A "What Did You Think Today" Digression!

What am I thinking today? I'm thinking that there are entirely too many people on this planet. The planet has been trying to weed us back--volcanos, hurricanes, tornados, diseases. But we keep multiplying. We're gonna run out of stuff. We're gonna run out of forests, food, water, oil, and, well, stuff.

I've also been thinking about the intelligence range within a species. I know that humans can range from very low IQs to 200 and above. What about dogs? Cats? Horses? What is their range of intelligence? I had a very smart cat. Now I have a very dumb cat. But how far apart are they really?

Lately, I've been thinking about the aftermath of 9/11. I lost my ability to concentrate then. It never came all the way back. Now I'm struggling with work and falling behind schedule. Phooey.

One final thought for the day. I was thinking about the olden days when people didn't take baths. Kings and queens and other royal types walking around in fine robes and bejeweled garb--and stinking to high heaven. Hey--take a bath! Too late. They're all dead. Hey--you shoulda took a bath!

Hmmm - too many indeed. Stuff, indeed.

I too have had a very smart cat, now dumb ones. I "tested" the smart one's IQ in a cat IQ testing book! She came out as a very smart cat. Well, I already knew that. Now, is it nature or nurture in cats? Are birds birdbrains? Well some are not - think of the African Grey Parrot who appears to have real language. Crows and ravens and cockatoos and such seem very smart - but are owls, or is it appearance?

I hope the concentration thing settles, Boida - you are not depressed are you dearie? Common consequence of trauma.

When all stank, did any stink? If you know what I mean - it being a relative thing.

Hiya Deb, I don't mean are crows smarter than parrots. I mean is one crow smarter than another crow and by how much? I know that there are individual ranges for each species. I just wonder how far apart the stupidies are from the smarties.

Re 9/11. I don't think I'm depressed about that. I will simply never be the same. Not just my concentration, but in several ways.

As for the stinky situation. Here are my thoughts on that. We never smell ourselves (or hardly ever). So the smeller wouldn't be aware of his or her stench. But it would be hard to miss the fumes rising from others. Hey, maybe we've found the solution to the population problem. Don't let anybody take a bath. Peeyoo.

I'm with Deb on the smell thing.

I went on a 2 week camping holiday and I stunk and so did the others with me, we were only made aware of this when we returned to civilised society and people were avoiding us like the plague.

Apparently our dear ancestors, especially those with large dresses used to go off into a corner , have a dump and then just wander back, they must have had all sort of diseases. There's a nice account of this in Shogun by James Clavell when the Japanese encounter europeans who have not washed, of course the Japans had been bathing for centuries ( must have had wrinkly skin after so long in the tub !), kind of shows us up doesn't it ?

well, we have scrubbed up now!

diet influences smell - I can smell myself if I eat red meat - (very rare) - and I do not just mean stuff like garlic...

Thats odd you are right although I do not eat red meat at all if I can help it I did by mistake and the smell was not good
:-*

I read the news paper. I thought lots of, mostly unkind, things.

.An Australian, and Irishman and a Scouser were sitting in a bar.
There was only one other person in the bar.
The three men kept looking at this other man, for he seemed terribly familiar.
They stared and stared, wondering where they had seen him before when suddenly the Irishman cried out :
"My God! I know who that man is - it's Jesus!"
The others looked again, and sure enough, it was Jesus himself, sitting alone at a table.
The Irishman calls out across the lounge : "Hey! Hey you! Are you
Jesus?"
Jesus looks over at him, smiles a small smile and nods his head.
"Yes, I am Jesus," he says.
Well, the Irishman calls the bartender over and says to him:
"I'd like you to give Jesus over there a pint of Guinness from me."
The bartender pours Jesus a Guinness. Jesus looks over, raises his
glass in thanks and drinks.
Then the Australian calls out : "Oy you! D'ya reckon you're Jesus or
what?"
Jesus nods and says : "Yes, I am Jesus".
The Australian is mighty impressed and has the bartender send over a pot of Fosters for Jesus which Jesus accepts with pleasure.
The Scouser then calls out : "Oi whack, would you be Jesus?"
Jesus smiles and says : "Yes, I am Jesus".
The Scouser beckons the bartender and tells him to send over a pint of bitter for Jesus, which the bartender duly does. As before, Jesus accepts the drink and smiles over at the table.
Finally, after finishing the drinks, Jesus leaves his seat and
approaches our three friends. He reaches for the hand of the Irishman and shakes it, thanking him for the Guinness. When he lets go, the Irishman gives a cry of amazement:
"Oh God! The arthritis is gone! The arthritis I've had for years is
gone! It's a miracle !!!"
Jesus then shakes the Australian's hand, thanking him for the lager.
Upon letting go, the Australian's eyes widen in shock: "By jingo mate, the migraine! The migraine I've had for 40 years is completely gone - it's a miracle!!!"
Jesus then goes to approach the Scouser who says
"Back off, mate! I'm on Welfare for my Disability!"

I have heard of yon scousers being the butt of such jokes. Why?

I have not yet dared turn the news on - but I shall have to think mightlily of other things today, I believe.

I was thinking this morning what sweet morning getting up and play rituals my cats have,

There is mighty scampering and tussling to be the first to get to the cat tower - then there is, for one cat, mighty scrabblings and clawings of the scratching post parts of said tower, while, for the little one, it is up to the highest platform, and much ecstatic rolling and squirming and loud purring.

If I am there, there is then lots of competing scrabbling, and purring, and sniffing and arching and rolling and fetching poses, and out-stretched paws to gain attention and stroking - then, slowly, attention turns to encroaching paws and tails from above or below, and soon there is wrestling, or attacks from the rear, or maddening paw forays into the other's territory - and finally it all gets a little rough, and there is escape for the little one, followed by mad gallops around the house and running wrestling matches and more wild gallops.

beats the news.

Most anything beats the news.

What's a scouser?

sozobe === a scouser is a liverpudlian ,, that is he comes from Liverpool. the Beatles were/are scousers.

I have no idea what the roots of the term might be.

A scouser is an inhabitant of Liverpool, the 'scouse' in scouser refers to a dish, cheap but filling Recipe for scouse. I discovered this when reading the autobiography of Tom Baker (the Dr Who actor).

so, wot's mince? Are OXO cubes broth cubes? Doesn't sound like such a poor dish.

Hi littleK ------ Mince is minced beef,, dunno what you call it in the States. It's used to make beef pies or variations. Oxo cubes are stoc cubes. Beef, chicken and so on, for making gravy.

Ground beef I believe is the name...

dlowan ---- here's something to make anyone think ----------

minced beef ??? help http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/2848343.stm

Heehee - pays to watch them rivers way up north.....specially as it sounds like someone has been doing some illegal croc hunting round there - skulls on the walls? Maybe they were old ones - still, the crocs must have felt it was time for payback!

These Poms need to get a grip! They were safe, they were dry and they were in a pub! F'gdnesssake! What did they want to do - send in the navy! This is Australia. It's a known hazard - being marooned when the rains come! Sheesh!

I thought I was going to do something today,...it's a fleeting memory

I was thinking I am SO sick of stuff smashing on my stupid shiny ever so expensive and trendy charcoal vitreous tile kitchen floor that I wonder how much a softer surface would cost to instal? Why are kitchens designed by the men who never use 'em? I mean, I know lots of men DO use 'em - but I also know who designed mine - and he does NOT cook!

I might add that he is also exceptionally short - way shorter than me - and all the other kitchen benches in my apartment building are really, really low! They look good, but using them?

I have a bad back, so mine were made high - when we were all moving in too the newly finished building, and therefore running in and out of each other's apartments to have a squizzy all the time, I discovered I had been known for the last few months as "tall benches woman"! Now I am "woman with the Siamese" - as I own the only legal pets in the place!

Well, I think I been called worse....