Insane zoo

At the Lujan Zoo near Buenos Aires you can apparently pay $50, sign a waiver, and frolic with ridiculously dangerous animals. Via.

*Previously: Funny warning sign at the zoo.

Kids and their pets

It's one great photograph after another of kids and animals in this photo series by Robin Schwartz. Via.

Link roundup

1. Robin Hanson:

Yes, maybe homework helps kids to learn things that their tests do not test. But more likely, homework functions to get kids used to doing a lot of work, in preparation for their future industry era jobs. Learning seems secondary.

2. Elephant and rhino playing tag.

3. Tie Fighter helmet.

Image roundup

2001.



Striped tights.



Polar bears.




Spider-Woman and Dead Space helmet from this cosplayer gallery.



No Face mask.

Image roundup

Unpopular bankers tied to poles in Australia in an advertising stunt.



Deer.



Kiwi.



A Happy Sky Over Los Angeles by Dave Jurasevich.

Link roundup

1. Apparently no one knows how long lobsters can live, or how large they can get. Via.

2. From David Shoemaker's latest excellent article about the WWE:

The dynamic here is important: Orton looks like a champion, and has the potential to be this era's transcendent star, but hasn't put it all together. Christian looks like he should be cheering from the eighth row and so doesn't have the unequivocal support of the WWE front office that Orton enjoys, despite the fact that the audience loves him. Orton was imported to the Friday Night Smackdown brand to be its top star, so Christian, despite his incumbency, was turned heel to make room. The Internet, it should be said, hates Orton and loves Christian; live crowds have tended to be more appropriately disposed. It will probably be a great match, not least for Christian's entertaining crowd-baiting heel shtick (being so recently on the side of the angels, he has to work hard to get booed, and he works very, very hard), but also because both guys can absolutely go and have shown great chemistry in recent weeks.

3. "The little town of Juzcar in Spain has been painted blue for the Smurf movie." (It looks pretty good, actually.)

Image roundup

Gallery of nighttime wildlife photos.



Translucent frog. Here's the wikipedia entry on glass frogs.



Cactus.



Chestburster chicken.



Submarine in ice.



Smiling dog. (Even creepier photoshops at the link.)

Link roundup

1. Incredibly cute guinea pig. Via.

2. How to make a cheap Frappuccino. Also, how to make a frappuccino on a stick. Via.

3. FYI, Tenacious Toys has in stock for $40 my favorite vinyl toy. (I liked it so much, I made my own miniature version before buying the real thing.)

Image roundup

This truck has two sides.



Whale shark.



Butterfly.



Hipster Jesus loves you.



Norway.



Gandalf versus the Balrog.



Streams of water colliding.

Image roundup

Fennec fox.



Lightning strike.



Arctic fox and meal.



Soldier after battle.



Wisdom from Roald Dahl and Quentin Blake.




Wire sculpture.



Ferris wheel on a cold winter day.

If Ron Artest took over Jack Hanna's Animal Planet

Ron Artest agreed to participate in what he thought was a commercial for an animal charity. Little did he know that the video was actually arranged by the Jimmy Kimmel show, and that after starting out with a cute puppy, he would face an increasingly intimidating menagerie of creatures.

Rainbow-hued pigeon; rainbow-hued gun

Nicobar pidgeon. More photos at Wikipedia.



SIG Sauer P239 with the Rainbow Titanium Finish.

Link roundup

1. There are some incredibly vibrant subtle animated gifs at Mike Pecci's site. (They're huge, so be patient while they load.)

2. The sleazy trick that launched Anthony Weiner's political career.

3. Well, this is timely in light of what I'm reading: "Tom Hanks' Playtone Productions is set to produce a six-season, open-ended series, American Gods, for HBO."

4. The recipe for a USA channel show:

For USA, it’s three things: Is there a slightly flawed but likable lead character? Is there a strong drama with a dollop of humor? Is it blue skies? I mean that literally and figuratively. Exterior shots showing blue skies add a levity and brightness to each show. You also have to be able to describe it in a single sentence: Royal Pains—it’s Marcus Welby in the Hamptons.

Via.

5. Half-albino peacock. Via.

Peacock Spider; Diving Bell Spider

Two incredible spiders. First up, the tiny Australian Peacock Spider. To attract a mate, it first holds up a leg or two:




And then, when it's gotten a female's attention, it folds up its vibrant fan-like abdomen extension and vigorously waves its legs:







Here's a terrific video showing the mating dance in action (one attempt goes disastrously, another gets a little steamy):




Second, here's the Diving Bell Spider:

Argyroneta aquatica is found in Northern and Central Europe and up to latitude 62°N and northern Asia. It is the only spider that spends its whole life under water. However it breathes air, which it traps in a bubble held by hairs on its abdomen and legs.

Via these sites.

*Previously: Disturbing spider attack.

Baby pygmy hippo

Baby pygmy hippo via.