Biden's not a dog's dinner: Champ, Major (and Snowflake) know a President when they sniff one (Trump thread #126)

[TheNorthWestPawsage]

Thread title inspired by minou123

Previous thread:
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/4162151-Whilst-Biden-and-Harris-are-busy-doing-their-jobs-theres-an-Impeachment-Hearing-going-on-125?msgid=104924217#104924217

Of course modern research shows that our Neanderthal cousins were probably as smart as us - they tended to their ill, performed rituals, and were able to think abstractly.

But expecting knuckle-draggers to be any more recent that 1900 in their understanding is a bit hopeful.

The same could be said of the pejorative "dark ages" we learned at school in the 1970s (if we learned any history). Recent discoveries have pretty much shown the oft-held image of it being like the Hunger Games on speed to be an utter crock.

@DGRossetti

Of course modern research shows that our Neanderthal cousins were probably as smart as us - they tended to their ill, performed rituals, and were able to think abstractly.

But expecting knuckle-draggers to be any more recent that 1900 in their understanding is a bit hopeful.

The same could be said of the pejorative "dark ages" we learned at school in the 1970s (if we learned any history). Recent discoveries have pretty much shown the oft-held image of it being like the Hunger Games on speed to be an utter crock.

As far as I could ever make out, the main difference between hom sap and hom neand (apart from the shape of the jaw) was that the latter were not particularly war-oriented, and lost any war they got into with the belligerent hom saps of the time. So they tended not to survive.

I suspect that when vaccination was introduced in the USA and UK there was a fair amount of opposition to it, and I bet people said things like "you'll start to moo if you have a smallpox jab".

Indeed there is a famous cartoon from the time, showing cows erupting from pustules of the poor vaccinated souls. I used to show it when teaching about vaccination. Swiftly followed by a picture of someone with smallpox, and a graph of smallpox mortality over time. That tended to make the point about getting info from reputable sources.

As far as I could ever make out, the main difference between hom sap and hom neand (apart from the shape of the jaw) was that the latter were not particularly war-oriented, and lost any war they got into with the belligerent hom saps of the time

There's no proof of that in the archaeological record.

The evidence is their absence. Something wiped them out. If it hadn't been hom sap but some other external factor, hom sap would surely have gone missing at the same time.

@AskingQuestionsAllTheTime

The evidence is their absence. Something wiped them out. If it hadn't been hom sap but some other external factor, hom sap would surely have gone missing at the same time.

It's not impossible that they were simply subsumed into the h. Sapiens lineage. You need to remember that "species" is a word that scares a lot of scientists.

There's also quite a few present day humans who really dislike the suggestion that h. Sapiens was so undiscriminating they were happily shagging another species. Which frankly raises more questions that it answers about our place on this planet, and any moral codes we may try to impose on one another.

@DGRossetti

Of course modern research shows that our Neanderthal cousins were probably as smart as us - they tended to their ill, performed rituals, and were able to think abstractly.

But expecting knuckle-draggers to be any more recent that 1900 in their understanding is a bit hopeful.

The same could be said of the pejorative "dark ages" we learned at school in the 1970s (if we learned any history). Recent discoveries have pretty much shown the oft-held image of it being like the Hunger Games on speed to be an utter crock.

Exactly what I was going to say re Neanderthal man - the reevaluation started when I was at university studying Prehistoric Archaeology in the late 80s and one of my lecturers was very active in the field. The archaeological evidence clearly shows ritual and abstract thinking as well as forward thinking and the curation of stone tools.

Would it be safe to go back to 'antediluvian' instead?

Would it be safe to go back to 'antediluvian' instead?

It does rather acknowledge there was a flood ....

Most of what I learned at school has turned out to be bollocks.

And I'm pretty unimpressed with a lot of science too. They have their sacred cows as much as zealots.

Single example. DW suffered terribly with heartburn during pregnancy. Cue an old wives tale about that indicating baby will have a lot of hair at birth. Also cue every single doctor not only doubting that, but declaiming it as "impossible nonsense". Fast forward a few years and researchers announce the hormone responsible for fetal hair growth causes the oesophagal valve to weaken in mothers, leading to .... heartburn.

And don't get me started on the "discoveries" that scientists would have made centuries ago if they had listened to the peasantry ....

I do hope Merrick Garland gets confirmed, it means everything has gone full circle and he has got his due position.

I watched a little of the Hearings and he came across as such a compassionate man I appreciate I don't really know, that was just my impression.

Of course Cruz isn't voting for him, lying as normal saying he isn't answering his questions and won't agree to a meeting. Total fabrication as he answered Cruz's 127 written questions and offered to meet him via Zoom but don't let a few facts get in the way of lies!

Sorry, I've missed the neanderthal discussion so it's best if I don't contribute!

Your point about 'the flood' is well taken. Especially since there is evidence that there have been lots of catastrophic floods in various regions of the world which are bound to have made it into local and regional legend.

The thing about the hair is interesting - both my DDs were very hairy babies, and later pregnancy was the only time in my life when I've ever had heartburn. To me the whole point of science is that whatever you do, it's going to be shot down by someone who comes after you, builds on what you did and then ends up knowing more. But going back to theories about Neanderthal man and scientists clinging to their dogma, I've had some experience of that myself - we had Lewis R Binford as a guest lecturer (Man the Hunter, Woman the Gatherer and all that) and he knotted himself into some amazing contortions trying to refute what our guys were finding out about Neanderthals. Even in the pub after lectures.

Your point about 'the flood' is well taken. Especially since there is evidence that there have been lots of catastrophic floods in various regions of the world which are bound to have made it into local and regional legend.

I tend to reserve using the word "antediluvian" for conversation with the sort of people who haven't a clue what it means, but like to bang on about the bible. I'm probably a good testament to the fact that vocabulary and intelligence aren't necessarily linked

I like the idea of vocabulary as a weapon. I may have to steal it.

@pointythings

I like the idea of vocabulary as a weapon. I may have to steal it.

History would be proud

I'm probably a good testament to the fact that vocabulary and intelligence aren't necessarily linked

See also, Boris Johnson.

Pass the popcorn on the left hand side.

The Democrats are delighted that Ron Johnson (R-WI) is willing to stand and read the whole of a 600 page bill
making all voting senators not have a piss for six hours

@TheSilveryPussycat

Is h. Sapiens the definition of "people", though? And the evidence is that that Neandertalensis and Sapiens were able to reproduce with each other.

My guess, based on Sapiens' behaviour, is that the Neanderthals may have been ethnically cleansed.

This is the premise of William Golding's The Inheritors back in 1955.

www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/biden-syria-airstrike-2021-us-latest-b1812522.html

www.axios.com/senate-relief-ron-johnson-schumer-e53be482-4483-4915-8774-5c7f157965a0.html?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=editorial&utm_content=politics-covidreliefbill

'The state of play: Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) is forcing the Senate clerk to read the entire 628-page bill on the floor, a procedural move that will likely add 10 hours to the 20 hours already allotted for debate.'

I always liked the idea of Neanderthal people, especially when I learned that they mourned their dead etc. I wear a fringe because I have a Neanderthal looking forehead (in my eyes) and rather hope I have some Neanderthal DNA, if only to justify my hairstyle.

Ah, I had a vague memory that William Golding had written something like that.

My post was partly inspired by the way that some MNetters object to the term "paddy" for a tantrum, since it's based on a stereotype of the Irish (I had never realised this, and I suspect (with no direct evidence), that Irish people might not either).

Anyway, slight derailment of thread was because I have nothing deep to say about American politics, but merely sit at your feet...

My post was partly inspired by the way that some MNetters object to the term "paddy" for a tantrum, since it's based on a stereotype of the Irish

and paddy fields ?

Dr Seuss ...

eu.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/books/2021/03/04/dr-seuss-books-sales-spike-after-some-banned-racist-imagery/6917679002/

Rubio on twitter
President Biden’s use of an old stereotype is hurtful to modern Europeans, Asians & Americans who inherit about 2% of their genes from Neanderthal ancestors
t.co/aXHJV5wLlr
He should apologize for his insensitive comments and seek training on unconscious bias.

It's a difficult week with Dr Seuss and Neanderthals

Trump inauguration 2021. I count four (unless the other half a million are out of shot on the left hand side).

[quote lionheart]Dr Seuss ...

eu.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/books/2021/03/04/dr-seuss-books-sales-spike-after-some-banned-racist-imagery/6917679002/[/quote]
Being old, I actually have 2 of those books from my childhood. In light of today's mores the illustrations mentioned are pretty awful. But I can't say I remember them having an affect on my thinking back then. I was much more guided by my parent's actions and beliefs than pictures in a book.

That being said, I would much rather the books be kept 'as is' with a strongly worded 'disclaimer' explaining that what was once accepted is now known to be hurtful and wrong. Barring that, it would be easy enough to simply delete those pages from the books.