We are free

[austin_dern]

No sign of the Marx brothers movie set at LaserFlair over in the mall adjacent to Chua Chu Kang MRT/LRT/Bus interchange, but it's early yet and I have no reason to lose my youthful optimism.

Last Mother's Day my mailbox got filled with slightly amusing flyers suggesting the perfect way to show mum you love her was to get a family meal from Kentucky Fried Chicken delivered. None of that this year. The only logical conclusion: Kentucky Friend Chicken's corporate overlords of Tricon International, now ``Yum!'', have decided in the past twelve months they wish to suppress all forms of love.

Somehow I forgot to put up the last round of pictures from my trip to the zoo last month. I still haven't made to the Night Safari, but day certainly has been there. So here goes -- just a couple bits of raccoons. First, a raccoon admires that handsome fellow much nearer the fish. There are a lot of little fish in the moat and pond they have; I've never encountered one being hunted. I imagine that takes a lot of feeding. Next, a couple take the time to tell secrets to one another. This is undoubtedly connected to the raccoon underground, more information about which can be gathered from this picture from my January trip featuring Rascal swimming in from Australia with urgently awaited news. What the plans are is unclear, but the problem of breaking out of the enclosure is key. When the zookeepers aren't around they can make excellent progress and I'm pretty sure there are fewer raccoons there this year than there were last.

Taking in a few other January pictures we can see raccoons sleeping in dynamically unsupportable poses. I still don't get how he doesn't fall off. Others practice swimming the Straits in case they get their big chance. Meanwhile Royce inspires everyone in the crowd to say ``awwwwwwww.'' Can those reclining chairs be more comfortable than this? I've got my doubts.

One raccoon forms into his own raccoon hat, and passes the savings on to you. He can stretch out his pseudopods if he wants, but you have to make it worth his while. So, goodnight, everybody.

Trivia: By 1830 Louisiana supplied half the United States's sugar supply. Source: A Pocket HIstory of the United States, Allan Nevins and Henry Steele Commanger.

Currently Reading: The Frozen-Water Trade, Gavin Weightman.

Comments

[porsupah.livejournal.com]

First, a raccoon admires that handsome fellow (http://www.spindizzy.org/austin/2004AprilZoo/raccoonReflection.jpg) much nearer the fish

Oh, my.. so floofy! I wonder what conditioner he uses?

this picture from my January trip (http://www.spindizzy.org/austin/2004AprilZoo/raccoon8.jpg) featuring Rascal swimming in from Australia with urgently awaited news.

My gods, we need tail restorer, stat! Poor thing! (And an interestingly red panda-like hue on one of them. Further evidence of the continued international cooperation between procyon lotor and ailurus fulgens)

When the zookeepers aren't around they can make excellent progress ()

I'd even go so far as to conclude they're perfectly able to escape, but that they simply choose to go on occasional forays outside, later returning unnoticed.

raccoons sleeping in dynamically unsupportable poses (http://www.spindizzy.org/austin/2004AprilZoo/raccoon1.jpg)

In the absence of paper, raccoons wishing to engage in origami are thus compelled to practice with their own bodies. Please spare some paper squares for your local raccoons.

Others practice swimming the Straits (http://www.spindizzy.org/austin/2004AprilZoo/raccoon2.jpg)

This is not, in fact, a raccoon, although he may seem very much like one to the untrained eye. If you notice the body shape carefully, his true nature of being a hedgehog of superior size becomes evident.

"awwwwwwww." (http://www.spindizzy.org/austin/2004AprilZoo/raccoon3.jpg)

Good gods. I think Elmyra's heart would burst.

One raccoon forms into his own raccoon hat (http://www.spindizzy.org/austin/2004AprilZoo/raccoon5.jpg)

This is actually one of the results of the Zoo's experimental species creation program, here yielding the body of a red panda with a raccoon's head carefully grafted on.

All utterly adorable, in any event. ^_^

[austin-dern.livejournal.com]

They've got a wonderfully diverse representation of raccoonery in their dozen plus representatives. More than one are red to the point of coati or red panda, or fluffy to the point of looking like animate toys. Solid blacks, dark gray, light gray, red, long-fur, curled-fur ... it's an amazing family.