In recognition of the up-coming U.S. Thanksgiving holiday.
ZOO DIARY – TURKEY’S DILEMMA
SCENE: CITY ZOOThanksgiving eve. The zoo denizens are upset with the zoo directorate having not been included in the Thanksgiving celebrations
RAT
Once again, we’re not included in Thanksgiving celebrationsZEBRA
Did you really expect to? I mean, why should they? Who are we? Merely the tools in which they make money. That’s all - and how do they thank us? Closing the zoo for the day so we can’t even expect extra treats from visitors. This is so typically…human SOUND: GOBBLE-GOBBLE… GOBBLE-GOBBLE….RAT
What’s that noise?
ZEBRA
Noise? What noise? Are my stripes straight?
RAT
You don’t hear that?
ZEBRA
‘You are magnificent… Those teeth…those sparkling eyes…’
RAT
Maybe if you’d get your face away from that mirror and stop admiring yourself…
ZEBRA
A person has to make sure that he looks good from every angle. Being the sole representative of the zebra specie in this zoo comes with a responsibility. A daily body examination is necessary to ensure that all my black stripes are evenly spaced on my perfectly white skin. ‘Yesssss! Perfection personified!’
RAT
Far be it to burst your bubble, Zeeb…
ZEBRA
…I am not zeeb - or zebby - or zeeby-baby. I’m a zebra. Z-E-B-R-A!
RATGotcha Zebby-boy – like I was sayin’ – the way that I see it, the stripe on your upper right leg doesn’t well…match the left
ZEBRAWhat?! You must be mistaken. It’s not possible… How could this be? I just checked it not two minutes ago and it was perfectly aligned
(MANNY, the boa constrictor slithers in)
Hey – how ‘ya doin’?
RAT
Manny – you’re out. Free. Did you eat lunch, yet?
ZEBRA
Yes Manny – I do hope they’ve fed you some nourishment. I mean, it’s important to keep up your strength. We don’t want you slithering around hungry looking for anybody, heh-heh…
RAT
That’s the last thing we need - being that we’re your friends and all - that is to say, we don’t want you to experience hunger pangs…
MANNY
As I remember, I had a nibble a month ago but no in between snacks since then. Sure is quiet around here. No humans to knock on the glass of my enclosure. One day...one sweet day...someone is gonna hit hard enough to break the glass and they'll find out why my knick-name is Mr. Squeeze
NOISE: GOBBLE-GOBBLE GOBBLE-GOBBLE…
RAT
There it is again. Sounds familiar-like
(a turkey suddenly drops down from a tree)
TURKEY
Save me!
ZEBRA
A tree chicken. How unique.
TURKEY
I am a turkey who requires sanctuary
RAT
Listen chicken sweetheart…
TURKEY
…turkey…I am – um – an endangered specie. Yes – that’s it - and am declaring myself on the extinct list thus requiring sanctuary
ZEBRA
You must be someone important judging by your extensive vocabulary. All cultured and important species have an extensive vocabulary – and a beautiful body, of course (zebra looks at himself in the mirror) You handsome fool!
TURKEY
I am very important. In fact, I can state with absolute knowledge that I am number one on everyone’s hit list, today
MANNY
(slithering closer)Well I for one, believe you. You do look very appealing – in an endangered species way of course
RAT
Wish we could help, turkey, but we live out in the open with nowhere to hide
ZEBRA
I could send a protest letter to the Zoos of America if that could assist you in any way
TURKEY
I am doomed!
MANNY
(slithering almost directly in front of TURKEY)Well turkey – really feel for you, in the true sense of the word. I just happen to live inside in a huge glass enclosure that has lots of hiding places. Why don’t you come back to my place and check things out? I live alone and there’s nobody to bother or see usTURKEY
That’s a very generous offer on your part –MANNY
- Manny –TURKEYMannyMANNY
Anything for a friend in need. (the two start to make their way to MANNY’s place)
(cont’d.) Did anyone ever tell you that you have a beautiful, full body. I bet under all those feathers, you have nice firm flesh
TURKEY
The farmer took good care of me up until before Thanksgiving. You can see for yourself when we get back to your pit. MANNY
Oh I intend toTURKEY
Can I give you a hug?
MANNY
Later…when we’re alone…they’ll be plenty of hugging to go around
Just in case any one wants to join in...trace your hand and make a turkey! Here's mine.
Steven James Petruccio
Digital Art
In recent years, there has been a greater emphasis put on understanding the international relations of the post-Arab uprising in the Middle East. An unprecedented combination of widespread state failure, competitive interference, and instrumentalization of sectarianism by three rival would-be regional hegemons (Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Iran) in failing states has produced a spiral of sectarianism at the grassroots level.
The post Identity, foreign policy, and the post-Arab uprising struggle for power in the Middle East appeared first on OUPblog.
Without Islam there would be no Shakespeare. This may seem surprising or even controversial to those who imagine a "national bard" insulated from the wider world. Such an approach is typified in the words of the celebrated historian A.L. Rowse, who wrote that when it came to creatively connecting with that world, Shakespeare, the "quiet countryman," was "the least engaged writer there ever was."
The post Shakespeare and Islam appeared first on OUPblog.
By Cal Cleary Özge Samanci is a multi-media artist, an assistant professor at Northwestern University, and a talented cartoonist who has had exhibitions of her work hosted all over the world. Her first graphic memoir, Dare to Disappoint, is out now from Farrar, Straus and Giroux. It follows Samanci’s coming of age in Turkey. From a […]
It’s the final turkey of the month, and I end things as we began them: with a contented turkey with no cares in the world. See you tomorrow for December’s theme.
The post Daily Drawing: Turkey 21 appeared first on rob-peters.com.
It’s Thanksgiving! (Or, it is for those of us in America.) Here we see the Turkeys who survived have much to be thankful for and are dancing with joy.
I’m told that some of my depressed turkeys from the last few days have made people feel guilty about consuming a bird during the holiday. But I hope my pen and ink sketches haven’t put any serious doubts in anyone’s mind. And I hope you’re having a wonderous holiday whatever you do or eat.
The post Daily Drawing: Turkey 19 appeared first on rob-peters.com.
This turkey has given up hope and is waiting for the inevitable. I hope you’re having a much better day!
The post Daily Drawing: Turkey 18 appeared first on rob-peters.com.
This turkey is checking to see if his crash diet was enough to save him from the dinner table. What do you think? Is he safe?
The post Daily Drawing: Turkey 17 appeared first on rob-peters.com.
As promised, here’s your second turkey of the day, to make up for missing one last week. And this nervous guy really wishes he wasn’t here. Poor guy, the countdown to Thanksgiving is too much for him.
The post Daily Drawing: Turkey 16 appeared first on rob-peters.com.
Here’s one turkey who won’t take Thanksgiving lying down. Just look at those muscles!
I missed getting a drawing up last Friday due to illness (which, I think, is the only time I’ve missed due to illness this year– a pretty good record, if I do say so myself.) I plan on having a second drawing later today to get me back on schedule.
The post Daily Drawing: Turkey 15 appeared first on rob-peters.com.
We begin the week with a turkey who is running scared. I hope you’re having a much better week yourself.
The post Daily Drawing: Turkey 11 appeared first on rob-peters.com.