Unnatural Selection - Home Comments

Comment on 'Where is Wales on Wikipedia?' by Chetryfredtut

2011-03-28T19:11:14Z

Comment on 'The Pedantic Scientist asks if it's the end of tennis?' by colin williams

2010-07-01T10:56:34Z

Simple answer! One serve only! Which other sport allows two goes - a "Mulligan"! Has it ever been tried? What happened?

Comment on 'Where is Wales on Wikipedia?' by theagingfanboy

2010-06-29T09:18:51Z

I do remember seeing a biographical note about an author on a book dust jacket, and it said he lived in "Souoth Wales, England". Issac Asimov once wrote that it was almost impossible to explain to someone who wasn't British the difference between England, Great Britain, The United Kingdom and The British Isles.

Comment on 'Where is Wales on Wikipedia?' by Sue Burnett

2010-06-28T16:00:55Z

And do you remember, a few years ago, when the EU forgot about Wales altogether? http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/3715512.stm

Comment on 'Where is Wales on Wikipedia?' by Sue Burnett

2010-06-25T16:36:14Z

True - that's a good way to make the point about Wikipedia. It's a great resource, and a useful starting point, but authoritative? Hmmmm...

Comment on 'Where is Wales on Wikipedia?' by theagingfanboy

2010-06-25T16:00:08Z

I hadn't thought of editing it, to tell the truth. It's more fun to just laugh at it! It'll be a great teaching aid for those who seem to think that wikipedia is always accurate....

Comment on 'Where is Wales on Wikipedia?' by Sue Burnett

2010-06-25T15:08:39Z

Oh dear! I've had a look and it doesn't seem as though the alt text is editable at the usual editing access level. Have you notified them, John? Otherwise we may just have to burn down Wikipedia*. *Important notice to the relevant authorities: this is a joke. I am not Paul Chambers. Please don't prosecute me.

Comment on 'The Pedantic Scientist' by Medical Jobs

2010-06-20T13:28:08Z

nice post. thanks.

Comment on 'The Pedantic Scientist' by theagingfanboy

2010-06-02T17:18:38Z

It's nice that somebody remembers Harry Harrision. I've often thought about that quote; it explains management structures so well. I liked the Sea Devils too, I seem to remember that they had some nifty hand-held beam weapons of some kind. Jon Pertwee and Jo Grant in 70s fashions. What's not to like?

Comment on 'The Pedantic Scientist' by Brian

2010-06-02T13:21:41Z

"They" are everyone who wants to be one of "them" [Harry Harrison]. Ha! Long live 'Bill the Galactic Hero!' Well, the first two books anyway (the ones written by Harrison). As for the good Dr, this was one of the worst episodes of the recent revivial. Bring back the Sea Devils!

Comment on 'The Pedantic Scientist' by theagingfanboy

2010-06-02T13:06:20Z

Hmmmm... interesting. "They" are everyone who wants to be one of "them" [Harry Harrison]. It's an accepted scientific consensus to call humanity Hom. sap. I'm sorry that none of your friends or family are wise, in any shape or form. Are you sure?

Comment on 'The Pedantic Scientist' by Robert

2010-06-02T11:05:31Z

I would not describe humanity as wise, in any way, shape or form... I'm half surprised they did not call our species Homo Deus. Who is "they" by the way? Who had the right to name our species? When did we discover ourselves? I think it should be put to a vote. Me, I'd vote for Homo Vulgaris. Maybe, at a stretch, Homo Creo. (All endings are of course wrong. I do not speak Latin...)

Comment on 'The Pedantic Scientist' by tehagingfanboy

2010-06-02T10:39:37Z

Homo habilis was "handy man". I consulted a latin speaker on this one and sapiens means "wise" as in being able to understand the concept, i.e. "sapience". Therizinosauridae strike me as being too specialised, although I would imagine that an intelligent reptile could well have evolved from a theropod. The whole setup must have been very complicated, as there are at least three different species of Silurians (the old one, the new one and the Sea Devils) whose intelligence and technological sophistication were very similar. As for your "Pah!" comment - I assume that you're speaking for yourself?

Comment on 'The Pedantic Scientist' by Robert

2010-06-01T13:13:50Z

I thought "sapiens" meant "skilled" - and that humans are technically Homo Sapiens Sapiens (Very Skilled Apes). Maybe my A-levels biology teacher was not up to speed on his Latin. Online dictionaries tell me sapiens means wise. (The very wise ape? Pah!) Perhaps the Homo Reptilicus should really be Therizinosaurus Credo Sentienta?

Comment on 'Make sure you have your cancer in Sweden' by educational grants

2010-05-12T12:04:49Z

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