Back in the early ’70s, we lived in a big prefab building with a woodstove for heat and no indoor plumbing. If you woke up in the middle of the night you had to get up and go outside to the outhouse, even if it was snowing.
The cats, on the other hand, had a sandbox not far from the stove, so they could take care of their business in a nice warm place. And when it came time to clean out the box, guess who had to carry that out into the snow, dig a hole in the frozen ground, and bury it.
If the aliens landed and saw this, there’s no doubt in my mind which species they would decide was dominant here.
The quotable Douglas Adams, from The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy:
“For instance, on the planet Earth, man had always assumed that he was more intelligent than dolphins because he had achieved so much—the wheel, New York, wars and so on—whilst all the dolphins had ever done was muck about in the water having a good time. But conversely, the dolphins had always believed that they were far more intelligent than man—for precisely the same reasons.”In one of the Hitchhiker’s Guide stories, humans are trying to establish their superiority over dolphins by citing war, New York City, and a third thing that eludes me at the moment. Dolphins respond that they are superior, pointing to the exact same list.
Well, we DO have an expert Poop Shoveler in the White House…and if he IS an example of a “Stable Genius”,then yes, I’d have to totally agree that the Horses ARE smarter…
The Master Horse tells Gulliver that Yahoos tend to choose terrible leaders, who surround themselves with even worse people to make them look better. And indeed, the Houyhnhnms whom Gulliver likes so much don’t appear to have leaders or power hierarchies that Gulliver recognizes.
He had heard, indeed, some curious Houyhnhnms observe, that in most herds there was a sort of ruling Yahoo (as among us there is generally some leading or principal stag in a park), who was always more deformed in body, and mischievous in disposition, than any of the rest; that this leader had usually a favourite as like himself as he could get, whose employment was to lick his master’s feet and posteriors, and drive the female Yahoos to his kennel; for which he was now and then rewarded with a piece of flesh. This favourite is hated by the whole herd, and therefore, to protect himself, keeps always near the person of his leader. (4.7.13)
Dtroutma over 5 years ago
Just what we do for love.
dadoctah over 5 years ago
Back in the early ’70s, we lived in a big prefab building with a woodstove for heat and no indoor plumbing. If you woke up in the middle of the night you had to get up and go outside to the outhouse, even if it was snowing.
The cats, on the other hand, had a sandbox not far from the stove, so they could take care of their business in a nice warm place. And when it came time to clean out the box, guess who had to carry that out into the snow, dig a hole in the frozen ground, and bury it.
If the aliens landed and saw this, there’s no doubt in my mind which species they would decide was dominant here.
Pointspread over 5 years ago
Good to see Lucy again!
Enter.Name.Here over 5 years ago
Oh, and…horses do not lie.
GreasyOldTam over 5 years ago
The quotable Douglas Adams, from The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy:
“For instance, on the planet Earth, man had always assumed that he was more intelligent than dolphins because he had achieved so much—the wheel, New York, wars and so on—whilst all the dolphins had ever done was muck about in the water having a good time. But conversely, the dolphins had always believed that they were far more intelligent than man—for precisely the same reasons.”In one of the Hitchhiker’s Guide stories, humans are trying to establish their superiority over dolphins by citing war, New York City, and a third thing that eludes me at the moment. Dolphins respond that they are superior, pointing to the exact same list.
wiatr over 5 years ago
Ah that fresh poop smell!
PICTO over 5 years ago
If life gives you a horse…make road apples.
Masterskrain Premium Member over 5 years ago
Well, we DO have an expert Poop Shoveler in the White House…and if he IS an example of a “Stable Genius”,then yes, I’d have to totally agree that the Horses ARE smarter…
Andrew Sleeth over 5 years ago
The more valuable question is, Which is the wiser creature?
William Bednar Premium Member over 5 years ago
Yeah, but who invented the shovel? Huh??
Radish the wordsmith over 5 years ago
The Master Horse tells Gulliver that Yahoos tend to choose terrible leaders, who surround themselves with even worse people to make them look better. And indeed, the Houyhnhnms whom Gulliver likes so much don’t appear to have leaders or power hierarchies that Gulliver recognizes.
He had heard, indeed, some curious Houyhnhnms observe, that in most herds there was a sort of ruling Yahoo (as among us there is generally some leading or principal stag in a park), who was always more deformed in body, and mischievous in disposition, than any of the rest; that this leader had usually a favourite as like himself as he could get, whose employment was to lick his master’s feet and posteriors, and drive the female Yahoos to his kennel; for which he was now and then rewarded with a piece of flesh. This favourite is hated by the whole herd, and therefore, to protect himself, keeps always near the person of his leader. (4.7.13)
https://www.shmoop.com/gullivers-travels/part-4-chapter-7-quotes.html
Daniel Verburg over 5 years ago
It all comes to your point of view.
Say What? Premium Member over 5 years ago
Thank goodness for that, since I live in PA Dutch country and all that…
uniquename over 5 years ago
Don’t worry Danae, Calvin loses a lot of arguments to Hobbs too.
tripwire45 over 5 years ago
Dogs are a lot smarter than horses.
oakie817 over 5 years ago
ka-shovel
oakie817 over 5 years ago
https://youtu.be/WwdI-gbm5kE
Night-Gaunt49[Bozo is Boffo] over 5 years ago
Be careful that horse you are riding might be a Houyhnhnm in disguise. And they are very intelligent and some can be incredibly vindictive.
Ka`ōnōhi`ula`okahōkūmiomio`ehiku Premium Member over 5 years ago
Good to see Danae again. I love her Gengis Khan Mongol-style forelock.
gourken over 5 years ago
Merry Christmas Wiley!
chain gang charlie over 5 years ago
A day late on my comments? asked for Danae yesterday…I once got five out of six on the Lotto…as Charlie Brown would say – “That’s the way it goes”…
bakana over 5 years ago
And which one pays for all those Oats?