Food of the dogs.docVIP

Petsko Genome Biology 2011,12:122 /2011/12/7/122 COMMENT Food of the dogs Gregory A Petsko* Once again, while Greg is slacking o? on vacation, his two dogs, Mink and Cli?ord, nobly pitch in to keep his column going. For those of you who have not met them previously (they are semi-regulars to these pages), Mink is a brave, loyal, intelligent chocolate Labrador retriever whose duties include guarding the house and watching over the family by testing all food to make sure it’s safe to eat. Cli?ord, a small mixed poodle/spaniel, seems primarily to have the job of chasing tennis balls. As usual, their column takes the form of an imaginary dialog, much like those invented by Plato between Socrates and Glaucon. Of course, it’s also possible that Plato borrowed Mink: No. Let me explain. Another name for Paleofood is the Paleolithic diet; it’s sometimes called the Stone Age diet or the Caveman diet. Cli?ord: Like the Atkins diet that Greg tried once? [1] I see. You mean there are other kinds? Mink: Oh, there are a great many. Humans are con- stantly experimenting with their diet. About 12 million people in the United States are vegetarian, which means that they don’t eat meat. Cli?ord: Don’t eat meat! ARE THEY CRAZY? Mink: I know. Amazing, isn’t it? But there are also sub- groups: ovo vegetarians, who include eggs in their diet the literary device from Mink and Cli?ord. Classical but not dairy products, and lacto vegetarians, who scholars are still debating this point. include dairy products but not eggs. Editor Cli?ord: ey should make up their minds. ey sound like your friend Dickens. Mink (reading aloud): “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.” Mink: I’m sorry I brought him up. You know, there are several other types of vegetarians too, but you get the idea. en there are the vegans. Cli?ord: Well, which was it? Mink (ignoring him