I'm in an awful way. *

[bending_sickle]

I got kicked out of the computer lab - I thought they closed at 6:30 instead of 6:00 because I've been working at the Biology building everyday after class until closing time, which there is 6:30. I didn't get much work done, just found some photographs of parks and reserves in Kenya and Tanzania.

Then I went to the supermarket for whatever might cheer me up (Confettinni Caketjes**, wine, sushi). Obviously that failed because I almost burst out crying the in the super, then biked home and stood helpless in my room trying not to collapse on the floor and uttering these pathetic whines. Then I replied to Kit-kat's email, opened up the wine, and looked up YouTube videos.

Am now delightfully numb. The brain's on hold, the emotions are on hold... Everything's good.

Cat Stevens - Another Saturday Night (Sam Cooke) - Live 1976

Oh Yusuf, I miss your music. Moonshadow is one of my all time favorite songs ever. (But please stop it with the head-ducking tick.)


BBC - Planet Earth - Lion pride hunting elephants

One of Africa's largest prides, at 30 individuals, has specialized in elephant hunting. The footage is missing the crucial parts - actually downing the elephant - so I'm still wondering just how they do it. I know from elephant calf kills that the lions have to learn to go for the trunk, especially since they can't get a strangle-hold on the neck, but I can't wrap my mind around how they bowl the pachyderm over.


National Geographic - Lion takes over a pride (continued here with infanticide - no sound)

Leopard takes down 2 gnus in succession

Male lions vs. hyenas over elephant kill

Remember when the fimmakers and cameramen never appeared in documentaries? When the soundtrack was super minimal? Ah, the good ol' days.

Links of the Day:
The Daily Mail: Astonishing pictures of the cub killed for insolence by Jane Freyer


* "Another Saturday Night", Sam Cooke
** Albert Hein flat muffin cake thingies with pink icing and confetti thingies

Comments

[capn-mactastic.livejournal.com]

*snuggles you*

What do you need to do on the work front? *is wondering if he can help*


I can't wrap my mind around how they bowl the pachyderm over.

It says here that they slash the hind leg tendons so the elephant falls over.

[bending-sickle.livejournal.com]

What do you need to do on the work front?

Oh gods...

1) SBB* Financial Management: read and understand chapters (preferrably doing practice questions); study
2) SBB Project Management: make a slide on the global market of biodiesel (and, if possible, start writing up the text for the market research section)
3) ALP** Proposal: review supervisor's edits (including restructuring research questions and adding to methods), replace wikipedia references with article references; adjust and add to budget (research costs of supplies, e.g. distance meter, binoculars, GPS reader, vaccines, insurance)
4) ALP Funding: search for funds; prepare CV and online application for National Geographic's funds; email university's Gloria and Helmi about funding
5) ALP Plane Tickets: check name change, costs and times
6) ALP Internship Contracts: add information, ask about credits (85!?!) and length of study (Sept. 2008 - Dec. 2009?!?) and when the hell I'm supposed to graduate then, get all necessary signatures
7) ALP Related: put up add for subletting room, get vaccines (Tuesday), get insurance (refer to parents)

...these coming months might just kill me. :(

* Science-based business fundamentals course
** Amboseli Lion Project

[capn-mactastic.livejournal.com]

O_O *hugs*

I don't think there's much there I can help with :(

[bending-sickle.livejournal.com]

If you can put up with my occasional rant or bouts of "Oh woes, whine!" and maybe throw in a hug now and then, you'll be a life-saver.

[capn-mactastic.livejournal.com]

This I can do! *HUGS!*

[bending-sickle.livejournal.com]

*HUGS BACK!* ♥!

[capn-mactastic.livejournal.com]

*ZOMG GLOMP!* ♥

[bending-sickle.livejournal.com]

After reading that article and, especially, it's "carefully edited" and "the film-maker’s job is 'to make it tolerable' for a TV audience", all I can say is, "Oh, for fucks sake." (A feeling shared by my fellow biologist friend Elisa.)

Also, it's a tad hypocritical, 'cause they have no problem showing all sorts of other prey being killed in all fashions. But no, elephants are special.

[capn-mactastic.livejournal.com]

I know, I was reading it like ORLY? o_O but it kind of covered the getting the elephant to fall over thing.

[bending-sickle.livejournal.com]

*is wondering if he can help*

♥ This is why, in theory, I have a partner working with me on the internship. I say in theory because it's not much of a partnership when the division of labour comes around.

Sorry for the reply!spam.

[capn-mactastic.livejournal.com]

You could very carefully explain to them that if they don't pull their weight then you will set them on fire... it always worked for Lana *snigger*

[bending-sickle.livejournal.com]

*holds up box of matches* And now, a demonstration of the wonders of thermodynamics!

[capn-mactastic.livejournal.com]

Educational and intimidating all at once! Gotta love thermodynamics ;)