Burningbird

Cephalopodcast has found a couple of terrific old films on the 'fish from hell' from the Prelinger Archives. As the Cephalopodcast mentions, it's not the footage so much as it is the accompanying voiceover. It's also an interesting study in our earlier 'science' investigations, and the fact that in these old 'science' films, the scientists tend to kill everything they meet.

We actually have come a long way when it comes to scientific investigation, but not when it comes to mixing science and entertainment. Last week, Cephalopodcast also posted about the letter to Discovery about Shark Week, and the fact that this series has degenerated into nothing more than a "Jaws 101" rather than an exploration of more unknown but perhaps less dramatic shark species.

Then there's the Japanese 'scientific study' of whales, where many of the whales killed are pregnant. Of course, the whaling industry says this is a good thing. Whalers are about the only hunters I know of who would claim that killing pregnant females is a 'good thing'. Perhaps the whaling industry would like to expand into killing baby fur seals, too?

But then, perhaps I'm just being overly emotive. (via Cobbers)

Slowly but surely photos are appearing online showing how much the community of Greensburg, Kansas was devastated. If you've seen the movie Twister, think of the scene with Wakita just after the tornado hit that community. You'll have a good idea of what Greensburg looks like. The only saving grace is that the warning did give most people enough time to get to shelter.

The photos leave you speechless, but there is one picture that makes you smile. I didn't think that would be possible.

Three soldiers, an off duty policeman, and two others used the cover of rescue operations to attempt to loot the town, but were caught. Makes you really wonder about folks.

The farmers have not been able to plant corn in Missouri and Iowa because of the weather. This follows on the hot/freeze conditions we had earlier that decimated winter wheat, wine grapes, and fruit.

The rains continue with new storms that, and as with the ones last week, stall and hang out over the Missouri valley areas and the midwest. The flood warnings have become watches here in Missouri and the latest now tell us that St. Charles downtown is going to be hit by week end, as well as Jefferson City, points on Highway 94. And the predictions of more rain and more flooding continue. There's talk about the flood of 1993. It's just talk, right now.

I'm going to attempt to get some photos of the flooding during the week. I've never seen the Missouri River over its banks.