Now here’s a cute video… and a change of pace from what’s usually captured on dashcam video. A police officer in central Texas pulls over a Ford Explorer and approaches the vehicle to write the driver a ticket. As he is standing there, a black cat comes up to the officer, rubbing against his leg. The cat eventually crawls up the cop’s leg and walks along his shoulders. Despite the policeman’s attempts to shoo the cat, he keeps coming back, as though it’s a game. Watch the full dashcam video here, by clicking on the arrow to play:

Who doesn’t love babies? Especially ones that roller skate! If you haven’t seen this video before, or even if you have, check out Evian’s commercial on YouTube. It’s pretty cute. Click the arrow to play.

Some employees at a zoo in Leipzig, Germany, are dealing with severe hair loss. But not their own loss of hair, but that of three black bears living at the zoo. The bears are almost completely bald, with the exception of some tufts of fur around their neck. And with the threat of winter weather ahead, the zookeepers are turning to experts worldwide, for helping understanding this bizarre bear condition. As a result of this news, folks have been flocking to the zoo, to get a glimpse of these poor coatless creatures.

A photo of naked Dolores, one of the black bears who has lost her fur coat.

Here’s a video from the Associated Press, that shows the balding bears in their zoo habitat.
<

In case you missed it, Larry King had former Miss California Carrie Prejean on his show this week. Prejean was on to promote her new book, “Still Standing.” However, things are complicated for Ms. Prejean. About the time the book hit shelves, a naughty video starring Carrie herself surfaced. During all this, the disgraced beauty queen was also in the midst of settlement negotiations with the pageant organization. The revelation of the sex tape put a prompt end to the legal battle between the two parties. They reached a settlement, but no details have been released.

So during his interview with Prejean, King asks her about the settlement. She repeatedly calls King’s question “inappropriate” and goes on to remove her mic and ignore a question by the first caller. A total tantrum, if you ask us!

Watch the video of the Larry King interview by clicking the arrow to play.

It seems hard to believe that a pet – that lovable cat or man’s best friend – could be a drag on the Earth’s ecosystem. But it’s true, according to True Scientist.

That’s right – Fido and Fluffy just might rival a Toyota Land Cruiser when it comes to being a ecological burden, according to two authors of a book called “Time to Eat the Dog”, in which they suggest: “As well as guzzling resources, cats and dogs devastate wildlife populations, spread disease and add to pollution. It is time to take eco-stock of our pets.”

See how your pet compares with this graphical presentation of your pet’s foot, er, pawprint.

And tell us what you think – are pets as bad as the average SUV when it comes to destroying the Earth?

Veterans Day is Wednesday, November 11, and many businesses in town are honoring our veterans by offering special discounts and deals on that day. Here’s a list of special offers veterans and active military members can take advantage of on Wednesday:

• Free entry to national parks, forests and monuments
• Free breakfast at Hy-Vee Stores from 7-11 a.m.
• 10 percent discount at Lowe’s
• 10 percent discount at Home Depot
• A free meal at Applebee’s from select entree list
• Free Bloomin’ Onion and beverage at Outback Steakhouse

And a heads-up, if you plan to take advantage of any of these special offers, you will need to show your military ID.

UPDATE: On Monday, November 16, Golden Corral will be offering its annual Military Appreciate Monday dinner. If you are a veteran or currently serving in the military, you are invited to join them for dinner from 5 to 9 p.m.

Apparently, politicians love to brag about their attractive spouses in public. Here’s a couple examples:

Last weekend, Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty attended a GOP fundraiser dinner in Iowa. As he was introducing his wife Mary, he was quoted as saying, “Thank you, Lord, for my red-hot, smokin’ wife.”

Last year, during a political rally, Vice President Joe Biden addressed the crowd, telling them they will soon meet his wife Jill, who is “drop-dead gorgeous.”

So what do you think? Is it appropriate for these elected officials to praise their wives’ beauty in public?

Show notes:
Link Siouxland Area Red Cross

Here’s some fascinating news: Apparently scientists have uncovered Charlotte’s great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-grandmother preserved in a chunk of amber in England. Trapped with her in that piece of fossilized tree resin were remnants of a spider web believed to be 140 million years old — as in back during the early Cretaceous period, for those of you interested in paleontology. They say she was embalmed in the amber as a result of a terrible wildfire. Nothing like dying instantly in a hot, fiery mess and resurfacing completely intact some 140 million years (or 51,100,000,000 days) later.

You can read more about this extremely rare find in the December 2009 issue of the Journal of the Geological Society.