Vagueness and the Aftermath - A sporadic diary

[RED-DOG]

I took this pic of a waterhen from my window this morning.

you usually only see them this close when they are on the water, or flitting about in the reeds on the opposite bank of a stream.

I watched it for about half an hour. It cheered me up no end.

That's beautiful Tom. It's a Moorhen, and I think "waterhen" is a generic term for all such birds - Moorhen, Common Moorhen, Coots, etc. (And yes, I've looked it up in my splendidly illustrated copy of "RSPB - Birds of Britain & Europe"). Very territorial am Moorhens. Has Kizzy shown interest in the Hen yet?

Moorhen! That's it.

Kizzy has shown no interest. She makes a put at the blackbirds every now and then, but I think they wind her up on purpose.

[RED-DOG]

Louis Leaky, the “Big Brain” theory, and the ape that got lucky.



Much to my annoyance, I woke up this morning at about 6am. I didn’t want to be awake yet, it meant I would be tired later, but I knew that there was no chance of me going back to sleep. I got up quietly, trying not to disturb Mrs Red, but as I left the room I heard her say softly “You’re barmy”

I made myself a cup of tea, and sat on the floor in front of the fire to drink it. Kizzy came and sat on my knee. She too might have thought that I was barmy, but she didn’t say anything.

The remote control was within reach, so I turned the telly on. There was a programme on about the evolution of man so I settled down to watch. What an amazing documentary it was. (Apologise for dodgy info, my memory is not what it used to be)

In the 1920s, there was this geezer called Louis Leaky. He went to Africa as a missionary come anthropologist come archaeologist fossil hunter who was apparently a Darwinist and a devout Christian all at the same time. Ah well, each to his own.

Well old Lewis had this theory that the evolutionary change that set man’s ancestors on the road to becoming the most sophisticated animal in the world, capable of dominating all other species and to an extent, shaping it’s own destiny, was the development of a big brain.

He suggested that one species of ape developed a slightly bigger brain than all the others, and that was the catalyst, the starting point from which modern man developed.

In an effort to prove his theory, Louis measured the largest ape brains, and discovered that even the biggest were not above 600ml by volume, so he set 800ml as the benchmark for a brain that was too large to be an ape, and therefore had to belong to a developing human.

He then set about trying to find a skull that could contain a brain of at least those proportions. As a measuring device for use in the field he carried 800ml of small beads which he would pour into likely looking skulls, if the beads didn’t overflow, the skull capacity was over the magic 800ml figure, and could be categorised as early man.

Louis spent 50 years of his life looking for that skull. Can you imagine that, 50 years looking for something that is only theoretical? What force, what passion drives someone to go to such lengths I can’t imagine. 50 years, and he never found it. Failing health eventually forced Louis to give up.

Amazingly, Louis' son Richard took over where his father had left off. Even more amazing, within a short time, Richard found the skull. When he found it, he realised that he had forgotten to bring his fathers measuring beads along on the expedition so he had to resort to filling the skull with sand and then pouring the sand into a rain-gauge. They estimated its capacity to be almost exactly 800ml.

The “Big Brain” skull caused a sensation; copies of it were exhibited all around the world. The evidence to support Louis’ theory had been found. The first step toward’s becoming human was the development of a bigger brain.

Within a fortnight of the skulls discovery, Louis died.

His theory that it was the development of a bigger brain that allowed man to learn to manipulate tools, to develop language and communication skills, to pass on his knowledge, and to eventually shape his own world was widely accepted by both scientist and theologians.
Man, it seemed, was the chosen one.

A few years later, again in Africa, someone found another skull. Carbon dating proved this one to be about 2 million years older than the one Louis’ son Richard found. This skull was not remarkable because it had the capacity to house a big brain, (in fact it’s capacity was only 600ml) It was remarkable because it had the rest of the skeleton attached, including the pelvis.

The pelvis was, incredibly, that of a biped. Like us, this ape walked on two legs.

It was said that "Opportunistic 'thing using', long before stone tools appeared, was the likeliest cause of bipedalism". It was proved that using tools forced brain development, and the emergence of creativity. This creative technical activity later provided the brain functions on which language could develop.

Louis was wrong. Developing a bigger brain didn’t allow us to use tools, become creative, and develop language etc; it was the other way around. Using tools forced our brains to get bigger.
 

Around 10 million years ago, most of the earth was covered by jungle and forest, there were many more species of ape that there are now. Then the forests and jungle gave way to vast plains and grasslands, and most of the apes died out. As is natures way though, a select few, (usually accidental mutations), developed certain characteristics that helped them cope with the prevailing conditions. This might be the ability gather food in a different way, or to outrun a predator.

One of the ape species just happened to carry a gene that had mutated in such a way as to allow it to walk on it’s hind legs, giving it the freedom to use it’s forelegs to manipulate primitive tools.

That was the catalyst, it all started there. We are not the chosen ones; we are descended from an ape that got lucky.

We sucked out big time.

[RED-DOG]

The man who moves mobile homes with his low-loader is coming to collect mine on Friday and deliver it to the bloke who bought it.

I am responsible for getting it out of the field and as far as the road. That won't be easy as it weighs about 8 tons, has perished tyres, and the ground is as soft as soft can be because of all the rain we've had.

My very good friend and JCB owner David Thomas (Remind me to tell you about him one day) will be on hand to help.

We have been slowly moving out over the last week. We have removed all our possessions (except the telly and the kettle) and last night was our last night sleeping in here. I've un plumbed everything, disconnected the water and 'elctric. and wound up the jacks.

Today Mrs Red and Bridie will clean everything that doesn't need cleaning, and I will put the telephone socket, complete with telephone and my router into a plastic bag and leave it on the lawn where (hopefully) it will work until we buy a replacement caravan. Then the whole process will start in reverse.

I'd better go, Mrs Red is slipping into full nag mode as I speak....

[RED-DOG]

Testing....testing.....

My router is now sitting in a Tupperware box in the middle of the field.

[kinboshi]

Much to my annoyance, I woke up this morning at about 6am. I didn’t want to be awake yet, it meant I would be tired later, but I knew that there was no chance of me going back to sleep. I got up quietly, trying not to disturb Mrs Red, but as I left the room I heard her say softly “You’re barmy”

I say exactly the same to the Missus when she gets up early.  "I'm awake" is her usual response.  "So am I now" is my usual reply.

[AndrewT]

Much to my annoyance, I woke up this morning at about 6am. I didn’t want to be awake yet, it meant I would be tired later, but I knew that there was no chance of me going back to sleep. I got up quietly, trying not to disturb Mrs Red, but as I left the room I heard her say softly “You’re barmy”

I say exactly the same to the Missus when she gets up early.  "I'm awake" is her usual response.  "So am I now" is my usual reply.

That's strange - your wife doesn't usually wake me up when she gets out of bed in the morning. You must be a light sleeper.

[kinboshi]

Much to my annoyance, I woke up this morning at about 6am. I didn’t want to be awake yet, it meant I would be tired later, but I knew that there was no chance of me going back to sleep. I got up quietly, trying not to disturb Mrs Red, but as I left the room I heard her say softly “You’re barmy”

I say exactly the same to the Missus when she gets up early.  "I'm awake" is her usual response.  "So am I now" is my usual reply.

That's strange - your wife doesn't usually wake me up when she gets out of bed in the morning. You must be a light sleeper.

That's not my wife, that's my gran.

[AndrewT]

Much to my annoyance, I woke up this morning at about 6am. I didn’t want to be awake yet, it meant I would be tired later, but I knew that there was no chance of me going back to sleep. I got up quietly, trying not to disturb Mrs Red, but as I left the room I heard her say softly “You’re barmy”

I say exactly the same to the Missus when she gets up early.  "I'm awake" is her usual response.  "So am I now" is my usual reply.

That's strange - your wife doesn't usually wake me up when she gets out of bed in the morning. You must be a light sleeper.

That's not my wife, that's my gran.

That explains it - she's obviously had plenty of experience at what she does.

[kinboshi]

Much to my annoyance, I woke up this morning at about 6am. I didn’t want to be awake yet, it meant I would be tired later, but I knew that there was no chance of me going back to sleep. I got up quietly, trying not to disturb Mrs Red, but as I left the room I heard her say softly “You’re barmy”

I say exactly the same to the Missus when she gets up early.  "I'm awake" is her usual response.  "So am I now" is my usual reply.

That's strange - your wife doesn't usually wake me up when she gets out of bed in the morning. You must be a light sleeper.

That's not my wife, that's my gran.

That explains it - she's obviously had plenty of experience at what she does.

She's also been dead for quite a few years.

[AndrewT]

Much to my annoyance, I woke up this morning at about 6am. I didn’t want to be awake yet, it meant I would be tired later, but I knew that there was no chance of me going back to sleep. I got up quietly, trying not to disturb Mrs Red, but as I left the room I heard her say softly “You’re barmy”

I say exactly the same to the Missus when she gets up early.  "I'm awake" is her usual response.  "So am I now" is my usual reply.

That's strange - your wife doesn't usually wake me up when she gets out of bed in the morning. You must be a light sleeper.

That's not my wife, that's my gran.

That explains it - she's obviously had plenty of experience at what she does.

She's also been dead for quite a few years.

We're like professional thread tone-lowerers. Red's posts are simply far too good for this place so we have to periodically litter his threads with filth to balance things out.

We're the sour cream to his chili.

[tikay]

Much to my annoyance, I woke up this morning at about 6am. I didn’t want to be awake yet, it meant I would be tired later, but I knew that there was no chance of me going back to sleep. I got up quietly, trying not to disturb Mrs Red, but as I left the room I heard her say softly “You’re barmy”

I say exactly the same to the Missus when she gets up early.  "I'm awake" is her usual response.  "So am I now" is my usual reply.

That's strange - your wife doesn't usually wake me up when she gets out of bed in the morning. You must be a light sleeper.

That's not my wife, that's my gran.

That explains it - she's obviously had plenty of experience at what she does.

She's also been dead for quite a few years.

New keyboard please!

[tikay]

Much to my annoyance, I woke up this morning at about 6am. I didn’t want to be awake yet, it meant I would be tired later, but I knew that there was no chance of me going back to sleep. I got up quietly, trying not to disturb Mrs Red, but as I left the room I heard her say softly “You’re barmy”

I say exactly the same to the Missus when she gets up early.  "I'm awake" is her usual response.  "So am I now" is my usual reply.

That's strange - your wife doesn't usually wake me up when she gets out of bed in the morning. You must be a light sleeper.

That's not my wife, that's my gran.

That explains it - she's obviously had plenty of experience at what she does.

She's also been dead for quite a few years.

We're like professional thread tone-lowerers. Red's posts are simply far too good for this place so we have to periodically litter his threads with filth to balance things out.

We're the sour cream to his chili.

Look, it's only fair, you foul my Diary with dreadful puns & mocking the only-just-dead, I DEMAND you foul Tom's Diary, too.

[Rod Paradise]

Look, it's only fair, you foul my Diary with dreadful puns & mocking the only-just-dead, I DEMAND you foul Tom's Diary, too.

Tom doesn't get mardy about the puns & joins in - it's not nearly as fun as doing it on your thread

But to keep you happy I'll put something irrelevant on here - I went to Bodean's BBQ (as recommended by TK on his diary) & was well impressed. Will need to arrange to go there on a Monday or Wednesday now to try their burnt ends (slow smoked pieces of brisket in a BBQ sauce).

http://www.bodeansbbq.com/soho/

[RED-DOG]

Brisket. One of the cheaper cuts of beef, but my favorite.

[Rod Paradise]

Brisket. One of the cheaper cuts of beef, but my favorite.

I use it or oxtail instead of stewing steak to make steak pie. Far tastier.