I made an upsetting discovery today. Apparently it is a fable that a frog placed in water that is gradually brought to a boil will make no attempt to escape. Snopes.com has done the research. According to University of Oklahoma zoologist Dr. Victor Hutchison:
The 'critical thermal maxima' of many species of frogs have been determined by several investigators. In this procedure, the water in which a frog is submerged is heated gradually at about 2 degrees Fahrenheit per minute. As the temperature of the water is gradually increased, the frog will eventually become more and more active in attempts to escape the heated water. If the container size and opening allow the frog to jump out, it will do so.
Okay, so when the frog starts feeling hot, it jumps around and tries to get out.
What is wrong with us? Our government invades countries, destroys the fabric of peoples' lives, either condones or encourages torture and murder and we just go about our business. Our politicians pander to the big money interests that buy their campaigns and to flat earth pseudo Christians and we just tune them out. When do we start jumping around and maybe kick over the pot?
Maybe if we are not boiling frogs, we are hypnotized lobsters. The Gulf of Maine Aquarium suggests that "to hypnotize a lobster, you stand it on its head with its claws laid out in front of it and its tail curled inward. Rub your hand up and down the carapace making sure to rub between the eyes. Eventually it may stand by itself." Then you plop the critter into the boiling water and a few minutes later, you have dinner.
Feel that rubbing between the eyes? Do you?
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