic holidays with pay.

Article 25.

(1) Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family, including food, clothing, housing and medical care and necessary social services, and the right to security in the event of unemployment, sickness, disability, widowhood, old age or other lack of livelihood in circumstances beyond his control.

(2) Motherhood and childhood are entitled to special care and assistance. All children, whether born in or out of wedlock, shall enjoy the same social protection.

Article 26.

(1) Everyone has the right to education. Education shall be free, at least in the elementary and fundamental stages. Elementary education shall be compulsory. Technical and professional education shall be made generally available and higher education shall be equally accessible to all on the basis of merit.

(2) Education shall be directed to the full development of the human personality and to the strengthening of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms. It shall promote understanding, tolerance and friendship among all nations, racial or religious groups, and shall further the activities of the United Nations for the maintenance of peace.

(3) Parents have a prior right to choose the kind of education that shall be given to their children.

Article 27.

(1) Everyone has the right freely to participate in the cultural life of the community, to enjoy the arts and to share in scientific advancement and its benefits.

(2) Everyone has the right to the protection of the moral and material interests resulting from any scientific, literary or artistic production of which he is the author.

Article 28.

Everyone is entitled to a social and international order in which the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration can be fully realized.

Article 29.

(1) Everyone has duties to the community in which alone the free and full development of his personality is possible.

(2) In the exercise of his rights and freedoms, everyone shall be subject only to such limitations as are determined by law solely for the purpose of securing due recognition and respect for the rights and freedoms of others and of meeting the just requirements of morality, public order and the general welfare in a democratic society.

(3) These rights and freedoms may in no case be exercised contrary to the purposes and principles of the United Nations.

Article 30.

Nothing in this Declaration may be interpreted as implying for any State, group or person any right to engage in any activity or to perform any act aimed at the destruction of any of the rights and freedoms set forth herein.

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A Lesson in How Parliamentary Government Works in Canada

 
Stephen Harper explains how the parliamentary system of government works in Canada.

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[Hat Tip: Canadian Cynic who notes that "sometimes this job [mocking Conservatives] is way too easy."