Category: Environment

I’m going to go back to talking about my squid. Or reading about my squid. My squid was fun and exciting and provided adventure and mystery.

Think of it, we talk about voyaging into space but there are creatures in the deep of this world we know nothing about. We just found a member of a species of squid that could provide truth to all the legends of the Kraken since the dawn of time. There’s a whole universe under our boats we know nothing about.

Isn’t that worth at least a ‘Ooh. Neat.’?

When we stop wondering about the mysteries of life, we’re worse than dead – we’re boring.

Knowing my obsession with the giant squid, Jonathon sent me a link to a relatively fresh story from the BBC about an intact speciman of giant squid, Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni found in Antartica waters. This in itself is exciting because so little is known about this species of squid outside of what’s recovered from the stomach of its chieftest enemy – the sperm whale.

However, the floor dropping aspect of this story is that Dr. O’Shea, well known New Zealand marine biologist estimates from the size of this specimen – an immature female – that this species is larger the Architeuthis Dux, or Giant Squid. In fact, according to Dr. O’Shea, the species of specimen he’s currently studying, which he is now tentatively calling Colossal Squid, is an order of magnitude bigger. Considering that the Giant Squid has been estimated to obtain a length of 60 feet at best (18 meters) – well, if Colossal lives up Dr. O’Shea’s estimates this creature could reach lengths of 25 meters. Or more.

Having problems with lengths? Consider that if each story of a building takes about 10 feet – 25 meters is about 80 feet, which is about the same height of a 8 story building. But don’t stop there, this building has a tearing beak and razor sharp hooks, as well as a reputation for being one of the most tenacious and aggressive hunters in the Ocean. As the specialists keep saying – we are squid crunchies to this creature. Shishkabob and shishkajane and shishkashelley and…

Dr. O’Shea told reporters:

“This squid is a really nasty aggressive sort of squid . . . a gelatinous blob with seriously evil arms on it. If you fall in the water, you’re history.”

If Dr. O’Shea’s findings are independently verified, this is an incredible find. For someone interested in giant squid as I am, well, this would be equivalent in the music world of discovering Elvis, alive and well, and living in a trailer park outside of Eureka, Missouri.

More later as I find other stories. Also at:

New Zealand Herald
Stuff
The Tonmo thread
Merco Press
Reuters
ABC News
Google News Search with several sources, most the same story
CNN Story

I remember when Ryan got his new kitten, Marley. From the photos he was the cutest kitten and I could tell that Ryan was wrapped around his little paw.

Ryan writes today that Marley is pretty sick and needs to have specialized surgery. As with most animal care, there is no insurance to cover the cost of this very expensive treatment. Starting tomorrow, Ryan is having a Help Marley Sale, to try and scrape together the money for Marley’s surgery.

Some people would say that a pet is not a child and we shouldn’t treat them as such. I agree, a pet is not a child. But a pet is a friend and a companion, a source of laughter, and a comfort when we’re down or lonely.

Zoe sends Marley get well meows. Best of luck, Ryan, with your fund raising.

Recovered from the Wayback Machine.

Pretty good looking for a lady in her middle years, isn’t she?

I have never seen a flock of robins. I have seen individual robins, and I have seen flocks of seagulls and starlings and crows, but I have never seen a flock of robins.

I was working at my computer when I noticed the shadows moving across my desk, and looked out on a transformed landscape: tree after tree full of robins with bright orange vests. They covered the holly tree that’s right next to my window and sat on the window sill and around the edges of the window and everywhere I looked, were robins.

I grabbed my camera and I ran down to the deck and I stood there in the icy cold with bare feet as birds flew all around me, even being so bold as to stop at the edges of the deck, wary eyes on me, and I’m standing still trying not not ruin the moment.

I know the mundane tale of migration from the southern states to the north, and St. Louis being just one stop along the way, but I’d rather not hear about reasons or science. Just let me sit here at my window, as I watch the birds fly back and forth, and laugh at my poor cat cowering under the table because there are too many birds even for her.

Just as suddenly as they came, they were gone, leaving at the first flake of new snow. But not before having eaten all the red berries on the holly tree.