-=> Quoting Gord Hannah to Steven Horn <=-

 GH> Being a resident of "south north" you and Jim will understand that
 GH> comment.  I have seen in the 43 years of being here many natives that
 GH> can handle booze a hell of a lot better than I

Same here.

 GH> so the missing gene theory does not wash with me.

There are a lot of Asians who can't tolerate a lot of alcohol in one
sitting. I wouldn't suggest that everyone of a given race lacks the
ability to convert ethanol into sugar efficiently. But, perhaps, in
societies who don't have a history of alcohol consumption the required
gene or enzyme or whatever is not universal or even common.

 GH> What the missing gene theory implies is that the first
 GH> nations people are inferior,

Not really although some people may erroneously draw that conclusion.
The human races are not genetically identical and the differences are
often superior to the norm not inferior.  The Innuit have a thicker
layer of fat directly under the skin than Europeans or Amerindians. It
serves them well (until they go south for schools or jobs!). African
blacks have a gene Europeans don't that makes them prone to sickle cell
anemia, a bad thing, but simultaneously gives them a partial immunity to
malaria a good thing. I would think the latter benefits outweigh the
former problems which is why that genetic disposition is dominant not
recessive after a number of generations in that part of the world.

I could be all wet but I do think a large number of Natives have
difficulty with alcohol for metabolic reasons.



Cheers,

Jim



... URA True Northerner if your deep freezer is the back porch.
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