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umm....how much wood could a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood? And, what is the rate of chucking for styrofoam? Plastics?

-- G E O (jacobse8@yahoo.com), June 22, 1999

Answers

woodchucks can indeed chuck wood as their name leads us (the somewhat uncouth vulcan community) to believe. the question would better be asked, "...if a woodchuck WOULD chuck wood?" instead of "...if a woodchuck COULD chuck wood?" i would feel confident in saying that any organism that is physically capable of chucking wood could and would chuck wood if so inclined. for example: it may be an odd sight to see mike klebba chucking wood one day, but if he really wanted to do it, i bet he could.

the rate of chucking brings up a new set of variables. in chucking wood, i would ask the following questions before i am able to reliably estimate a chucking rate: "how big is the piece of wood? what type of wood is it, or in the case of particle board or other laminates, what types of wood comprise the piece and in what ratio? what type of glue or adhesive has been used to bond the wood together? is the wood pressure treated? how old is the wood? i would ask similar questions for other materials.

there is also the matter of who is doing the chucking. how large or small is the animal? how is the animal motivated? how is the animal reacting to the chucking? is the animal displaying any abnormal psychologiocal characteristics which may indicate that the chucking is driving it insane? what is the blood alcohol level (BAC) of the animal, or is the animal otherwise under the influence of any mood altering, mind numbing, or hallucinogenic drugs?

chucking is not so simple.

-- Spock (spock@vulcan.gov), June 22, 1999.


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