The Giraffe's Short Neck (Lamarckian, Darwinian, Neo Darwinian or Something Else?)

The Nature Institute ^ | 2003 | Craig Holdrege

[jwalsh07]

"The idea that the giraffe got its long neck due to food shortages in the lower reaches of trees seems almost self-evident. The giraffe is taller than all other mammals, can feed where no others can, and therefore has a distinct advantage. It seems compelling to say that the long neck and legs developed in relation to this advantage. Why else would the giraffe be so tall? You find this view presented in children's books, in web descriptions of the giraffe, and in textbooks."

"But just because this explanation is widespread does not mean it is true. In fact, this "self-evident" explanation retains its ability to convince only as long as we do not get too involved in the actual biological and ecological details. Various scientists have noticed that this elegant picture of giraffe evolution dissolves under closer scrutiny. Here are a few examples of my and their objections:"

[jwalsh07]

Listen, it's snowing again here today and at this rate it looks like it will be snowing until July. Don't be surprised if you find a guy knocking on the hacienda door with his golf clubs strapped on his back. He'll have a slightly grizzled look, buzz cut gray hair and a bad attitude.

[jwalsh07]

You would make a good Catholic. Of that I am quite sure.

[Torie]

Anytime. I'm buying a smaller pad more fitting to my more abstemious tastes that I won't rent out. Tha palace will be rented out to the big hitters. That place I did to do a landscaping statement. I may sneak over to use the pool however. The caddy shack is just two blocks away. Pity that it won't be finished until the heat season. Maybe next year.

[Torie]

Thanks, I appreciate it. The only problem is that I tend to be critical of authority, and ask too many questions.

[jwalsh07]

Nice digs. I like the stone work. I like working with it.

[jwalsh07]

The only problem is that I tend to be critical of authority, and ask too many questions.Welcome to the club. Authority drove me out of the Army, out of the corporate world and into my own little niche. I fought authority and I won, I did it myyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy wayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy!

[Torie]

The stones are just like God made them, and fitted into place with a crane, without any adhesive material or grouting. They were fitted together like a jig saw puzzle (other than the ones in embeded in the ground of course).

[jwalsh07]

I'm not an artful guy but I appreciate craftsmanship when I see it. Did you have to use the bullwhip or were they simply artisans?

[Torie]

Lawyers tend to have a bit of a piranha personality too. I make it with two partners only because we tend to offset each other's weaknesses.

[deadhead]

"Tha palace will be rented out to the big hitters.

Very nice, hmmm...I see a Walsh clan vacation in the future. Can you give us a good rate? Will be nice to meet you, Torie. We are all critical of authority :-)

[jwalsh07]

Hey I was just gonna ping you. Nice digs on the golf course, eh? :-}

[Torie]

I laid out the design, with some elaboration by a landscape architect, and then hired the best. I wanted water, deep blue water, flat reddish brown rocks, with intersperced vegetation, which has not really manifested itself yet (that will take a couple of years) to fully soften the look, and then the golf course, with nothing else inbetween. And I wanted a transition from the rectangular patio to the roundeed shapes of the pool and decking. The stepping stones in the grass address that. And then there is an exterior fireplace, also covered in rock, with a rounded shape. The rounded shape drove the contractor nuts, along with a granite bridge hanging over air, to the barbeque structure, also in rock. That was the most difficult feat of all.

The odd thing is that it was all on impulse. I saw the lot, and saw the potential, and just did it.

[jwalsh07]

Prettiest damn water hazard I ever saw!

[Torie]

The Walsh clan gets a very special rate - zero. :)

[deadhead]

"Nice digs on the golf course, eh? :-}"

Beautiful!

[deadhead]

"The Walsh clan gets a very special rate - zero. :)

Smiling here in snowy New York

[jwalsh07]

We won't be going to California any time soon but I'm gonna hound him to come to the next Inaugaral.

[deadhead]

"We won't be going to California any time soon"

Ah, you old stick in the mud

LOL

[AndrewC]

Thanks for the ping.

In the end, the idea is neither logically compelling nor based on fact.

Yep, thus my tag line.

[AndrewC]

Water is more immediately essential than food.