Vagueness and the Aftermath - A sporadic diary

[RED-DOG]

Gypsies have managed bring about significant physical change in their horses by selective breeding, but these are advantageous rather than detrimental.

Advantageous to who Tom? Have they made the horses life better? Would the horse have been as well off if it wasn't selectively bred and altered through generations?

They've probably been made stronger and a better shape for their job but did they really need a job? If they weren't pulling carts they wouldn't need to have their shape changed in the first place.

I'm not knocking it but it doesn't seem too much different to dog breeding. Show dogs have a job. That job is to win trophies and money for the breeder. The breeder changes their look to make them better at it.

With respect Matt, it's possible manufacture an argument for or against anything. I was just trying to answer gatso's question as honestly as possible.

In my opinion. Yes, a horse that, (For instance) has to live outdoors in all weathers, is better of if it is selectively bred to do so.

No. I would not consider what show dogs do to be a "Job". at least not in the sense I alluded to, and it's a huge leap to call them working dogs when even the Kennel Club recognises the difference.

Agree completely. I tried not to sound argumentative but it's almost impossible on something like this as there isn't really a middle ground.

As for breeding a horse to live outdoors? Surely that must be something that at some point has been bred out of them and then had to be bred back in? All horses are outdoor creatures by design.

I find it interesting how animals adapt to outside living. Ronnie lives outside all year and you can see his body change for winter. His coat thickens particularly his waterproof undercoat. He also loses loads of weight when it's really cold as his body uses the energy in his food to provide heat.

You can notice as well that snow settles on him if he's lying outside of his kennel. He's so well insulated that non of his body heat gets out to actually melt the snow.

They're so much more adaptable to their surrounding than us weak humans.

As for breeding a horse to live outdoors? Surely that must be something that at some point has been bred out of them and then had to be bred back in? All horses are outdoor creatures by design.


Of course. They would have been better off if man hadn't messed with them is the first place.


I find it interesting how animals adapt to outside living. Ronnie lives outside all year and you can see his body change for winter. His coat thickens particularly his waterproof undercoat. He also loses loads of weight when it's really cold as his body uses the energy in his food to provide heat.

You can notice as well that snow settles on him if he's lying outside of his kennel. He's so well insulated that non of his body heat gets out to actually melt the snow.

That's very observant of you Matt. (I don't mean to be condescending here, but you would be amazed how many people never notice things like that)

[EvilPie]

It was fascinating watching Ronnie through this winter. I didn't notice so much last year because his diet was very different and he was a little bit overweight.

This winter however he was very lean anyway and you could see around new year when it was -8 or so that he actually started to get really thin. A few bowls of tuna and rice on top of his normal intake and he was back up to fighting weight within a couple of days.

We really don't think of our food as being what keeps us warm but I really got to see it this winter.

[rex008]

IIRC, 50% of the energy humans use is in keeping us at a toasty 37C. If you want to lose weight, sit outside in your boxers for a few hours each day .

Actually, don't, cos you'd probably die, but it's a thought.

[RED-DOG]

I woke up this morning at 6am with the most horrible stomach pains.

I don't mean "Where are the Rennies, I've got indigestion" pains. I mean, "Oh my God I'm going to have to go to hospital" pains.

I got up, got dressed, and writhed around on thre floor for an hour or so,  then I went to the bathroom and tried to make myself sick. Usually, I can vomit at will, but not this time, all I managed was dry heaving.

So, nothing would come up, and, after 10 minutes valiant effort ,I realised that nothing was about to come out of the other end either. what ever was in there was staying put.

I made a pact with myself. If I didn't improve by 8am, I was off to A&E, and, secure in that knowledge, I went back to my writhing .

At 7:55 it started to ease a bit, and by 8:00, except for feeling a bit weak and wobbly, I was as right as ninepence.

Phew!

I'm embarrassed to admit it, but I seem to have reached the age where, when something like that happens, a small part of me can't help but think, "Is this it? Is this where my life changes forever...."

[themisery]

That sounds like IBS.

[RED-DOG]

That sounds like IBS.

Nah.. I'm too macho for that.

[Laxie]

The start of a man flu coming on imo

[RED-DOG]

The start of a man flu coming on imo

Hmm... Perhaps you're right. I'd better tell Mrs Red to put a stew on, just in case.

[RED-DOG]

Which reminds me. When I re-heat stew in the microwave, why does it heat the dish up hotter than the stew?

[kinboshi]

I'm embarrassed to admit it, but I seem to have reached the age where, when something like that happens, a small part of me can't help but think, "Is this it? Is this where my life changes forever...."

I am nearly recovered from a case of costochondritis, which is an inflammation of the cartilage where the ribs join the sternum. 

Anyway, I had a stomach upset, and whilst lying in bed feeling sorry for myself with a fever, I felt the pain in my chest in the region where my heart is pretty much located.  That was slightly worrying, as there is a history of heart-disease in my family and it's something I will always be concerned about and it's one of the reasons I try to eat a healthy diet (on the whole). 

So that was pretty scary, but then when I felt a pain in the upper part of my left arm I was thinking "oh no, that's not good"!  Of course, I soon realised it wasn't to do with my heart, but for a split second I became very aware of my mortality and although I'm not afraid of dying, I remember thinking that I didn't want to die just yet, and neither did I want to have a dodgy heart with the sword of Damocles hanging over me waiting for the big one for the next 20-odd years or so.

[Karabiner]

Phew!

I'm embarrassed to admit it, but I seem to have reached the age where, when something like that happens, a small part of me can't help but think, "Is this it? Is this where my life changes forever...."

While we're on the subject of age, on Tuesday this week which happened to be my birthday, I was in London. I got up, got dressed and walked the mile or so along Picadilly to The Royal Acadamy where I queued for half an hour or so before getting in to see the Van Gogh exhibition. I wandered around the exhibition for about an hour and a half and then walked up to Chinatown where I had something to eat in a restaurant I used to frequent twenty-five years ago, The Canton. After my bowl of noodle soup I took a taxi to The Vic, checked my overcoat in the cloakroom, went up to the cardroom and put my name on a couple of lists and sat in the bar area and ordered a cup of tea.

I then looked down and noticed that my flies were undone !

[Woodsey]

That sounds like IBS.

That's just the name of a condition they use when they don't really know what's wrong with you and can't diagnose something more specific.

[Geo the Sarge]

I woke up this morning at 6am with the most horrible stomach pains.

I don't mean "Where are the Rennies, I've got indigestion" pains. I mean, "Oh my God I'm going to have to go to hospital" pains.

I got up, got dressed, and writhed around on thre floor for an hour or so,  then I went to the bathroom and tried to make myself sick. Usually, I can vomit at will, but not this time, all I managed was dry heaving.

So, nothing would come up, and, after 10 minutes valiant effort ,I realised that nothing was about to come out of the other end either. what ever was in there was staying put.

I made a pact with myself. If I didn't improve by 8am, I was off to A&E, and, secure in that knowledge, I went back to my writhing .

At 7:55 it started to ease a bit, and by 8:00, except for feeling a bit weak and wobbly, I was as right as ninepence.

Phew!

I'm embarrassed to admit it, but I seem to have reached the age where, when something like that happens, a small part of me can't help but think, "Is this it? Is this where my life changes forever...."

No technical knowledge, so in laymans terms

TBH Tom,

symptoms are similar to the effects of trying to pass stones (can't remember the techie name for them.)though the urine, may well be worth getting a quick check.

My wife has suffered these sort of attacks which can come and go, in effect the stones try to pass but can't so drop back in to the channel and then try again.

Each attempt will see you suffer this pain and generally it can increase. Usually remedied by some type of medication but can result in having to go to Hossie and have them blasted by laser type treatment to break them down to allow to pass easier (think old Asteroids console game.)


Not saying it is this mate, but best be safe. After all, it could have just been cramp from all the exercise you do.

Geo

[Geo the Sarge]

I'm embarrassed to admit it, but I seem to have reached the age where, when something like that happens, a small part of me can't help but think, "Is this it? Is this where my life changes forever...."

P.S.
Stop being such at Woosie

Geo

[Laxie]

I'm embarrassed to admit it, but I seem to have reached the age where, when something like that happens, a small part of me can't help but think, "Is this it? Is this where my life changes forever...."

P.S.
Stop being such at Woosie

Geo