The Snuggle Factory

Lickstown, USA, Population 1 Dog, 2 Cats

2010-06-14T14:44:00.004-04:00

An adorable video with an even cuter backstory: The puppy, Lucky, was adopted at three weeks old from a woman using him in a scam and the owner's two cats raised him as if he were their kitten.

My favorite part is when the guy in the accompanying song is talking about how he's been "hittin' the beer" and the dog is looking lovingly at the camera.

Turns Out Sparrows Are Jerks

2010-05-21T13:13:00.005-04:00

So here I was, just reading this delightful story in the New York Post about how a family of sparrows made a nest within a New York City crosswalk sign, and I happened upon some upsetting information:

When it comes to finding a nest, house sparrows are notoriously aggressive.
"They are fierce nest competitors," said Karen Purcell, an urban-birds specialist with the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. "They are able to evict other birds, even native species. They are survivors."
Purcell speculated that the cozy, steel-encased and rat-proof casing may have housed a bluebird, tree swallow or titmouse before the sparrows took over.
Sparrows will sometimes build their nest on top of another bird's eggs, dooming the unborn chicks.
"They are pretty ruthless, and that's why a lot of people don't like them," Purcell said.

All this time I've been watching them bop around thinking they were so kindhearted. You played me, sparrows. You played us all.

"A Winnie the Pooh Situation"

2010-05-21T10:56:00.005-04:00

This poor Vermont bear got its head stuck in an old milk can. Luckily some nice fellas from the Fish and Wildlife and Fire Departments helped him out after lubing him up with a whole container of liquid soap.

Here are the saddest parts of the story:

Helpers on the scene secured a rope to the milk can and then to a tree to keep the bear from moving about and injuring itself.

"It was lying quietly and breathing heavily, obviously exhausted and battered from having been stuck in the can for at least six hours and, during that time, running and bumping into trees and boulders," Hammond said.

_ _ _ _

The milk can "looked like there was some residue of grain or bird seed in it," he said. "It was kind of rotted. It looks like he came down during the night. This time of the year they're scavenging, trying to find whatever they can eat. There's not much out there at this time of the year — mostly grasses and buds. They can't find high-energy food. That's why they're attracted to bird seed and bird feeders."

Well, at least they got him out of there! I bet he was all soapy and disoriented. Poor cub.

Holla at Graeme for the tip!

Baby Animals: The Book

2010-05-21T10:11:00.005-04:00

While in Pennsylvania visiting my boyfriend's family I picked up an amazing book at a garage sale called "Baby Animals".

It's a book full of glamour shots of baby animals, it cost me 25 cents, and it's awesome. It reminds me a lot of Kittens Inspired by Kittens.

Here are my faves:

Hilarious! I wish the rest of the text was as good. Mostly it's like, "We're baby ducks! Quack quack!" or "Penguins are wobbly!"

Love the soft-focus lens.

I LOVE that there are both "Kittens" and "Cats" and "Puppies" and "Dogs". Classic.

Happy Spring, Dudes.

2010-04-02T13:58:00.002-04:00

Catmoms are So Nice

2010-04-02T13:48:00.001-04:00

Dogmoms too. Most moms, really. This catmom adopted a baby bunneh.

Release the Kraken!

2010-04-02T13:44:00.002-04:00

PIGLET VS. DOG

EPIC BATTLE!

FEEEEEEEEEEEED UUUUUUUUS!

2010-04-02T13:39:00.000-04:00

Say these kittens. Endlessly.

Lost in Translation

2010-04-01T17:32:00.003-04:00

I so wish I had a Droid so I could get this new Google animal translation app.

They explain how the algorithms work in a cute video:

Update: April Fools, suckaz!

You're Getting Sleeeeeepy

2010-04-01T07:42:00.005-04:00

Apparently one can put a chicken to sleep by tucking its head under its wing and moving it in a circle. Martha Stewart demonstrates this trickery (more like chick-ery, am I right?!!!!!!!) (HEY O!).

I wonder if other animals have secret weaknesses like this. Lift a piglet's leg for 3 seconds and it will blow raspberries! Scratch the left hind quarter of a rabbit and it will sneeze!

Twinkly Music WIN

2010-03-30T20:07:00.003-04:00

Please please please watch this with your sound on.

This poor cat Nosey is having some trouble with a festive red balloon. In the spirit of honesty I feel I should tell you this is a reenactment, but this did happen naturally the first time. And it is priceless.

Bunn-dana

2010-03-30T20:02:00.004-04:00

This is a CRAZY TINY bunny. It eats a flower and then does a SUPER CUTE thing at the end of the video.

What would be the funniest thing to see this bunny wearing? Here are some ideas I had:

- Overalls
- Mustache!
- Fez
- BANDANA (around neck)

Man, bandanas make any animal so much cuter. Yet they have the opposite effect when worn by humans. Curious indeed.

Seagull Maniac

2010-03-30T20:00:00.003-04:00

This video is exactly what you hope you'll get from a video titled "Seagull Maniac". I recommend watching the whole way through. It turns not-funny and then funny again like ten times over the course of the video.

Chit-Chat (<--FRENCH PUN)

2010-03-30T19:57:00.003-04:00

Some cats are so talkative that the best way to keep your sanity is to pretend you're having a conversation with them. My cat Ruby has great comic timing. This cat's not bad either.

Whippets Always Look Afraid

2010-03-30T19:55:00.002-04:00

Even as he/she makes fun of this baby, this whippet looks like it's scared it's going to get in trouble.

Happy as a Lamb

2010-03-30T19:43:00.009-04:00

Today's Big Thing's Cute Animals section is my new favorite treasure trove. They're doing what the Snuggle Factory does so much better that I almost feel like I should give up. But then where would people find pencil drawings of pigeons eating cake, or whatever dumb thing I draw next?

Here is an amazing video of a lamb named Bea bouncing around a house. My aunt and uncle have a farm in Washington state and whenever one of their sheep has lambs they have to take them in to nurse them. I guess mama sheep aren't so good about caring for their little ones. Anyway, my aunt was just complaining to me about having to get up in the middle of the night to feed TWIN LAMBS. TWIN TINY LAMBS! That is my dream.

I'm Back and I'm Making Up for It

2010-03-30T19:36:00.006-04:00

WITH SO MANY POSTS!

Sorry dudes. It's been a busy few months for me at work. But I'm ready to get back in my groove.

This cat likes having its hind quarters scratched.

Punxsutawney Phil is a Punk(x)

2010-02-02T10:39:00.004-05:00

So Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow. 6 more weeks of winter.

Doesn't he look SO SOFT and smushy?

Photo Credit: AP/Gene J. Puskar

This Cat Doesn't Know How It's Done

2010-02-02T10:37:00.002-05:00

But it's ok. He just drinks water from the faucet his own way. He's like "Whateva, whateva, I do what I want!"

Thanks to my Dad for sending me this vid!

Put on a Happy Face

2010-02-01T15:03:00.000-05:00

This Japanese dog smiles. Like, LEGIT smiles.

So good.

This Little Piggie Did a Nice Thing

2010-01-26T10:44:00.005-05:00

Oh, you guys. This tale of pig friendship had me tearing up at my desk. NERD ALERT!

11-year-old pig Angie was living out her golden years on Farm Sanctuary in upstate New York. She was very social but after her pig buddies died off she withdrew, stopped eating and even stopped walking around in the pasture! Poor little gal. Oh, and she had arthritis, too. Crying yet?

The nice people at Farm Sanctuary tried introducing her to other pigs but she never took to any of them until Fiona came along. Fiona was a Babe-esque piglet full of gumption and stick-to-it-iveness, and Angie accepted her right away. And they became BFFs!

For almost a year Angie ran around with Fiona like a much younger pig, rolling around in the mud and just generally having buddy times (as evidenced below).

Angie eventually died, but in her final days Fiona stuck right by her, sleeping right up against her. (I love it when animals do that! It is their best behavior.)

Sad story! :( But also happy. Sniiiiiff.

Meet Funky

2010-01-22T08:22:00.003-05:00

There's a new baby Nubian goat at the Central Park petting zoo! He's only a few days old, and while he hasn't been named, he bounces around a lot so the zookeepers are calling him "Funky".

Floppy-ear close-up!

I am so gonna try to visit him this weekend. CUTIE!

Domin-OMG

2010-01-21T16:39:00.005-05:00

I present to you a Japanese game show in which people coax different animals (including an anteater, who are my FAVES!) through a walkway surrounded on both sides by precarious dominoes. SUSPENSEFUL and exciting. But not really fair to the tortoise, since he's so big. They should have given him more room to maneuver.

Best parts:
- When they lift up the wall to reveal the animal.
- The armadillo's freaky right claw/foot/toe/whatever.
- The armadillo replay.
- Lullaby music and snoozy speech bubble for the anteater.

PuppyCam is Back!

2010-01-19T13:11:00.002-05:00

THE SHIBA INU PUPPY CAM IS BACK!

LIVE STREAMING PUPPIES!

Thanks to Zara for the tip. Ever vigilant, ever true.

Animals in Casts

2010-01-17T09:12:00.003-05:00

Here are photos of 25 animals in casts. Super sad and super cute.

I hate to think of what horrible things might have befallen them (hit by a car? attacked by a bear?!) so instead I imagine they broke their limbs performing adorable hi-jinks, like climbing trees or doing an obstacle course or trying to make a cheerleading pyramid.

SEAL of Approval

2010-01-15T16:48:00.004-05:00

This is just super cute. It's from a circus in Monte-Carlo. I'm a little worried that the seal is just out and about and doesn't appear to have water nearby, but hopefully he's OK. He sure is cute, I'll tell you that much. He's trying so hard, and he's got a mustache!

Silly Kittens

2010-01-15T08:20:00.002-05:00

Guys, you're supposed to go DOWN a slide, not up. Yeah. It's OK. It's kind of confusing.

(It's not, really. But they're kittens, so they get a pass.)

Best Dream Ever

2010-01-05T11:27:00.004-05:00

I had the best dream last night. I dreamt I was walking past a tangle of bushes on the sidewalk and I heard mewing. I dug into the bush and there were three kittens. TINY ONES! They were gray tabbies and looked like this.

They were all tangled up and as I pulled them out I also pulled out a little pigeon wearing a tiny wreath around its neck.

In the dream it was obvious to me that they were friends and the kittens had made the wreath for the pigeon because it was special. Maybe it was the pigeon's birthday? Anyway it was an important pigeon.

I tried to convince my boyfriend to take them all home but he said the kittens were probably diseased because they'd been hanging out with the pigeon (though the pigeon was obviously distinguished, so this argument was flawed).

The end.

Happy New Year, Squirrell Monkeys

2009-12-31T12:39:00.006-05:00

The Bronx Zoo gave these little fellas some blueberries wrapped in blue Jell-o. They'd never had it before and they were FREAKIN' OUT!

RIP Edwina the Duck

2009-12-30T15:42:00.005-05:00

One of the world's oldest mallards, Edwina, who was living as a house-duck in England has died at 22.

Edwina seems like an awfully sweet little duck. Her duck family rejected her because she was a runt and Ian Knight and Christine Christopher happened upon her being pecked to death!

According to the BBC:

"The family rescued her, but when Mr Knight attempted to release her back into the wild she followed him home and had lived with the family ever since.

Edwina also became fond of tea and toast, which she would have for breakfast in the family home where she spent time living in the garden and garage."

What a little peanut. The BBC has a nice video of her bopping around the yard.

Beluga Tricks

2009-12-30T15:40:00.002-05:00

Via Jezebel:

"Belugas or white whale pose with oranges on their heads to display like a rice cake offering at the New Year's day in Japan as part of a preparation to welcome the New Year at the Hakkeijima Sea Paradise aquarium in Yokohama in Kanagawa prefecture, suburban Tokyo on December 30, 2009. Sea animals are now trained for the attraction for the upcoming New Year. YOSHIKAZU TSUNO/AFP/Getty Images"

The guy on the right's not doing so hot. Don't worry buddy! Practice makes perfect!

A Little White Whale on the Go

2009-12-22T07:47:00.002-05:00

Peep this baby beluga you guys. Oh my god.

He was just born in Chicago (breach, no less!), and I guess baby b's have a kinda high infant mortality rate, so think good thoughts for him!

P.S. "Baby Beluga" is a really good song.

Roomba Smackdown

2009-12-22T07:45:00.002-05:00

This strikingly beautiful cat is a bit of a prima donna. Its housemate, an argyle besweatered dog, doesn't seem too miffed about it though.

Noah's Ark de Triomphe

2009-12-15T10:49:00.008-05:00

Noah's Ark Animal Sanctuary in Georgia (deservedly) got a lot of attention last week because it has a lion, tiger, and bear living in a club house.

But what should have gotten way more attention was their AWESOME Flickr page. Oh my word.

The pics are great but the best parts are the photo titles. Screen grabs!:

Yeah, sippin' a CUP O' NOODLE! That can't be good for a mini-horse.

CocoWHAT!?

2009-12-15T10:46:00.002-05:00

This octopus carried around a coconut and made a little shelter from it, and everyone is freaking out because it's the first incidence of an octopus using tools.

I'm freaking out because it's ADORABLE. The best part is when he carries the coconut underneath him but his tentacles are still scurrying, like "dee-dee-dee-dee-dee" (twinkly music).

Red Pandas Can Stand Up

2009-12-07T11:31:00.007-05:00

I did not know these dudes could stand up. SO CUTE!

New Yorkers, you can see a red panda IN PERSON at the Central Park Zoo. After going a few times and never seeing one, I was pretty discouraged. But the last time I went one was just hangin' in a tree eating some leaves and it was SO CLOSE! It ruled.

The zoo peeps will be giving the pandas "bamboo goodies" every Saturday and Sunday in December at 1:30 pm. Other animals get presents too. So awes. Second only to when animals get pumpkins at Halloween. That is my fave.

Thanks to Brad for the tip!

Turkey Pardon Streaming LIVE!

2009-11-25T08:39:00.005-05:00

Oh man. The Presidential Turkey Pardon is streaming live today on the White House website.

The White House even made an official preview video.

Of course they didn't say what TIME the live stream would take place. But I'll find out and let you guys know.

UPDATE: OMG, it's happening NOW! It started at 11:30 and the girls are there!!!!!!!!!!

Floaty Croc + Balloon Dog + Flying Pig = Best Parade Ever

2009-11-24T13:58:00.008-05:00

Guys, check out how awesome the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade used to be. (NOTE: For the record, I still think it's awesome and totally might go this year.)

These photos are from the New York Public Library archives and depict the 1932 Thanksgiving Day Parade.

Check out this little pig and tiny policeman/soldier guy boppin down the street! The balloons are so small!

WEINER DOG BALLOON!

Did this balloon fly away by accident? I can't even tell what it is. A cat? I think these pictures are so funny.

Check out this floaty guy! It looks like a little weird-shouldered monster, and then it looks like it's trying to King Kong the Empire State Building.

Good times. Remember how everyone in America got rickrolled on last year's parade? That ruled.

Did You Hear About the Bear Who Lost Her Hair?

2009-11-06T11:45:00.003-05:00

Poor Dolores. This lil lady at Germany's Leipzig Zoo has lost her fur. And so have all the other bears at the zoo! And nobody knows why. Poor guys. I hope they make them little sweaters for winter.

Thanks to Anna for the tip!

Only the Best for Griswold

2009-11-06T11:40:00.005-05:00

Griswold the Great Dane only likes the freshest sips. My cat Ruby is the same way, with the sink! Such discerning palates.

Bonus video: "Great Danes Standing Tall," a photo montage of exactly that. With a Kenny G soundtrack.

Thanks Francesca for the tip!

Mindblowing Murals

2009-11-04T07:35:00.006-05:00

Yesterday when I went to vote at PS 38 in Brooklyn I encountered some truly Astounding Art in the auditorium. Each painting had a TotallyAwesome Title.

Here's a sampling:

DAZZLING DESERT

How good is that fox-thing, right? Do foxes even live in the desert? Who cares!

HAPPENING HIMALAYAS

Something's happening in these Himalayas, all right. A bad drug trip!!! Look at all those freaky animals!

SPICY SAVANNAH

Me-OW!

Street Snuggle: Shiba Inu Pup

2009-10-19T19:52:00.005-04:00

I saw this lil Shiba Inu hanging out in a pet shop window on my way to lunch today but he was sleeping and I couldn't get a good picture.

Doesn't he look like a tiny fox!?!?

I went back later and got this. TOTALLY worth the extra trip.

Pigletlets

2009-10-07T10:38:00.003-04:00

Within the span of 3 minutes this morning, two coworkers asked me if I'd heard of "teacup pigs." Have YOU? They're only the biggest little craze sweeping the nation, HELLO!

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Llama Odyssey

2009-10-04T09:39:00.004-04:00

This poor llama named Homer had been seen wandering around Pike's Peak, CO for a month. Things weren't going so well for him.

"[The llama] roamed the mountain's south slope, living off alpine vegetation and trying to unsuccessfully to make friends with a herd of bighorn sheep."

Sheep can be such jerks!

Eventually two nice folks went up and captured him. They're going to find him a new home.

Seagull Thief

2009-10-04T09:34:00.002-04:00

This seagull really loves Doritos. Understandably!

I love how he looks when he walks out of the store with the bag in his mouth. Making a getaway!

Get on This, America!

2009-09-24T14:28:00.001-04:00

Japan has BUNNY CLUBS where you can go eat bunny-shaped food and HANG OUT WITH BUNNIES.

T-t-this D-d-dog is H-h-having the B-b-best T-t-time

2009-09-24T14:20:00.001-04:00

Rub-a-Dub-Dub, Piggie in the Tub

2009-09-24T14:16:00.002-04:00

This little piggie got pushed out of prime suckling/warm mama-nuzzling territory, so the farmer put him in a little piggie floatie and gave him a hot bath so he wouldn't get cold.

This video is so dear it almost makes me want to stop eating bacon. Cute little guy!

Puppies Can't Do Anything

2009-09-17T13:35:00.002-04:00

And this video proves it. These guys, like human babies, are pretty much hopeless. The best pup in the video is the one that falls in its food and doesn't do anything about it.

Get it together, puppies!

P.S. Bonus points to these Malteses. Normally I'm not into their kind, but they won me over!

Roly Poly

2009-09-03T14:16:00.003-04:00

This poor French bulldog can't roll over. It is so sad and cute.

It appears that this YouTube user has uploaded a bunch of other vids... so... more to come soon!

Thanks to Anna for the tip.

UPDATE:
This is even funnier than the first video. Oh my god.

Puppehs Dressed as Kittehs, Via Conan

2009-09-02T11:37:00.002-04:00

Step into the ConeZone with me, won't you?

Via CuteOverload

Pupdate

2009-09-01T14:20:00.004-04:00

What better way to kick off the fall than with a few adorable pups?

Selma

Riggs

and Bruin!

As Lil' Mama might say on America's Best Dance Crew, they are "so characteristic."

Bad Luck Horse

2009-08-13T11:15:00.004-04:00

Koda the horse is ridiculously tiny. He's a mini horse that's ALSO a dwarf! Tough luck, buddy.

Best part of the article:

Koda is so small that he is often mistaken for a battery-operated soft toy.

Tony Blair and a Baby Elephant

2009-08-13T08:31:00.003-04:00

Tony Blair met a baby elephant while on vacation in Bali. JEALOUS!

Duck Tales (oo-oo)

2009-08-13T08:25:00.007-04:00

This is Lucky. She broke her foot and walks on it funny. In order to keep her from hurting it before she has surgery, her owner had a cobbler make her a little sandal.

This is the cobbler, Kelvin Reddicliffe.

Mr Reddicliffe said it was the first time he had been asked to make a shoe for a duck after 39 years in the trade.

The 54-year-old said: 'My colleague and I once did some work repairing a bearskin rug but nothing like this.'

Adorable.

Cats in Sweaters

2009-08-05T11:21:00.003-04:00

Turns out dogs aren't the only cute things in sweaters these days!

Big Boi + Penguins = YES

2009-08-03T10:23:00.001-04:00

Big Boi from Outkast <3 penguins.

Best part: 36 secs in.

And an oldie but goodie: the "Miss Jackson" video, featuring a menagerie of cuties.

Dogs in Swings

2009-08-01T09:37:00.002-04:00

Someone linked me to this video of a dog in a swing and it was pretty cute. But then YouTube told me that there were LOTS of other videos of dogs in swings. FUN!

A Billion Dogs

2009-07-29T11:22:00.003-04:00

Want to waste a few hours? Peruse these reader-submitted dog pictures on the New York Times website.

One of their reporters is doing a puppy diary. Whatevs, who cares. DOG PICS!

Bunny Walkin'

2009-07-29T11:20:00.002-04:00

This bunny does in fact walk like a person.

Thanks to Anna for the tip!

This Dog Has Five Legs

2009-07-20T14:56:00.005-04:00

Don't be scared! It's not creepy. It's totally cute.

This is Precious. She was going to be sold to the Coney Island Sideshow but peeps got upset about it so a nice lady paid $4,000 to save her. She's going to have her 5th leg removed soon.

CUTIE! What a sweet face. I'm so glad she got a happy ending.

Drunk Badger

2009-07-09T11:28:00.003-04:00

Fermented fruit strikes again! Animals, seriously, stop eating this stuff! It makes you crazy bananas.

This time a badger in Berlin ate some fermented cherries and went to the middle of the road to have a rest.

Police arrived at the scene expecting to find a dead badger (I guess peeps confused a drunk badg for a dead badg, an easy mistake). SURPRISE! He was just three sheets to the wind.

So what happened?

"Having failed to scare the animal away, officers eventually chased it from the road with a broom."

Where did they find a broom?!

I cannot believe this was covered by the news. By REUTERS, no less! This is a fine day for journalism.

Stroller Pug

2009-07-06T13:49:00.004-04:00

Hey guys! I just remembered I have this blog. Sorry, it's been a busy few weeks. I've been bad, I know, but now I'm BACK with a video of a pug pushing a stroller.

Yeah, that's right. Bet you thought it was a pug IN a stroller. SUCKAS!

Don't worry though. Here are some videos of pugs IN strollers.

Squiiiishyface

2009-06-16T11:57:00.006-04:00

Puppeh! More of Shade the Weimaraner at Daily Pup.

MONDAYS!

2009-06-15T13:46:00.001-04:00

HA-RUMPH!

Peep more of Milo the Saint Bernard. I'm right there with you, Milo.

The Chewggle Snacktory

2009-06-11T11:25:00.003-04:00

Snickers just launched a viral marketing site, http://snacklish.com, that plays on their mostly funny recent ad campaign which uses the winning formula puns + logo = funny (i.e. "Take a sabbatical to FEEDGYPT.")

Snacklish lets you enter in any text and translates it into "Snacklish." (Well, ALMOST any text. I tried entering "Snickers sucks" just to see what happened and it displayed "Nougataboutit." Hah! Way to have a sense of chewmore, Snickers. (GET IT!?))

Totally silly, but a good way to kill 15 mins at work.

Enjoy!

You've Got to BEE Kidding Me

2009-06-04T12:36:00.003-04:00

This poor cat, named Waffles (!), was stung by a bee.

From Cute Overload, again!

Groomsmen

2009-06-04T12:35:00.002-04:00

So sweet!

Via Cute Overload.

Keeping Up with the Internets

2009-06-04T12:33:00.003-04:00

Surely you remember the Dramatic Chipmunk?:

Well, now apparently there's a Dramatic Cat:

And a Dramatic Pug:

Via Cute Overload, of course.

Pygmy JerWHATTA!?

2009-06-04T12:29:00.002-04:00

This is a pygmy jerboa.

It's a jumping desert rodent! More like a SPROING-ing desert rodent. It looks like a baby chick combined with a kangaroo. Well done on this one, Mother Nature. Well done.

Squeakers

2009-06-04T12:26:00.001-04:00

Squeaky baby otters.

Obama's Puppy-Talk Voice

2009-06-04T10:58:00.003-04:00

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

I watched Brian Williams' "Inside the Obama White House" special on NBC last night. Overall it wasn't very insidery, but we DID get to hear something very special: Obama's puppy-talk voice.

I'm not gonna lie, it was super weird to hear. I'm used to that sonorous, elegant tone! But still, fun.

"Aw, yeah, we'd do it so cool!"

2009-06-04T10:48:00.004-04:00

I found myself watching Jimmy Fallon a few nights ago and totally enjoyed it! Steve Martin and Paul Simon were the guests, and their rapport was fun to watch. The best part was this flashback to when they ALMOST started a band together, years and years ago.

This made me laugh SO HARD. I just love that these two were up for shooting this. Such good sports!

Obamaburger

2009-06-02T13:55:00.005-04:00

Obama visited Five Guys and Time Magazine's "The Page" blog has a ridiculously detailed (yet necessary, obvs!) play-by-play of what went down.

A little presidential dialogue: "Reggie, you got you orders? Where's Reggie? Whaddya got?"

To his order taker: "I need one cheeseburger and one fries for me. Jalapeno, tomato, mustard. That's it for me … Plus lettuce on mine too."

BE CAREFUL OBAMS! When you order a regular burger it's actually a DOUBLE!!! I learned that the hard way.

He paid for his staff's food, then stuck around and chatted with patrons.

I love this photo so much. You can tell he's really giving it some thought. As one should when it comes to burgers!

Hittin' It OUT OF THE PARK

2009-06-01T11:06:00.006-04:00

Sorry I've been M.I.A. guys. Lots of things happening lately. I went to MAINE (which was awesome) and got pink eye (which was not awesome).

After awakening from my blog hibernation, I found that Daily Puppy has been killin' it every day for the past few days.

Check out these softies:

PHANTOM!

DEMPSEY!

CHARLIE!

NOAH!*

*This isn't even the best picture of him. Holy moly, you guys. Goldendoodles might be my fave dogs. They're like an amalgam of every scrappy-yet-lovable movie dog.

KIRBY!

(Kirby is a grown-up puppy but still totes cute. I love a dog who will snuggle a cat with abandon.)

Kids + Presidents = CUTENESS

2009-05-19T17:06:00.002-04:00

Via Politico: "The caption from the White House Flickr feed: 'The youngster wanted to see if the President's haircut felt like his own.'"

Cuties.

Forest Fires Create Forest Friends

2009-05-19T17:02:00.003-04:00

From Lemonade Poem:

"The Jesusita Fire in Santa Barbara, CA last week caused these two to take shelter together. The fawn is 3 days old and the bobcat about 3 weeks. The fawn came from somewhere in the fire and the bobcat from Carpentaria. They immediately bonded and snuggled together under a desk in the Santa Barbara County Dispatch Office for several hours."

Scraaaaaaaaatch

2009-05-19T16:57:00.001-04:00

This owl likes being scratched behind his ears.

Little Pig-chers Have Big Ears

2009-05-18T13:54:00.003-04:00

This pile of piglets is too much. They're asleep, but they flap their ears whenever they hear a sound.

Sadface Matthew

2009-05-15T12:23:00.002-04:00

Look at little Matthew. He's adoptable! And sad.

And inquisitive.

And shy! Oh, what a sweetheart.

GHOSTLY!

2009-05-15T12:15:00.003-04:00

This chalk animation by Lucinda Schreiber is beeeeauuutiful. And the best image comes at the very end (I think).

Firekites - AUTUMN STORY - chalk animation from Lucinda Schreiber on Vimeo.

Full disclosure: saw this on Design Sponge first.

The Loneliest Pig

2009-05-14T15:42:00.004-04:00

Afghanistan has ONE PIG. And they've quarantined him because of swine flu fears!

Hey Kabul Zoo! Didn't you guys get the memo? Everyone forgot about swine flu last week. It's totally not a thing anymore.

Anyway, they built the pig a little room even though there's no chance of anyone actually catching swine flu from him.

Poor little lonely, sad pig.

Here he is in the days when he could roam free:

More like CUTE Bats

2009-05-13T15:29:00.006-04:00

There is such a thing as a Flying Fox. Did you know that? I didn't. Apparently "Flying Fox" is another name for Fruit Bats.

Here are a few who were recently rescued after their moms abandoned them. They are swaddled in a drawer, people. SWADDLED!

I found some other pictures. These dudes really do look like foxes! Truth in advertising!

This one looks more like a lemur, but whatevs. I'd still snuggle it.

Meet Beefy!

2009-05-12T14:17:00.005-04:00

I watch a lot of silly TV but one of my most favorite silly shows is MTV's "Rob and Big." It's about professional skateboarder Rob Dyrdek and his BFF, Christopher "Big Black" Boykin. They get in all kinds of orchestrated misadventures, like trying to get their picture on the box of Kashi's Good Friends cereal, or buying a mini-horse. It makes me laugh SO HARD.

My favorite thing about the show is Rob. He seems like a really nice guy and he has this positive (borderline-delusional) attitude that I love. My SECOND fave thing, though, is his bulldog Meaty. And NOW, in his new show, "Rob Dyrdek's Fantasy Factory," he has a new girl puppy, BEEFY!!!!!!

Just look. Oh my goodness.

"I'd like it toasted with cream cheese, please."

2009-05-12T14:09:00.007-04:00

This is Mr. Winston and his bagel. He is 13 years old but still cute as heck.

Ultimate Snuggle

2009-05-08T13:07:00.001-04:00

At the Wolong Nature Reserve in Chengdu, China, you can spend 5 minutes hugging a panda for a mere $130.

Totally worth it.

"A Handsome, Humble, and Honest Face"

2009-05-08T12:58:00.007-04:00

This is Jack. Short for "Jackknife" because "sometimes his hind legs start to run sideways and he'll roll and flip over," like a big truck jackknifing on the freeway.

Oh my goodness, this differently-abled dachsie has stolen my heart. (Don't worry, tender-hearted folks, he's not in any pain.)

Best for last:

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

He reminds me so much of the Doggie Diner sign in San Francisco, which makes me so happy.

Post title via commenter drbobm55

The Great Cowscape

2009-05-06T15:59:00.008-04:00

"The news came over the radio in the clipped jargon of police officers: "Queens. Loose cow. 103 Precinct. 109 Avenue. E.S.U. reporting a loose cow at the location."

Awesome.

The cow escaped from a slaughterhouse in Jamaica, Queens and the cops caught her and handed her over to Animal Care and Control. They're trying to find a spot for her at an animal sanctuary.

From the New York Times (really!):

Since — by early afternoon — no one had called about the cow or come to the sanctuary to claim her, Mr. Gentles said that the cow would not be forced to return to the slaughterhouse.

“Well, somebody can come and claim her, but in our experience, nobody has come forward in the past and asked to claim their cow,” he said. “We haven’t gotten any calls that someone is missing their cow.”
The police spokesman — apparently as uplifted as anyone about the cow’s new lease on life — said he suspected the cow, by escaping, had acted to save its own life. “I think it’s because it made it out,” he said.

Such a sweet story. I was planning on having burgers for dinner tonight, but now I feel guilty. Drat!

(And sorry for the random images. There are no pics of this cow as of yet.)

Hop to It!

2009-05-04T13:23:00.009-04:00

Apparently there is such a thing as rabbit agility competitions. You know, like dog or horse agility. But for rabbits.

15 year old UK twins Mathew and Thomas Haslam have been training over 20 rabbits to show jump in their back garden in preparation for something called the "Ultimate Pet Show". (I'm going to investigate this thing. It's got to be full of awesome competitions that we can't even imagine. Cat pommel horse!? Hamster synchronized swimming?!)

Both twins have Asperger's Syndrome and training the bunnies (sometimes for 7 hours a day! What!?) has helped them with their condition. Kudos to Bubbles, Lilac, Cuddles, Apple, Muffin, Beefy and the rest of the warren!

Make Way for Robins, Too, While You're at It

2009-05-04T13:13:00.001-04:00

AND there are baby robins outside the press briefing room!

Spring has sprung!

Make Way for Ducklings, Mr. President

2009-05-04T13:11:00.002-04:00

There are ducklings at the White House, people. DUCKLINGS!

BFFs: Barnyard Friends Forever

2009-05-04T12:14:00.007-04:00

William the piglet and Charles the rabbit are buddies. They live at Pennywell Farm in Buckfastleigh, Devon, in the UK. (Doesn't that sort of look like "Breakfastleigh"? Such a place should exist.)

William was moved to a pen near the rabbit hutch and started following Charles around. Chris Murray, the pair's owner, says, "William is far keener on the friendship than Charles, but Charles is tolerant, even when his food gets taken."

Charles is really looking tee'd off in these photos, but in a bemused sort of way. These two are like a gruff, secretly-kindhearted old man and an energetic young upstart. Oh my god, they're like Babe and Farmer Hogget, if Farmer Hogget were a rabbit!

Pop in Your Local Mom and Pop for a Present for Mom (WORDPLAY!)

2009-05-01T15:23:00.021-04:00

Ez at Creature Comforts tipped me off to the 3/50 Project. If half of the employed population spent $50 a month in local shops, we'd generate over 42.6 billion dollars of revenue for the economy!

I know it's hard to shell out money right now, but I've been trying to shop locally and it feels good to help out merchants in my neighborhood that I've come to know and even consider friends.

Here are a few Mother's Day gift ideas from stores in my neck of the woods. PSST! MOTHER'S DAY IS MAY 10, suckas. If you live in Brooklyn you should definitely come check them out!

SCAREDY KAT
229 5th Ave b/w Carroll and President Sts

You gotta get her a card, obvs. Scaredy Kat has really pretty cards with a wide range of messages and prices. If you think a $6 card is ridiculous OR totally affordable, this store is for you!

ONE GIRL COOKIES
68 Dean St at Smith St

You guys, One Girl Cookies' tiny little cooks are the jam. The store itself is a lovely, blue-and-cream colored place to sit and enjoy a treat, but you can order their goodies online too. Prices for gift boxes start at $29. Totally reasonable!

GORILLA COFFEE
97 5th Ave at Baltic St/Park Pl

I stop at Gorilla every day on my way to work. It's the best coffee I've ever had. Plus, the staffers are the nicest and wear crazy accessories (which leads to me and the fella making up secret nicknames for them like "Map Hat" and "Sequin Beret"). Anyway, I could see a boy getting his mom the screen printed wooden gift box of three 1lb. bags of coffee. It doesn't have a distinct "mom vibe" (i.e. pastels) but if you have a cool mom you could pull it off.

COG AND PEARL
190 Fifth Ave at Sackett St/Berkeley Pl

Cog and Pearl, on the other hand, has a TOTAL mom vibe. (Well, a girl vibe.) Lots of affordable jewelry and one-of-a-kind-seeming housewares. These switch plates are a little pricey at $50, but isn't Mother's Day all about doing something special to make your mom's everyday life a little sweeter? She'd look at it often and think what a great kid she has. Then, when you call her to ask her to do your taxes for you, she won't be as cranky about it. Maybe?

Tresses for Nest-es

2009-04-30T11:06:00.000-04:00

Let's hop across the pond and take another delightful visit to the Telegraph's hilariously named "How About That?" section.

The headline states:

THREE BIRDS HAVE MADE NESTS OF BRIAN WILLIAMS' HAIR

No, not THAT Brian Williams (unfortunately). THIS Brian Williams!:

This Brian Williams is a retired teacher whose wife often cuts his hair and then tosses it out into their yard (a little odd, yes, but stay with me).

Well, the curls have been put to use by a goldfinch, a greenfinch and a robin, who have used them to fortify their nests!

Mr. Williams says, "I am going a bit thin on top but there's still some left to help them out." Cute. Just adorable.

The Daily Mail has some more pics too, including one of the actual nests. Don't freak out. It's a little weird.

Sad Gorillas are So Sad

2009-04-29T13:54:00.000-04:00

A baby gorilla was recovered from animal traffickers by the Congolese Wildlife Authority after a three month undercover investigation!

According to Virunga National Park in the Congo, the poor little lady was "found concealed under clothes at the bottom of a bag and was suffering from over-heating and dehydration after spending over 6 hours in transit."

The VNP blog has tons of info on the covert op, and even a video of the arrest of the bad guy and recovery of the gorilla:

It's SO sad. She looks so out of it when they first uncover her in the bag. But she's expected to survive, thank goodness. I'll keep you guys posted.

Here's a happier pic of her hammin' it up. "All this fuss about lil' old me?" They haven't given her a name yet but I'm going to call her Lucy. I think she kinda looks like a Lucy.

Nobody Will Ever Be As Awesome As This Person

2009-04-27T18:33:00.001-04:00

With their "Best License Plate Ever," accurately dubbed by NYMag.com.

Thanks to Miss Stefania for the tip!

SPROING!

2009-04-27T10:23:00.000-04:00

This is Maru, a Scottish Fold cat living in Japan. He LOVES boxes. Watch him try to get into this big box.

He has his own YouTube channel, so there's more where that came from, thank goodness.

"Why'd You Stop?"

2009-04-20T17:19:00.001-04:00

Cute lil slow loris.

Fun fact about lorises: The Indonesian name, malu malu, can be translated as "shy one."

!!!

Bad news though, courtesy my buddy Fred, who sent me the vid:

Fred: the one bummer is they're semipoisonous

Slow lorises can produce a toxin which they mix with their saliva and use as protection against enemies. Mothers will lick this toxin onto their offspring before leaving them to search for food. The toxin is produced by glands on the insides of their elbows - the branchial region. The lorises lick or suck it into their mouths and deliver it when they bite. The toxin is not known to be fatal to humans, but causes a painful swelling. If the toxin does not deter a predator, the slow loris will often drop from the branch to the ground and roll into a protective ball.

Actually, they seem pretty clever. I'm liking these lorises.

Cute Things: Simple Sayings Prints

2009-04-16T10:43:00.000-04:00

I don't have much to say about these lovely prints. They speak for themselves. (Wocka Wocka Wocka!) Seriously, I want all of them, and they're quite reasonably priced.

Untitled (We are going to make it through this year if it kills us)
by Mike Monteiro on 20x200
8"x10" - Edition of 200, each $20.00
11"x14" - Edition of 500, each $50.00
16"x20" - Edition of 20, each $200.00

Daily Affirmations Print

by SparklePower on Etsy
8" x 10" - $8.00 (!) , custom colors available

Good Luck, I Love You Cut Paper Poster
by BreadandButter on Etsy

16" x 20", framed - $350.00
6.75" x 4.5" letterpress card - $10.00

Work Hard & Be Nice to People Wood Block Print
by Anthony Burrill at Concrete Hermit
20" x 30", approx. $30.00. Shipping (to NY) is approx. $7.

Donuts, Diners, and Dale Cooper

2009-04-15T16:22:00.000-04:00

Guys, I recently started watching Twin Peaks, and it's amazing (I know, I'm so far behind. Better late than never, though!) . The show is so moving and scary and funny and all those wonderful things, but I can't stop thinking about the amazing color palette and insane early 90's fashion. The show is just BEGGING to be the inspiration for a fall collection.

(I made this little collage on Polyvore, FYI. Super easy and fun!)

Donna is the best. She just wears these huge baggy sweaters in forest green and bright blue and pale pink. And don't even get me started on Audrey. She was dressing like Peggy from Mad Men before Mad Men even EXISTED. Saddle shoes, people!

Here are a few more choice shots that really show off the peaches, pinks, crimsons, mauves and oranges. I love how there's always one pop of a lighter/brighter color in each shot.

And the visual language of the show is so ripe for graphic design interpretation! Some examples:

Those last two posters from UK graphic designer Lindsay J. Haynes are incredible, right?

And last but not least, the Nike SB "Twin Peaks." You can't see it in this pic, but the inside sole of the shoe is the black-and-white zigzag pattern from the Black Lodge.

Conclusion: Twin Peaks is awesome.

Q.E.D.