Thanks to Yellowdog Granny I found the pig.

 I like that last dream

the Ol'Buzzard

THIS AIN’T ANCESTRY.COM

We are an advanced breed of monkey

on a minor planet

of a very average star.

Stephen Hawking

About 6 to 7 million years ago humans and chimpanzees diverged from an earlier primate ancestor, though we still share about 97% of our DNA with our chimp cousins.

Somewhere around 4 million years ago our pre-human ancestors became bipedal, and about 3.5 million years ago Australopithecus Afarensis became distinctly human. 

There were many evolutionary adaptions that developed and died out, but about 1.8 million years ago Homo erectus became identifiable with present day humans.

It was Homo erectus that left the cradle of Africa and spread through Asia and southern Europe. 

Evolutionary adaptations produced Homo Heidelbergensis and then Neanderthal and finally modern humans.   It is estimated that about 2.5% of the DNA of humans outside of Africa is Neanderthal. 

Human evolution is not only obvious from physical appearance and mobility, but also in brain development.

Over the course of human evolution three distinct brains emerged.   The oldest and most primitive is the brain stem and cerebellum (which turns out to be the main structure of the reptilian brain) which controls autonomic body functions.  The next layer of our brain to develop was the hippocampus and hypothalamus which records memories and experiences.  The final layer is the cerebrum that allows language and abstract thought. 

The brain is not static, but constantly rewires itself to adjust to new experiences and demands.  The human brain is even known to repair itself (rewire itself) to bypass effected neurons in stroke victims.

  

Time on an evolutionary scale is vast, and if we survive there is no reason to believe that ‘we’ are the final product of human evolution.  

The future of humans no longer depend on survival skills, size or wit.   We live in a society that services our needs.  We are less active and less imaginative.  We depend more and more on technology.

So what evolutionary changes in the human animal might we expect as people move from a world of personal interaction, required physical activity and survival demands to a virtual reality world of 24/7 TV, computers and cell phones?

Just wondering

the Ol’Buzzard

I SUPPORT TRUMP!

Donald Trump

He’s the man

If he can’t do it

No one can.

Rah rah ree

Kick him in the knee

Rah rah rash

Kick him in the other knee.

I support the Donald 100%.   He is the best thing that could happen - for the Democratic Party.

 

If it wasn’t for Trump the airways would be full of Benghazi and E-Mail Gate and Bill getting a blow job in the oval office and Hillary a murderer and …; also, minute to minute 24/7 attacks on President Obama.

But now, all the Republican’s running for office are playing duck and cover from Trump.  The party doesn’t know what to do with him, and is afraid to confront him. 

Hillary’s e-mails are a back page issue for the media while The Donald is running away with the Republican Party.

 

Where can I get a Donald Trump bumper sticker for my car?

the Ol’Buzzard

ANSWER TO THE PUZZLE

THE BEAR IS WHITE

The woman started from the north pole
She walked three miles south
She walked three miles east
She walked three miles north
She is back where she started

It only works at the North Pole

If she is at the North Pole the bear has to be a polar bear

THE BEAR IS WHITE

the Ol'Buzzard

ZEN: DRAGGING THE BOAT

Two young men left their village to attend a talk by the Buddha.   It was to be a three day journey so the men left a day early to insure they would arrive in plenty of time to enjoy the preceding. 

 After two days they arrived at a river only to find the bridge had been destroyed.  Knowing they had an extra day they set about constructing a boat from bamboo and reeds.   The next morning they made the crossing and were feeling confident as they still had a day for travel.

 

The oldest man said that it was such a fine boat it would be a shame to leave it, so they each grabbed a gunnel and started down the road.

   

The men arrived in village just as the Buddha finished talking.   They approached the Buddha and told him how disappointed they were to have missed his talk.   The Buddha look at the men and the boat and asked why they dragging a boat.  The men said they had built it to cross the river and that it was such a fine boat they could not leave it.  

The Buddha smiled and walked away.

I sit here in my den/office/man-cave or whatever you want to call this room that all the artifacts of decades of my life are jumbled into and look around at the boat that I have been dragging: books on sky diving (not going to happen,) books on white water canoeing ( I no longer own a canoe,) survival gear, hunting and fishing gear, pictures and artifacts hanging on the walls, three boxes of cassette tapes ( I no longer own a cassette player,) Sherlock Holmes collections and the list could go on.

I have been dragging most of this stuff around with me for decades – some for over fifty years.  

I tend to think of this stuff as defining me; but in truth I was a different person at each time this stuff represents.   However, they bring back pleasant memories.

You can’t stand in the same river twice.

I guess we all drag our boats, and perhaps that is only a bad thing when it prevents us from living in the present or obstructs our future goals.

Hell I don’t know

Just rambling

the Ol’Buzzard

A PUZZLE TO END THE WEEK WITH

I often read more than one book at a time.   At present I am reading a book on mathematics trivia, a western and a book of logic.    The following teaser was from the logic book - though I have heard the same problem before.

 A woman  begins at point A and walks south three miles,

She then turns east and walks three miles, 

Finally she turns north and walks three miles 

She finds she is back at her starting point

What color is the bear?


I'm just asking
the Ol'Buzzard

BILLIONAIRES

THIS IS WHO REALLY RUNS THIS COUNTRY

They bought it a long time ago. 

Dave Mallett Maine Folk singer.

You might want to watch it once, then close your eyes and listen to it.

I couldn't say it any better
 the Ol'Buzzard