Emusing

It looks like "Joe" wins the appetizer from Newell House. Too bad, i hate to award it to a stupid comment, but no requirement was given for quality, only number. Joe (who himself is surely not stupid) should write me about the gift certificate within five days, or it goes to Shawn the Beer Philosopher.

Moving on. . . as of 12:47 a.m. today, it's officially Summer, and it's safe to say the Spring's strangest local story was the shooting last week of an "errant emu" -- which had special meaning to me because of my past experience with emus -- as this old photo of me petting one shows -- snapped with my free hand.

Unfortunately, as soon as the beast heard the camera click, it pecked me severely in the groin. . . . That's why I don't snap as many photos as I used to.... ha ha. . . . Actually, the emu was well-behaved. They're not as dangerous as the police were advised.

Here're some newspaper accounts.

Emu killed on Allyn St.

Five days ago, an Emu was shot and killed: "...[A]nimal control agencies and veterinarian offices were contacted in an effort to locate the emu's owner. No one seemed to know where the bird had come from or where it belonged." The Chicago Tribune link may last a little longer than the Southern. Errant emu shot, killed by police in southern Illinois. (You can tell it's a northern paper, 'cause Southern is lowercase.)

The day after her first report, a report of a the decision by the The Carbondale Police Department to use deadly force was questioned "The Carbondale Police Department owns a tranquilizer gun. But the officers aren't expert emu handlers, said Sgt. Don Priddy."

When last reported, the owner of the emu was unknown. So is it possible to own an emu in Jackson County undetected by anyone? Will police make an effort to find the owner? Perhaps to fine him? or make him pay for the bullets?

Anywho, in the spirit of "THE EMU IS DEAD, LONG LIVE THE EMU", BBC News reports:
Emu set for television comeback: "Anarchic glove puppet Emu is to return to TV screens."