Grandma's poodle and next door's cat.

Bill Burnett (bbur@wpo.nerc.ac.uk)
Thu, 19 Oct 1995 17:20:25

In article <465q60$m0c@scotsman.ed.ac.uk> jamesb@hgu.mrc.ac.uk writes:

>When you post some anecdotal evidence that any purely terrestrial animal sheds
>tears when
>emotionally upset your explanation will be better than mine.

This I can do. I didn't want to do it, it demeans me to do it and belittles
your intellect that you should be satisfied with it.

My Grandma (God rest her) had a poodle. This poodle was the most sorry
looking dog you've ever seen, and was in some kind of traumatic emotional
state most of the time. It 'wept' continually.

My next door neighbour (God rest her) had a black and white cat. This cat was
the most sorry looking cat you've ever seen, and was in some kind of traumatic
emotional state most of the time. It 'wept' continually. (Especially when my
Jack Russell terrier nearly killed it one time.)

Both these stories are *true*. You can ask my Mum.

THIS is anecdotal "evidence".

My guess is that many people you meet will have such a story. Certainly
Darwin had no trouble finding the 'evidence' you posted for weeping elephants,
and Mr. Lockleys moving account of the unhappy seal really touched me (NOT!).
Which is not to say it isn't true, only that it's unproven and unreliable and
is a fragile, fatuous position to argue from.

Are you REALLY willing to abandon your so-called scientific stance on the
basis of this crap of mine, or do I have to publish it first as a book of
tragic animal stories? Be warned, the British public loves this stuff, I
should have no trouble. It doesn't make it any less of a pile of horse-shit.
But I might have trouble getting it into Zoo. J. Linn. Soc.

Now stop pretending you're the only person with better things to do, put up
some evidence or shut up. For (I hope) the last time, theories aren't "true
until disproven". If I argued God made the world I think James Borrett
might disagree, but you could never prove your point. If that's the way you
want to operate lets go to talk.origins and discuss feral chickens which would
be much more fun than this has become.

Oh, and could you stop the irritating habit of trying to goad me into further
petty exchanges? It works too well. :-)

Bill