Scientists have announced the discovery of the fossilized* remains of the world's largest snake. The animal, found in Colombia and thought to have lived around 60 million years** ago, is called Titanoboa cerrejonensis and is estimated to have been around 12.8 metres (42 feet) and 1135 kg (2500 lbs), which is freaking huge. The longest snake currently living is the reticulated python and that tops out under 10 metres (The record is just under 33 feet long). The heaviest on record was a 182.8 kg (403 lb.) captive Burmese python.
So this thing would've been one huggably fat monster.
More on the big-ass ancient snake here.
Now, you might not care. You probably don't. But there are people in this city who do. They are the silent but devoted keepers of icky pets, from snakes to lizards to frogs to bugs. And by god, this blog is for them too.
*Or Jesusized, for those who believe science is pretend.
** about 2,600 years Biblically.
2.04.2009
Six In The Morning
Your Humpday update!
1 AFFORDABLE HOUSING? The Sask Party government plans some investment. (Leader-Post.)
2 THEY'RE UP TO SOMETHING! The opposition NDP says Brad Wall and company need to be more forthcoming about their nuclear plans. (Leader-Post)
3 TILMAN Speaks. (Leader-Post)
4 MORE GUNS TO MORE PEOPLE The Americans want to arm Afghan militias, but critics say this might just mean better-armed criminals. (Guardian/AP)
5 CARDED A charge card company tightens up the rules for debt-happy Canadians. (Toronto Star)
6 TRADE WAR? WHO SAID ANYTHING ABOUT A TRADE WAR? Obama makes noises that sound like a retreat from his previous position. (Globe And Mail, Salon)
(And about that... I was two-thirds asleep yesterday morning when I heard something on the CBC from some pundit who said something about U.S. protectionism being "unethical" (or maybe it was "immoral"). Can't remember the details, the cat was on my ears making it hard to hear. Okay, look: I know U.S. politicians might be (are) just pandering to voters and political donors with the "buy U.S.A." rhetoric but that said, there's something profoundly ETHICAL about a country talking about putting it's own citizens/workers/industries first. This is a problem critics have always had with free trade agreements: they put foriegn interests on the same field as domestic ones and local needs/interests lose out. This is one of the criticisms levelled at TILMA (the BC-Alberta Trade Investment Labour Mobility Pact) actually--that it will reduce Provincial government's abilities to make decisions in the public interest on things like investment and tendering and professional standards .)
1 AFFORDABLE HOUSING? The Sask Party government plans some investment. (Leader-Post.)
2 THEY'RE UP TO SOMETHING! The opposition NDP says Brad Wall and company need to be more forthcoming about their nuclear plans. (Leader-Post)
3 TILMAN Speaks. (Leader-Post)
4 MORE GUNS TO MORE PEOPLE The Americans want to arm Afghan militias, but critics say this might just mean better-armed criminals. (Guardian/AP)
5 CARDED A charge card company tightens up the rules for debt-happy Canadians. (Toronto Star)
6 TRADE WAR? WHO SAID ANYTHING ABOUT A TRADE WAR? Obama makes noises that sound like a retreat from his previous position. (Globe And Mail, Salon)
(And about that... I was two-thirds asleep yesterday morning when I heard something on the CBC from some pundit who said something about U.S. protectionism being "unethical" (or maybe it was "immoral"). Can't remember the details, the cat was on my ears making it hard to hear. Okay, look: I know U.S. politicians might be (are) just pandering to voters and political donors with the "buy U.S.A." rhetoric but that said, there's something profoundly ETHICAL about a country talking about putting it's own citizens/workers/industries first. This is a problem critics have always had with free trade agreements: they put foriegn interests on the same field as domestic ones and local needs/interests lose out. This is one of the criticisms levelled at TILMA (the BC-Alberta Trade Investment Labour Mobility Pact) actually--that it will reduce Provincial government's abilities to make decisions in the public interest on things like investment and tendering and professional standards .)
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