ANIMAL FORTEANA


In the beginning of things men were animals and animals men. ~ Algonquin saying

"For instance, on the planet Earth, man had always assumed that he was more intelligent than dolphins because he had achieved so much — the wheel, New York, wars and so on — whilst all the dolphins had ever done was muck about in the water having a good time. But conversely, the dolphins had always believed that they were far more intelligent than man — for precisely the same reasons." ~ The Hitchiker's Guide to the Galaxy

Monday, June 27, 2011

Another Reason Why We're Fucking Doomed: Geese Kills Feed Homeless


I just heard about this; but it's been going on for at least a year. Mass killings of geese, in New York -- ostensibly to stop the damage caused when geese fly into jet engines -- and the meat is shipped off to homeless shelters, including my own now home state of Oregon. Before the seemingly altruistic gesture of giving the goose meat to feed the homeless, the geese carcasses were dumped in a landfill. Only after much protesting from area residents did Prospect Park and the Department of Environmental Protection change their method of getting rid of the bodies.

In a truth is stranger than fiction Fortean moment, there was a story that many believed to be true about the homeless in Los Angeles eating pigeons.  back in January of this year. Even though those columns were fictional, and an attempt at humor,I found the articles disturbing, and the fact that many were linking to this as a real news item interesting. This is what I wrote in January about that article:
I found the link on Rense.com, where it was presented as serious. "371 Dead Birds Fall from Sky on Sunset Blvd." The article very quickly turns ugly in a not- funny- but- we- think- we're -being -funny way. Kind of nasty all the way around, with the smarmy comments about the homeless. But what I strikes me the most is the marginalization of a very serious global phenomena. Whether it's intentional, as in government Dr. Evil plant and cover-up doing its disinfo thing, or, just some smart ass being not as clever as he thinks he is, that constant, low level hum that sends the signal it's not that bad, these events aren't connected, nothing to see here, is being maintained. 
The Humane Society has plenty to say about this, naturally...

As I mentioned, the goose killing has been in the works for a year; as reported by  Diana Duel in July of 2010:

New York has declared war against Canadian geese, and has authorized the destruction of nearly two-thirds of the current population (or about 170,000 birds). That means two-thirds of the current population could be exterminated. Plans are to target Canadian geese found in "open areas and more than 40 public parks in Brooklyn, Queens, Manhattan and the Bronx within five miles of regional airports."
A year before that, according to Duel, New York killed 2,000 geese; again, the reason given was to protect planes.

I'm not naive; large numbers of geese are a problem. We have large numbers of geese where I live; they're everywhere along the river, for example. Nothing like navigating your way through slippery icky goose poo on your way to the water. Or warding off aggressive geese who hope you have food to give them. I've seem geese chase after little kids; the geese are sometimes taller than the kids! But as the Humane Society and others point out, there are other ways to combat the goose problem. And going deeper, is the issue of how we treat our poor and homeless in this country. There's something horrifying about doing a 180 on sloppy, unethical and careless behavior (throwing goose carcases onto landfills) and deciding "Oh, we'll just give the meat to the homeless." It's an afterthought. It's simply giving away trash to what many consider also trash -- the poor, the homeless -- it's appeasement without taking responsibility.

Previous related post: Bird Falls Go Hollywood
See also: Why We Can't Eat Slaughtered Geese - NYTimes.com

SF Wants to Ban All Pet Sales

All right, I'm convinced that San Fransisco has been targeted for a city wide mind control/social engineering experiment by the usual cabal of Dr. Evils. (it wouldn't be the first time.) Among the many other bans SF has been toying with, is this one on pets. Not just some pets, like exotic animals, or wildlife as in, it's illegal to keep a bear cub in your apartment stupid, but all pets.

The intentions behind such sweeping crazy bans is good: protect animals, reduce the number of shelter animals that are otherwise destined to be killed, etc. But it just isn't reasonable. Interesting to see where this one goes.

Pet-sales ban: San Francisco considers banning the sale of all pets — even goldfish - latimes.com

Previous related link:
San Francisco Considers Goldfish Ban
reposted at Octopus Confessional.

Happy Happy Bunnies, They Be

Poor rabbits, cops took their pot away...this story from Germany of an eldery woman, her bunnies, and their pot loving ways: Drugs plot raid reveals old woman feeding rabbits with cannabis - The Local

CAUGHT ON CAMERA: Elk Rescues Drowning Marmot - KPVI News 6 - Pocatello, ID

Another story of one speicies helping another. Very cool (given the sad state of an elk kept in captivity in the first place):
CAUGHT ON CAMERA: Elk Rescues Drowning Marmot - KPVI News 6 - Pocatello, ID

Sunday, June 26, 2011

Top 20 Pet Food Forums and Message Boards

Nothing Fortean or paranormal about this link: Veterinarian Technician Top 20 Pet Food Forums and Message Boards but I'm passing it along because the information at this site is helpful, listing resources on quality pet foods, pet food recall updates, and pet message boards and forums.

Another Strange Race Horse Incident

Another sad and strange story of horses abruptly losing their bearings and going "amok" this time, at Emerald Downs in Washington state.  Humans and horses were injured; one horse, sadly, had to be killed.

Strange, and even stranger -- in February I posted a link to an odd story about race horses in England, linking to an article about horses mysteriously falling to the ground and dying. Some people at the racetrack reported feeling a tingling sensation as they walked across the grass.

[thanks to piglipstick for Emerald Downs link.]

Monday, June 20, 2011

Here Be Dragons! Itty Baby Ones, on Game of Thrones

SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER

If you haven't seen the season finale of Game of Thrones and don't want to know the end, don't read on.

But for those of you who did watch last night's episode, or don't mind knowing the end, we found ourselves rewarded with three baby dragons. The eggs hatched, put on the funeral pyre by Khaleesi/Daenerys Targaryen. And that was a scene; her mercy killing of her "stars and her moon."

I love Game of Thrones, and am not complaining, but last night while watching last night's episode I wondered, "Well, that's all good but where are the female rulers and leaders?" True, the women have power, but the King trumps the Queen. Ah, but not so fast, for Khaleesi/Daenerys Targaryen has come into her own. Surrounded by her dragons, she will indeed rule, I suspect. And I bet the red winged dragon will be her special one; the leader of the pack (all three of them), the one who leads the way. Speaking of dragons, I wondered how they breed -- are any of the dragons female? How many eggs do they lay? No doubt there are other dragon eggs dormant throughout the realm.

You can view the last scene here, of Khaleesi/Daenerys Targaryen and her dragons. 

It'll be a long wait for season two, but now I have True Blood to look forward to! Even though I think the show's become a little bit too camp, I still enjoy it. I mean, True Blood has not only vampires but werewolves! among other creatures, which makes for a lot of fun.

Update on Tiny the Lobster

The auction for Tiny has been extended; it ends June 24th.
TINY the Lobster Proceedes going towards Charlotte County Cancer - Saint John Buy & Sell Goods - Kijiji Saint John Canada.

Related post: Sacrifice and Blue Lobster, Tiny Lobster Update

Thursday, June 16, 2011

San Francisco Considers Ban on Goldfish as Pets to Prevent Their 'Inhumane Suffering' - FoxNews.com

It isn't quite as silly and Draconian as it sounds: San Francisco Considers Ban on Goldfish as Pets to Prevent Their 'Inhumane Suffering' - FoxNews.com. There's a lot of truth in what proponents of this bill say about this proposed ban:
“They [pet store owners] have a very strong interest to say it’s stupid,” he told Fox News Radio. “That’s the basic thing with human beings. We exploit everything in the world until it’s exhausted.”
Gerrie accused the “human” species of exploiting the environment – and the fish.
“Humans are overfishing for food,” he said. “There’s a huge market for aquarium fish. That creates a demand.”
As for people who would argue that it’s just a goldfish? “That’s how we are in this society,” Gerrie said. “Some people say, ‘It’s just a human’ – when it comes to some that kill. It’s a matter of degree. Where do you stop?”
I hate it when I see goldfish given away in plastic bags to kids who run around with the poor fish suffocating, until they remember they have the thing and then plop into a too small container and overfeed -- or not feed it enough -- until the golfish dies a few days later. Or when, as I argued with a staff member at a kid's event years ago, that there was too much water in the bowl. He just wouldn't get the idea of volume and surface area and ... anyway, lot of truth here.

On the other hand, there are responsible humans who enjoy having aquariums and take good care of their animals. I know I did. I really enjoyed having a variety of fancy goldfish and took caring for them seriously. (Hell, I even cried when a plain old goldfish variety died; I had him for several years!) Those fish are bred, not captured, like tropical fish.

I do hate it though when certain animals are sold as "pets" -- hedgehogs and prairie dogs and so on are not "pets" and I don't care how much you insist they are.

Maybe education rather than laws like this proposed one. I think laws like this will just make people more contrary and they'll go out of their way to be ignorant and jerks when it comes to "owning" animals.

Australia's War On Camels... What?? | TDG - Science, Magick, Myth and History

red pill junkie, at The Daily Grail, has an item about Australia's plan to kill its camels. This in an effort to ease effects of global warming weirdness. I like rpj's comments about this. While you're over at TDG, if you aren't already familiar with this great site, be sure you become so.
Australia's War On Camels... What?? | TDG - Science, Magick, Myth and History

Local Article on OSS, McKenzie River Bigfoot Footage | Oregon L.O.W.F.I

I have an item up at Oregon L.O.W.F.I. on local columnist Bob Welch's piece on the OSS and other Bigfoot news:
Local Article on OSS, McKenzie River Bigfoot Footage | Oregon L.O.W.F.I

MonsterTracker.com since the year 2000 has been investgating cryptozoology, cryptids, and other mysterious creatures. | MonsterTracker.com since the year 2000 has been investgating cryptozoology, cryptids, and other mysterious creatures.

UFO Digest has branched out and have other sites as well that are devoted to more specific aspects of the weird, such as their Monster Tracker site. Take a look!

MonsterTracker.com since the year 2000 has been investgating cryptozoology, cryptids, and other mysterious creatures. | MonsterTracker.com since the year 2000 has been investgating cryptozoology, cryptids, and other mysterious creatures.

Naked in the Artic: Exploiting Belugas

This is an incredible story, almost seems like a tabloid item or Onion piece. Beautiful photographs, and amazing story in so many ways. But it's very sad as well, for the Beluga whales are being "tamed" and kept in holding pens in the ocean until such time they're considered acclimated enough to be sent to aquairiums or "dolphinariums" around the world. A horrible thing; something that should be illegal. Such beauty and witness to how we can control our bodies to communicate with other creatures, and all for greedy and self-gratifying reasons that exploit others. Article, with photos, here:Naked female scientist tries to tame beluga whales in the arctic | Mail Online

Wednesday, June 15, 2011

Dragons and Dire Wolves: Will the Beasts Rescue The Good in Game of Thrones?

I'm hooked on the HBO series Game of Thrones. Funnily enough, I didn't want to get into watching the series when it was being advertised for two reasons: one, I feel I watch too much television as it is (though probably don't) and didn't want to get into another series, and two, the genre didn't really grab me. My husband really wanted to see it though so I gave it a try. I was hooked from the first few moments.

For those watching the TV series, you know that last Sunday's episode was one hell of a shocker! I don't think there have been more than half a dozen television series with such outright, in your face shockers. And for those who've read the book series by George R. R. Martin, you'll know what follows, but for myself, I haven't read the books (not yet, now I plan to) so I can only speculate on future episodes.

Things look bad for just about everyone; war has already started in battles here and there and it looks like one end all war is coming. Not to mention the low humming sub-theme of "Winter is Coming..." which can only be bad. Evil spirits, assumed to be long extinct if not outright non-existent to begin with, have been waking up. Yes, things are grim indeed. Very grim.

Within the mix of imps (who is one of the sexist characters on television, okay, that might be weird, but  many women agree with me), kings, queens, heroes, villains, intrigue, betrayal, sex (good old fashioned lust filled something for everyone sex), there are the creatures. The beasts. The animals.

There are the Dire Wolves, beautiful and magical animals, one in particular. The Dire Wolves are fiercely loyal, warrior-like in the protection of their "masters," bound in an almost spiritual manner to their owners, and possess preternatural abilities, including a psychic connection.Then there are the Dragon eggs; like the Dire Wolves, no longer extant. Thought to be outright fantasy, or at least, no longer existing, three eggs lay in a chest as a novelty. They are beautiful and a curiosity, and yet... there is the hint that they may awaken.

Will it be the beasts in this story that help rescue humans in Game of Thrones? Dragons and Dire Wolves; will we see more of them in future episodes? I hope so, and I think we will.

Related posts:
Game of Thrones Second Episode: Dire Wolves
Game of Thrones: Dragon Eggs

Tiny the Lobster Update

Tiny the lobster, so named by the fisherman who caught him, is being auctioned off for charity. Tiny is over forty pounds, which is huge, of course, for a lobster. Tiny was caught a week ago in New Brunswick, at that time Troy Mitchell, fisherman of lobsters, said:
Mitchell has put the lobster up for sale online in hopes someone might want to save Tiny, either to donate to the Huntsman Marine Science Centre in St. Andrews, N.B. to display or to set him free. He says his preference is to donate the proceeds to the local Cancer Society charity, instead of selling the lobster to the market within the next few days. Mitchell says it's most likely a lobster of this size would end up being canned.
"I'd just hate to see it go to a cannery," he said.
He'd hate to see Tiny end up in a can, but not so much as to ensure that doesn't happen. Further hedging on Tiny's fate in this update:
The public attention generated by Tiny - multiple television appearances and international news coverage - is what convinced the Mitchells that Tiny can do a lot more good for mankind than by simply becoming the main ingredient in a few dozen lobster rolls. So instead of having Tiny shipped to a cannery, they've put the lobster up for auction, with all money raised going to the Charlotte County Cancer Society and hopefully ending with Tiny living another 40 or so years in the comfort of a tank at the Huntsman Marine Science Centre in southwestern New Brunswick.
Related post:
Sacrifices and Blue Lobsters

Tuesday, June 14, 2011

Czechs return 4 rare wild horses to Mongolia - Yahoo! News

DOLNI DOBREJOV, Czech Republic – Four rare wild horses were flown to Mongolia as part of the Prague Zoo's efforts to reintroduce the endangered species to its native habitat.

After a 6,000-kilometer (3,700-mile) flight aboard a military plane, three mares named Kordula, Cassovia and Lima, and a stallion named Matyas, will be transported another 280 kilometers (175 miles) by truck to the western Mongolian reserve of Khomiin Tal. There they will join a herd of more than 20 already reintroduced by a French group.

The Przewalski horses once inhabited the grasslands of central Asia, but became extinct in the wild in the late 1960s and early 1970s as hunters on the Chinese-Mongolian border shot them in great numbers and spreading agriculture and livestock populations forced them off their traditional grazing land
Czechs return 4 rare wild horses to Mongolia - Yahoo! News

Saturday, June 11, 2011

Rense Link: Wild dogs (wovles)

I posted about this story yesterday, of a pack of wild dogs on a "killing spree" in Washington state. This pack roams at night, has killed several farm animals, including a llama, and residents in the area are naturally afraid for themselves, their children, and their animals. One sheriff remarked that at least a few of the dogs are pets -- no doubt. If you let your dogs run free, especially all night, as many do (morons) your sweet pooch joins a pack, and they're off. Jeff Rense, who I am not a fan of but raid his site nontheless for daily news, despite his over the top and lurid style, titledthis link with this headline: "Wild Dogs (Wolves) On Killing Spree."

We don't know yet if there are wolves in this pack, which is doubtful, or if the pack is a wolf pack (also doubtful) but I wonder at Rense's use of the word "wolf" in promoting this link, which only further exploits a classic mythos of the "evil" wolf terrorizing good folk. It also fans flames; in the Northwest right now, is a battle between ranchers, wildlife authorities and environmentalists/animal conservasists over wolf killing. Already wolves have been found shot on Idaho Oregon border and in Oregon...

Friday, June 10, 2011

Bloodthirsty pack of dogs take out 350-lb. llama - Yahoo! News

A pack of dogs have been killing animals in Washington state. The article quotes one sheriff who speculates that "four or five" of the dogs are pets, and become wild/feral at night, joining up with the pack.

I found it interesting that this news item has generated over 2,000 comments. Stories of wild dogs all over the U.S. -- discarded "pets," animals that have not been spayed or neutered, dogs that are allowed to stay off leash and run free, all contributing factors to these packs.

Bloodthirsty pack of dogs take out 350-lb. llama - Yahoo! News

Sacrifices and Blue Lobsters

 I found the juxtapositions on the Delish site interesting: a story about blue lobsters being saved from the cooking pot, amongst recipes for lobster.

Usually, when rare colored lobsters are found, like blue ones (yellow and multi-colored lobsters have also been found caught) the lobsters are given to aquariums and escape being dinner. I'm glad of this fact of course (I don't eat shellfish) but it is interesting that we humans do this. I think donating unusually colored lobsters is a type of rite that serves to acknowledge the sacrifices made. The sacrifice of the lobster, surely, for the lobster has no say. Living its life in its own habitat one moment, caught, trapped in a murky green tank with claws taped shut the next, until it ends up on someone's dinner plate. Sacrifice for some humans, since lobster trapping is hard work, and when things go bad, the livelihoods of fisherman are affected. Allowing a caught lobster, kidnapped from its home, to live in an aquarium is symbolic of giving gratitude. It'd be better -- certainly for the lobster -- if the blue or other wise colored lobster were released back into the ocean. (One of the lobsters mentioned in the Delish article will be returned to its home.) Instead, almost always, the lobster is given to an aquarium park of some kind. In captivity, the rare colored lobster is a symbol for others, reminding us of many things: our self- gratifications, the ways we earn our livings, gratitude, and simply wonder at things as beautiful as a blue lobster.

Of course, most of us aren't thinking of these things on a conscious level, and probably not kids who go to the aquarium to enjoy looking at cool stuff. But there is a gestalt in these offerings of blue lobsters that nonetheless operates around us while we go about our everyday lives.

Is Earless Rabbit Due to Japan's Nuclear Disaster?

Video and article about a mutant, earless rabbit born in Japan near one of the nuclear reactors. The article asks: was the deformed rabbit's appearance due to radiation, or something unrelated? Seems to me that us global citizens are treading a razor thin wire between facing full on the reality of what's happening on our planet, and avoiding what we glibly dismiss as alarmist paranoia.
Japan's Earless Rabbit Sparks Worries About Radiation, Mutation

Wednesday, June 8, 2011

Coleman Comments on Redfern: Cryptids Are Not Totally Elusive, Actually

At Cryptomundo, Loren Coleman comments on Nick Redfern's recent Monsters and Proof article on elusive cryptids:Cryptids Are Not Totally Elusive, Actually. Coleman doesn't think much of what Redfern has to say, not surprisingly. Comments that follow are interesting --- Redfern's thoughts have generated controversy.

I think Nick's views have been misunderstood. Coleman comes from a place where cryptids -- all cryptids -- are "real" in a flesh and blood sense. Like nuts and bolts UFO researchers, the idea of an "other" is not to be entertained. I'm not sure I agree 100% with Redfern, but I do think that some high strangeness events involving weird creatures do have a paranormal component. It is possible these entities are of both worlds, manifesting as physical beings one moment, behaving as phantoms the next.

Colemanm in his response, offers the standard definitions of cryptozoology and cryptids; maybe a new term should be offered so as not to offend the flesh and blood types who are stuck in their assertion that only "real" animals exist. The belief is that, while so far elusive, they are not in any way preternatural.

Nick responds to Coleman at Cryptomundo.
I found the following comment by Redfern very interesting:
One last point: some people (although certainly not you) seem at times to react with barely concealed hostility to my Tulpa-style views. But why? If Bigfoot exists, what does it matter if it’s some sort of ape, or something infinitely weirder that is connected to the human mind?

I think it's because (again making a connection to UFO studies)the idea there is more than just the concrete and tangible in our world conflicts with a worldview, a mindset, that doesn't allow for such "silliness." People are people, and our beliefs, including the pride some hold in stating they have no beliefs, color how we approach things. As to Bigfoot; those that think of Bigfoot as simply an animal (forgetting that we too are animals) places Bigfoot in the lesser than category. Bigfoot is a "giant ape," and so, still just a big dumb animal. Not as dumb as most, but still less than us. And since it's less than, we can do what we like with it. Bigfoot as a big old ape is familiar, we get it. It's something we can handle. Tulpas, shape shifters, aliens, fairies, Djinn, tricksters, are truly elusive and something we cannot get a hold of. It's gotten ahold of us, not the other way around. Much safer to deal with the flesh and blood thing we can grab onto, and possibly, control.

Tuesday, June 7, 2011

Blog Find: "Suicide Food'

Those creepy vintage ads, -- like the one shown here -- of animals delighting in the joys of sacrifice for our self-gratification and absolution, reminded me of the excellent blog Suicide Food.

Monday, June 6, 2011

Nick Redfern: "Monsters and Proof"

On Lair of the Beasts, Nick Redfern writes about the fact cryptids (Bigfoot, chupacabras, etc.) are elusive:Lair of the Beasts: Monsters and Proof - Mania.com:
"It is issues like this that, probably 15 or more years ago now, made me utterly give up on the idea that the monsters of our world are simply animals that science has yet to identify, classify, and confirm in terms of their existence. The stark reality of the situation is that there is something very strange about all the sundry strange beasts out there. Their elusiveness is taken to ridiculous levels."

An excellent article. And one that takes a surprising turn. I'm not sure what to think of the direction Redfern goes, but it's interesting, possible (anything's possible) and food for thought. In fact, if Redfern is correct, that's damn amazing. You'll know what I mean when you read the article -- can we be capable of such things? My personal experience tells me we can. And yet there are problems for me with this theory; if true, why can't we manifest other things?

Friday, June 3, 2011

The NutriSmart system would put RFIDs into your food for enhanced information

Chips (not corn or potato, but RFID) in your food that will give all kinds of info; and the article ends with:
"No word yet about what happens to the tags when you are finished with them."
The NutriSmart system would put RFIDs into your food for enhanced information

Wednesday, June 1, 2011

Game of Thrones: Dragon Eggs

Besides the cool and no doubt preternatural Dire Wolves in HBO's Game of Thrones, we also get dragon eggs. Given as a wedding gift to Daenerys Targaryen (played by Emilia Clarke), recently married to the Dothraki King, the petrified dragon eggs sit interestingly in an opened chest in Daenerys' room. Considered valuable because they're so unusual, the eggs are just that: a curiosity, since dragons have been extinct for centuries.  Ah, but we know better... the eggs come in threes, a magickal number always, in tales like these, and just because it's said that the "...dragons no longer ride..." doesn't mean it's so. As I've commented on this blog in here, and here, I haven't read any of the books in the Game of Thrones series by George R. R. Martin, so I don't know what's coming, or how closely the TV series follows the books. But following the classic trail of lore, as well as the hints in the show (such as traveling the seas, which the Dothraki have avoided) I think it's a good guess to say those dragon eggs are going to hatch, and the dragons shall be ridden. No doubt with Daenerys Targaryen in the lead. The eggs have already been curiously warm to the touch, a sign of things to come.