6 ms·

My university CS department worked with a nearby hospital, and student projects were often related to medical imaging or modeling topics. For a few years, ther

My university CS department worked with a nearby hospital, and student projects were often related to medical imaging or modeling topics. For a few years, there was work related to the anus, which according to the staff was an under-studied topic for obvious reasons. I'm afraid I chickened out of choosing the "model the anal sphincter" project. In retrospect it sounded fun and interesting.

ervine 5y ago
"In hindsight it sounded fun and interesting."
- sodapopcan 5y ago
  "hindsight"
  - sodapopcan 5y ago
    Er, to clarify, I just meant like, "be-hindsight". Wasn't trying to be sarcastic, just following up on the joke by the parent commenter :)
sodapopcan 5y ago
The stuff about evolving the digestive tract to get more out of food is super interesting and never thought about it. The whole thing about human buttocks as well I recently learned about after getting a dog of my own (ya ya, covid puppy acquirer here). I was always weirded out by my childhood dog's butt and read up on it while I was researching dog ownership before I got my current little buddy. I figured I was going to have to wipe his butt to ease my slight-yet-ever-present faecal phobia. I then learned that dogs (and most mammals) actually prolapse pretty extremely when pooping, making it so that poop rarely touches their butts (at least on short haired dogs). As it turns out, my pup's butt is generally the least smelly part of him! Anyway, a bit of a ramble about a dog's butt that many probably already know, but(t) I found it fascinating.
- the_af 5y ago
  This doesn't make me want to own a dog, but it does answer some questions I had about its hygiene. Especially the hairier dogs, I know their butt is hairless but with all that nearby hair things cannot end well.
  - selectodude 5y ago
    Gotta keep it clean down there is all. Make sure the hair isn't too long.
  - sodapopcan 5y ago
    Yes, I very specifically chose a shorthaired (fur) dog and this was one of the reasons. He is going to shed a hell of a lot when he's older but it is one con out of many pros. But yes, with very hairy dogs, the poop will touch it--they do keep it clean themselves but still... I'm not trying to convince you to get a dog or anything, but I never wanted one and it completely changed my life in so many positive ways. I'm getting outside regularly, I've made new friends, I've developed acquaintanceships with several awesome people in my neighbour, I talk to strangers, and my weekends now have structure which has made me incredibly productive in my personal projects--I now view the downtime I have between walks and general caretaking of my pup as very precious and not to be wasted whereas before I could spend an entire Saturday in bed if I felt like it.
  - wombatpm 5y ago
    Poodle and Maltese owner here. Yes, long haired dogs have dingleberry issues. We often have to shave the but area between groomings. Baby wipes are useful when said dogs have loose stools.
    - sodapopcan 5y ago
      Maybe not a HN worthy comment here, but poodles are such amazing dogs. No offence if you have chosen to give yours the classic poodle haircut, but it's funny how said cut causes people to think of poodles as these fragile, precious, chichi dogs. They are so friendly, intelligent, hilarious--and I can only assume loveable--and a huge personality. Anyway, just another thing I learned after embarking into fulltime care of a canine. (ya, I said embarking... I know what I did)
deleted 5y ago
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ervine 5y ago

"In hindsight it sounded fun and interesting."

sodapopcan 5y ago
"hindsight"
- sodapopcan 5y ago
  Er, to clarify, I just meant like, "be-hindsight". Wasn't trying to be sarcastic, just following up on the joke by the parent commenter :)

sodapopcan 5y ago

The stuff about evolving the digestive tract to get more out of food is super interesting and never thought about it. The whole thing about human buttocks as well I recently learned about after getting a dog of my own (ya ya, covid puppy acquirer here). I was always weirded out by my childhood dog's butt and read up on it while I was researching dog ownership before I got my current little buddy. I figured I was going to have to wipe his butt to ease my slight-yet-ever-present faecal phobia. I then learned that dogs (and most mammals) actually prolapse pretty extremely when pooping, making it so that poop rarely touches their butts (at least on short haired dogs). As it turns out, my pup's butt is generally the least smelly part of him! Anyway, a bit of a ramble about a dog's butt that many probably already know, but(t) I found it fascinating.

the_af 5y ago
This doesn't make me want to own a dog, but it does answer some questions I had about its hygiene. Especially the hairier dogs, I know their butt is hairless but with all that nearby hair things cannot end well.
- selectodude 5y ago
  Gotta keep it clean down there is all. Make sure the hair isn't too long.
- sodapopcan 5y ago
  Yes, I very specifically chose a shorthaired (fur) dog and this was one of the reasons. He is going to shed a hell of a lot when he's older but it is one con out of many pros. But yes, with very hairy dogs, the poop will touch it--they do keep it clean themselves but still... I'm not trying to convince you to get a dog or anything, but I never wanted one and it completely changed my life in so many positive ways. I'm getting outside regularly, I've made new friends, I've developed acquaintanceships with several awesome people in my neighbour, I talk to strangers, and my weekends now have structure which has made me incredibly productive in my personal projects--I now view the downtime I have between walks and general caretaking of my pup as very precious and not to be wasted whereas before I could spend an entire Saturday in bed if I felt like it.
- wombatpm 5y ago
  Poodle and Maltese owner here. Yes, long haired dogs have dingleberry issues. We often have to shave the but area between groomings. Baby wipes are useful when said dogs have loose stools.
  - sodapopcan 5y ago
    Maybe not a HN worthy comment here, but poodles are such amazing dogs. No offence if you have chosen to give yours the classic poodle haircut, but it's funny how said cut causes people to think of poodles as these fragile, precious, chichi dogs. They are so friendly, intelligent, hilarious--and I can only assume loveable--and a huge personality. Anyway, just another thing I learned after embarking into fulltime care of a canine. (ya, I said embarking... I know what I did)

deleted 5y ago

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