Du kennst mich doch, ich hab' nichts gegen Fremde. Einige meiner besten Freunde sind Fremde. Aber diese Fremden da sind nicht von hier!

Das hab ich ja total verpasst, dass es von Aardman-Productions eine TV-Cartoon-Serie "Shaun, the sheep" gibt! Und im ORF wurden sogar schon 20 Folgen davon im Confetti Tivi gezeigt!!!! In dem Cartoon spielt ein aufmüpfiges Schaf, das sich offenbar nicht der Herde anpassen will, sondern sein Anführer wird, die Hauptrolle. Einen Gastauftritt hatte es schon in Wallace & Gromits "A Close Shave" ("Unter Schafen"), in der es versehentlich kahl geschoren wurde.

Ich fass es nicht! Wie konnte uns das entgehen? Und wann spielen sie das wieder? Und wieso wurde dafür nicht ordentlich Werbung gemacht???? Fragen über Fragen...

To whom it may concern (and I hope it's you),

I have this idea for a science fiction movie: Aliens arrive on Earth, and they are initially benevolent toward humans until a rumor starts among them that the human pancreas – when dried and processed into a cream – can help alleviate sore tentacles. It's a false rumor, of course, but we all know how rumors can take root and flourish. Anyway, it's a moot point on whether it's true or not, because the bottom line in my movie is that we're all – forgive me – getting creamed.

Okay, I admit it – my idea is rather unoriginal. All I've managed to do is come up with a little twist on something that's been happening to much of our planet's wildlife for some time, and at a quickening pace. Whatever our shortsighted or uneducated motivation may be, it's good old Homo sapiens that are inexorably pushing many species toward the eternal abyss. It's like watching a bad movie, and it doesn't even have any aliens in it.

For me, things have come somewhat full-circle on this subject. I've derived so much inspiration from wildlife around the globe, I feel a certain indebtedness to the natural world for my career. And, frankly, it's a little uncomfortable to get laughs about animals who in reality are facing desperate times. That's why I'm donating all author royalties from The Far Side^® Gallery 2007 Off-the-Wall Calendar to Conservation International (CI), a not-for-profit group that helps protect wildlife habitats worldwide. Specifically, the money will support CI's efforts to halt illegal trafficking in wildlife. Tigers are poached for their bones to be used in traditional medicines. Turtles, frogs, and giant salamanders end up as gourmet dishes. Sharks are killed for fins, orang-utans taken as pets, elephants poached for ivory. The list goes on, and the demand is emptying entire ecosystems.

CI is training local law enforcement in anti-poaching and anti-smuggling and educating consumers and decision-makers. Local people are very much involved in CI projects, which help communities benefit from conservation. I believe CI's work will keep our non-human neighbors from becoming mere memories. To quote from an old Joni Mitchell song, "You don't know what you've got 'till it's gone." And, folks, there ain't no greater meaning to the word "gone" than extinction. And to quote from my own movie script, "Gorak! Always squeeze the tentacle cream from the bottom of the tube!"

Most seriously, please take time to learn more about CI's work and how you can help by visiting www.conservation.org/trade.

— Gary Larson

Falls sich schon mal wer gefragt hat, was denn das rote Maennchen auf der Ampel mit dem gruenen Maennchen macht wenn mal niemand zuschaut: hier ist die Antwort. Und weil letztens Matrix erwaehnt wurde: Episode 23 gucken.

(via UF)

Dilbert ist manchmal schon super: (leider schon ausm Archiv verschwunden)

Dogbert: "I can either save your life or the consultant's life, but one of you will die."
Boss: "Give us a miniute do discuss it."
Boss: "He recommends that you kill me."