The Art Neuro Weblog

Making A Comeback
In a time when there is much gloom about the ecology of this planet, here's a bit of good news fluff piece about conservation efforts in China.

The number of giant pandas, one of the world's most endangered species, increased by 40 percent to 1,596 over the number recorded before 2000, Zhou said, referring to the latest SFA survey. The number of crested ibis, a bird related to the heron of which there were only seven known in the world at one point, had leapt to 740, said Lei Jiafu, SFA's deputy director.

Thanks to protective efforts, the number of Eld's deer, found only in south China's Hainan island, also rose to 1,600 last year from just 26 in 1975, China Daily said. Ecosystem protection programs have also helped to replenish China's flora. Of China's 189 rare and extremely endangered species of wild plants, 71 percent have been stabilized, Zhou said.

Arborvitae, an endangered species of plant which has tailed off for more than 100 years, has been rediscovered in the remote Daba Mountains in southwest China's Chongqing municipality. So far, forestry authorities have put the distribution areas of 130 wild plants and the habitats for more than 300 wild animals under protection, according to statistics released by the SFA, the paper said.

So for those worried that it was all downslope into extinction, some of the endangered species' population numbers have stabilised.

Don't Get Too Excited Now, Buddy
A man robbed a sex shop for an inflatable doll and a leather outfit.
From AP in MIlan:

Police are searching for a pistol-wielding robber who stole female leather bondage gear and an inflatable sex doll from an erotica store in Milan Wednesday.

The clerk at the "Night Shop" speculated that the kinky crook might have been unsatisfied with the payout of his hold-up, which only yielded him about 60 euros ($78).

"There was just a little cash," the clerk, who declined to be named, told Reuters by telephone. "Then he took some stuff ... an inflatable doll and a leather outfit for a woman," he said.

In one of the early episodes of 'The Office', the character Tim gets a plastic inflatable penis for his 30th birthday, much to the mirth of his office co-workers. "Oh great, a platsic inflatable penis, just what I wanted," moans Tim.
He is asked, "Would you have preferred to have just gotten some money" he replies, "Oh no, I would've just blown the money on a plastic inflatable penis anyway."
I don't know what it is with inflatable sex toys that make for such good comedy.

- Art Neuro