Aren’t you just thoroughly fascinated by Hawaii’s weather reports? I bet all those folks who decided to wash their car only to have it rain as soon as they were done didn’t get the memo: isolated showers are in the forecast.

If you know it’s going to be 87 or 89 degrees tomorrow, you can decide tonight whether to wear the lightweight shirt or perhaps go with the polo. Yippee for you!

But more on this must-know Island weather in a bit. We gotta give our TV weather guys credit. They have that blank blue or green screen they are pointing at while all these fancy and informative graphics pop up on our televisions. Some of them even do live shots to showcase the extreme weather — which is rare in Hawaii, of course.

What is also rare is a snake crawling up your pants during a live shot. According to UPI, that’s what happened to one man. I even found a corresponding video since the story doesn’t do it justice…

DES MOINES, Iowa — A meteorologist broadcasting live from the Iowa State Fair predicted his appearance would wind up on YouTube when a friendly snake slithered up his pants.

Kurtis Gertz, a meteorologist with KCCI-TV in Des Moines, was performing a live broadcast from the fair Thursday alongside a python trainer who allowed the weatherman to wear the snake on his shoulders.

The Burmese python first stuck out its tongue to give Gertz a kiss.

“Hey, that was a hot, wet kiss,” Gertz said. “I got a hunch this is going to make YouTube.”

Gertz said he did not realize until bystanders began gasping and pointing that the snake’s tail had slithered up one of his pant legs and out the other, KCCI-TV reported Monday.

“This is Dawn and she might have a crush on you,” the snake’s trainer, who gave his name as Nick, told Gertz.

“This is how it all comes to an end Steve, this is how it all comes to an end,” Gertz joked. “It’s been a great 20 years in television, God bless.

“OK, let’s go to stupid human tricks. Let’s see you top this one.”
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What other ODD things have you seen during live TV shots? Anyone remember some on-air mistakes?

And back to the weather forecast on Hawaii newscasts. Does anyone else think that we spend a bit too much time on weather? Does light and variable winds with isolated showers tell you much? Do we really need a five-day forecast if there’s only a range of two degrees? Obviously if there’s a storm coming or it is raining unusually hard (a big deal in Hawaii!), we want to know details. But if it’s just another sunny day in paradise, is that even news?

I was just alerted to this hilarious video of some comedic dog poking fun at our weather segment. It’s an old video, but definitely appropriate to the topic!

So… how’s the weather on your side of the island?

Women and bugs/insects/creatures… I’d say usually not a good combo.

Does a cockroach scurrying across the stove bother you? How about a gecko curled up in the corner ceiling of your living room? Spiders (big, hairy ones) dancing down your curtain sheets?

I personally dislike it when guys tell me to “not worry about it” and let the critter be. No, I’m pointing it out to you so you can “remove” the invader… Sorry, I just can’t sleep comfortably (or at all) thinking that the bug might decide to randomly drop onto me (or worse yet, in my mouth!) while in bed!

For the record, those were not real-life examples… But this next story is. Who uses a gun to shoot a rodent?? Unless you got great aim, it just ain’t happening…

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Woman shoots self while trying to kill mice
Associated Press

POTTER VALLEY, Calif. — A Mendocino County woman who was trying to kill mice in her trailer with a gun ended up shooting herself and another person.

Sheriff’s officials say the 43-year-old woman pulled out her .44-caliber Magnum revolver after she saw the mice scurrying across the floor of her trailer on Highway 20 in Potter Valley.

But she accidentally dropped the gun, which went off as it struck the floor. The bullet went through the woman’s kneecap, bounced off the keys sitting on the belt loop of a 42-year-old man in the trailer and grazed the man’s groin before ending up in his coin pocket.

Authorities did not release the shooting victims’ names.

The mice escaped the shooting unharmed.

Information from: The Press Democrat, http://www.pressdemo.com

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Got any secrets to share on how to get rid of a bug? I found that fly swatters do the job pretty well. At least I can usually kill it on the first or second swat. Removing it is another problem though… I was also told hair spray works.

Girls: Do you have problems with killing bugs on your own?

Guys: How often are you called upon for your services?

What bugs do you dislike the most? Or any horror stories to share?

A gecko once somehow ended up on me after I came out of the shower. I screamed so loud and then took another long shower.

I once saw a mini cockroach in my bedroom. When I ran to get my fly swatter, it was gone!! After spending hours looking for it, I decided that I had to sleep with the light on with the hopes that the roach would prefer to stay in the dark. I wasted a lot of electricity for weeks.

Before you share your stories, here’s one out of England that may make you think twice before putting on that bra…

According to UPI, a 19-year-old woman working at an English hotel said she discovered a baby bat in her bra after five hours of wearing the undergarment.

Abbie Hawkins said she initially thought her cell phone was going off when she felt vibrations in her clothes while working at the Holiday Inn Norwich North, but when she reached around for the source of the shaking, she found a tiny bat hiding in the padded pocket of her bra, The Daily Telegraph reported.

She said she’ll “certainly be checking my bras every morning from now on.”

Great, just one more thing to worry about… Though why would you stick your cell phone in your bra?

I’m so glad I’m not a police officer or in a similar line of work. I wonder how many times officers get a call and they are secretly scared or worried if they can get the job done.

The next story is nothing close to a hostage situation or drug deal gone awry, but one dealing with out-of-control animals. In my book, that’s just as tough!
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Police nab Mercedes-climbing goat
Associated Press

CAPSHAW, Ala. — The goat was arrested, the Mercedes-Benz was assaulted and the dog came along for the ride.

It happened Sunday when a woman driving the Mercedes saw a goat and dog playing on U.S. 72 in northern Alabama, Sheriff Mike Blakely said.

She stopped, afraid they would get hit, Blakely said. But the goat jumped on the car and wouldn’t come down. Fearing scratches and dents in her import’s paint job, she called the Limestone County Sheriff’s Department. A deputy got the goat down and put it in his patrol car, but then the dog jumped into his back seat too.

The deputy took the dog to a veterinarian and the goat to the home of another deputy.

“If anybody is missing a goat and dog, they need to let us know,” Blakely said.
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Can you imagine this scene caught on video? How do you even get a goat into the back seat of a patrol car?

Any real-life crazy/odd/funny animal stories you can share? All the hilarious animal stories I can think of only come from the movies…

And in terms of your job, are there any duties that you despise doing? Do you try to pass it on to the next person? Or do you do a half-hearted job while muttering under your breath the whole time?

It seems as if Japan often takes the lead in trying out new concepts or floating new ideas. Whether it’s smart or silly, I guess one way to measure its success is by the reaction it gets from the public.

This story reminds me of the one where Hello Kitty was tapped as a goodwill envoy for China. Well, now Japan is using a real cat to draw in more train passengers.

And wouldn’t you know — the new mascot earned a promotion, she often has to pose for photos and her image graces novelty goods.

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Cat hired as station chief for debt-ridden Japanese train company
By MARI YAMAGUCHI
Associated Press

TOKYO — A money-losing Japanese train company has found the purr-fect mascot to draw crowds and bring back business — tabby Tama.

All the 9-year-old female cat has to do is sit by the entrance of western Japan’s Kishi Station, wearing a black uniform cap and posing for photos for the tourists who are now flocking in from across the nation.

Her job makes cultural sense in Japan, where cats are considered good luck and are believed to bring in business.

Tama has done such a good job of raising revenue for the troubled Kishikawa train line that she was recently promoted to “super-station-master.”

Tama, a 9-year-old female cat, wears a stationmaster cap and a neck sign reading: “Super Stationmaster Tama.” All Tama does is sit by the entrance of the station, wearing the black cap and posing for photos for tourists, now flocking in droves from across the nation. (Associated Press)

“She never complains, even though passengers touch her all over the place. She is an amazing cat. She has patience and charisma,” said Wakayama Electric Railway Co. spokeswoman Yoshiko Yamaki. “She is the perfect station master.”

People have been snatching up novelty goods — postcards, notebooks and erasers — bearing Tama’s photos.

The cat had been about to lose her place to live, with the nearby store where she was raised being torn down. Now, the station is home.

The Kishikawa line had been losing $4.9 million a year as passenger numbers fell steadily to as low as about 5,000 a day, or some 1.9 million a year.

After Tama’s appointment last year passenger numbers have risen by 10 percent to about 2.1 million a year.

In December Tama was rewarded with bonus pay — all in cat food.

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Should Hawaii businesses take a cue from Japan? As a customer, would that draw you in to their shop? For me, it’s always been about the product and price…

Can you think of any other memorable company mascots? Geico’s gecko and Central Pacific Bank’s “loyal dog” quickly comes to mind for me. Hmm… maybe the animal theme is popular…

Ahh, our pets. Our pride and joy for some. Especially the smart ones that can find their way home. By verbally telling a stranger!

I’ll admit… I don’t know much about parrots but can’t most parrots learn to repeat things? Or is that just easier said than done?

So what amazing things can your pet do? Any smart-pet tricks you want to show off about?

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Lost parrot returned to owners after reciting name, address
Associated Press

TOKYO — When Yosuke the parrot flew out of his cage and got lost, he did exactly what he had been taught — recite his name and address to a stranger willing to help.

Police rescued the African grey parrot two weeks ago from a neighbor’s roof in the city of Nagareyama, near Tokyo. After spending a night at the station, he was transferred to a nearby veterinary hospital while police searched for clues, local policeman Shinjiro Uemura said.

Yosuke the parrot gets to rest today in his cage at home in Nagareyama in Chiba Prefecture, east of Tokyo, after he went missing for two weeks. When the African grey parrot flew out of his cage and got lost, he did exactly what he had been taught — recite his name and address to a stranger willing to help. (Associated Press)

He kept mum with the cops, but began chatting after a few days with the vet.

“I’m Mr. Yosuke Nakamura,” the bird told the veterinarian, according to Uemura. The parrot also provided his full home address, down to the street number, and even entertained the hospital staff by singing songs.

“We checked the address, and what do you know, a Nakamura family really lived there. So we told them we’ve found Yosuke,” Uemura said.

The Nakamura family told police they had been teaching the bird its name and address for about two years.

But Yosuke apparently wasn’t keen on opening up to police officials.

“I tried to be friendly and talked to him, but he completely ignored me,” Uemura said.

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And since we’re on the animal theme, here’s another story. Can you imagine getting your hair cut when a deer comes crashing into the salon? And if it scares your hairdresser, let’s just hope she doesn’t have the scissors or razor nearby! Oops…

I guess this is unlikely to happen if you live in Honolulu… though I am a bit curious to see someone jump onto a deer and choke it to hold it down… That’s one brave man.

Dad wrestles with deer after it crashes into salon
Associated Press

QUAKERTOWN, Pa. — A disoriented deer smashed his way into a suburban hair salon, and a customer wrestled with the animal to keep it from ramming into his 11-year-old son or other youngsters.

“I’m a father. I wasn’t going to let anything happen to those kids,” Randy Goepfert said after Tuesday’s confrontation.

Three hairdressers and several parents and children were in the Holiday Hair salon at a strip mall in this Philadelphia suburb when the white-tail buck crashed through the glass door. Goepfert was paying for his son Tyler’s haircut.

The deer “was charging right at my son, so I decked him,” Goepfert said. He grabbed the buck by the neck and slammed it to the floor, then climbed on top and began choking it, hoping to keep the animal at bay until authorities arrived.

But the deer broke loose. Goepfert finally chased it into a back room and barricaded the door with chairs.

Police and a state Game Commission officer later tranquilized the deer, but it had a broken jaw and cuts on its neck and had to be euthanized, officials said.

Glen Campbell, a wildlife conservation officer, said the deer was likely frightened and disoriented.

“They have a very, very primeval flight response,” Campbell said. “If they get scared, they don’t think, they just try to get away.”

Goepfert recalled that the deer kicked him several times and broke loose as they wrestled on the floor. “I weigh 225 pounds and he threw me right off,” he said.

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Since it really does seem like wacky animal week, I’m adding one more story in.

Is it right to jail animals for attacking people? Or should the owners be held responsible? As the story below indicates, both ended up facing the consequences.

Mexican donkey released after being jailed for assault
Associated Press

TUXTLA GUTIERREZ, Mexico — A Mexican donkey has been freed from jail after doing time for acting like a jackass.

The Televisa network on Wednesday showed “Blacky” gobbling food from a bucket after spending three days in a jail that normally holds people for public drunkenness and other disturbances.

Blacky was jailed for biting and kicking two men near a ranch outside Tuxtla Gutierrez, the capital of Chiapas state.

Officials freed the donkey after its owner paid a fine of $36 and the $115 hospital bill of the men, who suffered bites to the chest and a broken ankle. Authorities say he also must pay $480 to each man for missed work days.