<![CDATA[Grist - Comment Feed for Biodiversivist]]> Grist Comment Feed en Comment #1 by caniscandida http://www.grist.org/article/best-in-show/ Fri, 25 Aug 2006 22:37:11 -0700 http://www.grist.org/article/best-in-show/1 saluti alla figlia preziosa

But competitiveness is not my strong suit, so I shall step aside while others run up and congratulate.

Thou wrotest: "Ever see a runner duck?"

No, I have never seen one of these curiously constructed theropod dinosaurs.

Thou wrotest further:
 "I'm guessing that the selective pressures that caused them to develop an upright posture also made them better at walking long distances."

Ummm.  How "natural" is the posture of "runner ducks"?  And how "natural" are they themselves?  Neither the Sibley Field Guide to Birds of North America nor the National Geographic Society Field Guide to the Birds of North America has anything about them.  Curious, no?

In theropod dinosaurs, and their avian descendants, "natural" is a disposition of the vertebrae between the pectoral and pelvic girdles more or less horizontal.  Any deviation from that disposition is arguably "unnatural," and quite possibly painful, and most certainly not recommendable.

 Thou wrotest:
"If so, then maybe that same pressure gave us our upright posture, making us the hairless runner ducks of the primate world."

Didst thou indeed discover a Book of Biodiversivist, which thou intendest to publish before long?

I have grave doubts about these ducks.  Sure, the vertical posture may be an opportunist adaptative posture, but it can hardly be considered normative.

Best wishes to your daughter and her velociraptors.  Don't get eaten.  Make sure she keeps them away from the ducks.  Who knows, the ducks may turn on the velociraptors, and win!  They have it in them, after all, you know.

]]> saluti alla figlia preziosa

But competitiveness is not my strong suit, so I shall step aside while others run up and congratulate.

Thou wrotest: "Ever see a runner duck?"

No, I have never seen one of these curiously constructed theropod dinosaurs.

Thou wrotest further:
 "I'm guessing that the selective pressures that caused them to develop an upright posture also made them better at walking long distances."

Ummm.  How "natural" is the posture of "runner ducks"?  And how "natural" are they themselves?  Neither the Sibley Field Guide to Birds of North America nor the National Geographic Society Field Guide to the Birds of North America has anything about them.  Curious, no?

In theropod dinosaurs, and their avian descendants, "natural" is a disposition of the vertebrae between the pectoral and pelvic girdles more or less horizontal.  Any deviation from that disposition is arguably "unnatural," and quite possibly painful, and most certainly not recommendable.

 Thou wrotest:
"If so, then maybe that same pressure gave us our upright posture, making us the hairless runner ducks of the primate world."

Didst thou indeed discover a Book of Biodiversivist, which thou intendest to publish before long?

I have grave doubts about these ducks.  Sure, the vertical posture may be an opportunist adaptative posture, but it can hardly be considered normative.

Best wishes to your daughter and her velociraptors.  Don't get eaten.  Make sure she keeps them away from the ducks.  Who knows, the ducks may turn on the velociraptors, and win!  They have it in them, after all, you know.

]]> Comment #2 by amazingdrx http://www.grist.org/article/best-in-show/ Fri, 25 Aug 2006 23:44:38 -0700 http://www.grist.org/article/best-in-show/2 Pictures please d?

We need to see these fowl!  Please.  And maybe a short video with some nice chicken music?

http://amazngdrx.blogharbor.com/blog

]]> Pictures please d?

We need to see these fowl!  Please.  And maybe a short video with some nice chicken music?

http://amazngdrx.blogharbor.com/blog

]]> Comment #3 by Biodiversivist http://www.grist.org/article/best-in-show/ Sat, 26 Aug 2006 01:34:28 -0700 http://www.grist.org/article/best-in-show/3 Picture now included

The sound file is not from these chickens and does not really do justice to the noise these guys make.

Not sure what you mean about that book Canis, but this this one comes pretty close.

In the end, it all comes down to biodiversity. Help acquire and protect ecological hotspots, give to a conservation organization: http://www.saveourbiodiversity.com

]]> Picture now included

The sound file is not from these chickens and does not really do justice to the noise these guys make.

Not sure what you mean about that book Canis, but this this one comes pretty close.

In the end, it all comes down to biodiversity. Help acquire and protect ecological hotspots, give to a conservation organization: http://www.saveourbiodiversity.com

]]> Comment #4 by caniscandida http://www.grist.org/article/best-in-show/ Sat, 26 Aug 2006 03:46:58 -0700 http://www.grist.org/article/best-in-show/4 TIFIC?

"Poison Darts" looks pretty sensational.  That is not what I meant, but never mind.  Thanks for the reference.  Only a few left in stock!

]]> TIFIC?

"Poison Darts" looks pretty sensational.  That is not what I meant, but never mind.  Thanks for the reference.  Only a few left in stock!

]]> Comment #5 by bottleman http://www.grist.org/article/best-in-show/ Sun, 27 Aug 2006 13:59:07 -0700 http://www.grist.org/article/best-in-show/5 genetic meddling is fun

Congrats to your daughter!  Fair time is fun time for more reasons than just the deep fried twinkies.

Sorry to get serious here -- but you spoke of technology.  Visiting the animal barns makes my thoughts turn to animal breeding and how queesy it might make some erstwhile greens.  Usually the fair comes with the idealized picture of the family farm -- people living with nature as partners rather than masters.

But think about it. All those super breeds that we love to see at fairs -- the maddeningly lactoproductive microgoats, the adorable long-eared lops, the awe-inspiring draft horses -- aren't they really the product of long term genetic meddling by the human race, as breeders again and again crossed individuals with desired characteristics?  Haven't we created our own forks in the evolutionary tree?

It's not quite genetic engineering, since the crosses are between closely related lines, not ones that diverged a billion years ago.  But it's still got the same theme: humans directing the rest of life in a very intentional way.

I don't think there's anything wrong with that.  I love the lops! But once you acknowledge the merit in humanity's long history of breeding animals, genetic engineering stops looking like a dungeon of horrors and more like a potentially useful tool.  I'm thinking about its possibilities more and more.

http://bottleworld.net

]]> genetic meddling is fun

Congrats to your daughter!  Fair time is fun time for more reasons than just the deep fried twinkies.

Sorry to get serious here -- but you spoke of technology.  Visiting the animal barns makes my thoughts turn to animal breeding and how queesy it might make some erstwhile greens.  Usually the fair comes with the idealized picture of the family farm -- people living with nature as partners rather than masters.

But think about it. All those super breeds that we love to see at fairs -- the maddeningly lactoproductive microgoats, the adorable long-eared lops, the awe-inspiring draft horses -- aren't they really the product of long term genetic meddling by the human race, as breeders again and again crossed individuals with desired characteristics?  Haven't we created our own forks in the evolutionary tree?

It's not quite genetic engineering, since the crosses are between closely related lines, not ones that diverged a billion years ago.  But it's still got the same theme: humans directing the rest of life in a very intentional way.

I don't think there's anything wrong with that.  I love the lops! But once you acknowledge the merit in humanity's long history of breeding animals, genetic engineering stops looking like a dungeon of horrors and more like a potentially useful tool.  I'm thinking about its possibilities more and more.

http://bottleworld.net

]]> Comment #6 by mihan http://www.grist.org/article/best-in-show/ Mon, 28 Aug 2006 03:49:11 -0700 http://www.grist.org/article/best-in-show/6 congrats!

I hear fowl are difficult. One year, a cousin won for some chickens he raised on a whim, They have cows and goats; he'd never raised chickens before. He had no idea what made them so good! Apparently, the old barn where he stuck them had nice, soft bedding (old hulls, I think) that kept them from developing sores.

In any case, congratulations are in order! I'm just sorry I can't listen to them.

]]> congrats!

I hear fowl are difficult. One year, a cousin won for some chickens he raised on a whim, They have cows and goats; he'd never raised chickens before. He had no idea what made them so good! Apparently, the old barn where he stuck them had nice, soft bedding (old hulls, I think) that kept them from developing sores.

In any case, congratulations are in order! I'm just sorry I can't listen to them.

]]>