"John Schmitt" wrote in message
...


dave wrote:
Does anyone hate pigeons more that I do? Impossible! Their stupid cooing
sounds,
their filthy habits...

Woody Allen describes them as "rats with wings".

So?

Should you wish to use animal psychology to show them your superiority,
clap your hands and suddenly raise your arms sideways. They seem to think
that you are some sort of uber-pigeon and have taken fright. Once one in a
group reacts the rest follow it into the air.

How do you know what they seem to think?

In some places I know, if you raise your arms sideways the pigeons will sit
on them. I suppose you think that it's because they think you're a tree.
It's not at all, they've learned that there's usually something to eat at
the end of your arm.

One of these days, I must try it in a large square full of pigeons.

Oh, what a big man you'll be then!

Being so stupid pigeons have little capacity for avoidance learning and
come back to the same place, making this a game you can carry on playing
indefinitely.

So you're playing it indefinitely? Does that make you stupid, with a little
capacity for learning?

Can you navigate back to your house if let loose hundreds of miles away with
no previous experience?

Of course you can't. Does that make you stupid?

To say that any other creature is stupid because it doesn't behave like you
is irrational.

Mary