Later, They Brought the cloud rat back to the London zoo and eventually, the first ever Panay cloud rat bred outside the Philippines was produced at the UK's London Zoo.

I belive that we should try to start this species up again and preserve them and eventualy release many of them out into the wild and have them living on there o

This man was doing his job and you killed him. What kind of Christmas spirit is this? Do we forget that Christmas is a religious time? This is supposed to be a time of family traditions and a time of giving from your heart. Why couldn't you wait till this employee opened the doors and was out of the way? I can't imagine running into a store to get a bargain. Are you all that desperate and is this what we have become "ANIMALS"? The people who trampled this poor man were only thinking about the material items that they had to have at an unbeatable price and most likely for their spoiled brats. Was it worth it for this poor man to be killed over a bargain? What do you say to his family? The bunch of you who did this was it worth it? Now this poor man's family will be suffering this Christmas Season and every year after. I hope and pray you can't sleep at night, I hope you are haunted by this man lying on the ground till you come forward and do the right thing. Remember God don't like ugly and Karma will get you at the end.

Again I say you are all despicable, disgusting, horrible people and "you know who you are" and you should all be brought up on charges. The store and the police need to check the security cameras and have these people tracked down arrested and charged with manslaughter at the least. Then see what kind of Christmas they will have this year. I truly can't believe people can be like animals with no regard for human life and especially at this time of year.

To the family of Jdimytai Damour, my heartfelt condolence and I will pray for the soul of your father, son, and brother, and I truly hope justice will prevail.

Sarah Palin, a nobody governor of a block of frozen tundra with a population of maybe ... two? ... who apparently has an animal rights IQ somewhere in the negative numbers, suddenly hitched her cart to a shooting star (or should I say now that all is said and done with McCain's miserable loss : A falling star?) and hijacked her way to stardom. And now that she has infested our society with the possibility of her continued run for the country's number one public office in the future, we have to worry if we will end up facing a return to Square One in the animal rights arena one day soon.

Will we revert back to the time when our ignorance commands center stage once again in this nation and our blood-thirsty urge (blessed by the Constitution) to kill innocent creatures and call it a "sport" prevails? When you take Palin's overall record on animal rights issues and look at how poorly Alaska values the welfare of its wildlife, Palin's potential for someday becoming the number one numbskull ruling the nation is truly something to fear. When FDR said: "We have nothing to fear, but fear itself," he was wrong. We have to fear an ex-beauty queen from the frozen land of Alaska, a woman with a brain of air and a heart of ice.

Palin thrives on the kill. She shoots from the air and takes down wild moose on the run. Great sportswoman, wouldn't you say? And she fears the competition that the wolf has to offer because they prey on the moose that she's after. So, what does the great governor of Alaska do to eliminate the competition? She puts a $150 bounty on the wolf. I love the way she handles the hunt ... I wouldn't be surprised if she had become VP upon a McCain win, if she would have had ol' John canned (lliterally) to take the seat for herself!

And this is the woman who cherishes the innocence of life and condemns any female who would even consider abortion even to save the life of the mother? Then she goes out and eliminates the innocence of wildlife without concern or remorse for the pain and death she causes. Palin is good at popping out babies. Good for her. Perhaps she does it out of love. But, somehow I doubt it. Perhaps she is just trying to clone herself, the sadistic plot of a monster madwoman who is quietly out to destroy all the strides this nation has taken toward intelligence. Don't let the dumb, innocent face fool ya. She's something (any I mean "something," not "somebody") to fear.

Palin went so far as to sue the Bush administration to take polar bears off of the Endangered List of protected species so that they would not come in the way of Alaska's drill for oil and gas. She was willing to wipe the species off of the globe for her greed. The woman would probably sell out her mother (or one of her kids, maybe) for a buck!

McCain probably patted himself on the shoulder thinking that he picked someone who would open up the doors to offshore drilling. Greed again. Thank the Great Spirit that McCain lost the race. The animals are safe for now. But, tomorrow is dawning upon us and the ice woman from the northern tundra is wheeling her way to the next Republican nomination. What will 2012 bring? Let's hope not Sarah Palin.

The fall out was tremendous, though. It took 1,100 tries to produce seven healthy mice. As stated by the scientists, 500 died in the wombs of the surrogate mothers. In other words, there were 600 births, and only seven were normal. That's really something to think about should you consider having yourself cloned in the future. Who will look after the 593 abnormal children?

But nobody could so far clarify what good for humanity should come out of it. Any statements going in that direction veered immediately off into the cloning of animals. Obviously, scientists are unable to imagine any use for this waste of effort. It just means that laws regulating the use of any human tissue have to be adapted as fast as possible. Who knows what other Frankensteins might try on your DNA, instead of frozen mice? I for one certainly do not relish the thought of being cloned after my death.

Image source

Would the famous Oetzi, the frozen Bronze Age warrior found in Austria's Oetztal, would he want to be cloned? I really don' think he would relish the thought. Nor do I see any sense to it or to bringing alive a frozen warrior prince from Scythia. So what use could this monstrous technology be to humanity? It's just scientists again showing off for nothing, using up money more usefully employed for much needed real research.

Image source

As to bringing back died-out animals, didn't they die out for a very specific reason? Wasn't it because they couldn't cope anymore? Why should they be brought back and add to the problems already rampant in animal kingdom? There is absolutely no reason, why a woolly mammoth should once more walk the plains just for the self aggrandisement of a mad scientist.

This world is crazy enough, and by far more complicated than these little scientists seem to think, without adding to the overall mess with animals that don't belong here anymore. Quite apart from that, dead is dead, and that too has its reason. We definitely do not need scientist running amok as modern day Frankensteins.

While criminally negligent governments like Japan's are letting their scientists play devil's advocates, the United States and namely its President haven't lifted a finger to prevent or stop it. This just shows again that the so called most powerful man in the world is a nobody and doesn't have anything to tell to anybody. Or is he hoping for a clone of himself? God save the world of any more Bushes. The two we had were four more than any planet could stomach in 4 billion years.

On the positive side, as long as the Bush family keeps to breeding and rearing young ones, there is no need to clone any more Neanderthals.

Smiley’s is an old-fashioned whiskey and beer bar where locals have been bringing their dogs for decades of not for more than a century. The saloon carries the reputation of being the old continuously-operating bar in the state, established in 1851 and remaining open even during prohibition. Dogs have been part of the interior of the saloon for decades and possibly generations.

I know for a fact that there are customers who could say that their parents and grandparents used to sidle up to the bar at the end of long day and have their canine sitting or laying on the floor near their feet. Just think how many centuries that would be in dog years!

It’s a good thing that the health department didn’t come into Smiley’s when I was tending bar in 1994, and used to feed a very sweet dog named Betty some maraschino cherries as she waited patiently across the bar, perched on a stool.

I also fed “Nacho,” who some in town called “Barfy,” who was basically roaming free after the death of his Master, and who many in town took under our wings for years. Barfy (as I knew him) was an over-friendly, stocky Golden Lab – a beautiful creature – who would sleep off long afternoons of chasing sticks on the beach on the floor behind the bar on some of my shifts. Once, I hid Barfy from the Humane Society, who had come into the saloon looking for him. And more than once, I hid him from Don Deane, the saloon’s owner, who had made one of his occasional pronouncements at a Smiley’s staff meeting (an informal event as one might imagine). Immediately after the meeting, the saloon owner's instructions were forgotten.

Jackson was a dog that all of the bartenders loved – and we used to feed beef sticks and hot dogs. How could you not when it made him so happy?

And of course there have been the legions of dogs from virtually every regular, which would keep track on their master’s drinking from the floor near their feet.These are just a few of my own stories. It's a foregone conclusion that any regular of Smiley's would have five or six of their own - and with or without alcoholic impairment, the stories would all be different, and, I think, true.

Dogs are part of the Bolinas sub-culture, with most of the people I know talking about their animals as though they were people and telling colorful stories of canine encounters in their neighborhoods. My favorite is the story of the lady that lived on the Little Mesa, the upper echelon of homes in the town. The woman did not have a dog, nor did she have any farm animals – but she nonetheless arrived home one afternoon to find a goat standing on her living room table with six strays lying on the floor around it that were all sound asleep.

Saloon owner Don Deane, who had become the worst perpetrator of dogs in the bar with three of his own canines taking up partial residence, downplayed the matter as being just a layer of red tape that the county officials had to wrap him in. He said that the animals had been 86’d – bar code for banished – because the saloon also serves food for hungry patrons.

“It's really all about that we serve pre-cooked food out of the convection oven and the microwave. We have delicious hamburgers, hot dogs, chicken sandwiches, muffins, cookies, potato chips, etc.," Deane said.“Even if we were a snack store the health dept. would say no dogs. I've managed to recondition my mutts by providing them with snacks upstairs. Annie, Matilda and Cassie were in the bar all the time and couldn't understand the change until I bribed them. It's sad you can't drink with your dog or parrot or at least have their company."

Deane said that the new rules have led to a kinder, gentler saloon: "The good news is (there have been) no dog scuffles or beefs, no dogs or snakes getting stepped on and we haven't had a bear drag a customer out onto the street for weeks!

Magnetic Island - Townsville   

Cooktown, named after famous British explorer Captain James Cook and the Endeavour River named after his ship, is where two weeks ago Mr. Arthur Booker disappeared while checking his crab pots for the last time before heading home to Brisbane when tragedy struck. Unfortunately it was the last time for anything for Mr.Booker.

A crocodile attack was suspected and the hunt was on.

Traps were set and eventually three crocodiles were caught. Human remains were  found in one of them. DNA tests confirmed that they belonged to Vietnam veteran Mr.Booker.

There are calls for the culling of crocodiles but environmentalists do not agree on this course of action.

It has been decided according to news paper reports that all three crocodiles will not be destroyed. They will be re-located to crocodile farms in the region.

Crocodiles are a protected species in Australia.

To cull or not to cull has become a major issue here as more and more sightings are reported, the latest being at Magnetic Island, a popular tourist destination in Queensland.

First off, where were the parents?

Secondly, why would a seven yr old be so bold and unafraid?

This act had to take some time, again where were the parent/guardians?

And lastly, his older brother was part of a gang that attacked the very same crocodile that he fed.

Now, it's obvious that there is something wrong with the family. I am an advocate for animal rights and the prevention of cruelty to animals. But to label this seven yr old boy a sociopath is sad. His life is ruined. This family should have been monitored after the first incident involving his brother.

Sad, very, very sad.

This couple had a toy poodle, very cute by the way. One night, the poodle starts to choke, so they jump in the car to take it to an animal hospital. On the way there, the gentleman is speeding on a freeway, but of course he is trying to get there quickly as their beloved pet is dying in there arms. I admit, going 100 mph is a little much, but when a part becomes part of your family, what can you do?  

Well, a cop pulls them over. The man jumps out of his vehicle in a frenzy explaining to the cop what's going on and why he is speeding. The cop actually tells the man, " Dude, it's just a dog, you can get another one ". Then pulls him to the side of the road and continues to issue this ticket. All the while, the woman is in the front seat holding her precious puppy in her lap watching it die. 

Needless to say, the animal ended up dying after the cop took an amazing twenty minutes to issue their ticket. The ticket was dismissed, and the cop got a slap on the wrist. Now I ask you, Is that really fair? I don't think so. My thoughts were, " he could have just escorted them to the animal hospital, then given them a ticket".

Migaloo's Back in Our Waters

Click here for more images of Migaloo the White Whale.

This white whale was sighted near Yorkey's Knob by a group of fishermen. They saw this albino giant near Pixie Reef, about 40 minutes from Yorkey Knob. Accompanying this white whale was two huge humpbacks. He was spotted on July 15, 2006, July 24, 2007, and July 22, 2008.

Frogs with Disease-Resistance Genes May Escape Extinction

Many amphibians die off around the world, but researchers at Lincoln University in New Zealand may have found certain genes that can help frog populations resist infection to save them from extinction.

New Bird Species

This bird was found on Stratton Mountain in Vermont, and caused quite a stir for scientists. The bird is thought to be a "hybrid of two species, the trush and the veery birds."

A DNA testing will reveal if this new bird species is a result of climate change. Further reading for bird lovers can be found here.

Unicorn Lives in Italy

This one-year-old deer represents the fabled unicorn, a mythological animal, and was born in captivity. He is called, you guess it, "Unicorn", for the single horn on his head, and the director of the Center of Natural Sciences in Prato believes he has a genetic defect, since his twin has two horns.

Giant Shrimp

A giant creature was caught in the Donetsk region of Western Ukraine, and scientists think that it could be related to the shrimp species. This creature can live in any watery area, including puddles, and is almost 20 centimeters long.

South American Stork

On July 31, 2008, the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries showed these jabiru storks. They have a blocky, slightly upturned black beak, and the are shown along with wood storks, egrets, and ibis. These jabiru storks are rarely seen in the North, but are plentiful in South America.

New Manta Ray Species Discovered

Scientists discovered two new types of manta ray species. The more commonly known rays are smaller, and are more commonly seen near the coasts. The larger rays avoid human contact, and have a non-poisonous barb on their tail.

The manta rays can weigh over 4,400 pounds, and their wingspans can reach almost 25 feet.

Golden Retriever Nurses Tiger Cubs

This golden retriever adopted three tiger cubs at the Safari Zoological Park, when their tiger mother abandoned them. Isabella had just finished weaning her own puppies, and Tom Harvey, an owner at the park, put the tiger cubs in her care.

The Safari Zoological Park opened in 1989, and specializes in the care of endangered species.

Tiny Tree Shrew

These tiny pen-tailed tree shrews were discovered by researchers sipping fermented palm nectar, and "show no sign of intoxication." These creatures live in the Malaysian rainforest, and the alcohol concentration that they drink for hours every night was recorded at 3.8 percent.

"Cat Angel"

This cat has two four-inch long wings, and he belongs to Granny Feng. The owner lovingly called him a "cat angel", and complained that after being sexually harassed by many female cats in her area, her cat sprouted wings within a month.

Experts believe that this phenomenon is more likely caused by a gene mutation, and the cat can live a normal life.

Fish Pedicure

This is a new trend in spa pampering, where you can have these little carps nibble at the dead skin of your hands and feet. This fish pedicure is creating a buzz in the D.C. area, and so far 5000 people have taking part in this experiment.

These fish are called garra rufa, also known as doctor fish, and were first used in Turkey.

Rosy-Lipped Batfish

This is the quote directly from the National Geographic website. I thought you should read the comparison: "Like a marine Mick Jagger, a rosy-lipped batfish pouts near Costa Rica's Cocos Island. Batfish are poor swimmers, preferring to use their strangely adapted pectoral fins like legs to crawl about the seafloor."

Venus Comb Shell

This shell is called the Venus Comb, and it is one of the most exotic shells.

With so many wonderful and strange things around the world, these 13 items seem to speak for themselves.

Sheriff Don Sowell said that there was no sense in just starving the animals till they die. He also said that all the animals were completely neglected and without any food or water for quite a while.

He was charged with 24 different wrong counts after a neighbor of Wenzel complained of a foul odor coming from his house.

Wenzel was released form Grimes County Jail on 27,000 dollar bond.