Oddities, curiousities and strangness in history

they are very cute critters

They LOOK adorable but, Ive noticed that the sweeter they are the deadlier they can be.

Eldorion wrote:... but what animal did the terrifyingly large spine draped from the tree belong to?

I'd guess it's a deer that's been stripped of its limbs and ribs, probably by the coyotes. I think you can see a bit of pelvis at the back end.

It's amazing to me that they still cling to their arboreal culture in the desert with almost no trees after so many millennia.  

I think the large eyes and ears of a night predator do make them very cute! But Azriel's point is well taken. Take a look at the smile on that last little "cutie" and tell me how well you'd sleep below that tree at night.... 

David is so right. Here, in Eastern Canada they have been having the worst time with the little creatures. For instance , for no seemingly good reason they just decide to surround a person , there is plenty of food for them, and that is that. A well known folk singer girl there went for a leisurely walk in the forest, a protected area, and a group surrounded her and she could not fight them off. They are so little and yet she was dead and eaten in no time . You don't hear of wolves doing that here if there is food, and they are larger. It seems a little creepy.

Eeeerrrrr ! sounds like a Horror film ?! Nature getting its revenge maybe ?? (in little doses ?)  

I know they are tenacious and once given a chance are hard to fight, but honestly, that was too much. It rather creeped me out thinking about how many times on my uncle's farm I had to go and get the feed and take care of the chickens and I could hear the yipping of coyotes a little way off and sort of freak out quiety as I did the chores under the moonlight. Glad I made it home! 

Here's the link to the Taylor Mitchel case Leelee is talking about. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taylor_Mitchell#Death It's the only documented case of coyotes ever killing an adult human. By comparison there are hundreds of documented cases of dogs killing people.

I'll bet though that if the number of drunks and homeless people killed in their sleep were known, it would be much higher. Coyotes are opportunists. They'll always run away from a fight, especially if the animal is bigger, but they'll happily take advantage of something that's wounded or unconscious. So just stand your ground and don't go to sleep and you'll be fine! 

{{{There! That should keep everybody awake tonight!  }}}

Seriously, I've got about a half a dozen coyotes living within a mile of me,  and a hundred or more in the timberland to the east. It's a beautiful sound when they all join in chorus at night!

I've lost a couple pets to them over the years but they really aren't a problem if the population isn't allowed to get out of control.  Domestic dogs, goats and geese are a lot more dangerous!

Another good reason to stay at home.  

Although we do have packs of Neds. And geese come to think of it- used to be geese were the guard, um dogs, for the farm I helped out on as a kid- powerful frightening birds when they come at you wings out and hissing like a pot boiling over.
The Shepherd always told us they could snap your arm in two- never found out if it was true or not, but they sure a hell look like they could.

Pettytyrant101 wrote:

Although we do have packs of Neds.

....... 
 

Theyre not too dangerous really Dave- hopeless on their own, only dangerous in packs and you always get plenty early warning as you can hear their distinct nasaly whining call from a good distance.

Neds? thats 99% of the population isnt it?  

Now dont mistake Neds for crabbit drunks Figg- quite different thing.  
Id say about 20% are neds, 30% crabbits and the rest are angry women. You'd like it.  

are they angry because they have to live surrounded by Neds and crabbit drunks?  

Dunno, one of the reasons we stay so drunk is so we don't have to listen.  

and you wonder why the population ratio is low, its a turn off.

Scots are very romantic- we just have to wait till the women get equally as drunk (its why so many Scots are born 9-10 months after Hogmanay- in my year at primary school out of 14 Scots 7 of us were born within a month of one another Sept-Oct  - actually now I think about it, that was the 70's hope it wasnt a keys party!   )

A question from an "outsider", so to speak - what exactly is a Ned? And what is a Chav?

Sort of the same thing far as I can tell, Neds are scottish though, Chavs english -just different names for it and I think Chavs is more modern.
According to wiki-

'The Oxford English Dictionary dates the term to the early 19th century. Former Chief Constable of Glasgow Sir Percy Sillitoe noted use of the word by gangs and police in the 1930s.'
Neds and "ned culture" are associated with violence, particularly in poorer housing schemes constructed on the periphery of towns or cities in the post-war era.
he "ned" category, for example, lowered tones in words such as "cat", and extended the vowels. This in itself was insufficient to identify someone as being a "ned", consideration of clothing and social activities was also needed.
British psychologist Adrian Raine has expressed contempt for what he feels is the glorification of ned culture in the Scottish media. He has also opined that ned culture is closely correlated with psychopathy.'

American TV news comes to Glasgow and meets the Neds-



Glasgow public transport- watch out for the Nedettes!



Neds bamming (winding up) a woman for not being good looking because she s a junkie-



Never a dull moment in Glasgow. Full of quality street level entertainment. Its like a permanent Edinburgh Fringe Festival, but with buckie, swearing and knives.

Interesting news clip, and slightly unsettling - how young was one of those Back End guys? How often does it end with someone being killed?

I dont have time for a serious reply at mo Ringdrotten (but they start from about 8-10 getting involved in the gang violence) in the meantime here for your amusement is Doctor Who's take on Glasgow's attitude to casual violence as Madame Vastra and Jenny wonder where Strax is- Strax is a Sontaran warrior all of whom are cloned just to fight.

Free Spirit Spheres, Canada

If you thought tree houses were just for children, think again. Free Spirit Spheres is an adult-only set of accommodations comprised of beautiful, handcrafted spheres suspended among tall trees of the west coast rainforest of Vancouver Island.

The spheres are available all year round and prices start from $145 plus tax.

Um, why exactly are they adult only?  

Fook Petty ! think of all the rolling around you can do ??