The future of oil was: What ever happened to Tandem and NonStop OS 2032

You buttume that the trigger is the little gurgling kid, rather than the kid is a means to service a hardware interrupt (inBAH terms ;).

I agree in principle, but would rather not think of a baby as a "bauble" that can be bought. Paid for, certainly! ...again and again. ;-)

I think you have the world backwards. Your intelligence allowed you to override your hard-wiring. We do that in different ways all the time. ...like working to purchase a bauble, rather than taking it from someone who has "more baubles than they can use". OTOH...

I think you have it backwards. The unpleasant woman (and sire) need puppies to continue the species. love is a required part of the equation, so it helps that love is enjoyable. However, cats don't seem to enjoy it all that much, but it is still necessary. Praying Mantis...

I didn't me "perceived" to the conscious mind. As BAH pointed out, even plants sense stress and spend all available (perhaps more) energy procreating when stressed. I don't think they consciously "perceive" an imminent threat.

They're not "thinking" it. It's hardwired for gene survival.

I think your perceptions are colored by your wife's lack of desire to have babies. I see it quite differently.

-- Keith