#50423
12/20/2001 3:12 AM
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Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 819
old hand
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old hand
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 819 |
Since the hippopotamus seems to be the unofficial AWAD board animal, I direct your attention to the November, 2001 NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC magazine, wherein one finds articles on hippos and whales. In the whale article it is sugggested that the hippo is the closest living relative of modern whales. So, since hippopotamus means "water horse," I guess them there nuts who ride whales at the marine parks are not too far afield.
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#50424
12/20/2001 7:45 AM
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Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 3,146
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 3,146 |
Geoff, Geoff, don't encourage them! I saw the hippo articles in NG too, but decided against saying boo about it. It sets them off, it really does! 
The idiot also known as Capfka ...
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#50425
12/20/2001 9:08 AM
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Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 6,296
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 6,296 |
Geoff:
Do encourage us. There's a wealth of generosity in the the soul of the hippopotamus, and, the deeper one submerges with that soul, the greater the payoff in terms of coming face to face with the nature of the Infinite.
Couldn't you paste some delectable facts here from the article we could chew on along with our daily diet of grass? There's bound to be some words for us to dentalize (no it's not a word, but I'm just expressing my hunger).
'Sides: It is the season of fat and jolly things, and nothin's fatter or jollier than a hippo. (If hippos are closest to whales, and hippos are also close to babirussas, then I wonder how close babirussas are to whales? Does National Geo. get into that, too, hmmmmm?)
Beast regards,
WW
P.S. Another alert reader here on AWAD did refer to the National Geo. article, but I don't have the magazine. Again, it would be good to read a few of the more succulent quotes here. Imagine a hippo breaching the waves, blow hole in its head--the great white hippo, Moby Hipp. Just call me Wishtale.
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#50426
12/20/2001 3:47 PM
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Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858 |
Dear WW: You can find National Geographic Magazine on Internet. I did not nunt for the hippo story. I do not share your enthusiasm for hippos. They are stupid mean potentially dangerous beasts.
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#50427
12/20/2001 3:59 PM
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Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 10,542
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 10,542 |
>There's bound to be some words for us to dentalize (no it's not a word, but I'm just expressing my hunger). ha!! just shows how much you know, wallowing in your mucking scrabble® lists. (or is that scrabbling in your muckle lists?) http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2001/09/0919_walkingwhale.html(this article reminds us that hippos and pigs is closely related.) :þ
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#50428
12/20/2001 10:17 PM
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Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 69
journeyman
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journeyman
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 69 |
I recently read in a Discover magazine (of unknown date - I was in dentist's office) that hippos are very aggressive and territorial. They will attack humans with little provocation, and that "yawning" they do is prelude to attack.
Cheers,
Bryan
Cheers,
Bryan
You are only wretched and unworthy if you choose to be.
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#50429
12/21/2001 1:46 AM
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Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 2,605
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 2,605 |
You can find National Geographic Magazine on Internet. In checking I found that their website says, "Generally, the full text of our magazine articles is not available online." So, a quote from the printed Nov. 2001 article:
Like a jowly king at ease with his attendants, a hippo passes with a retinue of fish. It has long been known that hippos and fish are constant symbiotic companions. Fish clean hippos and are in turn nourished by the algae, parasites, and dead skin scraped from the hippos' hides. What wasn't known ... amazed us. We discovered that certain fish specialize in cleaning specific body parts. The ubiquitous Labeo, in the carp family, is the main cleaner, using its wide rasping mouth to scour a hippo's hide. Barbus feeds directly on dung and cleans the cracks in the soles of the feet. Small cichlids graze around the tail bristles. And tiny Garra cleans out wounds.
Hippos are far from passive recipients of these services. We saw them deliberately splay their toes and spread their legs to provide easy access or to solicit cleanings. They would even visit "cleaning stations" where fish congregate -- much like pampered clients going for a massage or manicure at a spa.
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#50430
12/21/2001 4:34 AM
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Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 819
old hand
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old hand
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 819 |
The article further states that hippo dung is an essential ingredient in the health of landlocked pools. And to think you guys were wondering whatever to do with the stuff!  Because of the hippo's normally aggressive behaviour towards humans, I suggest that AWAD adopt the pot-bellied pig as its official mascot. For you old hippies, you can have a pink one! Sorry, WW!
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