Nature is Horrifying

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The Sybian
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Nature is Horrifying

Post by The Sybian »

J-Lo's quote deserves it's own thread. I love freaks of the natural world.


30 photos proving Australia is the most insnae place.


A little sampling:

The flying fox. You can also see a snake devouring one.

Image


Crocs everywhere, and fucking enormous! You can also See a picture of a snake devouring a full size croc.


Image


Earth worms are fucking enormous!

Image


Jellyfish are also enormous. Also see a minuscule jellyfish with a toxin 100 times more potent that a cobra's venom.
Image
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Jerloma
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Re: Nature is Horrifying

Post by Jerloma »

Oh good lord, mother of Hades!

And the unicorns shall come down with them, and the bullocks with the bulls; and their land shall be soaked with blood, and their dust made fat with fatness. - God
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An Echidna
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Re: Nature is Horrifying

Post by An Echidna »

The Sybian wrote:I love freaks of the natural world.
I see you looking, baby. What can I do 4 you?
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Re: Nature is Horrifying

Post by BSF21 »

How does "An echidna" have 5 posts?
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rass
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Re: Nature is Horrifying

Post by rass »

Fucking wildfires.

Crazy reading about all of the complex multi-level infrastructure we have in place to fight them (which under other circumstances would be interesting to learn about on its own) and it just fails because it was quickly and fully overwhelmed.
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phxgators
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Re: Nature is Horrifying

Post by phxgators »

There a fire burning up between Sedona and Flagstaff right now that is in pretty rugged terrain. They aren't even really trying to fight it other than by setting up fire lines at the nearest roads they can use to try to contain it. They have been able to protect the homes originally threatened, but they still expect it to get to about 20,000 acres before it's contained. Sadly, that's not that big for some of the fires we've had here over the last several years. There was one that burned over a half million acres 2 or 3 years ago.

We didn't have a very wet winter and monsoon season will be here soon, it wouldn't surprise me if we have another bad fire season here.
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Re: Nature is Horrifying

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phxgators wrote:There a fire burning up between Sedona and Flagstaff right now that is in pretty rugged terrain. They aren't even really trying to fight it other than by setting up fire lines at the nearest roads they can use to try to contain it. They have been able to protect the homes originally threatened, but they still expect it to get to about 20,000 acres before it's contained. Sadly, that's not that big for some of the fires we've had here over the last several years. There was one that burned over a half million acres 2 or 3 years ago.

We didn't have a very wet winter and monsoon season will be here soon, it wouldn't surprise me if we have another bad fire season here.
For the long weekend, we were up in the Sierras, just south of the Lake Tahoe area. It is dry as tinder up there, and the locals we spoke to are really dreading the inevitable fires they'll be dealing with this summer.
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Re: Nature is Horrifying

Post by brian »

The only possible saving grace is if an El Nino cycle really is starting as some meteorologists suspect. If true, it should result in more summer rain than average. Otherwise...it's going to be a horrific summer all over the West.
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Shirley
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Re: Nature is Horrifying

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phxgators wrote:There a fire burning up between Sedona and Flagstaff right now that is in pretty rugged terrain. They aren't even really trying to fight it other than by setting up fire lines at the nearest roads they can use to try to contain it. They have been able to protect the homes originally threatened, but they still expect it to get to about 20,000 acres before it's contained. Sadly, that's not that big for some of the fires we've had here over the last several years. There was one that burned over a half million acres 2 or 3 years ago.

We didn't have a very wet winter and monsoon season will be here soon, it wouldn't surprise me if we have another bad fire season here.
So I know wildfires are a natural part of the ecosystem out there, but do you know if they are naturally of this size and/or frequency? Or has human deforestation and yard-watering affected the amount of dry tinder out there? Also, I guess we're probably starting a lot of these fires too, right?
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phxgators
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Re: Nature is Horrifying

Post by phxgators »

Shirley wrote:
phxgators wrote:There a fire burning up between Sedona and Flagstaff right now that is in pretty rugged terrain. They aren't even really trying to fight it other than by setting up fire lines at the nearest roads they can use to try to contain it. They have been able to protect the homes originally threatened, but they still expect it to get to about 20,000 acres before it's contained. Sadly, that's not that big for some of the fires we've had here over the last several years. There was one that burned over a half million acres 2 or 3 years ago.

We didn't have a very wet winter and monsoon season will be here soon, it wouldn't surprise me if we have another bad fire season here.
So I know wildfires are a natural part of the ecosystem out there, but do you know if they are naturally of this size and/or frequency? Or has human deforestation and yard-watering affected the amount of dry tinder out there? Also, I guess we're probably starting a lot of these fires too, right?
My guess would be at least half of the fires each season are human caused. Either someone leaving a campfire behind that wasn't put out all the way, someone tossing a cigarette out their car window, even a hot tailpipe parked up against some dry grass.... In the 13 years I've been out here, it's not at all uncommon for there to be at least a couple of fires of 10,000+ acres each season. Every once in a while we'll have one that gets to 100,000+.

There are a few issues affecting the forests in the northern part of the state. Obviously, it's dry here, but some winters are particularly dry - meaning there is a lot of dried up/dead vegetation ready to fuel a fire. Some forests have also had infestations of bark beetles, killing trees in their wake, so there is no shortage of fuel there. And, something that article on Yarnell touched on, in trying to manage forest fires, they may not happen as often but with the extra years worth of growth, there is more to burn when there is a fire.

Luckily, this isn't an issue in places like the Phoenix metro area, though smaller brush fires do still happen. There's just not enough for much of any sustained fire.
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Re: Nature is Horrifying

Post by rass »

One of the points the article makes is that we've almost gotten too good at fighting fires for our own good. Areas that haven't had a good burn (enough to take out the undergrowth but leave the bigger trees) in sometime (in part because we spent decades putting out fires too fast, and part because there are more areas we try to protect now due to development) have built up a lot of potential fuel. Add that to the current drought and it's a bad situation, no matter how he fire starts.
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Re: Nature is Horrifying

Post by Gunpowder »

MUTATED SUPERFIRES
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Jerloma
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Re: Nature is Horrifying

Post by Jerloma »



Nope.
And the unicorns shall come down with them, and the bullocks with the bulls; and their land shall be soaked with blood, and their dust made fat with fatness. - God
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Re: Nature is Horrifying

Post by howard »

sancarlos wrote:For the long weekend, we were up in the Sierras, just south of the Lake Tahoe area. It is dry as tinder up there, and the locals we spoke to are really dreading the inevitable fires they'll be dealing with this summer.
That fire near Hwy 50 about halfway up from Sacramento to South Lake is a shock. Never would have thought that part of the world would be dry enough for a big wildfire. Shit, they get snow most years in Pollock Pines and vicinity.
Who knows? Maybe, you were kidnapped, tied up, taken away and held for ransom.

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Jerloma
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Re: Nature is Horrifying

Post by Jerloma »

Nope.

And the unicorns shall come down with them, and the bullocks with the bulls; and their land shall be soaked with blood, and their dust made fat with fatness. - God
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An Echidna
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Re: Nature is Horrifying

Post by An Echidna »

BSF21 wrote:How does "An echidna" have 5 posts?
Jerloma most certainly should get all of the credit for putting the "random thoughts" concept over in the Swamp.
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Re: Nature is Horrifying

Post by Johnnie »

Seals rape penguins.

I'm guessing the theory is they're never gunna survive unless they are a little crazy.
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Re: Nature is Horrifying

Post by sancarlos »

Johnnie wrote:Seals rape penguins.

I'm guessing the theory is they're never gunna survive unless they are a little crazy.
Not gonna watch that video...
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Re: Nature is Horrifying

Post by Johnnie »

It's what happens when the Sealfisting league goes defunct. They're frightened, confused, and cannot handle readjusting to a normal life. PTSD is a motherfucker. Or should I say penguinfucker.
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Re: Nature is Horrifying

Post by howard »

Post Traumatic Sealfisting-league-termination Disorder
Who knows? Maybe, you were kidnapped, tied up, taken away and held for ransom.

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Re: Nature is Horrifying

Post by Shirley »

"No, no. It's just ice cream!"
Totally Kafkaesque
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Re: Nature is Horrifying

Post by howard »

Shirley wrote:"No, no. It's just ice cream!"
I love that joke.
Who knows? Maybe, you were kidnapped, tied up, taken away and held for ransom.

Those days are gone forever
Over a long time ago
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Re: Nature is Horrifying

Post by Johnnie »

More penguin slaughter. See if you don't recoil in horror and possibly lose your lunch during this video.

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An Echidna
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Re: Nature is Horrifying

Post by An Echidna »

18,000 Hungarian Forint for a rub, rub, rub, rub, tug, tug, tug, tug & blow from a hot Vizsla is totally worth it.


In keeping with the thread though, I think I have mutant Feline AIDS. Dirty bitch.
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Re: Nature is Horrifying

Post by Pruitt »

Why I will never set foot in Africa - Reason #537

Hippos.

"beautiful, with an exotic-yet-familiar facial structure and an arresting gaze."
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Re: Nature is Horrifying

Post by The Sybian »

Holy fuck they can swim fast. The video below is a good starting point to help GPJ write the next song in his series of animal safety tips. How to survive a hippo attack:


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Re: Nature is Horrifying

Post by Jerloma »

Weasel don't give a shit...

Image
And the unicorns shall come down with them, and the bullocks with the bulls; and their land shall be soaked with blood, and their dust made fat with fatness. - God
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Re: Nature is Horrifying

Post by Shirley »

Who wants to go for a dip? Any open sores?

Totally Kafkaesque
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The Sybian
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Re: Nature is Horrifying

Post by The Sybian »

Image
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DC47
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Re: Nature is Horrifying

Post by DC47 »

Ah, another Chris Christie infrastructure project in Jersey.
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Re: Nature is Horrifying

Post by Jerloma »

Damn. What happened from there? Do you have the story?
And the unicorns shall come down with them, and the bullocks with the bulls; and their land shall be soaked with blood, and their dust made fat with fatness. - God
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Re: Nature is Horrifying

Post by Gunpowder »

Asked my buddy Google and sure enough he had the scoop

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/03/2 ... 40342.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
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Jerloma
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Re: Nature is Horrifying

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and no one was hurt in the incident
Damn.
And the unicorns shall come down with them, and the bullocks with the bulls; and their land shall be soaked with blood, and their dust made fat with fatness. - God
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Jerloma
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Re: Nature is Horrifying

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Wait.

You know what I mean.
And the unicorns shall come down with them, and the bullocks with the bulls; and their land shall be soaked with blood, and their dust made fat with fatness. - God
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The Sybian
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Re: Nature is Horrifying

Post by The Sybian »

DC47 wrote:Ah, another Chris Christie infrastructure project in Jersey.
More like Boston's Big Dig. I saw a longer video that wouldn't embed. The front wheels fell into hole, and all the passengers walked off the bus before it fell in. Fucking crazy how it gets thrown around like a toy.
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Re: Nature is Horrifying

Post by An Echidna »

The Sybian wrote:Fucking crazy how it gets thrown around like a toy.
Maybe "tour bus dropped down a Brazilian sinkhole" could replace "hot dog down a hallway" as a euphemism for, you know... I mean, it's a situation I've certainly never personally encountered, but I'm sure you bunch of goanna dicks know what I'm talking about.
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Re: Nature is Horrifying

Post by Jerloma »

Image
And the unicorns shall come down with them, and the bullocks with the bulls; and their land shall be soaked with blood, and their dust made fat with fatness. - God
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Re: Nature is Horrifying

Post by Pruitt »

Thanks for that picture.

I hate spiders.

And I will NEVER visit Australia...

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/2015 ... vironment/

Where it rained spiders.

The article does a good job of explaining how and why this happened. But who would live in such a place?!

Those are spider webs by the way...

Image
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Re: Nature is Horrifying

Post by Pruitt »

Not as horrifying as a rain of spiders, but look at the build on this jumbo Kangaroo.

"beautiful, with an exotic-yet-familiar facial structure and an arresting gaze."
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Re: Nature is Horrifying

Post by mister d »

I bet he doesn't shut the fuck up about Crossfit.
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