Further adventures of Knut the Cute
Mar. 30th, 2007 10:43 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
baleanopteraYou all know how some rather extreme environmentalists wanted to kill the über-cute Knut in the Berlin zoo? Well, apparently the show is not over for the polar bear, because now Knut is blamed for a conspiracy to murder! I quote:
Yan Yan, the zoo's most popular resident until Knut's arrival, died suddenly at the age of 22.
A gift from the Chinese leadership to Helmut Kohl, the former German chancellor, Yan Yan spent much of her time lying on her back chomping at bamboo shoots and was, by all accounts, a happy panda. Heinrich Kloes, the zoo's chief bear curator, said there had been no signs of illness.
But something changed on Monday, days after Knut's introduction to tumultuous crowds, and Yan Yan lay down and died. The cause of death has yet to be determined, but already fingers are being pointed at three-month-old Knut.
The theory is that the stress of Knut, or more precisely Knut's fans proved fatal to the poor panda.
The full story is here. But poor Knut! And poor Yan Yan too.
Also Meme!
Comment and I will...
1 - Tell you why I friended you.
2 - Associate you with a song/film/tv show.
3 - Tell a random fact about you.
4 - Tell a first memory about you.
5 - Associate you with a character/pairing.
6 - Ask something I've always wanted to know about you.
7 - Tell you my favorite user pic of yours.
8 - In return please spread this disease in your LJ.
Yan Yan, the zoo's most popular resident until Knut's arrival, died suddenly at the age of 22.
A gift from the Chinese leadership to Helmut Kohl, the former German chancellor, Yan Yan spent much of her time lying on her back chomping at bamboo shoots and was, by all accounts, a happy panda. Heinrich Kloes, the zoo's chief bear curator, said there had been no signs of illness.
But something changed on Monday, days after Knut's introduction to tumultuous crowds, and Yan Yan lay down and died. The cause of death has yet to be determined, but already fingers are being pointed at three-month-old Knut.
The theory is that the stress of Knut, or more precisely Knut's fans proved fatal to the poor panda.
The full story is here. But poor Knut! And poor Yan Yan too.
Also Meme!
Comment and I will...
1 - Tell you why I friended you.
2 - Associate you with a song/film/tv show.
3 - Tell a random fact about you.
4 - Tell a first memory about you.
5 - Associate you with a character/pairing.
6 - Ask something I've always wanted to know about you.
7 - Tell you my favorite user pic of yours.
8 - In return please spread this disease in your LJ.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
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Date: 2007-03-30 09:41 pm (UTC)This is an interesting meme because it's not about "me, me" like a lot of memes are, but rather about the commenter. Hmmmm. Must admit I'm curious. :)
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Date: 2007-04-02 12:13 pm (UTC)yes! This was my feeling as well. It's rather nerve wracking to write though!
1. I no longer sure how I found you, but it had something to do with Asoiaf. Then I took a peek at your interests and friending seemed the only sane option. ;D
2. So many things, but I'll go with Bleak House. I associate so many people with Asoiaf, but you are the first one I think of in regards to Bleak House.
3. You have a wonderful and inspiring taste in poetry.
4.Not so much a first memory as a very good one: Ragu! You made a wonderful Ragu post, and I've been hooked on that dish ever since. It's written down in my notes as "Winterspellian Ragu". Sounds posh doesn't it? ;)
5. Hmm...either Mr. Thornton and Margaret or Jaime/Brienne.
6. Did you study in Italy?
7. The one with the Night Watch's oath. It gives me chills - every time.
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Date: 2007-04-02 12:49 pm (UTC)I did not study in Italy (although I wish I had - my Italian would be much better than it is). I was a huge fan of Italian food culture (and food obviously) and then I met Nic in 2001, hence my several visits to Italy over the last five years.
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Date: 2007-04-02 01:10 pm (UTC)hence my several visits to Italy over the last five years.
They sound like lovely reasons to me!
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Date: 2007-04-02 01:17 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-04-02 08:02 pm (UTC)I know! I'm so glad to have found you too.
There is also the fact that a lot of the time you will write something, and all I can think is: "Yes, me too! This is how I feel."
I particularly remember the iPod conversation where you put into words my exact feelings for the iPod. it was great.
*hugs right back*
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Date: 2007-03-31 01:59 am (UTC)Commenting!
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Date: 2007-04-02 03:11 pm (UTC)2.It's a tie between FNL and Band of Brothers.
3. You can say "I work with worms!" and not have it being an metaphor.
4. You taking the patience to explain a confused European what a QB was and does, as well as other fine points in American football.
5. Richard Winters, though Coach Taylor is coming a good second.
6. Starks or Lannisters?
7. Now I have the same one, but I do love "Coach yelling". Also "Saracen thinking" is very good. And my if that doesn't half way summarise the show. *g*
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Date: 2007-04-02 05:37 pm (UTC)Um, I've never really thought about it like that before! I mean, I know they're against one another and all that, but I love people from both sides so. I think I'll go with the Starks, though, because Ned is a favorite, as well as Jon and Bran vs. Jaime and Tyrion on the Lannister side. Plus, all the other Lannisters are horrible. Tywin, Cersei, and Joffery are all... terrifying, to say the least (though in different ways: Tywin was terrifying because he was a very competent, yet ruthlessly ambitions person; Cersei and Joffery and horribly incompetent. Now, Ned didn't always come across as the most horribly competent person, either, though I don't think it was totally from his lack of ruthlesses but his desire to simply see those who are innocent escape punishment.).
I guess "Coach yelling; Saracen thinking" really does sum up most of the show. Hee!
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Date: 2007-04-02 06:36 pm (UTC)*grin* That's okay - it was more of a tongue-in-cheek type of question at any rate. I lean more to the Stark side as well, and like most of the Lannisters in spite of themselves. (if that makes sense?) I do love Jaime though, but I've come to like Tyrion less and less. I can understand that he is bitter, but the kinslaying really scared me.
As for Ned - I feel his fault was that he lived largely according to ideals. The interesting thing is that for Jon, even if he is like Ned in many ways,does somewhat the opposite. He lives according to harsh reality, and ideals are something that are shed from him.
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Date: 2007-03-31 02:33 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-03-31 02:49 am (UTC)Poor Knut.
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Date: 2007-04-03 07:36 pm (UTC)2.Jeeves and Wooster
3.You host tea parties online! I know this is common knowledge, but it's just such a wonderful idea that I wanted it mentioned in this meme. I raise my cup of Lapsang in honour of your tea parties.
4. Our great conversation and mutual squee over the new Loreena McKennitt album.
5.Jeeves and Wooster actually. Mostly Jeeves.
6.What does your user-name stand for?
7.The Granny Weatherwax "I can't be having with this". The world needs more Granny. (just don't let her hear that. ;D)
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Date: 2007-04-07 05:27 pm (UTC)Elspeth's Heir - My great-great-great-great aunt (gosh, I think that's how far back she was) was an Elspeth, born and died in the Orkneys, Scotland. So I am indeed an heir to an Elspeth, and when I first joined LJ, I didn't realize the importance of user-names, and picked one that I was certain would not have been taken yet. I find that I can use it as a user-name at every site I've encountered! (So it holds a special meaning for me as well as the convenience of not having to think too hard for a handle whenever the need arises.)
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Date: 2007-04-09 11:54 am (UTC)Ooooh! That is so cool! And it also sounds a little bit mysterious, but in a good way!
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Date: 2007-03-31 03:31 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-04-02 08:17 pm (UTC)1. I'd seen you around friends Lj's, and then you found me, I figured arguing with serendipity was absurd and friended away.
2. Right now I'd go with FNL and Robin of Sherwood. (all together now: Roooobin, the hooded man..)
3. You have inappropriately dressed students at your campus.
4. You allowed me to ramble about the 'Hoff. (as a thank you I will direct you here (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x20v9F-sWHQ). Any explantion of the dachs hounds is most grateful.)
5. For the sake of continuity: Roooobin, the hooded man!
6. What is your chosen field?
7. the power of Knut compels me, so I'll go with your polar bear default. (and that does sound like a sporting euphemism doesn't it?)
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Date: 2007-04-03 04:03 am (UTC)Sadly, I have the RoS soundtrack, so I can totally get down with the Roooobin, the Hooded Man!
My chosen field is 19th c. American history and literature, particularly slave narratives and the Civil War.
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Date: 2007-04-03 07:46 pm (UTC)Hmm..yes, especially the part where he bites the salmon. Is it ironic? Is he sincere? Is there a hidden symbolism that is somehow tied to the dachshunds?
Sadly, I have the RoS soundtrack
There is nothing sad about that, especially since I own it too. ;P
(but what is sad is that I also own the Robin Hood: Prince of thieves soundtrack. Complete with "Everything I do". I have no excuse for that and procrastinate completely)
And your chosen field sounds very interesting! :) Though I will admit that I know very little about it. As far as the 19th century goes I've always been very focused on Europe, but I really ought to widen my horizons there.
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Date: 2007-04-03 11:20 pm (UTC)shallowimpressionable! It was a traumatic period in my life and somehow all the raspy rasping and trite lyrics of "Everything I Do" was SOOTHING. :Pno subject
Date: 2007-04-04 08:58 am (UTC)But further speaking of Robin Hood:POT have you, for the love of
anythingeverything holy, seenno subject
Date: 2007-04-04 01:12 pm (UTC)And that review of POT was hilarious! Perhaps those dots on his face read Allahu Akbar in Braille. HEEEEE.
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Date: 2007-04-04 05:17 pm (UTC)As for
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Date: 2007-04-05 03:37 am (UTC)I did love their take on 'Tristan & Isolde,' though!
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Date: 2007-04-06 07:51 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-04-06 08:53 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-04-09 11:30 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-03-31 05:15 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-04-02 07:41 pm (UTC)2. I'd go with Vienna Teng here, because I recall we had a lovely conversation about her.
3.You have thought out, written and posted a guide on how to take over the world. I love it. Hee.
4. You were the firm and kind moderator who urged me to post to
(and I swear I would love to post more there, but RL-constraints keep getting in the way)
5. Calvin and Hobbes. I blame your mood theme and a lot of your icons. ;D
6. If you could choose one fairytale to be made into a movie - which one and why?
7. I love, love LOVE the one with the balancing elephant. I smile every time I see that
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Date: 2007-04-02 07:51 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-03-31 06:27 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-04-02 07:56 pm (UTC)2. That would be Foyle's War*
3. You understand the greatness of biathlon.
4. Taking about Norwegian quarantine laws and how stupid they were. *g*
5. I think it's a tie between Sam Stewart, and Major, Emi and Minor.
6. Which Moomin book is your favourite?
7. I love the little kitten that says "meep".
*speaking of Foyle. The last two episodes are airing here during Easter, and I'm afraid to watch them in case I'm disappointed. Have you seen them and are they any good? (I will probably watch at any rate, but I'd just like the possibility of bracing myself just in case.)
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Date: 2007-04-02 08:16 pm (UTC)Moomin: Oh! Er. Hmm. Moominpappa at Sea is the one that I think about most, but that's because it is, quite frankly, incredibly creepy. Everybody is depressed and Moominmamma paints herself into the wall and disappears. Plus Moomin has a strange s/m thing going with the Groke. (People read this stuff to their kids???) I also think about the more or less suicidal Fillyjonk from Moominvalley in November a lot. But all in all, the Midsummer and Midwinter books (can't remember the English titles right now) strike the perfect bohemian/melancholy/sentimental pitch for me.
Of Jansson's other work, I adore The Summer Book. And I have a huge love for the comics, although some are only fluff.
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Date: 2007-04-03 07:55 pm (UTC)For some reason I find this very comforting. Strength in numbers and all that I guess. ;)
(People read this stuff to their kids???)
hee. I know!"Moominpappa at Sea" is the one where they move to the lighthouse yes? I'll agree that it is very creepy.
A few years ago I reread Astrid Lindgren's "The Brothers Lionheart", "Mio my Son" and "Ronia the Robbers Daughter". Sure those books are fun, but parts of them, especially Lionheart, is also incredibly depressing!
Though not as surreal as the Moomin books. I love the Midwinter and Midsummer - Midsummer especially because of the floating theatre and this otherworldly feel.
And excuse me but is that an Empire Record's quote on your Moomin icon, or am I simply hallucinating? (the latter is always a rather large possibility)
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Date: 2007-04-04 06:59 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-04-06 08:21 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-04-13 11:26 am (UTC)And it IS an Empire Records quote. It just seemed to fit so well :)
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Date: 2007-04-14 10:03 am (UTC)This is very true, and I agree that the Moomin books - especially the later ones - are pretty surreal.
As a kid I also read a lot of Maria Gripe (no idea what those are called in English but: Tordyveln flyger i skymningen, Skuggan över stenbänken og Anges Cecilia especially). and those books freaked me out. Not because they are surreal, but because they have this veiled, strange quality. I read them and always felt I was only handed half the story and the rest of the narrative was all those creepy whispers I could barely make out from the text. (if that makes any sense)
And yay for empire Records quote. Your right - it does fit well!
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Date: 2007-03-31 06:18 pm (UTC)Commenting.
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Date: 2007-04-02 11:45 am (UTC)2. Star Wars - hands down!
3. You're very knowledgeable in the reign and decapitation of Charles I. hee.
4. You wrote this amazing filk titled "Leia's got a gun".
5. I'd have to go with Han/Leia actually - although I will not venture into "The Courtship of Princess Leia" territory. ;P
6. Which of the SW films are your favourite, and why?
7. I do love "the dark lord of Exposition", but "We are a retro planet" also comes pretty close.
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Date: 2007-04-02 07:53 pm (UTC)Han/Leia is the first pairing I remember caring about (though I might have had some Ninja Turtles pairing preferences when I was six). However, a while back I stumbled on
Hmm, favorite films. I'd say A New Hope and Empire about equally, for different reasons. ANH has that great optimistic, lighthearted feeling, and a lot of what I've heard called the "sensawunda." All the locations, from the cantina to Yavin IV, have that feeling of "this is just so cool." I love the beautiful scenery, from the binary sunset to the jungles, and I love the "used universe" feeling that's everywhere (from the Lars garage to the Falcon). I'm also intrigued by how the optimistic mood works with the really, really dark things that happen in the movie (torture, planet blown up, Owen and Beru's smoking corpses...).
I love the dual plotlines of ESB, where Han and Leia face the external threats while Luke faces the internal threats. I love picking up with the characters three years later and getting to fill in the gaps of how they changed like that on my own - it's like jumping from the last Firefly episode to Serenity. I love the sense of the past influencing everything the characters are doing - why Luke wants to train, why Yoda and Ben react to him the way they do, Jabba still being out for Han's head, Han's "old friend" Lando... I also think ESB has the snappiest (and least painful) dialog, which counts for a lot in SW.
I like the other movies plenty (and have come to appreciate TPM much more over the years), but not quite as much. But they're all enough to get me rambling on like this :D
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Date: 2007-04-03 09:04 pm (UTC)And Horace and fandom it was. I loved that - and then I found your post about Dr. Zhivago and Star Wars. Great times.
Han/Leia is the first pairing I remember caring about
Yeah, I think looking back Han and Leia were my first OTP (and one of the few I have actually)That said everything in ANH is VERY odd relationship wise. Not only the Luke and Leia kiss, but also all the strange looks Han gives to Luke. Now this is probably viewing the film through slash-tinted goggles, but I don't see why not. Character and story wise it makes sense for Han to be fascinated by BOTH the Skywalker children.
I love the beautiful scenery, from the binary sunset to the jungles, and I love the "used universe" feeling that's everywhere
Oh absolutely. I can actually pinpoint the moment I fell in love with SW. It was Luke watching that twin sunset. I was probably about eight at the time, but that was it. Later when all the Jedi stuff started to appear I was completely sold.
(as much as I love the Falcon, scoundrels and Twi-leks - I love the Jedi more. They are just so damn fascinating. I also have an unhealthy obsession with the Mandalorians.)
As for favourite film I'd go with ESB - for many of the same reasons you've stated. I also feel the cinematography is better in that one. I rewatched it a few weeks ago and was truck by how incredibly beautiful it is. All the whites and blues of Hoth, the murky greens of Dagobah. In addition it's the Sw movie that isn't afraid to linger. My biggest gripe with "Sith" is that the pacing is too quick. No time is given to the viewer to let things sink in, to contemplate. I feel this gives the movie a rushed feel which isn't beneficial. (also there is too much CGI, but that is a different rant entirely)
and a lot of what I've heard called the "sensawunda.
You know first time I read this I thought: is this some strange foreign word I don't know? Then my brain caught up with my reading. Hee.
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Date: 2007-04-04 07:37 pm (UTC)That bothered me in RotS too. Hurry up, we've got to get to the Dark Side in under three hours! No, we can't cut any flying or wacky droid hijinks to free up more time for that! (Much as I love neat flying scenes and R2, they took up a lot of time in this movie.) Oh, well. I'll just focus on how gorgeous ESB is and be happy.
I had the exact same reaction the first time I saw (and heard!) that word, so you're not alone :D
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Date: 2007-04-06 07:55 pm (UTC)Lol! That should be an icon.
But I agree - they used a lot of time on showing droid's and CGI shots - and too little on the human factor. Also I always get the feeling that Anakin's fall was a little railroaded by Lucas. He just fell too easily.
But then again I feel that not filming the Clone wars was a huge mistake. Thankfully the cartoon version is wickedly cool. I do love Asajj Ventress.
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Date: 2007-04-11 03:28 pm (UTC)(i meant to say. surfed over from
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Date: 2007-04-11 03:54 pm (UTC)