[extropy-chat] cryo cat

[Spike]

> Damien Broderick
> cryo cat
>  
> I always believe what I read in the paper, such as:
> 
> A tomcat nicknamed Frosty found frozen to the ground in 
> minus 29 degrees was saved by a Minnesota animal shelter. Staff
wrapped four- 
> year-old Frosty in hot towels to thaw him out over three days. >


But don't read more into the article than is actually there.
Clearly cryocat wasn't out in the -29 for any length
of time, but rather more likely he ran outta the house
with wet paws, which instantly froze, adhering the
hapless beast in place, thus the comment "found frozen
to the ground..."  I would not be surprised if some
evil adolescents arranged for this cruel event after 
speculating on the outcome, then fled the scene upon 
realizing they could not reasily free the animal.  The 
article is not actually claiming the cat was solidly 
frozen methinks, altho it is easily misinterpreted as such.

This brings up a curiosity I have been pondering occasionally
since our discussion of universal translators and the
fact that various languages seem to be missing words that
other languages have.  I am told that English is a very
large very inclusive language.  On this I must take one's
word, for I know no other tongue.  But I have been taking
note of words my own language should have but does not,
such as the one I thought of after reading about Frosty
the cryocat: what is the word for a female cat?  Frosty
is a tomcat, what is his feminine counterpart?  Why do 
we have the word bitch for female dog, but what is her
masculine counterpart?

Most languages have words specifying the difference
between mother's parents and father's parents.  English
has only the generic grandmother and grandfather.  Big
omission.  Other curious holes in the language so obvious 
that various dialects have attempted to patch the gap:

1.  you (plural)
2.  sheep (singular)
3.  Janet Jackson's boobs

etc. Other examples?

spike