posted on April 9, 2006 11:19:36 AM newMonster Rabbit
LONDON (Reuters) - It sounds like a job for Wallace and Gromit. A "monster" rabbit has apparently been rampaging through vegetable patches in a small village in northern England, ripping up leeks, munching turnips and infuriating local gardeners.
In an uncanny resemblance to the plot of the hit animated film "Wallace & Gromit in the Curse of the Were-Rabbit," angry horticulturists in Felton, near Newcastle, have now mounted an armed guard to protect their prized cabbages and parsnips.
"They call it the monster. It's very big -- it's nearly the size of a dog," said Joan Smith, whose son Jeff owns one of the plots under attack.
"It's eating everything, all the vegetables," she told Reuters. "They are trying to shoot it. They go along hoping to catch it but I think it's too crafty."
In the "Wallace" film, which topped both the U.S. and UK box office charts and in March won an Oscar for best animated feature film, the plasticine heroes battle a mutant rabbit bent on destroying their home town's annual Giant Vegetable Contest.
Those who say they have witnessed Felton's black and brown monster describe it as a cross between a rabbit and a hare with one ear bigger than the other.
Its antics came to public attention when Jeff Smith, 63, raised it as an issue with the local parish council.
"He came along to pay the annual fee for the allotment (vegetable patch) and he said 'ooh we've got this big cross between a hare and a rabbit,'" the council's clerk Lisa Hamlin told Reuters.
Smith himself has described it as a "brute" which had left huge pawprints.
"This is no ordinary rabbit. We are dealing with a monster," he was quoted by newspapers as saying.
"It is absolutely massive. The first time I saw it I thought to myself 'What the hell is that?'
"We have two lads here with guns who are trying to shoot it, but it is very clever."
posted on April 9, 2006 03:21:39 PM new
One heck of a "Thumper"
How would you like to carry one of this rabbit's feet for luck.
"“More Iraqis think things are going well in Iraq than Americans do. I guess they don’t get the New York Times over there.”—Jay Leno".
[ edited by Bear1949 on Apr 9, 2006 03:25 PM ]
posted on April 9, 2006 08:07:28 PM new
Where have you been PITS?
I haven't drink drank drunk a zombie in 15 years..sounds tasty to me right now.
[ edited by bebeboom on Apr 9, 2006 08:11 PM ]
posted on April 9, 2006 08:18:47 PM new
I been busy changing some computer configurations on several of my computers and listening to a rather large music collection, all on cd's that I bought recently. 4000 cd's of all different kinds of music.
posted on April 9, 2006 08:30:36 PM new
Is there not a single tune that gets you to tapping your toes, swinging your hips or to cause you to break out in song or to hum along?
posted on April 9, 2006 08:47:10 PM new
I have to think about that. The first thing that came to mind was silence..
That's a damn good question Pi. I honestly can't think of any sound that I find soothing.
[ edited by bebeboom on Apr 9, 2006 08:48 PM ]
posted on April 9, 2006 09:03:41 PM new
Ok, lemme give you some examples of sounds that you may or may not find soothing that have nothing to do necessarilly with music. Wind blowing, surf sounds, a crackling fire, rain and/or thunderstorms, frogs croaking, insects or birds chirping, the purring sounds of a kitten, dogs barking, cows mooing. Or how about non-nature type sounds like change falling in a casino slot machine, the rev of a finely tuned engine on a sportscar or motorcycle out on the highway, a distant train whistle, the washing machine on the spin cycle, the garbage truck at 5 am on garbage day.
posted on April 9, 2006 09:11:56 PM new
The only one of those you mentioned that comes close to soothing to me would be a crackling fire. Maybe wind chimes if they are muted and very soft and from a distance.
posted on April 9, 2006 09:23:30 PM new
Ok that will work but if soothing sounds to you include dogs barking, cows mooing and the garbage truck at 5 am on garbage day then you just might be a Redneck.
posted on April 10, 2006 08:04:48 AM newIs there not a single tune that gets you to tapping your toes, swinging your hips or to cause you to break out in song or to hum along?
Only the sound of a cash register printing a receipt of a charge card printer in action.
"“More Iraqis think things are going well in Iraq than Americans do. I guess they don’t get the New York Times over there.”—Jay Leno".
posted on April 10, 2006 01:13:12 PM new
As long as I can remember, Krafty. I don't like noise, I think I'm allergic to noise or something. I won't drive or ride in a vehicle with music playing, it makes me nervous. I don't play music in my home. I do however listen to American Idol. I keep the volume down very low. I hate the piped music in department stores etc. I guess I missed out on the music gene. I was forced to take piano lessons when I was a kid and I hated every minute of it. My kids are very musical so at least I didn't pass this flaw onto them. I have absolutely no rhythm what-so-ever, I don't hear a beat.
