rebecca ford edit test 1
TRANSCRIPT
Rebecca Ford’s Edit Test
Rebecca Ford’s Pet Site Edit TestRebecca Ford’s Pet Site Edit Test
Part 1
Gallery of daily pet and animal news for Wednesday, April 27, 2011.
Michael Vick and the Humane Society Speak Out Against Dog Fighting App
Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Michael Vick joined the Human Society in blasting Android’s Dog Wars app, calling it a “step backward.” Vick, who served 18 months in prison on dog-fighting related charges, released a statement saying, “I think it's important to send the smart message to kids, and not glorify this form of animal cruelty, even in an Android app.” The app allows players to train a virtual pitt bull to fight against other players’ dogs. While many animal rights groups have expressed their anger with the game, one of the creators of the app told the Los Angeles Times that the game was meant to educate the public on the evils of animal cruelty, and that part of the proceeds would go to animal rescue organizations.
Girls Rule, Boys Drool!
The battle of the sexes has spread to dogs, as a new study finds that female dogs may have a leg up in at least one aspect of observation. In a study by Corsin Müller of the University of Vienna, 50 dogs were tested to see if they would notice an inexplicable change in the size of a ball. For example, a tennis ball would roll behind a screen, and come out much larger on the other side. Researchers found that female dogs would stare at the larger ball for longer than they would at a ball of expected size, indicating that they had noticed the change. Male dogs, in contrast, looked at a ball of irregular size for the same amount of time as a ball of expected size. Source.
Baby Hawks Could Hatch Today, With the World Watching
While we all know why watching the Shiba Inu puppy cam is so addicting, with those itty bitty pups rolling around on their itty bitty bellies, who knew that watching hawks sit on eggs would be just as hypnotizing? At NYU, two red-tailed hawks, Violet and Bobby, have been waiting for their eggs to hatch in their nest on a ledge outside of the Bobst Library. The New York Times put a web cam up there a few weeks ago, and thousands of viewers have been waiting along with Bobby and Violet. Last night, the eggs appeared to be hatching, which means that today could be the day when the hawklings greet the world and smile for their close-up!
Get New Furniture…For Your Dog’s Sake
Chemical flame retardants in the blood of pet dogs have been found to be at concentrations five to 10 times higher than in humans, a study released by the journal Environmental Science & Technology found. The chemicals, such as such as polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) were used to make pre-2004 furniture, and have been linked to environmental and human health effects. These flame retardants can migrate from your furniture into the environment. If your pup spends a lot of time on the couch, it may be time to upgrade to a newer version.
Pet Expo Breaks Adoption Record
Last week, 682 furry friends found new homes. The World Pet Association held its 22nd annual America’s Family Pet Expo last weekend, resulting in the record number of animal adoptions, organizers reported. The event, held at the OC Fair & Event Center in Costa Mesa, Calif., featured stage shows, educational experiences with more than 1,000 animals, pet experts and family-friendly entertainment. It’s considered the largest consumer pet show in the world.
The Aflac Duck Gets a New Voice
Quack. Quack.Daniel McKeague, 36, has a lot to live up to as the new voice of the Aflac duck. The insurance company selected McKeague, a father of three from Hugo, Minn., out of 12,500 contestants, according to the AP. McKeague will replace Gilbert Gottfried, who was the voice of Aflac’s feathered friend for 11 years, but was dismissed after making controversial remarks on Twitter about the earthquake in Japan. Aflac held a nationwide contest to find a new voice for their spokesduck.
I’m Baaaaack!
Zeppelin, a long haired black cat, went missing six years ago from Megan Conroy’s home in Reno, Nevada. After searching for a couple months, Conroy had given up hope. Then, a week ago, Conroy’s mother called, frantic. Zeppelin, after being M.I.A. for six years, had returned, sauntering into the house and heading right for the food. Conroy is sure that it is indeed the same cat because of his two distinctive white markings. Maybe black cats are lucky after all. Source.
Armadillo May Be Hiding Leprosy Underneath That Shell
Not only are they one of the strangest looking animals in the kingdom, but now armadillos are being blamed for spreading leprosy around. Before today, it was believed that leprosy could only spread from human to human, but it turns out that the shell-bearing animal can also carry and spread the disease, according to a report in the New England Journal of Medicine. In some parts of the South, more than 20% of armadillos are carrying around the disease. Every year, about 100 to 150 people in the U.S. are diagnosed with leprosy.
Part 2
UGC Photos With Captions
Who dares to wake me?
Who iz ze brave man or woman who was stoopid enough to wake me before noon? How dare you! You know very well zat my teeeeny eyes can’t take the harsh light of morning. Az soon az I get my wits about me I will terrorize you with every ounce of my tiny being.
Caught in the Act!
Ebony and Ivory (not their real names) have kept their clandestine affair a secret for as long as they could…but no more! They’ll now proudly display their love, parading down the streets paw in paw…a dog and cat in love.
My parents wanted a girl
They say real men wear pink, no?
I’ve got something to tell you
Listen, Bambi. You’re a great sister, but the older we get, the more we’re drifting apart. And you don’t really look like mom. Or dad. I think…you’re adopted.
Do I look fat in this photo?
I told you to get my good side, dammit.
Part 310 Best Videos
10. Who dunnit?
This week, on “Who dunnit” we’ll travel to Russia to investigate the mystery of the fallen plant. Two grey-haired suspects are at the forefront of the investigation, and one needs to seriously work on his p-p-p-pokerface.
http://youtu.be/t03tIsBPj6Y
9. Swan and Tractor, In Love
Love must be blind for Schwani, an eight-year-old swan in Germany. He’s fallen in love with a big, blue tractor. The bird and mechanical beast will waddle and rumble around the grounds together, side by side, wing to wheel.
http://youtu.be/-XF9dL1AaZg
8. Red Panda, White Snow
http://youtu.be/y6GaPkkGZGw
Like a raccoon but way cuter, these little critters playing in the snow will melt your heart.
7. Dog vs. Duckling
http://youtu.be/hiy7mHFnU1Y
This baby duck gives Spot a lesson on being all bark and bite.
6. Tickle, Tickle
http://youtu.be/soU9FnuoFI4
Warning: Extreme tickling can cause extreme laughter in even the tiniest of penguins.
5. Puppy Feed
http://www.ustream.tv/sfshiba
Six roly poly pups that do little more than eat, sleep and make the most adorable noises in the whole wide world. And you can watch them live. 24/7. Who needs work, family, friends, or a life when you can have that?
4. Zzzzzzzz
http://youtu.be/4GRnZWtnoxM
Listen, buddy, you try reading “Crime and Punishment” in one sitting and then come talk to me.
3. I got it. I got it.
http://youtu.be/bgzpfktxwfc
Baby raccoon Tyrone Biggums discovers that he’ll never be able to fully grasp this stuff called “water,” no matter how hard he waves around his teeny tiny hands.
2. Take that, Cesar Millan!
http://youtu.be/jCnAjel02lM
All these baby puppehs needed was a little lullaby from their favorite big man in a blue shirt. No dog whispering needed.
1. Buckethead
There’s a polar bear in the bucket, dear Liza, dear Liza.
http://youtu.be/FJS698KKffM
Part 4Franchise Ideas
1. Pets behaving badly: A weekly or monthly photogallery of UGC of animals behaving badly or doing mischievous things with funny captions.
2. Pet Star of the WeekEach week, one reader’s pet will be featured with photos and a biography. This is a good way to get readers involved.
Example:Name: Fuji FordAge: 3.5 years
Likes: Chasing paper balls, running circles in the bedroom at 3 a.m., trying to open the living room window, checking out the neighbor cats, playing with his big brother, showing off his jumping skills for visitors.
Dislikes: Being awoken from his 6-hour afternoon nap, being bullied out of his food by his big brother.
Fun Fact: Fuji is allergic to several types of cat food, and uses this as an excuse to be an extremely picky eater.
Example:Name: Fuji FordAge: 3.5 years
Likes: Chasing paper balls, running circles in the bedroom at 3 a.m., trying to open the living room window, checking out the neighbor cats, playing with his big brother, showing off his jumping skills for visitors.
Dislikes: Being awoken from his 6-hour afternoon nap, being bullied out of his food by his big brother.
Fun Fact: Fuji is allergic to several types of cat food, and uses this as an excuse to be an extremely picky eater.
3. Famous Furry FriendsA weekly or monthly photogallery of celebrities with their pets.
Ashley Tisdale
Billy Ray Cyrus and Miley Cyrus
4. Foster ColumnThis weekly column would chronicle the trials, tribulations and funny moments of foster parents. Learning about the experience of fostering pets could help others become interested, and would make a great column that any pet lover would read.
5. Ask a Vet/TrainerWeekly columns in which a vet or trainer answers readers’ questions regarding their pets. These could be two separate columns—one for health questions for the vet, and one for behavior questions for the trainer/behavioralist.
6. Picture PerfectA daily item that feature a really, really, really cute animal photo each day. We could also do the same idea for a video of the day.
7. Tweets o’ the WeekPets are on Twitter. Instead of celebrity tweets, we would feature the funniest tweets by pets that week. (Yes, I know it’s actually their owners tweeting, but this would be a funny way to incorporate social media on the site.)
@Lucy_Cat: Danger lurks around every corner in the life of a cat. Just this morning I attacked and killed a rogue shoelace
8. Product ReviewsThis could be a regular article that reviews new items available for pet care. We could also incorporate giveaways of the product.
9. Home cookingWeekly cooking column by an expert on how to
make pet food or treats at home.10. Meet the Viral Video StarsInterviews with the owners of pets who became
YouTube sensations. How did their video go viral? Has their pet’s life changed since they found Internet fame? It would be interesting to hear the stories behind the videos from the owner’s perspective.
Part 5:Pet Experts
1. Joseph J. Wakshlag, MS, DVM, PhDAssistant Professor of Clinical Nutrition,Section Chief- Cornell University, College of Veterinary MedicineA column with a pet nutritionist. This could either be a weekly advice column, or the expert could answer readers’ questions. Website here.
2. Jill BowersFounder of Thank Dog! And Thanks Dog! Bootcamp.She’s an expert dog trainer who can give advice to new dog owners on training. This would be great as a question and answer format so she can answer readers’ most puzzling questions about training a dog. She is based in Los Angeles.Website here.
3. Mieshelle NagelschneiderFeline BehavioralistCats have problems too! The right training can stop their bad habits. The founder of The Cat Behavior Clinic, Nagelschneider studied animal behavior at Harvard, and even has a testimonial from Charlize Theron, which may or may not mean anything at all.
Website here.
4. Zoologist Alan RabinowitzCalled “the Indiana Jones of Wildlife Protection” by Time, Rabinowitz could give readers an inside look on some animals they would never get to meet in their real lives. His blog could share his knowledge on big cats, and their conservation.
5. Victoria Stilwell Pet trainer, star of
It’s Me or the DogAs a celebrity guest blogger, Stilwell could give advice about training dogs. She’s well-known from her show on Animal Planet, and would be a great addition to the site as both an expert and a celebrity.
Website.
6. PATTY KHULY, VMD, MBAKhuly is a veterinarian based in Miami who could have a Q&A column answering pet owners’ questions on the health of their pets. She could also give advice for pet owners on keeping their pets healthy.
She currently write a blog for Pet MD called Fully Vetted, so she has blogging experience and could be a great addition to the site.
Part 6:Other Ideas
• Contest: Write the CaptionEach week, readers can enter a contest by writing a funny caption to go with a photo that we post on the site. The best caption will win a prize.
• Match the pet with its ownerThey say owners and pets look alike! A game in which readers can match up a pet and its owner. The photos could be taken on the street of pets and their owners, or submitted by readers.
• Pets 101: What to expect when you’re adopting. This section of the site would be for new pet owners including tips on what kind of items to purchase for you new pet, advice for first vet visits (what shots they’ll need, what questions to ask your vet), and how to help your new pet adjust to its new home. This is one aspect of pet ownership that gets the most questions, so having a section especially for new owners will be a great benefit.
•Charity/Cause: Each month, the site should have a cause or charity that it can feature. It can educate readers about what the charity does, and give readers an opportunity to donate. For example, November is Manatee Awareness Month, so that month’s featured charity could be savethemanatee.org. The organization could provide some information for a feature article and a link to their site.
