Key West Lou / WHICH CAME FIRST? CHICKEN OR EGG?

I was researching some of Shakespeare works yesterday looking for a particular item which I never found. However, I did come across a particular word Shakespeare mentioned several times in The Merry Wives of Windsor. “Cuckold.”

Cuckold led to “henpecked.” Henpecked to the eternal question as to which came first: The chicken or the egg?

Lets begin with Shakespeare. Then back in time 10,000 years to something like a chicken. From whence we shall return to answer the eternal question.

Cuckold was a word familiar to the chicken farmers of Shakespeare’s day. When the rooster or cock grew old, the farmers would bring in a younger cock to service the hens. The older cocks were then referred to as cuckolds.

The farmers would cut off a cuckold’s spurs so it could not injure the younger cocks should they fight.

Henpecked is another word that comes down to us from the farmers of Shakespeare’s time. Henpecked meant a man who was dominated by his wife. Still does.

When a cock attempted to mount a hen, the hen pecked at the cock, thus driving him away. Unable to mate with the hen, the cock was said to have been henpecked.

Chickens were native to Asia. Specifically, the jungles of southeast Asia. They were domesticated. Today, valued as one of the most domesticated animals in the world.

Going back 10,000 years ago, chickens were not valued as food. Cockfighting was their forte in Asia and China.

With that background, the question arises as to which came first: The chicken or the egg?

Difficult to answer. As some things are.

Recall Luna Lovegood, the dreamy yet dotty witch from Harry Potter. Lovegood was asked about the riddle, “A circle has no beginning.”

It is impossible to identify the first case of a circular cause or consequence.

A circle has neither beginning nor end.

Determining whether the chicken or egg came first similar in difficulty.

However, the answer has been arrived at.

Long ago, a “chicken like bird” was close in many respects to a “chicken,” but not a chicken yet. That “first almost chicken” has became known as a “proto-chicken.”

A proto-chicken laid an egg. The “proto-rooster” fertilized it.

One of the fertilizations resulted in a freak of nature. The genes from the ma and pa “almost chickens” fused. They combined in a new way. Created a mutation that accidentally made the baby different from its parents.

The mutation was not noticed initially. Took one hundred years for the difference to be noted. The egg difference sufficient after a century for the noticeability to become the official progenitor of a new species. The “chicken.”

The simplified answer to the eternal question: Two birds that weren’t really chickens created a chicken egg. Ergo, the egg came first following which it hatched a chicken.

Coronavirus is affecting many persons and businesses economically.

Businesswise, the hospitals are taking a beating. Surprisingly since they are full of coronavirus patients. Most of whom however never had or have lost their medical insurance.

Rural hospitals are taking the biggest beating. It is expected the big city ones will follow.

The rural hospitals have and are continuing to go under for 3 reasons. They have been forced to cancel elective procedures which are the most profitable for a hospital. Delay in reimbursement killing them. Finally and perhaps difficult to believe, dwindling patient volumes.

Thus far this year, 42 hospitals have closed. Twenty nine of which have already filed for bankruptcy.

Recall Benghazi? The very people outraged for 8 years because of 4 dead people in Benghazi are now telling us that 100,000 plus deaths due to Trump’s negligence is acceptable.

Jimmy Carter is 92. The former President still active. His way of life the past several years helping to build homes for Habitat for Humanity. Wife Rosalyn working by his side.

Last week, Carter was working in constructing a new home in Edmonton, Canada. He passed out. Dehydrated. Rushed to a hospital where he spent a few days. All is well now.

Carter has been out of office more than 30 years. Still active in helping others.

As I mentioned in yesterday’s blog, he is America’s best post-President.

Keep going, President Carter!

Came across a Tumblr comment this morning that must be one of the circumstances to be considered in arriving at a determination as to whether reopen schools: “A parent knowingly dropped off their Covid positive child at day care because they had to work.”

Someone responded: “If you all don’t think this will be the case when schools open, you’re smoking crack rock.”

The Keys and Monroe County Commission should stop screwing around! Put the barricades back up at the entrance to U.S. 1 to the Florida Keys.

We don’t want Miami-Dade and Broward Counties’ Covid-19 bug out of control here!

An interesting comment in this morning’s Key West Citizen Citizens’ Voice: “Temporary inconveniences placed on personal freedoms to save lives and eradicate a disease is temporary at best. Death, on the other hand, is eternal.”

Could not have been said better!

Enjoy your day!

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