Woman smuggled monkey into the U.S. from Thailand under her shirt

by Jamie Rhein on

Not long ago,a woman was arrested in New Zealand for trying to smuggle three banana plants in her underwear. Here’s another smuggling story, but this woman almost got away with it.

In November 2007, the woman, looking to make money, smuggled a rhesus monkey into the U.S. from Thailand. She wasn’t arrested right then. Instead, she breezed right through U.S. customs without anyone noticing that she wasn’t pregnant at all, but had a drugged furry cutie tucked under her shirt.

Later, feeling pleased as punch with herself, she told a clothing store clerk about her escapade. The store clerk snitched.

Two days ago, the woman, along with her mother who went along to Bangkok for the heist, were found guilty of smuggling and conspiracy and will be sentenced in March.

I heard about this story on David Letterman last night. Letterman, in his sardonic way, embellished a bit. There were comments about no one noticing when, on the airplane, the woman started putting a banana down her shirt and a small hairy arm reached up to grab more. The joke went something like that. Intrigued, I looked up the story and came up with this article in Mail OnLine.

The article mentioned two other foiled attempts at animal smuggling that have recently earned one smuggler a conviction and jail time, and the other one an arrest that is still pending a trial.

The South African man, who was smuggling chameleons, snakes, lizards, and other rare critters that don’t sound easy to put under a jacket, was given a year in jail. He was trying to get them out of Madagascar. Perhaps the jacket was moving?

Another guy was caught with animals in his clothing and luggage in November. That guy is a zoology student. Perhaps he was obsessed with getting an A on a project that would really wow one of his instructors.

The “Travel Test”: Before you administer it…

by Brenda Yun on

Travel Test: (noun) a trip that is taken fairly early in a relationship and designed to gauge the commitment level and compatibility of the two persons involved

Passing the Travel Test usually leads to a deeper relationship and greater trust. Failing the Travel Test signals the end of the relationship and often results in either one or both parties despising the other.

Whether he liked/knew it or not, every one of my boyfriends has been given the Travel Test. While most of them passed the Test enough for us to continue our relationship, one of them failed the Test so miserably that I had to flee Italy, undergo therapy, and ultimately move away to avoid further contact with him. With that experience alone, I wholeheartedly believe in the Travel Test, but there are some distinctions that need to be made if the Test is to serve as a true relationship gauge. Thus, here are a few tips BEFORE you embark on a journey with the possible yet untested love of your life:

  • The Relationship: Don’t hit the road with your partner unless you feel it’s worth testing. Make sure the relationship is strong and healthy beforehand, as traveling with a loved one always puts a strain on the relationship no matter how solid it is.
  • Timing: The Test should be administered in the early stages of the relationship — around 6-12 months after it started. At this point in the relationship, you should know your partner well enough to plan and prepare accordingly.
  • Location and Length: If this is your first Test or if your partner is not well-traveled, it might be best to go somewhere close by, familiar, or technically “easy” and to travel for no longer than 2 weeks. If you’re both travel pros and want to truly test each other, then go for broke — make the trip exotic and long.
  • Plan ahead for road bumps: It’s always best to have an exit strategy even if you’re certain things will work out while you’re on the road. Come to some sort of agreement before you go as to how you’re going to handle one another if things fall apart while you’re on the trip. This will be one less conversation you will want or need to have later.

I believe avid and frequent travelers must administer the Travel Test upon a loved one as it is an integral part of the relationship process. I know for myself that, at some point, anyone who is interested in me will have to, in addition to tolerating my beloved pug Iris, endure a boot camp-like trip to prove his commitment and compatibility with me. It’s just a hard reality for this particular globetrotter.

Freezing in Chicago? Check out the Winter Wonderfest at Navy Pier

by Scott Carmichael on

Winter started early this year in the Midwest. We got pretty spoiled with our very mild November, which makes the current snow and freezing weather a little more painful than usual.

If you are fed up with looking out at the snow, or you’d just like a fun way to get out for the day, then check out the Winter Wonderfest at Navy Pier.

This yearly indoor event covers a whopping 170,000 square feet, and fills the entire convention hall at the pier. Once inside, you’ll find a massive ice skating rink, a Ferris wheel, kiddie train ride, cookie making house, slides, a carousel and much more.

Admission to the hall itself is free, but you’ll need a wristband to ride any of the attractions (there are some free things to do).

The unlimited ride wristbands are surprisingly cheap at just $12 ($16 if you want to rent skates). If you are arriving by car, then you can buy their “family pack” which consists of 4 premium wristbands and free Navy Pier parking.

The pack costs $57 or $64, depending on the day of the week. Since Navy Pier parking is an insane $23, the family pack could be your best bet.

Most of the rides are suitable for smaller kids, but there are a couple of rides for adults only. Like most events of this nature, you’ll find several concession stands selling overpriced food, though I recommend walking to the Navy Pier food court for a fresher (and slightly cheaper) meal.

I found the whole event to be extremely well done, the atmosphere was nice and festive and there enough attractions to fill an entire afternoon.

The Winter Wonderfest at Navy Pier is open daily from 10 till 5 Sunday through Thursday and 10 till 10 on Friday and Saturday. After December 18th the opening hours are 10 till 8 Sunday through Thursday and 10 till 10 Friday and Saturday. The fest is open until January 4th.

To get more information on the Winter Wonderfest, check out their website.

Undiscovered New York: Christmas display spectacle in Dyker Heights

by Jeremy Kressmann on

Welcome to this week’s edition of Undiscovered New York. The holidays are nearly upon us here in New York, and like much of the rest of the country, the city is in full-on holiday mode. The giant tree is lit in Rockefeller Center, the holiday gift merchants are out in Union Square, and the 50 foot tall animatronic Santas, synchronized light shows and guerilla armies of toy soldiers are waiting out in the Dyker Heights.

Few places on earth can match the pure Christmas zeal of Dyker Heights, a residential neighborhood located in the southwestern Brooklyn. Each year this largely Italian-American community competes to win bragging rights for the title of biggest and best Christmas display. Residents will stop at just about nothing to prove their decorating prowess. Displays include everything from neon-lit manger displays to giant Santas plus enough decorative Christmas lights per square inch power a small country.

The displays are so huge that Dyker Heights has created a mini-cottage tourist industry during the holiday season. Each December as many as 100,000 visitors make the trek to this far flung neighborhood to check out the lights and have their pictures taken among the outlandish and festive decorations.

Are you Christmas crazy? Will you be visiting New York this holiday season? Why not make the trek out to Brooklyn for one of New York’s most unique Christmas spectacles? Click below to learn how to get there and see some video footage from a special Dyker Heights holiday visit by none other than Conan O’Brien.
Where do I find the displays?
The epicenter of the Dyker Heights spectacle is 84th Street, with many of the houses enclosed in the blocks between 80th and 86th Streets and 10th to 13th Avenues putting up some kind of display. Here’s a map to help you get your bearings. Though the most convenient way to get to Dyker Heights is by driving, enterprising visitors can also take the R Train to 86th Street in Brooklyn. Just look for the giant Christmas toddler and polar bear display and you’ll know you’ve made it.

Is it really worth checking out?
Check out this segment from Conan O’Brien if you need any further motivation to go check out the Dyker Heights Christmas spectacle:

Photo of the Day (12-10-08)

by Jamie Rhein on

As daylight is shrinking in the month of December, as we move forward to the winter solstice, candles come to mind. In Denmark, where I spent this last week, candles are salvation in a way. Everywhere I went candles turned rooms into soft glows of warmth.

This shot by flicts evokes memories of other places where candles are a prominent feature.This temple in Lhasa is reflective of every Buddhist temple I’ve stepped into where smells of incense and flames fill the air. Candles are such a universal element of hope. On a grey day in Columbus, a lit candle would work wonders. All I have to do is locate a match.

Along with the lovely angle that highlights the candles, this shot is also intriguing because flicts has included other artifacts that are significant to Buddhism. This is almost like a still-life painting meant to capture a moment.

If you have shots of captured moments, send them our way at Gadling’s Flickr photo pool. They may show up as a Photo of the Day.