The Rebelution: Odds and Ends: Alex's Turn

11/10/2005

Odds and Ends: Alex's Turn

A SideTracked Focus: First Chat Tomorrow!

If you haven't already checked it out, get going! Fellow rebelutionaries Agent Tim, Spunky Junior, Jake of Mission 3:6teen, and Coie Igarashi have unveiled a project they've been working on for months: A SideTracked Focus (ASTF), what looks to be a dynamic and exciting online Bible study for Christian teens. The first chat is scheduled for tomorrow evening (the 11th) from 5 to 6 P.M. (EST). Don't miss it!

UPDATE: The chat will be held on Homeschool Blogger Chat, Room 1.

New Blogs For Your Consideration:

One of the things Brett and I have regretted about being so busy here in Alabama, is that we haven't been able to keep our blogroll up-to-date with all of the great new blogs we've discovered. A few have been added recently, however, and we would encourage you to check them out. Newcomers include:

Daughter of the King: This wonderful new blog just recently included several excellent posts on evangelism. Lindsey has a heart for God and good writing ability. Keep it up, Lindsey!

In the Great Sculptor's Shop: We're very excited about the subject of this blog: perhaps the world's most-loved Christian author, C.S. Lewis.

Jennifer's Musings: This American patriot expresses her gratitude to our country's troops.

We're Not Identical Or Fraternal: We're Half-Identical!

This evening, at the age of 17 years and 13 days, Brett and I were thrilled to (finally) conclusively discover our true identity as twins. This is a very big deal, because it has been an issue of deep mystery ever since we were born. You see, the doctor told my parents that we were identical. That means that after the egg was fertilized, it split, and two separate persons, with identical DNA, were eventually born.

For a short period of time, my family contented itself with this explanation; after all, Brett and I certainly looked similar, especially all wrapped up in blankets. However, the older we grew, the more distinct our differences became. In fact, those who have met us will quickly verify that we do not look identical. But while it may just seem as if the only explanation is that we are similar-looking fraternal twins, hold one moment; we'll never buy that idea. First of all, there was only one placenta. With fraternal twins, there would be two. Second, we are of very similar build. Our eye and hair color is the same. Our height and weight are also nearly the same. Quite simply, our similarity is much greater than that of any of other siblings we know. We aren't identical, but we were almost positive we weren't fraternal either. Unfortunately, the books from the library on twins shed no light on our dilemma.

With that understanding, imagine our delight when we discovered a more recently identified type of twins; the polar body, or half-idential twins:

Polar body twinning is very unusual and very rare. The process is quite complicated. The polar body appears when the egg has been developing, even before fertilization. It is a small cell that does not function and will usually degenerate and die. It is thought that in some cases, when the egg is old, the splitting off of the polar body takes place in an abnormal way. It then becomes larger, receives more nourishment, and does not die as it usually does. Instead, it acts as a second egg. The polar body and the egg share identical genes from the mother, but they may then be fertilized by two separate sperm from the father. This will result in twins who share half their genes in common (from the mother) and the other half different (from the two sperm). They share some features of identical twins and some features of fraternal twins and thus are so-called half-identical twins. — National Organization of Mothers of Twins Clubs, "Twinning Facts"

This Is Where We Work:

A picture of the Alabama Supreme Court room for you all: