A curious ring-tailed lemur put its head inside a carved pumpkin, creating a more comical than scary Halloween photo.
The playful footage was taken at Vienna’s Tiergarten Schonbrunn zoo, the oldest in the world, as the ring-tailed lemurs enjoy a holiday treat. The species is about the size of a cat and weighs 6 pounds, averaging 17 inches from head to the base of their 24-inch tail.
The pumpkins, filled with tasty snacks, were placed in the cages and hung on strings as enrichment for the animals, as well as entertainment for zoo visitors.
The ring-tailed lemur, a native of Madagascar, loves the fruit of the tamarind tree. They also eat flowers, bark, sap, rotten wood and insects.
Females dominate over males and may compete for overall leadership. Lemurs communicate via 20 vocalizations.
Zookeeper Nicolas Cabon said: “Ring-tailed lemurs are very bright. They couldn’t wait to get the goodies out. And when everything was taken out, they then played with the pumpkins.”
Two ring-tailed lemurs play with and eat a pumpkin at the Tiergarten Schonbrunn zoo in Vienna, Austria. (Daniel Zupanc/Zenger)
Some lemurs even stuck their heads into the hanging pumpkin, transforming themselves into creepy pumpkin monsters with a single gesture.
Alongside the lemurs, giant pandas also got a pumpkin surprise.
The Schonbrunn female panda Yang Yang was seen calmly inspecting her Halloween treat in panda fashion — she took the goodies out of the orange autumn vegetable piece by piece.
“There were juicy bamboo shoots hidden in the pumpkin head. We used bamboo leaves as edible hair,” said animal keeper Renate Haider.
“Pandas mainly eat bamboo. They also like vegetables, such as sweet potatoes, carrots or peppers, but pumpkin is not usually on their menu.”
Pandas live in temperate forests high in the mountains of southwest China.
A panda enjoys smashing and eating a Halloween pumpkin at the Tiergarten Schonbrunn zoo in Vienna in late October. (Tiergarten Schonbrunn/Zenger)
The pumpkin’s grinning face did not deter the pandas from happily attacking the orange fruit until the insides are exposed — and the tasty treats could be savored.
Renata said: “The pandas didn’t waste any time demolishing the pumpkins, they only had to roll their big paws back and forth a few times, the pumpkins were quickly history.”
The famed Tiergarten Schonbrunn zoo was created in 1752.
The zoo, which covers 42 acres of land, welcomes an estimated 2 million visitors a year eager to see the 8,000 animals from 700 different species.
The ancient buildings at the center of the various enclosures have been frequently modernized, which helped the zoo win the best zoo in Europe title five times between 2008 and 2018.
Germany’s Rhine River was home to hippos around 30,000 years ago, a study has found, contradicting previous beliefs that they died out in the region 116,000 years ago. This means the mammals that are now only native to Africa once roamed the European riverbank alongside woolly mammoths.
Experts from the Reiss Engelhorn Museum in Mannheim, the Curt Engelhorn Center for Archaeometry and the University of Potsdam examined hundreds of bones during a five-year investigation that has confirmed that hippos (Hippopotamus amphibious) inhabited Germany at the same time as the woolly mammoth.
“It’s amazing how well the bones are preserved. It was possible to take valuable samples from many skeletal remains,” said Ronny Friedrich, an age determination expert at the Curt Engelhorn Center for Archaeometry.
Friedrich and his colleagues examined a total of 30 hippo bones and confirmed that the animals lived in the Upper Rhine area at the same time as mammoths, woolly rhinos and cave lions.
The Reiss Engelhorn Museum will host an exhibit on the project in its Ice Age Safari section, where visitors will be taken on a journey from 40,000 to 15,000 years ago, with models of hippos and giant woolly mammoths on display.
A model of the hippopotamus that lived on the Rhine River in Germany at the same time as mammoths is on display in the “Ice Age Safari” exhibit at the Reiss Engelhorn Museum. (REM, Rebecca Kind/Zenger)
Museum researchers used radiocarbon dating to confirm that the hippopotamus lived in the Upper Rhine between 48,000 and 30,000 years ago. It was previously believed that all hippos had died out in Germany 116,000 years ago, at the end of the last warming period.
The flora and fauna of the Upper Rhine, which runs between Basel in Switzerland and Bingen in Germany, would have been vastly different from the present day during this period.
The river would have been home to hippos that can reach a weight of 3,310 lbs (1,500 kilograms) along with giant woolly mammoths and cave lions, among other now-extinct species, according to researchers.
“The hippopotamus is a real Ice Age inhabitant [of] the Rhine,” said Reiss Engelhorn Museum director-general Wilfried Rosendahl. He suggested this meant “the animals were able to adapt well” to the frigid conditions in the Upper Rhine Rift Valley.
Moreover, deeper investigation suggests the climate in the Upper Rhine Rift Valley was milder than previously assumed.
The hippopotamus is now known to have lived on the Rhine River in Germany alongside mammoths, dying out only 30,000 years ago, a new study has revealed. (REM, Rebecca Kind/Zenger)
In addition to bones, scientists also analyzed wood samples and discovered that oak trees with a circumference of up to 41 inches (80 centimeters) grew around 40,000 years ago in the Upper Rhine region.
“In the last Ice Age, stately oaks still grew in our region — something that we [had] not previously thought possible,” said Rosendahl.
The hippopotamus is a large, herbivorous, semiaquatic mammal that is now native only to sub-Saharan Africa.
The International Union for Conservation of Nature categorizes the hippo as a “vulnerable species” on its Red List of Threatened Species, which means that the species will face extinction in the near future unless steps are taken to protect it.
A Spanish company that provided in-home care for the elderly has been shut down for allegedly defrauding wealthy British citizens who did not speak Spanish and had no family to protect them.
One victim, a 90-year-old woman, lost her life savings, real estate and other assets to the predators.
Spanish National Police said in a statement on Oct. 29 that the company in the southern city of Murcia was shut down because of alleged fraudulent activity.
The company’s manager and at least one employee, neither of whom were named, were arrested. They are accused of aggravated fraud, document falsification and unfair administration.
Police said the two suspects targeted elderly wealthy British clients who did not speak Spanish and had no family.
The investigation began after police were tipped off about the 90-year-old British national who allegedly was defrauded by an employee of the company, in the municipality of Mazarrón. Police found that the woman, who was not named, had become entirely dependent on the employee, also a British citizen, as she had no family in Murcia and could not speak Spanish.
“Continuing with the investigations, the agents were able to learn the identity of the alleged con artist, a British citizen … Subsequently, the Civil Guard was able to verify that this person seized the house and the savings of the old woman, through the breach of trust, sold the house and being co-owner of the bank account, used that money for their own expenses that they had to do with meeting the needs of the victim,” police said in their statement.
“According to the investigation, the suspect would have managed to get the victim to agree to provide her consent, such as joint ownership of bank accounts or the execution of a will in her favor, all of which was verified by the investigators through the compilation of minutes, notaries, wills and other types of personal documentation,” police said.
A Spanish Civil Guard officer checking the money seized in scam operation in Murcia, Spain. (Spanish Civil Guard/Zenger)
Police raided the company headquarters and confiscated $52,000 in cash along with various bank cards and documents.
“The agents have been able to determine that the detainee captured compatriots settled in the municipality of Mazarrón, mainly elderly people, without family roots and who did not know the Spanish language, to offer them home care services,” police said.
It is not clear whether the 90-year-old victim has been able or will be able to recuperate her assets and money.
No further information on the legal status of the suspects was given by the police, and they did not state whether the suspects are in detention.
Police appealed to anyone who has information relating to the company to get in contact with the authorities.
In the seven years he has known Jaron Ennis, Stephen “Breadman” Edwards never has seen the unbeaten welterweight lose a round in sparring or in an actual fight.
“Jaron is a nice kid who doesn’t curse or anything, but he’s very violent in the ring. Rarely have I ever seen him not get the better of two sparring sessions in a row. Jaron is an extremely talented fighter who is very consistent in every single fight of every single gym session,” said Edwards, who has trained former junior middleweight champion Julian Williams.
“I’ve been around Jaron since 2014 in training, and he is the best gym fighter I’ve ever seen from the standpoint of sparring and working hard and putting everything together. A lot of fighters who are in with a dangerous opponent will just out-point them, play it safe and win a unanimous decision, but Jaron is a real killer.”
The switch-hitting Ennis (27-0, 25 KOs) returns to action on Saturday in pursuit of his 18th straight knockout against Puerto Rican Thomas Dulorme (25-5-1, 16 KOs) at Mandalay Bay resort in Las Vegas on Showtime (10 p.m. ET).
Ennis, 24, battles Dulorme on the undercard of a main event featuring WBA welterweight champion Jamal James (27-1, 12 KOs) in his initial defense against Radzhab Butaev (13-0, 10 KOs).
Ennis returns amid an action-packed four months within the welterweight division that includes a unanimous decision in August by WBA “Super” champion Yordenis Ugas (27-4, 12 KOs) over eight division-champion Manny Pacquiao, and a Nov. 20 clash between three-division and WBO champion Terence Crawford (37-0, 28 KOs) and two-time title winner Shawn Porter (31-3-1, 17 KOs).
Hailing from boxing-rich Philadelphia, which spawned Williams and champions Joe Frazier, Bernard Hopkins, Steve Cunningham, Danny Garcia and Stephen Fulton, Ennis “definitely belongs in that conversation,” according to Cunningham.
“Jaron Ennis is the future of the welterweight division, and this is going to give boxing fans another opportunity to compare him to the other guys in the division,” said Cunningham, a 45-year-old retired two-time cruiserweight champion.
“I watched a recent interview with one of the guys who have [a welterweight belt], and when he was asked about Jaron, he was sort of [dismissive.] Many welterweights just don’t want to fight him. They’ll avoid him for as long as they can if they’re not in a position where they’re forced into doing it.”
Undefeated welterweight contender Jaron Ennis (right) became the first man to knock out former champion Sergey Lipinets in April. “Jaron Ennis is the future of the welterweight division,” said Philadelphia-based trainer Stephen “Breadman” Edwards. (Amanda Westcott/Showtime)
Edwards also sees Ennis as integral in the exciting progression of the welterweight division, which includes left-handed IBF/WBC champion Errol Spence (27-0, 21 KOs). Spence’s past two victories were split- and unanimous decisions over Porter (September 2019) and two-division title winner Garcia (December 2020), the latter of whom is 36-3 (21 KOs).
“There are some great fighters at welterweight, but Jaron has the potential to rule the division and be a No. 1 fighter pound-for-pound and a Hall of Famer,” Edwards said. “Jaron has the potential to win the three hardest titles and the trifecta as far as three-division champions at 147, 154 and 160 pounds.”
Ennis likens Saturday to fighting in his hometown, largely because Dulorme won’t be the first opponent he’s faced in Las Vegas.
As an amateur in 2015, Ennis was a gold medalist in the National Golden Gloves, U.S. Youth National Championships and both a gold and silver medalist in separate U.S. Olympic Trials qualifiers.
The Golden Gloves were in Las Vegas recalls Ennis, whose amateur record at 141 pounds was 58-3, including a silver medal in the 2014 National Golden Gloves.
“That’s a really fun memory, especially because I won the whole tournament. I love Vegas. It’s the home of boxing,” said Ennis, who is trained by his father, Bozy, and nicknamed “Boots.”
“But honestly, I have so many fans from Philly coming out to this fight. It’s going to feel like I’m fighting at home. I would love to keep fighting in Vegas, bringing my Philly people out and making it like a second home.”
Boxing analyst Ray Flores believes that could eventually happen.
“Jaron Ennis is a special talent who is progressing at an incredible rate of speed,” Flores said. “He can be a headliner in Las Vegas for many years to come, and that ascension continues with Dulorme on Saturday.”
Dulorme’s resume includes him being TKO’d in the sixth round by Crawford, losing a unanimous decision to Ugas and battling to a draw with two-division title winner Jessie Vargas.
“I promise this is just the start for me,” said undefeated welterweight contender Jaron Ennis (right), who pursues his 18th straight knockout Saturday night against Thomas Dulorme. (Amanda Westcott/Showtime)
The dangerous Dulorme rose from a pair of second-round knockdowns and scored one of his own in the seventh in August 2017 against Ugas, who retired Pacquiao.
The 31-year-old contender and former 140-pound title challenger’s last two bouts were unanimous decision losses to James in August 2020 and unbeaten Lithuanian Eimantas Stanionis (13-0, 9 KOs) in April.
“Dulorme is a good fighter, and I don’t take anything away from him. He’s fought a lot of great guys, world champions,” Ennis said. “But I’m on a different level right now. I’m coming to take over the welterweight division, and he’s in my way. He’s got to go. I’m coming for all the belts.”
In his last fight in April, Ennis scored a sixth-round knockout of former champion Sergey Lipinets, who entered at 16-1-1 (12 KOs) before being knocked out for the first time in his career.
“Once he got [Lipinets] tamed and had him outclassed, Jaron got even more violent and knocked him out, which separates him from the younger, talented guys,” Edwards said of Ennis, named Ring Magazine’s 2020 Prospect of the Year.
“Jaron is trying to hurt you as well as outclass you, which is why he has so many knockouts. Jaron’s mentality is to keep beating on you, touching you over and over with a jab, a body shot and different combinations to force you to submit or for the referee to stop it,” Edwards said.
Ennis was similarly destructive in July 2018 with his four-knockdown, third-round TKO of Armando Alvarez, who entered the bout at 18-0 (12 KOs).
On Saturday, “Boots” is ready to kick butt, yet again.
“It’s wonderful that I’m getting more and more recognition,” said Ennis, who has gone as far as six rounds on just four occasions. “But that’s not what I do this for. I’m just ready to take over the entire division. I promise this is just the start for me.”
Day of the Dead is a celebration, a ritual and a tradition held on November 1 and 2 that brings together two cultures — the Mexica and the Spanish.
The tradition tends to be distorted outside of Mexico, says Héctor Darío Aguirre, a PhD in Anthropology.
Also, the idea of death in 21st-century Mexico has been influenced by violence and illness, he says.
“In Mexico, death is a friend. Still, with all the violence in the country today and with the global pandemic, we are seeing it differently, although we haven’t lost the idea of continuity,” he says.
“The interesting part is to see how each Mexican celebrates this day, not how foreign films depict it. Not everybody puts an archway on their altar, for example. It symbolizes the entrance to the underworld. The skulls remind us of the tzompantli [stacked skulls found among pre-Hispanic ruins], and the special Day of the Dead sweet bread is a combination of Spanish and Indigenous customs.”
Some Day of the Dead altars have several layers. Skulls, reminiscent of tzompantli, were a way to honor the gods. Students all over the country set up altars with offerings at their schools. (Héctor Darío Aguirre Arvizu/Zenger)
The tradition comes from the Mexica culture, which dominated in Mexico’s central region, what is today Mexico City. When the Spaniards arrived in 1519, a blending of the two cultures ensued that has lasted until today. Some Mexica customs have held on more than others, like this celebration of death, which for that culture is a continuation of life.
“For the Mexicas, human sacrifice to the gods was normal and necessary. It was a privilege to die in that way. Death was not a terrible thing like it was for the Spaniards, but rather a continuation of life … The Spaniards came up with arguments against the idea of creation and continuity … The people learned to see death as something bad, unpleasant or harmful,” says Aguirre.
The original Mexica tradition is based on the belief that souls went to a place determined by how the person died. Most went to Mictlán, on a voyage that lasted four years. On the way, the soul was devoured by Tlaltecuhtli, the Earth goddess.
Then, it traversed 9 descending levels on a painful journey. Finally, when the soul reached Mictlán, a dark, dangerous, unknown place, it offered the gods of death and the underworld the objects with which it had been cremated — grains of corn and beans, other vegetables and precious stones.
“The Mexicas did not set up altars or offerings; they buried people with things. The conquistadors put an end to the human sacrifices and added a Catholic twist to the offering to the gods of death,” says Gabriela Rojas Cruz, whose undergraduate thesis is titled “The Day of the Dead Altar in the Federal District.”
Colored papel picado (tissue paper cut in designs) adorns the tables that hold the altars and different types of aromatic censers, cups with holes in them for burning incense, to honor the dead. (Nazaret Estrada/Zenger)
Day of the Dead Altars
Today, Mexicans set up an altar on these days, a modern twist on the ancient custom of burying the dead with the offerings.
“The altar is a sacred place where an offering takes place. Day of the Dead has become a way to make these offerings. So, altar and offering are the same thing,” says Rojas Cruz.
“In many ancient religions it was believed that the spirits would be at peace depending on the offerings of the living. The men from each family worked on these tasks. The altar is usually large, depending on each family’s financial situation, space, and faith,” she says.
Rojas Cruz explains how to make an altar.
“The altar is covered with a white cloth. On the cloth, we place colored tissue paper with perforated designs, which represent death. We place flowers, like the cempasúchil (marigold); also, different types of candles used in religious ceremonies. We add pictures of the deceased who will receive the offerings, a small plate with salt and a glass of water; also, sugar, amaranth or chocolate candy skulls. As an offering, we use seasonal fruits, typical dishes, hot or alcoholic beverages, fruit drinks, and Mexican candies.
“The wax from the candles reminds us that every day that goes by we are being consumed. The flowers are the souls of the dead. They remind us of the beauty and briefness of life. The flame shows the souls the way home. The white cloth is the end of existence,” she said.
Sugar, amaranth or chocolate skull candies are placed on the altars. (Mexican Government)
Each neighborhood celebrates in its own way.
Mixquic
“In Mixquic, in the southern part of Mexico City, funeral services are transcendental. They believe that a deceased person’s ‘destiny’ depends on the attention given the soul. When the body is placed in the coffin, they add a little water, salt, new huaraches [shoes] and coins, which will help the soul on its voyage through deserts, mountains and mud. The water will quench the soul’s thirst. The salt will keep the flesh from being destroyed. The huaraches are for the thorn-ridden path. The coins are for the dog who will guide the soul,” says Rojas Cruz.
“On November 1 and 2, people from the 4 neighborhoods in the region walk to the cemetery. They clean and fix up the graves. They take flowers, water, incense and liquor. Each person should make an offering to his or her deceased family members. The cemetery comes to life with the different colored flowers, the candlelight, the aroma of incense, the copal [tree resin incense] and tree sap and all the buzz.”
Flowers are a symbol of the beauty and briefness of life. The candlelight guides loved ones’ souls home. (Héctor Darío Aguirre Arvizu/Zenger)
Jaltocán
Laura García, from the town of Jaltocán, in the state of Hidalgo, in the Huasteca region, explains the traditions there.
“For Xantolo [Day of the Dead], we make a hemp archway on a table in each home. We hang flowers, mandarin oranges and clay toys from it. We hang an embroidered cloth on the table, and on that we build the altar.
“At dawn on November 2, we grind the cacao in a metate to make the chocolate. We cook tamales, chicken, turkey or pork in mole sauce [a mixture of spices, chocolate and other ingredients, used on meats], and at dusk we put it on the altar; also, all types of beverages.
“For us, the sweet bread of the dead is a little sugar doll with the hands on its chest, fingers intertwined. We make water bread [a type of roll], mestizo bread, birote [sourdough] and chilindrinas [a sweet bread]. We put it in the center of the table,” she said.
The flower archway is a symbol of the threshold between life and death. (Sergio Felipe Amador, chronicler of Jaltocán, Hidalgo)
“Each cup of chocolate represents a deceased family member. My sister places one for our mother, her son, my brother-in-law and my husband … The smoke from the incense rising calls the family members: ‘Mother, come for a meal; son, here is your hot chocolate.’ And it feels so good that you start to cry.”
The entire neighborhood takes part in the celebration, which is considered the most important of the year.
“During Xantolo, if someone comes to your home, you give him what is on the altar. It doesn’t matter whether the family knows that person. If you come by the house, you’re invited to eat. We eat at the altar,” García says.
“In the afternoon, the men get dressed up as souls of the deceased. They cover their faces with wooden masks and their heads with handkerchiefs, bandanas and hats. Some put different colored feathers on their heads and bells around their ankles. Others dress up as women. They dance huapangos and banda music. They go from home to home. Before they dance, they ask the homeowners if they will sponsor them. The homeowners give them something to eat and drink and a little money,” García said.
The men dance dressed up with scarves, bandanas, handkerchiefs, wooden masks and colored feathers in Jaltocán, Hidalgo. (Nazaret Estrada/Zenger)At the end of Xantolo, the family members of the deceased fill a cord bag with enough food for their return to the other world, in Jaltocán, Hidalgo. (Sergio Felipe Amador/Zenger)
“When the deceased person leaves, we give him his favorite food in a big, new bag made of cord. We thank them and say, ‘Go rest. You have your lunch.’ The bags are white with colored flowers. The deceased leave us on November 3.
“The butterflies that come between September 29 and October 29 are the souls of the deceased. When we see them, we say, ‘Look, a butterfly! Leave it alone. It’s Grandpa, its Uncle … don’t touch it.’ For Jaltocán, butterflies are the souls of our loved ones,” said Laura García.
With these customs, many Mexicans hold on to their roots and consider the death of their loved ones as the other side of life, a continuation, a very different view than the European one. Much of the tradition has been maintained almost intact, despite the cultural blending with the arrival of the Europeans.
Translated by Melanie Slone; edited by Melanie Slone and Kristen Butler
To address the dangers posed by orbiting space junk, researchers have found a way to manipulate the debris with spinning magnets that may allow robots to one day remove the speeding trash.
There are more than 27,000 pieces of space debris bigger than the size of a softball currently orbiting Earth, according to NASA. Hurtling at speeds of up to 17,500 mph, even small pieces of junk left behind by years of space missions threaten to damage or destroy satellites and spacecraft.
A team led by University of Utah mechanical engineering professor Jake J. Abbott published a paper in the journal Nature that describes using spinning magnets to manipulate orbiting debris. The method could eventually be used to robotically repair or maneuver space junk into deep space or into a death spiral headed toward Earth without touching any pieces.
Jake J. Abbott, a University of Utah professor of mechanical engineering, led a team of researchers that discovered how to manipulate objects in space with spinning magnets. (Dan Hixson, University of Utah)
“NASA is tracking thousands of space debris the same way that air traffic controllers track aircraft. You have to know where they are because you could accidentally crash into them,” Abbott said, noting that the United States and other countries recognize the problem of accumulating space junk.
“What we wanted to do was to manipulate the thing, not just shove it, but actually manipulate it like you do on Earth,” Abbot said. “That form of dexterous manipulation has never been done before.”
This process involves manipulating non-magnetized, metallic objects with spinning magnets, which subject the objects to a changing magnetic field. That causes electrons within the metal to circulate in loops, like swirling coffee in a cup.
The method turns a piece of space junk into an electromagnet that produces torque and force, which allows manipulation of the junk without touching it. The researchers built on previous understanding of magnetic currents to discover that using multiple magnetic-field sources in a coordinated fashion allowed the objects six degrees of movement, including rotation. In the past, researchers only knew how to move objects by just one degree, like a single push.
The above image depicts some of the thousands of objects currently circling the Earth, as seen from about 15,534 miles in space. (NASA Orbital Debris Program)
The new method would give scientists the ability to stop a damaged satellite’s wild spinning to repair it. “You have to take this crazy object floating in space, and you have to get it into a position where it can be manipulated by a robot arm,” Abbott said. “But if it’s spinning out of control, you could break the robot arm doing that, which would just create more debris.”
The new method also allows scientists to manipulate with gentle magnetic force especially fragile objects that could be damaged by the claw of a robotic arm.
During their tests, the researchers used magnets to move a copper ball on a plastic raft in a tank of water to simulate slow-moving objects in microgravity. The ball moved not only in a square but also rotated. This method can use either a spinning magnet on a robotic arm, a stationary magnet that creates spinning magnetic fields or a spinning super-conductive electromagnet resembling magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanners.
“I’m starting to open my mind to what potential applications there are,” Abbot said. “We have a new way to apply a force to an object for precise alignment without touching it.”
Estrella the Galápagos giant tortoise celebrates her first Halloween in Australia with a carved pumpkin decorated with pink flowers.
Estrella was filmed devouring the Halloween treat at the Australian Reptile Park, an hour from Sydney, the nation’s capital. In the footage, she enjoys the fruit with gusto.
The new resident is experiencing the holiday after a long overseas journey and quarantine period. The zoo reports she is settling into her new home.
“Happy (almost) Halloween! The Australian Reptile Park’s newest resident, Estrella the Galápagos tortoise, has enjoyed her first Halloween in Australia by feasting on a huge jack-o-lantern, adorned with her favorite flowers – hibiscus!” the zoo said.
The Australian Reptile Park said: “Pumpkin is a special treat for Galápagos tortoises as they enjoy the different smells, taste and look.”
The zoo also announced she is clicking with her new mate in their enclosure.
“Earlier this month, she was finally introduced to her boyfriend Hugo when she moved into their shared exhibit. The pair is getting along famously, and Hugo has taken a very special liking to his new roommate.”
Estrella the Galápagos tortoise feasts on a carved pumpkin with a hibiscus flower, her favorite. (Australian Reptile Park/Zenger)
Male giant tortoises can weigh more than 500 pounds, and females average about 250 pounds.
Daniel Rumsey, head of reptiles, said: “Hugo and Estrella have been getting along great so far, and it’s wonderful to see the pair finally interacting after such a long courtship. They’re definitely the Reptile Park’s hottest couple!”
The Australian Reptile Park also announced it has reopened as a COVID-19 safe business. “As well as the chance to reconnect with nature after months stuck at home, visitors will be able to redeem their Dine & Discover NSW Vouchers at the Park — both at Reception and the on-site kiosk, the Hard Croc Cafe.”
The giant tortoise arrived in Galápagos from mainland South America 2 million to 3 million years ago. However, by the 1960s, centuries of exploitation by whalers, traders and collectors had greatly reduced their numbers.
Estrella the Galápagos tortoise lives in an enclosure with Hugo, her roommate, in Australia. Females weigh 250 pounds, while males weigh in at 500. (Australian Reptile Park/Zenger)
The Galápagos tortoise is now listed as vulnerable on the International Union of Conservation of Nature’s Red List for Threatened Species. The introduction of several species by humans, such as pigs, cats, dogs and goats, has had devastating effects on the tortoise population.
The Galápagos giant tortoise rests for 16 hours a day, subsisting on grasses, fruits and cactus pads. They can survive for up to a year without water or food, according to the Galápagos Conservation Trust. Small birds, such as Galápagos finches, are often seen perched on their backs.
A pair of Galápagos tortoises have produced four young reptiles at the Auckland Zoo in New Zealand, helping to grow the endangered species population.
A cake maker for Walmart is an online sensation with her videos showing her amateur martial arts skills against a dummy, spitting at it and farting in its face.
Jada Jo Rounds, 23, from Pennsylvania, says she wants to empower women to demand respect from men. Her videos on TikTok have garnered the influencer millions of views.
Video of her assaulting the dummy, spitting at it and farting in its face has been viewed 42.1 million times.
“I find fighting satisfying to watch,” Rounds said. “From an evolutionary perspective, it is an opportunity to rise in the dominance hierarchy — in my case, on TikTok — and, as everyone notices in videos, I am full of dominance.”
Rounds works as a cake decorator, designing and decorating baked goods for Walmart.
She said she wants to become a boxer one day, and though her fans support her quest, she says she doesn’t know how to get there.
“I did not expect my videos to be so popular. I started with simple videos that were more for fun, but people shared them, so I started posting them more frequently,” she said.
Jada Jo Rounds is a social influencer, not a professional fighter. But she hopes to become a boxer and promotes self-defense skills for girls and women. (@jj_roundss98/Zenger)
“People have the drive to practice things that make them feel safe. I have a boyfriend, and sometimes I want to beat him when he makes me angry, but I can control myself.
“Through my videos, I want to show that women have values. I advise men to never put their hands on a female. It is important for girls to defend themselves because nobody deserves it.
“I even have advice for parents: to not equip your daughter with self-defense skills is like knowing she’s going to be around bodies of water and not teaching her to swim.
“In my videos, sometimes I look like I’m careless. I am not a violent person, I simply want to instill confidence in girls rather than be insulted by boys.
“When I was younger, I regularly heard jokes about how ‘women should get back in the kitchen’ and other derogatory remarks along similar lines, and for me it is a disrespect that must be defended.”
Jada Jo Rounds uses social media to encourage girls to defend themselves. (@jj_roundss98/Zenger)
Rounds also posts about coffee and heavy metal on social media.
The growth of women’s participation in mixed martial arts is largely attributed to the success of the UFC, an American mixed martial arts promotion company based in Las Vegas, Nevada.
“Perhaps the most impressive part of the growth of women’s MMA is how it has been able to transcend attitudes toward gender. When it comes to combat sports, there are two distinct types of sexism — from opposite ends of the political spectrum — that women are invariably forced to deal with,” a report on the UFC website says.
On at least two occasions, the Attorney General has asked for an arrest warrant for 31 researchers linked with the Scientific and Technological Consulting Forum (FCCyT), for “patrimonial crimes against the public treasury.”
It is looking into 244 million pesos $(12 million) the group received over six years through Conacyt, under former President Enrique Peña Nieto.
In a press release, the Attorney General’s office noted the researchers involved created, authorized and funded a company with money earmarked for research, and then joined that company. They are being investigated for organized crime, money laundering, embezzlement and illicit use of attributions and faculties.
In response, a District Judge said there was no criminal act committed and rejected the request, arguing the researchers are allowed to receive and manage money, per Conacyt regulations.
Yet, on Oct. 5, the Attorney General’s office indicted the 31 researchers. It seeks to hold them responsible for the diversion of money from the public treasury.
Jesús Ramírez Cuevas, the general coordinator of Social Communications for the Mexican Presidency, said the FCCyT received 571 million pesos ($28 million) over 16 years, but it used only 100 million for science and technology projects, and the rest for operations costs.
El Foro Consultivo gastó 471 mdp en tintorería, comidas, viajes y salarios. El 1 de diciembre de 2018, el @GobiernoMX cambió las reglas de financiamiento; el Foro presionó para recibir 33mdp del @Conacyt_MX habiendo ejercido ya 16mdp, adjudicados desde la administración de EPN.
On social media, academic institutions, members of the scientific and academic community and students and public officials have said the case amounts to persecution by the Attorney General, Alejandro Gertz Manero, toward Conacyt.
Others say it is in response to criticism by researchers of Conacyt, regarding how research is being handled under the current administration.
In a press release, the FCCyT said it is not a private company, as the Attorney General said. “All the accounts have been handed over to Conacyt accordingly.”
The general director of Conacyt, Maria Elena Álvarez-Buylla Roces, has distanced herself from the rift. When questioned about the accusations against the researchers, she said she wholeheartedly supports the country’s scientific researchers.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about. I didn’t come here to support the first Government of the Fourth Transformation [President Andrés Manuel López Obrador’s project] or to accuse anybody of anything. We are not the entities with the faculties or the responsibility for this case,” she said to the media on September 23, which journalist Raúl Adorno caught on video.
La Directora General del Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología (Conacyt), María Elena Álvarez-Buylla Roces, declaró que no había denunciado a nadie “no sé de qué me estás hablando” al referirse a los 31 científicos perseguidos por la FGR por presunta delincuencia organizada pic.twitter.com/ZJ7W6WAlYO
President López Obrador, who has placed all his trust in Gertz Manero, said at a press conference that researchers “blackmailed” the government in exchange for resources. In May 2020, he ordered a 75 percent budget cut in public administration costs, which included Conacyt, saying it is full of abuse and corruption.
“I believe in no impunity, in the law being applied fairly. Just because I’m a researcher, I don’t have the right to steal. Nobody has the right to steal, no matter who it is. What we have to do is make sure crimes are not fabricated, that vengeance is not behind it,” he said on October 11.
Another crucial point is the lack of opportunities in Mexico, something these government actions could worsen. Conacyt encourages research, and these accusations could hinder such efforts.
Researchers who benefited from Conacyt scholarships in the past, such as Salvador Navarro, a PhD in economics and a professor at the Western University, in Ontario, in Canada, saw better opportunities outside of Mexico. Navarro has lived in Canada for several years and says these types of problems in Mexico affect the reputation of Conacyt and its researchers.
“I don’t have anything bad to say about the researchers. If they have to be investigated, go ahead. I don’t see why being a researcher automatically makes you free of sin. But there’s no doubt this is affecting Conacyt’s reputation. Conacyt was one of the best things in Mexico. Very few countries support people in their studies like Conacyt does,” he told Zenger.
Navarro says he had to leave Mexico, his homeland, to seek out better opportunities. He says Conacyt helped raise the level of research. But unlike other countries, Mexicans have little tolerance for and understanding of the research community. People expect results that cannot be seen quickly or easily.
“I understand you’re using public funds. People want to know where that money is — if it’s in that new robot or that new policy to deal with poverty. A good deal of research is hard work, and you may not see results right away,” he said.
The Conacyt community asks for scientific research not to be “criminalized.”
Perla Fragoso, a researcher with Conacyt, said the government’s actions are part of a campaign to stigmatize and criminalize the institution and harm the overall scientific community.
“They are showing us that all researchers are unethical, that we spend that money on travel, that we don’t work or that we might use that research money on something else. When you start to criminalize one sector, it’s easy to criminalize them all, and we’re not criminals. We’re researchers seeking decent working conditions and social justice,” she told Zenger.
Members of Conacyt are being investigated by the Attorney General for alleged organized crime, money laundering, embezzlement and illicit use of attributions and faculties. Some members protest the lack of support for their work and the attempt to criminalize the scientific community. (Julio Guzmán/Zenger)
Carolina Robledo, a Conacyt researcher, said Conacyt has several aspects that sometimes conceal the precarious situation some researchers face, which is more evident with the budget cuts.
“There are different areas within scientific research. Some people start to earn a salary with no protections … We realize there are people who have profited off scientific research, who have pulled resources for their own benefit. But it’s a fact that those privileges are gone and now those of us in this sector have less labor security and don’t even have money for research,” she said.
As for the Oct. 5, indictments, the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, Arturo Zaldívar, said the court will act “independently and impartially” in its duties.
Edgar Guerra, a Conacyt researcher, asks the government to focus on other problems instead of the research issue.
“There are structural problems, like a lack of positions to do research, low salaries, no retirement plan for professors, budgetary issues. The problem is this conversation is not taking place, and instead certain problems are being simplified,” he told Zenger. “A certain prejudice is being created around scientific research that means the serious conversation needed is not happening.”
Translated by Melanie Slone; edited by Melanie Slone and Fern Siegel
Who would have guessed how playing a shady street hustler who always had knockoff items for sale on the streets on “Everybody Hates Chris” would propel actor Mike Estime’s career?
That’s exactly what happened. His role as “Risky” on the show about Chris Rock’s teen years created opportunities for the stand-up comic. Although Estime says he prefers stand-up to sitcom and movie work, he remains busy on the big screen, while maintaining stand-up dates.
He currently flanks Kim Fields, Wanda Sykes and Mike Epps as the character Tony on Netflix’s “The Upshaws.”
Estime talks to Zenger about the importance of sharing his knowledge with younger comedians, expresses concern about a war on freedom of speech, how his father is “the most miserable funny man” he’s ever known, and much more.
Percy Crawford interviewed Mike Estime for Zenger.
Zenger: How is everything going? You have been busy.
Percy Crawford interviewed Mike Estime for Zenger. (Heidi Malone/Zenger)
Estime: Trying to stay busy, brother. The hustle is always going on. I’m doing well. Just had a show that I was able to be a part of, “The Neighborhood” with Cedric The Entertainer, on CBS. So, that was cool. Found out we start working again in the new year. The clubs are starting to open back up, so I’m doing comedy again, which is even better. Involuntarily being a stay-at-home-teacher, which I’m going to quit. I’m going to put in my pink slip. They all going to go to trade school or something. This is whack. But all in all, everything is good.
Zenger: (Laughing). Which do you prefer: sitcoms, movies or being on stage doing stand-up?
Estime: I prefer the stand-up. That’s my bread and butter because I’m the director, I’m the producer. It’s almost like playing golf or tennis. I don’t rely on my teammates. If it goes wrong, I have nobody else to blame but myself. I don’t hold back. I’m able to be as free as I want to be. In TV or movies, you’re playing into the hands of a writer because you want to make sure you’re doing the right adjustments and put out what he or she has in her mind. As well as with the director, make sure you’re at this spot and make sure you’re here.
It’s just so much more choreographed. I would look at it as TV and film is synchronized swimming and stand-up is like a freestyle hip-hop battle. It’s like jazz, just doing scat and having a jam session. I prefer the jam session.
Zenger: You are funny as hell without influence, but then I look at some of the shows you have been a part of: “The Neighborhood,” with Cedric The Entertainer, “The Upshaws,” with Mike Epps and Wanda Sykes, “Everybody Hates Chris,” with Chris Rock, and you have been around the late Bernie Mac. How has that influenced you or motivated you?
Estime: Not just them, just being around funny people. Shoot, some members in my family are funnier than Cedric and Mike. Not to throw shade on them — they probably would say the same thing. That’s where they get their humor from. Family members are the funniest people without being on stage because they’re so true. You’re not going to get any BS from them. That’s where the comedy stems from.
My father is the most miserable funny man that I know. “Can you believe that they are charging $15 for pineapples in Hawaii? What is this?” He would just go off on a rant. And I’m like, “Dude, I don’t make the prices. Can’t you just enjoy Hawaii?” “I just can’t believe it! Is it a different kind of pineapple? It tastes the same. A can of Dole not that much.” “Yeah, but that’s canned pineapples.” I’m having a conversation about some damn pineapples.
He’s talking about his tire pressure being low. “Why is my tire pressure low?” Just put some air in the damn tire. I’m like, “What you got, a side chick who is letting the air out at night?” Old folks in general and just the people around me are the funniest people. I just try to hang around funny people because that keeps me fresh. Sometimes it gives me inspiration to write about something from a funny situation.
Ced and those guys… same as Mike and Kevin Hart, they are brands. They’re businesspeople. All of these brothers, they’re very funny, and I looked up to all of them. But at the same token, and I’m sure if I talked to them one on one, they’re cool, but when they are around other people, they gotta be careful of what they say. People can take words out of context, and you want to make sure that doesn’t happen. Normal everyday folk, there’s no filter, and they are just funny. It keeps you on your toes. I like to be around funny folks that just cut loose, and sometimes that includes professionals, but more so everyday folks.
His role as “Risky” in the TV series “Everybody Hates Chris” boosts Mike Estime’s career as comedian and actor. The show originally ran 2005-2009 and is still available in reruns. (Red Tail Creative Imaging)
Zenger: Does the sensitive nature of the era we are in change your approach to comedy? Look, for example, at the firestorm Dave Chappelle stirred up with his comments on trans people in his latest Netflix comedy special, “The Closer.”
Estime: I think Dave said it first, and I continue to repeat it: There is a war on comedy. Basically, it’s a war on free speech. Comedy is an art and like every art form, there are going to be some people that like it, and there are going to be some people that don’t. If I see something on television that I don’t like, I just change the damn channel. If you like it, you sit there and take it in.
Now everybody is a critic on social media. If you don’t like something, that’s fine, but don’t try to cancel the person out because you don’t like it. If you have a difference of opinion, then just have a difference of opinion. Now free speech doesn’t come free without consequences.
There is a limit and a line you can cross. I don’t mess around when you’re talking about beating up women, or something about children, the elderly or disabled. That’s too much. A person can’t help being disabled, and you think that’s funny. I think that’s poor taste myself. But other things where there is an intelligent debate about, whether it be race, gender, fluidity, trans folks, if it’s done in a way where it’s not vicious, I think it should be said.
But if it offends you, just because it offends you, doesn’t mean everybody else should be offended. Everyone is missing the point on that. Let the chips fall where they may, I know in my heart and a lot of comics hearts, they are not bad people. It’s just how they see the world. You have to use your art to express and vent how you feel.
Zenger: You are approaching 20 years in the business, what is the best lesson you have learned?
Estime: Stay true to yourself and don’t listen to the outside noise. There was a time when I was trying to appease my peers to prove that I belonged. And a lot of times, some peers don’t have your best interest at heart. The comedy game is a competitive field. It’s very rare that you find some cool comics to hang out with. At a certain point, comics don’t respect you because you’re trying to cater to them, they respect you because you’re true to the craft, and you respect the craft. As long as you’re true to yourself and the art form, that is what I really learned.
Most importantly is to pass that knowledge off to the ones that are coming up. Maybe a few here and there that I can remember, but a lot of times I didn’t have that guidance. I had to figure stuff out on my own. So, what I try to do, when a comic ask me a question, I’m never going to be like, “Man, you gotta figure that out on your own.” I try to say, “Let’s break down this joke. What’s your personality? I seen your bit; this would work better.” Give them at least 10-15 minutes because that time that you spend with him or her could mean a lifetime to them.
It is hard. It’s a lonely business. Aside from you being at the club with other comics, you’re by yourself in a hotel room, in your car, just talking to yourself. Then, you are relying on a bunch of strangers to validate you as being funny. It’s important to have that brotherhood or that sisterhood to make sure you’re not alone in this game. Don’t be selfish with your knowledge.
Mike Estime seconds Dave Chappelle’s belief that there is “a war on comedy” these days. (Courtesy of Mike Estime)
Zenger: Everyone loved you as “Risky” on “Everybody Hates Chris.” There is a Risky in every ‘hood. Did you draw from a street hustler from your neighborhood selling stolen goods, or did you just get into character and nail it?
Estime: Brother, it was just me understanding the role and getting into it. I think not only in our neighborhoods, but we have some Riskys in our families. The next big thing is always around the corner. It’s on the lower end, but don’t worry, it’s the same as the name brands. Instead of Nikes we get Ikes. “We trying to break away from the brand, brother. It’s just a “N.” We don’t need that.” I didn’t know how big it was going to get when we were shooting it. It’s actually taken off much more now that it has been off the air, and it’s in reruns. And folks are just loving the show. Bruh, I’m getting likes from Brazil.
It’s been amazing to see and hear the response that folks have to the character and the show. When I used to do cruise ships, this Brazilian guy came up to me, and he said the same thing you just said, “There is a ‘Risky’ in my neighborhood. We can relate to that.” That role was a huge boost and created so many opportunities, when I got with the right team, that is. I got with the right team, and they pushed that narrative, and that part of my career and that took it off. I think that is one part of why I was able to get the show, “The Upshaws.”
Zenger: It is an honor speaking with you. Good luck with “The Upshaws” and everything else you have going on. Is there anything you would like to add?
Estime: Thank you, brother. Just be sure to check out the Netflix show, “The Upshaws.” Season two will be coming out. We will be starting to film in the beginning of 2022. Thank you to everyone that supported the first season. It was an amazing response, and we promise the next season will be even better.
