Sunday, August 28, 2011

Old Friends

I have always wondered why small children are so delighted with dinosaurs. Its seems instinctive, like a race memory. They seem to want to work and co-operate with them. Books and games like Dinotopia are popular. I have come up with only one idea why so far.
As we all know, human beings and dinosaurs did not walk the earth at the same time. Dinosaurs were around long before homosapiens. However, our probably quite crafty ancestors were around in the age of the dinosaur. When the dinosaurs were in their heyday, our ancestors were small furry rodent like creatures, yet to evolve into lemurs, monkeys and apes. I suspect we might have stayed close to large predatory dinos for protection. Smaller creatures would hunt us, and the big dinos would hunt our predators. We would have been too small for the large dinosaurs to bother eating. We may have even deliberately lead the small predators to the large dinosaurs to get rid of them and to work in a symbiotic relationship.
Or maybe it isn't some old instinct, it's just that kids like big monsters that roar.

1 comment:

  1. Bar room brawl. (Cross posted from Chrismartenson.com)
    http://www.chrismartenson.com/blog/punch-mouth-food-price-volatility-hits-world/67666?page=2#comment-127380

    Oooh, I love a good brawl. May I join?

    Because Monsanto and the big companies are the first to use GM's we must not fall into the trap of thinking that is how things are going to be forever. People are always telling me how things stand at present.

    Soon little Johnny will be doing genetic manipulation for his show and tell at school. It is said that we are running out of species diversity. I demure. Just you wait Henry Higgins.

    Six legged camel for transport? So ho hum. Can't you be more creative? How about this? Grow your own airship out of modified bamboo. Make it sentient. modify cockaroaches to clean up all waste behind you in the airship. Grow "grapes" from the ceiling of the cabins nurtured by sunlight outside and intergrated into the ship's cells. Impossible. I put it to you that most genetic material on this planet is bog standard. Mommy nature says,"If it works don't fix it."

    How about this ethical issue? We geneticaly modify ourselves. Why not? Women do it all the time. They carefully choose their mate for his genetic qualities. What do you think all the Sports Jocks are about? That is defacto genetic selection. Yes I know Gladys, that is not what you mean, but do you know what you mean?

    How would I genetically modify humans? Top of the list. Make ovulation an act of volition. Step two, enlarge the spinal column. Pack it full of redundant brain cells. An idea of my daughters.

    Talking about creativity, nothing works like trial and error. That is common sense talk for. . . hold on to your hat, here it comes, Evolution. Wot? No takers? Oh well. The organisms that have survived evolution are good, very good. (Observe exhibit "A", Me.) Anything created by design will be a pussy for these battle hardened street kids.

    Future Shock? You aint seen nutthing.

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