23.2.21

Precisely naming the whatchamacallit

b1-66er: Know ahead of time that the Accomplice, MArch, sez of this piece, "now THAT'S reporting..."

The Tasmanian tiger, or thylacine, is something of a mythic creature in Australian folklore. Unlike, say, the Chupacabra, it was a real beast, but the last documented animal -- Benjamin -- died in captivity in 1936. In the 85 years since, tiger sightings have been constantly reported in Tasmania, an island off the south coast of Australia. Claims are an almost monthly feature in the local press, but there's a bold, new declaration suggesting "not ambiguous" evidence for the existence of the thylacine. 

In a video uploaded to YouTube on Monday, Neil Waters, president of the Thylacine Awareness Group of Australia, claims to have rediscovered the thylacine on a camera trap set up in north-east Tasmania. "I know what they are and so do a few independent expert witnesses," he says as he walks down the street with a can of beer in his hand.

Special K: Whoa.

•••

Karpov: I'll try to incorporate the phrase Unlike, say, the Chupacabra in my lexicon. 

b1: You truly are a word craftsperson.

Kπ: <video>

All that's needed after a firecracker and a hot & spicy beef lather...

Karpov: New scent from my aftershave supplier...Rocket Ramen. I think I need a bottle. 

b1-66er: My accomplice asks, "is it 'rocket' in the British sense, meaning arugula; or is it 'rocket' meaning jet fuel?

Kπ: The 'Rocket' part, in this case, is just marketing. They often have an alien/space theme in their packaging. I think the scent will be pure ramen. 

b1-66er: What a great answer.

Kπ: Of course I could mix it with my Fireworks! aftershave to give it a rocket scent. 

b1: Marketing tagline: Blow your grocery clerk, date or local astrophysicist away.
A different trick, I guess, would be to soak a block of Nissin in kerosene and rub it on your face.

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