First Impressions: "Half-Life 2" (VG)

   I just completed Half-Life 2 on the PS3. It's widely considered one of the greatest games of all time, so what did I personally think of it? Brilliant! :D
   The premise is that humanity has been enslaved by an alien race called the Combine, and you play Gordon Freeman, humanity's only hope of freedom.
   I haven't yet played the first Half-Life, but, obviously, it's not required to still enjoy this sequel. In fact, it very cleverly begins with implying that the Combine wipe people's memories, forcing Gordon to learn who he is from scratch.
   Video games usually alternate between gameplay and cutscenes, but Half-Life 2 plays out entirely from an interactive first-person perspective, making you feel like you're wandering freely around this world as Gordon. At the time, that must have been groundbreaking.
   The game's only detractor for me is that, being mainly a shooter, it is very heavy on combat – too much so for my liking. Playing this game, I came to the conclusion that shooters really aren't my thing. In fact, my favourite stages were always the parts that didn't involve direct combat, especially the point where you have an army of Antlions at your command – that was awesome!
   I also have to confess that the enemies in this game… they scare the shit out of me! The alien creatures are more terrifying than anything I've seen in a horror movie! And I think the first-person perspective just enhances that.
   There's too much to comment on while keeping it brief, but let's just say everything about this game is astounding: the premise, the enemies, the backgrounds, the Gravity Gun, the physics, the overall sense of realism… I can definitely say I love the game, but if it had just cut down on the shoot-'em-up aspect, it would have been perfect.
   My rating: 95%.

Dangerous Creatures: Black Mamba

(Africa)

   A neighbour of the black mamba, the African egg-eating snake, spits out the eggshell after it dines.
   A venomous snake like the black mamba has few enemies. But the secretary bird is one of them.
   The black mamba is not the only tree-climbing snake. The emerald boa lives and hunts in the trees of South America.
   Mambas have fixed front fangs, like cobras, coral snakes and sea snakes.
   Video: A boomslang has keen eyes. After sighting its prey, this snake will give chase on the ground or in the trees until it catches its meal.
   Advice: If a black mamba challenges you, freeze and remain perfectly still until it’s long gone. But then, unless you’re hiking through the bush in Africa, you’re not likely to run into this snake.

Next: A black mamba moves very fast for a snake. But it doesn’t even come close to the speed of the fastest animal on land: the cheetah.

Dangerous Creatures: Mangrove Snake

(Southeast Asia)

   All are at home in the salty mangrove swamp: the tiger, and the crocodile, and a crabby-looking spider.
   Does it look like a branch? Or could it be a vine? It’s best to be sure before you grab it!
   Here are some of the strange animals you’ll find in the mangrove forests of Southeast Asia: the proboscis monkey, the mudskipper and the Malayan tapir.
   How can you distinguish between snakes and legless lizards? Look for eyelids.
   Rear-fanged snakes, the colubrids, either have very weak venom or none at all.
   Video: When this frog gets grabbed by a vine snake, the frog puffs up to seem bigger. But a frog should never underestimate what a snake can swallow!
   Advice: Do you plan to prowl through mangrove swamps in Indonesia? No? Well, then you’re safe from the mangrove snake.

Next: If you were bitten by a mangrove snake, it would hurt, but your life would not be in danger. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said of a bite from the deadly black mamba.

Dangerous Creatures: Snakes

   The milk snake and the king snake are both pretenders. But the coral snake is a different matter.
   If you really don’t like to fight, it pays to put on a tough act, like the red-tailed racer.
   Snakes have different methods for killing. But they all eat the same way: they swallow their prey whole.
   Different snakes move around in different ways.
   When it comes to size, these two take the prize: the reticulated python and the anaconda.
   If you had four hundred bones in your back, you could bend yourself into a loop as well.
   Who says green tree pythons have to start by being green?
   Not everybody smells with their nose. Just try it with your tongue!
   Video: Many people have nightmares about being bitten by snakes. But snakes aren’t really interested in people. They’d rather sink their teeth into something they can eat.
   Advice: How can you tell a venomous snake from a harmless one? Some people say it’s the shape of the head, or the type of eyes. But I wouldn’t advise you to get face-to-face with a strange snake. You might scare the poor thing to death!

Next: Snakes can be dangerously venomous, like a rattlesnake, or harmless, like a mangrove snake.

Dangerous Creatures: Python

(Africa, India, Southeast Asia, Australia)

   Mother pythons care for their eggs. But after they hatch, the little ones are on their own.
   A snake is almost all backbone and ribs.
   Whether a big boa or the little Mexican milk snake, call them both constrictors – snakes that take your breath away.
   Colourful, yes. But in the branches of a tree, prey may fail to see the green tree python until it’s too late.
   What manners! But chewing your food is not important at the boa’s dinner table.
   The longest snake? Probably a reticulated python. And the heaviest? Probably the anaconda.
   Pythons and boas “see” with heat-detecting pits in their head, and smell and taste with forked tongues.
   Video: Pythons don’t need to eat very often. A rat or possum can keep one fed for several days. And a really big meal will keep a python satisfied for weeks.
   Advice: A big python could hold you down by just lying on top of you! They can weigh up to several hundred pounds. So don’t invite a python to a pyjama party!

Next: Imagine a snake that weighs hundreds of pounds. It’s a good thing that all snakes don’t grow as big as pythons!

Dangerous Creatures: African Waterhole

   When everyone eats in the same place, it’s just as well that they don’t eat the same thing!
   Waterholes can be fun. But it’s advisable to have a healthy respect for the bigger users.
   Not everyone goes to a waterhole just to get a drink.
   Everybody enjoys a good mud bath from time to time. Don’t you?
   Enjoy yourself at a waterhole. But don’t forget there’s danger there, too.
   Sometimes, when the food supply is low, you have to move on. But moving is not always an easy thing.
   Video: African grasslands, dotted with acacia trees, are home to an amazing variety of wildlife.
   Advice: Africa is one of the most marvellous places on Earth for wildlife. You can see animals for every letter of the alphabet here, from aardvarks to zebras.

Next: Both predators and prey come to the waterhole. You might see a python lying in wait on the shore.

Dangerous Creatures: Hippopotamus

(Africa)

   Hippos usually come out of the water at night to graze, staying close to the riverbank. Mothers guard their babies ferociously.
   Look at that mouth! Those teeth! Although they’re not meat-eaters, hippos are among the most dangerous animals in Africa – if provoked.
   Hippos spend a lot of time underwater, even giving birth to their babies there.
   You can see many types of animals at a waterhole. But you’d better keep your distance!
   Finding enough to eat can sometimes be a challenge for these huge herbivores.
   Hippos in a waterhole are like the tip of an iceberg, in the sense that there may be many more hidden beneath the water’s surface.
   Video: These peaceful-looking hippos are covered with scars. And here’s the reason: those long, sharp teeth. Fighting, splashing and biting are common events in a hippo herd.
   Advice: Hippos spend most of their day sleeping or resting in water. Look for ears and nostrils at the surface before paddling into an area. If you see any, keep your distance. Hippos will charge, and they aren’t slow coaches!

Next: A hippopotamus is just one of a wide variety of animals you could see at an African waterhole.

Dangerous Creatures: Rhinoceros

(Africa, India, Southeast Asia)

   Rolling in the mud or dust may keep the mites off. Or it may just feel good. Whichever, rhinos love to do it.
   They don’t hunt for prey, but rhinos and other African herbivores, like elephants and Cape buffalos, can still be dangerous.
   A rhinoceros will challenge another male with a stare. If that doesn’t work, its horn can do a lot of damage.
   White rhinos are not actually white. Then how did they get their name?
   The magnificent rhinoceros horn. It has cost many rhinos their lives.
   Once, rhinos roamed Asia. Now, they’re almost gone.
   Video: With their thick hides and sharp horns, rhinos may look tough, but they’re no match for bullets. These majestic creatures have been nearly wiped out, by people who shoot them just for their horns.
   Advice: A rhino has poor eyesight. Stay downwind, and move slowly and quietly around rhinos. If you don’t know which direction is downwind, you’d better stay at home!

Next: A rhinoceros looks big and heavy, but it can run surprisingly fast. The same applies to another heavyweight: the hippopotamus.

Dangerous Creatures: Warthog

(Africa)

   In Africa, the warthog must always be on the watch for big predators, like lions and leopards.
   The tapir may look like a pig, but this endangered animal is actually related to the horse!
   The warthog has tusks. But this Asian wild pig, the babirusa, has teeth that grow right through its snout!
   Do you know what a peccary is? What it is not is a pig.
   Wild boars and the pigs you’d find on a farm are relatives.
   Teeth come in all shapes and sizes. And some never stop growing.
   Wild pigs like the warthog, the wild boar and the African bush pig have been hunted for centuries.
   Video: Warthogs use their impressive tusks to dig up roots, or to excavate burrows. It takes a lot of rooting around to satisfy a large family like this one!
   Advice: When hiking across Africa, look out for warthog burrows in the ground. And steer clear of them! A warthog may be at home, and you’re not invited in!

Next: Warthogs are known for their aggressive dispositions, and for bumps on their faces. The same is true of a rhinoceros.

Dangerous Creatures: Tasmanian Devil

(Tasmania)

   Wiped off the face of the Earth. The Tasmanian wolf, a relative of the Tasmanian devil.
   Australia has many dangerous animals. But most are no threat to humans.
   Primitive and unusual animals, like marsupials and monotremes, live in both Australia and New Guinea.
   You don’t have to be big to be fierce. Here’s just a sample of some aggressive little carnivores: badgers and weasels.
   Tasmania and Australia were once connected. That’s why they have so many animals in common.
   Video: When early Australian settlers heard nightly growls and screams, they thought the woods were filled with devils. That’s how these scrappy little animals got their name.
   Advice: The Tasmanian devil’s vicious temper exists only in cartoons. They’re really very shy creatures that snarl and growl only when threatened. But if someone backed me into a corner, I suppose I’d get fairly touchy as well.

Next: A Tasmanian devil has a reputation for being pretty mean. So does an African warthog.

Dangerous Creatures: Vampire Bat

(Central and South America)

   The wing of the bat is a marvellous creation.
   The bat’s clawed feet are good for crawling. And for hanging upside-down while sleeping.
   They sleep in cool caves and empty buildings. To stay warm, they huddle close.
   Bats use their wings not only to fly, but to catch their dinner.
   Blind as a bat? Not so the fruit bat!
   No need for a road map! A bat reads echoes to learn what’s nearby.
   Video: When night falls, bats come out of their hiding places to hunt for food. Vampire bats look for large warm-blooded animals. Just a tiny bite from this tiny bat, and dinner’s ready.
   Advice: Vampire bats can carry disease, so never let one suck on your neck. But unless you’re camping out among a herd of cattle in Central America, you have no need to worry.

Next: Vampire bats are gentle creatures, despite a reputation for being savage. The same goes for Tasmanian devils.

Dangerous Creatures: Vulture

(Warm climates worldwide)

   Gliding on a rising column of warm air. Soaring far above the Earth. Oh, for the life of a vulture!
   Did you know that a few animals use tools? Just like people do.
   Although vultures prefer food that is already dead, many will also dine on rodents and baby birds.
   You don’t miss having feathers on your head if you have to stick it in a carcass to eat, like many vultures do!
   They may not be pretty, but vultures are pretty impressive!
   Small planes? No, giant birds! The Andean condor and the Californian condor are the largest vultures in the world.
   Video: From a high perch or from a high glide, vultures keep a sharp eye out for food. Once a meal has been spotted, it’s a race to see who can get there first, and who can eat the fastest.
   Advice: If you find yourself constantly surrounded by vultures, you might like to consider taking up an exercise programme. You’re obviously moving so slowly that they think you’re dead!

Next: The sight of vultures soaring through the skies gives some people the creeps. The same people would probably cover their necks if they spotted a vampire bat.

Dangerous Creatures: Hyena

(Africa, Middle East, India, Southeast Asia)

   Hyenas look very much like dogs. But they’re not at all related.
   A pack of hyenas would gladly grab a zebra, a wildebeest or a gazelle.
   A clan of spotted hyenas lives in a central den. The females rule here.
   A lion will steal a hyena’s meal if it can.
   To scavenge or not to scavenge? That is a question that does not arise! Hyenas will take any free meat they can get.
   Video: Hyenas were long thought to eat only the kills of other animals. But experts now know that hyenas are skilful and deadly pack hunters. In fact, lions often steal the kills of hyenas!
   Advice: During the day, hyenas are usually seen skulking around a kill, waiting their turn to eat. But after dark, hyenas turn into skilful hunters. So if you hear a few hyenas laughing in the dark, don’t try to join the party!

Next: Sometimes a hyena hunts, and sometimes it scavenges. The same is true of many vultures.

Dangerous Creatures: Hammerhead Shark

(Tropical and temperate seas worldwide)

   If you think a hammerhead looks strange, take a look at the headgear on the catshark, the paddlefish and the sawfish!
   It may be big, but the whale shark is a gentle giant. It eats only plankton.
   The carpet shark, like the hammerhead, has a bizarre appearance. So, why the patterns and tassels? Camouflage, of course.
   The angel shark looks like a ray, but it’s a shark. How can you tell if a fish is actually a shark?
   Small sharks, like the horn shark, use camouflage to hide from predators – which can include big sharks.
   Video: Hammerheads wave their oddly-shaped heads from side to side as they swim. Perhaps the motion helps them zero in on the scent or vibrations of nearby fish and rays.
   Advice: There is no proven rule for judging when a hammerhead might attack. Until we know more about these strange-looking creatures, don’t go swimming with them.

   Following this in the program are two activities back-to-back, which end this chain.
   The first one is called I See You!: With its eyes spread apart like that, how do you suppose the world appears to a hammerhead shark? Different animals have different types of vision.
   And the second is Animal Eyes: Now you know all about how predators and prey animals see. Take a look at some close-ups of animal eyes.
   And Animal Eyes just leads back to Spiders, so those seven screens can just keep going over and over in an endless loop!
   So tomorrow, we begin a brand new chain with the hyena.

First Impressions: "Misery" (Stephen King)

   I finished reading Misery yesterday. And all I can say is, "Wow!" It blew my mind!
   If you don't know, it's about a writer who's saved from a car wreck by a woman who turns out to be an obsessive fan who's not mentally well, and she's royally pissed that he killed off her favourite character (the eponymous Misery) in his latest book. She keeps him prisoner in her house and forces him to write a sequel that brings Misery back. That's the basic gist; his predicament's actually a lot more complicated than that.
   It works spectacularly on so many levels. Firstly, it's just brilliant how it's stripped down almost entirely to just these two characters in a deadly game of cat-and-mouse.
   On top of that, it's a fascinating look inside the mind of a writer. I especially love how vividly Stephen King describes this man's thought process. My favourite aspect of his writing is how he sometimes interrupts a paragraph and directly resumes it after a brief, italicised one, which is very similar to how thoughts flash through the mind.
   I could probably go on for ages about Misery, so I'd better stop there! It's just incredible. I haven't read many of Stephen King's works yet, but this one will be really hard to top – and I'll certainly be surprised if, even after I get round to reading everything I want to, this isn't still in my top ten all-time favourites!
   My rating: 100%.

Dangerous Creatures: Tales of Tails

   The element of surprise is essential for some creatures, like the puss moth caterpillar.
   Hiding yourself away is easy, if you’re all tail!
   Some creatures, like sharks, have a very interesting way of getting about.
   When caught by a predator, some animals simply fall apart and run away!
   Heads or tails? Well, for the thresher shark, a tail’s worth two heads anytime!
   Butterflies. Now, here’s a use for a tail that has probably never occurred to you!
   Some animals have very peculiar, and effective, weapons.
   Video: If you’re a runner, you can use a long tail to help keep your balance when you change direction. If you’re a tree-dweller, you can use your tail as a safety belt, to hang onto a branch while your paws are busy.
   Advice: When climbing trees, I’ve often wished for a tail. It would have saved me from a few quick trips to the ground, I can tell you!

Next: Some sharks have unusual tails. But there’s also one that has a very strange head.

Dangerous Creatures: Sharks

   Some sharks lay very interesting eggs.
   Now, here’s an idea: a flexible backbone! No wonder these animals are such great swimmers.
   How would you like to never have to visit a dentist again? Well, these fellows have the answer!
   Sharks are very sophisticated creatures. They have senses that humans just can’t match.
   Sharks might be powerful creatures, but they don’t always have it easy.
   Sharks and remoras have a very good relationship: “You scratch my back, and I’ll scratch yours.”
   Different teeth for different needs. It’s all the same to the prey, however!
   The whale shark is the biggest shark in the ocean, but it’s also one of the most gentle.
   Video: Sharks live in a watery foreign world. They’re graceful, powerful and swift. Humans usually find these marine predators to be both fascinating and frightening.
   Advice: Some people have nightmares about sharks. Well, it’s good to be cautious, but let’s be realistic. There are millions more people eating sharks than sharks eating people.

Next: The angel shark uses its great tail to lift its bulk up off the ocean floor.

Dangerous Creatures: Cockroach

(Almost everywhere)

   A cockroach may look like a beetle, but it’s not. It doesn’t have a beetle’s hard wing cases.
   Cockroaches are an important source of food for many birds, reptiles, and other insects.
   A cockroach is an insect. But is an ant an insect? And what about a spider?
   Cockroaches have existed since before dinosaurs. But they’re not the only species that have been around that long.
   Many insects have antennae on their heads, to help them locate food and other animals.
   A cave full of dung? Cockroach heaven!
   Cockroaches can be helpful too. They eat garbage.
   Video: Cockroaches have been waste disposal experts for millions of years. They’ll eat anything that doesn’t crawl away, from garbage to their neighbour’s offspring.
   Advice: Trying to get rid of cockroaches? Store all your food in sealed containers, or do what I do: keep a big lizard around the house to eat the little pests.

Next: Many cockroaches will eat just about anything. The same can be said of some types of shark.

Dangerous Creatures: Spiders

   Why bother with camouflage when you’re a mouthful of spikes, like the spiny orb weaver?
   The spider has eight legs and injects venom into its prey, just like another arachnid: the scorpion.
   Cleverly concealed, the underground burrow of the trapdoor spider is a refuge – and a trap for its prey.
   Busy, busy, busy! House and garden spiders clean up those troublesome insects for us.
   If you could manage to look like a flower, you too could catch insects, like the crab spider.
   The spider’s web. It develops from a liquid in the spinneret organs, to a tough silk-like thread, into a work of art.
   Home furnishings! Cave spiders spin webs near the entrance to trap food, and hang egg sacs from the ceiling.
   Do you live near the Amazon River Rainforest? Well, if you do, watch out for the venomous Brazilian wandering spider.
   Video: Spiders are tricky creatures. Some spiders spin intricate webs to trap their prey. Others, like the trapdoor spider, rely on the element of surprise.
   Advice: Imagine being able to coordinate eight legs and several sets of eyes! Some days, I can barely walk in a straight line and focus on what’s ahead!

Next: Do spiders give you the creeps? What about cockroaches?

Dangerous Creatures: Crab

(Shallow saltwater and shorelines everywhere)

   It may be called a velvet crab, but it’s a fierce hunter.
   A male fiddler crab uses his big “fiddling” claw to protect his territory on the beach.
   Does this crab look like a piecrust to you? Well, it should, because that’s how it got its name!
   The king ragworm breathes through things that look like legs. Some of these worms grow to almost a metre in length.
   A discarded shell becomes a home to a hermit crab – and his guest, the ragworm.
   The crayfish, which is related to the crab and the lobster, can live only in clean rivers and lakes.
   Because of its soft body, the hermit crab has to borrow a discarded shell for protection.
   Video: Crabs. What are these strange-looking creatures up to? They’re climbing trees, making weird arm signals on the beach, and dancing with each other in the sand!
   Advice: Crabs are mostly scavengers. So while you’re on the beach, keep moving. If you lie still for too long, a crab may think you’re dead, and come up to take a bite!

Next: [See picture] This huge crab looks like a gigantic spider. What are the differences between crabs and spiders?

Dangerous Creatures: Stingray

(Temperate and tropical seas worldwide, the Amazon River basin)

   To humans, the colour red means danger. In the ocean, it’s the colour blue.
   Unlucky rays can drown in fishermen’s nets, and end up as food for scavengers.
   The torpedo ray is a stunner that can kill its prey without ever touching it!
   Although it’s not a stingray, the thornback ray has features typical of most rays, and you would not want to step on it!
   An underwater spaceship? No! It’s a manta ray.
   The sawfish, a cousin of the rays, has an unusual weapon for rooting out prey: its nose.
   Only a third of all rays – the stingrays – are a threat. And then, only if they’re grabbed or stepped on.
   Video: Often compared to birds or ballet dancers, rays are among the most graceful creatures in the sea. The barbed tail of a stingray is a painful shock to anyone who surprises this animal on the ocean floor.
   Advice: Do not walk on the floor of the ocean where you can’t see it. Stingrays like to bury themselves in the sand. And don’t touch a stingray washed up on the beach. It may still be alive and dangerous.

Next: Be careful when you’re wading in the ocean. You could get stung by a stingray, or grabbed by a crab.

Dangerous Creatures: Sea Snake

(Tropical seas worldwide, except Atlantic Ocean)

   They are snakes, and not fish. And sea snakes come up to breathe. Where? In the Indian and Pacific Oceans.
   Nice relatives! The sea snake counts the cobra, the coral snake, the mamba and the krait as family.
   Sea snakes come in just about every pattern and colour imaginable.
   Like the sea snake, which has a flattened tail for swimming underwater, other animals have practically useful tails too.
   Small fish and eels beware! The venom of the sea snake works fast.
   They both have skinny, flexible bodies, but the eel is not related to the sea snake.
   Sea snakes often hide in holes. Keep that in mind if you’re out diving around coral reefs!
   Video: Although they’ve adapted to life at sea, these serpents are real snakes – and deadly ones, too. Like most wild animals, they’re not friendly. They prefer to swim alone.
   Advice: If you see anything that looks like a snake underwater, swim in the opposite direction! If you’re bitten by a sea snake, you may not be able to get to a hospital in time to save your life. This is a deadly snake.

Next: With a sea snake, it’s the venomous fangs you need to watch out for. With a stingray, the front end is safe; it’s the tail that can cause you pain.

Dangerous Creatures: Australian Sea Wasp (Box Jellyfish)

(North Australian waters)

   Lookalikes? Yes. But the Australian sea wasp is a single jellyfish, whereas the man-of-war is more of a community.
   Jellyfish even live in the icy Arctic Ocean! But they’re not alone.
   Like jellyfish, anemones also sting their prey.
   This is the anemone, a close relative of the jellyfish. As is the Australian sea wasp.
   If you’re diving in Australian waters, watch out. The sea wasp has hard-to-see tentacles and deadly venom.
   Video: How can something so delicate be alive? You can see right through many jellyfish. To us land-dwellers, the oceans are alien worlds, full of beautiful and mysterious creatures.
   Advice: In Australia, some lifeguards wear pantyhose to protect themselves against jellyfish stings. It’s better to look silly than to have to call an ambulance! But the safest practice is: when sea wasps come floating in, swimmers come running out.

Next: A sea wasp looks delicate, but it’s an extremely dangerous jellyfish. Another beautiful but venomous marine animal is the sea snake.

Dangerous Creatures: Australian Oddities

   Here’s one animal that is no more: the thylacine, or Tasmanian wolf. We can try to make sure that doesn’t happen to any other creatures.
   The Great Barrier Reef is amazing – and quite dangerous for those who don’t watch out.
   And you thought Australian beaches were just beautiful holiday spots?
   How would you like to get a free ride from your mum for a few months?
   Now, here are two unusual species: the platypus and the echidna. But you won’t find them around unless you travel Down Under.
   Video: A teddy bear? No. A koala. Not a bear at all. From koalas to wombats to flying sugar gliders, Australia is filled with the most unusual wild animals.
   Advice: There are some very peculiar creatures in Australia. And a few odd people as well.

Next: There are a lot of odd animals on the land in Australia. And there are also many dangerous creatures off its coastline, such as the Australian sea wasp (or box jellyfish).

Dangerous Creatures: Platypus

(Eastern Australia, Tasmania)

   Both have webbed feet and a bill. But the platypus is a mammal. The duck is a bird.
   The platypus hunts for its food underwater.
   The Australian mainland, Tasmania and New Guinea are the homes of some very odd-looking animals.
   Now that you’ve seen it from the outside, let’s see what’s inside a platypus.
   It doesn’t have huge fangs or terrifying claws. So what is dangerous about a platypus?
   A platypus has only one other relative that also lays eggs: the echidna.
   Video: A platypus may look cuddly, but don’t try to make one into a pet. Like all wild animals, it’s happiest and healthiest in its own environment: an Australian pond or stream.
   Advice: Don’t pet a platypus. Unless you know it’s a female. The males have sharp, venomous spikes on their back legs. Actually, the females probably wouldn’t appreciate being handled either.

Next: The platypus is a monotreme (an egg-laying mammal). It’s just one of the many oddities of Australian wildlife.

Dangerous Creatures: The Web of Life

   Some small creatures live with bigger ones. Why? To get food, of course.
   A lot of creatures eat only plants. And their teeth are designed for their diet.
   Many animals, like this snail, take something from their world and give something back. That’s the way it ought to be, don’t you think?
   Sometimes, different kinds of animals are each other’s best friends and help each other out, like clownfish and sea anemones, or gobies and moray eels.
   Relationships in the animal world can be very complex. Just look at mosquitoes, for example.
   It’s quite a menu in the animal kingdom! There’s always a particular part of a plant or animal for everyone’s taste.
   Some characters will eat just about anything. Have you ever known anyone like that?
   What do you do if you’re food for many predators? Have a lot of babies!
   Not all creatures that help out our planet are pleasant to think about. But they all do their part.
   Video: The male with the biggest set of horns or antlers is usually the strongest. To prove it, he has to bash heads or wrestle with rival males.
   Advice: Some animals seem to exist only to be eaten. Well, when you think about it, that is a very important job. I don’t think I’ll apply for the position, though!

   Following this in the program is a game called Who Eats Whom?: The lives of wild animals are interconnected with the plants and animals around them. If we want to protect animals, we need to know how they live and what they eat.
   What’s coming tomorrow follows that: Some predators will eat a wide variety of prey. The platypus eats not only many different types of food, but also consumes large quantities of it every day.

Dangerous Creatures: Leopard

(Africa, Asia)

   In Africa, a big spotted cat is a leopard. In South America, it’s a jaguar.
   The black panther is really a leopard. And if you look closely, you can still see its spots.
   Its beautiful coat of fur has nearly cost this breed of leopard its existence. The snow leopard is on the endangered list.
   Leopards move as freely in trees as they do on the ground.
   High in the trees is where leopards usually choose to sleep, hide, keep a lookout and store their food.
   The leopard, like most big cats, is a loner. It hunts alone and, except for mothers with cubs, lives alone.
   Video: Unlike us humans, a leopard’s food is not so easy to come by. If they’re hungry for a nice juicy antelope, they’ve got to go out, catch one, and then drag it up a tree so it won’t get stolen.
   Advice: Leopards are mostly active at night. So unless you’re out in the bush after dark, you’re not likely to meet one. You might hear one, though, without even realising it. Their calls sound like someone sawing wood.

   Following this in the program is a game called Who Lives Where?: Leopards are very adaptable creatures, and can live in many different habitats. Test your knowledge at matching animals to their habitats.
   What’s coming tomorrow follows that: To understand animals, you also need to know about their habitats. Both plants and animals are part of the web of life.

Dangerous Creatures: Baboon

(Africa)

   Grooming is a sociable activity between baboons. And it keeps their fur clean.
   A baby baboon stays close to its mother. When grown, females stay with the troop, but many males leave to find a new group.
   Scientists believe that humans are related to apes and monkeys. Just compare these skulls, and you’ll see why.
   The male mandrill, a relative of the baboon and the largest of all monkeys, has a brightly coloured face.
   Young monkeys, apes and humans learn skills through play.
   In the African savannah, baboons forage for food on the ground, but sleep in trees for safety.
   Video: You might not expect to see these faces on the Africa savannah. But unlike other monkeys, baboons live on the ground.
   Advice: If a baboon grins at you, it’s not amused. It’s angry. Back away slowly. If you turn your back on one, you may get a nasty bite in the backside! They also throw stones and other things.

Next: A baboon has to be constantly on the lookout. This monkey is the favourite food of many leopards.

Dangerous Creatures: War Paint

   Don’t let pretty colours fool you! They’re often signs of danger.
   Know the right colour coding, and you’ll be smarter around wasps, poison arrow frogs and spotted salamanders.
   The mandarin fish and the zygaenid moth. These two creatures send a very clear message to would-be predators.
   If you drove a car through a red light, you’d probably expect to be in trouble. Colour signals are important in the animal world, too.
   The orange-striped newt, the red-kneed tarantula and the tiger centipede. Now, here’s a group of pretty dangerous characters!
   Video: In the world of amphibians and reptiles, bright colours usually signal poison. So, if you spot a beautifully coloured animal, just look, don’t touch.
   Advice: We humans wear whatever colours please us. Except in times of war, when armies choose coloured uniforms so that everyone will know who’s on which side – or they wear camouflage to hide out. But every day is a battle in the animal world, so colours often have special meanings there.

Next: [See picture] This mandrill is a colourful cousin of the baboon.

Dangerous Creatures: Fire Salamander

(Europe, northwest Africa, Southeast Asia)

   The California newt, the tiger salamander and the mandarin salamander. Danger ahead!
   Whether born live or hatched from eggs, baby salamanders look nothing like their parents.
   Do you see those lumps behind this salamander’s eyes? They ooze venom.
   What kind of feet does a salamander have? It depends on how it lives.
   Newts come in an assortment of colours and patterns.
   Video: In a salamander beauty contest, it would be difficult to choose a winner. Just imagine if people came in such bright colours and interesting patterns!
   Advice: Don’t squeeze a salamander, or it may squirt venom at you. Actually, don’t squeeze any animal. You wouldn’t let them squeeze you, would you? Of course you wouldn’t!

Next: A fire salamander can afford to be colourful, because it uses venom to defend itself. Within certain groups of animals, bright colours often signal venom.

Dangerous Creatures: Lizards

   Lizards are great runners, whether on two legs or four.
   Meet the slow-worm, a lizard without legs. Here’s a very peculiar technique! And it seems to work, too!
   I-guana, you-guana, they-guana! An iguana for every taste!
   Most geckos are night owls. Except for the Madagascar day gecko, who seems to prefer the daytime.
   Reptiles are all over the place. And they’re not really frightening. In fact, they’re among the most interesting creatures around.
   Look! A flying gecko! Well, not really. But it is a parachuting gecko.
   The chameleon. A rainbow creature, with a deadly tongue. Deadly for an insect, that is.
   Video: Wherever there’s a warm climate, there are lizards. They come in all sizes and colours, and in amazing shapes. There’s even one that swims in the sea: a marine iguana.
   Advice: Sometimes, it’s the smallest ones you have to watch out for. One day, a little gecko jumped up and bit my nose for no apparent reason! But, nevertheless, I still like lizards.

Next: Do you know the difference between a lizard and a fire salamander?

The Sims 2: Is This a Joke?

   Well, it's April Fool's Day. I'm not going to pull any pranks or anything, but I figure this is the perfect time to show you one of the goofiest things I've ever seen in my life.
   I've been playing The Sims 2 every day for quite a while now, and a couple of my Sims had lifetime aspirations to become a criminal mastermind. When they finally accomplished it and I first saw the criminal mastermind attire, I just could not help myself from howling with laughter! I was like, "Seriously?!"

   I mean, look at this! Maybe you can't see it too clearly with the poor quality of the camera in the game, but… red-and-black spandex with shoulder horns and a skull insignia across the chest? I was under the impression that "criminal mastermind" meant mob boss – which would make sense, since it's the pinnacle of the criminal career. But who would take a mob boss seriously who dresses like that? :D Not even comic book villains get this silly!
   Actually, speaking of which… I can't remember which one it was, but one of these guys had a superhero to deal with on one of his first days on the job! :) If you've played the game yourself, you know how sometimes text boxes pop up while a Sim is away at work, telling you of something interesting happening there and forcing you to make a choice between two actions? Well, there was one that said there was a new superhero in town, and you had to choose between trying to contain him or keep going with your plan to hold the city to ransom.
   So, actually, criminal mastermind in this game means supervillain! And for a game that's otherwise supposed to simulate normal life, doesn't this just seem really out of place?
   On that same note, interestingly, Captain Hero is the top position of the law enforcement career – and I've had Sims achieve that, too. Isn't it hilarious that being a superhero is just a normal day job in this game? :D
   But anyway, yes, the criminal mastermind uniform here is laughable. And in this particular picture, it's coupled with these two guys just going about their daily business in their kitchen, one drinking an instant meal and the other preparing a TV dinner. This has got to be one of the silliest images ever! :) If I just showed you this picture and simply told you these guys were criminal masterminds, wouldn't you think I was playing a prank on you?

Dangerous Creatures: Komodo Dragon

(Indonesia)

   The Komodo dragon, the rat, the mosquito and the vampire bat. None of these animals are venomous. But if one bites you, it could make you sick.
   Komodo dragons are meat-eaters. They also prey on each other. So at mealtimes, the small ones are very polite!
   The ancestors of the Komodo dragon and the tuatara lived at the time of the dinosaurs.
   Monitor lizards, like the Komodo dragon, live in trees, in water, on the ground, and even underground.
   The newt, the caiman and the iguana. Although they all resemble lizards, two of these creatures are not. So you have to guess which one is the real thing.
   Video: Millions of years ago, the most powerful animals on Earth were not mammals, but giant meat-eating reptiles. Komodo dragons are the largest lizards on Earth today, and are living reminders of this ancient past.
   Advice: If you are bitten, or even just scratched, by a Komodo dragon, go to a doctor immediately! The bacteria that live in this giant lizard’s mouth could kill an elephant!

Next: No wonder they call it a dragon! The Komodo dragon, or “ora”, is the largest lizard on Earth today.