On Wed, 6 Dec 2000 11:13:49 -0500, Todd Moody <[log in to unmask]>
wrote:

>> For chimps like for hunting/gathering humans i think it can be assumed
that
>> they have a lot of leisure time. After beeing fed adequately (on plants).
>> They can just fill their free time to aquire some "specialities" or
goodies.
>> At the same time competing in the sexual/mating game.

>You seem to be suggesting that obtaining animal food is a *hobby*
>for the chimps, and a way to impress prospective mates.  I think
>this is a stretch.  For one thing, chimps are very promiscuous;
>they copulate more or less at will, when females are in heat.
>This mating system is not very competitive.

The "mating game" is not a hobby, it's the way evolution works.
For chimps, which are promiscuous as you tell it works on which male has the
greater frequency or chance on the most promising female.
And that's why the testes are so big (as Jared Diamond reasons).

> ... Males *don't* have to compete with each other to
>get laid, so I doubt that they would spend that much time
>catching monkeys for that purpose.

Not to "get laid" at all, but i don't think any animal is indiscriminate
in it's choice. After all thats one way of selection of the evolution.
Beeing successful in a difficult task (hunting) is a good discriminator.

>In my view, you tend to base your protein intake on the minimum
>that you can get away with, which may be less than the amount
>that you would thrive upon.  My explanation for the 38% of time
>spent on getting 4% of the food is that the chimps, and humans,
>try to thrive if they can.

This may not be productive if it's after the protein (but reasonable if it's
after some secret factor or vitamin or protein quality).
Trying:...
4% per weight of a food of 20% protein yealds < 1% additional protein.
96% of 1% protein yealds about the same amount protein....
Conclusion: in a fruit based diet, adding 4% mead doubles the protein.

Makes sense with a fruit based diet (not on a nut, less on a tuber based
diet).

>Since you do eat some cheese, you do in fact add animal protein
>(and animal fat) to your diet.

true

>My guess is that you feel better
>doing so than you would feel on a completely vegan regimen.  If
>the cheese were not available, or only infrequently available, I
>think you would experience a greater desire to eat meat.

Cheese i consume very infrequently, and i seldom have desire for it
(i never have any desire for meat since many years).
But i regard, that desire for cheese diminished after i introduced more high
protein plants into my diet (sunflower, pumpkin seed, nuts).

I feel,that you are right in your assumption that a *vegetable* (or fruit)
only diet doesn't supply adequately protein for humans.

I could check how big my protein intake actually is now (i assume so around
RDA).

Regards,
Amadeus
(quickly munching some sunflower seeds before leaving.......)