[papercut]

And in today's humor news....

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=573&ncid=757&e=1&u=/nm/20031016/od_nm/rat_dc

80-Year-Old Woman Knocks Rat Unconscious
Thu Oct 16, 9:52 AM ET

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - A supermarket rat that had dodged a number of poison traps got its comeuppance when an 80-year-old shopper knocked it unconscious after it tried to steal her cheese, a Belgian daily said Thursday.

The rat had been hiding in the supermarket for a month, but staff attempts to trap the rodent had repeatedly failed.

The woman told the daily Gazet Van Antwerpen how she suddenly felt a sharp pain in her hand after picking up a pack of cheese at the supermarket just outside Brussels.

"A rat the size of my hand was hanging on my finger," she told the newspaper.

"I grabbed the rat with my other hand and smacked it on the floor. The animal was on the floor, completely knocked unconscious."

I have to wonder what's the smallest caliber to make the M&S list for 99% Ratstopper? :D

[Silver Bullet]

Did she clear this with PETA first ?

I'm reminded of a situation several decades ago in, I believe, Kentucky. There were whole clouds of a bird species (starlings, I think) overhead in parts of Kentucky, and their "end products" were creating a health hazard. Kentucky officials considered various ways to get rid of the birds, including shooting them, but in the end decided to spray soap on them to remove their protective water-proofing, leaving them vulnerable to the elements.

An animal rights group in New York City sued to prevent Kentucky from implementing their "inhumane" plan. Kentucky counter-sued New York City to prevent them from killing their rats.

As I recall; this was a long time ago (70s, maybe).

[BluesBear]

Yeppers that was Kentucky.

Shooting starlings was my favorite sport as a youth there in the 60s.

And yes they are nothing more than flying rats.

[Justin]

Hunting.
Definately belongs in the hunting forum.:p

[4v50 Gary]

Dang rats. I hoped they store killed it and stuffed it into the dumpster.

[H&Hhunter]

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[Futo Inu]

Grackles are the new super-scourge of the skies. They seem to have become an even more successful species in the these parts, overtaking the starling populations in the last 10 years. In between a starling and crow in size. I used to give myself 5 points for each starling, 10 points for a grackle, 15 points for a blue jay, and 50 points for a crow. I will have to reduce grackles to 5 points I think. In addition to being so common now, they are much easier to hit than blue jays, for one thing, because they'll sit on the very top of the tree, while a blue jay hides in the branches of the tree. Male grackles are a beautiful bird, but I contribute to a "control" of their population because their waste ends up all over my backyard if I let it.