Its oh so quiet Shh Shh

[guidofatherof5]

Not sure what it was Marnie but it moved like a freight train through the system. No fun at all.

[-MARWOLAETH-]

Over here the norovirus is causing havoc over most of the country.Luckily no one I know has cought it..yet.

[ConcinusMan]

That's capitalism for you. Wanton waste is built right into the system. If we had a resource-based economy that didn't use currency at all, this wouldn't be happening. Nothing would be wasted and nobody would do without.

[Invisible Snake]

Everyone, don't forget to cut these rings..

7779

[ConcinusMan]

Yikes

[guidofatherof5]

Poor slider.

[infernalis]

That's capitalism for you. Wanton waste is built right into the system. If we had a resource-based economy that didn't use currency at all, this wouldn't be happening. Nothing would be wasted and nobody would do without.


Karl Marx once thought that way...

[Stefan-A]

If we had a resource-based economy that didn't use currency at all, this wouldn't be happening. Nothing would be wasted and nobody would do without.
That system worked so poorly, that people invented money.

[Selkielass]

What an amazing survivor.

[ConcinusMan]

That system worked so poorly, that people invented money.

That doesn't mean it can't work. Hunting with bare hands didn't work very well either, but we have tools for that now.

[Stefan-A]

That doesn't mean it can't work. Hunting with bare hands didn't work very well either, but we have tools for that now.
Tools like money.

[ConcinusMan]

I was referring to technology and knowledge we didn't have before, but whatever. The point is, when the goal is to make money, things aren't built to last (electronics are a big offender) and the only way to keep making money is to get people to consume more and waste more resources.

[guidofatherof5]

http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//821/pong.gif

[Stefan-A]

I was referring to technology and knowledge we didn't have before, but whatever. The point is, when the goal is to make money, things aren't built to last (electronics are a big offender) and the only way to keep making money is to get people to consume more and waste more resources.
I know what you were referring to, I'm saying money does represent such technology and knowledge. It's a brilliant solution, really.

People are consuming voluntarily. It's not money's fault. If you want the waste / consumption to decrease, convince people to waste / consume less. They have all the power.

[ConcinusMan]

http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data/821/pong.gif

Good example. ^^^ Obsolete (on purpose) before it even hit the stores.


If you want the waste / consumption to decrease, convince people to waste / consume less. They have all the power.

That's a bit oversimplified.

[Invisible Snake]

Saw this on my local Craigslist.. smh..

Ribbon snake with small carry tank for sale (http://newyork.craigslist.org/que/pet/3506392754.html)

[ConcinusMan]

Saw this on my local Craigslist.. smh..

Ribbon snake with small carry tank for sale (http://newyork.craigslist.org/que/pet/3506392754.html)

Kind of hard to tell but it looks to me like it's probably just an eastern garter. Guy probably caught it. Check out that water dish. And SAND? bad idea.

Approx 12 corn snakes up for adoption locally. And that's just craigslist, and just the past 3 weeks. Stop buying them people, if you can't commit. Jeez. And if you can commit, just adopt one.



What's wrong with this picture? Can anyone spot it? (besides the obvious oversaturation/manipulated photo)

http://i47.tinypic.com/2rd97k3.png

[Invisible Snake]

Kind of hard to tell but it looks to me like it's probably just an eastern garter. Guy probably caught it. Check out that water dish. And SAND? bad idea.

Approx 12 corn snakes up for adoption locally. And that's just craigslist, and just the past 3 weeks. Stop buying them people, if you can't commit. Jeez. And if you can commit, just adopt one.



What's wrong with this picture? Can anyone spot it? (besides the obvious oversaturation/manipulated photo)

http://i47.tinypic.com/2rd97k3.png

The snake pictured is a San Frans

[ConcinusMan]

and?

Just found this on CL: "glass enclosure 36" L x 18" W x 13" H with a screen top, Price is $20" Not bad. Includes a corn snake but I don't even want that.

[Stefan-A]

That's a bit oversimplified.
Not really. It's not a very complex problem. How to actually convince them is the tricky part, since you can't really reason with them.

[Stefan-A]

What's wrong with this picture? Can anyone spot it? (besides the obvious oversaturation/manipulated photo)

http://i47.tinypic.com/2rd97k3.png
It's lifted off some website.

edit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/vabbley/4659452478/

[ConcinusMan]

It's lifted off some website.

edit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/vabbley/4659452478/

Read the text to the right of the picture. http://www.thamnophis.com/forum/images/smilies/wink.gif

True. Nothing will change until the currency-based economy fails entirely, and globally, thus forcing change. What I meant by oversimplified is well...

For example, if I sit at a train station here in WA for a little while, I can actually watch local timber being shipped out to distant places, probably bound for export. 5 minutes later I can watch imported timber going into the same area. Why? simply because the imported timber is cheaper. Nevermind the resources that are wasted moving the stuff around. So you see, sure, you say that we have all the power but we don't. It's only natural that people are going to buy the cheaper lumber if it's of comparable quality. The result is a huge waste of fossil fuels to move the stuff around. So, I ask you, we have the power? power to do what? buy more expensive stuff when we're barely getting by as it as it is? Even if we did that, do you think for one second a big corporation would do that? No, they're going to cut costs anywhere they can.

The entire system is broken and it's decimating our planet and wasting valuable resources.

[Stefan-A]

Read the text to the right of the picture. ;)
Already did. There has to be something more to it than just the typical misinformation and internet randomness.



True. Nothing will change until the currency-based economy fails entirely, and globally, thus forcing change. What I meant by oversimplified is well...

For example, if I sit at a train station here in WA for a little while, I can actually watch local timber being shipped out to distant places, probably bound for export. 5 minutes later I can watch imported timber going into the same area. Why? simply because the imported timber is cheaper. Nevermind the resources that are wasted moving the stuff around. So you see, sure, you say that we have all the power but we don't. It's only natural that people are going to buy the cheaper lumber if it's of comparable quality. The result is a huge waste of fossil fuels to move the stuff around. So, I ask you, we have the power? power to do what? buy more expensive stuff when we're barely getting by as it as it is? Even if we did that, do you think for one second a big corporation would do that? No, they're going to cut costs anywhere they can.

The entire system is broken and it's decimating our planet and wasting valuable resources.
It's not going to fail, it's in place because it works better than the alternative. And the problem is still the consumer who's too stupid, lazy and cheap to make demands that would end the waste.

"Only natural"? Understandable doesn't mean acceptable and it doesn't absolve a person of responsibility or deprive him of agency. Again we have the consumer at the center of it and the corporations on the periphery trying to respond to the demand.

And how would people fare in what you referred to as a "resource-based economy"?

[Invisible Snake]

7785

[ConcinusMan]

It's not going to fail

Denial of the inevitable doesn't help and nothing changes by denying it. A person may be dying. It might make you feel better in the moment to deny it, but die they will. The current system requires exponential growth in order to work. You and I both know that exponential growth forever and unending, is not possible. Unless you're hiding another planet just like earth, and full of resources behind the moon, and the ability to send a few billion people there it can't continue. Without exponential growth, the monetary system collapses. People 150 years from now or more are going to look back and wonder why we were so blind. why we ran head first into a brick wall when we saw it way before we hit it.


it's in place because it works better than the alternative.

Define "better". Seems to me that human beings got along just fine, in a sustainable manner for way more than 3/4 of our history, without currency. Useable, needed materials and natural resources was our currency. I got something you need, you got something I need. We trade or we combine our resources and knowledge for the betterment of us all. If we don't have what we need here, we move. Pretty simple. When did things go terribly wrong? Think about that for a minute.


And how would people fare in what you referred to as a "resource-based economy"?

For one thing, there would not be people living in the streets homeless, without shelter, while millions of home sit empty in the "richest" part of the world, or anywhere for that matter. We have global community now. So why is it that most of the world doesn't have adequate water, food, medical care, etc.? It's not because there isn't enough for everyone. It's because of the system. You know, it's about money. Nobody is doing what is right. They do what's profitable. Is that some flaw of human nature? I don't think so. It's a flaw in the system that uses currency. People do what's profitable, not what's right. Eliminating the current socioeconomic system is the only thing that makes any sense whatsoever. Money is not the "root of all evil" but eliminating the system that requires it would solve so many of the problems that plague us.

I would love nothing more than to go a few blocks from where I live, at which point I would surely run into several homeless people. I would feed them, house them, and do what I could to help them. Why don't I? Can't afford it. I'm doing well just to take care of myself and my own family. The root of the problem is money. Not really money, but the socioeconomic system that we are all slaves to. The one that requires currency as a medium of exchange. The system that allows a few people to have way more than they need, while the majority struggle to meet basic needs.

Surely you've wondered why this madness happens? Why not take a good hard look. You'll see why it happens. It's broken. It's a pyramid scheme, and all pyramid schemes eventually collapse.

[ConcinusMan]

Already did. There has to be something more to it than just the typical misinformation and internet randomness.

There is. If you do a google image search for a specific snake, and someone has posted on a forum like this:

[insert image here]
"CA Red Sided garter snake"

[insert image here]
"San Fransisco Garter Snake"

Guess what happens? The picture BELOW the words "CA Red Sided garter snake" is what comes up on a google image search for those terms. Obviously that's what happened when they did the research for the article.

[Stefan-A]

Denial of the inevitable doesn't help and nothing changes by denying it. A person may be dying. It might make you feel better in the moment to deny it, but die they will. The current system requires exponential growth in order to work. You and I both know that exponential growth forever and unending, is not possible. Unless you're hiding another planet just like earth, and full of resources behind the moon, and the ability to send a few billion people there it can't continue. Without exponential growth, the monetary system collapses. People 150 years from now or more are going to look back and wonder why we were so blind. why we ran head first into a brick wall when we saw it way before we hit it.
This isn't something inevitable and economic growth is a separate issue.


Define "better".
I'm pretty sure you know what better means. What do you think currency is supposed to do?


For one thing, there would not be people living in the streets homeless, without shelter, while millions of home sit empty in the "richest" part of the world, or anywhere for that matter.
No, I'm pretty sure they would be dead.


We have global community now.
We don't have a global community in any other sense than that distances don't prevent trade and communication and we have a couple of organizations that are supposed to at least bring nations to the same table.


So why is it that most of the world doesn't have adequate water, food, medical care, etc.? It's not because there isn't enough for everyone. It's because of the system. You know, it's about money.
Most of the world does have adequate access to those things. According to UN statistics, one in six (or about 17%) doesn't have access to adequate water and about 13% doesn't have food. As for adequate medical care, that's apparently hard enough to define, that nobody seems to have tried to. As for the reasons, the UN lists half a dozen major contributors: Natural disasters, war, the poverty trap, lacking agricultural infrastructure, and over-exploitation of the environment.


Nobody is doing what is right.
What's right is a matter of opinion and everyone is doing it. Everyone from the greatest saint to the worst monster.


Eliminating the current socioeconomic system is the only thing that makes any sense whatsoever. Money is not the "root of all evil" but eliminating the system that requires it would solve so many of the problems that plague us.
Such as the poor and the homeless? Or basically everyone who doesn't own land and has the muscle to keep it?


I would love nothing more than to go a few blocks from where I live, at which point I would surely run into several homeless people. I would feed them, house them, and do what I could to help them. Why don't I? Can't afford it. I'm doing well just to take care of myself and my own family. The root of the problem is money. Not really money, but the socioeconomic system that we are all slaves to. The one that requires currency as a medium of exchange. The system that allows a few people to have way more than they need, while the majority struggle to meet basic needs.
You know, I couldn't find a homeless person even if I tried. All it took was a law requiring municipalities to provide homes for anyone who doesn't have one. Sure, they have other problems as well, but we don't leave them to fend for themselves in those cases, either. We didn't have to start paying our doctors with chickens to do it. In fact, I see that some fiscal conservatives in the US consider our economic freedom to be comparable to that of the US and in some areas even greater.


Surely you've wondered why this madness happens? Why not take a good hard look. You'll see why it happens. It's broken. It's a pyramid scheme, and all pyramid schemes eventually collapse.
Which madness?

[ConcinusMan]

Nevermind. There is no madness. It's all an illusion. Like most people, you're looking right at it, but don't see it, or choose not to. And now for a tiny tidbit of good news...

Endangered butterfly making a comeback in Oregon | OregonLive.com (http://www.oregonlive.com/pacific-northwest-news/index.ssf/2012/12/endangered_butterfly_making_a.html)

[ProXimuS]

That turtle is cute InvisibleSnake:) Is it yours?

What a pretty butterfly, glad it's making it's comeback.

[ConcinusMan]

Oh wow. The ground is still frozen from last night, it's only 34 F and it just started snowing like crazy. Winter is here! (Portland/Vancouver)

[Invisible Snake]

That turtle is cute InvisibleSnake:) Is it yours?

Nah, it's my friends diamondback terrapin. She shared the picture on FB and I posted it here to hopefully derail the dialogue between Stefan and Richard.

I'm thinking those 2 should do a buddy cop film or at least a reality show together :D

[ConcinusMan]

http://cdn.memegenerator.net/instances/400x/31378400.jpg

[Invisible Snake]

Just doing some New Years shopping :D

7790

[ConcinusMan]

From behind the rabbit..

"clean up on isle... wait... cleanup again on isle... wait... cleanup again on isle....aw... fuggit"

[Invisible Snake]

7828

[ConcinusMan]

Here's something interesting. Been watching the ground temperature monitors placed around the Portland area at various depths. In order for snakes to stay at a safe temperature range near 10 degrees C. They would have to get at least 294 cm deep currently. That's nearly 10 feet underground! And even at that depth, the temperature has dropped a few degrees over the course of this week.

Of course, this isn't the big picture. In the place where there blue concinnus' are from, these guys den down in small groups inside root balls of fallen trees and inside/under logs in various states of decay. On days that are cold enough, and the air dry enough, you can see the water vapor rising off these logs because they generate heat. Perhaps they don't have to go so far underground because of that heat.

[mikem]

Marnie wanted me to let you guys know she's been in the bed with the flu for almost a week, hence her absence. Get well soon :)

[guidofatherof5]

Speedy recovery Marnie.

[ProXimuS]

Get well soon Marnie!


I've got a question guys. I'm new to fish/fish tanks. I've currently got a tiny one gallon with two feeder guppies, one regular guppy, and a small apple snail. I just got them a 10 gallon yesterday(dollar per gallon sale!!!), and I want to get this one setup the proper way. I've got this filter:
7867
The tube part with the motor and spongey part on it is extendable. Right now, in the one gallon, I've got it as short as it can go. So my real question is can that motor be fully submerged in water? Currently, in the one gallon, it's under water but the top is exposed, like where the electric cord attaches to it, and that's the part that makes me a little nervous about being submerged.


Also I have another question about guppies. Do "feeder" guppies get as big as "fancy" guppies?

[Selkielass]

I think fancy guppies get bigger, but are slightly more delicate.
I keep a tank full of fancy guppy mongrels and feed off the least colorful.
Mine that have survived best w the least care were tequila sunrise, red tails and a plain iridescent yellow.
black bodies and blue finned guppies have been less hearty and their genes disappeared into the yellow and red pool quickly.

[ConcinusMan]

Also I have another question about guppies. Do "feeder" guppies get as big as "fancy" guppies?

As far as I know, like feeder goldfish, there's no difference between "fancy" and "feeder" other than their appearance. The "feeder" ones are just culls. Just ones that don't make the "fancy" grade or do not have the desirable "fancy" traits. They are what's left after artificial selection. Feeders are closer to wild-type than their fancy counterparts.

[Chulio]

Hope you get better soon Marnie
Lots of my guitar students and their families are sick

Take care

Jimi

[BLUESIRTALIS]

Get well soon marnie!
marnie wanted me to let you guys know she's been in the bed with the flu for almost a week, hence her absence. Get well soon :)

[Invisible Snake]

Feel better Marnie!

[guidofatherof5]

I talked with her yesterday. She's still kicking.:D

[ConcinusMan]

I hate it when certain people, media, employer, etc. urge me to get a flu shot. I haven't had the flu or anything even close to it, since I was 17. In spite of having close contact with people over the years that were very ill with it.

I know that they say it mutates and new strains come out every year, but it just seems like I could practically kiss someone with it, even newer strains, and I just don't get it. If I do get it, I'm not aware of it because there's no symptoms.

Now flashback to my childhood. Had flu so bad, sometimes 2 or 3 times a year, I thought I would die it was so bad. This went on every dang year. Maybe that has something to do with my current resistance. I'm serious. In recent years, I've spent days at a friends house that was sick with it. She went to the Dr. and it's definitely flu. I didn't take any special precautions to keep from getting it. Still nothing. She's been sick several times with flu over the last few years and I was there. Touching everything, and spending time at her house. Still nothing. Wait. One time recently after being round a flu victim, I got a slightly scratchy throat is all. Gone in couple of days.:confused:

In spite of how long it's been since I had a confirmed flu illness I will never forget how miserable it is. Get better soon Marnie.

[StrmChasr]

Roll Tide :D

[guidofatherof5]

Go Irish.

[Greg'sGarters]

I had what was an undiscovered strain of the H1N1 virus during the epidemic a little while ago. But other than that, I've never had any sort of flu. Knock on wood.:D Hope you feel better soon Marnie!

[-MARWOLAETH-]

Ive never had flu. What does it do to you?

[ConcinusMan]

Really? What planet did you recently come from?

Usually a combination of the following. Usually when I had it, it was all of these symptoms and very severe. No fun at all. Can take up to two weeks to start feeling better.

Body/muscle aches
Fever
Chills
extreme fatigue
sore throat/swollen tonsils
Runny or stuffy nose
Chest congestion/cough
Nausea/vomiting
Lack of appetite
dehydration

Flu isn't just a common cold. It can be life-threatening due to complications (such as pneumonia/bronchitis) and it's highly contagious. People die from it every year. Usually the very young, elderly, or immune deficient.

[-MARWOLAETH-]

From that description I'm glad I've never had it.

[Stefan-A]

Half the infections are asymptomatic and the seasonal flu kills about 40,000 people in the US every year and around 200,000 are hospitalized, so it would still be a good idea to get vaccinated even if you've rarely or never had any symptoms.

[EasternGirl]

Buddy/cop movie...now that is hysterical...is there a "love it" button somewhere on here? I am finally recovering. I have to say that I am a strong supporter of the flu shot. It now covers H1N1...which my son, who has asthma, was hospitalized twice with a couple of years ago. Knowing that children have a flu shot makes me feel better if my son is going to be around them. There is apparently a strain going around that is not covered by the shot, however...and it has reached epidemic proportions in some areas....my ex-husband...who I constantly tell...do not come over here if you are sick or bring anyone who is sick over here...brought his daughter over to my house, while she was sick...and she gave me the flu. Now my son is up all night coughing...if he ends up in the ER....his father can sit in the ER with him all night. Noone is allowed in my house anymore if they haven't had a flu shot or if they are sick...my son can not get sick with his asthma and if I miss clinicals, I will get kicked out of the program...luckily....I don't start until next week. The nursing program requires all students nurses get flu shots. Buddy/cop show....hilarious!

[StrmChasr]

Buddy/cop movie...now that is hysterical...is there a "love it" button somewhere on here? I am finally recovering. I have to say that I am a strong supporter of the flu shot. It now covers H1N1...which my son, who has asthma, was hospitalized twice with a couple of years ago. Knowing that children have a flu shot makes me feel better if my son is going to be around them. There is apparently a strain going around that is not covered by the shot, however...and it has reached epidemic proportions in some areas....my ex-husband...who I constantly tell...do not come over here if you are sick or bring anyone who is sick over here...brought his daughter over to my house, while she was sick...and she gave me the flu. Now my son is up all night coughing...if he ends up in the ER....his father can sit in the ER with him all night. Noone is allowed in my house anymore if they haven't had a flu shot or if they are sick...my son can not get sick with his asthma and if I miss clinicals, I will get kicked out of the program...luckily....I don't start until next week. The nursing program requires all students nurses get flu shots. Buddy/cop show....hilarious!

Glad your recovering. The flu is no joke. We had an outbreak at work of the H1N1 that got 30 employees including me. The whole shop was literally shut down for a week. I never want to go through that again.

[ConcinusMan]

From that description I'm glad I've never had it.

And when I say headache, I mean, it feels like someone is pounding your head with a jackhammer. And the fever makes it feel like your eyeballs are on fire.


Half the infections are asymptomatic and the seasonal flu kills about 40,000 people in the US every year and around 200,000 are hospitalized, so it would still be a good idea to get vaccinated even if you've rarely or never had any symptoms.

Maybe that's what's going on. I've had a few seasons when I had sore, swollen lymph nodes near my groin and tonsils for a couple of weeks but I didn't feel sick. Maybe that's as far as it went. maybe that was flu.

[Mommy2many]

I had my flu shot in September and became sick the week of Superstorm Sandy. It was a good thing all of the schools were closed because I was in bed all week. I told my Dr about it and she said that many people who had the flu shot, who then got sick, are showing up negative for flu. It is a really nasty bug. It took 2 antibiotics and about 5-6 weeks to finally get rid of this thing. All I wanted when I was in bed was a hot shower, which I couldn't have because we had no power. I was miserable for 5 days. People are sick with it now as well and it is putting them out for a week at a time. I nebver used to get the flu shot but started a few years ago. I'd rather have that than get the flu. Even if it lessens the flu, I am better off.

[ConcinusMan]

They only give antibiotics to avoid complications such as ear infections and pneumonia. They have no effect on the flu virus itself unfortunately.

[ProXimuS]

Glad your doing better Marnie. I don't think I've ever had the flu...


Slightly off subject but saw this picture here: Famous Movie Quotes as if Spoken by a Proper Englishman - StumbleUpon (http://www.stumbleupon.com/su/5uBknX)

7919

[ConcinusMan]

Glad your doing better Marnie. I don't think I've ever had the flu...

You've either had it before and didn't have symptoms, or you're in a world of hurt if you ever do get it. No contact, no shots, no immunity.

[Invisible Snake]

7922

"This picture was taken in someones backyard pond. They affectionately named the snake "Hissing Sid" and seem very tolerant of the fact that this snake dined on their goldfish. They compared it to humans putting birdseed in feeders for birds, instead this is fish for watersnakes."

[guidofatherof5]

That is awesome. Do you know if the snake was able to swallow it?

[Invisible Snake]

That is awesome. Do you know if the snake was able to swallow it?

Nah I don't know, saw it being shared on Facebook.

[StrmChasr]

Somebody needs to teach this snake about portion control :D

[Invisible Snake]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xVrJ8DxECbg&feature=share&list=UUCsj3Uk-cuVQejdoX-Pc_Lg

[adamanteus]

I saw this on Yahoo news earlier today. Excellent!:D

[ConcinusMan]

(From the thiaminase section of the care sheet) "This enzyme blocks the absorption of vitamin B1 ( also called thiamine)."

Actually, it doesn't block anything. It simply destroys the thiamine molecule by breaking it down into pieces. That's what any enzyme does. What's particularly bad about it is that one thiaminase molecule can destroy a B1 molecule, and move onto the next and do the same thing, over and over, and so on, destroying thousands of B1 molecules. This is why increasing B1 intake through supplementing, does no good if you're still feeding your snake thiaminase.

[-MARWOLAETH-]

"Thats what any enzyme does"

Not true,some build up molecules.

[ConcinusMan]

Well anyway, they sure as heck don't block absorption.

[EasternGirl]

That's a great pic of the snake and the fish! I don't think he had any luck with that though...lol. So...my clinicals start Monday. I saw my clinical schedule and got exhausted just looking at it. It will be a very interesting two years. I think there is a nursing shortage because many nurses croak from exhaustion or burn out during clinicals :p.

My son has been sick all week....not the flu...but a flu related virus. Because he has asthma, every virus goes straight to his lungs and he gets a cough in which he cannot stop coughing...literally. We have to give him three kinds of cough meds and two different nebulizer treatments. I think I have slept maybe 6 hours the whole week. The kid has missed so much school this year...and he has been so sick that he has yet to get a flu shot...which scares the heck out of me with the flu epidemic. Now he has to wait another week before he can get a shot...and go back to school with the flu going around. With his lung problems, the idea of him getting the flu scares me to death. 20 children have already died of it.

[kimbosaur]

Marnie, you should try finding some "Pei Pa Koa (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nin_Jiom_Pei_Pa_Koa)". It's this black herbal, thick, goopy herbal remedy from Hong Kong for coughs and sore throats. I don't know if it helps in the long run, but it's really soothing in the short term. It has a minty, sweet taste. I know it's kind of unconventional, and I'm not sure how likely it is you'd want to try it or can even find it where you're at (asian grocery stores should have it). I just thought I'd mention it because it's my go-to for coughs. Works way better than Halls and it's made of natural ingredients!

Hope your son gets better soon! :)

[EasternGirl]

I would try it...but I doubt my son would...he would probably yack it up on me...lol. But thanks! :) Oh...and I love your avatar!

[kimbosaur]

Thanks. :) And, haha, yea, it pretty much looks like black tar...not very appetizing.

[ConcinusMan]

Damn it's cold. Barely got above freezing today in the Portland area and then it was only for a couple of hours. Crops across much of California are freezing tonight. Billions of dollars in losses likely. As if food wasn't expensive enough already.

Meanwhile snakes are out in the NE. This is opposite of what it should be. The NE is supposed to be freezing, not California! Freezing even in Las Vegas and Bakersfield tonight. Wow.

http://i49.tinypic.com/vcsy9c.png

[ConcinusMan]

Sorry Shannon, I just had to. This is too cute! View Profile: aSnakeLovinBabe - Garter Snake Forum (http://www.thamnophis.com/forum/members/asnakelovinbabe.html)


http://i49.tinypic.com/2cyid86.png

[Greg'sGarters]

Awwwwwwww so cute!!!

[ConcinusMan]

This morning I woke up to a scene similar to this:

http://pics4.city-data.com/cpicc/cfiles28057.jpg

No, it's not snow. Freezing fog.

[Greg'sGarters]

What's the difference?

[ConcinusMan]

Ice crystal structure for one. It's just what it sounds like. What we experienced overnight and for much of the day today was actually frozen fog. It's where fog droplets freeze in midair and then coat everything. Later in the day as things began to warm up, the fog lifted off of ground level, and the tiny ice crystals in the fog began to stick together and fall. It looked like a snow flurry but if you catch them and look at the structure, it's totally different than snow. It's more like tiny splinters clumped together. Like the structure of frost.

[Greg'sGarters]

Oh ok.

[ConcinusMan]

Even though it looks like it's snowing, there's no weather system over us at all. It's just foggy.

[Greg'sGarters]

I like foggy weather for some reason, don't quite know why lol

[ConcinusMan]

Can't stand it. Depressing as hell. Lived in Bakersfield, CA for a time. (I was born there). Sometimes in winter, fog would be so thick that you couldn't see more than 2 feet away and it would stay that way for a month or more. I hated it. The consolation was 6-9 months of nothing but blue skies when it's not winter. Sunshine and fog were common. It's clouds and rain that was rare.

[Greg'sGarters]

I probably would hate fog for long periods of time though. I only like it when it only lasts for an hour or less. After that, it's a burden.

[infernalis]

http://birdandmoon.com/images/attenborough.jpg

[-MARWOLAETH-]

The animals call him Lonesome Dave :D

[Steveo]

Being a Baltimore native, I went to the Ravens vs. Broncos game on Saturday. In addition to the two hundred of us who are part of the regular fan group, a ton of people flew in for the game including a pair from Canada and a guy from Scotland. I spent over 8 consecutive hours outside and our high temperature for the day was 18F. The hand warmers in my shoes wore off at the end of the third quarter, which would have been fine had the game not gone to a second overtime period. it was 8F by the time I got back to my car. We went back to our home bar to warm up and closed the place down.

I still have tingling in a finger and a couple toes. My skin looks fine but I hope I don't have any neurological damage.

[ConcinusMan]

I hope I don't have any neurological damage.

I'm no physician, but since you have "tingling" already, I highly doubt there's any lasting damage.;)

Now if you want to talk about real damage, I experienced tingling and numbness mostly confined to my left hand, for years. It was just pressure on the nerve to my arm, due to a disk in my back being destroyed. While that tingling is disconcerting, the time to worry is when it stops tingling and you no longer have any feeling at all. Dead/permanently damaged nerves don't tingle. If anything, the tingling is an indicator that you don't have nerve damage. Just a little trauma.

I suppose you could say the same thing when it comes to the most important nerve of all; your brain. If you think you're going insane, it's a sure sign that you aren't. Insane people think they're perfectly normal. :p

[EasternGirl]

That doesn't sound like fun....too cold for me! Well...I must be really, really normal then...because I feel pretty insane most of the time! Lol...

[BLUESIRTALIS]

To be friends with mike you have to be insane:p, oh wait that means im insane oops!:eek:


that doesn't sound like fun....too cold for me! Well...i must be really, really normal then...because i feel pretty insane most of the time! Lol...

[RedSidedSPR]

Reagan + Front row + Knives + Ford Theatre + Nowadays = Wouldn't happen.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n6mbW-jMtrY&feature=player_detailpage

[mikem]

To be friends with mike you have to be insane:p, oh wait that means im insane oops!:eek:

The insanity is contagious, watch out! :cool: ;)

[guidofatherof5]

Tank is up to it again. I no sooner leave the house and he gets on the internet and sends Stefan another text on Skype.:D


http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//751/medium/tank_talk_2.jpg

[mikem]

Okay, that's hilarious!! Is that real?! rofl :D

[guidofatherof5]

Second time Tank has sent a message to Stefan. No kidding.

[Stefan-A]

Okay, that's hilarious!! Is that real?! rofl :D
Yeah. It's real.

http://koti.mbnet.fi/thamnoph/photos/garbage/tankcomm.jpg

[mikem]

That is just too perfect! Made my day, thanks Tank! hehe :D

[ConcinusMan]

Tank is up to it again. I no sooner leave the house and he gets on the internet and sends Stefan another text on Skype.:D


http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//751/medium/tank_talk_2.jpg

He's trying to type "call the police" LoL


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D3xtv4gvQYA

All I got to say about that is, I sure hope you don't leave your browser logged in to your ebay account or you could end up buying William Shatner's old toupee and 5,000 used straws.

[tress29]

It also looks like everything is pretty evenly coated. How were the driving conditions?

[ConcinusMan]

It warmed up to just above freezing that day and a heavy mist fell (just water) for a while. Then after sundown it froze again so everything was covered in a layer of ice including the roads. No more freezing now, not even at night. Things have warmed up. 36 F right now but the next few days it should be around 45-50 F.

[tress29]

Things have warmed up. 36 F right now but the next few days it should be around 45-50 F.Wow, it's warmer there than in Indianapolis! Thought it was colder in the north?!

[ConcinusMan]

Not really. It's colder wherever the cold air is.:cool:

The last few days it's been warmer up on Mt. Hood at the ski resorts (around 52 F) than it is in town at nearly sea level.(upper 30's)

[StrmChasr]

Not really. It's colder wherever the cold air is.:cool:

Good answer. I was really surprised by the weather first few times I went to Seattle. Not real hot and humid in the summer but not freezing cold in the winter.

[ConcinusMan]

Try crossing the cascade mountains. Eastern WA and Oregon have scorching hot summers and extremely cold winters. The west side is moderated by the ocean.

[StrmChasr]

Try crossing the cascade mountains. Eastern WA and Oregon have scorching hot summers and extremely cold winters. The west side is moderated by the ocean.

I have. I've made the drive from Ohio to Washington.

[ConcinusMan]

Triple digits in summer and below 0 F temperatures in winter happen every year in the Northwest's deserts. Those extremes are nearly non-existent west of the cascades.

[StrmChasr]

Triple digits in summer and below 0 F temperatures in winter happen every year in the Northwest's deserts. Those extremes are nearly non-existent west of the cascades.

Sounds like Ohios weather except when it goes above 99 degrees or drops below 0 degrees its only for 3-4 days at a time

[aSnakeLovinBabe]

So! James! Yes there are still some of us floating around... but still the forum has changed A LOT. I myself was on a bit of a hiatus for a while this past year... for a few reasons though. For many of those who wonder about it....

1.) Moved a lot of my garters out when I found out I was pregnant... garters are very high maintenance. 150 of them and a baby just wasn't going to happen.

2.) Depression stemming from a pretty terrible accident that happened back in May. Had a thermostat decide to go and stay in the ON position and ended up killing 3/4 of my animals. I lost all of my remaining natricines except for onewater snake... my eastern indigos, my flying snakes, my first ever snake and about 50 other irreplacable animals. For a while it was pretty hard to even look at most forums.

3.) Baby. She makes it tough to spend much time on a forum these days! Especially with the snakes and my business to be kept up with!

4.) Cold-Blooded Creation.... left my day job in june.... now I make money as a sculptor and sculpture takes up a LOT of my "free" time. I am constantly getting in new orders and still working on my website when I find time (I should totally be doing that right now :P )

[adamanteus]

Wow. It sounds like you've had quite a year!
So sorry to hear about the thermostat accident.... abolutely gutted for you.
Congratulations on the birth of your baby girl though. That's wonderful news.
The sculpture sounds like a fun career.... I'll have a look at your website a little later.
For my part, I've been doing an awful lot of this.......


http://i289.photobucket.com/albums/ll228/adamanteus_bucket/2012_0811Abersoch20120052_zps64a17cfd.jpg

..... and not much of anything else for the past two years. I lost my job working for the National Cycle Network (redundant due to the recession), so decided to try out the cycle paths for myself. I've covered a huge amount of miles, but actually achieved very little!
To be honest, I don't know what I'll do next.

[guidofatherof5]

Very good to hear from you James. Prayers headed your way for a better year.

[adamanteus]

Thank you, Steve. Much appreciated.:)

[infernalis]

Glad to see you around James, you look healthy and fit.

Hope all is well with you.

[adamanteus]

You look healthy and fit.

Don't be fooled, Wayne.... those legs are made of jelly!:D

[ProXimuS]

I saw a snake drinking for the first time today:) I've had Proximus since last May and Tallie since last October, and have yet to see them drink. It doesn't really bother me, because they always have water available, and I know they know what to do. I think I might have seen Tallie drinking her nasty blood water from her worms or pinkies before, but never blatantly drinking from the water bowl. I was at Petco today and looking at the baby cornsnakes, and one of them went up to the water and stared drinking. It was so cute:)

[guidofatherof5]

I saw a snake drinking for the first time today:) I've had Proximus since last May and Tallie since last October, and have yet to see them drink. It doesn't really bother me, because they always have water available, and I know they know what to do. I think I might have seen Tallie drinking her nasty blood water from her worms or pinkies before, but never blatantly drinking from the water bowl. I was at Petco today and looking at the baby cornsnakes, and one of them went up to the water and stared drinking. It was so cute:)

That's called broth.:D

[ConcinusMan]

This thing says it takes Facebook videos. And it does; but the problem is that only the person who posts the video can see it. No one else can apparently.

It's not that. Unless the person who posted it, set the post's privacy settings as "public" it's not going to work here. Any other setting cannot be embedded. That goes for the "only me" (that "only me" setting makes the video only be seen by the person who posted it) "friends" "friends of friends" etc. Only the "public" setting can be embedded and the privacy setting is up the person who puts it on facebook.

[ConcinusMan]

I saw a snake drinking for the first time today:) I've had Proximus since last May and Tallie since last October, and have yet to see them drink

Never saw a snake drink. You're kidding me.

Well, if you're feeding them often and there is a lot of water content in their food, *worms* they're not going to drink much and when they do, it only takes a few seconds to get what they need so it's easy to miss.

[-MARWOLAETH-]

I saw my marcianus drink for the first time in 8 months of having her. She really gulped it down for ages.I never new such a small snake could drink that much.

I think richard is right, they usually eat things with a high water content so get most of they need from food. Gerry hadnt eaten in a while so needed to drink lots.

[chris-uk]

I think they drink more often than we ever see, they prefer to do it when they aren't being watched (secret drinkers... Think there might be a garters Water Anonymous meeting?).

[infernalis]

I think they drink more often than we ever see, they prefer to do it when they aren't being watched (secret drinkers... Think there might be a garters Water Anonymous meeting?).


I have a theory - well hydrated reptiles are not thirsty. ;)

[Greg'sGarters]

I've walked in on mine drinking a few times. Other than that, the only time when I see them drinking is when I refill their water bowls.

[ProXimuS]

I do see my snakes in, on, and around the waterbowl fairly regularly, and I know they know what to do....So I'm not really too concerned. Also Proximus will only eat out of his waterbowl, and I add water to Tallie's food.

[ConcinusMan]

... such as keepers who legally collect their own snakes in a state then relocate to another state

But particularly with the example I gave, there is no legal way or exception and there pretty much never has been. Collection permits are granted for research institutions only and if the animals were kept in captivity for a time, they must be destroyed once the research is done.

As far as "before the laws" go, you're talking about tetrataenia as an example but CA has pretty much always allowed collection of garters that aren't listed as federally endangered or state endangered so yes, any collected before the endangered species act, or it's being placed on that list, are going to be legally collected. What I'm saying about pugets is, there really never has been a legal way for them to get into the pet trade. Unless you want to argue that they were collected when WA and B.C. were still just territories or before those states established any game laws which is a ridiculous argument.

Even when states have exceptions or permit someone to legally collect when others can't, permits are few and they don't usually allow any legal way for the snakes to end up in the pet trade so that argument is a bit of a stretch and using tetrataenia is a bad example because there were no protections before the endangered species act and their being placed on it. Not so with state collection laws. Many states had laws forbidding collection long before the endangered species act, and many of the snakes we have only occur in those states.

Leaving tetrataenia out of it (that's a whole different situation) Lets face it, even with the very few limited ways you can think of that other species of garters could get into the pet trade legally, there's no way that could account for even a small percentage of the snakes in the pet trade, even with captive breeding of the very few legally collected ones. I'd bet my left arm that all concinnus' and pugets (and probably a bunch of other popular garters in the pet trade) were all illegally collected or descended from illegally collected animals.

[ConcinusMan]

WA state just increased drivers license fees from $28 to $45. OUCH!

[Invisible Snake]

8066

[BLUESIRTALIS]

I love that pic Gaboons are awesome!


8066

[guidofatherof5]

Awesome.
Bitis gabonica (Gaboon viper)?

[Invisible Snake]

Awesome.
Bitis gabonica (Gaboon viper)?

Yes sir!

[ConcinusMan]

Apparently those were the three blind mice. errr... Rats. They didn't see it coming. :p

[Invisible Snake]

8067

"The clouded leopard is found from
the Himalayan foothills through mainland
Southeast Asia into China, and has been
classified as vulnerable in 2008 by the IUCN.
Its total population size is suspected to be
fewer than 10,000 mature individuals."

[Invisible Snake]

8068

Rare crown tail, black criss cross fins and dragon body

[-MARWOLAETH-]

Thats beautiful and scary at the same time LoL.
What sp is (or was) that?

[aSnakeLovinBabe]

8068

Rare crown tail, black criss cross fins and dragon body

weird.... this literally just was on my facebook feed.

betta splendens!

[ConcinusMan]

OMG. Last night someone walked into the Walgreens where my mom worked (she retired a few months ago) and shot himself in the head. Blood and brains everywhere. They're still cleaning it up this morning. Holy crud.:eek:

[guidofatherof5]

That's a shame. At least he didn't take innocent people with him.

[ConcinusMan]

Yeah but still begs the question.. why there?

[guidofatherof5]

It also begs a more important question. Why anywhere?

[ConcinusMan]

Nevermind. Mom got the story all wrong. Didn't happen here. At least I don't think so. Or maybe the story hasn't hit the web yet.

[guidofatherof5]

Still a shame. Life is important.

[ConcinusMan]

http://dusttracks.com/2013/01/23/once-upon-an-ago-i-got-my-***-kicked-by-a-garter-snake/

[guidofatherof5]

http://dusttracks.com/2013/01/23/once-upon-an-ago-i-got-my-***-kicked-by-a-garter-snake/

Tells me "Page not found"

[Stefan-A]

Yeah but still begs the question.. why there?
So that he would matter to someone (witnesses, if nobody else) and wouldn't just be forgotten. Or, he wanted to die in a place where he would be found.

Who knows.

[Stefan-A]

Tells me "Page not found"
Check the URL, the forum censored a three letter word for donkey in the middle.

[guidofatherof5]

Yes, that was the problem. Thanks Stefan. Read the article yesterday.

[ConcinusMan]

Check the URL, the forum censored a three letter word for donkey in the middle.

Oh wow. Didn't see that one coming.:rolleyes:

I didn't even know it would apply to URL's.

[ConcinusMan]

It also begs a more important question. Why anywhere?

Apparently the local news stations and newspapers do not report incidents when suicide is involved unless it occurs in public. Maybe that has something to do with it.

Found it. Dang, guy was only 25. Man commits suicide in public | The Columbian (http://www.columbian.com/news/2013/jan/23/man-commits-suicide-public/)

[chris-uk]

http://dusttracks.com/2013/01/23/once-upon-an-ago-i-got-my-***-kicked-by-a-garter-snake/

Interesting story.

[Invisible Snake]

8072

Scaleless Death Adder

[Invisible Snake]

weird.... this literally just was on my facebook feed.

betta splendens!

You and I are friends on Facebook and I shared the picture :)

[Greg'sGarters]

8072

Scaleless Death Adder

This is soooooo weird! I just saw this picture yesterday! Lol

[Invisible Snake]

8080

Mangshan Pit Viper – Protobothrops Mangshanensis

[snake man]

This picture doesn't even make the snake look real that is amazing.

[guidofatherof5]

Awesome photo but more awesome snake.

[-MARWOLAETH-]

Corvid are amazing birds Raven Haven - Tarquin's Story and Raven rescues. (http://www.ravenhaven.co.uk/)

[Invisible Snake]

8088

"What do you think of this hairstyle? This is the Mary River turtle (Elusor macrurus), and its green mohawk is made up of algae. This often covers the shell as well as the head, and helps to camouflage the animal."

[Invisible Snake]

Hey, so I've been posting on this thread various pictures being shared on FB of some amazing animals, if anyone is annoyed by this let me know and I'll stop. I know certain ppl like to use this thread to give updates on their personal lives etc.

[guidofatherof5]

Righteous, dude. Rock on.:D

[snake man]

Reminds me of the chia pets from a while back.

[Invisible Snake]

8099

"The Blue Dragon (Glaucus atlanticus), one of the world’s rarest and most beautiful mollusks."

[infernalis]

Learning UNIX, having a ball too.

will probably abandon windows, this is faster, cleaner and more powerful.

[ConcinusMan]

Learning UNIX, having a ball too.

Just now? A bit late to the party huh?


will probably abandon windows

I don't know a single person (including myself) that didn't say the same thing when first getting into UNIX. I also don't know a single one of us that actually did abandon windows. We would all like to say we did, but it never seems to quite be a reality. Maybe some of us have a dual boot system here and there or machine around running UNIX only, but actually abandoning windows is easier said than done in the long term. There always seems to be something that gets in the way. Something I need or want to do where UNIX just won't cut it. Been saying what you you just said for over a decade but...

There will probably always be something running windows in the house. Now, if I had the time and skill to replace many programs I use with ones written by myself, for UNIX, then yeah. Then maybe, just maybe.:cool: Bottom line is, it's only "better" "IF"...(you are... insert any number of reasons here) and there always seems to be an "if" which isn't so.

Now if I had a team of people working on software for every thing I do under windows, that could give me fully functioning software 5 minutes after the need for it comes up, then that would work. Until then, I'm always going to have a windows partition even on my UNIX machines.:cool:

I guess what I'm trying to say is that there's always something coming up that requires me to boot from a windows (FAT32 or NTFS) or even DOS partition. I'll never get rid of it completely even though I would like to.

[infernalis]

Just now? A bit late to the party huh? .

It's been forever since I really used anything but windows.

Got in a jam, have a laptop that the kid got a virus that screwed up his SAM file, I had no choice but to open his hard drive under UNIX to get his files out.

But you are right Richard, all my software, Like Roxio DVD creator, macromedia, etc... won't load under Knoppix (GUI based UNIX OS)

But wow, the things I can do work so much better, and browsing the web with zero fear of malware, virus attacks and bogus lockdowns (Like the recent FBI virus) is awesome.

[infernalis]

Wow, I just got an infraction on the computer forum for discussing SAM file access.

Richard, you seem to be in the know, any computer forums out there that won't kick me off for discussing things like that?

Seems like most of them go nuts at the mention of torrents, password recovery, etc...

Thankfully, a member there gave me links to the Unix/Linux forum before I decided that it was not the place for me.

[Greg'sGarters]

I abandoned windows, I have a Macbook Air, I am posting from it right now!

[ConcinusMan]

Wow, I just got an infraction on the computer forum for discussing SAM file access.

Richard, you seem to be in the know, any computer forums out there that won't kick me off for discussing things like that?

Such a forum doesn't officially exist. There are plenty of them openly discussing highly illegal activity in great detail but they don't deal with computers. So, it's easier for you to find out how to make heroin, smuggle cocaine, or pull off I.D. theft, than it is to find help with SAM file /password access.:rolleyes:

[infernalis]

Such a forum doesn't officially exist. There are plenty of them openly discussing highly illegal activity in great detail but they don't deal with computers. So, it's easier for you to find out how to make heroin, smuggle cocaine, or pull off I.D. theft, than it is to find help with SAM file /password access.:rolleyes:

It's stupid really, Thankfully I got the guys My documents and his 10 gigs of Itunes copied out under Knoppix and then I deleted all of the partitions, reinstalled win7 and put his files back.

His grandmother has Panda internet security professional with a 3 machine license, and she's only using 2 of them, so I loaded that and told the kid to stop using free A/V junk.

[ConcinusMan]

And it's not even the "free" part that makes them junk. Plenty of paid ones are junk too. Avast free is actually pretty good. I have it on several machines and have tested it thoroughly. Not bad at all, but no antivirus is any match for a lack of common sense. If the user cannot follow a few very simple rules and use common sense, then antivirus is not enough no matter how good it is. Panda isn't bad but if he screws with the firewall rules it's only as good as a mud fence in a rain storm. If this user continues to use the computer as he has been, it won't do much good.

[EasternGirl]

Hey guys...sorry to just cut into to the middle of a conversation...but I wanted to drop in and say hi while I have two minutes. Nursing clinicals are already kicking my butt and it's only the third week. Mondays and Tuesdays I am up at 5:30a...home at 4pm, and then I study until I fall asleep and get back up Tuesday at 5:30a. Wednesdays-Fridays my school schedule is not as bad, but I have a lot of work to do at home...to say the least. My first exam is next week and I start working in the field in two weeks...at the hospital or a nursing home, not sure which one yet. It is pretty intense. I don't really like the people in my program much...the teachers are great, but most of the students are young and have chips on their shoulders. Ahhh...to be young again and think I know everything....aren't they in for a big surprise in about twenty years....lol. The snakes are all good and I just wanted to let you all know I'm alive...hope everyone is well! Miss you all!

[Stefan-A]

http://koti.mbnet.fi/thamnoph/photos/garbage/ifrabbit.jpg

[chris-uk]

Hey guys...sorry to just cut into to the middle of a conversation...but I wanted to drop in and say hi while I have two minutes. Nursing clinicals are already kicking my butt and it's only the third week. Mondays and Tuesdays I am up at 5:30a...home at 4pm, and then I study until I fall asleep and get back up Tuesday at 5:30a. Wednesdays-Fridays my school schedule is not as bad, but I have a lot of work to do at home...to say the least. My first exam is next week and I start working in the field in two weeks...at the hospital or a nursing home, not sure which one yet. It is pretty intense. I don't really like the people in my program much...the teachers are great, but most of the students are young and have chips on their shoulders. Ahhh...to be young again and think I know everything....aren't they in for a big surprise in about twenty years....lol. The snakes are all good and I just wanted to let you all know I'm alive...hope everyone is well! Miss you all!

I was wondering where you'd got to :) . Good luck with the exam next week, and I'm sure the hard work will be worthwhile in the end.

[infernalis]

you guys click "like" on anything ;)

[Stefan-A]

you guys click "like" on anything ;)
Oh, come on. You like my infantry fighting Trojan rabbits as well. ;)

[infernalis]

So that's what they are.

[chris-uk]

you guys click "like" on anything ;)

How cool would it be to be playing a tank combat sim and see that the opposition was using trojan rabbits instead of tanks?

[Stefan-A]

How cool would it be to be playing a tank combat sim and see that the opposition was using trojan rabbits instead of tanks?
http://koti.mbnet.fi/thamnoph/photos/garbage/aarabbit.jpg

The MiG-15s are totally screwed.

[infernalis]

Bring on snoopy!


http://www.thamnophis.co/guns/snoop.jpg

[Stefan-A]

http://koti.mbnet.fi/thamnoph/photos/garbage/aarabbit2.jpg

Cabbage crates coming over the briny.

[Stefan-A]

For the 99% who didn't get any of it:

T2PdyxMtiYM

5rKYL0tW-Ek

For the remaining 95% who didn't get that, either: Don't worry about it.

[infernalis]

I will admit Stefan, I had forgotten that sketch until just now.

Guess I need to watch the Holy Grail again.

[Invisible Snake]

It was the cat. That damn kitty is the root of all of my problems.

Speaking of cats... Cats Kill Billions of Animals a Year | LiveScience (http://www.livescience.com/26670-cats-kill-billions-animals.html)

[guidofatherof5]

Speaking of cats... Cats Kill Billions of Animals a Year | LiveScience (http://www.livescience.com/26670-cats-kill-billions-animals.html)

I know a few States (Wisconsin, Minnesota,?) toyed with the idea of a legal cat hunt. Wisconsin estimates they lose a million+ songbirds a year to cats.

[Steveo]

Some neighborhoods in Denver have a feral cat problem but the hippies won't let anyone touch them. Fortunately they're restricted to the relatively small areas where coyotes can't get them.

[Stefan-A]

Some neighborhoods in Denver have a feral cat problem but the hippies won't let anyone touch them. Fortunately they're restricted to the relatively small areas where coyotes can't get them.
Those damn hippies again. The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry made a proposal for a non-native species strategy and the animal welfare nuts got their collective panties in a twist over every single example given of especially harmful invasive species (cats were included) and came with the most ridiculous dismissals of the damage they cause. Their hearts may be in the right place, but their heads sure as hell are firmly planted in the wrong one.

As much as I love cats, I'm still all for extermination of feral ones.

Oh and we don't have much of a feral cat problem. Cats without owners tend not to survive the winter. We do have people who get cats for the summer and then just dump them when summer's over.

[-MARWOLAETH-]

There's some Peregrin falcons that nest on top of a tower where my Dad works.Theres also a family of ferel cats that eat the scraps that the falcons drop. (They keep the carpark clean so their allowed to lve there lol)

[Invisible Snake]

8115

[guidofatherof5]

Wow, excellent camo. Found it but it took 10 minutes of magnified searching.

Now that I know where it is I feel stupid for not seeing it in the first place.:D

[ConcinusMan]

And I spotted it almost immediately. I think if it was coiled up it would have been harder.

[Invisible Snake]

8117

"The fangs of the Jameson’s mamba deliver toxins that can lead to a person’s death within hours."

[chris-uk]

"The fangs of the Jameson’s mamba deliver toxins that can lead to a person’s death within hours."

But such beautiful colouring...

[infernalis]

And I spotted it almost immediately. I think if it was coiled up it would have been harder.

picked up on it in about 6 seconds.

that is some superb camo though.

[chris-uk]

picked up on it in about 6 seconds.

that is some superb camo though.

Like one of those 90's "magic eye" pictures (you had them in the States as well didn't you?) in that I couldn't see it for ages, then it jumps out and you can't not see it.

[ProXimuS]

I still don't see it...:o

[chris-uk]

I still don't see it...:o

It's there. The mind is good at picking out straight edges, the art of camouflage is to remove the edges from an object. Keep looking. :)

[Steveo]

I had to use ctrl + mouse wheel to zoom in a bit but it's there.

I imagine it's extra difficult for people who don't remember what a copperhead looks like ;) I love their look but have no desire to deal with hots.

[ProXimuS]

I hate my roommate.......I showed her the pic and she pointed immediately to it.......:rolleyes: I see now lol

[Steveo]

"The fangs of the Jameson’s mamba deliver toxins that can lead to a person’s death within hours."

", which is why playing with one is extra cool"

:p

[guidofatherof5]

I hate my roommate.......I showed her the pic and she pointed immediately to it.......:rolleyes: I see now lol

Bad roommate, bad roommate.:D

[guidofatherof5]

With reference to the "Sexing Pics" thread.
I have a PM and Skype message into Greg to identify the sex of the photos he reposted.

[-MARWOLAETH-]

American mink!? What a Bar steward :mad: Over here they've nearly wiped out the water vole (Ratty from Wind in the willows)

[Stefan-A]

American mink!? What a Barstewerd :mad: Over here they've nearly wiped out the water vole (ratty from wind in the willow)

Stefan,what animals are they effecting in Finnland?
Ground nesting birds, amphibians.

[Greg'sGarters]

Yeah. It's happened countless times and still people refuse to acknowledge that it's a bad idea to release animals where they don't occur naturally.

Here's another example:

http://koti.mbnet.fi/thamnoph/photos/nature/nature09/2009-05-24-mink-4.jpg

This little ******* already outcompeted one native species and is in the process of wiping out amphibians and bird colonies along the coast.

Stefan there is a simple and GREAT solution! Just get yourself a pellet rifle, kill them off, and sell mink-fur coats and make big money! **Cough cough** I mean you can help save the animal population! :D

[Stefan-A]

Stefan there is a simple and GREAT solution! Just get yourself a pellet rifle, kill them off, and sell mink-fur coats and make big money! **Cough cough** I mean you can help save the animal population! :D
Pellet rifles won't kill them, I use a .22 and the pelts are worthless that time of year (you want the winter coat).

I shot that one the next time it came running by. Don't click if you can't stand blood.
http://koti.mbnet.fi/thamnoph/photos/nature/haditcoming2.jpg

[Steveo]

Coincidentally, mink are the most oily animal I have ever dissected. They've been used as a source of lantern oil in the past.

[Greg'sGarters]

Coincidentally, mink are the most oily animal I have ever dissected. They've been used as a source of lantern oil in the past.

My dad keeps mink oil in his closet to shine his shoes.

Stefan, nice gun! That was a crazy head shot! You did that with a .22?

[Stefan-A]

It wasn't a head shot, it was a heart/lung shot. Yeah, it was shot with a .22, in the middle of the night at a distance of maybe 6-8 meters.

[chris-uk]

I shot that one the next time it came running by. Don't click if you can't stand blood.
http://koti.mbnet.fi/thamnoph/photos/nature/haditcoming2.jpg

You picked the best photo - haditcoming1.jpg is a more family friendly shot. ;-)

[Stefan-A]

You picked the best photo - haditcoming1.jpg is a more family friendly shot. ;-)

Well, 2b has most of the gore edited out. :p

[ProXimuS]

So I was on the Houston Zoo website on the reptiles page, and it says check out some of our reptiles, and has a list. I clicked on Gulf Coast Ribbon, and it comes up with "Scientific Name: Thamnophis sauritus" :rolleyes: THE ZOO!! Come on.... I don't know/remember that they actually have any of these guys at the zoo, but anyways I'll see about sending them an email....

[tress29]

I had to use ctrl + mouse wheel to zoom in a bit but it's there.Thanks for the tip, I finally found it!

[Invisible Snake]

8118

[chris-uk]

I can see the snake in that one.

[-MARWOLAETH-]

:mad: *NERD RAGE*:mad: Preloved | cuitzeo cross scott garter snake for sale in Barnsley, South Yorkshire (http://www.preloved.co.uk/adverts/show/107191910/cuitzeo-cross-scott-garter-snake.html)

[guidofatherof5]

I'm with you.:mad:

[chris-uk]

:mad: *NERD RAGE*:mad: Preloved | cuitzeo cross scott garter snake for sale in Barnsley, South Yorkshire (http://www.preloved.co.uk/adverts/show/107191910/cuitzeo-cross-scott-garter-snake.html)

:grr:

Photos aren't very good, but I suspect the seller has no idea what it is. Can't really see how much of it looks Cuitzeo, but what I can see looks like a mutt.

[guidofatherof5]

I was going to send an email and ask if this was an intentional breeding or an accident but it looks like I need an account with that website so I won't.

[-MARWOLAETH-]

"If I only had a time machine and a hammer..."
Stefan,Forget the time machine and get a train ticket to Barnsley instead;)

[Invisible Snake]

I was going to send an email and ask if this was an intentional breeding or an accident but it looks like I need an account with that website so I won't.

I was going to e-mail the seller for more pictures, but unfortunately you need an account to respond to ads =/

[Invisible Snake]

8119

Blue Malayan Coral Snake, Maticora bivirgata (syn. Calliophis bivirgata). An incredible venomous elapid from Malaysia, Indonesia, Cambodia, Thailand and Singapore.

[BLUESIRTALIS]

This is my favorite venomous snake! I almost bought one a few years back, but was scared that it wouldn't do well in captivity and they are rather expensive.

8119

Blue Malayan Coral Snake, Maticora bivirgata (syn. Calliophis bivirgata). An incredible venomous elapid from Malaysia, Indonesia, Cambodia, Thailand and Singapore.

[Invisible Snake]

Pigeon DNA proves Darwin right : Nature News & Comment (http://www.nature.com/news/pigeon-dna-proves-darwin-right-1.12334)

[ConcinusMan]

American mink!? What a Bar steward Over here they've nearly wiped out the water vole (Ratty from Wind in the willows)


Ground nesting birds, amphibians.

The Pacific Northwest is infested with mink too.(they're descended from local mink farm escapees) I spotted quite a few of them while herping for blue pugets on the Nisqually Delta in WA and I've seen them along Lewis Co. streams too. I'm not sure what kind of impact they really have here though since in most areas they are basically just filling a niche that was once occupied by other native members of the genus. Those other members were once common in the northwest but were extirpated and/or nearly wiped from these habitats by the end of the 19th century.



So I was on the Houston Zoo website on the reptiles page, and it says check out some of our reptiles, and has a list. I clicked on Gulf Coast Ribbon, and it comes up with "Scientific Name: Thamnophis sauritus" :rolleyes: THE ZOO!!

Yeah, Gulf Coast ribbon is Thamnophis proximus orarius. Don't be too hard on them, I sometimes slip up and say 'sauritus' when I mean 'proximus' and visa-versa.

:grr:

Photos aren't very good, but I suspect the seller has no idea what it is. Can't really see how much of it looks Cuitzeo, but what I can see looks like a mutt.

I can't see enough of it to even take a guess what it is.:cool:

[StrmChasr]

8128

[Stefan-A]

8128


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PQqzwGTdKPQ

[ProXimuS]

8138

I came across this and thought it was cute:) But I was also wondering if this is a European grass snake?

[guidofatherof5]

I'm guessing Natrix natrix.

[ProXimuS]

I thought Natrix natrix was a European grass snake :o

[guidofatherof5]

I thought Natrix natrix was a European grass snake :o

It is.

Natrix natrix = European grass snake

http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/14368/0

[-MARWOLAETH-]

I recently found out that there are Aesculapian Snakes (Zamenis Longissimus) in a park in London and near a Zoo in North Wales they escaped from back in the 70s. Fossil evidence shows that this species ranged into Northan Europe before the Iceage. They are filling the same role that they would in their current range in Southern Europe-eating rodents and the occasional bird.Its a similar story in Souther Germany where the Romans introduced then two thousand years ago. What do you guys think about this?

[Stefan-A]

I recently found out that there are Aesculapian Snakes (Zamenis Longissimus) in a park in London and near a Zoo in North Wales they escaped from back in the 70s. Fossil evidence shows that this species ranged into Northan Europe before the Iceage. They are filling the same role that they would in their current range in Southern Europe-eating rodents and the occasional bird.Its a similar story in Souther Germany where the Romans introduced then two thousand years ago. What do you guys think about this?
Reintroduction. Also, I don't count anything in the central third on the north-south axis to be "northern".

[StrmChasr]

8139

[Steveo]

My cat saved my life tonight.

My female eastern garter bit the tip of my pinky finger as I was moving her to a feeding container, but she wouldn't let go. She got enough grip to start swallowing my finger. Since I was holding her up in the air, there was no resistance to her advance.

I figured I'd set her down on the floor to see if she'd relax, but that didn't work. I couldn't get an edge to pry her mouth open, but I was able to hold her in place enough that she couldn't continue to advance up my finger.

My cat was underfoot, as she always is when I'm working with the snakes, because cats are dicks and like to kill for fun. Well, while I was thinking about what to do next, the cat pounced on the snake's tail and she let go of my finger. Everyone walked away unscathed... but this was the first time a snake has tried to eat me.

[ConcinusMan]

8139

Reminds me of this one for some reason.
http://sadhillnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/pete-is-that-you-chick-egg-sad-hill-news-250x181.jpg

[ProXimuS]

My cat was underfoot, as she always is when I'm working with the snakes, because cats are dicks and like to kill for fun.


Hilarious! Glad everything came out ok:D

[BLUESIRTALIS]

8138

i came across this and thought it was cute:) but i was also wondering if this is a european grass snake?

i picked up a pair of these babies and they are real neat to have! One of them will hiss at me when i go to get them out!

[guidofatherof5]

I thought Natrix natrix was a European grass snake :o


It is.

Natrix natrix = European grass snake

Natrix natrix (Grass Snake) (http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/14368/0)


Here is a different link provided to me by Steve Schmidt that gives a lot more information about Natrix natrix. Looks like the same link I provided but it isn't. Thanks Steve.

Natrix natrix (Grass Snake) (http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/14368/1)

[ConcinusMan]

Here's something you don't see every day. A brick elementary school (opened in 1973) in my Vancouver, WA neighborhood with a metal roof and fully equipped with a sprinkler system, was completely destroyed by a 3 alarm fire early sunday morning. Weird. It took 90 percent of our fire agency resources, (Even Portland, Oregon fire districts responded) and nearly a full day to put out the fire. It's just strange. It's brick for cryin' out loud and I've been inside before. Even the interior walls/hallways are brick/cinder blocks and even with fire sprinklers, it still burned to the ground. (initial reports that there were no sprinklers in the attic turn out to be incorrect)

Fire levels Vanc. school: 'You just feel an ache in your stomach' | Local & Regional | KATU.com - Portland News, Sports, Traffic Weather and Breaking News - Portland, Oregon (http://www.katu.com/news/local/Fire-destroys-elementary-school-in-Vancouver-189571241.html)

[Invisible Snake]

8143

[ProXimuS]

Is that an electric fence?

[ConcinusMan]

Right now the neighborhood is full of smoke, fire truck sirens, and a news helicopter buzzing around. Here we go again.:cool:

[Stefan-A]

Right now the neighborhood is full of smoke, fire truck sirens, and a news helicopter buzzing around. Here we go again.:cool:
Did you do it?

[Invisible Snake]

Is that an electric fence?

Yeah, the snake died after that. It was an electric fence protecting some sort of livestock.

"It was a large rock python found on a South African ranch. They found an impala ewe in its stomach."

[CrazyHedgehog]

I recently found out that there are Aesculapian Snakes (Zamenis Longissimus) in a park in London and near a Zoo in North Wales they escaped from back in the 70s. Fossil evidence shows that this species ranged into Northan Europe before the Iceage. They are filling the same role that they would in their current range in Southern Europe-eating rodents and the occasional bird.Its a similar story in Souther Germany where the Romans introduced then two thousand years ago. What do you guys think about this?

I used to work at this zoo, Welsh Mountain Zoo - Attractions, Things to do North Wales (http://www.welshmountainzoo.org/) they never kept aesculapian snakes in the 70's and its a common assumption. In reality, they are not sure where they came from but there were reports of them long before the zoo was founded. We would see them now and again as they liked to bask on the or under the flat metal ends of the kids slides!! not the friendliest, head keeper would bag them up and let them go again in the forest.

edit - I should add, I was nothing fancy or exciting, my formal title was 'animal technician' but I was a full time locust breeder!

[Invisible Snake]

8168

"Kopstein bronze snake"

[chris-uk]

8168

"Kopstein bronze snake"

That's one stunning enough non-garter that I've had a look to see how easy they are to find and keep. I won't be adding them to the household any time soon, but they stand a chance of complementing the garters one day.

[ProXimuS]

That snake is AWESOME!!

[ConcinusMan]

Looks aren't everything. I've flat out given away prettier snakes than that because they were just a pain in the butt and no personality. I don't know how many years I was going "ooh, ahh" over zonata and wanting one. But then I got one and discovered I didn't want it at all. It's no fun at all having a snake that hides all the time, and freaks out and richards all over you when you do bring it out to look at it. Hey wait, how'd that get past the censor ?

I guess my point is, many snakes just aren't worth the trouble, no matter how pretty they are.

[chris-uk]

Looks aren't everything. I've flat out given away prettier snakes than that because they were just a pain in the butt and no personality. I don't know how many years I was going "ooh, ahh" over zonata and wanting one. But then I got one and discovered I didn't want it at all. It's no fun at all having a snake that hides all the time, and freaks out and richards all over you when you do bring it out to look at it. Hey wait, how'd that get the past the censor ?

I guess my point is, many snakes just aren't worth the trouble, no matter how pretty they are.
You're right, to some degree. Looks are one of several factors. It seems like these aren't to difficult to keep as adults, but getting the babies to eat anything more than tiny frogs is a problem - I've read a couple things posted by a guy in the UK who got some imported and has only had two clutches with limited success. So not a sustainable breeding project unless you have ready access to food for the babies.

[-MARWOLAETH-]

That's why I love Garters and Rat snakes. They have some great traits and personalities + some elaborately coloured sp.

Garter and Rat snakes =Win Win:D

[Invisible Snake]

My Water Snake!!

8174

[Invisible Snake]

8186

Check out their rear fangs!