Folks, This is Ray being random, again, so you may want to skip and delete.
I've noticed, lately, a new social mannerism in which people cough into their elbows rather than their hands. It makes sense, but I had to think about why. Long ago, when I was growing up, I was taught to pull out a handkerchief and cough into the handkerchief held in my hand. As time went on, Kleeneces of various brands replaced handkerchiefs - but one can't carry a Kleenex in one's back pocket indefinitely and hope to be able to use it. Thus, we changed over to coughing into our hands instead of our handkerchiefs. Eventually, everyone realized that this is not sanitary so we were all instructed to wash our hands on a frequent basis. During this time, clothes changed from being relatively painful to wash to being painless, both from the change in materials and the automated help. Someone suddenly realized they could reasonably cough into their sleeve, not have to constantly wash their hands, and just wash their clothes, which they would do, anyway. And now we have the movement toward the sensible cough into the elbow. This change in behaviour required multiple factors to take effect: 1. Handkerchiefs being available (before these, folks coughed and blew their nose into their hands and or washbowl) 2. Kleeneces replace handkerchiefs for most uses except carrying around for coughing into. 3. Clothing materials had to become durable to frequent washing. 4. Clothes washing had to become easier to do. I love observing emergent behavior in the best ABM of all - life. -- Ray Parks [EMAIL PROTECTED] IDART Project Lead Voice:505-844-4024 IORTA Department Mobile:505-238-9359 http://www.sandia.gov/scada Fax:505-844-9641 http://www.sandia.gov/idart Pager:800-690-5288 ============================================================ FRIAM Applied Complexity Group listserv Meets Fridays 9a-11:30 at cafe at St. John's College lectures, archives, unsubscribe, maps at http://www.friam.org
