The Circus "NO SPIN ZONE": 10/20/10

Felicia Frisco, finally identifed.

All characters appearing in this work are fictitious. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

You folks may have seen some comments on the blog, that look like a chimp was playing patty cake on someone's keyboard. It was odd because of the same last name as my friends, Joey, Joe, and Tim Frisco. At first I thought it was Joey goofing, but then I asked around, and found out there actually is a Felicia Frisco. Estimate's of her age run from 2 according to most, to "I think 16 or 17", according to one person. She sent me this picture of Felica above, so I could post it on the blog for everybody. In addition to being a real beauty, Felica is also a gifted literary giant. Here is a look at some of her genius:

Anonymous said...: U know i know alot of people that can work train an own tigers & lions Just because u can get in a cage with a tiger doesnt make u a man I mean really i know women that get in the cage an i know idiots come on i would really like to see u actually train a tough elephant Not present i said TRAIN!!! Cause im sure u just know all about elephant training
Felicia posted the above comment on a thread about lion training, so I am speculating that she hadn't taken her med's, before going online.
Anonymous said...: Wade u should really quite obsessing about me Im a young girl its so funny u cant stop saying my name but i guess it is a amazing name that any old man would want to repeat felicia FRISCO i think its hilarious that as so called great u cant leave a little girl alone... Im gonna be in the cage soon so i guess then i will be a man =) But unlike u i wont become a self center egotistic young girl name obsessing Jelous MAN =)
Felicia, today is your lucky day, because I am so impressed by your gift that I am going to make you my protege. You probably don't know what that is, Felicia. A protege is a mutt like you, who has their career furthered by a person(that's me) of experience, prominence, and influence.

I see great things for you Felicia, and I am so confident of your off the board IQ, I am going to call in a favor(that's the "influence" mentioned previously. Previously, mean's before), and ask the Queens Royal House Linguist, Sir John Cooper, Esq. to aid me in this mentorship. You probably don't know what that is either, Felicia. A mentorship is a personal developmental relationship in which a more knowledgeable person(that's me) helps a less knowledgeable mutt(that's you) get educated. The receiver(that's you again) of a mentorship is traditionally referred to as a protege( you, once again.)

We'll stop for now, because that's probably all the schooling you can handle, before you start gaging and eating hands full of sawdust. Don't worry though, because I and Sir John are going to make you right. That way, if the circus ever shut's down for good, you will be able to enter society righteous. You will be enpowered with the ability to seek gainful employment, other then being a sandbag when the Red River crest's during Spring thaw, which is what you are qualified for at the moment.

Let's all cheer this little trouper on!!!!!!!!

Maliaka--Henry Doorly Zoo

Maliaka, above in 2008

Oct. 19, 2010

Shenka is mourning.

She misses Maliaka, her longtime elephant buddy at the Henry Doorly Zoo, who died Saturday. Maliaka, who was 47, and Shenga, who is 28, were the zoo's only elephants. The two, both African elephants, shared a one-acre compound called Pachyderm Hill.“Shenga has been looking over in the other pen for Maliaka,” said Dan Cassidy, the zoo's general curator. “She definitely knows something is wrong.”Staff members found Maliaka, who came to the zoo in 1966 at age 3, on her side Saturday morning. They failed to get Maliaka on her feet, and she died a few hours later.She had been the zoo's oldest resident.A necropsy found no major health problems, and tissue samples have been sent to a pathology lab for examination, Cassidy said. Maliaka, who was the second-oldest elephant in captivity in North America, will be buried on zoo grounds.“She was in old age as far as African elephants go,” Cassidy said. “It's not unusual for elephants in their late 40s or early 50s to develop an illness and die.”Friday was a normal day for Maliaka, Cassidy said. Her keepers reported that she ate her normal amount of food — 50 pounds of straw, 30 pounds of grain and 25 pounds of hay — and exhibited no signs of illness. Saturday, zoo personnel worked feverishly to save Maliaka.Cassidy said the staff tried to lift Maliaka to her feet, using large slings attached to a mechanical hoist. But Maliaka lacked the strength to stand.“We worked pretty hard for a couple of hours,” Cassidy said. “Some of us have known that animal for a lot of years. I worked with her a lot when I first came here in 1973.”The friendship between Maliaka and Shenga sometimes was one-sided, Cassidy said. Maliaka, who was noted for having gold tips on her tusks, often sought time alone.“Shenga liked Maliaka more than Maliaka liked Shenga,” Cassidy said. “We put in a gate in their compound so Maliaka could get away when she wanted.”In their barn, the elephants enjoyed separate stalls, but they could reach through the bars and lay their trunks on one another's heads in a sign of affection.Elephants are social animals that do well in groups. The zoo's master plan calls for an expanded elephant exhibit in the next few years. Cassidy said eight to 12 elephants could make their home in a new compound, but no timetable has been set.Zoo Director Dennis Pate is currently on a tour of European zoos to get ideas for a new elephant complex.“European zoos tend to be a little ahead of U.S. zoos on the latest architectural developments,” Cassidy said. “Elephants are a major attraction, and we want to incorporate the very best ideas for our exhibit.”It's possible that the zoo will obtain an elephant to keep Shenga company. Shenga also could be lent to another zoo with a large number of elephants.“Elephants are very intelligent, and they show a lot of personality,” Cassidy said. “That's what endears them to their keepers and the public. We want Shenga to be happy.”

Courtesy John Goodall _____________________________________________________________________Boy,

Boy, the elephant world just get's stranger and stranger. First we have Minnie, having less then a care, at the death of her life companion, Lottie. Then we have Shanga, mourning the death of her life companion Maliaka, who had to be isolated from Shanga most of their life together, because she beat Shanga to death!!!!!!! My respects and condolence's to Mr. Cassidy, who is affiliated with one of the best zoo's in the United States, but I think he has just "done some projecting." I get more and more confused every day, but I am sure given the dedication of animal rights and wild elephant research experts, they will have it worked out for me soon enough. After all, they brilliantly documented Post Tramatic Stress in elephants. They have probably put their binocular's back in the case, and are looking into Battered Person Syndrome for the next alibi. Whoops. I'm sorry, I meant to type answer.

Sarasota, Florida--1944

This photo has no other identification other than location and year. I assume it was taken at the Ringling yard(there's a bone for you you, John Cooper) given the background. Can anybody identify the women in the picture? Here are a few of the feline folks that were on the show in 1944 that I am aware of from Bandwagon:

Alfred Court

Alfred Court's Wild Animal Dept.
Vincent Door, Asst. Superintendent
Wm. H. Madison, Geo. Scott, Thos. E. Wilson

Wilson Storey

Joe Walch

May Kovar

Arthur Konyot & Albert Ostermaier(These great's were not feline staff. But you probably already knew that. I just added them, because I think it is neater then all get out, that this great talent was in the same stable.)