[QUOTE=Random]
…But in the absence of other evidence, a claimed event that is unlikely is less believable. (If you tell me you saw an animal walk down your city street today, my willingness to believe you is very high if the claimed animal was a dog, lessened (very slightly) if you say it was a Great Dane, reduced more if you claim it was a horse, further diminished if you say it was a gorilla, near-zero if you claim it was a white rhino, and zero if if say it was a unicorn.) Why is this so foreign to some of you?
[/QUOTE]
If I said it was a Great Dane I’m slightly less credible than if I can’t identify the breed I saw?
I question the notion that city folk don’t own large dogs, the larger population of a city increases the chance that I might find a dog owner, more dog owners, more chances to see an unusual breed.
If I walk a mile in the country I’m less likely to see any dogs at all just because of population density.
Top Breeds by City, NYC (according to the American Kennel Club)
- Poodles
- Retrievers (Labrador)
- Dachshunds
- Yorkshire Terriers
- Retrievers (Golden)
- Bulldogs
- French Bulldogs
- Shih Tzu
- Havanese
- Pugs
lots of small dogs, but lots of bigs ones too.
“reduced more if you claim it was a horse”
Horses in NYC;
According to “The City Of New York City .Com” 4 stables in the city itself and 6 in the outer boroughs.
What does the New York City Department of Parks & Recreation have to say?
“…There are three bridle paths in Central Park - the Reservoir Loop (1.65 miles), the North Meadow Loop (1.1 miles), and the Southern Spur (1.5 miles). No permit is required to horseback ride…”
“…The Bridle path in Pelham Bay Park provides beautiful vistas of marshland and woods…”
“…Forest Park’s four-mile equestrian path meanders through 165 acres of oak forest…”
“…Staten Island offers a wide variety of riding terrain in New York City, from beaches to parks and city streets to wooded trails…”
“…4 outdoor riding rings, an Olympic-sized indoor arena, and easy access to the miles of trails in Van Cortlandt Park…”
“…Prospect Park’s 3.5 mile-long bridle path winds through scenic woodlands, meadows, and a ravine…”
and there’s the NYPD Mounted Unit, and Commissioner Raymond W. Kelly is increasing the budget for the mounted troop, 75 horses and officers over the next three years, to eventually bring the total to 160, giving mounted patrols a larger role in battling crime.
Add horse drawn carriages and NYC has a sizable number of horses, as many horses as dogs? No, but enough that a claim that you saw one would only be doubted by an idiot.
“further diminished if you say it was a gorilla, near-zero if you claim it was a white rhino, and zero if if say it was a unicorn”
Lions and tigers and bears, oh my!
Well this would depend on where and what you said you saw.
Big exotics? Incredulity or “Oh shit, Ringling Bros. is at the Garden?, I got to get tickets, or the kids’ll kill me”.
Smaller exotics, and random wild animals?
“…an estimated 1.5 million exotic pets in New York City…”
“…Two marmosets, two capuchins, two squirrel monkeys and the spider were confiscated from the home of Orlando Lopez…Lopez was allowed to keep his Great Dane…Last October, animal control officers arrested a man for keeping a tiger and an alligator in his New York City apartment. Later that month, officers arrested another apartment resident for keeping 12 exotic snakes…”
Coyotes, a recent siting.
Unicorns? “Dude your damn lucky that mounted cop didn’t arrest you for public intoxication!”, of course there are real unicorns!
Why is this so foreign to some of you?
CMC fnord!
Their is an inverse relationship between the time it takes to construct a post and the degree to which it contributes to a discussion. (Hentor the Barbarian’sRule of Posting Composition)