Author: keres

 

Cheney was not licensed
From correspondents in Dallas, Texas
15feb06

US Vice-President Dick Cheney’s office sent a $US7 ($9.50[AUS]) cheque to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department after it emerged he was hunting illegally when he accidentally shot a fellow hunter.

Both Mr Cheney and the man he shot in the face, neck and chest, Texan lawyer Harry Whittington, 78, had been hunting quail without the $US7 game bird stamps on their licences.

The two men, who had valid hunting licences, were issued warning citations, but there will be no fine or other penalty.

Laws obviously only apply to the “little people.”

More, most of which you’ve already heard, at: http://www.themercury.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5936,18149420%255E401,00.html

Some of you seem to think that I spoil my animals.  

Where in the world could you have gotten that idea?
Actually, I just finished reading Bill Bryson’s A Short History of Nearly Everything.

In it, in a section about critters who evolved to use us as their livelihood, he quotes a study that showed that in the “average six year-old pillow” ten percent of the weight was made up of dead mites and mite feces.  So we bought new pillows this weekend.

And, as with most things past their point of human use or consumption, Luna gets them.  

Besides, she’s in heat, and even more “precious” than usual.

We recently invested in a Tibetian rug.  We purchased it from a man we know, who gets them directly from a collective of Tibetian refugees.  It’s made out of pure wool, hand-tied, -spun and -dyed. It took four months for a single craftsperson to make.

Albert (the rabbit) and Luna (the dog) both think it makes a fine lounging spot.

 

I forgot I had this card, or I would have posted it sooner.  This is a ink and watercolor drawing I did of Bart, a Pyr I used to have.

Seeing as it’s still Thursday in much of the world, and the first dog blog has already fallen into the holiday abyss, I’m taking the liberty of posting a second dog blog this week.
Any other pet art, or pictures of pets in holiday finery?    

In keeping with the “Fair and Balanced®” theme, Albert B. Bun is today’s headliner.

I’m tempted to say that he looks like he’s had a little too much Chrismas cheer, but this is pretty much how he always looks.  Mr. Bun can relax with the best of them.

(And no, for those of you following my progress, I still haven’t sealed all of the floors yet.)

The ducklings have been featuring first of late, so, in the interest of “fair and balanced®” blogging, today I’m starting with the dog.

Here she is, looking like she just found out that George Bush is going to be US president for three more years.

That, or she’s trying to look like a pirate.

Albert is not entirely sure about his new roomates.

On the plus side, the heater in their house runs all night, so now he can sleep sprawled on the floor next to their tub (instead of huddled in a little compact furry  ball – trying desperately to keep warm during our sultry Spring nights <rollseyes>).

On the down-side, they’re noisy and smelly, and try to eat his pellets when they’re out of their tub.

This is a picture of supreme restraint.

The final count is 22 ducklings.  Now, there’s just the small matter of naming them.

(Never throw out an old bath tub – they make great temporary critter housing.)

Bats and balls

By London
December 8, 2005

BIG testicles go with tiny brains, according to a new study of bats. The discovery suggests that a biological trade-off has to be made between brains and sperm. Because of high energy demands, males cannot generate large amounts of both, scientists believe.

In many bat species, females are unusually promiscuous, so natural selection has led to males evolving enormous testicles — at the expense of their brains. Their genitals of some bats make up 8.5 per cent of their body mass.

The testicles of apes range from 0.02 per cent to 0.75 per cent of body mass.

Read the rest of the article here.

I really should have thought to post this blog around Halloween (which hasn’t caught on in Australia – sigh).  But, better late than never.

SCARY CRITTER PICS (bwaaahaha)

Maybe I’ve been watching too much Buffy. 😉