Jeffrey C. Billman, a reporter for the Orlando Weekly, had lunch with an underground manatee eating group in Florida. 

Somehow, I am not surprised to find out that people poach manatees.  Considering how some people have treated pelicans, seagulls, sea turtles, and dolphins, people killing and eating manatees seems pretty par for the course.

In a weird story from Florida, a python ate a gator.  Then something unknown happened, and the gator came out of the python, killing the snake.

The Burmese python, which can reach 20 feet in length, is an invasive species which is spreading rapidly in Florida.

Boa and Gator

from the Miami Herald

I have no clue what happened to him; Ron is the one who saw his injuries.  Beyond the obvious fact they were inflicted by another animal, I don't know what has happened to him.  I am here, worried sick about the little guy, but too ill to leave the house.  Ron and Alyssa are taking him in, and Jessica and Christine are going to meet them at the Pet Vet Hospital at Baybrook Mall.

He had blood coming out of the corner of his eye, and a massive swelling in his throat (probably a large hematoma; I hope his arteries are not torn under that).

How could this have happened?  He was outside for just a short while.  He wasn't fussing with the other dogs, but all of the dogs were fussing with something that is under the house.  It can't have been a skunk or a raccoon, the smell is missing.  The holes all over Porter look more like bobcat teeth.* 

Whatever is under there, it is a danger to my animals.  Time for me to become a danger to it.

*Yes, we have bobcats here.  We find them as roadkill on a regular basis.

UPDATE: It wasn't a bobcat, and it is no longer a danger--I saw Annabelle dragging something around outside.  I went out there, and it was a front leg, partial torso, and head of a coyote.  It must have tried to get the chicken (who stays in the yard a lot) and the dogs got it.  Annie wouldn't let me have the piece she was dragging around.  All the large dogs were very, very agitated but seemed very happy.  Annie drug it back under the house, and we haven't been able to find anything else from it. 

All of the dogs have injuries from fighting the coyote; it was larger than the pups, but smaller than the large dogs.  I am glad my dogs have their shots.

When my kids were little, they hated clowns--with the exception of Ronald McDonald, who is a special case. (Some of Jessica's earliest words were "Frn Fies, Mommy, Choclt Shake!"  Her sisters were just about the same...)

My kids would scream and cry if a clown came anywhere near them when they were little.  They still don't like clowns, especially Christine.

So I find it hard to believe that doctors are using clowns to calm kids down before surgery.  I would think it might make the kids quiet....from catatonic fear.  The study was done in Italy; maybe the clowns in Italy just aren't as scary as the ones in the US.

the one that tries and succeeds in making a person feel like total crap for emailing (or even responding to an email) from someone.  You know the kind I am talking about; autoresponders that are supposed to stop spam but are actually stupidity meters for the people using them.

I tried to email one of my sisters who has suckmeister Earthlink about my dad being in the hospital.  I got back the completely rude and annoying following email:

I apologize for this automatic reply to your email.

To control spam, I now allow incoming messages only from senders I have approved beforehand.

If you would like to be added to my list of approved senders, please fill out the short request form (see link below). Once I approve you, I will receive your original message in my inbox. You do not need to resend your message. I apologize for this one-time inconvenience.

Click the link below to fill out the request:

(LINK DELETED)