facebood (Let's have a rousing FR welcome for the Drunken N00b)

Free Republim | May 2003 | Sam

[stephenjohnbanker]

ParanoiaF Neurosis
A
C O F F E E
B
O
O
D

[Monkey Face]

About 30 minutes ago, I got a phone call from my sister-in-law in Mesa, and she told me my eldest brother is in the hospital with internal bleeding. He has been there since Monday, and he has been undergoing tests, but nothing is conclusive.

If I had plane fare, I would be on my way to give his wife the support she needs. Dang. Sad stuff.

[Mears]

“It’s my 10-year FReepin-versary,”

—

Congrats-—mine is in a month.

Tempus fugit !

.

[null and void]

There was a mammal shaped like a doughnut, but with the invention of scoped rifles it became extinct.

A mandrill has a red/blue/purple face and butt.

[NicknamedBob]

1) Why sinuses?
2) Why the "S" curved spine?
3) Why all the blood vessels and nerves on the FRONT of the retina?
4) Why no green mammals?"

*

1) Sinuses replace bone to lighten the weight. Birds have hollow bones. We have cavities where cross-bracing isn't needed.

2) The S curve is just a way of bending things so that we can stand upright. By having a forward tilt just above the pelvis, less change in orientation is needed. (These changes take time!) -- Then a gentle recurve brings the spine back over the center of gravity, and wraps it around some of the critical organs. Consider also that a straight masonry wall will develop cracks, but an S curve will adjust to changes.

3) The retina design is tougher to rationalize. Why should squids get the more sensitive arrangement? Suffice it to say that once a working prototype was available, the design team moved on to other projects.

4) Sloths have a distinctly green cast, but that is because they have algae growing in their fur. Hair and fur are effective in many applications for heat-retention, protection, and adaptability to background scenes. Most predators lack fine color discrimination, favoring the simpler rods for fast response and low-light sensitivity, quite important for finding prey. Since the predators don't have color vision, there's no need to develop fur that changes colors.

By the way, this would appear to offer an avenue for a further achievement unique to humanity, a chameleon-like ability to mimic the background in order to avoid detection. It's something that could be added to human skin, but would only be effective without clothing. That's normally the opposite of how one prepares for battle, but it's an idea I'm working on.

[null and void]

I have been 39 since 1993. Well, it worked for Jack Benny!

I'm just well past my "best by" date...

[fanfan]

I’m so sorry about this Face. *HUG*

I hope the doctors can find and correct the cause.

[NicknamedBob]

"I have been 39 since 1993. Well, it worked for Jack Benny!"

I simply moved the decimal point. I'm six going on seven.

[Tax-chick]

I’m sorry to hear that. I hope they’ll find the probably and he’ll be home soon!

[Tax-chick]

Ten years is a long time!

[Tax-chick]

Well, that’s weird.

[fanfan]

Happy FReeping Anniversary!

10 Years is a big milestone!
I had mine in January. :-)

[fanfan]

Exactly! Just like medicine. ;-)

My daughter wants to know if you can your own baby food...

[fanfan]

Thanks for the ping, SJB.

[Monkey Face]

He turned 80 in August, so this doesn’t sound good in any way shape or form. I’m concerned with his wife, as she was clearly a basket-case on the phone.

All I can do is pray for both of them.

[fanfan]

Hi HKMk23,
How are you doing?

[fanfan]

That’s the best thing to do Sis.

*HUG*

[Rebelbase]

For TC, the traditional 10th anniversary gifts:

[Tax-chick]

Heh, I got that! (Always a pleasant surprise ...)

[Tax-chick]

Oh, that’s very sad.

I had to make an emergency trip to Walmart because Frank was out of diapers. Sigh. I was going to let Tom drive, and then he told me there a headlight out on the purple car. Bill, of course, hadn’t mentioned it to us; he was just driving around at night with one headlight, waiting to be stopped by a deputy sheriff with nothing better to do.