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Warpgirl, you are so intelligent and well read that I wouldn't want to try contradicting you. However,

I did not say prey animals were dangerous. Generally they aren't. Rabbits, Deer and other Prey animals are hardly thought of as dangerous.

Elephants have been domesticated in India but not in Africa. I have never read anywhere that Big Cats have been domesticated. They have appeared in A circus but they are usually well fed before an act goes on. Clyde Beaty was a famous man who had an act featuring Tiger and lions. He was in the cage with them. He had a whip, chair and a pistol loaded with blanks. Still he made a mistake one night and a Tiger got him. He was saved by his helpers but not before the Tiger chewed on him a little. I believe there was an act in Las Vegas that featured white tigers One of the two men in the act was attacked by a Tiger and he is still recovering. Those big Cats are not domesticated.

A bull will charge almost anything because he sees it as an enemy. Horses buck because they do not like the weight of the man on them. It is only when it is forced to accept that the weight will be on it always that it stops bucking.

But, Warpgirl, you are right. Go in peace.

SB

Hmmm... So let me see if I have this right: T'Pol was lying when she told Archer she had a pet sehlat as a child? Because otherwise I'm not quite sure what your point is.

Another thought I had on this subject is that not all cultures are as overly protective of their children as we are in the US. I mean, just think of the news stories of Japanese kindergartners being forced to go outside shirtless in the snow to toughen them up. Some cultures believe in tough love. So I can see a parent in a culture where kids have to go through kas-wan deciding that it's time to teach their child responsibility by giving him or her a pet that might try to eat them if they forget to feed it.

That's obviously not the storyline Weeble's going for, but I'm just sayin'...

T'Pol made it sound somewhat threatening when she said Vulcan children are never late with their sehlat's dinner. Although I s'pose she may have just been pointing out that Archer's comment was irrelevant since Vulcan children would not be so undisciplined as to be late. Either way works for me - I like the idea of sehlats being slightly ominous but benevolent protectors, and I also like the idea of them being barely-safe reminders that Vulcan is a dangerous place and children had better get used to that.

SB I'm sorry, I noticed my comment on "prey" animals was mis-worded. What I meant to say is that an animal doesn't have to be a meat eater to be dangerous!

And yes, Elephants had been domesticated in Africa, Hannible from Cartharge, remember him... he nearly beat the stuffing out of the Roman legions, he used domesticated war Elephants! Cartharge is now North Africa! Big cats were captured, for pets by pharohs, sultans, emperors, and other fabulously wealthy individuals. You can see the images from artwork throughout history.

You've made my point for me about the horses and the circus acts. Horses do throw and buck off even experienced riders! I know, I got bucked once by a horse I knew quite well, and I was a decent rider back in my girlhood. It was one of the few physical challenges I was good at! I know better then most that even the sweetest, most gentle animals are still extremely dangerous.

A domesticated Shelat is no more dangerous, than a dog, dogs are carnivors! They're certainly no more dangerous than a horse, you piss off a horse you're dead period. Heck as I said before, even if you do everything right, a horse can and will kill you if it takes it into his head to do it!

I also love Distracted's point! Due to the planetary enviornment, Vulcans have to be tough on their kids to teach them how to survive. When I was growing up, my parents were tough on me about the water. I grew up a block away from the bay. Guess what, I could swim before I could walk, and sometimes my parents weren't nice about it. Why? Water kills! We learned quick! The Vulcan desert, and the wild Shelats are dangerous the kids have to learn how deal with it.

Warpgirl, as I said you are intelligent and well read. I plumb forgot about Hannibal and his war Elephants. You know I spent two years in Tunis Tinisia which is where old Carthage is. One can still see remanents of the Harbor. Vendors sell fake Roman oil Lamps there. There is a museum located in old Carthage with things that have been dug up.

I think we can all agree that Sehlats are Dangerous and that Vuclan children are given one to teach them to be wary. That their planet can be dangerous. Keep a Sehlat fed and you are safe. miss ameal and you might wind up as one.

SB

I don't think anyone would deny that Shelats are potentially deadly. That's kind of the point, nearly all animals can be dangerous in certain situations. Once my dog nearly tried to bite me because he was extremely hungry. All domesticated animals have ot be well cared for, or they will turn on their owners. Vulcans aren't "strange" for domesticating Shelats, if they're cared for the risks are minimal. Just like Fido the family Golden Retriever, and BTW that's not a dog you want to make mad at you.

How much does a sehlat weight anyhow? My cat used to walk on top of me as I was sleeping to wake me up to feed him. That may be the real reason Vulcan children remember to feed the beasts!

My cat makes a ruckus pushing her dishes all around the room until I crawl out of bed and feed her. So loud and annoying!

Could be that Sehlats are somewhat similar to Big Cats: They start to pace and growl when they are getting hungry. Sure sign that it is feeding time.

I was once at a roadside Zoo in Oregon.Had a tiger there. the idiot who cared for it was showing off. He was riding on the back of it. Cat probably had just had a meal. anyway, I was wondering if I got startled the Cat enough so it would buck him off and have dessert. That is no way to treat a Tiger.

In india I was once napping in a chaise Lounge on the patio of my quarters. I woke up to find two Cats squaring off to fight.the winner getting to nap on my belly while I slept. I pushed them off. I would have been clawed good if they had fought on me.

I have viewed TV programs of people with strange pets. One guy had Kokomo Dragons in his Apartment. One day he came home. they killed ad ate part of him. Another dude had a tiger in his Harlem apartment. Authorities took the tiger away to a Zoo. People who keep Venemous Snakes in their home or Pythons. One guy was killed by his pet Python.

Takes all kinds I guess

SB

Oh SB I think that you like my grandfather, just don't believe in pets! It really has nothing to do with Sehlats or Vulcans at all!

Warpgirl, I have had Dogs in the past. Right now my wife claims she is alergic to Dogs and Cats. However,we have had both in the past and she showed no signs of allegies.

I would love tohave a Dog. I would even take a Cat who was an indoor Cat.

I dearly love animals.

SB

Then I really don't see why you would have a problem with domesticated Sehlats.

I will have you all know I take my life into my hands daily as I have a yellow lab. She is currently curled up seemingly sleeping awaiting me to drop my guard and pounce. She is a good watch-mutt though. When she fishes with me, she charges at any fish she sees keeping me safe and fish less.

Sneaky attempt at attempting to weasel information Cogito. All will eventually become clear, maybe, sort of.

I'm not saying that having a dog, or a cat, or any other animal is inherently taking your life into your hands. As I said before, all domesticated animals must be properly cared for. As long as they are the risk of injury or death is minimal.

That said, all animals can turn on you. It's merely a fact of life.