Threats to man who shot domino-toppling sparrow
An animal worker who shot a sparrow after it almost wrecked a world record domino toppling bid has asked for police protection after receiving death threats.
Several international animal rights groups expressed outrage over the killing of the sparrow that toppled 23,000 of the four million dominos set up for record attempt in Holland.
Investigations into the legality of the shooting in Leeuwarden have also been launched.
A representative of the animal management company that employs the man said: “We have not made an official complaint as that would be no use.
“But if an idiot comes around here, we want a direct line to the police so they can come quickly to help us.”
Organisers of the upcoming event have hired extra security staff following the death threats and an offer of £2,000 made on Dutch radio to anyone who topples the dominos prior to the event.
SondraK, Lympian Slayer 
“The military does not like to admit firing gay Arabic linguists during a dire shortage* because the public doesn’t understand why we would rather fire gays than have enough Arabic linguists to translate intercepted cables,” said Aaron Belkin, director of the center based at the University of California, Santa Barbara.
*~Related~*
Sheriff Sterk says he will not grant anymore specialized weapon permits…
Sterk says he’s worried about the liability he faces, allowing people to buy guns like pistol-grip short-barrel shotguns, or accessories like silences. So he will not sign any more permits for them.
Well ain’t this a can-o-worms.
If you lose your voice, you’ll can find it in my right ear!
Becoming used to terror helps defeat it, which is a good thing. Al-Qaida’s rhetoric is more numbing than fear-provoking. But we can’t go too far. Pres. Bush is right to call for constant vigilance. He’s wrong, however, to keep promoting the initial fear and rage after 9/11. If he really wanted to lead us to some kind of victory, he should guide the public with policies that evolve with the situation. That would include a sensitivity to changing public attitudes.
Terrorism is now a problem that has matured to a different phase. Public outrage isn’t needed. The need is for patience, professional diplomacy, negotiations, international police work, exchange of intelligence, and so on. The work is dull but effective in the end. Pres. Bush should be responsible enough to usher us into this phase, but by manipulating the intelligence that led us into Iraq, he undermined his credibility and has no choice but to keep reiterating the buzz words of fear and rage from yesterday.
“People discouraged by tough times were cheered by its tenacity and strong will to live.”
So someone tries to kill it.
“I have just returned from Boston. It is the only sane thing to do if you find yourself up there.”
Fred Allen, in a letter to Groucho Marx, 1953
...or something else?
A European bird never before seen in the lower 48 states has been hanging around the ponds at the Ocean Shores sewage treatment plant for the past week.
~snip~
He labeled the small drab-brown bird’s arrival a mega-rarity in the bird world, surpassing last winter’s appearance of a redwing thrush from Eurasia in Olympia, a happening that attracted more than 1,000 birders to Olympia’s west side over a two-month period.
For decades, Republicans have struggled to reach out to black Americans. But now in Orange County, the GOP has to reach no further than the NAACP.
As of this week, Derrick Wallace, head of Orange County’s NAACP, has switched parties—to become a Republican.
“I’ve thought about this for two years,” Wallace said Tuesday afternoon, just a few hours after returning from the elections office. “This is not a decision I made yesterday.”
Wallace elaborated that his “business” line of thought also referred to the NAACP. Behind many of the power desks in this town sit Republicans. And he said he wants his organization to be part of that structure. Just as importantly, he said, he didn’t want people to immediately brand—or dismiss—NAACP concerns as synonymous with those of liberal Democrats. “I want this branch to be respected,” he said.
disembodied heads hot new thing!
*click for video* [long load]
Yes, indeedy—a “fully alive,” “responsive,” body-less chimpanzee head to sit on your office desk or credenza…
The Alive Chimpanzee has 4 distinct moods: curious, fearful, angry and happy. The moods can be changed through user interaction. If he’s feeling curious he may blink, frown and raise his eyebrows making for one inquisitive primate. Just don’t make him angry as he will snarl, growl and scream. He can be calmed down by stroking or patting his head; but use caution when touching his ears or the back of his head, for that might make for one ferocious creature. If the chimpanzee is feeling fearful he will whimper or whine, and he might shake and close his eyes shut tightly.
Can a Howard Dean “EEEEEEAAAAUUUUUUUGH!!” head be far behind?
Claire, Ideologically Stubborn Heatist Ruralite 11/17 at 06:14 AM •
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“Also, you sort of want that independent spirit for your child.”
I don’t hang with the “in” crowd...because *I* prefer the smart ones. Yannow, the ones that are on the ball. The ones that aren’t suck-ups. We always get to be ourselves no matter what.
Steve’s like that.
