Re: Weak Vampires?

In article <Xns9A6577EAE4BFgenewardsmithsbcglob@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>,
Gene Ward Smith  <gene@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote:
>
>The point is, until relatively recent times the prey population could not

>sup****t a breeding population of predators. And even today, it would get 
>noticed.

	Hmmm. 

	Problem: Prey is rare.

	Solution: make vampires much smaller than their prey (Although
not as small as mosquiotoes). Half as tall could mean one eighth the
mass.


	New problem: humans can slap pygmy vampires around like they
were kids, because pvs are about the size of children.

	Solutions:

	1: The smilodon solution. Sabre teeth let cats take down surprisingly
large prey, which is why it keeps re-evolving (But being dependent on
large
prey, by definition more prone to population collapses than small, is why
sabre toothed cats keep dying out).

	2: The Chimpanzee solution. Human muscle arrangement does not get
the full use of their potential. A man-sized chimp is much stranger than
a man. A small hominid could be much stronger than a similar sized human. 

	3: The Cuckoo solution. Humans are protective of childen. Look
as much like a kid as possible. In fact, look more like a kid than kids
do, to exploit supernormal responses. Use the befuddled adults who think
the pygmy vampries are their kids to protect them as they chow down on
the local tribe.


	1 and 3 may be difficult to make work together.   


[Puts aside for use on Trillion Human Earth]
-- 
http://www.livejournal.com/users/james_nicoll
http://www.cafepress.com/jdnicoll
(For all your "The problem with
defending the English language [...]" T-****rt, cup and tote-bag needs)