You May Be Wondering

why I posted a picture of two sheep as a portrait of me. I did this when I joined Face Book a couple of days ago, because I wanted a picture rather than an outline of a human head. I was in the middle of joining and didn't want to hunt through my photography files, so I grabbed the first picture I could find. They are Icelandic sheep, and I am Icelandic descent, so there is a connection.

In Iceland, sheep spend the summer on their own in the mountains, since there are no natural predators. In the fall they are gathered up and sorted, each farmer taking his or her sheep. I figure centuries of taking care of themselves half the year should have eliminated any stupid sheep from the gene pool.

The last time I was in Iceland, I asked an Icelandic biologist if sheep are stupid. "Not at all," he replied. "People call any animal they exploit stupid."

(And that includes humans. People always call the people they oppress and exploit stupid. Look at all the books like The Bell Curve.)

According to Wikipedia, sheep test as smart as cattle and only slightly less smart than pigs; and the study wasn't testing Icelandic sheep, but (I think) American animals, who may not be as bright.

Anyway, I am now represented by smart, self-reliant Icelandic sheep on Face Book and this blog.