Bring me the head of Diego Garcia...and the Mayor of Addu Atoll too!

[Mike McCreery]

Not to those of us in Phoenix :p

[CT Grognard]

There are quite a few captive breeding programs for cheetahs here in South Africa. The programs are struggling to reintegrate captive-born cheetahs into the wild since the bloodline is so low. As a species they have an extremely low genetic variability - combined with fertility issues this makes them very difficult to breed.

They are actually not that large, and I've never actually heard of a human killed by one. They're actually quite weak, avoid confrontation, and are often chased away from their own kills, even by smaller animals.

Running at top speed is really tough on them, I don't imagine they could do it for more than about 800m (or half a mile). They also prefer to hunt when it's cooler, like dawn or dusk, or else they overheat.

The cheetah is relatively unrelated to the "big cats" - the four Panthera species. These are the lion, tiger, leopard and jaguar.

Now leopards are my favourite big cat. Powerful, able to run at speeds up to 60km per hour, brilliant tree climbers, stealthy - they're really problematic if (in extreme cases) they develop a taste for human flesh since they are more likely to enter human settlements than lions.

Of course none of these come close to a polar bear. [&o]

[sprior]

ORIGINAL: Cap Mandrake

Wait....was that annoying? [:)]

Nah, I like real weather.

[sprior]

ORIGINAL: CT Grognard
Of course none of these come close to a polar bear. [&o]

You have polar bears in South Africa?

[Itdepends]

Ahhh January- it's forecast to hit 80 Fahrenheit here today- bloody lovely. I guess that's why there's still such a large contingent of the Barmy Army enjoying the cricket. Must be the weather [:D]

[CT Grognard]

Hahahaha, no, only in zoos! [:'(]

I referenced polar bears due to a discussion with a Canadian at a dinner last night. Apparently they are the only animals that, as a given, consider humans prey?

[CT Grognard]

It was around 80 degrees here yesterday (i.e. 30 degrees Celsius), but today is slightly cooler.

[Chickenboy]

ORIGINAL: Cap Mandrake
I got this spice gift set for Christmas. There is something called "Albanian rubbed sage". [X(]

Was it a small (and by definition well-rubbed) Albanian guy that was really smart? You know, a kind of swami or guru? That may be kind of fun to have around for a while.

"Yo. Albanian sage. What is the sound of one hand clapping?"
"Oh sa dua unë nuk e kishte humbur atë bast kumar!"

[Cap Mandrake]

I think what you are describing is a "rubbed Albanian sage"..unless he was an Albanian sage (likely an oxymoron) and he went to an Albanian spa (also likely an oxymoron) to get a rubdown..

whereupon he would be an "Albanian rubbed Albanian sage".

[witpqs]

ORIGINAL: CT Grognard

Hahahaha, no, only in zoos! [:'(]

I referenced polar bears due to a discussion with a Canadian at a dinner last night. Apparently they are the only animals that, as a given, consider humans prey?

You are forgetting politicians.

And Milo.

[Cap Mandrake]

Elder 1: Maahster, offer us a reedle.

Sage of Tirana (hand-rubbed): <with a crowd of elders about> Here eees good wun. <they draw nearer>

Eef Albanian mahn and Albanian wooomahn get deevorce'ed...are they steel brother and seester? <After a second or two or cogitation, there is great deal of murmuring and discussion over the cleverness of reedle>

Elder 2: She ees steel seester if Allah veels it! <tremendous roar of approval at the apparent cleverness of the answer>

Sage of Tirana (hand-rubbed): Ahhhhhhh, but how do YOU know if Allah has weeled it?

Elder 2: If Allah weels that I know. <smiles broadly, quite convinced that he has the sage by the sort and curlies, of which he has many thousands>

Sage of Tirana (hand-rubbed): Ahhhh...my son, that is reecooorsive argument. How do you know from epeesteemological standpoint?

Elder 3: <after a long pause> Eef woomanhn float?

Sage of Tirana (hand-rubbed): YES! YES! But how do we know if woomahn float?

Elder 2: If Allah weels it!

Crowd: <groans loudly>

Elder 3: <stands up in ecstasy> POOT een vater!

[poodlebrain]

ORIGINAL: Cap Mandrake

I think what you are describing is a "rubbed Albanian sage"..unless he was an Albanian sage (likely an oxymoron) and he went to an Albanian spa (also likely an oxymoron) to get a rubdown..

whereupon he would be an "Albanian rubbed Albanian sage".

I was doing a Google search for Albanian goat herder as part of a clever response, and one of the suggested links was Albanian goat smegma. You should consider yourself lucky you received Albanian rubbed spice.

Just in case anyone is interested, they can purchase genuine Albanian goat smegma here. I know what I am buying for the next White Elephant Christmas gift exchange I attend. This one should go over better than the Spotted Dick I brought to the last one.

[witpqs]

ORIGINAL: poodlebrain

ORIGINAL: Cap Mandrake

I think what you are describing is a "rubbed Albanian sage"..unless he was an Albanian sage (likely an oxymoron) and he went to an Albanian spa (also likely an oxymoron) to get a rubdown..

whereupon he would be an "Albanian rubbed Albanian sage".

I was doing a Google search for Albanian goat herder as part of a clever response, and one of the suggested links was Albanian goat smegma. You should consider yourself lucky you received Albanian rubbed spice.

Just in case anyone is interested, they can purchase genuine Albanian goat smegma here. I know what I am buying for the next White Elephant Christmas gift exchange I attend. This one should go over better than the Spotted Dick I brought to the last one.

Did not follow link.

[sprior]

Harry roughers at the sea front today

[sprior]

The oggin should not be on the promenade.

[sprior]

And neither should the beach. Note the fearsome hound that is out guard dog.

[erstad]

Any place cold enough to have fire hoses frozen in the street for 4 months better have really, really good looking women or spectacular fly fishing.

The Governor closed all Minnesota schools for Monday due to cold. Last time that happened was 97 or so.

But I am married to the most beautiful woman in the world, so I have first hand knowledge that the most beautiful woman in the world lives in Minnesota. (Everyone should be married to the most beautiful woman in the world).

[Cap Mandrake]

ORIGINAL: erstad

Any place cold enough to have fire hoses frozen in the street for 4 months better have really, really good looking women or spectacular fly fishing.

The Governor closed all Minnesota schools for Monday due to cold. Last time that happened was 97 or so.

But I am married to the most beautiful woman in the world, so I have first hand knowledge that the most beautiful woman in the world lives in Minnesota. (Everyone should be married to the most beautiful woman in the world).

How is the fly fishing? [:)]

[sprior]

ORIGINAL: erstad

But I am married to the most beautiful woman in the world, so I have first hand knowledge that the most beautiful woman in the world lives in Minnesota. (Everyone should be married to the most beautiful woman in the world).

We'll be right over. What's the address?

[Cap Mandrake]

ORIGINAL: sprior

Harry roughers at the sea front today

Oh...oh..are those _________'s Folly fort hotels out there? I wonder if they had guests.