The Dolphin Dying of a Broken Heart

Heartbreaking news from a frequently disappointing world

Dying Of A Broken Heart

A dolphin is dying of a broken heart after its beloved trainer was killed by her neighbour in a frenzied attack.

Mary G was rescued from the Adriatic Sea and nurtured back to full health by Tamara Monti at the Oltremare water park in Riccione, Italy.

But the 37-year-old was stabbed to death at her flat by neighbour Alessandro Doto.

He claimed he had been driven mad by the constant barking of Ms Monti's two dogs.

Now Mary G is refusing her diet of milk and squid and has lost 50kg in weight. She has also failed to respond to treatment for a gastric infection.

Leonardo Stanzani, the park's director, said Ms Monti had become the dolphin's "substitute mother".

"The relationship between a dolphin and its trainer is always special but this time it was especially close," Mr Stanzani told The Times.

"Tamara was constantly stroking Mary, who would nuzzle her cheek."

Keepers are hoping the introduction of an older dolphin called Pele into Mary G's aquarium will help cheer her up.

My top ten favorite walls

I think this was a temporary paint job for a museum in Japan... but it reminds me that totally amazing graffiti is rare. Like the flying penis in the Solano tunnel. Or the crazy drawings in the Long Life Vegi House bathroom. Sigh.

But I guess this is corporate graffiti... isn't it. With that in mind. Moonite led graffiti and Andy Kaufman stickers were not awesome. The weird linux triptych that IBM did was. Any instances of people making FEAR stencils with the long box the CD used to come in also ruled.

Do you remember when cds came in long cardboard boxes? So did tapes, for a time.

The best house in the world (or a giant peach of one's own)

At some point in my life I'd like to live in a dome house. This one claims to be Earthquake resistant, flood proof (when the floods come, the house floats) and more. I think I'm most attracted to the floating element because I've always secretly wanted to live out James and the Giant Peach. Now when California sinks into the ocean, I can float to Japan and thank the inventor of my awesome house in person. Plus, there's no chance of sharks eating my peach/house. This one is made of wood!

The website also suggests using the space as a cafe, which kind of appeals to me.

Buy yours now at http://g-wood.jp/en/
(spotted at treehugger)

UPDATE: actually... the absence of a bathroom might be a deal-breaker.
[+/-] Click here for more photos

The "Good" Doors (freed from the stifling creative restraint of Jim Morrison)

Cute robot alert! My unwritten novel on imaginary TV!

Yuki-taro is an autonomous snowplow-bot from Japan. It eats snow, then expels 24 x 12 x 6" blocks of ice from its rear end (ass). The blocks can then be neatly stacked and stored until summer, when they can be used as an alternative source of refrigeration or cooling.

In other news, I had a dream this morning that I was on Regis & Kelly talking about my unwritten novel, and Regis says, "wow, so you're a busy guy!" and I say "well, yeah, but I always take time out for the View." Then I smile and take a sip of coffee. Then Regis gets mad and says I shouldn't be plugging another show, but Kelly contends it's OK because it's on the same network. Then Rosie calls in, and asks Regis if everything's cool. I woke up shortly after thinking "that was a really good cup of coffee."

If only it were out of this mug.

Me, Nat & Anna Nicole

nathaniel russell to me 2:23 pm
shouldn't you be blogging about anna nicole?

john minardi to nathaniel 3:14 pm
no -- that would be in bad taste

nathaniel russell to me 3:15 pm
or would it be a proper memorial. you be the judge.

When the "i" in ipod stands for illegal, etc.

Did you hear that New York State Senator Carl Kruger is looking to institute a $100 fine for using "electronic devices" (ipod, blackberries, etc) while crossing the street? Well I did, and I think it's about time. If possible, I'd like to tag on another bill forbidding the use of cell phones while conducting customer service transactions (on both sides.)

Is it legal to use devices that jam cell phones in enclosed spaces? I think I'd like one of those too. Next time one of my friends plays "solo accoustic", I won't have to hear some total idiot talking on their cell. Or texting. Wait... strike that. Block calls, but not texting.

By the way, did you know that originally (for apple, anyway), the "i" prefix was for internet? I did. Now we have something in common, me and you!

Alabama couple does bed-in protest to Iraq war! Might actually be better than John and Yoko's!

Wow.

Wow.

I hate war and everything, but this is totally lame. Or it's meta-awesome. So are they getting in and out of bed to do volunteer literacy work by day, and they just sleep in the living room? Or do they stay there all day and the illiterate come to them? Do they get to watch TV? If anyone knows, please inform!

[+/-] Read all about it!

Ala. couple stages bed-in for peace
Published: Feb 05, 2007 at 1:14 PM
Mobile, Ala. (UPI)
A Mobile, Ala., married couple has resurrected a protest technique created by John Lennon and Yoko Ono -- the bed-in.

Ernie and Lynn Seewer said they moved their bed from the bedroom to the living room in protest of the Iraq war, the Mobile Register reported Monday.

"I tried doing the serious thing," said Lynn Seewer, a volunteer literacy tutor. "I've tried, you know, writing letters and making phone calls and e-mails and the proper channels, and that's gotten me nowhere."

The Seewer's then decided to adopt the bed-in practice created 40 years ago by the late Beatle and his wife to promote peace at hotels in Amsterdam and Montreal.

Ernie Seewer said the bed-in will last until the Iraq war ends.

He said although the couple's protest is of a far smaller scale than the one staged by Lennon and Ono, the couple hopes others might join in their demonstration.

"Maybe we can encourage people to put their beds in their living room for peace until the war is over," Ernie said.

The "Beatles Apple" and the "Computer Apple" make good. Ryan O'Neal acted in self-defence.

The Beatles Apple and the Computer Apple settled that 2003 lawsuit! Good going! Spokesperson from Computer Apple says "many exiting years are ahead" (AP, natch!) Look for "I'm a Mac, And I'm a Badfinger LP" spoof on youtube in the near future.

Also, Ryan O'Neal (Love Story) shot at his son Griffin (Ghoulies III: Ghoulies Go to College) in response to a flailing charcoal poker attack. Evidently, Father O'Neil was grazed by the poker several times. O'Neal then shot a bannister rather than his son, who promptly fled into the night (Washington Post).

At 65, Ryan O'Neal still maintains boyish good looks. Son Griffin has not.