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Re: Strange thoughts on PN - was Re: BAD vs. BADD



David Marjanovic writes:
>> No matter how strong the arguments for birds being dinosaurs are
>> (and they are obviously overwhelming, there is no need to argue on
>> that), whenever you say or hear "dinosaur", I'm quite sure your
>> first thought is *not* of a bird.
> 
> Indeed not. But upon hearing "mammal", my first thought is not of a
> whale or bat either...

Hah!  Sudden moment of enlightenment.  Maybe the reason that many
people(*) have such a strong emotion reaction against the term
"dinosaurs" being understood as including birds, but do not in the
least might "mammals" being understood to include bats and whales, is
simply that birds greatly outnumber nonavian dinosaurs whereas bats
and whales do not outnumber other mammals?

... although there do seem to be rather a lot of bats.

 _/|_    ___________________________________________________________________
/o ) \/  Mike Taylor  <mike@miketaylor.org.uk>  http://www.miketaylor.org.uk
)_v__/\  "1) Whatever anyone says, someone will find reason to disagree.
         2) Whatever disagreement is offered, it will miss the point" --
         Greg Gunther.


(*) Including me.