"But the webbing does not have to be in the genome already. "

I agree completely. Of course it does not have to be to already in the gene pool as a useful mutation. Though pete's sources might argue otherwise. I think that random, useful mutations do not occur is the crux of his "microbe to man" argument.

I believe that " useful" mutations do occur. (Before I get taunted again by "scientist" Mr. Shaw by "useful" I mean a mutation that could give a competitive advantage in mating that can be passed on genetically.)

But I also know that varying degrees of web feet are common enough in humans that I have met several people born with that trait. It seems obvious to me that the trait is in the human gene pool already. Should it become somehow a useful trait, it would be a lot more likely that the trait would arise in the population from the existing gene pool rather than through random mutation. Who knows? maybe these people are finding each other as we speak and breeding a whole new generation of Olympic swimmers.

Rather than simply barking "gibberish." Maybe science expert Mr. Shaw would like to weigh in on this theory of mine with some analysis of his own this time. I've actually tried to keep the vocab at a high school level in case he was having trouble with words like "anthropomorphize" in my other posts he couldn't understand."