Howard Baker passes

[GenuineRisk]

Originally Posted by Danzig

it really is so cool. cosmos touched on it a few times, like when they discussed dogs. i'd never thought about it til they covered it in the show. that's selective evolution, just like cows and horses.

i worked with a woman who didn't believe races should marry, she used the different types of birds to explain why-robins with robins, blue jays with blue jays.
it burst her bubble when i pointed out that birds will mate with birds of other species, and asked her about horses not caring what color the other horse was!
our own pigment differences are due to evolution and geography.

And it's also so interesting how genes will be placed on the DNA thread- like how so many Dalmations are deaf because a gene linked to deafness is located near one that cause piebald coloring in fur.

Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel did a great 15 minute piece on dog shows, and had some good images of what we've done to some dog breeds over a century. I was unaware that shorter muzzles make it hard for dogs to cool themselves, which is why Bulldogs and Pekinese and other smooshed-in-face dogs overheat so fast.

We have a Staffordshire mix we got from a shelter, but she looks more like bulldogs from a century ago Evolution is not a straight line, for sure. Not that she'll be contributing anymore; she's spayed.