Random

[urbpan]

I know there are zoo themed videogames out there, where you design exhibits or group animals together by type or whatever. But a realistic zookeeper game would essentially be a floor cleaning simulator. And then I could say, hey man, that isn't realistic! Where's the different textures of animal poop? Where's the stench?

Horrible icy morning today. I stepped out onto my sidewalk and just barely avoided falling on my ass. I minced my way (sorry Alex, I was wrong, swaggering on ice doesn't work) the half mile or so to the city lot to get to Alexis' car. At one point Charlie wanted to abandon the mission, but we were past the pnr. Then I hacked my way into the car, and v-e-e-e-r-r-r-r-r-y carefully backed out of the skating rink I mean parking lot. I didn't want to reenact this well worn video from a Portland ice storm:

So about this Facebook thing. I haven't totally figured it out, but it really seems like livejournal is more intuitive. Or maybe since I've been on lj for more than 5 years it just feels that way. It's neat to contact people you haven't seen in a while, but what if you were trying to avoid them? Also, are there really things that you want to scream to the world, your coworkers, your drinking buddy, your boss' wife, and your grandma? I suppose that applies to lj too, but at least I know how to make a post friends only.

Saw Master and Commander last night. I wasn't as impressed with it as I thought it was. The naturalist stuff was cute (taking measurements of tortoises that were completely ignoring them) but not much else grabbed me. I felt like the message that "surgery was painful back then" was repeated unnecessarily. Two surgeries: a limb amputation on a child, and a bullet removal done by the surgeon on himself. Oh, and some brain surgery, too. There were more surgeries than naval battles. A one armed ten year old boy leads a decisive defeat of French privateers! And it ends as though we'll tune into another episode next week. (I realize that it's based on a series of novels.) My mother in law loved this movie, also Apocalypto. The only thing I can think they have in common is that they are period pieces with scenes of surgery without anaesthesia. Make of that what you will.

Edited to add: Here's a fun toy for aracnhophiles.

Comments

[urbpan.livejournal.com]

Well, today I spent an hour in vain scrubbing eagle shit. It's like someone splashed paint around--nothing will get it off, short of steel wool. At least it doesn't smell very bad. Pound for pound I'd say opossums and house cats produce the worst smelling crap. Then again, ever smelled a pig farm?

[gemfyre.livejournal.com]

Giraffe shit and piss is bad, especially from the virile males. I had to clean up after the breeding male at Perth Zoo (he now lives over east, impregnanting new females). Massive puddles of giraffe pee in the night quarters and bits of poo ground into the concrete by a 3 tonne beast. Much fun.

Oh, and NEVER stick your head near the bin used to dispose of carnivore poo, and especially don't breathe. I made that mistake once, never again.

[urbpan.livejournal.com]

Giraffe pee is surprisingly rank, but I find it to be one of those smells (like skunk spray or horse manure) that is pleasant in very small amounts.

Carnivore crap is the worst, agreed.