Podcasts about havanas

Turcijā aizvadītajās pašvaldību vēlēšanās būtisku zaudējumu cietusi prezidenta Erdogana partija. Gan lielākajās pilsētās, gan vairākās mazākās municipalitātēs tai būs jāpaliek opozīcijā. Jautājums, kā  tas ietekmēs politiku nacionālā līmenī? Runājam arī par Krievijas "garo roku". Vairāku starptautisko mediju pētījums par Havanas sindromu, kad diplomātiem pēkšņi kļūst slikti, norāda, ka iespējams, to visu ir organizējusi Krievija, izmantojot īpašu ieroci. Ir arī citi notikumi, kas norāda par valstu spējām aizsargāt savu teritoriju un cilvēkus no Krievijas īpašajiem aģentiem. Aktualitātes analizē politologi Arnis Latišenko un Andis Kudors un ārpolitikas eksperts Veiko Spolītis. Erdogana smagākā sakāve 31. martā Turcijas vēlētāji deva mandātu nākamajiem četriem gadiem vairāk nekā 23 000 vietvaru amatpersonu, sākot ar galvaspilsētas un lielpilsētu mēriem, beidzot ar rajonu padomju locekļiem. Tāpat tika ievēlēti daudzi tūkstoši zemākā līmeņa pašvaldību – pilsētciematu, ciemu un apkaimju – vadītāju un citu nepolitisku amatpersonu. Vēlēšanu rezultāti tūdaļ nonāca pasaules mediju ziņu augšgalā, jo šī ir pirmā reize nu jau vairāk nekā divas desmitgades ilgstošajā prezidenta Radžipa Taijipa Erdogana un viņa Taisnības un attīstības partijas varas periodā, kad šī partija nacionāla mēroga vēlēšanās nav līdera pozīcijās. Gaisušas ne tikai valdošās partijas cerības atgūt teikšanu galvaspilsētā Ankarā un valsts lielākajā pilsētā Stambulā. Līdz ar Turcijas ceturtās lielākās pilsētās Bursas mēra amata zaudēšanu tagad piecas lielākās Turcijas pilsētas ir galvenā opozīcijas spēka – kreisi centriskās Republikāņu tautas partijas rokās. Turcijas provincēs nozīmīgākā vara pieder centrālās valdības ieceltajiem gubernatoriem, tomēr arī provinču parlamentiem ir sava loma vietējo saimniecisko, infrastruktūras, vides, kultūras un tamlīdzīgu jautājumu risināšanā. Ja līdz šim Taisnības un attīstības partija dominēja trīsdesmit deviņu provinču parlamentos, tad astoņpadsmit no tiem šajās vēlēšanās ir zaudēti, vietā iegūstot tikai trīs. Arī šajā gadījumā lielākais ieguvējs ir Republikāņu tautas partija, savukārt tradicionāli konservatīvākajās provincēs valsts centrālajā daļā – islāmistiski konservatīvā Jaunā labklājības partija, kam šajās vēlēšanās ir trešais lielākais iegūto balsu skaits. Savas pozīcijas vietvarās nedaudz uzlabojusi kurdu minoritātes intereses pārstāvošā Tautas vienlīdzības un demokrātijas partija, esošo visumā saglabājusi Erdogana partijas sabiedrotā Nacionālistiskās kustības partija. Kā norāda analītiķi, šīm vietvaru vēlēšanām, jādomā, būs nozīmīga ietekme uz visas valsts tālāko politisko attīstību. Saskaņā ar pašreiz spēkā esošo konstitūciju, Radžipa Taijipa Erdogana pēdējais prezidentūras termiņš noslēdzas 2028. gadā, taču līdz šim tika pausti pieņēmumi, ka līderis, kuram netrūkst autoritāru tendenču, mēģinās mainīt likumdošanu un palikt pie valsts stūres ilgāk. Tagad šāda iespēja šķiet krietni mazāk ticama. Kremļa „klusuma skaņa” Havanas sindroms – tā iedēvēts fenomens, kas nu jau kādus septiņus gadus periodiski pavīdējis preses virsrakstos, tomēr paliekot versiju un pieņēmumu līmenī. 2017. gadā parādījās informācija, ka vairāki amerikāņu un kanādiešu diplomātisko misiju darbinieki, kas iepriekšējā gada beigās uzturējušies Kubas galvaspilsētā Havanā, piedzīvojuši neizskaidrojamas veselības problēmas. Jau tobrīd izskanēja aizdomas, ka pret viņiem lietots kāds slepens ierocis, visdrīzāk ultraskaņas vai mikroviļņu avots. Tiešu pierādījumu tobrīd gan nebija, taču diplomātisko attiecību paplašināšanās starp Savienotajām Valstīm un Kubu, kas bija iezīmējusies prezidenta Obamas administrācijas laikā, līdz ar šo notikumu aprāvās. Nākamajos gados parādījās ziņojumi par līdzīgiem gadījumiem ar amerikāņu diplomātiem un slepeno dienestu darbiniekiem citur pasaulē, sākot ar Guandžou Ķīnā un Tbilisi Gruzijā, beidzot ar Savienoto Valstu galvaspilsētu Vašingtonu. Fenomena oficiālais apzīmējums ir „anomālie veselības incidenti”, un, saskaņā ar amerikāņu izlūkdienestu kopienas 2022. gada septembra slepenu ziņojumu, tā galvenās pazīmes ir: „akūtas audiovestibulāras sensoras parādības, tai skaitā skaņas un/vai spiediena sajūta, reibonis, līdzsvara zudums un ausu sāpes; spēcīga ietekme uz atrašanās vietas vai virziena izjūtu”. Dažiem no Havanas sindroma upuriem bija konstatējami nelieli galvas smadzeņu vai dzirdes orgānu bojājumi, vairākos gadījumos viņi izjuta ilgstošas veselības problēmas. 2021. gadā Džo Baidena administrācija pieņēma likumu par dāsnu kompensāciju izmaksu apstiprinātu anomālo veselības incidentu gadījumos, tomēr oficiāli Savienotās Valstis joprojām nav atzinušas, ka Havanas sindroms būtu saistāms ar kādas naidīgas varas mērķtiecīgu darbību. Iespējams, par pagrieziena punktu šai ziņā kļūs 1. aprīļa publikācija Rīgā bāzētajā tīmekļa izdevumā „The Insider, kas tapis sadarbībā ar amerikāņu telekanāla CBS ziņu programmu „60 Minutes” un vācu izdevumu „Der Spiegel”. Raksta autori Romāns Dobrohotovs, Kristo Grozevs un Mihaels Veiss atklāj veselu buķeti faktu, kas zināmos Havanas sindroma gadījumus sasaista ar Krievijas bruņoto spēku Galvenās izlūkošanas pārvaldes Vienības 29155 aktivitātēm. Tā ir tā pati vienība, kuras vārds kļuva bēdīgi slavens pēc izbijušā dubultaģenta Sergeja Skripaļa un viņa meitas Jūlijas saindēšanas Lielbritānijā. Kā tagad noskaidrots, šo slepkavību un diversiju lietpratēju kontā ir arī divi mēģinājumi noindēt bulgāru ieroču rūpnieku Emilianu Gebrevu un vesela sērija sprādzienu viņa kompānijai piederošās noliktavās Bulgārijā un Čehijā, kas prasījuši vairāku desmitu cilvēku dzīvības, tāpat dalība apvērsuma mēģinājumā Melnkalnē un diversiju darbība Ukrainā. Pirmais uzbrukums, izmantojot Havanas sindromu izraisošo ieroci, noticis nevis 2016. gadā Havanā, bet 2014. gadā Frankfurtē pie Mainas, Vācijā. Iespējams, ka pēdējais uzbrukums, savukārt, fiksēts pagājušā gada jūlijā Viļņā, NATO samita laikā. Raksta noslēguma daļā autori akcentē Savienoto Valstu valdības rīcību, kura līdz šim centusies notušēt uzbrukumu mērogu un raksturu. Pēc autoru domām, iemesls ir bažas, ka atklātais atbaidīs potenciālos diplomātiskā dienesta darbiniekus, kā arī tas, ka šāda mēroga uzbrukumi pret Savienoto Valstu pārstāvjiem var tikt traktēti kā karadarbība, kas prasītu attiecīgu reakciju.  Sagatavoja Eduards Liniņš.  

Blanche is dating a new man. No one has met him. When they do they find he is much older then the men she normally dates. He's not the kind to date just one woman either. He starts dating Sophia as well. He drops dead and at the funeral they learn a lot more. --- If you would like to support this podcast by making a donation, please do so with cashapp to $pasta26mc

It's a new episode at the start of a new season! As we step into season 4, we follow Dorothy to school where she has a surprise student. Then, Blanche's beau has a surprise sidechick. Will Dorothy help her student earn their degree? Will Blanche and Sophia make amends before it's too late? Did Coco heal from his heart surgery? Will I come up with a theory surrounding Ava Brown giving Rose a disease? Yes, yes I will. Oh, as for the other stuff, we'll find out now with the season 4 premiere, Yes, We Have No Havanas.

Dans ce hors-série d'ABDR on se penche sur les carrières et la place dans l'histoire de Badr Hari, de Yuta Kubo et de Demetrius Havanas.

Happy New Year and Happy New Season! Season Four kicks off with a bang as Sophia and Blanche share a man! Listen to us disagree on our final rankings, share our favorite quotes from the MANY notable ones, and listen as we answer the age old question: What does Rose mean by "rooster inseminating?" Follow us on Instagram: @shenanigansatshadypines Email us: shenanigansatshadypines@gmail.com Visit our website: https://anchor.fm/shenanigansatshadypines --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/shenanigansatshadypines/support

Allen, Ski, and Brent recap and review Season 4, Episode 1, "Yes, We Have No Havanas."  Sophia's first love triangle!  Will Blanche or Sophia win the affections of Fidel?  Will Rose earn her high school diploma?  Has Rose been teaching her man killing secrets to the other Girls?!?  Listen now to find out!

In this episode of The Perry Pod, I look at Season 2 Episode 28, TCOT Spanish Cross. This episode includes: • Law Library: Leading the Witness • Plot: TV plot • Trivia: Hand-rolled Havanas, Richard Miles, and Presuming Perry • The Theme: Being a Man • The Perry Proverb: Responsibilities • The Water Cooler: Deleted Scenes and Driving Distances • Contact me at theperrypod@gmail.com • Check out theperrypod.com Keep on walking that Park Avenue Beat!

Tomu Kreicbergu iepazinām kā angliski rakstošu fantāzijas stāstu autoru, tagad viņš pievērsies finanšu pasaulei un raksta, bet pirms tam studēja afrokubas dejas Havanā. Kubas iespaidā arī radusies grāmata "Havanas kaķu karalis", kuru Toms Kreicbergs tāpat rakstīja angliski. Latviešu valodā to tulkojusi Ieva Melgalve. Izdevusi "Zvaigzne ABC". Raidījumu atbalsta:

  About the Show: On this episode of the podcast, we sit down with Joseph Michael Suarez from Springdale to discuss his Gluten Free lifestyle and how he navigates the local restaurant scene to find a great meal. Joseph was diagnosed with Celiac less than 10 years ago. If you ask him, this diagnoses not only changed how and what he ate but it fundamentally changed his life for the better in many ways.  He is a cancer survivor and if that is not enough he is also an accomplished Chef that has taken some of our favorite foods, like Cheesecake, and created Gluten Free versions that will make a believer out of even the most discriminating palate.  Joseph goes into detail about some of his favorite places to eat and even mentions several local establishments that are known to go out of their way for Celiac and Gluten Intolerant guests.  If you are new to NWA and were wondering if there were any really good Gluten Free options this episode is for you.  All of this and more on this episode of I am Northwest Arkansas.   Important Links and Mentions on the Show: Joseph’s Youtube Channel - Joe The Bald Bearded Guy Havana in Rogers Tzatziki’s - Fayetteville and Bentonville Mellow Mushroom - Fayetteville McDonald’s Chipotle Nomads Trailside - Fayetteville PF Chang’s - Rogers Khana Grill - Fayetteville Tavola - Bentonville The Preachers Son - Bentonville - Chef Matt Cooper Wheat Belly - Book Dr. William Davis (Affiliate Link) The Plant Paradox - Dr. Stephen Gundry (Affiliate Link) This episode is sponsored by: Email info@iamnorthwestarkansas.com to learn more about sponsorship opportunities. Connect more with I am Northwest Arkansas: Join our Email List! Email Us hello@iamnorthwestarkansas.com Connect With Our Facebook Page https://www.Facebook.com/iamnorthwestarkansas/ Connect With Our Twitter @iamnorthwestar1 Connect With Our Instagram @iamnorthwestarkansas Join The Facebook Group https://www.Facebook.com/groups/iamnorthwestarkansas Connect with our Fearless Host Randy Wilburn on LinkedIn  Thank you for listening to this episode of the I am Northwest Arkansas podcast. We showcase businesses, culture, entrepreneurship, and the lives of everyday people making Northwest Arkansas what it is today.  Please consider making a one-time donation to our production team through PayPal to help with the expenses of keeping this podcast running smoothly https://www.paypal.me/encouragebuildgrow

Isaac and Tom discuss and recap S4E1 'Yes, We Have No Havanas'!

Today marks the one year anniversary of the show! This episode welcomes in a new era as Will Havanas makes his first of many appearances. My new partner in crime and I tackle the Super Bowl, Nick Foles future, Tom Brady's legacy, College Football recruiting, and much much more! thanks for listening to this very special episode!!

Fee De Marbourg On this episode I am going to cover the Fee de Marbourg. Now online there is not a lot of information about this breed, for example from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia; "The Fee de Marbourg rabbit (or Marburger) is a medium sized rabbit which originates from Germany, with Havana heritage, which is lilac in color." Now much of this history I was able to get from Domestic Rabbits and their Histories by Bob Whitman, which we will have a link to in the show notes. Germany is the original home of the Fee De Marbourg, also know as the Marburger. It was created by Miss Marie Sandemann. In 1912 she was given a rabbit from Mr. L. Peter, who was the caretaker of the school that her nephew attended. Miss Sandemann also raised Havanas, and she was delighted with the unusual color of this particular specimen, which was a doe, that had been breed from Mr. Peter's Havanas. She mated the doe with a silver colored buck, and all the offspring were black. The doe from Mr. Peter died when the litter was 10 weeks old, so she selected a Black doe and mated back to a Havana. In the subsequent litter they were mostly Blacks and Havanas except for one which was thew beautiful grey coloration of the original doe, although this one was a buck. Marie Sandemann quickly set out to fix the color, and showed the breed first as "Feh" in 1915. There was tremendous excitement from fellow fanciers when they first saw the little grey rabbits which carried a light reddish cast to the fur, which is similar to some of the lilacs of today. A rabbit judge by the name of Kemp became excited about the breed and dedicated himself to having them recognized. The breed was given a standard and approved by the Reichsverband Deutscher Kiminchenzuchter in 1924 under the name of Feh De Marbourg. The term "Feh" has been chosen by German furriers to indicate the color, which greatly resembled the Siberian Squirrel. Although the breed is actually a Lilac, the Germans have bred for a deeper color, which sets this breed apart. The breed is recognized in a number of European countries and weigh in at 2 to 3.5 kg or 4lb 6oz to 7lb 11 oz. A second history I found online was from a website called Omlet, which we will have a link to in our show notes. This breed was developed in Germany in 1916. Marburgers were created by crossing Vienna Blues with Havanas. The offspring created were then crossed with light colored black Silvers to create the Marburger breed. This breed was important in the development of the Lux breed. The Marburger breed was officially recognized in Germany in 1920. This breed is only popular and well known on mainland Europe with it being almost unheard of elsewhere. These rabbits weigh between 2 and 3.5kg. Marburger rabbits are friendly, with a lively nature. This breed only comes in the one blue color, and their Status is Rare Sometimes the Fee De Marbourg is mistaken for a Lilac. The Lilac is recognized by both the BRC (British Rabbit Council) and the ARBA (American Rabbit Breeders Association). The Lilac has been called the Essex Lavender and then the Cambridge Blue in the past. It is also known as 'Gouda' and the Dutch Gouwenaar in Norway, Denmark, Finland, the Netherlands, France and Germany. With many of the Lilacs' being crossed with Havana's such as the cross of the Blue Imperial and a Havana and called it the Essex Lavender, or the cross of a Havana with a Blue Beveran and calling it a Cambridge Blue, it is easy to see how the Fee De Marbourg could be mistaken for a lilac, but the Marburger, which is darker and more bluish than the Lilac, is recognized in Germany, the Netherlands, Denmark, Norway, and Finland. As we covered, this breed has been breed to be a bit darker and a reddish tone to the "Lilac". https://www.omlet.us/breeds/rabbits/marburger/ http://www.justrabbits.com/lilac-rabbit.html https://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=de&u=http://www.rabbitdaisy.de/rasse-a-m/marburger-feh.htm&prev=search I would like to thank those that purchased through the Amazon link at the Hare of the Rabbit web site, some of those purchases are: Cultures of the World! Brazil, Argentina & Costa Rica - Culture for Kids - Children's Cultural Studies Books My Awesome Japan Adventure: A Diary about the Best 4 Months Ever! Gin and Tonic 4 Spices Kit Gin Flavoring Spices Carmencita Gin Botanicals Donatina Visits Brazil Sara Sushi Visits Japan This weeks item is A 2018 Rabbit Easel Calendar! Beautiful art calendar featuring full-color illustrations throughout Monthly calendars note US national holidays Ample space provided for writing down appointments and special occasions Rabbit Calls a Truce http://www.native-languages.org/penobscotstory.htm In the long ago when Glooscap ruled over the Wabanaki, there lived two lively animals, Keoonik the Otter, and Ableegumooch the Rabbit, who were forever playing tricks on each other. One day, when Keoonik was in swimming, Ableegumooch ran off with a string of eels he had left on the shore. Keoonik rushed out of the water and went in angry pursuit. He had no difficulty in tracking the rabbit, for the mark of the fish, touching the ground between jumps, clearly showed the way. He was astonished, however, when the trail ended at a clearing in the woods where a withered old woman sat by a small fire. "Kwah-ee, Noogumee," said Keoonik, using the formal address for an elderly female. "Did you see a rabbit hopping this way, dragging a string of eels?" "Rabbit? Rabbit?" muttered the old woman. "What kind of animal is that?" The otter explained that it was a small brown jumping creature with long ears and a short tail. "I saw no such animal," the old woman grumbled, "but I'm glad you came along, for I'm cold and sick. Do please gather a little wood for my fire." Obligingly, Keoonik went off to do so. Returning with the wood, he stared around in surprise. The old woman was gone. On the spot where she had sat, he saw the mark of a rabbit's haunches, and familiar paw-prints leading away in to the woods. Then he remembered that Ableegumooch was very clever at changing his appearance and fooling people. "Oh, that miserable rabbit!" cried Keoonik and set off again on the trail. This time the tracks led straight to a village of the Penobscot people, where Keoonik could see the rabbit in conversation with a thin sad man wearing the feather of a Chief in his hair string. The wily otter cut himself a stout stick and waited behind a tree. Presently, Ableegumooch came strolling down the path, his face creased in an absent-minded frown. Keoonik was ready for him. He brought the stick down on the rabbit's head with a thud, and Ableegumooch collapsed on the grass. "That should teach him," thought Keoonik, with satisfaction, and he sat down to wait for the rabbit to recover. Presently Ableegumooch came to his senses and staggered to his feet with a dazed expression. "What did you do with my eels?" demanded Keoonik. "I gave them to the people," muttered the rabbit, exploring the bump on his head with a groan. "What did you do that for, you silly creature?" "Those Penobscots are starving, Keoonik," said the rabbit. "For many moons someone has been stealing their food." "Just the same," grumbled Keoonik, "those were my eels." The rabbit thumped his hind legs on the ground with an air of great determination. "Keoonik, we must find the robbers and punish them!" "We?" asked Keoonik in astonishment. "Yes, you and I," said his companion firmly. "Let there be a truce between us until we discover the thieves." Keoonik thought to himself that Ableegumooch was a fine one to complain of people stealing other people's food! However, he too felt sorry for the Penobscots. "All right," he agreed. "We'll have a truce," and they shook hands solemnly. Then they started back to the village to ask the Chief what they might do to help, but when they were still some way off they saw two other animals talking to him. These were Uskoos the Weasel and Abukcheech the Mouse, two animals so troublesome even their own families would have nothing to do with them. "Let's listen," whispered Ableegumooch, drawing Keoonik behind a tree. "We will find those robbers for you, Chief," they heard Uskoos say. "Don't you worry about a thing." "You can depend on us," chimed in Abukcheech. Ableegumooch nudged the otter. "Did you hear that?" "I heard," said Keoonik. "So the people don't need our help after all." "I wonder," said the rabbit thoughtfully. "What do you wonder? And why are we whispering?" "Shhh! Let's think about it a little, Keoonik. Have you any idea how those two get their living? They sleep all day and go hunting only after dark." "Some of us like to hunt after dark," Keoonik said fairly. "Well, but listen," said the rabbit. "All the fur robes in the camp have been chewed and scratched and spoiled. What animals chew and scratch wherever they go?" "Weasels and mice," answered Keoonik promptly. "Very well. Let's follow them and see what happens." So Keoonik and Ableegumooch, keeping out of sight themselves, followed the weasel and the mouse a very long way, to a large burrow in the side of a hill where a number of other weasels and mice of bad reputation were gathered. All greeted Uskoos and Abukcheech and listened to what they had to say, while the rabbit and otter, hidden behind a blueberry bush, listened too. "We were very sympathetic," smirked Uskoos, "and said we would help them." "So now they won't suspect us," said Abukcheech, and all the mice and weasels chortled gleefully. "It is time now," said Uskoos, "to call all the animals together and plan the conquest of the Penobscots. For we are smarter than the people and deserve to have all the food for ourselves." "Very true!" all shouted. "How will we get the rest to join us?" asked Abukcheech. "The smaller ones will be afraid to say no to us," declared Uskoos. "We will use trickery on the others. We will tell them the Penobscots plan to destroy all the animals in the land, and we must unite in order to defend ourselves." "Then, with Wolf and Bear and Moose to help us," cried Abukcheech, "we'll soon have all the people at our mercy!" The otter and the rabbit could hardly believe their ears. Someone must warn the people. "Come on," whispered Keoonik, but the rabbit only crouched where he was, tense and unmoving. The fact is, he wanted to sneeze! Ableegumooch wanted to sneeze more than he ever wanted to sneeze in his life before, but he mustn't sneeze--the sound would give them away. So he tried and he tried to hold that sneeze back. He pressed his upper lip, he grew red in the face, and his eyes watered-- but nothing was any good. "Ahhhhhh-ahhhhhh-choo!" Instantly, the weasels and mice pounced on Keoonik and Ableegumooch and dragged them out of hiding. "Spies!" growled Uskoos. "Kill them, kill them!" screamed Abukcheech. "I have a better plan," said Uskoos. "These two will be our first recruits." Then he told the prisoners they must become members of his band, or be killed. Poor Ableegumooch. Poor Keoonik. They did not wish to die, yet they could never do as the thieves wished, for the Penobscots were their friends. Ableegumooch opened his mouth, meaning to defy the villains no matter what the consequences, and then his mouth snapped shut. He had heard a strange sound, the sound of a flute piping far away, and he knew what it was. It was the magic flute of Glooscap, and the Great Chief was sending him a message. Into the rabbit's head popped the memory of something Glooscap had said to him once long ago, half in fun, half in earnest. "Ableegumooch," he seemed to hear the words again, "the best way to catch a snake is to think like a snake!" At once the rabbit understood. He set himself to think like the mice and the weasels, feeling the greed and selfishness that was in them. Then he had a plan. "Very well," he said, "we will join you. Those people are certainly very cruel and dishonest. They deserve the worst that can happen to them. Why, only yesterday"--and here he gave Keoonik a secret nudge--"my friend and I saw them hide away a great store of food in a secret place. Didn't we, Keoonik?" "Oh, yes, certainly," stammered Keoonik, wondering what trick the rabbit was up to now. The weasels and mice jumped about in mad excitement. "Where? Where? Where is this place?" "Take us there at once!" cried Uskoos, licking his lips. "Certainly," said Ableegumooch, starting old towards the woods. "Just follow us." Abukcheech the Mouse was right at their heels, but Uskoos soon shouldered him aside. Then each animal fought to be in front, and in this way all rushed through the forest, across the meadows, down into the valleys and over the hills, until at last--pushing and panting and grunting, they all reached the bottom of a grassy hill. Ableegumooch pointed to a pile of rocks at the top. "You will find the wealth you seek up there," he cried. "Hurry, hurry! The best will go to those who get there first." Away they all went, each struggling to be first. The rabbit and the otter stood aside and watched as the wild mob scrambled up the hill--up and up until suddenly, too late to stop, they found themselves teetering on the edge of a cliff, with nothing in front of them but space, and the sea far below. Those who were first tried to stop but were pushed over by those crowding behind and so, screaming with terror, down they all went, headlong into the sea. "Well," said Keoonik, peering over the edge of the cliff with a shiver, "their nations are well rid of them." "So are the Penobscots," said the rabbit. "And now that together we have saved our friends from the mice and the weasels, Keoonik, let us go home together in peace as good neighbours should." "I'm willing," said the otter, but he had no sooner taken a step than he sprawled on the ground. Ableegumooch had tripped him. "That's for the knock on the head!" the rabbit laughed, and made for the woods. Picking himself up furiously, Keoonik was after him, shouting, "Just wait till I catch you, I'll teach you to play tricks!" Their truce was over. And Glooscap, looking down from Blomidon, laughed at their antics, for he knew that with all their mischief there was no greed or spite in the hearts of Keoonik and Ableegumooch, against the people or against each other. Word of the week: Hospital     © Copyrighted

Zoë + Josh Weiner discuss the Golden Girls episode, "Yes, We Have No Havanas." (cheesecake and all!)

This week we are going to explore the Havana Rabbit breed. If you would like to support the podcast, you can support through Patreon for one dollar a month. Patreon is an established online platform that allows fans to provide regular financial support to creators. Thank you for listening. If you would like to support the podcast, and keep the lights on, you can support us whenever you use Amazon through the link: It will not cost you anything extra, and I can not see who purchased what. When I hear the name Havana rabbit I picture a rabbit that came from Cuba, but as we have discovered several times the breed is named for a place that it does not originate from. The Havana rabbit originates in Holland, not the Caribbean as you might expect. They get their name from the fact that the chocolate variety closely resembles the color of the deep brown Havana cigars, not because the breed hails from Cuba. When you think Havanas, think cigars, not Cuba. The rich dark brown coloration of the original Havanas was reminiscent of Havana cigars to the early breeders, hence the name was applied to the newly developed breed.  The Havana Rabbit had its beginnings in a small Dutch village near Utrecht, Holland (not Cuba), in 1898, by total accident. History Havana Journey: A rabbit farmer named Mr. Honders tossed a newly acquired common farm rabbit into the stable with his other communal rabbits. The black and white doe was bred by who knows which of the bucks in the farmer’s warren, and soon gave birth to a litter of brown and white rabbits with modified Dutch markings. The Havana’s journey began with breeders’ vision, work, and dedication since it first arrived on the rabbit scene in 1898. The rabbit breed known as ‘The Mink of the Rabbit Family’ includes an evolution defining its type today into the lovely compact breed known for its intense color and luxurious fur. I thought this would be an appropriate time to trace the Havana evolution to its breed standard today. Because of their unusual chocolate color, the farmer retained these offspring for further breeding. Being chocolate, their eyes had the typical ruby glow in them when viewed in bright light. It was anything but usual to Mr. Honders. He named these new rabbits “Fire-Eyes of Ingen” (Ingensche Vuuroog). The rabbits were a dark reddish brown, and weighed around 7.5 pounds. For a brief historical overview, the Chocolate variety of the Havana was the first, and appeared in a litter of a Dutch marked doe in Ingen, Holland in 1898. These new rabbits were first given the name of Ingensche Veuoraoz, “Fire-eye from Ingen,” because of the unusual ruby glow to the eyes when viewed in good light. The breed soon became known as “Havana” after the rich chocolate color of Havana cigars. Havanas were soon being bred in France, Switzerland, and Germany and Chocolate Havana of widely different types were displayed at various shows in Europe. In the first decade of 1900, the new chocolate rabbits quickly made their way through Europe via Switzerland and Germany. They varied wildly in type, size, and quality. Little by little, Havanas began to look like Havanas, as breeders used out-crosses to correct faults and enhance fur quality. They showed up in the UK in 1908. England’s National Havana Club formed in 1920. The breed also made its way to the USA in 1916. The Havana breed made its way to the United States and was accepted into the ARBA in 1916 as the ‘Standard Havana’. Havana quickly became popular due to their eye appeal and their mink-like fur quality and texture, which placed Havana pelts in great demand. The Havana Rabbit Breeders Association was established in 1925. The Havana Club in the US was formed in 1920. At the time, the rabbit was still 7+ pounds, and reportedly difficult to breed. Over the next 30 years, Havanas took two shapes - large and small. The heavyweight variety never caught on, but the medium-sized Havana we know today was well-received. Lee Own Stamm originated the Blues in 1965 and the Blacks in 1980. The Havana of today evolved from a much different type. Havana breed is based on intense color and mink-like fur, and the emphasis of those features becoming more intense over the years. The compact body type, however, has evolved over the decades to the standard we depict today. 1914 In the 1914 ‘Rabbit Culture and Standard,’ The Complete and Official Standard of all the Rabbits (1), “Havanas were one of the latest varieties listed… The correct color listing was described as dark brown to dark chestnut brown and blood red brown changing with the varying light.” The development of two distinctly different sizes of Havana were being exhibited, with one a smaller, neat, short-coated variety and “… larger ones often exhibit a dewlap and are somewhat coarse and awkward looking.” The 1914 standard reflects the importance of color with 30 points and type with 30 points; however fur was only allotted 10 points and was to be short, fine and silky. 1920’s In the 1926-27 and 1928-29 editions of The American Rabbit and Cavy Breeders Association Guidebook and Standard, the Havanas were listed as “one of the most beautiful fur breeds and a very useful rabbit for their skins require no dying but can be used in the natural state as the rich chocolate color is very attractive...” Havana Rabbit Club Standard continues to emphasis color with 30 points, and the coat was to be short, fine and silky and cut severely for white hairs. Type was still being determined as the breed tried to meet the demand for beautiful pelts. Senior weights were 4 ½ to 7 pounds exhibiting quite a range. 1930’s The 1930’s appeared to be a period when the Havana was being defined as to type. The Standard Havana description began to change to make room for a new variety. There were now 2 varieties, chocolate in color, known as the Standard and the Heavyweights. The Heavyweights were later called the American Havana, with an ideal weight of 9 pounds. The emphasis was for a larger fur pelt which was in high demand at the time; however they lost much of the body type and quality of fur and the Heavyweights were dropped from the standard by the 1940’s. Meanwhile, in 1930, Mr. Walter Huey discovered a new mutation of Havana with an entirely new coat mutation. Initially, these ‘Havanas’ were known as Satin Havana and shown in competition against the Standard Havana; however there was a storm of protest. From this protest came the acknowledgment that the coats were an entirely new coat mutation and we had the start of the Satin breed with the White Satin. Satin Havana Mutation In 1934, the Satin mutation occurred in Indiana. For a short time, they were recognized as a variety of Havanas, however they were unfair competition since the satin shine was so striking. By 1946, breeders of satinized rabbits organized a national club for a dedicated Satin Rabbit breed. 1940’s - 1980’s The Standard Havana continues to be recognized for its coat which is often called near mink. The most recent variety is broken, achieving acceptance in 2008 thanks to the efforts of Brad and Katie Boyce. Brad and Katie Boyce presented the Broken, which was accepted in 2008. Julie Spier presented the Lilac, which was accepted in 2016, providing the breed with the five varieties accepted in the standard and shown today. The flatter body type of the time is reflected in the standard description: “The body shall be cobby type, rather flat and compact, with full, meaty shoulders, tapering slightly to broader and higher haunches. Avoid snaky and too-rounded type, high, rounded hips, or hips cut in under. The head should have a short neck, having full appearance of head being joined directly to shoulders.” The emphasis is on the bold eye reflecting the origin of the breed and on meaty shoulders and broader hindquarters. The breed is ancestral to several others, including the Fee de Marbourg, Perlefee and Gris Perle de Hal. TODAY The Havana of today embraces the compact body type in its definition. General type of the competitive Havana is rather short and compact, tapering slightly from hindquarters to shoulders. Top body line should be a continuous curve from the ear base with a high point over the center of the hips and falling in a smooth curve to the base of the tail. Judging continues to emphasize the breed’s best characteristics: color and fur with 45 points, and a compact type with lots of depth balancing width for 45 points. Eye appeal of an animal that is full, smooth, and well rounded, displaying intense color with lots of luster and mink-like texture of fur is the standard to strive for. Body Havanas are small-medium sized rabbits with short, deep bodies and deep, rich color. Their lustrous fur gives them the nickname “the mink of the rabbit family.” Although they don’t often catch the fancy of pet owners, their beautiful type is a joy to the practiced eye of judges and breeders. The Havana rabbit is a compact breed that should not exceed 6.5 lbs. They have short, rounded bodies. The top line should form a half-circle that rises over the hips before or down to the tail. They have short, straight legs with dark-colored toenails, short ears which are relatively close together, medium-sized eyes and a short head with full cheeks. Approximate Size: 4 1/2 to 6 1/2 pounds Havanas are recognized by the American Rabbit Breeders Association in four color types: chocolate, blue, black, lilac, broken and which is best described as a mix of colors that looks like a Dalmatian. Their average weight is between 4.5 pounds (2.0 kg) and 6.5 pounds (2.9 kg). Coat This breed of rabbit has short, soft, fly-back fur that does not much need maintenance to keep in tip-top condition. To keep their shedding to a minimum, indoor rabbits can be groomed once a week with a slick brush and when shedding time comes around (around Spring), increasing their brushing to twice a week. In any show breed, there’s the ideal type – that wonderful, deep, smooth, sleek body – and then there’s what representatives of the breed really look like. No matter what the standard says, how close does that breed come to meeting it, on average? In some breeds, the real and the ideal are rather a long ways from each other. But there are a few breeds that have been developed to the point where the average show breed is a fine representation of the standard, and the best ones are nearly perfect. One of those breeds is the Havana. It’s no wonder that Havanas are often honored with the Best in Show award at local, state, and even national levels. There’s nothing particularly flashy about this breed, such as might grab a pet owner’s attention, but to the trained eye of a judge, a top notch Havana is simply breathtaking. The body type is incredibly short and deep, approaching a “half basketball” shape when viewed from the side. When viewed from the top, the hindquarters evenly taper to the shoulders. Ideally there should be no flat or narrow spots in the body type, no squared hips, no pinched hindquarters. The head and ears are of medium length and balance with the body. Although type is important, the coat and color are to be given strong consideration as well. Havanas have fly-backs – fur that returns very quickly to its usual position when the rabbit is stroked from tail to head. Havanas do not have a Satin sheen, but their fur does carry an unusually high luster. There are currently four recognized colors: black, blue, chocolate, and broken. The solid colors are all of a dark, rich shade. Havanas have short, fly-back coats which need minimal grooming. A quick brushing once a week should be enough to keep your rabbit looking his best. You can also go over their coat with slightly damp hands to remove static. Havanas may need more frequent grooming when they are molting. Things to Avoid: A long, narrow, or flat body. Flatness over the shoulders. Narrowness over the loin. Hips that are pinched or undercut. Roughness over the spine or hips. Long head or long neck. Unmatched toenails are a disqualification. Color that looks faded, light, rusty, mealy, or has scattered white hairs. Care Requirements: Like any other breed of rabbit, Havana bunnies require a diet consisting of pellets. The rest of their diet is made up a healthy balance of hay, leafy greens, fruits and vegetables. Be aware of what kind of leafy greens you feed your rabbit, as some of them (like iceberg lettuce) contain no great amount of vitamins or nutrients and contain laudanum, which can be harmful in large quantities. Also be careful of what kind of vegetables you decide to feed your rabbit, as some of things are harmful, and some fruits contain too much sugar. Havana rabbits do well whether they are indoors or outdoors, provided they are given plenty of room in their enclosures to stretch their legs and catch some much-needed sunshine. Outdoor enclosures should be made of wood or wire and need to be raised off the ground in order to provide protection from wildlife. Indoor rabbit enclosures should be made of wire and have bedding that should be spot-cleaned every day for cleanliness and completely changed out at the end of every week. Health The Havana rabbit is not known to be susceptible to any particular health issues, but like any other rabbit, measures must be taken in order to raise a healthy, happy rabbit. Remember to check their mouths once every week or two for ingrown teeth, which can grow into their jaw and faces and cause a lot of pain. The best way to prevent overgrown teeth is to have a proper diet with hay, as the hay will naturally file down their teeth. Should you rabbit live outdoors, be aware that they will be more susceptible to fly-strike. Fly-strike is an extremely painful condition in which flies lay their eggs in a rabbit’s fur near dirty areas. When the eggs hatch, they begin sustaining themselves by way of eating your rabbit from the inside out. In order to avoid fly-strike, always check your rabbit for dirt or feces stuck on their coat. Always make sure your rabbit’s enclosure and coat is clean and that your rabbit’s eating habits remain constant. Should you decide to spay or neuter your rabbit, some owners notice that their rabbit tends to be less aggressive. However the Havana rabbit is not known to be hostile, so neutering them may do nothing to their personality. Does can be spayed once they are 4-6 months old while bucks can be neutered as young as 3 and a half months old. Temperament/behavior The Havana Rabbit is known for having a relaxed, friendly personality. However there are also examples that have been known to have a bit of an attitude so it’s well worth researching the lines you’re thinking of purchasing from to make sure that all of his relatives have been even tempered. As long as he’s been allowed to get used to humans and other pets from an early age your Havana rabbit should be calm and able to cope with human interaction without getting stressed. It’s vital that anyone who’s going to be charged with looking after the rabbit knows exactly how to handle it as they can struggle if they feel vulnerable or uncomfortable when picked up. Despite his small size, he will be very strong and can kick and scratch, potentially injuring himself or his handler. Most rabbits are active in the morning and the evening and he will be grateful for boxes, tubes and toys to play with. Rabbits are sweet creatures who easily bond with their human family so long as they are given time and space to properly socialize on their own terms. While not the most energetic rabbit breed by any means, these medium-sized rabbits are perfectly capable of running around indoors or out and letting out a little mid-air hop. Should you decide to engage in some one-on-one playtime, you may find that your particular rabbit enjoys some ear or head scratches and some gentle back petting. Because of its medium size, the Havana rabbit makes a great pet for families with children of any age. Because it isn’t too high energy, it makes an attractive pet for seniors looking for a fuzzy companion in their lives. Some rabbits need to be entertained with many toys (whether it is a store-bought one or something as simple as a toilet paper roll is entirely up to you), others don’t need much to keep them happy. It all depends on your particular rabbit’s personality. When it comes to potty-training your rabbit, you may find it is significantly more difficult than training another pet such as a cat or dog. While more challenging, it is definitely not impossible to litter-train rabbits but they do require much more patience and time than other animals. Many pet parents have found that placing several litter boxes around the house works best, as your rabbit won’t have to travel to the other side of your house to do the deed and risk not making it. If you would like more info on a House rabbit, you can check out the house rabbit episode. uses Rabbits tend to be bred for one of four things: meat, fur, show, or pet use. Havana rabbits are usually show rabbits, and are very popular as such. They come very close to their breed standard, often winning top honors at local and national shows. Often referred to as the ‘mink of the rabbit family’. Club The American Rabbit Breeders Association (ARBA) maintains the breed standard for all of the recognized rabbit and cavy breeds for it's international membership. Recognized breeds are eligible for Registration and Grand Champion recognition. The AMERICAN RABBIT BREEDERS ASSOCIATION, INC. is an organization dedicated to the promotion, development, and improvement of the domestic rabbit and cavy. In the USA, Havanas weigh 4.5 - 6.5 pounds. They have a compact body type, and are useful for show and pets. And additionally, their fur has a special glossiness, which makes it great should you also wish to utilize their pelts. One is not limited to Chocolate. Four additional varieties have been accepted in the US: Blue, Black, lilac and brokens. The British Rabbit Council (BRC) is a British showing organization for rabbit breeders. Today, the BRC among other things investigates rabbit diseases, maintains a catalog of rabbit breeds, and sets rules for about 1,000 rabbit shows annually in the UK. In the UK, Havanas are dark chocolate “with a purplish sheen.” The glossy normal fur is approximately 1 inch in length. Havanas should weigh 2.722 kg (6 pounds) with a half-pound latitude permitted either way. Have I Missed Anything about the Havana? If you know something about the breed standard, history or status of the Havana rabbit, please let me know. Do You Have a Story About The Havana? What do you love about them? Do you have any tips or tricks up your sleeve for what might make the Havana happiest? Perhaps you're a breeder of the Havana rabbit. Let me know, and maybe we can set up an interview? http://www.thenaturetrail.com/rabbit-breeds/havana-rabbit-breed-information/ http://rabbitbreeders.us/havana-rabbits https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Havana_(rabbit) http://www.raising-rabbits.com/havana-rabbit.html http://www.petguide.com/breeds/rabbit/havana-rabbit/ https://www.pets4homes.co.uk/breeds/rabbits/havana/ http://www.havanarb.net/breed-history.html Plant of the Week: Wheat Word of the Week: Brilliant Every week I would like to bring you an item on Amazon that I personally use or has been purchased by many members of the audience, and I have researched enough to recommend. Today’s HOTR Amazon Item of the week is the This weeks item is a Headlamp:   This weeks item is a NiteCore Cree Headlamp. I use this NiteCore Cree Headlamp to check on my rabbits outside. This is Purpose-designed for hiking, climbing, camping and general outdoor recreation. It is All metal high-performance dual-beam headlamp Aluminum "unibody" construction is highly rugged and provides excellent cooling performance. It Utilizes a premium CREE XM-L2 (T6) LED Powered by a single 18650 lithium-ion battery for up to 565 lumens of output. High-efficiency circuit provides up to 400 hours of run-time. It produces an extremely wide beam. This is probably the best NiteCore Cree Headlamp I've found to-date. What I like about the NiteCore Cree Headlamp: It's bright - for most stuff, the 2 highest settings are way more than you'd want for anything that's within a few yards of you. It'll also blind anyone you're looking at. Easy to use control buttons. Built in red lamp which is useful for retaining your night vision. I think the red light level is just about right - you're really not going to see anything more than a few yards out with it, but it's meant to preserve your night vision. It would be nice if you could adjust the brightness, but that would just be a nice bonus. This has long battery life - I usually use this at the 2nd dimmest level as that's enough for most projects, and I get many many hours. I usually re-charge it once a month, and I use it several times a week or more. The only real issue is the strap isn't the greatest. I usually have to have it on a little tighter than I'd prefer for longer usage duration to keep it from falling off if I'm sideways or upside down. If you're not contorting yourself in crazy positions it probably won't be an issue. You can also put the NiteCore Cree Headlamp on over a hat. Rabbit Dance an Oneida legend retold by Desiree Barber http://www.uwosh.edu/coehs/cmagproject/ethnomath/legend/legend16.htm Long ago, two hunters went hunting deer for their village. They hunted for a very long time without seeing any signs of deer, but they didn't return to the village for they knew they had to provide food for the winter. Suddenly, they heard a very loud thump! They stopped and listened to see if there would be another thump, and sure enough, they heard it again! This time the thump was louder, "THUMP!" One hunter said to the other, "What is that?" The other hunter said, "I don't know, but IT sounds very close!" So, both hunters got on their bellies and crawled to a nearby clearing surrounded by bushes. In the center of the clearing they saw the biggest rabbit they had ever seen! The first hunter started to aim his bow and arrow at the huge rabbit, but the second hunter stopped him and said, "Let's wait to see what he is going to do." Both hunters waited and watched the huge rabbit as he lifted one of his big back legs and thumped it three times on the ground. Then, out from every direction hopped regular sized rabbits. The hunters watched very closely not wanting to miss anything. The little rabbits gathered around the big rabbit, and the big rabbit began to thump his back leg in a pattern as the little rabbits danced. The hunters watched in awe as the rabbits danced. Then the big rabbit thumped his leg in the directions in which the hunters lay. The huge rabbit looked in that direction and leaped into the sky. Then all the rabbits quickly hopped away. The hunters watched still in awe. They realized they had to go back to the village and tell the people what they had seen and heard. They ran all the way to the village and asked if they could speak to the elders. After they told their story, one of the elders said, "Show us how the beat and the dance went." The hunters showed them exactly what the rabbits did. Another elder said, "The rabbits gave this dance to tell us to show them respect and appreciation for what they give to us. We will name the dance after them, and we will dance it at our socials to show them our gratitude." So this is the way it was then and is now. That is how the rabbit dance came to be. News http://www.mauinews.com/opinion/columns/2017/06/rabbit-fever-could-be-deadly/ It is the law in Hawaii to keep rabbits contained and off the ground if they are outside. Environmental impacts not withstanding, rabbits also pose a threat to human health. Tularemia, aka “rabbit fever,” can be a serious disease for both humans and animals. Several years ago, a researcher working with sparrows at a rabbit farm on Maui fell ill. He was fev-erish and tired, then started getting sores on his skin. Doctors weren’t sure what it was and although he was never officially diagnosed, he responded to treatment for tularemia, a disease caused by a bacteria carried by rabbits, rodents and other animals. Officially, tularemia has never been documented in Hawaii. It’s difficult to culture the bacterium and handling it poses a significant infection risk to lab workers. “If not here, there is a real threat that tularemia could, at any time, be introduced into Hawaii. It affects so many animal species, and once here, mosquitoes and other blood-sucking arthropods could spread it, “says Fern Duvall, head of Maui’s Native Ecosystem Protection and Management program with the Department of Land and Natural Resources. On the Mainland, where tularemia is widely present, the disease is rare among people. They are exposed to the disease if they handle infected animals, or if bitten by ticks or another insect that fed on an infected animal. When bacteria come in contact with the skin, they cause ulcers that spread through the body, eventually reaching the lungs. If the bacteria are inhaled, the results can be deadly. Occasionally, there are serious localized outbreaks of the disease. The summers of 2000-01 saw 19 cases of tularemia on Martha’s Vineyard, Mass., and one proved fatal. The Centers for Disease Control came to investigate. An unusually high number (14 out of 19) had pneumonia (the bacteria had entered the lungs) and many involved landscapers. What the CDC suspected was that lawnmowers or other cutting tools struck the carcasses of dead, infected rabbits and the bacteria went airborne. In 2015, there were outbreaks in Colorado, Wyoming, South Dakota and Nebraska. The CDC theorized these outbreaks may have been triggered by increases in rabbit populations, which grew in response to more vegetation, caused by higher than normal rainfall. Vegetation, rainfall and landscapers are plentiful in Hawaii; what we don’t have are populations of rabbits running wild — at least not yet. According to state law, people can keep rabbits but they must be contained. If kept outside, rabbits must be in a cage off the ground. The penalties for noncompliance may reflect the seriousness of the threat: loss of your pet, fines or even jail time. Duvall says the natural predators of rabbits in Hawaii — cats, rats or mongoose — are unlikely to keep populations of wild rabbits in check. Rabbits evolved with a multitude of predators: weasels, coyotes, bobcats, owls, hawks, snakes, foxes and raccoons. To survive high mortality rates, they breed like, well, rabbits. The female (doe) can become pregnant with her first litter at 3 months of age, and again just a month later, within days of giving birth. One pair of rabbits can produce 100 kits (baby rabbits) per season, and up to 1,000 in a lifetime. “We know they can become invasive,” explains Duvall. In 1989, six illegally released rabbits quickly became 100 at Hosmer Grove in Haleakala National Park. On Laysan, a small island in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, free-roaming rabbits ate the island bare in the early 1900s, likely causing the extinction of three bird species — Laysan millerbird, Laysan apapane and Laysan rail. Beyond environmental impacts, rabbits running wild increase the risk of tularemia. “Rabbits are more often in contact with people,” explains Duvall. Whether as pets kept outdoors or released to the wild, more rabbits means more rabbit-human interactions. Other pets can be affected: dogs, cats and livestock can get tularemia from ticks or direct contact with an infected animal. Early treatment with antibiotics is critical. You can help protect Hawaii. If you have a pet rabbit, spay or neuter it. If you raise rabbits, keep them contained. If you see a rabbit running wild, report it. Call the Maui Invasive Species Committee at 573-6472. Irish R&B Trio Hare Squead’s New Video Is Just The Thing For A Rainy Summer Day http://www.thefader.com/2017/06/09/hare-squead-video-pure-premiere Ireland's imaginative rap and R&B group Hare Squead presents a new video for their soulful track “Pure." Before this release, the Dublin trio appeared on Goldlink's recent At What Cost album, crooning on the song, "Herside Story". In their latest visual, the three artists find themselves on a mental journey, on what seems to be a long day of looking for escape. They play pool and carouse through the city in a G-Class Benz, singing “I just want to leave sometimes/ You should let me breathe sometimes.” “This song represents more of a serious side," Hare Squead told The FADER over email. "We recorded it in a haunted studio in a village in Ireland where Michael Jackson used to record. We were very inspired by old antiques and eerie fields and that had a play on the whole vibe of the track. The meaning of the track is something personal, each of us has a different interpretation. Overall, we could say the meaning of the song is about how fresh love and pure intentions get twisted and messed up as we struggle and fail to understand one another. It's not a summer song. Play it on that one day it rains in the summer.” http://vevo.ly/yPXDHn Peter Sallis, voice in 'Wallace and Gromit,' dies at 96 And with him, one of the great characters in animation. http://www.metro.us/entertainment/movies/peter-sallis-wallace-and-gromit-dies Peter Sallis is one of those actors you probably know more by his voice than his face. He was one of England’s many go-to workhorse actors, appearing on stage and on screen, but usually in minor roles. (These include tiny parts in “Saturday Night and Sunday Morning,” the Timothy Dalton “Wuthering Heights” from 1970 and 2005’s “Colour Me Kubrick.”) But his most famous turn was a biggie. He was the voice of Wallace, the absentminded, cheese-loving inventor of the beloved “Wallace and Gromit” stop-motion animation series — one of the great British exports of the ’80s through the early 2010s. It’s reported that Sallis has died. He was 96 years old. Sallis’ passing leaves us bereft of one of movies’ and television’s most soothing sounds. Hearing him say, in his Northern English drawl, “Cracking good cheese, Gromit,” caused a Pavlovian chill in fans of the franchise, which spanned four award-wining shorts, a television show (2010’s “Wallace and Gromit’s World of Invention,” Sallis’ last credit) and, sadly, only one (delightful) movie: 2005’s “Wallace and Gromit: Curse of the Were-Rabbit.” Apart from supporting characters — including Ralph Fiennes and Helena Bonham Carter in “Were-Rabbit” — Sallis was often the only voice you heard on “Wallace and Gromit.” After all, Gromit was his dog, who, of course, never spoke. He didn’t need to; he had one of the most expressive faces in animation, even if it was often used for Buster Keaton-style deadpan, regular there to show his loving exasperation with his owner/flatmate. A rare kind-hearted mad scientist, he was always coming up with harebrained contraptions that got him and Gromit into trouble. In our favorite “W&G” product, the Oscar-winning short “The Wrong Trousers,” Wallace’s oversized, mechanical trousers are commandeered by a devious penguin (posing as a chicken, with a latex glove over his head, natch), who wants to rob a bank. We’re speaking of the “Wallace and Gromit” franchise in the past tense. That’s because we’re not sure if it will continue after Sallis’ passing. Aardman, the peerless stop-motion animation house that made the series (as well as “Chicken Run” and the “Shaun the Sheep” series), did retire their characters in 1996, only to repeatedly revive them, as a world without more “Wallace and Gromit” just seemed to grim to bear. And now that he’s gone, it is. Still, it would be surreal and sad to hear someone taking over for Sallis — much like the disconnect when you hear someone voice Kermit after Jim Henson’s death: The voice is similar, but something’s off. Instead, we can honor Sallis’ legacy by gorging on the “Wallace and Gromit” work we do have. Friends from England tell us it’s tradition there to spend Christmas Day watching a big movie — “Gone with the Wind,” or the original “Star Wars” trilogy” — as well as the original three “Wallace and Gromit” shorts. Might as well make that a tradition here as well. Rabbit in the Moon come to Orlando House of Blues this summer http://www.orlandoweekly.com/Blogs/archives/2017/05/30/rabbit-in-the-moon-come-to-orlando-house-of-blues-this-summer The psychedelic duo will be performing at the House of Blues on Saturday, Aug. 19. Doors open at 8 p.m. Since their reunion at Ultra Music Festival in Miami in 2016, following a six-year hiatus, singer-performer Bunny and producer David Christophere have been making more regular appearances together. https://youtu.be/nDCnWn-WrNw Tickets for the show go on sale Friday, June 2. Unicorn drinks, rabbit pizza on Stampede menu https://www.durhamregion.com/news-story/7321411-unicorn-drinks-rabbit-pizza-on-stampede-menu/ CALGARY — The annual reveal of new foods coming to the Calgary Stampede has been released, and the list includes both the sickeningly sweet and the simply weird. The Unicorn White Hot Chocolate offers white hot chocolate surrounded in rainbow sour poppers, sprinkles, sugary stars, a ribbon rainbow tail, and blanketed with a fluffy cotton candy cloud. Cereal Monster Sandwiches consist of a massive amount of ice cream crushed between two marshmallow squares, while the Cookie Dough-ne offers raw cookie dough in a waffle cone that is surrounded by cotton candy. From the fryer, there's deep-fried Jell-O, pork belly and something confusingly called Butter Chicken Bear Balls, which is described as "golden deep-fried balls smothered in a delicious butter chicken sauce ... and topped with a candy-coated anise." Canadian bacon Pickle Balls are a hot dog and pickle wrapped in bacon, fried in batter and served on a stick, while the World’s Hottest Pizza delivers its flavor punch by simply packing on the ghost peppers. If unconventional meat is your thing, try the rabbit pizza, crispy chicken feet on a stick or the Angry Chicken sandwich, smothered in both chipolte aioli and sweet and sour sauce. And no Stampede would be complete without a not-routine poutine, and this year the prize must go to the Tropical Bobster, consisting of lobster and mango salsa atop crispy fries. The Calgary Stampede runs from July 7 to 16. By The Canadian Press Photo Magic Minot Camera Club awards winners in ‘Year-End Competition http://www.minotdailynews.com/life/arts-entertainment/2017/05/photo-magic/ Along with winning first place for “Prairie Storm,” Zeltinger was voted winner of the Eileen McEown Outstanding Member Award. Submitted Photo “Have You Seen a Rabbit?” by Minot photographer Erich Linser earned first place in the monochrome division. Submitted Photo “Have You Seen a Rabbit?” by Minot photographer Erich Linser earned first place in the monochrome division. As Zeltinger captured the ferocity of a lightning storm, Kyra Hansen, of Minot, seized the magic of “Fireflies” in the artistic division. “Kyra is an up and coming photographer,” Nordstrom said. “She has an incredible eye for catching pictures and adds a unique artistic quality to them. Kyra has a bright future.” For the fourth year in a row, Hansen was awarded Outstanding Photographer of the Year. While Hansen caught the mesmerizing “Fireflies,” Erich Linser, of Minot, tested the curiosity of viewers in his first-place monochrome winner, “Have You Seen a Rabbit?” “This picture has placed in various North Dakota competitions,” Nordstrom said. “Erich has a special way of capturing the eyes of viewers.”   For Wichita artist, a bunny a day keeps the boredom away http://www.kansas.com/entertainment/ent-columns-blogs/keeper-of-the-plans/article150898277.html By Matt Riedl Wade Hampton doesn’t have a bizarre obsession with rabbits. He just likes their form, artistically – simple as that. “From an artistic standpoint, I think rabbits are the perfect subject if you’re going to draw an animal,” Hampton said. “I don’t have some weird obsession with rabbits, like I’m running around the yard chasing them.” As a creative challenge, Hampton is drawing a bunny every day for a year and posting the results on Instagram. Some of his rabbits are cute – the kind with carrots and flowers included – and some are creepy, with dark circles under their eyes and cigarettes dangling from their mouths. People have enjoyed the project on social media – whenever Hampton shares his drawings on Facebook, they typically garner upward of 150 reactions. Not bad for quick daily doodles. “For me, it’s an experiment,” Hampton said. “I know the majority of them are not very good. That’s not a big deal to me. It’s like publicly putting out a sketchbook.” Hampton is well-known in Wichita for hosting “home shows,” in which he would invite friends and strangers to his home, where the walls were covered with hundreds of doodles like these, all for sale. While Hampton said he has decided to stop doing the home shows, he wanted to keep his artistic chops sharp – hence the bunny project. “I did a bunch of shows a long time ago called Art from the Gut, where you just do a bunch of drawings and you don’t really think about it too much,” Hampton said. “The thinking is that if you don’t think about it too much, some magic can happen.” About three months into the project, Hampton said Tuesday he’s considering putting on a bunny-drawing show at a gallery later this year. Those plans are still in flux, though, so until then, your primary viewing outlet will be at www.instagram.com/drawabunnydaily. “Hand to God, when I did these, it was totally for an experiment. ... You know me: If I wasn’t doing a show, I’d probably do some kind of video where I burn them all and some guy in a rabbit costume dances around it and call it art,” Hampton said. “It’s nice for these pieces to find a home – otherwise, they just sit in a sketchbook until I die. I’d much rather have somebody say I framed this and stuck it on my wall than it sit in my drawer.”   http://www.petgazette.biz/14537-burgess-celebrates-national-pet-show-success/ Burgess celebrates National Pet Show success Burgess Pet Care has announced that this year’s National Pet Show in London has been its most successful yet. The company more than doubled its sales from last year. Burgess’ team highlighted the welfare needs of small animals and provided information about the benefits of high-quality feeding hay. Dr Suzanne Moyes MVB MRCVS, veterinary director at Burgess, held a series of presentations aimed at educating small animal owners – and those considering a new addition to the family – about the responsibilities of pet ownership and the best ways to ensure the health and happiness of small animals. As organizers of this year’s Rabbit Awareness Week (RAW), the National Pet Show provided the team with a fantastic opportunity to raise awareness around the importance of high-quality feeding hay in rabbits’ diets. Once again, the Burgess team joined forces with Julian Norton, star of Channel 5’s hit TV show The Yorkshire Vet, who was in attendance at the Burgess stand to sign copies of his new book and talk about the importance of feeding hay as part of this year’s RAW campaign. The #HoptoHay campaign is raising awareness around the fact rabbits should have between 85-90% of feeding hay and grass in their diets every day. Charlotte Varley, Event Manager at Burgess Pet Care, said: “This year’s National Pet Show in London has been our biggest yet, and we couldn’t be happier with the feedback we’ve had from visitors at the stand. Our sales were more than double of that last year – we even sold out of some product lines by the end of the first day! “The wellbeing of animals is at the heart of everything we do, and events such as the National Pet Show provide an amazing opportunity to engage with enthusiastic pet owners who share our love of animals, and help them learn more about how they can keep their animals well looked after and happy. “As we move closer to this year’s Rabbit Awareness Week, we’ll continue to work with our partners to help better the lives of more rabbits and to help more people understand one of Britain’s most misunderstood pets.” Rabbit awareness week takes place this year between June 17-25 and is supported by a variety of partners, including Agria Pet Insurance, RSPCA and RWAF     South Pasadena bans sale of dogs, cats, rabbits from pet stores http://www.sgvtribune.com/government-and-politics/20170519/south-pasadena-bans-sale-of-dogs-cats-rabbits-from-pet-stores SOUTH PASADENA >> By a unanimous vote, the City Council outlawed the sale of dogs, cats and rabbits from pet stores and other commercial establishments within the city. The ban received overwhelming support from community members and animal rights’ groups who see it as a step toward shutting down puppy mills, said Councilwoman Marina Khubesrian. “The thank you letters are still pouring in this morning,” she said on Friday. Recommended by the city’s Animal Commission, the new ordinance was first approved Wednesday night by a 5-0 vote. It must receive approval upon second reading in June and takes effect 30 days after final approval, she said. Puppy mills usually breed cats and dogs in poor conditions and sell them to pet stores and other retail outlets. But the sale of puppies, kittens and rabbits has become an interstate business facilitated by ads on Internet sites, something the retail ban will not address, the city report states. “Such an ordinance will assist in reducing the demand for animals bred in substandard facilities,” concluded the report from Arthur Miller, chief of police. Once in effect, the ordinance will mostly affect Pet’s Delight, which sells puppies, kittens and rabbits. The store, located at 725 Fair Oaks Ave., also sells rodents, reptiles, birds and fish and the sales of these animals are not banned by the ordinance. A woman answering the phone said the store would have no comment. The Urban Pet, down the street at 900 Fair Oaks, does not sell animals and therefore would not be affected by the new ordinance. Khubesrian said the city had not heard from Pet’s Delight, adding: “This will not put them out of business.” The city had not received a response from anyone opposing the change, she said. Dozens of people spoke in favor of the ordinance at City Hall Wednesday night. Khubesrian said the city received 60 to 70 emails in support. On Thursday, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals sent each council member and police Capt. Mike Neff who helped craft the ordinance vegan chocolates in the shape of rabbits as thank you gifts. “Cruel puppy, kitten and rabbit breeding mills churn out animals into a world that’s already bursting at the seams with homeless animals, said Tracy Reiman, PETA executive vice president in a statement. “PETA hopes South Pasadena’s progressive example will inspire other cities across the country to ban the sale of animals in pet stores.” Instead of buying kittens, puppies or rabbits from Internet dealers or pet stores, Khubesrian encourages residents to adopt them from the Pasadena Humane Society, whom the city has a contract, or from pet rescue organizations. The city will encourage more pet adoption events to be held at pet stores, she said. She said buying from a puppy mill often means the puppy is not healthy and can end up costing the buyer in veterinarian bills. Licensed pedigree dog and cat breeders will not be affected by the ban, she said. “Pedigree breeders don’t subject the animals to constant litters and the animals are raised in a much more humane environment,” said Khubesrian.

Now I would like to remind you that if you are enjoying the podcast, you can donate through Patreon for as little as one dollar a month. You donation will help to cover the expenses of hosting for the podcast.   Just Visit http://www.hareoftherabbit.com On this weeks episode, we cove the American Sable rabbit, the news, the word Admire and plant of the week: Lettuce, as well as another rabbit folk tale - Rabbit gets his split lip.   I would like to thank you for taking the time to listen to me today. American Sable Rabbit Information and History The American Sable is one of those little-known breeds that is actually very handsome and useful.   Sable rabbits were discovered in chinchilla rabbit litters separately in California and in England, and developed concurrently within their separate breeding lines on both sides of the world.  Recessive genes in the Chinchilla lines produced an entirely new colour, with a body shape that remained identical to the Chinchilla itself. The very first Sable rabbits are believed to have cropped up in the herd of Mr. David Irving, an Englishman who lived near Liverpool.   He had imported some Chinchilla rabbits from France in the mid-1910s.  The Chinchilla breed was itself still showing evidence of its newness in the various sports seen in the early litters. Shaded brown rabbits, as well as martin-patterned sports, could be found in the nestbox now and again.   The sepia-shaded bunnies in Mr. Irving’s nestboxes invariably landed in the stew pot, because he was focused on the Chinchilla color.  But there were other English breeders who were smitten by the cute-as-buttons sports.  They bred these brown rabbits together just to see what would happen.  What happened was, if the genetics were just right, they could produce more of these very attractive rabbits.   Although the color didn’t entirely breed true - it was never the only color in the nestbox - they could still standardize the type and medium sable hue of the rabbits.  Mr. Irving was instrumental in the spread of Sable rabbits, as they were eventually called, throughout Europe.   Now across the pond as they say, for the American Sables in the USA This American rabbit breed was developed independently from the Sable breed known in England in the early 1900’s.   In California in 1924, Mr. Otto Brock of San Gabriel, California, found the first shaded brown rabbits in the nestboxes of his ‘purebred’ Chinchilla rabbits. The rest of the story of American sable rabbits in California reads much as it did with the breeders in England. At first there were three different color variations among the Sables. There was a lighter brown, a medium brown, and one with tan markings. Of these three color phases, the light and medium browns were bred together to arrive a medium color, brown rabbit with darker points and the tan-patterned was developed into a separate breed called the Silver Sable Marten. With the exception of a few things, the American Sable is identical to the Siamese Sable and Sable Marten of England. The American Sable is slightly larger at an average of eight pounds of a senior buck and nine pounds for a senior doe. In England, the sizes run about two pounds smaller. The Siamese Sable is also shown in Light, Medium and Dark while in the United States, only the Medium color phase is recognized by the ARBA, the American Rabbit Breeders Association. In 1929, the American Sable Rabbit Society was formed. They named the new breed the American Sable, and called for medium-colored shading. The American Rabbit Breeders Association (ARBA) recognized the breed in 1931. Included were medium-shaded Sables, and the lighter Siamese Sables.  Tan-patterned (marten) sables were also occurring in the US, however instead of recognizing them under the umbrella of the American Sable, they were called Silver Sable Martens, and these were accepted as a new variety of Silver Marten rabbits. After the great start to a challenging breed, the sables did not fare so well, at least in the United States.  The breed never truly caught the fancy of the rabbit breeding community. Like so many breeds, the American Sable got off to a great start.  However, as more new breeds of rabbits were developed, the Sable fell by the wayside.   By 1976, numbers of the Siamese Sable variety bottomed out. The variety was eliminated. Every year the ARBA has a National Convention where thousands of rabbits are shown from all over the world. All of the recognized breeds are shown as well as breeds that are in the process of trying to be recognized as a breed. When only one American Sable was shown at the Convention, it was a wake-up call that the breed was in danger of disappearing. The lone exhibitor, Al Roerdanz, was determined that the breed was not going to die out. After searching the United States, he was able to obtain seven more American Sables. He then imported a trio of Sables from England to breed to the rabbits he already had. Because of the small gene pool, Roerdanz introduced several other breeds to his existing herd of Sables. He added Californians, Chinchillas, and Sable Silver Martens, among other breeds to bring back his breed. Adding the Californians and Chinchillas was not as strange as you might think. The Sable originated from the Chinchillas and so did the Californian breed. Each breed that was added in to the breed was added for a specific reason.     In 1982, numbers of Sables were so low that Mr. Al Roerdanz of Ohio and a few other breeders had to literally re-build the breed. Through the efforts of Al Roerdanz of Kingsville, Ohio, seven purebred American Sables were located and used to revive the breed and increase numbers of animals.  They also used British imports and the injection of new blood mainly via Sable Silver Martens, Sable Rex, Havanas, Californians, and Standard Chinchilla.I  n 1982 Mr. Roerdanz along with several American Sable fanciers formed the American Sable Rabbit Society, which included 13 charter members. That year the breed reached the required quota of animals shown to retain recognition of breed status in the Standard of Perfection, according to ARBA rules, thus saving the breed from extinction.  At the 1983 ARBA National Convention, breed numbers were sufficient to retain the American Sable rabbit breed in the Sable variety. The American Sable is still rare, however not listed as endangered The American Sable has regular commercial type, but is slightly smaller than other commercial breeds such as the Satin or Californian.   It has commercial body type and is suitable for 4-H meat pen project, if you’d like to try something different from the usual Cal’s and New Zealands.  The fur is a rollback.  The namesake feature of this breed is its lovely sable color.  The back of the rabbit is rich sepia brown, which lightens on the rabbit’s sides and darkens to nearly black on the nose, ears, feet, and tail.  This breed is not very popular, but not in imminent danger of extinction thanks to a community of breeders who call themselves “Sablers.” The American Sable rabbit has a commercial-sized body which weights anywhere from 8-10 lbs., with males usually weighing slightly less than the females. These rabbits have a rounded head with vertical, upright ears. The head is rounded, with ears that are held upright and the topline creates a long curve, from the bottom of the neck to the base of the tail. The American Sable rabbit enjoys gentle petting on its back and between its ears. The American Sable rabbit has soft, fine, dense coat that requires more grooming that the average short-haired rabbit, but less than long-haired rabbit breeds like Angoras. Because their coat is so thick, they will definitely shed more during moulting periods. Owners need to be prepared for regular brushings during these heavy shedding periods, especially if your American Sable is an indoor rabbit. Simply groom your rabbit with a slicker brush outdoors 1-2 times per week as necessary during shedding season, and once every two weeks during off-season times. The American Sable rabbit only comes in one color that is accepted by the ARBA. Their head, feet, ears, back and top of tail are a dark sepia color, while the rest of their coat fades to a lighter tan, like a Siamese cat. The Sable coloration is caused by a gene called “chinchilla light,” symbolized by cchl or cch1.  This gene is incompletely dominant over the two below it (Himalayan and REW.)  When a rabbit has two copies of cchl, it looks so dark brown as to be almost black.  This color is called seal.  A correctly colored sable has one copy of cchl and one copy of a lower C-series allele: Himalayan or REW.   Therefore, breeding two correctly colored sables can result in seal, Himalayan, or ruby-eyed white offspring.   The non-showable colors are useful to a breeding program, however, because breeding a seal to a himie or REW will result in 100% correct sables.  Some breeders have crossed Californians (Himalayan-colored breed) into their American Sables to improve type and add some genetic diversity.  As is the case with any crossbreeding project, you will find some people for and others strongly against this practice. American Sables have soft, fine, dense coat that requires more grooming that the average short-haired rabbit. The head, feet, ears, back, and top of the tail are a dark sepia, while the coat fades to a lighter tan over the rest of the body, similar to the coloring of a Siamese cat. The breed's eyes are usually dark with a ruby hue. The eyes are dark but because of a recessive albino gene, the pupils reflect a ruby reddish glow. Kits are born white, silver, or gray.   This extraordinary breed has brown eyes that will appear red when reflected by light. This rabbit carries an albino gene which causes this red glow and also why some kits are born white. Let’s take a closer peek on how the breeders achieved this kind of coloration for the sables. A gene that is called ‘chinchilla light’, which is symbolized by cchl or cch1, causes the coloration of American Sable. This gene, being incompletely dominant over the Himalayan and REW gene, which are below the chinchilla light, causes the darkish brown coloring of the rabbit. It’s so dark that it’s almost black already. This color that stands between dark brown and black is called seal. Ideally, an American Sable with a correct coloring has one copy of cchl and one of either the Himalayan and REW. This also means that for a successful breeding of two correctly colored American Sables, a breeder can achieve a seal, Himalayan or ruby-eyed white offspring A perfectly colored Sable is difficult to produce. Any blotchiness of shading –which can be easily caused by sunburn or molt — is a fault.  The eyes must possess a ruby glow to avoid disqualification on the show table.  A white toenail is also cause for disqualification. There are 4 color variations that possibly will be in an American Sable nest box. 1) Seal which has 2 copies of the c(chl) gene giving it a dark coloration - almost black color. 2) Sable (sometimes referred to as Siamese), this is the accepted show color. 3) Pointed white - Californian or Himi marked - has 2 copies of the ch gene or a ch gene and a c gene. 4) Albino (REW). Breeding a Seal to a Pointed White or an Albino will produce a litter of all show colored Sable. Some kits born white can turn to the gray color which usually occurs 3 days after birth. Those born with the silver-grayish coat are those used for showing. The fur is silky and fine but has coarser guard hairs. The Sable will change colors for many weeks after birth and will begin to molt at approximately 4 months of age. Breeders prefer to keep their Sables in cooler environments and shaded as the heat and sun can cause the sable coloring to lighten. The Standard of Perfection describes the gradations of shading without actually specifying the intensity of hue, other than the "rich sepia brown on the ears, face, back, legs, and upper side of the tail." Weights: Senior Bucks: 7-9 lb: 3.2 – 4.5kg Senior Does: 8-10 lb The UK’s national organization, the British Rabbit Council (BRC), lists their breeds as the Marten Sable and the Siamese Sable. Weights for both varieties: 5-7 lb (2.26 - 3.17 kg) In the UK, both Marten Sables and Siamese Sables come in Light, Medium and Dark shading, the main differences being "width of saddle, in tone and intensity of sepia colours." Judges are instructed to "award the appropriate number of points for shadings and penalise those exhibits which lack shadings, i.e. are self coloured" (BRC-Marten Sables). Care Requirements An American Sable’s diet is like any other rabbits in that it should consist mainly of hay (70 percent), while the rest should be a healthy mix of pellets, leafy greens, fruits, and vegetables. Limit the amount of fruits that are high in sugar. Make sure to stay clear of iceberg lettuce, as it contains too much water and too little fiber to count as a good meal. Fresh pellets should also be made available daily – choose a pellet high in fiber and avoid mixes that include other foods like corn, seeds, or dried fruit. Fresh foods are also an important part of your rabbit’s diet. Dark, leafy greens like kale, romaine lettuce, spring greens, and some spinach should make up approximately 75% of the fresh food given to your rabbit daily, with vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, bell pepper, and summer squash making up the other 25%. Fruits and starchy vegetables should be limited in the diet, but make great treats! Make sure that all fresh foods are washed thoroughly, and uneaten fresh foods should be removed at the end of the day. Fresh water should always be available, either from a sipper bottle or in a stable water bowl. Do not feed your rabbit yard clippings as grass is usually treated with fertilizer, insecticides, pesticides, and other chemicals that can harm your rabbit. Always research, and/or ask your veterinarian about your rabbit’s diet. When it comes to enclosures, this particular rabbit breed can live in either an indoor or outdoor enclosure, so long as they are not exposed to extreme weather temperatures or conditions. Outdoor enclosures need to be raised off the ground to protect them from predators such as racoons, coyotes, wolves, and should be made of wood or metal. A good rule is one square foot per pound of rabbit, so a nine pound rabbit will be comfortable in a hutch that’s 3ft x 3ft – double it if you have two bunnies. It should also be high enough for him to stand up in. The hutch should be placed in a sheltered area and it must be completely weatherproof. The top should be covered from the elements and depending on where you live, it may need to have 3/4 sides covered to protect them from extreme snow and allow air circulation. Indoor enclosures should be made of wire and have a metal or plastic bottom to allow bedding to be laid (wire bottoms are not comfortable for long periods of time and are taxing on your rabbit’s feet). The bedding needs to be spot-cleaned every day and completely replaced at the end of every week. Health issues? American Sables are energetic rabbits who will happily run round inside or out.  All rabbits are susceptible to developing overgrown teeth – the American Sable is no different. This problem is caused by a diet that lacks a proper balance of hay, which is used to slowly grind down teeth naturally. Overgrown teeth can grow into a rabbit’s jaw and face. In order to prevent this condition, make sure to check your rabbit’s mouth regularly for overgrown teeth and always make sure they have a proper diet consisting of mostly hay. Ears should also be checked periodically for ear mites, especially for rabbits who spend most of their time outside. Like most rabbit breeds, the Sable can suffer with a number of health conditions that any responsible owner should look out for and prevent if possible. No rabbit should be housed in quarters with a mesh floors unless they are provided with a resting board. The mesh can wear away the protective fur on the ends of the feet –the hocks – which will in turn expose the delicate skin underneath. This can become raw and broken and causes great discomfort and even infection. The rabbit must be monitored for symptoms of flystrike – particularly in the warmer months. He shouldn’t be allowed to become overweight and unable to groom himself as this will make him susceptible to flystrike. Temperament/Behavior The American Sable rabbit enjoys gentle petting on its back and between its ears.  In order for your rabbit’s personality to flourish, American Sables need to have plenty of time outside of their enclosures.   This attractive rabbit has an equally attractive personality: friendly, mellow, and calm.  American Sables are energetic rabbits who will happily run round inside or out, and once they’ve been tuckered out, will enjoy the company of their human.  They make great pets for singles, couples or families with children, and can live in apartments or homes with or without backyards.  They also can make wonderful companions for seniors.  Most Sable rabbits are placid and friendly (although it must me noted there can be aggressive animals in any breed) and make great pets. They seem to enjoy the company of other pets and will relish having a rabbit friend to lark about with. They also thoroughly enjoy the company of humans and will enjoy playtime immensely. The American Sable enjoys the company of other rabbits. It is generally docile, spending most of the day sleeping. Typically they enjoy the companionship of their owner, but on their own terms. When distressed, the American Sable will make a grunting noise or will, like many other breeds, thump its back foot on the ground in an attempt to scare whatever it is that is bothering them. Rabbits tend to be a little harder to litter train than other animals such as cats and dogs, but it is possible.  Unlike cats, rabbits may need to have a few litter boxes spread out across the house. Rabbits have unique and dynamic personalities and can form close, loving bonds with their owners. Many can be trained to use a litterbox, come when called, and may even enjoy learning tricks. Coupled with the fact that they’re quiet, require relatively little space, and are very low odor, it’s not hard to see why rabbits have become the third most popular pet in the United States and Great Britain. Rabbits May be a poor choice as a pet for young children. They may be soft and cute, but rabbits are easily stressed and frightened around loud noises and activity. Many rabbits do not enjoy being held or cuddled and may bite or kick to get away, and rabbits or the handler can easily be seriously injured in such a struggle. The American Sable rabbit is a meat rabbit breed. They have good body size and very suitable for commercial meat production. With proper care these small animals make excellent and adorable pets. The British Sable Rabbit Club was established in November, 1927, and the British Fur Rabbit Society accepted Sables in both Marten and Siamese varieties. The British Rabbit Council (BRC) is a British showing organization for rabbit breeders. Originally founded as The Beveren Club in 1918, its name first changed to British Fur Rabbit Society and finally to The British Rabbit Society. Today, the BRC among other things investigates rabbit diseases, maintains a catalog of rabbit breeds, and sets rules for about 1,000 rabbit shows annually in the UK. Owners of house rabbits are also encouraged to join the organization to learn how to care optimally for their pets.  The American Sable Rabbit Association was founded in 1929 and the breed was accepted by the American Rabbit Breeder’s Association (ARBA) two years later in 1931.  The American Sable is a rabbit breed recognized by the American Rabbit Breeders Association (ARBA).  This is a tricky one for ARBA royalty participants, who must remember that although a fairly large rabbit, it is actually a four-class breed.  From what I could tell, the Royalty contest is for youth to compete on multiple levels.   The darkest period in the breed’s history was in the early eighties, when it would have probably been dropped from the ARBA standard if not for the dedicated effort of an Ohio breeder, Al Roerdanz.  Ohio remains one of the strongholds of the American Sable today.  According to the American Rabbit Breeders Association (ARBA) report in 2005, there are 500 to 800 American Sables in the United States. The American Rabbit Breeders Association (ARBA) maintains the breed standard for all of the recognized rabbit and cavy breeds for it's international membership.  Recognized breeds are eligible for Registration and Grand Champion recognition. The AMERICAN RABBIT BREEDERS ASSOCIATION, INC. is an organization dedicated to the promotion, development, and improvement of the domestic rabbit and cavy.  With over 30,000 members throughout the United States, Canada, and abroad, its members range from the pet owner with one rabbit or cavy to the breeder or commercial rabbit raiser with several hundred animals.  Each aspect of the rabbit and cavy industry, whether it be for fancy, as a pet, or for commercial value, is encouraged by the organization. Once bred for its fur and meat, the American Sable has made a tremendous comeback over the last 30 years. This is due to determined breeders who refused to let this breed die out, so that future generations can still appreciate the American Sable not only in the show ring but as a loving companion. The American Sable is 1 of 16 breeds that are considered endangered in the United States.  While the American Sable is still around today, it is on the rare rabbit list at number 10. It is a strikingly beautiful rabbit and it would be a real loss to have this breed fade out. If you are interested in helping to save this beautiful breed, visit a rabbit show to learn more about them. http://rabbitbreeders.us/american-sable-rabbits http://www.petguide.com/breeds/rabbit/american-sable-rabbit/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Sable_rabbit http://www.raising-rabbits.com/american-sable-rabbit.html http://www.pets4homes.co.uk/breeds/rabbits/sable/ https://rightpet.com/breed-species/small-exotic-mammal/rabbits/american-sable-rabbit https://mysmelly.com/content/small_animals/american-sable.htm http://www.albc-usa.org/cpl/americansable.html http://mosaicrabbitry.weebly.com/american-sable.html http://knowledgebase.lookseek.com/American-Sable-Rabbit.html http://www.hotots-satins.com/as.html http://www.second-opinion-doc.com/the-american-sable-rabbit.html http://www.roysfarm.com/american-sable-rabbit/ http://www.second-opinion-doc.com/rabbit-breed-profile-american-sable.html http://www.adoptarabbit.com/breeds/american-sable/ How Rabbit Came by His Split Lip http://umaine.edu/folklife/publications/northeast-folklore-2/passamaquoddy-tales/#Rabbit Note: All of the following tales were found among the E. Tappan Adney Manuscripts in the Peabody Museum, Salem, Massachusetts. All of them were collected by Adney from Governor William Neptune of Pleasant Point Reservation, Maine, in the early 1940’s. Some of the manuscripts were in hurried pencil script, clearly Adney’s own field notes; others were in typescript but appear to be no more than typed-out field notes; still others had obviously been worked over. One Sunday Rabbit start cruisin’ around. By and by see wigwam. It was Kingfisher, and he said, “Come in.” They talk and talk; by and by dinner time. Kingfisher went up brook and dive down [and] ketch big fish. Rabbit say, “Nice dinner.” [That] afternoon, Rabbit say to Kingfisher, “Come see me.” One Sunday Kingfisher come up and find [Rabbit’s] wigwam. Rabbit say, “Come in.” They talked a while. By and by, [Rabbit get] all rigged. [8] A spruce tree lean out over stream. It pretty near dinner time and he walk up tree and, lookin down, he said he’d do same as Kingfisher. By and By Rabbit dove down [and] struck [a] rock and split his lip. Kingfisher heard him call for help. He nearly drown. That’s how Rabbit got split lip. This old Indian story. News! New Orleans Fire Department Captain Ross Hennessey will receive the House Rabbit Society's inaugural Amy Espie Hero Award Sunday (March 19) after he rescued a lop rabbit named Pierre from a house fire in New Orleans last November. Wilborn P. Nobles III, NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune New Orleans Fire Department Captain Ross Hennessey was amazed when a lop rabbit named Pierre regained consciousness moments after he rescued the bunny from an Uptown house fire last year. The firefighter said Pierre survived because he was on the floor, and "the difference between the floor and five feet above the floor might be 300 degrees." Hennessey's actions will be honored Sunday (March 19) as the House Rabbit Society plans to give Hennessey its first-ever Amy Espie Hero Award. The nonprofit's award commemorates those who do something extraordinary to help rabbits. The organization's executive director, Anne Martin, said Wednesday that the captain's actions exemplified their award. The incident occurred on Nov. 28, 2016. Neighbors noticed a fire at the home on Calhoun Street, Hennessey said Thursday. Authorities arrived to find the top half of the house ablaze, and the neighbors told firefighters a rabbit was inside. Firefighters extinguished the flames and went through the house before they a saw cage in the corner. He went over to the rabbit and gave him a nudge when the animal suddenly moved. That's when Hennessey said "Damn, I think this rabbit's still alive." The SPCA gave the department an animal resuscitation kit several years ago that authorities had yet to use, Hennessey said. He decided to put it to use on Pierre after he brought the rabbit outside. Hennessey said Pierre "popped back up" moments after the kit delivered oxygen to the rabbit. A Tulane student who owned the rabbit managed to escape earlier and was not on scene when Pierre was rescued, he said. http://www.masslive.com/news/index.ssf/2017/03/la_fire_captain_rescues_bunny.html FARMINGTON — The city of Farmington is considering allowing residents to keep up to six chickens or rabbits on residential property. The City Council will discuss changing the code to allow chickens or rabbits during its 6 p.m. March 28 meeting at 800 Municipal Drive in Farmington. City Planner Cindy Lopez explained the number of animals was calculated using the current codes for dogs and cats, and the size of the smallest residential lots in Farmington. She said the code allows for four dogs or four cats or a combination of cats and dogs adding up to four. Currently, any city resident who wants to keep chickens or rabbits has to apply for a special-use permit. The city charges an $80 fee to process those permits and requires the applicant to go to a title company to acquire a list of nearby properties so the city can ask the neighbors for comments. That can cost residents hundreds of dollars, Lopez said during a Planning and Zoning Commission meeting Thursday. Many people who have applied for the special-use permits already have acquired chickens or rabbits without realizing it is against code. http://www.daily-times.com/story/news/local/farmington/2017/03/17/city-may-let-residents-keep-chickens-rabbits/99276864/ County ends slaughter ban in code update By Samantha Kimmey 03/16/2017 The Board of Supervisors unanimously lifted a 14-year ban on commercial animal slaughter and expanded size limits for second units on residential properties in Marin. The changes to the development code were among a suite of others  approved on Tuesday. Much of the three-hour hearing that preceded the supervisors’ vote, which followed a series of planning commission workshops and a planning commission hearing, was consumed by public comment on the animal slaughter proposal. Numerous people concerned about animal rights, the environment and property values pled with supervisors to keep the prohibition on commercial slaughter, which has been in place since 2003. But ranchers and agriculture advocates also came out to support the change, arguing that local slaughter is both more humane and in line with consumer demand that all elements of food production be as local as possible. Supervisors largely approved the planning commission versions of the code updates, which will not affect the coastal zone at this time. But they made a few notable amendments. For instance, they expanded allowable rabbit slaughter from only mobile facilities to both mobile and small-scale facilities, despite public outcry from a group called SaveABunny, which stressed that rabbits are companions and pets. A Mill Valley real estate agent with Sotheby’s International Realty, Cindy Shelton, said that lifting the ban would result in a “real estate nightmare” because it would have to be disclosed to buyers. Rabbit advocates also spoke, urging supervisors to prohibit their slaughter under the logic that they are considered companions and pets. The executive director of SaveABunny, Marcy Schaaf, expressed frustration that her group was “lumped” with other activists, like vegans. Numerous ranchers and agriculture advocates stressed the importance of allowing commercial slaughter. “It’s really important to have that option on the table,” said Loren Poncia, who ranches in Tomales. Kelli Dunaj, who has run a ranch in Marshall since 2013, said it was “unfair and hypocritical” to bring up the “bogeyman like property values” to try to stop the proposal. Landscapes, she went on, are “not just eye candy,” but working agricultural fields. Rebecca Burgess, executive director of a group of farmers and artisans called Fibershed, said her group’s mission of sourcing local fiber like wool also means supporting growing animals like sheep for meat. “To develop a sustainable fiber system, we need a sustaining food system,” she said. When public comment ended and the meeting turned back over to supervisors, some of their amendments, like allowing both accessory dwelling units and junior units, were easily agreed on. But they seemed on the fence about how to handle rabbit slaughter. Rabbit advocates had argued that there was little demand for rabbit meat, pointing to Whole Foods, which stopped selling it in early 2016. But when the board asked David Lewis of the University of California Cooperative Extension, he estimated that Marin had between five to 10 rabbit meat producers and that “demand is higher” than supply. Supervisor Damon Connelly indicated that he would support banning rabbit slaughter. Supervisor Katie Rice, who said she did not eat rabbit meat, said she believed that supporting agriculture meant supporting a “farm to table” system. She also said that if supervisors truly believe that slaughter is more humane when done more locally, it seemed improper to force rabbit meat producers to send their animals for slaughter elsewhere. https://www.ptreyeslight.com/article/county-ends-slaughter-ban-code-update The European Parliament is urging the European Commission to adopt measures that would make life better for more than 340 million rabbits raised for food every year in Europe. The parliament voted overwhelmingly Tuesday to recommend outlawing battery cages for rabbits — tiny enclosures with wire-mesh floors no bigger than ordinary letter-size pieces of paper. Animal welfare groups say rabbits are extremely sensitive animals who suffer terribly in such small spaces, with such problems as open, infected wounds, respiratory disease and even cannibalism as the frustrated animals turn against one another. Humane regulations already exist for pigs, cattle and chickens raised for food, but not rabbits. European Consumer Affairs Commissioner Vera Jourova said such standards for rabbits should not be an EU-wide concern but one for individual states. http://www.voanews.com/a/european-parliament-calls-humane-treatment-rabbits-raised-food/3766462.html INFORMATION is being sought after the theft of three pet rabbits in Tadley. On March 12, between 11am-2pm, thieves entered the front garden of the property in Swains Close and stole three rabbits from their hutches. One of the rabbits is described as large, and beige in colour. The other is a motley grey coloured lion head rabbit and the last one is also a lion head rabbit, which is descried as black in colour with very long hair. If you have seen the rabbits, or have any information, then you can get in contact with the police on 101 with the reference number 44170093121. http://www.basingstokegazette.co.uk/news/15151928.Information_appeal_after_rabbits_stolen_in_Tadley/ Japan loves its different types of bread. Melon bread, pork buns, and several other types of the delicious baked goods are well-loved in the country, as is “usagi pan,” or rabbit bread. Bakers have long created rabbit-shaped bread for some time, but there’s a new version of the rabbit-related bread in town. It can be found at a Tokyo bakery, and it’s an entire loaf that’s shaped like a bunny. That means when you slice it into individual pieces of bread; you get the perfect bunny shaped bread for yummy sandwiches! Just make sure there’s a lot of lettuce on it, for bunnies! The bakery itself is named Lepus as a reference to the rabbit constellation, which is a clever take. The bakery’s rabbit bread loaves are absolutely adorable, and practically begging you to make some particularly adorable creations with. The bakery creates about 24-32 bunny loaves each day, but now Bakery Usagi-za Lepus is seeing a surge in customers wanting the bunny loaves. That means the bakery is probably working overtime to make sure you all get the bunny bread you want and deserve! https://www.geek.com/culture/this-bunny-shaped-bread-in-japan-looks-delicious-and-cute-1692050/  A decades-old Main Line tree stump carved into a family of rabbits has been taken down. But don't worry,  a new improved version will take its place in about a month or so. Last week, crews removed the tree that sat on the former Haas mansion property at County Line at Spring Mill roads in Villanova, after it was found to be deteriorating, Main Line Media News reported. The local landmark, carved by sculptor Marty Long, was known for its festive seasonal decorations. The seven carved bunnies, which represented the members of the Haas family, were often decked out in sporty sunglasses or holding Easter baskets with colorful eggs. The Haas surname derives from the Dutch or German word for hare, according to Ancestry.com. After the Haas parents died, the family donated the 42-acre property to the Natural Lands Trust. The grounds are being converted to public open space and are expected to be completed in about a year, the paper reported. Natural Lands Trust, which now owns the Stoneleigh estate property where the rabbits stood, have commissioned Long to make a new sculpture, the paper reported. The wooden rabbits have been removed and inspected, and if possible the group plans to put some of them on display inside the Stoneleigh mansion, Kirsten Werner, director of communications with the Natural Lands Trust, told the paper. http://www.philly.com/philly/blogs/real-time/Villanova-bunny-tree-removed-Haas-mansion-Stoneleigh.html A California couple who hold the Guinness world record for most bunny-related items now have so much rabbit stuff, they're packing up their floppy-hoppy collection and moving to to a bigger house. Candace Frazee and her husband Steve Lubanski run The Bunny Museum out of their home in Pasadena, Calif., where they house more than 33,000 rabbit-related knick-knacks, as well as six actual rabbits and some cats. Now the self-described "hoppiest place on Earth" is moving to a bigger location in nearby Altadena, set to open with a "grand hoppenin'" on March 20. http://www.cbc.ca/radio/asithappens/as-it-happens-monday-edition-1.4011751/bunny-museum-owners-have-so-much-stuff-they-re-hopping-to-a-bigger-space-1.4011761 A series of rabbit holes in an England farmer's field led to a mysterious underground cave, believed to be centuries old. Historic England described the Caynton Caves in Shropshire as a "grotto" that likely dated back to the late 18th or early 19th century and included "neo-Norman decoration to bays between columns, one neo-Norman doorway with beak-heads and roll moulding; decorative quatrefoils and designs abound." http://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2017/03/09/Rabbit-hole-in-England-farmers-field-leads-to-700-year-old-caves/6411489071679/  You may have heard of cat yoga or dog yoga, but now a Vancouver university is hosting bunny yoga.  Rabbits were recently added to some yoga classes at Simon Fraser University’s Burnaby campus. The idea was to help the participants relax and raise money for the Small Animal Rescue Society of B.C. The bunnies roamed free on the yoga mats as participants went through poses during hour-long classes. Participants were allowed to pet or hold the bunnies during the class. The yoga bunnies are available for adoption. http://www.ctvnews.ca/lifestyle/downward-rabbit-bunny-yoga-lands-at-b-c-campus-1.3304440

Alaska Rabbit - News - Rabbit Catches a Duck - Sunflower - Greenhorn This episode: Alaska Rabbit; News; Rabbit catches a Duck; Sunflower; Greenhorn Feel free to visit the website: http://www.hareoftherabbit.com/ If you would like to support the podcast either visit the link for Amazon, then make your purchases as normal.  I cannot see who purchases what, but a small percentage of your purchase will benefit the podcast: https://www.amazon.com/?&tag=haroftherab-20&camp=228761&creative=536025&linkCode=ur1&adid=0Z1J5SZGFHE81DASKT78& Or you can donate to the podcast at: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=4748024 Outline: Today we are going to discuss the Alaska rabbit, some recent news, and we will have another Rabbit folkelore tale. We will also have the plant of the week, as well as the rabbit word of the week.  I would like to thank whoever purchased the items through our Amazon affiliate link on the www.HareoftheRabbit.com website.  I cannot see who purchases what, and there is no additional charge for you, but a small portion of your purchase is sent to support the podcast. Now, the Alaska Rabbit When I first encountered this breed, I guessed that it had been developed in Alaska, based on the name, but in fact, nothing could be further from the truth.  What is also surprising is that the rabbit named after an American state "Alaska", is currently an unrecognised breed in the United States. Despite the name, the Alaska rabbit doesn't come from the cold extremities of North America.  They were actually first developed in Germany and descend from Argente and Himalayan rabbits. We are going to cover the History of the Alaska Rabbit. The Alaska rabbit was created in 1900 by Max Fischer, of Gotha, and Schmidt, of Langensalza. Their Breeding goal was of obtaining a rabbit that looks like the sought-after Alaskan Fox.  The wanted to develop a rabbit breed that would provide another source of fur which would be profitable in the fur trades of that time.  A breeding programme was established in 1900 where they crossed Havanas, Dutch, Himalayans and Champagne d'Argents. The goal was to create a long Jet-black coat with long white guard hairs to mimic the coat of the Alaskan Fox whose pelt commanded a high price in those days, believing they would have a good market for their rabbit pelts.  They found the white guard hairs impossible to produce consistently, and as any good rabbit breeder will know, the genetics rarely go according to plan, so instead of getting a the black rabbit with the long silver hairs, the Alaska rabbit turned out to have an intense black colour and long glossy black guard hairs that gave the rabbit a beautiful sheen, and the rabbit became the rich black coated rabbit  that it is today.   So, they did not achieve their goal, but with the uncommon dense black coat, rich colour shade and unique intensity, they chose to keep the breed they had created and let it remain as it was, rather than keep the breeding process going.   They ended up with the jet black Alaska that is known today.  The first Alaskas were shown in 1907 and rapidly gained recognition across Europe.  The Alaska rabbit was introduced into the UK soon after their development, then became "extinct" until it was re-introduced in the 1970's.  It was known as a ‘Nubian’ in England and was extinct in that country until 1972 when it was reintroduced by Belgium Peter Townson.  By the 1970s, the Alaska had also found its way to Canada by being imported to North America by Bert Reurs of Canada.  It was in the mid-1970's when ARBA (American Rabbit Breeders Association) had acknowledge the Alaskan breed. Their recognition in the United States was sadly short-lived, as the even more popular Havana rabbit came along in the 80s and the Alaska was dropped from the ARBA registry.  In 1981, the Black Havana Rabbit, which is similar in colour and build was introduced, and this saw the Alaska fall out of favour and it was subsequently dropped by the ARBA (American Rabbit Breeders Association) from their list. The breed has yet to make a comeback in the United States, but there are breeders who are hoping the breed will see a resurgence in popularity. We are going to now discuss the charactoristics of the Alaska Rabbit. As we covered before, at some point, the breeders didn't achieve what they intend to create but they were satisfied enough with their different result.  The results of their program did produce the Alaska rabbit which have a completely Jet- black color with a long glossy guard hairs without any mixture of silvering.  The Alaska is instantly recognisable thanks to its striking glossy black fur. The Alaska Rabbit Fur I believe that the most stricking characteristic of the Alaska Rabbit is the Jet Black fur.  The fur of the Alaskan is jet black with the base colour a slate blue and the tips a glossy black. There may be an even dispersion of isolated white hairs.  Long guard hairs are also interspersed throughout the coat.  The belly is black but may not be as shiny as the brilliant body coat. The eyes and toenails are a dark brown.   It is a ‘self’ rabbit and the underside is matt black.  The third gene in the A series is the self gene, which we indicate using the small letter “a”.   Any rabbit that shows a self color has the genotype of “aa,” because it cannot hide agouti or tan pattern under it.  In the show world, “self” means one single color all over, like black, blue, chocolate, and lilac.  When we’re talking genetics, the definition of self is slightly different.  In addition to black, chocolate, blue, and lilac, self colors also include tortoise, Siamese sable, sable point, smoke pearl, and other unrecognized varieties.  Although some genetically self rabbits have some shading, a genetically self rabbit will never have agouti or tan pattern markings.   Nearer the skin the hairs will be a deep slate colour, turning to a vibrant, shiny black towards the tips. A smattering of white hairs are allowed by the breed standard, but any more than that or any white patches or stripes would not be permitted by the standard.  A self or solid-coloured breed, the Alaska rabbit only comes in one colour - black.  The under-colour of the coat, near the skin, is usually a deep slate blue and turns jet black the closer it gets to the surface.   Only glossy black fur, any colour other than black is a fault for this breed.  It is considered a ur breed by British Rabbit Council standards, and only comes in its standard, pitch black color. The Alaska Rabbit Club is the BRC's national specialty club for this breed. The Alaskan rabbit is one of the very few true black rabbits and has a coat that is a jet black colour and dense in thickness. Alaska Rabbit Description Although It is not known exactly how they were created, it is believed that it was a crossing of the Havanas, Dutch, Himalayans and Champagne d'Argent rabbits which  resulted in an animal with the silky, thick fur which is the animal’s trademark.   The Argente is an ancient French breed. They have passed on their erect ear carriage to the Alaskan. They also have very dense, glossy coats like the Alaskan. The Argente has five colours recognised by the British Rabbit Council – Bleu (blue), Brun (brown), Creme (cream), Champagne (silvery) and Noir (black).  They have compact, cobby bodies with short necks and broad, rounded loins. The Himalayan rabbit has been known by many different names and its origins are uncertain. It has a very docile temperament and is popular as a pet. Generally the Himalayan breeds very true to type. Crossings of the Himalayan  and the Argente resulted in the Alaskan which is popular today as both a pet and a show breed. Body The Alaskan rabbit should weigh between 2.7 and 3.9kg (7-9 lb) and is regarded/classed as a medium sized variety.  It is a thick-set rabbit and appears to be without a neck. They have a well-rounded and balanced body with a solid block type and, while not as compact as other breeds, they have good bone development for their size.  The head is broad and carried very close to the body without a distinct neck area.  The head of the doe is generally slightly finer than that of the buck.  Bucks (males) have a little heavier type, while does (females) tend to have more feminine features and are permitted to have a dewlap (a roll of skin at the neck, often giving the appearance that the rabbit's head is resting on a cushion of fur). In show rabbits, a dewlap is allowed providing it is well developed and in proportion to the whole.  The chest is broad and the shoulders and rump well-muscled. The legs are strong and of medium length.   Ears and Eyes The ears are upright and quite short, broad and rounded in comparison to other similar breeds. They are quite broad and rounded at the ends.The ears of the Alaskan are a brown-black colour and are held open and straight. The breed should have dark toenails and dark, bright eyes and should only ever be brown-black eyes to black. The nose and pads of the paws should also be a matt black colour. Temperament/Personality Like many other breeds the Alaska is generally docile and makes a great pet or show animal. Rabbits are generally more active in the morning and at night and an Alaska will be fairly active rabbit.  The Alaska rabbit has a well-tempered behavior and are relatively non-aggressive when compared with other rabbits so they make great pets.  Although they have a rather bubbly, outgoing personality, they are gentle, very loving and will love to spend hours at a time with you! Like any Rabbit, they should be handled carefully only by those who know how to pick rabbits up correctly.  It’s easy to cause spinal problems in rabbits if they are not handled properly.  Plus, if he feels uncomfortable or fearful while being carried he will struggle and may kick out with his very powerful back legs which could cause injury to himself or whoever is holding him. Although a gentle and quite affectionate breed, the Alaska can be skittish.  Having said that, they relish playtime and have lots of energy, so they will appreciate the company of those who can keep up with them.   The Alaska is an intelligent rabbit and can be trained to use a litter tray quite easily so if you’re planning on bringing your rabbit to live indoors he should be shown where he can relieve himself. What is it that makes this breed original? Why choose an Alaska Rabbit? ⦁    The Alaska is instantly recognisable thanks to its striking glossy black fur. ⦁    The Alaska's original purpose is for its fur, helping to reduce the pressure of trapping Alaskan fox.  You could also tan and utilize the fur.. The fur are its greatest value wherein you can tan and utilize the fur either for personal or business interest. ⦁    The breed makes a very flashy pet, with its intense and shiny black coat and dense silky fur.Pet lovers will surely enjoy their comfy black dense silky fur. ⦁    At 7 - 9 pounds, this rabbit can also double as a meat rabbit or a source of raw homemade pet food. Health All rabbits should be vaccinated against myxomatosis and VHD – both of which are potentially fatal conditions that can be spread by infected animals, bedding, utensils or toys.  Annual vaccinations against Viral Haemorrhagic Disease and myxomatosis are recommended.  They should also be treated regularly for fleas, ticks and worms. Rabbits are most active in the morning and at night.  They are more delicate than is generally believed. The basic diet should consist of unlimited fresh hay (which should not be dusty), fresh fruit and vegetables, good quality dry rabbit mix and clean water. They should be housed in a dry, draft-free area.  If kept in a cage, a plastic or wire base should be covered with a suitable bedding such as straw or wood shavings.  Fine sawdust is not suitable as it can cause eye irritations.  They should have sufficient room to exercise himself.  Keep his environment and food and water containers clean and you will have a contented bunny who should have few health problems. Dental hygiene is an essential part of rabbit care.  Their teeth grow continuously and will need the correct diet to keep them worn down. Overgrown teeth can cause lots of problems for your Rabbit, including difficulty eating, and injuries in the mouth that can lead to abscesses.  The best way to combat overgrown molars and enamel spurs is to stop them happening in the first place by providing a diet high in good quality hay and lots of fibrous green vegetables such as cabbage and kale. Gnaw toys also help keep teeth in check. If you suspect a dental issue your vet can carry out an examination and any remedial work necessary. The coat needs a good brush at least once a week, more during periods of  moulting. Additionally, as rabbits’ teeth keep growing throughout their lives, eating the right food will help to keep the teeth properly ground down, but you do need to check, on a frequent basis, that this is happening properly, or your pet may need to have its teeth ground down by the vet. Your rabbit should never be allowed to get overweight.  Excess weight will prevent your pet from looking after himself properly and if he can’t groom then flies may become attracted to soiled areas of fur.  These flies could lay their eggs in the fur and the emerging larvae will bury into your rabbit’s skin causing great discomfort and even infection.  Flystrike can be prevented by keeping your rabbit’s weight down and making sure his fur and his bedding is clean. Caring for your Rabbit: Whether he’s going to be a house or a hutch rabbit, he will need access to a run or a secure area so he can nibble and take in some rays.  Rabbits do love sunbathing, but the should have a shaded area where he can get out of the sun if necessary. If they are going to be a house rabbit he should be introduced to other pets carefully and while he/she still young enough not to be scared.  they should have a place he can go to get away from it all – a dog crate is ideal for this.  They should be provided with a litter tray too and can be trained to use this relatively easily.  Cables, wires, shoes, clothes, important papers and anything else you treasure should be kept out of the way as they will chew whatever they can get his teeth into.  Even a house Rabbit should have the opportunity  to have a good run and explore in a safe place outside. If your pet is going to live in a hutch you should consider getting two animals as rabbits live in colonies of many animals in the wild and do not like to live alone.  This medium sized rabbit needs plenty of space to move around and exercise, and a hutch that is large enough for it to stretch to its full height and length in all directions.  The hutch should be water and windproof and a cover should be placed over the mesh front in the harshest weather. Sawdust makes an excellent substrate and can easily be cleaned out once a week.  Droppings should be removed regularly.  the rabbit should have access to clean, fresh water every day and logs, tubes and toys would be welcome additions to his home.  The hutch should have a covered area where he can build a nest and go for a snooze or get out of the weather. The diet should be carefully planned to help him stay fit and healthy and should consist of good hay, high-quality rabbit pellets and lots of green leaves and vegetables such as cabbage, dandelions and nettles.  Feed a standard rabbit diet to ensure good digestion, avoid obesity and give proper wear on the rabbit’s continually growing teeth. Notes of safety: Please note that, despite their ‘cute’ appearance,  rabbits are not ideal for very small children to handle unless they are closely supervised. Rabbits should be socialised at an early age and young children should be told how to hold a rabbit properly. If any rabbit becomes frightened, its natural reaction is to try and escape, and its powerful back legs can injure the human handler and can cause the rabbit to be dropped and injure itself. As with all pedigree pets, it is very important to obtain a young rabbit or rabbit kit from a reputable source where you can be guaranteed that it has been bred with a view to avoiding any inherent problems found in the breed. Always keep your rabbits safe from dogs and cats who may harm them.  Even where pets ‘get on’, they should be supervised when together and you must ensure that your rabbit is not stressed by being exposed to other family pets or people. Health issues in the Alaska rabbit The Alaska rabbit is a generally healthy breed of rabbit. As with all rabbits, however, check that its bottom is clean of any debris and is kept dry to avoid the danger of flystrike. Teeth and also toe nails should be checked frequently to ensure they are not growing too long. Average lifespan of the Alaska rabbit. 7 – 10 years and sometimes more. Alaska rabbits are non aggressive so would be fine with younger pet lovers who are gentle. This breed is both outgoing and affectionate, soit will be rewarding to interact with.  Nevertheless, these are beautiful, vibrantly colored rabbits, bright-eyed, substantial, and densely furred. Use This is a multi-use breed.  It is mostly a dual purpose rabbit, mainly kept for its fur and meat, although they should also make for a great pet! Intersting Facts! ⦁    There was also a white Alaska however it is now extinct. ⦁    Interestingly, probably because of the thick, dense coat, the Alaska was used in the creation of the Black Rex. Club Recognition? It is recognised by the British Rabbit Council; however it is not recognised by the American Rabbit Breeders Association. Today, The British Rabbit Council continues to raise the profile and status of rabbit breeding. As new breeds were developed during the 1920's, they were standardised and adopted by The Beveren Club until the society had become a general fur breed club. To recognise its new status, it had two name changes, first to the British Fur Rabbit Society and then later to the to The British Rabbit Society. By 1928 the Society had 13 different fur breeds under its jurisdiction.  Today, The British Rabbit Council encourages research into diseases and other topical issues. As the role of the rabbit has developed into a popular pet, the British Rabbit Council actively encourages good rabbit keeping amongst pet owners. The Newark Head Office receives many hundreds of letters or calls each month asking for advice or information on an extremely wide variety of topics concerned with the rabbit. These are not confined to individual people but are sometimes from official bodies, Governments or overseas.  Each year approximately 1000 shows take place throughout Great Britain! Today sees a structure of District Advisors who give their time to help people in their regions. These are well respected members of great experience appointed by the Council to give advice locally. At shows, awards are available from the Council. The basis of these is the Challenge Certificate which is awarded to the best rabbit of its particular group. Breed Status The BRC (British Rabbit Council) had classified the Alaska breed for fur production.  This was due to their jet black dense, silky and lustrous fur. The fur are also glossy and intensely pigmented. In the United States, ARBA no longer recognize this type of breed which means that they can go extinct.  With your help, you can change the future of the Alaskan rabbit breeds by raising them. This will maintain their number that ARBA might consider them on their list once again.   ARBA still does not recognize this breed. Maybe YOU could help change this by raising them and spurring interest in the breed.) Rabbits with such dense and lustrous coats usually tend to win more often than seems fair! http://www.thenaturetrail.com/rabbit-genetics/agouti-tan-self-a-series-otter/ http://scl.io/NA8sTOfi#gs.Ze3R8do News: European rabbits landed in Australia with the First Fleet in 1788. Since then they have multiplied, as the saying goes, and are estimated to cost the nation more than $200 million-a-year in lost agricultural production – not to mention the damage to native species growth, regeneration and biodiversity. The various state primary industry departments hope the new K5 virus strain, a variant of the existing RHDV1 virus released into the environment in 1996, will be more effective as a wild rabbit killer, particularly in cooler climates and among young rabbits, known as kittens.The virus will be released at more than 150 sites in Victoria and owners of pet rabbits, commercial rabbits and rabbit breeders are urged to vaccinate their animals in preparation. "The current calicivirus vaccine, administered by vets, is expected to provide good protection of pet rabbits against all strains of the RHDV1 virus, including the RHDV1 K5 strain," says Victoria's Acting Chief Veterinary Officer Dr Cameron Bell. Other protective measures include: ensuring pet rabbits do not come into contact with wild rabbits, or grass that has been grazed on by wild rabbits; insect-proofing hutches (the virus can be transmitted by fleas, mosquitoes and flies); and disposing of any virus-affected carcasses properly and hygienically. http://www.smh.com.au/national/pet-owners-warned-to-vaccinate-against-rabbitkiller-virus-20170223-guk0z2.html Rabbit on Ahmedabad airport runway almost makes IndiGo, SpiceJet planes collide The pilot of IndiGo flight reported that there was a rabbit on the runway after which he pulled the brakes hard averting a lethal accident. Airport sources told IndiaToday, a major accident which could have claimed lives of many was averted yesterday between two airlines, namely IndiGo and SpiceJet, on Ahemedabad airport runway. After landing the Indigo aircraft, it was moving towards taxiway and the SpiceJet aircraft was ready for take off. Sources inform that the SpiceJet pilot at this juncture saw the IndiGo flight was still on the runway whereas it was supposed to be off the runway by then. ATC Ahmedabad had to intervene. The pilot of IndiGo airlines reported that a rabbit on the runway was spotted just after landing at Ahmedabad airport, due to which the pilot was forced to pull the brakes hard to halt the aircraft. As the IndiGo pilot stopped the aircraft, the nose of the aircraft was still on taxiway and tail of aircraft still on the runway. While SpiceJet pilots maintain in their report that the IndiGo aircraft wasn't cleared off the runway when SpiceJet was ready to take off. Both the pilots reported ATC about the incident. http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/rabbit-ahmedabad-airport-runway-indigo-spicejet/1/891272.html ‘Never Again’ Marks 75th Anniversary of JA Incarceration “Never Again,” a series of speakers, films, and exhibits to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the incarceration of Japanese Americans during World War II, kicked off at Occidental College on Feb. 12. That’s one week shy of the Feb. 19 anniversary of President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s signing of Executive Order 9066 in 1942, which led to the incarceration of more than 120,000 Japanese Americans – more than two-thirds of them U.S. citizens – in 10 hastily constructed camps in California and six other states. “What happened to people of Japanese ancestry in our country 75 years ago remains relevant today,” says Julie Kimiko Santos, associate director of international programs at Occidental and series organizer. “Now more than ever it is important to know how and why this tragedy occurred, and the many lessons to be learned.” Bay Area filmmaker Emiko Omori began the series Feb. 12 with a screening of her short film “When Rabbit Left the Moon,” inspired by her own family’s incarceration in Arizona. Omori, who was a toddler when her family was forcibly relocated to Poston, and her older sister Chizu Omori answered questions after the screening. The Vaults at Waterloo - Alice's Adventures Underground Alice’s Adventures Underground – the immersive theatre experience which is returning to The Vaults at Waterloo this April! Audiences will tumble down the rabbit hole and interact with the magical and bizarre characters of Wonderland as they hunt for missing Alice. Audiences choose their own adventure, creating a unique experience with every visit. Meet the White Rabbit, enjoy tea with the Mad Hatter and finish the evening with a cocktail in the Wonderland Bar! The show is unlike anything else in London at the moment and requires a tremendous amount of detail to ensure each audience member is seamlessly immersed in the world of Wonderland. As I’m sure you can imagine, creating Wonderland in the 11 tunnels beneath Waterloo Station is no mean feat either and requires 33 detailed sets, over 65,000 jam tarts and almost 100,000 playing cards! The Wonderland Bar, which is open to visitors to the show and to those just wanting to transport themselves to another world after work, is set to include some bespoke Alice themed cocktails and some delicious food as well. http://www.tntmagazine.com/london/stage/the-vaults-at-waterloo---alices-adventures-underground Tale of 2 Rabbit Hashes: Northside brewery reconsiders name after backlash A brewery in Cincinnati is changing its name before its doors even open after a social media feud boiled over. When Paul Kemp and his father decided to switch from home brewing to opening a true brick and mortar shop, they chose Cincinnati as the location because the environment is more welcoming, Kemp said. When they chose a name, they picked Rabbit Hash, as an homage to the small Boone County, Kentucky town. Rabbit Hash Brewery filed as a limited liability corporation in April 2015. In December 2015 it applied for the trademark for Rabbit Hash Brewery and its logo. The rub? The brewers never talked to the Rabbit Hash Historical Society. The Kemps, who live near Hebron, just miles from Rabbit Hash and are business owners in Burlington, never guessed what would happen when Cincinnati's Northside neighborhood residents got wind of the "misappropriated" brewery name. The brewery is holding a contest to rename the brewey... http://www.cincinnati.com/story/news/2017/02/22/tale-two-rabbit-hashes-brewery/98209348/ An anonymous donor has dug deep to help veterinary professionals enhance their rabbit skills by covering the costs of CPD courses aimed at understanding the species’ ailments and treatments.    Retired vet Frances Harcourt-Brown, who runs a range of rabbit-related CPD courses in Yorkshire, contacted vettimes.co.uk to speak of her delight at learning a “very generous lady” – known only as Mrs X – had provided the funds to enable practitioners to attend a number of sessions. https://www.vettimes.co.uk/news/mystery-benefactor-funds-rabbit-course-places/ The creative flair of Teesside chef Michael O’Hare is now on show in Manchester - at an eatery owned by two Manchester United legends. The Eston-born Michelin star chef is the creative director at new ‘space age Asian’ restaurant, The Rabbit in the Moon. Owned by GG Hospitality - a company owned by Ryan Giggs and Gary Neville - the eatery is located on the fifth and sixth floors of the National Football Museum in Manchester’s city centre Urbis building. Among the eclectic dishes on offer are Wagyu truffle nigiri, edible plum stone, duck liver satay, sticky halibut ribs and a Chinese bacon butty. http://www.gazettelive.co.uk/whats-on/food-drink-news/rabbit-moon-creative-flair-eston-12635693  Dogs, people and at least one rabbit strut through Soulard for the annual pet parade     By Tim O’Neil St. Louis Post-Dispatch Feb 19, 2017 (0) Several thousand dog owners dressed up their pooches in Mardi Gras attire for the 24th annual Beggin’ Pet Parade Sunday in the Soulard neighborhood, where excuses for a street party come easy. Lovers of dogs, sunshine and anything Mardi Gras lined the streets five to 10 deep to watch people stroll with dogs in zany costumes.warmup to next Saturday’s big Mardi Gras parade, many of the people present Sunday showed up in their Carnival finest. Marchers tossed beads into the crowds of grasping onlookers.Tracie Quackenbush, director of the Open Door Sanctuary in House Springs, said she was optimistic that Sunday’s turnout would beat the record $20,000 raised by the pet parade two years ago. It has supported the sanctuary since 1994, when the event began with perhaps 300 dogs and was known as the Mystic Krewe of Barkus. As the parade caught on, Purina became sponsor to promote its Beggin’ line of dog snacks. The parade is open to all pets, but dogs rule overwhelmingly. There was hardly a cat in sight. A solitary rabbit rode in a cage on a children’s wagon. Stella Palmer, 12, of Crestwood, brought her pet hen, Speckle, which perched calmly on a milk crate as Stella watched the parade go by on Russell Boulevard. Stella brought her for a simple reason: “I don’t have a dog.” http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/metro/dogs-people-and-at-least-one-rabbit-strut-through-soulard/article_2b63ee4f-0a7d-56cc-962d-643a3b99f3bf.html Dick Bruna, 'spiritual father' of rabbit Miffy, dies at 89 Dick Bruna, the Dutch "spiritual father" of Miffy, the white rabbit who enchanted millions of young children around the world for more than half a century, has died at age 89, his publisher announced Friday.     Bruna "passed away peacefully in his sleep" Thursday night in the central Dutch city of Utrecht, Kerkhof said. The simplicity of Bruna's characters drew adoration not only from children, but also from adult art lovers. Amsterdam's venerable Rijksmuseum put on a show featuring his work in 2015. He wrote and illustrated a total of 124 books, but Miffy, known in the Netherlands as Nijntje, a contraction of the Dutch word for rabbit, was far and away his most popular and best known character. Bruna created 32 books about the rabbit, which were translated into more than 50 languages and sold more than 85 million copies, Kerkhof said. The man his publisher described as Miffy's "spiritual father" stopped drawing in 2011. Miffy, who turns 62 this year, is a merchandising juggernaut, featuring on stationery, toys and children's trinkets sold across the world as part of a multimillion-euro (dollar) business. http://www.chinapost.com.tw/editorial/taiwan-issues/2017/02/19/491880/Dick-Bruna.htm Agri-business getting youth attention By: Emmanuel Ntirenganya     Published: February 18, 2017 Rwanda’s agriculture and livestock sector has long been characterised by an ageing farming population whose average age is 55 years. As a result, innovation, creativity and technology adaptation as well as skills transfer has been slow, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Resources (MINAGRI) and agricultural experts. But lately, some youth have embraced the sector and committed to making it more vibrant in its entire supply chain. The Rwanda Youth in Agribusiness Forum was formed in May 2016 to bring together young people engaged in commercial farming in the country. Unlike traditional farming, these youths’ focus is commercial farming. Currently, the organisation has 1,265 members grouped into five clusters namely crop production, livestock production, agro-processing (animal and crops), other agro-services which include packaging, inputs, extension services, mechanissation, among others, and information communication technologies (ICTs) for agriculture. Eric Manirakiza, a rabbit farmer, founded Impano Rabbitry Company. The 26-year-old is a 2014 graduate in ICT programming at the University of Rwanda’s College of Science and Technology. He told Saturday Times on Monday that he started with 100 rabbits in October 2016, and his colony has already grown to about 600 with modern rabbit farming involving proper record-keeping on the rabbitry population and ensuring hygiene and sustainable productivity. The rabbitry has an average birth of 200 rabbits per month. 1487363533manirakiza Manirakiza at his rabbitry in Ruhango District. Manirakiza’s farm has 80 female rabbits divided into two units of 40 each, he said. An adult rabbit at his farm gives birth to at least five baby rabbits, he said, and its gestation period (conception to birth delivery) is 30 days. It also breastfeeds its off-springs for 30 days after which the off-springs are weaned and the mother rabbit made to mate again. The rabbits are sheltered in plastic-covered metallic sheds which let their liquid and solid waste out freely, leaving them well aerated. After paying farm costs and salaries for his 11 employees, he earns about Rwf700,000 per month from his business. Manirakiza said that his rabbits typically weigh about five kilogrammes at five months and are sold at Rwf8,000 each. Rabbit meat costs Rwf3,000 a kilogramme at the local market and about Rwf6,000 per kg when exported, he said. His farm, located in Ruhango Sector of Ruhango District in Southern Province, was one hectare at inception but has since grown to five hectares so he can grow enough grass to feed the rabbits. Manirakiza said that his rabbitry has an ICT system which helps him keep records for his livestock and analyses the database looking at things like when should the rabbits give birth, when should the young ones mate. “It’s like a calendar alert application in a telephone. We enter data into it and it gives us notification, for instance, when there are two days remaining for the rabbits to mate,” he said. His priority is good rabbit hygiene, because he wants to begin selling rabbits to restaurants soon. Hotels in Rwanda are currently reluctant to put rabbit on their menus because there is an unreliable supply of the meat and it is sometimes unhygienic, he said. Once he starts to get 1,300 kg a month, he will begin selling to hotels, he said. Consumers in Belgium and South Africa have asked him to supply 2 to 15 tonnes of meat per week, but his current production falls far short of such demand. “Rabbit meat is healthy; it is high in protein and very low in fat, almost zero. In countries like Kenya, rabbits are on high demand,” he said, adding that he wants to work with other youth to help meet the demand and create more jobs. Manirakiza also plans to make manure compost from the liquid waste generated from his farm, currently, they produce about 10 jerry cans (about 200 litres) of liquid waste per day and trials have shown that such manure has very high soil fertilising properties, he said. http://www.newtimes.co.rw/section/article/2017-02-18/208129/ I will tell you of how The Rabbit Goes Duck Hunting from the Cherokee People. http://www.ilhawaii.net/~stony/1097lore.html The Rabbit Goes Duck Hunting     The Rabbit was so boastful that he would claim to do what- ever he saw anyone else do, and so tricky that he could usually make the other animals believe it all. Once he pretended that he could swim in the water and eat fish just as the Otter did, and when the others told him to prove it he fixed up a plan so that the Otter himself was deceived.     Soon afterward they met again and the Otter said, "I eat ducks sometimes." Said the Rabbit, "Well, I eat ducks too." The Otter challenged him to try it; so they went up along the river until they saw several ducks in the water and managed to get near without being seen. The Rabbit told the Otter to go first. The Otter never hesitated, but dived from the bank and swam under water until he reached the ducks, when he pulled one down without being noticed by the others, and came back in the same way.     While the Otter had been under the water the Rabbit had peeled some bark from a sapling and made himself a noose. "Now," he said, "Just watch me;" and he dived in and swam a little way under the water until he was nearly choking and had to come up to the top to breathe. He went under again and came up again a little nearer to the ducks. He took another breath and dived under, and this time he came up among the ducks and threw the noose over the head of one and caught it. The duck struggled hard and finally spread its wings and flew up from the water with the Rabbit hanging on to the noose.     It flew on and on until at last the Rabbit could not hold on any longer, but had to let go and drop. As it happened, he fell into a tall, hollow sycamore stump without any hole at the bottom to get out from and there he stayed until he was so hungry that he had to eat his own fur, as the rabbit does ever since when he is starving. After several days, when he was very weak with hunger, he heard children playing outside around the trees. He began to sing:     Cut a door and look at me;     I'm the prettiest thing you ever did see.     The children ran home and told their father, who came and began to cut a hole in the tree. As he chopped away the Rabbit inside kept singing, "Cut it larger, so you can see me better; I"m so pretty." They made the hole larger, and then the Rabbit told them to stand back so that they could take a good look as he came out. They stood away back, and the Rabbit watched his chance and jumped out and got away. Sunflower Greenhorn

H. Alan and Kerri watch The Golden Girls season 4 premiere episode “Yes, We Have No Havanas,” where they discuss showering with dead bodies, the joke How I Met Your Mother stole, and if H. Alan maybe... MAYBE solved an Unsolved Mystery. And if you're in the Los Angeles area on June 6th, come to Out On The Lanai's next live show as part of the highly anticipated release of Mike Denison's #BeaADay coloring book! Reserve your FREE tickets at OutOnTheLanai.com/live

We invited the very pleasant Key Lewis (@keylewis, Marlon Wayans TBS’s Funniest Wins, Starz TV) to watch the Season 3 finale of the Golden Girls with us, hooray! It was the one where Sophia and Blanche start dating the same Cuban fella, meanwhile Rose tries to get her GED. We talked about waffle cones, inner tubes and making out with Eva Braun. Music by Mike Dennison (@mikd33) and Brian Kokernak (@kokernutz).

Some shout outs:Check out this blog: A Swinging Good Time aswinginggoodtime.blogspot.comThank you for the first cool Moon PartyStill going to the Guadalupe River Trip. Are you?Please remember to include location and age in your emails and voicemails to us.Interview with the Havanas postponed. The questions we asked them are:What we your initial reservation regarding entering the lifestyle?What new reservations have there been since entering?What would you like to do next?What advice would you give to people considering entering the lifestyle?Breaking away from a high-pressure situation (house party invitation)Mr Swap Fu needs to relearn to break the ice -- post-female bonding maneuvers in the dark.Austin is where they keep the hotness.An inauspicious return to San Antonio Players. Don't Google IMrL while at work AKA our return to Chicago Episode music "Queen of Apologies" by The Sounds. Selected because I'm still waiting for my apology from a certain couple... so it goes. The Swap Fu podcast contains explicit, adult content, intended for listeners 18 years of age or older. The Swap Fu Podcast is intended for entertainment purposes only. We are not health or sexuality professionals and anything we say should not be construed as professional advice. Please contact us: swapfu@gmail.com Follow us on Twitter @swapfu Call us at 609-3SWAPFU Just remember Your Marriage May Vary!

Vivien Lesnik Weisman, in her documentary, "The Man of Two Havanas," takes a look back at her father and her life with him as he survived numerous bombing attempts by Cuban exiles in Little Havana. She talks with show host Daniel C. Tsang about her film and why she wanted to make it, as well as what it was like to live in Miami as a small girl. The film argues that the U.S. embargo against Cuba hurts the people in Cuba as well as Cuban exiles abroad.