Buggy Blagojevich?

Today our new governor of Illinois, Patrick Quinn, announced the following:

"We've had a body blow to our politics and government in the last seven weeks and two days but that's over," Quinn said at a news conference. "Today is a beginning, a start. ... We're going to start to fumigate state government from top to bottom to make sure it has no corruption."

For ex-governor Blagojevich, perhaps this is an appropriate metaphor - or should we say "metamorphosis"? Indeed, Rod-as-Bug seems to be in the collective unconscious right now, if this print for sale on Etsy.com is any indication.

Oh, but the insects do get a bad rap. Fumigate? Impeachment might be enough: I'll take a fly to the ex-governor any day of the week.....

Zoos in the financial downturn

The World Conversation Society just put out a PSA on New York's cutting of 55% of state support for zoos and aquariums due to budget shortfall in the current economic crisis:



Funding for programs like zoos are often a prime target of budget cuts. What does it say about the priority of animals in the city and their care given they are (literally) captive to the funds that government provides? In the end is this strategy actually cost effective or social beneficial given how popular zoos are, especially in Chicago? This will be a topic for us to explore more later in the semester. Some related articles....

Syracuse Porcupine gets Pink Slip

When Zoos cut Budgets, No Species is Safe

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