Strollerderby : argentina

Would You Take Your Kids to a Petting Zoo with Lions, Tigers, and Bears?

Hannah Tennant-Moore — Sat, 11 Apr 2009 20:28:00 GMT

In case you’re planning a family vacation and you happen not to care about either animal rights or your children’s limbs, you should totally go to the Lujan Zoo in Argentina, where visitors are allowed to feed, cuddle, or ride the backs of lions, tigers, and bears.

“Even children are allowed to enter the lion's cage and fondle a range of animals that have the potential to kill or maim them,” reports the Daily Mail. Does that sound thrilling or what? Here are some photographic examples of just how close Lujan lets tourists get to deadly animals that appear to be inhumanely sedated (or at least overfed and suicidally bored):

Here’s a photo of the zookeepers “monitoring” the uncaged animals. I’d definitely trust these guys with my life—plus, I’ll bet they know a great place to grab a few tequila shots after all this lion cuddling.

Despite Lujan’s assurance that the keepers love their animals and care about their visitors’ safety, animal rights activists are not convinced. According to the CEO of Born Free Foundation, “Anyone who has any knowledge of big cats will understand that they are wild animals and, as such, are unpredictable....I also note that the zoo makes claims to educate and conserve. Well, if they think teaching people that it's OK to stroke tigers and pet primates is educational, they are just plain wrong.”

Who said anything about educational? This zoo visit is all about bragging rights and Facebook photos.

Photos: Fortuna and The Daily Mail

Dog Rescues Baby

Amy S.F. Lutz — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 12:35:00 GMT

This sounds straight out of "The Jungle Book": La China, an 8-year-old dog from Argentina, found a baby boy who had been abandoned in a field by his 14-year-old mother, and carried him more than 160 feet to nestle him among her own puppies.

La China's owner heard the baby crying, and called the authorities. The mother came forward shortly after her son was found.

Besides a few bruises - presumably from his journey to join the litter - the baby was unharmed. The temperature can drop to forty degrees at night in this part of Argentina, so locals are hailing La China as a hero.

Maybe they should change the expression "Man's best friend" to "Baby's best friend"!

16-Year-Old Girl Gives Birth To Triplets...Um, Again

Kelly Mills — Sat, 23 Feb 2008 14:32:00 GMT

Plenty of people get upset about teen pregnancy, and this one makes Jamie Lynn Spears seem relatively chaste by comparison. A 16-year-old in Argentina just gave birth to triplets. Oh, and the mom and babies are doing well, thanks for asking. So why has this caused such a kerfuffle, touching off debates and criticism all over Argentina.

Well, um, it isn't her first set of triplets. She had her first baby at age 14, and then at age 15, triplets. Making these latest triplets at age 16 the second set, no fertility treatments. Yes, that's seven kids altogether, for those keeping score at home. Provincial authorities built the brood a home and donated land when the first triplets emerged, but now some folks are saying the girl needs birth control advice, not more financial assistance. And the girl's mom, who cleans houses to help support her daughter and many grandkids, says yes, they will be seeking help from the government.

The Future Of BoyBands: Gauchos de Acero

Patti — Mon, 08 Jan 2007 23:30:00 GMT

Don't be fooled by the Pikachu teeshirt or the bunkbed in the corner of the room: Gauchos de Acero are soldiers of metal, and they are not messing around. Never mind that the oldest is fourteen, or that their four year old sister sometimes chimes in on backing vocals. They are hard core, and they're already playing to the bar crowds at home in Argentina. Here they're a YouTube phenomenon, and I don't use the word "phenomenon" lightly: they've had over two million hits on their first video, a cover of Sepultura's "Refuse, Resist". Vice Magazine recently posted an interview with oldest brother and guitarist Emilio, who describes their origins and their hopes for the future.

Here, Emilio shreds on "Tributo a Emerson Lake and Palmer" while his younger brothers drive a pounding rhythm.