HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: Marc.Ringuette@GS80.SP.CS.CMU.EDU
Newsgroups: rec.games.backgammon
Subject: O to play 1-1
Date: 5 Jan 93 03:28:00 GMT
Article-I.D.: cs.C0D3oC.KD4.1
Organization: School of Computer Science, Carnegie Mellon
Originator: mnr@GS80.SP.CS.CMU.EDU

24 23 22 21 20 19 | | 18 17 16 15 14 13
 O  O  O  O  O    | |
 O  O  O  O  O    | |
 O           O    | |
             O    | |
                  | |
                  |X|
 X  X             | |
 X  X             | |
 X  X  X  X  X    | |                       +-+
 X  X  X  X  X    | |                       |2|
 1  2  3  4  5  6 | |  7  8  9 10 11 12     +-+

Money game:  O to play 1-1

O (a good player) played 24/off 24/off 24/off 20/21, which I think
is a horrible play.  He couldn't be right, could he?


-- Marc Ringuette (mnr@cs.cmu.edu)
From: king@reasoning.com (Dick King)
Newsgroups: rec.games.backgammon
Subject: Re: O to play 1-1
Date: 5 Jan 93 20:21:08 GMT
Organization: Reasoning Systems, Inc., Palo Alto, CA

In article <C0D3oC.KD4.1@cs.cmu.edu> Marc.Ringuette@GS80.SP.CS.CMU.EDU writes:
>24 23 22 21 20 19 | | 18 17 16 15 14 13
> O  O  O  O  O    | |
> O  O  O  O  O    | |
> O           O    | |
>             O    | |
>                  | |
>                  |X|
> X  X             | |
> X  X             | |
> X  X  X  X  X    | |                       +-+
> X  X  X  X  X    | |                       |2|
> 1  2  3  4  5  6 | |  7  8  9 10 11 12     +-+
>
>Money game:  O to play 1-1
>
>O (a good player) played 24/off 24/off 24/off 20/21, which I think
>is a horrible play.  He couldn't be right, could he?
>
>
>-- Marc Ringuette (mnr@cs.cmu.edu)


I think he's right.

What risk is he taking?  

  1: X dances or lands on the 1 point and stays there.

  2: O rolls 5-6 3-5 3-6 and blots, taking off 2.

  3: O gets nuked

  4: X wins, despite having no 6 or 5 point and an opponent with only 8
     checkers on the board.


or other smaller risks involving later hits.  So making this play costs perhaps
1/36 of a point from this parley and perhaps another 1/36 or 1/72 from getting
hit later when he has even more men off.


What does he get in return?  A mild increase in the gammon chances; he should
be off in 5 rolls [budgeting one double and two misses via aces] wheras he
would have needed 6 rolls playing safe.  If X dances once it's really close;
figure he increases his gammon chances by this table:

  1: X dances.  8/18.  Gammon chances improve perhaps 1/4 as compared with the
     safe play.  Loss chances are perhaps 1/6[blot]*1/3[hit]*1/8[lose] = 1/144

  2: X comes in and stays on the 1.  1-1 1-2 1-3 1-4.  4/18.  Gammon chances
     are a bit less than they would have been with the safe play [which would
     have made X dance] and loss chances are again 1/144.  This is the worst
     case 

  3: X passes by.  Gammon chances improve somewhat [it's a hard gammon even
     with the agressive play].  No risk.

I think O made a fine play.

-dk
From: STOWE@INDYCMS.IUPUI.EDU (Holly Stowe)
Newsgroups: rec.games.backgammon
Subject: Money game:  O to play 6-2
Date: 4 Jan 93 18:19:27 GMT
Reply-To: "Backgammon strategy" <BKGAMMON@indycms.iupui.edu>

24 23 22 21 20 19 | | 18 17 16 15 14 13     +-+ +-+
          X  X  X | |     X     O     O     |2| |2|
          X  X  X | |     X           O     +-+ +-+
                X | |     X
                  | |
                  | |
                  | |
                O | |
 X              O | |     O
 X        O     O | |     O        O
 X     X  O  X  O | |     O        O  O
 1  2  3  4  5  6 | |  7  8  9 10 11 12

Money game:  O to play 6-2
Newsgroups: rec.games.backgammon
From: mdb@netcom.com (Mark Bisgeier)
Subject: Re: O to play 1-1
Organization: Netcom - Online Communication Services  (408 241-9760 guest) 
Date: Thu, 7 Jan 1993 22:47:21 GMT

tesauro@watson.ibm.com (Gerald Tesauro (8-863-7682)) writes:

>24 23 22 21 20 19 | | 18 17 16 15 14 13     +-+
> X  X  O  O  O  O | |  O  O  O              |2|
> X     O  O  O  O | |  O  O                 +-+
> X           O    | |
> X                | |
>                  | |
>                  | |
>                  | |
>       X  X       | |
> X     X  X  X    | |
> X  O  X  X  X    | |
> 1  2  3  4  5  6 | |  7  8  9 10 11 12

>Money game:  X to play 3-1

>X played 5/2* 24/23 !?  Any comments?


Classic back-game tactic: secure 1/3 or 1/2 (i.e., 24/22 or 24/23) points
and delay, delay, delay.... an additional minor factor is that X has the
cube, gives him some (admittedly unlikely) power... worst outcome for X is
if 0 misses him from the bar... then X is still way too advanced.

-- 

Mark Bisgeier              mdb@netcom.com

        ...Let your mind wander... 
Newsgroups: rec.games.backgammon
From: pbf@heinlein.NoSubdomain.NoDomain (Phil Franklin)
Subject: Re: O to play 1-1
Organization: Bellcore
Date: Thu, 7 Jan 93 13:15:41 GMT

In article <C0GG9n.B90.1@cs.cmu.edu>, tesauro@watson.ibm.com (Gerald Tesauro (8-863-7682)) writes:
|> Also from the same session, here's an even more
|> spectacular play by the same player:
|> 
|> 24 23 22 21 20 19 | | 18 17 16 15 14 13     +-+
|>  X  X  O  O  O  O | |  O  O  O              |2|
|>  X     O  O  O  O | |  O  O                 +-+
|>  X           O    | |
|>  X                | |
|>                   | |
|>                   | |
|>                   | |
|>        X  X       | |
|>  X     X  X  X    | |
|>  X  O  X  X  X    | |
|>  1  2  3  4  5  6 | |  7  8  9 10 11 12
|> 
|> Money game:  X to play 3-1
|> 
|> X played 5/2* 24/23 !?  Any comments?

I would never have looked at this play, but it makes sense.  O is
playing for a gammon, and having extra checkers back certainly doesn't
hurt X at this point.  On the other hand, stacking on the 1-point
doesn't help.  X is unlikely to get off the gammon unless O is hit in
the bear-off and re-hit again and again while X brings the back
checkers home.  

5/2* is likely to recirculate a checker which would otherwise be put
out of play.  If X is lucky, he might even be stuck on the bar for a
few rolls.

- Phil
From: Marc.Ringuette@GS80.SP.CS.CMU.EDU
Newsgroups: rec.games.backgammon
Subject: Re: O to play 1-1
Date: 8 Jan 93 06:22:00 GMT
Article-I.D.: cs.C0IwKJ.5rD.1
Organization: School of Computer Science, Carnegie Mellon
Originator: mnr@GS80.SP.CS.CMU.EDU

>24 23 22 21 20 19 | | 18 17 16 15 14 13     +-+
> X  X  O  O  O  O | |  O  O  O              |2|
> X     O  O  O  O | |  O  O                 +-+
> X           O    | |
> X                | |
>                  | |
>                  | |
>                  | |
>       X  X       | |
> X     X  X  X    | |
> X  O  X  X  X    | |
> 1  2  3  4  5  6 | |  7  8  9 10 11 12
>
>Money game:  X to play 3-1
>X played 5/2* 24/23 !?  Any comments?

Dick King and Mark Bisgeier like the play, trying to salvage a back game.

Who are you guys kidding?  This isn't a back game, it's a disaster.  It's
much better not to put any more checkers back, and try to save the gammon.
Play 24-23, 4-1.

A related case is Position 191 from Advanced Backgammon, volume 1,
by Bill Robertie.

24 23 22 21 20 19 | | 18 17 16 15 14 13
 X  X     O  O  O | |  O  O  O     O
 X  X     O  O  O | |  O  O
 X                | |
                  | |
                  | |
                  | |
                X | |
             X  X | |
    X        X  X | |                 O     +-+
    X  X  O  X  X | |                 O     |2|
 1  2  3  4  5  6 | |  7  8  9 10 11 12     +-+

X to play 4-1
X played 5/4* 5/1

   "This play looks clever but in fact it hardly ever works.  The usual result
is that Black gets a couple of extra men hit, his men reenter, his board
collapses anyway, and his chances of being gammoned increase because he now
has 7 men back instead of 5."
   "Black has to understand that his timing is gone and he can't restore it.
His only rational goal is to minimize his chances of being gammoned in a very
bad position.  His best play is the simple 24/23 6/2."   --Bill Robertie


-- Marc Ringuette (mnr@cs.cmu.edu)
Newsgroups: rec.games.backgammon
From: seguinr@JSP.UMontreal.CA (Seguin Rene)
Subject: Backgammon rating system needed...
Organization: Universite de Montreal
Date: Mon, 11 Jan 1993 20:27:08 GMT

 
Hello world,
     I would like to have some information to make a backgammon
rating system to use in tournaments. I need a formula that will 
take care of the results of the matchs in a similar way than 
the chess games are rated. But I don't think Elo's formula will 
do the trick... I think it has to be softened in some way. 
What are the rating systems currently used? Any idea?
 
Thank you for any help!
 
Rene Seguin             
seguinr@jsp.umontreal.ca
Montreal, Quebec, Canada
 

Newsgroups: rec.games.backgammon
From: Marc.Ringuette@GS80.SP.CS.CMU.EDU
Subject: Pittsburgh tournament 2/19/93
Originator: mnr@GS80.SP.CS.CMU.EDU
Organization: School of Computer Science, Carnegie Mellon
Date: Wed, 6 Jan 1993 09:25:00 GMT

The 15th annual Pittsburgh Charity Backgammon Tournament will take
place from Friday, February 19, 5pm, through Sunday, February 21, 7pm,
at the Pittsburgh Greentree Mariott.  This is a major tournament with a
lot of well known players attending.

The format is a new and interesting one:  the championship and
intermediate divisions have a reduced entry fee plus a side pool.
This way, the people who are "on the edge" between divisions can
fine tune how much they want to play for.

Main events:
    Championship:  $150 + optional $100 side pool
    Intermediate:   $70 + optional  $50 side pool
    Beginner:       $30

Other events:
    Doubles (Friday 7:30pm)        $120
    Masters Jackpot (Friday 7pm)   $300
    Amateur Jackpot (Friday 7pm)   $100  
       (Amateur is defined as never having been in the money in the 
        open division of a weekend tournament)
    Micro Blitz ($25), Fast Break ($5) - Continuous!

After 2/11/93, add $10 to the Intermediate and Championship entry fee.

To enter, call Steve Hast 412-823-7500 or Abbas Zaltash 412-935-9445,
or send a note plus a $25 deposit to
    Steve Hast
    3560 Ridgewood Dr.
    Pittsburgh PA 15235

If you need more info, send me mail and I'll have Steve send you a
tournament brochure.


-- Marc Ringuette (mnr@cs.cmu.edu)
From: king@reasoning.com (Dick King)
Newsgroups: rec.games.backgammon
Subject: Re: O to play 1-1
Date: 7 Jan 93 18:38:17 GMT
Organization: Reasoning Systems, Inc., Palo Alto, CA

In article <C0GG9n.B90.1@cs.cmu.edu> tesauro@watson.ibm.com (Gerald Tesauro (8-863-7682)) writes:
>Also from the same session, here's an even more
>spectacular play by the same player:
>
>24 23 22 21 20 19 | | 18 17 16 15 14 13     +-+
> X  X  O  O  O  O | |  O  O  O              |2|
> X     O  O  O  O | |  O  O                 +-+
> X           O    | |
> X                | |
>                  | |
>                  | |
>                  | |
>       X  X       | |
> X     X  X  X    | |
> X  O  X  X  X    | |
> 1  2  3  4  5  6 | |  7  8  9 10 11 12
>
>Money game:  X to play 3-1
>
>X played 5/2* 24/23 !?  Any comments?
>

He needs to make the 23 point for two reasons:

  - the back game is a slim but finite reed

  - if he's gonna get off the gammon he needs the 23 point as his launch pad --
    five checkers on the 24 point is gammon-bait.

He is greatly overtimed [too fast] for a back game; he hopes to do some serious
R&R on the bar.

I agree with the move.

-dk
From: latto@hal.gnu.ai.mit.edu (Andrew Latto)
Newsgroups: rec.games.backgammon
Subject: Re: Backgammon rating system needed...
Date: 12 Jan 93 17:53:12 GMT
Organization: /etc/organization
NNTP-Posting-Host: hal.gnu.ai.mit.edu

In article <1993Jan11.202708.27119@cc.umontreal.ca> seguinr@JSP.UMontreal.CA (Seguin Rene) writes:
> 
>Hello world,
>     I would like to have some information to make a backgammon
>rating system to use in tournaments. I need a formula that will 
>take care of the results of the matchs in a similar way than 
>the chess games are rated. But I don't think Elo's formula will 
>do the trick... I think it has to be softened in some way. 
>What are the rating systems currently used? Any idea?
> 
>Thank you for any help!
> 
>Rene Seguin             
>seguinr@jsp.umontreal.ca
>Montreal, Quebec, Canada
> 
>


There already is a backgammon rating system. It's
run by Kent Goulding, and he rates all the major tournaments,
and will rate more if people send him the results.
The system is basically the same as the Chess rating
system, without the bcomplication of privisional ratings,
and with some modifications to account for differing
match lengths (A long match should have more influence
on the ratings, and it's more likely that the better
player will win a long match)

For more information, contact

Kent A. Goulding
9201 Marseille Drive
Potomac, MD 20854

If you send him $10, he'll send you a copy
of the current ratings list.

				Andy Latto
				andy@chestnut.com

PS Are any other rec.games.backgammon people
going to the Nevada State Championship in Las
Vegas next week?
Newsgroups: rec.games.backgammon
From: mdb@netcom.com (Mark Bisgeier)
Subject: Re: O to play 1-1
Organization: Netcom - Online Communication Services  (408 241-9760 guest) 
Date: Fri, 8 Jan 1993 08:10:22 GMT

Marc.Ringuette@GS80.SP.CS.CMU.EDU writes:

>>24 23 22 21 20 19 | | 18 17 16 15 14 13     +-+
>> X  X  O  O  O  O | |  O  O  O              |2|
>> X     O  O  O  O | |  O  O                 +-+
>> X           O    | |
>> X                | |
>>                  | |
>>                  | |
>>                  | |
>>       X  X       | |
>> X     X  X  X    | |
>> X  O  X  X  X    | |
>> 1  2  3  4  5  6 | |  7  8  9 10 11 12
>>
>>Money game:  X to play 3-1
>>X played 5/2* 24/23 !?  Any comments?

>Dick King and Mark Bisgeier like the play, trying to salvage a back game.

>Who are you guys kidding?  This isn't a back game, it's a disaster.  It's
>much better not to put any more checkers back, and try to save the gammon.
>Play 24-23, 4-1.

>A related case is Position 191 from Advanced Backgammon, volume 1,
>by Bill Robertie.

>24 23 22 21 20 19 | | 18 17 16 15 14 13
> X  X     O  O  O | |  O  O  O     O
> X  X     O  O  O | |  O  O
> X                | |
>                  | |
>                  | |
>                  | |
>                X | |
>             X  X | |
>    X        X  X | |                 O     +-+
>    X  X  O  X  X | |                 O     |2|
> 1  2  3  4  5  6 | |  7  8  9 10 11 12     +-+

>X to play 4-1
>X played 5/4* 5/1

>   "This play looks clever but in fact it hardly ever works.  The usual result
>is that Black gets a couple of extra men hit, his men reenter, his board
>collapses anyway, and his chances of being gammoned increase because he now
>has 7 men back instead of 5."
>   "Black has to understand that his timing is gone and he can't restore it.
>His only rational goal is to minimize his chances of being gammoned in a very
>bad position.  His best play is the simple 24/23 6/2."   --Bill Robertie


>-- Marc Ringuette (mnr@cs.cmu.edu)
 
Notice, though, that in the Robertie example 0 has the outside prime
building, making it much tougher for X to get out and therefore more likely
that his board will collapse in any event... in our example it's not quite
so tough for X, possibly giving him more time to wait until 0
collapses/blots... plus, with one or two more men back, X can hit and still
keep both 0's 1 and 2 points...  but maybe you're right anyway :) ...

-- 

Mark Bisgeier              mdb@netcom.com

        ...Let your mind wander...
From: tesauro@watson.ibm.com (Gerald Tesauro (8-863-7682))
Newsgroups: rec.games.backgammon
Subject: Re: O to play 1-1
Date: 6 Jan 93 22:33:57 GMT
Article-I.D.: cs.C0GG9n.B90.1
Organization: IBM T.J. Watson Research Center
Originator: mnr@GS80.SP.CS.CMU.EDU

Also from the same session, here's an even more
spectacular play by the same player:

24 23 22 21 20 19 | | 18 17 16 15 14 13     +-+
 X  X  O  O  O  O | |  O  O  O              |2|
 X     O  O  O  O | |  O  O                 +-+
 X           O    | |
 X                | |
                  | |
                  | |
                  | |
       X  X       | |
 X     X  X  X    | |
 X  O  X  X  X    | |
 1  2  3  4  5  6 | |  7  8  9 10 11 12

Money game:  X to play 3-1

X played 5/2* 24/23 !?  Any comments?


-- Gerry Tesauro (tesauro@watson.ibm.com)
From: hostetlr@bucknell.edu (Jim Hostetler)
Newsgroups: rec.games.trivia
Subject: Strongest Bone
Followup-To: rec.games.trivia
Date: 6 Jan 1993 19:28:43 GMT
Organization: Bucknell University
Distribution: world
NNTP-Posting-Host: macl52.bucknell.edu

I once read that the jaw bone is the strongest bone in the human body. Can
anybody confirm ,controvert or footnote this piece of trivia?

While you're thinking, name 12 parts of the body that only have 3 letters
e.g. jaw.

Jim Hostetler 
HOSTETLR@bucknell.edu
Newsgroups: rec.games.trivia
From: mcsweinberg@memstvx1.memst.edu (*R*A*I*)
Newsgroups: rec.games.trivia
Subject: Occupations Quiz
Date: 8 Jan 93 09:04:24 -0600
Organization: Memphis State University

In the spirit of Vehicles, PLace, and Names I present

		      --Occupation Quiz-- 

-Do NOT Post Answers
-No particular order
-Answers Posted Jan 18, 1993
-Top scores posted
*****All entries are scored and returned.*****

1. In "Regarding Henry" what was Henry's occupation?

2. In "From The Hip" what was Dr. Benoit? (answer as complete as possible)

3. In "Star Wars" what did Luke's Uncle do?

4. In "Freejack" what was Emilio Estevez's character before he died.

5. In "Raiders of the Lost Arc" what did Marianne (sp?) working as when Indy
finds her.

6. In the beginning of "Star Trek VI" what does Kirk say Spocks father is?

7. In "How to Suceed in Business W/O really Trying" what was Ponty's (Robert
Morse) occupation.

8. In "Doc Hollywood" what type of medicine was Ben Stone (Michael J. Fox)
going to pratice in Ca?

9. In "Frantic" what was Harrison Ford's character?

10. What was Mr. Brady on the Brady Bunch?

11. In "Housesitter" what was Steve Martin's character?

12. In "Pretty Woman" Stucky was Richard Gere's what?

13. In "Protocol" what was "Sunny's" (Goldie Hawns) job before working with the
government.

14. In "Three Men and a Baby" what did Steve Guttenberg's character do?
 
A Classic:
15. In the "Ghost ans Mrs. Muir" what was the "Ghost" when he was alive?


Have Fun!
Rai.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
"...But if you insist babe the challenge               R A I
delights me the more you resist babe the           Raina Weinberg
more it excites me and no one I've kissed      Memphis State University
baby, ever fights me again...I'm going to         Memphis, TN USA
love you like nothing you've known...."
_Madonna_ from _Dick Tracy_                MCSWEINBERG@MSUVX1.MEMST.EDU
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: de@moscom.com (David Esan)
Newsgroups: rec.games.trivia
Subject: Re: *FOUR*
Date: 4 Jan 93 13:36:00 GMT
Distribution: rec.games.trivia
Organization: Moscom Corporation, Pittsford NY

In article <103582@netnews.upenn.edu> satish@a.chem.upenn.edu (Satish Nair) writes:
>How about Robert Reed (Brady Bunch, Runaways, The Defenders, Brady Brides)?

He also had a weekly role in Mannix as a police lieutenant.  This was during 
the run of the Brady Bunch.
-- 
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 -->     David Esan      de@moscom.com  
 
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Newsgroups: rec.games.trivia
From: jil@donuts0.bellcore.com (Jamie Lubin)
Subject: Golden Oldies Lyrics Quiz #37 (GOLQ37) Correction to song #18
Reply-To: jil@donuts0.bellcore.com (Jamie Lubin)
Organization: Bellcore, Piscataway, NJ
Date: Thu, 7 Jan 93 14:37:04 GMT
Followup-To: jil@donuts0.bellcore.com

Correction to lyrics for song #18 on GOLQ37.

Old (incorrect) lyrics (for song already used):

People come to windows
They always stare at me
Shake their heads in sorrow
Sayin', "who can that fool be?"
#18)



Should be replaced by these lyrics:

With one burning thought
Will your arms open wide?
At last, we're face to face
And as we kiss through an embrace
#18)



Anyone desiring the quiz again, in its entirety, contact me at

jil@donuts0.bellcore.com

Jamie
Xref: sparky rec.games.trivia:3776 rec.games.board:13035
From: zebr360@emx.cc.utexas.edu (Jerry Heyman)
Newsgroups: rec.games.trivia,rec.games.board
Subject: Trival Pursuit Announcement (Repost)
Date: 7 Jan 93 14:56:22 GMT
Followup-To: rec.games.trivia
Distribution: usa
Organization: The University of Texas at Austin; Austin, Texas

This is an announcement posted for a friend without Internet access.
Please send responses to the US Mail address below.

                       Trivial Pursuit (R)
                      All-American Edition
                      Question Solicitation


     Here's your chance to become a part of trivia history.   For
the  last  10  years  you've  played "Trivial Pursuit" - the game
responsible for creating the adult  board  game  category.   Now,
Parker  Brothers challenges YOU to help create the newest version
of the game -

        The 1993 All-American Edition of Trivial Pursuit

Send in your favorite trivia question  and  answer,  and  reserve
your  place  in game board history.  Questions must relate to the
USA and all entries must be received by  JANUARY  15,  1993.   If
your  question  and  answer are selected, YOU will be notified by
MAY 31, 1993.  Send your entries to:

                         Trivial Pursuit
                       855 Boylston Street
                            7th Floor
                        Boston, MA  02116

Newsgroups: rec.games.trivia
From: m22257@mitre.org (Jeff Correia)
Subject: Re: Strongest Bone
Organization: The MITRE Corporation
Date: Thu, 7 Jan 1993 21:38:03 GMT

In article <1993Jan6.223951.14077@leland.Stanford.EDU>,
trump@leland.Stanford.EDU (Michael Jason Lewis) writes:
> 
> I believe that the jaw bone is as strong as any other (I mean, bones is bones),
> but I think that the jaw muscles are the strongest in the body.
> 

According to the Trivial Pursuit cards, the toungue is the strongest
muscle.  I'm not a Dr. or a lawyer so flame me for heresay if you want...

I think as far as the strongest bone is concerned, "strongest" requires
some clarification...

Jeff


Newsgroups: rec.games.trivia
From: snyder@henry.ece.cmu.edu (John Snyder)
Subject: Re: Strongest Bone
Organization: Physics Department, Carnegie Mellon University
Date: Sat, 9 Jan 1993 00:57:24 GMT

In article <C0IvDK.38y@techbook.com> dant@techbook.com (Dan Tilque) writes:
>berninge@cs.purdue.edu (James Berninger) writes:
>>belville@athena.mit.edu (Sharon Belville) writes:
>>>>While you're thinking, name 12 parts of the body that only have 3 letters
>>>>e.g. jaw.
>>>
>>>arm, ear, eye, hip, jaw, leg, toe
>>
>>Add: lip
>
>Rib and gum
>
>>Try: gam, gut, lap, maw
>
>Gut maybe.  The others probably not.  If I stand up, where's my lap?
>Gam is slang and outdated slang at that.  Somehow, "maw" just doesn't
>seem to go with the rest.
>
>About the original question.  The teeth are the part of the body that
>last the longest.  Most fossils of mammals are teeth.  They aren't
>really bones of course.  However, I think the next most common fossils
>of hominids are jaws, usually with some teeth still in them.  so there
>might be something to the jaw being strong bone.  
>
>---
>Dan Tilque    --     dant@techbook.com


Not to be gross, but I would think which bones last the longest might be 
those that scavenging animals least like to eat.  Things like the long 
bones of the legs and the ribs, I believe, contain marrow that scavenging
animals might like to eat, so they crunch them up, hastening their 
breakdown.  A jaw, on the other hand, probably contains little marrow.

John
snyder@henry.ece.cmu.edu

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