Archive for the ‘animals’ category

Sticky Business…

September 29, 2009

cat duct taped— Now this is just plain wrong!   A cat dubbed “Sticky” was wrapped in duct tape head to tail and dumped in a paper bag in a neighbor’s yard for 12 hours.  The 19-year-old Philadelphia man who did this was described as having, “a lot of issues.”  He faces animal cruelty charges, a fine, and jail time.

Other that being dehydrated, Sticky the cat survived his ordeal.  He was sedated to have the duct tape removed.

‘Scuse  me now, but I’ve got a human to wrap in duct tape…for if there are no human laws to fit the crime, there is always a higher law which can (holds up a large roll of gray duct tape, laughs darkly, and exits…)

Spider Pope!

September 28, 2009

Spider PopeIs it an omen?– – A large arachnid appeared on Pope Benedict XVI’s white robes as he addressed politicians and diplomats in Prague on Saturday afternoon (see speck on shoulder)!  The Pope didn’t seem to notice at first, but the not so itsy-bitsy spider made journalists flinch as the arachnid inched towards Benedict’s neck!

The spider disappeared from view for a moment, but then could be seen crawling up the right side of the pontiff’s face- –eww! When it reached his ear, Benedict gave it a swat…but the persistent arachnid reappeared on the Pope’s left shoulder and then scampered down his robe.  As the Pope left Prague Castle’s Spanish Hall, the spider could be seen hanging from a piece of web!

– -Well, that spider’s now darned to heck…but will the Pope  gain amazing arachnoid powers?- –That would be so cool!!!- -And what a recruitment tool for the church!- –I’d warm a pew for that!- -I can see a Marvel Comics cover now!

<sings> Spider-Pope!- -Spider-Pope!- -He does everything a Spider-Pope does!

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(Disclaimer:  No disrespect intended to the Pope or Catholicism, yada yada…remember, “Comedy is not pretty.” – – Steve Martin) 😉

Crocodile Mafia Enforcer!

September 27, 2009

caiman– -A crocodile could be the ultimate Mafia enforcer, a hit-reptile, if you will.- -Well, one Mafia crime boss appears to have employed such cold-blooded muscle in his operation!

Officers in Italy’s anti-Mafia police unit say that they have seized a crocodile (specifically, a caiman) from the home of an alleged mob boss in Naples!  The owner used the 88-pound, 5.6 foot long reptile to intimidate extortion victims, local businessmen from whom he demanded protection money.  In what sounds like bad TV writing, the boss supposedly would invite the extortion victims to his home and threaten to set the animal on them if they didn’t pay or grant him favors...in other words, he made them an offer they couldn’t refuse!

Now caimans normally live in Central and South America, and it is not known how this one got to Italy…rather than pasta, the croc was fed a diet of live rabbits and mice.  He was placed in the care of Italy’s forestry service, and will probably wind up writing a book in a witness protection program…

Mobile Dog Fighting…

September 26, 2009

dog fighting– -This picture is a mild example of dog fighting; most are bloody and sickening.–How are dog fighters adapting to increasing law enforcement against their despicable activities?–By going mobile, in a practice called “trunking”…

in “trunking,” large cars with spacious trunks are used to stage dog fights while loud music is played to muffle the sounds of the brutality.  The vehicle may actually be kept moving while the fighting transpires, then stop.  Whichever dog is still alive at that point is the winner, with the dead loser simply tossed to the side of the road.   As the entire operation is mobile, it’s difficult for law enforcement to target it and close in.

Animal control officers in Paterson, New Jersey are stepping up enforcement and warning the public about the practice, with arrests having occurred in other states.  The Humane Society is offering a $5,000 reward for information on anyone participating in trunking…

Large Squid Found in Gulf of Mexico

September 24, 2009

ADDITION Giant Squid– – A 19-1/2 foot, 103 pound squid was netted by accident in the Gulf of Mexico off the coast of Louisiana in late July, with the photos just released.  Researchers were trawling 1,500 feet below the gulf’s surface to study dietary habits of sperm whales when the squid was brought to the surface, not surviving the rapid ascent through the changing depths.

The squid was described as being the size of an SUV, and is rare with the species not having been spotted in the Gulf of Mexico since 1954.   The preserved squid won’t wind up as calamari, but will be sent to the Smithsonian…

The Chicken Empathy Museum!

September 15, 2009

chicken– –PETA was talking about taking over a former prison in Virginia and turning it into a Chicken Empathy Museum. – – I swear that I am not making this up!  Visitors to the museum would be served faux chicken drumsticks and other vegetarian items, and among other things, could wear weighted backpacks to simulate how chickens feel when their upper body growth is unnaturally stimulated.

Presumably, Colonel Sanders and the Burger King would not be welcome at the Chicken Empathy Museum unless featured in a rogue’s gallery…Foghorn Leghorn’s day may have come!- –Be-bawk!

Jack Nicholson’s “Wolf”

September 14, 2009

wolf-“Inside every man there are two people–one good, one beast.”

Did ‘Ya Catch This One Department: Jack Nicholson has done horror flicks, including Little Shop of Horrors and The Shining (– -Here’s Johnny!). Nicholson is such an awesome actor that even his stranger and less memorable performances are worth watching, and Wolf is no exception.  In the vintage 1994 flick, Nicholson plays a publishing executive whose life begins to change after he’s bitten by a wolf.  First his mood changes, then his sense of hearing and smell go into overdrive; then there’s the problem of Nicholson’s character leaping around in the neighborhood at night killing deer and other animals with his teeth (…don’t you hate it when that happens?).

While we’ve seen better special effects and aspects of the performances seem curiously detached, the psychological aspects of Nicholson’s transformation make this movie a kick, with his character finding himself more energized and more competitive than ever, plus possessed of amazingly heightened senses; ” ’tis a consummation devoutly to be wished.” While rejected by Nicholson’s usual fans for its horror content as well as by some horror fans, Wolf is thoughtful horror that has more brains than blood…this Wolf, while flawed,  is no dog!

Monster Freshwater Fish!

September 11, 2009

catfish

— “Just when you thought that it was safe to swim in freshwater lakes and rivers..”

So warns another MonsterQuest episode, but I, for one, do not live in fear of monster catfish…they just don’t have, for me, the shock and awe factor.  It’s not that really big catfish don’t exist…a nine-footer was found, for example, in the Mekong Delta.  Catfish which can supposedly swallow small children whole are also said to exist in the Amazon River, where natives claim to routinely catch 50 pound catfish, with others said to be much bigger, say to around 600 pounds…that ought to feed a lot of people at Cracker Barrel or other places where catfish are served!

The episode also introduced us to “fish noodlers,” who catch catfish with their bare hands; you grab ’em by the lower lip, and it’s said to be like grabbing a wet noodle!  Remind me never to apply for such work…

Other big fish exist, like pikes, one of which is thought to have attacked a man in a lake in Minnesota.  Lake trout continue to grow throughout their life , and one of these was thought to have been as large as a 14-foot boat in a 1987 Arctic circle encounter.    Then there are alligator gar, which can weigh in at over 350 pounds.  An early 1900’s story exists of one of these slaying an alligator, and a 7-1/2 foot specimen was caught in 1910,

While no monster freshwater fish were caught by MonsterQuest on video, they are thought to be out there, but hard to find…haven’t we heard that somewhere before?

New Species in New Guinea

September 7, 2009

extinct vulcano— It’s getting increasingly hard to find anywhere in the world where the foot of man has not trod, and erected a Starbucks…but even in today’s world, explorers are still able to find a few undiscovered places and new species along with it!

One such place is Papua, New Guinea where scientists in a remote mountainous region (pictured) have discovered more than 50 new animal species that include spiders, tree frogs, and a striped gecko that appear to have never been described in scientific literature before.  One of the spiders is shiny and pale green, and there’s a bug-eyed bright green tree frog.  Frogs are often regarded as a great bioindicator of environmental health, with declines in frogs pointing to an affected or changing environment.

My favorite discovery, however, was described as being a giant but friendly vegetarian rat, who may turn out to be the largest in the world.   A tree-dwelling marsupial was found that looks like a bear, and also discovered  was a frog with fangs (should be perfect for the upcoming Halloween)!    kanga_new_guinea

Cougars in Seattle!

September 5, 2009

mercury cougar— No, not the Mercury Cougar…we’re talkin’ cougars as in mountain lions, pumas, panthers, and catamounts.  The big cats more commonly attack pets and livestock than people, but a 5-year-old boy was mauled in the Northeast corner of Washington state last Wednesday, and in the past year other attacks have been reported in a few Western states, including Washington and Wyoming. In June of 2008, a cougar killed a 55-year-old man in New Mexico.

Associated Press reports that Seattle’s largest park, Discovery Park, is currently off limits as state wildlife agents try to trap a cougar in or near Discovery Park.  The last time that a cougar was seen in Discovery Park was 1981.  It was dubbed “D.B. Cougar” after the elusive hijacker, D.B. Cooper!

This past Friday morning, a man in that area said that he saw a cougar (no, not the Mercury!) in his driveway as he went to pick up his newspaper. So we’ve got foxes in Detroit, leopards in upstate New York, and cougars in Seattle…It’s a start, right?cougar