Evidence..

.. that humans have not stopped evolving since “Out of Africa”, in this story by Nicholas Wade in the NYT. He is the best science reporter in the mainstream. But Sailer was on the paper weeks ago, which I missed.

Extreme Kite Flying…

… in Pakistan. Actually many Asian countries from Pakistan to Indonesia practice hard- core kite competition, with such substances as ground glass on the strings to cut your rival’s kite off. Libby was once warned away from picking up a fallen kite in Nepal for that reason. But two things to note here. First, the …

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Tory Food?

Or just real food? (Certainly not “Health Nazi” food). On the Crunchy Con Blog, Iain Murray gives us a rant by wild cook Anthony Bourdain. Libby and BourdainBourdain is hardly a Tory — see “Ho Chi Minh” below–but he does know what food is, as does Murray. An excerpt: (Murray)“The real enemy of good food …

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Doggerel

Before we get off dogs (if we ever do), two dog poems for your entertainment. (The first was sent to me by Peculiar). SMALL POEM ABOUT THE HOUNDS AND THE HARES After the kill, there is the feast.And toward the end, when the dancing subsidesand the young have sneaked off somewhere,the hounds, drunk on the …

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Our New Friend

You may recall I posted in January about the search the Connie and I made for an Australian Shepherd puppy. With Matt’s discussion about the whippet puppy that his family is getting, I thought I would bring you up to date. On February 4, we brought the female puppy home that I pictured in the …

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Camels (and Other Beasts of Burden)

I am a big fan of camels– have ridden them in Central Asia, drunk their milk and fermented milk (shubat) and heated with wood they brought to the apartment. With that in mind may I recommend this site, a celebration of all things camel. I certainly prefer them to a mechanical mule. As James Howard …

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When The Dog Bites

Steve warned of more to come. And here is more: A story like this one has “pending legislation” written all over it: Postpone Family Dog Until Kids Are School-Age: Experts: [Kathleen Doheny, HealthDay Reporter] Kids and dogs may seem like a perfect match, but a new study finds the family pooch is best introduced after …

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Dog Intolerance and the “New” Islam

Bear with me for a minute here– this one wanders. In this post in the Iconoclast, the blog of the New English Review, Ted Dalrymple argues that, to be tolerated itself, a culture or religion must tolerate others. Good point, interestingly argued, and worth reading. (it is not a simple- minded essay– Dalrymple, a “softened” …

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Dog Politics

What we might call “dog restrictionists” are suddenly active on many fronts. Recent activity started with the California coursing controversy, which has now gone national with CNN and shows no sign of going away. Now LA wants to neuter all dogs in the unincorporated parts of the county— for reasons ranging from safety to, of …

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