Loca the Un-Run-Pug

Hey I know a lot of people around here like pugs, so I found this silly video of a pug "singing" a song from a while ago. This little pug has a lot of spirit and loves to run, or try to run at least. Loca has so much personality for a little pug, always bouncing around and full of energy.

Some pieces of animal media/music

Hey everyone, I thought I'd just share a video I found on Tumblr that I really liked. It's kind of tragic and heartbreaking at the same time. I'm not sure if it's because of the audio that was added or because bees are slowly disappearing, but it's a great video. Everyone should check it out!

http://fileformat.tumblr.com/post/117390495175

After that, I've been really obsessed with a musician called Aeon Fux. A lot of her music incorporates science or nature, especially reptiles or insects. She just released this song and I just felt like sharing the love.



Lyrics below:
I said I would wait for you
as long as you want me to
in the reptile room, where you first looked at me with that hunger in your eyes
this humidity feels so good to me asyou slide against my sensibilities

and if you come around
I’ll want you again
I’m a chameleon
I have to shed my skin
I want to turn the color of
the nights I’ve spent with you
and watch them fade into

you knew what you had with me
crocodilian chemistry
but how wild were we
that we clung to each other til we ripped ourselves apart

and if you come around I’ll haunt you again
I’m a reptilian, I want to pull you in,
I want to tear into the flesh
that set my soul alight
and feed til morning rise

Savage Beauty: Sea Fashion (waaay continued)

So I must've forgotten to post way back when, but here is my contribution to the savage beauty: sea fashion collection.

So what you see before you is a casual dress inspired by a clownfish like the ones you see animated in Finding Nemo. With the bright orange and black/white contrast, this dress will for sure make a statement as you strut down the street. As an added bonus, there are little attachable fin-inspired shoulder pads because there's no harm in a little accessorizing! 

Sad Animal Facts

I discovered these "sad animal facts" illustrations today and thought they were silly yet a bummer. I think animal illustrations are great!

Licenses Should Be Mandatory to Be a Pet Owner

The other day, my girlfriend and I saw a woman tugging really hard on her dog's choke-chain even though the dog wasn't really doing any thing wrong. My girlfriend then said, "People should have to get licenses to own a pet." I thought this was a really good idea, so I looked up if that has ever been considered by anyone else. I then found this article:

"License all pet owners" 

It discusses an assertion by UK's chief vet of the RSPCA in which he suggests all pet owners should have to obtain a license in order to combat animal abuse. The article explains how this claim received a lot of opposition from other groups, saying the idea would be too expensive, an insult to pet owners, and (most humorously of all) "more interested in animal rights than promoting welfare" (paragraph 6). I think this could be a helpful application, though there are many complications (people who already have pets without licenses, pets who would end up in shelters because there are less available owners, etc.). Though this is a highly complicated issue, I feel it is definitely one to consider.

Even though this is pretty funny, it always bums me out whenever people dress up their pets. I've never really seen a pet in a costume that looked like it was enjoying life. You can tell this costume is super uncomfortable on his/her ears. If pets wanted to wear clothing, they wouldn't look this sad while wearing it.

I was looking for an organization where I could possibly volunteer to help animals, and I came across this video. I instantly became teary eyed because it was so difficult to see how much these cats were suffering. This is such cruelty, animals have feelings and they do not deserve to live in such harsh conditions. Possum is an example of a loving cat that suffered but with the love of someone, his whole life changed. Animals need to be treated correctly and we have to try our best to make their lives better. 

This video is funny, and it makes you think whether animals really are better than humans at doing some things. I thought that it was really cute and I was also amazed to see what animals are capable of doing. They are so intelligent and they have the mentality to do anything they set their minds to. Do you think that an animal can be better than a human at playing a game or a sport? If yes, what kind of sports or games.

This video is an example of how much an animal can help the healing and well being of a person. The relationships that are made within humans and animals is heart warming. I teared up seeing this video, because it shows the happiness that an animal can bring to someone when they are at one of their lowest points in life. The connections that are made with animals are sincere and joyous. It is amazing to see how much affection and love and animal can bring to a person. They are such humble and caring pets.

Section B Group Blog

So, Abigail, Deseary and I decided to rewrite the 13th Amendment to abolish the slavery of animals... This is what we've come up with. We've also included some pictures of humans and also their "inner animal" or their transformation into animals.

Deseary

Abolition of Animal Slavery:

Zoos and circus' should be prohibited from keeping animals locked up in cages and behind bars. All types of mistreatment to animal should be abolished and removed from all animal parks. They are only meant for the entertainment of humans while animals become depressed from being harassed. Eliminate all forms of animal slavery in these locations.

Maya

Court case:

“The guilty is hereby being charged with consistently enslaving these animals and even some humans who he referred to as "freaks for show" for the past six months in secret. The living circumstances of the animals and humans was less than poor with dirty cages, little to no food and water and nothing for warmth for the freezing nights. The defendant failed to release his animals after the passing of the 13th amendment. He is now facing fines and possible prison time.”

Abigail

Recent incidents have sparked a change in people, especially in women. There is a direct correlation between women acting wild, and both Dr Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Since the finding were released, we see more and more people mimicking fellow Dr. Jekyll’s wilder side. Those affected by this Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde syndrome seem to posses the same animalistic traits. But after reviewing  these recent incidents, people need to accept that we are also animals, and tapping into our wild side is only part of who we are. We should not lock up animals, let alone humans for tapping into their wild side. After all, we are animals. Let us act as it was intended to be.

Finding Dory...What happened?

So I'm very upset at the fact that Finding Dory is still not out when I remember Ellen saying it would be released in 2015. Did the producers forget or something? This is a mini rant because I loved Finding Nemo, I'm sure some can relate, and I frickin love Ellen and I just want all the things I love together in one movie. I want to know what happens to Dory, why do they have to find her. I heard rumors that it's actually going to be about her finding her family, but I wouldn't know cos pixar and Disney haven't released it yet.

This video is adorable and I think it speaks to gender roles and stereotypes of "masculinity" and "femininity" and how those roles intersect with our relationships to animals.

Exotic Pets?

This article is a little long so I'll summarize the general ideas.

Author Lauren Slater questions the ethics and morals involved with keeping exotic animals as pets. She states in the beginning that this debate is not a black or white issue, but something broad that may have different answers to different circumstances. She also examines the definition of 'exotic' and 'dangerous' animals.

Slater looks at this from many perspectives to gain a wide understanding of the matter. Some exotic pet owners state that the animals simply understand them better than humans do, other keep them as a collection or as a symbol of power/status, and there are even those who keep those animals out of kindness and determination to help endangered species. Slater also looks into the darker side of exotic pets, highlighting an incident that occurred in Ohio in which a man let out more than 50 exotic animals before killing himself. The Ohio police was forced to kill all the escaped animals because they were left running around in public and jumping over cars.

By looking at the issue of exotic animal ownership from many different perspectives, Slater concludes that whether or not owning exotic animals is ethical/moral is not the issue we should be looking into. Instead, we should be more aware of our own actions and responsibilities when it comes to our interactions with the animal kingdom.

The perilous attraction of owning exotic pets

America's Funniest Animal Videos

I choose this video because animals are very very entertaining to humans. I really get a lot of entertainment from my own pets and I relate to these videos so so much!

Week 7 Blog Post: "Maybe You Should Get A Dog"

Here is a video I found on youtube for a pedigree commercial. I thought it would be interesting to share because the video shows people with exotic animals as pets as opposed to your common household dog. The video ends with the statement "maybe you should get a dog" to encourage and promote the pedigree adoption drive, which I thought was a very clever and entertaining way to go about advertising for pet adoption.

Animals Getting Their First Taste of Freedom

Animals getting their first taste of freedom, from our friends at The Dodo.You will tear up.
Posted by The Huffington Post on Thursday, March 12, 2015

 I saw this video today on my Facebook newsfeed, I thought it was rather affective in stirring up emotions towards these animals that were all once caged, and some were a part of research or had been rehabilitated to good health.  

Farm Sanctuary Happiest Video Ever

In a world where so many animals live short, violent, fearful lives it's inspiring to see Farm Sanctuaries giving farmed animals another chance at a safe life. I can't wait to intern at Animal Place this summer. This is one of my favorite videos ever.

Week 7 Blog post by Marshall Danese

This video depicts a cockatoo dancing along to a popular Queen song. I think humans really enjoy seeing nonhumans act in ways that reflect our own tendencies, and seeing this dorky bird dance along to queen definitely made me laugh.

Animal Memes

I find this hilarious. How did he even get himself stuck in there?

This pokes fun at the fact that cats are more independent and less affectionate than dogs. I love how they chose a picture of a cat lounging the way it is.

Pugs are my favorite dogs. They seriously look like loaves of bread or potatoes!

"Have You Helped Someone Lately?"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p7ztKqzrwp4

As Cathy mentioned in class, Dignity Health has created this video which is usually seen in commercials (at least that is how I saw it). It has very calming music in the short thirty second clip of a human scuba diving to cut a whale shark free. From my first impression of the advertisement, I found it to be a little too peaceful. Though clearly it seems to have a good message, it is curious to me why they chose such an extreme act to motivate kind actions. It is almost as if they want viewers to reenact kindness though acts such as diving into the depths of the sea to save underwater life. With such calming music, I do not feel motivated to get up and go save endangered animals. I do enjoy the fact that the main catch-phrase is "helping someone," which equates animals and people as somebodies. This further de-objectifies animals and shows the kindness needed to help our world have a balanced ecosystem.

The Crazy Nastyass Honey Badger (original narration by Randall)

I found this video very funny. I wanted to share it to show why i think honey badgers are "badass" animals.

I chose this photo partially because it is adorable but also because it represents the way in which humans often view animals, both domestic and wild, as possessive objects to be played with and posed. For example this photo was clearly staged to create a cute moment on the internet for human entertainment as cats and deer do not exactly have much interaction. While I cannot decide if this particular instance of animal staging is necessarily harmful, I can also understand how such behavior can be taken to an extreme in which animals can be put through unpleasant or even harmful situations, such as costumes or sweaters for dogs and cats.

My floor mate showed me this video of a hedgehog trying to flip over. I thought it was soo cute and in a way I connected with it. Because of it's short arms it can't flip over and continue with it's day and in the end it gets help from someone. That's me, I have short arms and sometimes I can't do things because of the length of my arms and I need that help sometimes. My arms may not seem short to people but they are to me. This little guy trying to flip over made my day.

How Wolves Changed Rivers

Here is a very cool video discussing the reintroduction of wolves into Yellowstone National Park. The wolves were relocated to the park in 1995 and have since made a big impact on the ecosystem around them. Wolves are powerful, loyal, family oriented animals which is why the repopulation has so greatly affected the area.

Munchkin the Teddy Bear

So this is Munchkin and I absolutely think she is adorable but I think it's crazy what a large following this little dog has. This video alone has over 4 million views on YouTube and she has over 89,000 followers on Instagram. This dog is famous and all it does is wear a little bear costume. For some reason animals are becoming extremely famous nowadays, it started off with grumpy cat and now we have Munchkin the Teddy Bear.

"Thinking like Animals" by Temple Grandin

After reading "Thinking like Animals" I thought about how heartless some individuals can be. We go on everyday of our lives worrying only about ourselves and our problems. Most of us are so egotistical that we forget about everyone and everything else that surrounds us. For instance, we go to the market and purchase food brands without knowing the story behind the food we are about to eat. I have gone to the store many times, and when I buy chicken I just compare prices and the cleanliness of the chicken wrapped inside the plastic. Yes, many times I have stopped and looked for organic chicken, but it is not something I do all the time. I began to think that if we would take the time to learn more about the companies that we buy food from, then maybe we could contribute to the to betterment of animal welfare standards. Just like I do not always stop to think about how these animals are treated nobody else does either. "Many of the animals were scared because people were rough with them...They chased them, yelled at them, and prodded them" (Grandin, 618). Animals suffer so much because we are so greedy and demand so much. Animals have emotions just like humans and they are mistreated and harassed in order for us to have food. We have to learn to understand the emotions going through an animal when they are being raised then sent to the slaughter plant. What are some ways in which we could work together as a community to treat the animals fairly and not give them such a harsh life? Do you think that your plan would work? Why or why not.

Werewolves, House Cats, and Humans! Oh my!: Hemlock Grove's Depiction of the Werewolf Myth

Trigger Warning: This video contains spooky happenings of the bodily fluids nature. Those faint of heart should avert their eyes.

This video clip comes from the Netflix original series Hemlock Grove. One of the main characters is a Werewolf and you can see his graphically-rendered transition above.

The thing I particularly love about this rendition of the Werewolf myth is that the wolf-form literally sheds the human features during the transition (eyes, teeth, and skin all essentially melt off). I know a lot of the imagination for this comes from the desire to up the horror and gore for dramatic effect, but it doesn't take away from the unique details of this depiction of the Werewolf.

Also I would like to point out that when confronted with whacky, human-melting wolf appearances the cat runs away (presumably to safety) and the humans just stand there watching (presumably because being ripped to shreds by a wolf doesn't raise any alarm bells for them).

American Werewolf in London - Complete Transformation

(For Week 7 post)
Well, I remember seeing this film when I had stayed home from grade school, I had the flu and my older sister had rented it on VHS and recommended I watch it.  A day I'll never forget...needless to say, I didn't sleep that night! I thought this was an interesting rendition of the 'werewolf' and the transformation of human to wolf. Enjoy!

Re: Savage Beauty: Aquatic

I’m a few supereons late to the Savage Beauty (Week 6?) project, but I spent roughly 40 grueling minutes coloring this drawing and I didn’t want it to be for nothing. The rest of my group posted about 12 parsecs down, but here’s my finalized design:

Piece Name: Aqua Fortis

Category: Armory/Defense Wear

Description: Surface your old style and keep yourself current in these hydrophytic designs. Make a splash this season and always be prepared to drown your enemies with vigor. These streamlined angles and uniquely-submerged pieces will make sure to keep you afloat in fashion.

*aquatic animal inspiration are listed in the photo

Mighty Joe Young

This is the trailer to the 1998 Disney Movie "Mighty Joe Young". 

The movie is about a "legendary" 15-ft gorilla who was raised by a young girl named Jill after both their mothers are killed by a poachers (Jill's mother was trying to protect the gorillas).  After they have grown up, a wildlife refuge director convinces Jill that Joe would be safer in the US, so they move to a wildlife refuge in Hollywood.  Here, one of the poachers who attacked them when they were younger finds out they're in the US and seeks revenge on Joe for taking his thumb in the attack all those years ago.

Animal and Human Bonding

If I were ever to see this animal anywhere I would run, because we are taught to stay away from them. Seeing this picture makes me think that all animals can be tamed, it is just a matter of time. Just like a human can be happy one moment, then get enraged at someone animals do the same.

This is a boy hugging a chicken.
Reddit claims: "Chicken didn't recognize him at first because he got a haircut".
Chickens are terrifying but I guess this is pretty cute.

JAWS

The classic movie about a massive rogue great white shark that inspired nightmares in everyone who has seen it. I know I flash to certain scenes in the movie every time I swim in the ocean or go cliff jumping. Also, I thought it was fitting to post about this film since it was screened last night at the pool.

While sharks are terrifying, they're also amazing creatures that keep our oceans clean, and increase species diversity through their role as an apex predator. Many species of sharks are listed as vulnerable or on endangered species lists, and efforts to conserve them are much needed. We need sharks!

This picture demonstrates how arbitrary human eating practices can be in regards to meat. Why do we eat pig and not cat? Well for me, I think the cat has too much fur.

Sea Fashion Cont.

Sea Fashion cont.

Jelly Nightgown

"Flowing and delicate, this sheer nightgown will allow you to emulate the elegant locomotion of jellyfish. The movement of this dress will mesmerize all those you pass! Pale blue translucent chiffon reminiscent of clear waters is carefully stitched onto a reinforced jellyfish bell skirt and tentacle train to provide flounce and flair with every step. The minimalism of this piece will suggest a liberating and organic feeling as you float through the crowd." -Jill

 Great White Evening Gown

"Lavish and large, this dress is sure to make a statement when you walk into the room. A savage shark gives off a feeling of ferocity that tells people not to mess with you. The bottom of this evening gown is reminiscent of a crashing wave, and contains just as much of its natural energy in the design and pattern. Stark white with a tint of blue, the dress as a whole is similar to the magnificence of the great white shark breaching the surface of the water, hunting for prey." - Ryan

Squid Dress

"A squid outfit. Binding, yet free." - Elijah

Abalone Shell Dress

Cat-Friend vs Dog-Friend

I chose a funnier video which I hope works for the blog this week. These two guys do a great depiction of how different a cat and dog are. I find everything they do so relatable to my own dog and cat at home.

The Elephant Man

This is a trailer for the David Lynch film, The Elephant Man (1980), which portrays the tragic life of John (Joseph) Merrick, a man who suffered from extreme deformations and ridicule that followed with his plight. He was force into performing in circuses and constantly abused by the unaccepting yet astonished public, much like how zoo and circus animals are treated today.

The famous quote from this film come from a scene where John is nearly stampeded by a group of angry and awestruck ridiculers, and he yells out, "I am not an elephant! I am not an animal! I am a human being! I am a man!" I think this quote and the film as a whole says a lot about the emotion we feel from seeing a human so horribly brutalized, yet often times we ignore the same treatments toward animals.

I really recommend watching this film if you haven't already yet.

Week 7: Post and Comment

Share a article link, meme, video, image that you think we will find entertaining and/or informative. In that post give us 1-2 sentences summarizing what it is. If it comes with a trigger warning, please specify what nature. 

Next, I want you to find and comment on a post from any one in Sections A or B.

Here is a video game in which human and animal are both companions and one in the same when the roleplayer transforms into various animals.

The New Yorker: NOVEMBER 17, 2014

"Never Alone: Could a Video Game Help to Preserve Inuit Culture?"

Post in this thread as a comment or as a new post.

Aquatic Life-Style

The focus is under sea life and I've chosen to represent the animal crab. Traditionally people associate the crab with the color red but not all crabs are the same. My muse was a blue, yellow and red crab and I've tried to follow the pattern of the crab by using blue at the top where its face would be and red downwards where its legs would be, and there is also a black joint where the knees would go which is why I've added black arrows on my pants. The hands have also been made to look like claws and I've made them the signature red.

The Controversial Tribbles

Taxonomist (Dustin Pfeiffer)

       Tribbles are a non-intelligent mammal classified in the genus Polygeminus. Native to the planet Iota Geminorum IV, studies show that these furry creatures are born pregnant and use about half of their natural metabolism to reproduce. Each tribble, when provided with sufficient food, has an average litter of ten babies every twelve hours, causing a massive boom in the population in a very short amount of time. The only reason that Iota Geminorum IV wasn't overrun by these creatures is the astounding number of reptilian predators that feast on them. Tribbles were discovered by humans in the early 2150s. When touched, tribbles emit a cooing sound that is known to have a tranquillizing effect on the human nervous system. This effect has made them a very popular pet in human households. However, tribbles are not fond of all touches. Klingons, for example, make tribbles react violently. This response angered the Klingons, leading to the destruction of Iota Geminorum IV, the tribble home planet, in the late 23rd century.

Dr. Red Anolis (Gina Troquato), Herpetologist

       Tribbles are utilized as a high protein food source for the reptiles involved in my experiments. Tribbles are excellent prey items for reptiles since they proliferate at astonishing rates and have no defenses; they are an important fuel source for the booming populations of lizards, snakes, etc. As tribbles only eat and reproduce, and offer no benefit to communities, using them to further scientific experiments is a worthy cause. Ensuring their populations are not exterminated is of the upmost concern.

Klingon General K'Thul (Charles Knoble): 

       These creatures are a disgrace. They live for no greater purpose than to feed their reptilian superiors. It knows this to be true, and doesn't even fight back. Indeed, all this vile creature can do is consume food and reproduce. If I had my way, I would destroy their entire planet, taking the Tribbles as slaves. They may be useful as a source of efficient protein for the Klingon race, the true masters of the galaxy.

Bioterrorist Group TRBL (Tribbles Ready to Banish Lifeforms)(Norberto Sanchez) 

“In Tribbles We Trust” 

       The Tribbles are an incredibly prolific creature and we thought this would be perfect for us, we just had no idea where to attain them legally. Our first fateful encounter with a Tribble vendor happened while docked on Deep Space Station K7. While we discussed new plans on how we could conquer new territories in the space station cantina, a merchant walked around trying to sell Tribbles. Nobody had any idea what they were, including the merchant, so we took advantage of this and purchased as many as we possibly could.

       We start off small by spreading a couple of Tribbles where they will be spotted in the territory we want to conquer. Thanks to the tranquilizing effect on the Human nervous system that their cooing produces, our enemies will be seduced by the Tribbles and take them to their home bases. Once at their bases, the Tribbles will begin to show their prolific nature! It’ll be so grand, we’ll watch from far away as the Tribbles slowly begin to take over the territory and our enemies are forced to retreat! Such a cute but pesky creature that is perfect for dominating new territories. Once the area has been evacuated, we’ll come in and introduce some repitilian predators to take care of the Tribbles, after which we will claim the territory as our own. All hail the glory of the Tribble!

_____________________________________________
Posted by Norberto Sanchez