TresSugar

Cute Alert: German Penguins Make Case For Gay Adoption

TresSugar — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 11:00:00 -0700

A pair of gay male penguins are raising a chick in Germany's Bremerhaven zoo. The little chick was abandoned by its parents while it was still an egg, so the penguins put the egg in their nest and incubated it for 30 days. Since the chick hatched, they have continued to care for it.

If you're wondering how the zoo knows the penguins are gay, the pair has tried to mate with each other before, and they've shown no interest in female penguins. The zoo says: "Sex and coupling in our world don't always have something to do with reproduction."

Of course it's unclear if this would be allowed at the Arkansas zoo, since voters in that state outlawed gay adoption last November. If you're curious, here's a rundown of where gay adoption is legal in the US.

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Cute or Creepy? The Pygmy Jerboa

TresSugar — Thu, 28 May 2009 11:30:00 -0700

The Pygmy Jerboa (no, that is not a Pixar creation) is a small jumping desert rodent found in Asia and northern Africa. It looks like a cross between a chick and a mouse, has a long tufted tail and, as you can see, long hind legs. My favorite detail about this weird little critter? Its fur is "long, soft and silky."

Tweet Nothings: Sockington Sleeps Through a Slow News Day

TresSugar — Mon, 18 May 2009 07:00:00 -0700

Sockington the cat has 500,000 followers on Twitter. Stay tuned for more Tweet Nothings, where we highlight the wit, wisdom, and ridiculousness of Twitter. Speaking of wit and wisdom (ahem!), if you'd like to follow TrèsSugar on Twitter, click here!

Orangina Ad Treats Animals Like Objectified Women

TresSugar — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 13:46:33 -0700

I was looking through the list of the UK's most complained about ads, when I came across a doozie. In an Orangina ad that upset those sensitive to sexism, creatures with female features dance provocatively in the forest.

A flamingo gets down on the stripper poll, and a deer gets dowsed in Orangina. Zebras ride massive bottles that shoot juice all over a bikini-clad bunny, and an octopus's breasts turn into juicy oranges. (All the animals are wearing bikinis, by the way.) The female animals are definitely oversexualized, but do you find it offensive?

Primates Aren't Pets: House to Keep Chimps Out of Homes

CitizenSugar — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 09:40:36 -0800

Not every tragedy gets a quick and sweeping response from Congress, but eight days after a pet chimpanzee attacked and injured a woman, the House of Representatives passed a practical ban on chimps as house pets. The bill would ban transporting pets across state lines to be sold as pets.

Last week, Travis the chimp severely attack his owner's friend in Connecticut. The victim is still hospitalized and Travis is dead. Travis had been brought from Missouri to Connecticut.

The president of the Humane Society said:

There is no reason for any private citizen to keep a primate as a pet, and this trade is driven by unscrupulous dealers who sell primates across state lines for thousands of dollars. Congressional action on this animal welfare and public safety issue will complement our efforts at the state level to dry up the trade and the practice of private ownership of chimps and other primates.

Do you think this bill will help keep humans and animals safe, or is it a slippery slope toward banning dogs? They can attack, too!
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Airplane Fallout: Effort to Pass Bird-Killing Legislation

CitizenSugar — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 15:30:41 -0800

As we found out recently, birds can wreak havoc on their much larger neighbors in the sky. Each year, 7,000 collisions between birds and planes are reported, and while the feathered creatures don't usually cause crashes, the damage costs millions of dollars.

At Sacramento's airport, which has California's highest bird-strike rate, officials want legislation that would allow them to kill fearless birds. In fact, the initiative was introduced two days before the US Airways crash. Sacramento's airport is located on a wetland and directly in the flight path of migrating birds. This means the birds come in greater numbers and bigger sizes. Still, no crash or injury has occurred thanks to birds in Sacramento.

The airport has a federal permit to kill birds that won't be scared away by noisemakers, but state law prohibits killing nongame birds. Now they're asking the state to grant them a license to kill, too. Regardless of what you think about the city's decision to build an airport near a bird migration path and habitat, do you think the airport should be able to kill the birds, or is this a dangerous overreaction?

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You Asked: Am I Overreacting About Their Cat Connection?

DearSugar — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 12:30:00 -0800

Dear Sugar,

My boyfriend and I have been dating for about six months, and he's been sharing custody of his cat with his ex-girlfriend throughout our entire relationship. I am all for loving your animal like part of the family, but this is just driving me crazy. The cat travels back and forth between the two of them, which means they are constantly connected. I have told him that this bothers me, but he thinks I'm being crazy and insecure. He constantly reassures me that he's over her, but it's really starting to affect our relationship, and I want to fix it before it's too late. What should I say or do? - Jealous Jessica

To see DearSugar's answer, read more.

Dear Jealous Jessica,

Sharing custody of an animal can definitely be tricky after a breakup, and yes, it means that both owners are in constant contact. But no matter how uncomfortable it makes you feel, you're going to have to get used to it if you want this relationship to work. While it's easy to jump to conclusions about their constant communication, try to put yourself in their shoes - wouldn't you do whatever it took to spend time with your beloved animal?

I'm glad you told your boyfriend how you feel, but I think it would be best of you two had a deeper conversation about it. He's discredited your feelings, so my advice to you is to think about what would make you feel more secure about their situation and then explain your position to him. Hopefully he'll be able to take your side into consideration, and on the flip side, hopefully you'll be able to see that this really is about the animal, not the ex-girlfriend. Good luck to you.

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Cows Become Currency in Zimbabwe

LibertySugar — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 14:30:59 -0700

A Zimbabwe school is telling parents that if they can't scrape up enough money, they should pay tuition with livestock or fuel coupons. Thanks to insane inflation, parents are short on cash. School fees are about 100,000 Zimbabwe dollars, but banks only let people withdraw 1,000 Zimbabwe dollars a day. In addition, the official inflation rate this year is 11,000,000 percent.

Even though school officials say the in-kind tuition deal idea came from the parents, residents are asking the government to step in a stop the program. Many worry that the teachers or headmasters are getting a windfall from the practice.

Since the money crisis has been turning people into vegetarians, it makes some sense they are giving up their livestock. Maybe President Bush should tell Congress that they better pass the bailout soon, or the US will soon be using cows as its currency.

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Farm Offers Horseback Riding Therapy For Vets with PTSD

LibertySugar — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 06:00:52 -0700

A New York farm is offering horseback riding as a form of therapy to veterans suffering from mental and emotional wounds like post-traumatic stress disorder. The farm offers veterans free horseback-riding lessons, as a way for them to relax and take their minds off their memories of war. Participants say the calm helps reduce anxiety.

Seaside Therapeutic Riding says that the horse and human bond is renowned for its healing quality, and that a horse's non-judgmental acceptance allows students, including veterans and disabled adults and children, to learn and to grow. The therapy is popular - the farm currently has a waiting list, and relies on donations to give the experience to more veterans.

The horse riding therapy sounds much more comforting than the Iraq war simulation video game therapy, which calls for prolonged virtual-exposure to the source of the trauma (including smells and sounds). Which idea sounds more promising to you?

View 5 Photos ›

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Where Do You Stand: Owning a Pet Together Before Having Kids Together?

DearSugar — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 16:00:00 -0700

It's a common notion that couples should first raise a pet (a dog, a cat, or any animal that needs constant love and attention) before having kids. While I see the importance in making sure you're ready to take on the responsibility of caring for someone who relies on you, I've never looked at this popular step as a requirement before starting a family. Sure, it seems like a natural progression, but where do you stand on owning, loving, and caring for an animal before having babies? Is it a necessity for you or do you not understand the hoopla surrounding this common practice?

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