Fine story, LEJ -- what Amos said.
I am afraid that I am very often with Clinton on this, though maybe not a complete extinctionist. There does come a time for some when the obsession with the human race does ebb, and it comes to you that the planet will give a big sigh of relief when this experiment with hypercephalic apes exhausts itself. For people who think that all good things are wrapped up in human endeavour, this is repulsive; but even if you don't want the human race to go extinct, it does free you from much anthropomorphism. On the other hand, a pretty girl is like a melody. Can't explain either of them, pretty girls (bags of primate guts) or melodies (weird noises), the why of beauty.

A man loved a woman, but he died and went to heaven, and stood in front of God, and God told him what it all meant, and when he knew, he asked God if he might go back to earth to the woman he loved. And God said, why? and the man replied, I love the mystery of her face, better than Your explanation.

Jenny kiss'd me when we met,
Jumping from the chair she sat in;
Time, you thief, who love to get
Sweets into your list, put that in!
Say I'm weary, say I'm sad,
Say that health and wealth have miss'd me,
Say I'm growing old, but add,
Jenny kiss'd me.


yours,

Peter T.