Category Archives: Animal
Drunk Elk Is Recued From Swede’s Apple Tree
This has got to be one of the raddest elks I’ve ever heard about, not that i often hear much about elks. In fact, I think this is quite possibly the first thing and has made me quite fond of the animal. You often hear about monkeys and jungle animals that get drunk from fermented fruit or actual alcoholic beverages from tourists that they steal, but this is a one of a kind elk, or so I thought.
According to The Local (A Swedish news site) -
When Per Johansson of Särö, south of Gothenburg, returned home from work on Tuesday it was dark outside and the rain was coming down hard. Suddenly Johansson heard a bellowing noise from the garden next door.
“I thought at first that someone was having a laugh. Then I went over to take a look and spotted an elk stuck in an apple tree with only one leg left on the ground,” Johansson told The Local.
The unfortunate elk was desperately entangled in the tree’s branches and was kicking ferociously as Johansson approached.
“I thought it looked pretty bad so I called the police who sent out an on-call hunter. But while we were waiting, the neighbours and I started to saw down some of the branches and then the hunter arrived with a saw as well,” said Johansson.
The group tried to make the elk more comfortable but to no avail.
It wasn’t until the fire brigade arrived on the scene and managed to bend the tree to the point where the exhausted elk could slide out of the branches that the animal was finally freed.
According to Johansson, it looked very much like the elk was severely drunk after eating too many fermenting apples.
Drunken elk are common in Sweden during the autumn season when there are plenty of apples lying around on the ground and hanging from branches in Swedish gardens.
While the greedy animal was reaching ever higher to reach the delicious but intoxicating fruit, it most likely stumbled into the tree, getting itself hopelessly entangled in the branches.
And from what Johansson could gather, this particular animal had been on a day-long bender.
“My neighbour recognised it as the animal that almost ran into her car earlier in the day. She was pretty sure the elk was already under the influence,“ said Johansson.
When the inebriated elk was freed, it lay for a while on the ground, seemingly unconscious.
After emergency services had ascertained that the animal was still alive, Johansson was told to keep an eye on it and call the hunter straight away if it seemed to be suffering.
But by the morning the hungover animal had stood up and cautiously moved a few metres away.
After a while it went on its way, although Johansson suspects it is still skulking around the neighbourhood.
“We often see elk stuffing their faces with apples around here but this is the first time we found one perched in a tree,” he told The Local.
Woman Punches Black Bear In Nose To Save Her Dog
First of all, yes, she is alive. Second of all, yes, she is stupid. I don’t know who thinks socking a bear in the nose is a smart thing, but for some reason, she did, AND she got away with it.
Brooke Collins heard her dachshund, Fudge, screaming from outside on Sunday night and (obviously) ran outside to see what her dog was yelping about. Seeing as they were in Juneau, Alaska, it was highly likely that the cause was a bear. Although, bears don’t normally attack dogs, so she wasn’t really expecting that. Collins, only 22, took action immediately and started to run towards Fudge who was being held by the black bear, much like they would hold a salmon they were about to eat.
‘It had her kind of like when they eat salmon,’ Miss Collins said yesterday. ‘I was freaking out. I was screaming at it. My dog was screaming.
‘I ran up to it … I just punched it right in the snout and it let go.’
New Drug Can Cure Nearly ANY Viral Infection!
The microscope images above show that DRACO successfully treats viral infections. In the left set of four photos, rhinovirus (the common cold virus) kills untreated human cells (lower left), whereas DRACO has no toxicity in uninfected cells (upper right) and cures an infected cell population (lower right). Similarly, in the right set of four photos, dengue hemorrhagic fever virus kills untreated monkey cells (lower left), whereas DRACO has no toxicity in uninfected cells (upper right) and cures an infected cell population (lower right). (Credit: Image courtesy of Massachusetts Institute of Technology)
On Science Daily, they have just announced that a new drug has been designed to “identify cells that have been infected by any type of virus, then kill those cells to terminate the infection.”
This is a great feat for scientists, especially the researchers who have been working on developing this new drug.
In a paper published July 27 in the journal PLoS ONE, the researchers tested their drug against 15 viruses, and found it was effective against all of them — including rhinoviruses that cause the common cold, H1N1 influenza, a stomach virus, a polio virus, dengue fever and several other types of hemorrhagic fever.
The drug works by targeting a type of RNA produced only in cells that have been infected by viruses. “In theory, it should work against all viruses,” says Todd Rider, a senior staff scientist in Lincoln Laboratory’s Chemical, Biological, and Nanoscale Technologies Group who invented the new technology.
Seeing how effective it has been, suggests that it could possibly even be used to combat newer viruses that have been recently or will become, an issue. Luckily due to the enormous success with initial testing, they will continue to test on mice and hopefully be moving on to bigger, larger species, more quickly than is often the case.
For more on this story, please visit Science Daily:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/08/110826134012.htm
Two Sisters Steal Goat From Zoo But Caught While Taking It For A Walk That Night
AOL -
[Associated Press]
MANKATO, Minn. — Everything went according to plan for two pajama-clad stepsisters who took a goat they’d freed from a Minnesota zoo for a late-night walk.
Until they told the Mankato police officer who stopped them about 11:30 p.m. Saturday that the animal lived in their bedroom closet.
The stepsisters, ages 6 and 7, said they regularly took the goat out for late-night walks because Dad didn’t know their mother had bought it two weeks earlier.
The unconvinced officer walked the girls home, where their parents explained they’d attended a birthday party at the Sibley Park Zoo earlier that day. That’s when they hatched a plan to take one of the goats home.
I must admit how impressed I am. The fact that two young girls, under the age of 8, were able to sneak a goat out of a zoo with no one stopping them, is impressive. And the fact that they can easily stroll out of the house with said goat at around midnight, well, that’s just insane. If I hadn’t read the story I would have naturally assumed that the sisters were much older and had done much more planning, but no. Maybe their parents should consider a puppy, one who gets taken on walks during normal hours.
Dog Takes Trip From Utah To Sunny Southern California, Alone
Sharalyn Cooper and her family had been looking for their miniature pinscher, Fadidle, for about eight months when they finally received a call that shocked the entire family. Seeing as the pup was only one-year-old when she went missing, and so much time had passed, it was unlikely that a reunion was in the future for this family.
Thanks to a Good Samaritan, the young pinscher was brought to an animal shelter in San Diego, CA where they were able to check out the microchip that had been placed under the dogs skin. Workers were shocked to see that Fadidle had traveled from Salt Lake City, Utah, over 750 miles.
Soon after making this realization, it was arranged to have Fadidle fly out to reunite with the family that she had been away from for almost a year. Everyone was relieved and gives most of the credit to that of the microchip.
At Salt Lake International, the Cooper family were overcome with joy at their reunion with Fadidle but wondered what could have happened in the eight long months they had been parted from her.
It is their belief that she was stolen.
Other family members joked that Fadidle had even managed to travel further afield than they ever had, with Mrs Cooper’s son Darien quipping: ‘She’s lucky. She got on a plane before even I did!’
Barber’s Shop Shuts Down After Sacrificial Birds Found In Basement
After the city of New Bedford, Massachusetts was alerted that there were roosters in the basement of a local barbershop; no one expected that they would be dealing with a religious barber, who had an explanation.
Owner William Camacho, 41, was one of three men in the city who practiced a religion known as Palo Mayombe, which is an Afro-Carribean religion that is often compared to Santeria. Although it is more accurately described as the world’s most powerful and feared form of black magic, to those who are interested. Either way, Camacho did admit that he was involved in animal sacrificing, specifically, that of birds.
While fessing up to his religious hobbies, he explained that he did not partake in any of these activities in the actual barbershop. In fact, he was in the middle of moving and needed a place to bring the birds. Ironically, the dead rooster that was found in the basement had died of natural causes.
Camacho had said that he took the birds to countryside to commit the sacrifices. He believes that these birds allow him to communicate with Spirits and Gods and has even said, “These birds are sacred; they’re basically saints.’’ When attempting to justify hiding the birds at his shop, he asked what he was “supposed to do while (he) moved? Take (his) saints and throw them in a storage unit?’’
Along with the rooster that had been dead for two days, there were the other birds that were being held at the shop, Bad Boyz Cutz, which included: five caged birds and two pigeons. There was also an alter with an array of hacksaws.
Mayor Scott W. Lang had made a point of assuring everyone that Bad Boyz Cutz was not shut down due to Mr. Camacho’s religious beliefs, but rather the health and safety of his current or potential clients. They still are not fully confident in the fact that the sacrifices were occurring outside of the business and need to ensure this is not happening before the business can be re-opened.
In the meantime, the body of the rooster will be sent to Tufts University to be examined. Based on the results of the necropsy, they will decide whether they need to to move forward with an animal cruelty case, which could be big trouble for Camacho. Frankly, right now he’s in enough trouble as it is.
He seems to not be aware that as of now his shop has been closed and will be waiting on his actions to be re-opened. In fact, he’s planning on suing the city because he feels that his civil rights have been violated. Right now he should focus more attention on getting his shop in good enough condition to pass a health examination. They would like Camacho to clean the basement and keep birds out of it, for good.
Even after Camacho makes the necessary changes, it will still be up to the state Division of Professional License whether Mr. Camacho’s barber license will be suspended.
Gang Drowned Pony And Horrified Onlookers
A group of 12 men and boys were seen pushing a pony, attached to a trap, into the eight-feet deep lake. Although there was one 21-year-old walker who came across the incident and attempted to help; He was kicked in the head by the terrified animal and knocked unconscious. Authorities are now searching for the thugs that did this.
Apparently, the group of twelve was also seen beating the animal with sticks:
Officers are also investigating reports the yobs used sticks to beat the two-year-old piebald cob pony as it tried desperately to haul itself out of Hawley Lake, near Farnborough, Hampshire, on Saturday afternoon.
Hampshire Police also launched a joint investigation with the RSPCA to find those responsible.
Sophie Wilkinson, of the RSPCA, said: ‘It’s an extremely cruel and shocking thing that these people have done and we have no idea why they did it.
‘It seems a gang of 12 men and boys lined up three ponies and traps and tried to force them into the water – they succeeded with this one.’
Police spokesman Alan Smith added: ‘When the attempt to push a second and third pony into the lake failed, the group of people drove them and their traps away in the direction of Yateley.
‘There were a number of people around at the time including dog walkers and fishermen and we would like to hear from witnesses.’
Ark Encounter: Religious Theme Park
Creator: Mike Zovath, co-founder of Answers in Genesis ministries, poses for photos at the Ark Encounter headquarters
Mike Zovath is the project manager for this ark that will be built and serve as the main attraction in the park itself. He plans to make the Ark as it was made in the bible, both inside and out. If you’re curious as to the size, it is 500 feet long and 80 feet high. This will take quite some time and cost quite a lot of money. This along with other features that the park plans to build will cost about $155 million.
The intention behind building this ark and the park, is to show that’s God’s word is true. I don’t see how a large amount of workers, with great financial resources, will prove that one single man, Noah, was able to build this large Ark by himself in the allotted time with limited funds and tools. To me, this proves nothing, except that a ship of that nature could be made in a time where there is more technological advancements and people in power who are financially stable and able to spend money on useless projects to prove their religion right.
Either way, the project is under way and many people will feel that this is proof that God’s word is true and they are on the right path. If this is what works for you, then that’s fine, but for me, it just seems rather silly.
I may be a bit biased though due to their original project, the Creation Museum. In this museum they challenge evolution and stand by their claim that the Earth was created 6,000 years ago. As most everyone knows, evolution has been scientifically proven. Religion trumps science in the mind of these people, and this is why I disagree with both the Creation Museum as well as Ark Encounter.
‘The ark is really a different approach’ than the museum, Zovath said. ‘It’s really not about creation-evolution, it’s about the authority of the Bible starting with the ark account in Genesis.’
Inside the ark’s headquarters in Hebron, a small team of artists and designers are working on the visuals at the new park, but once the project begins early next year, there will be hundreds at the creation, including a team of Amish builders from Indiana who will erect the giant ark.
For more on this story, CLICK HERE