Later Gator

Did you hear the one about the fight between a snake and a gator? There was no winner. They were knotted up in a dead even tie!

No joke. Park rangers found a 12 foot python and 6 foot alligator dead in the Florida Everglades. Apparently, the python swallowed the gator whole after first weakening its prey with its tight grip. In the last dying breaths (or unvoluntary post-mortem spasms), the gator thrashed around inside until the python busted a gut. When discovered, both parties were dead and the gator's tail stuck out of the python.

An alternative hypothesis (heard on the radio, not included in the linked article) is that the python swallowed an already dead alligator. In the heat of the day, the decomposing gator exploded and ripped a hole in the snake's side.

Either way, isn't nature beautiful? It's survival of the fittest and both sides lost.

Finally, it shows how invasive non-native species can be. Think about it: Burmese python in Florida, Eurasian milfoil in Minnesota lakes, illegal immigrants Asian beetles in America, Muslims Germans in France (particularly in the early to mid 1900s). I could get in trouble for saying the crossed out portions, but you can fill in your own examples of invasive foreigners.

Billboard Personals

Some people look for potential girl/boyfriends in the bars. Others join activities at church. More and more people explore online personals. A select few even try to find that special someone on reality TV shows. But who thought of the billboard personal?

In July, I wrote about the Mormon whose friends advertised him on a billboard near Salt Lake City (age 31 and past his prime). Now, I found another instance of such marketing in California. Dean is 44 and divorced but financially sound as an investment banker. Apply to be his wife on his website, billboardbachelor.com. (Since his site didn't load for me, maybe he found "the one.") Most disturbing about this article was the last sentence: "Other single men in Los Angeles...have used the same method of seeking a wife in the past." Is this some sort of trend?

The billboard personal certainly isn't the cheapest way to find a wife. Additionally, it must be one of the most impersonal forms of a personal ad. (Apply online. The highest bidder gets my hand.) Besides, when you are advertised as "financially secure," what percentage of applicants only seek his wealth? Anna Nicole Smith married oil tycoon J. Howard Marshall because "I really love him." It didn't hurt that he was old and worth millions. Upon his death, Smith would recieve the inheritance. Courts denied her any of the $450 million she expected. Even if eventaully she wins an appeal case, she'll lose most of the money to legal fees.

Marshall and Smith did not promote themselves on billboards. At least not for love. However, the finances became a focal point. What's going to happen when you broadcast that point publically? We'll see. Good luck, Dean.