
The Storied Saga of Smokey Bear

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Epoch Times
8 hours ago
- Epoch Times
The Storied Saga of Smokey Bear
Smokey Bear, the famous mascot of wildfire prevention, endures more than 80 years after its creation. As recognizable as any other entity in advertising, the bulky, furry protector of our forests comes with a distinct past. Its multifaceted tale is not just about a displaced cub and a Southwest fire, but the interwoven lives of a popular German-born illustrator, a Kansas-born U.S. Forest Service employee and artist, and a New York City fire chief of awe-inspiring indomitability.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Yahoo
Baby Hippo's Stubborn Refusal To Go Inside Is the Ultimate Toddler Moment
Baby Hippo's Stubborn Refusal To Go Inside Is the Ultimate Toddler Moment originally appeared on PetHelpful. As any pet parent, dog sitter, and vet tech knows, attitude comes in all shapes and sizes. Whether it's an angry house cat, a sassy squirrel, or a massive mad bull, animals' emotions can be just as prominent and distinct as humans'. Zookeepers know this, too! Training and raising wild animals can come with their fair share of challenges, including stubborn tantrums like this one that the @tanganyikawildlifepark shared on July 27. At the Kansas Zoo, a baby hippo named Mars gave his handler a run for her money when it was time to wind down for the day. He wasn't ready to go inside yet, and he had no qualms letting her know it! Talk about a toddler tantrum! Mars was not about to go inside without a fight, regardless of what her handler did. Whether she put him in the right direction, tempted him with a game of tag, or gently herded him toward the door, the baby animal wasn't having it. "That's the most adorable spicy potato I've ever seen!" one commenter gushed. Isn't he irresistible? Even though he's acting like a naughty little kid, he's also such a baby when his wildlife handler is Mars's latest mood may be, this 'ungovernable' zoo animal has pet parents and moms feeling seen. One mama wrote, "My toddler does that at bedtime too. Glad to know I'm not the only one dealing with this." LOL! Many pets are also experts at turning into dead weight when it's time to go somewhere they're not excited to be, but Mars takes the cake when it comes to stubbornness. Mars the Baby Hippo This adorable harbinger of chaos was born at Tanganyika Wildlife Park in late June to proud parents Posy and Pluto. Mars (whose name was likely inspired by his dad's), weighed only 13 pounds at birth, but as an adult pygmy hippopotamus, he'll weigh somewhere between 300 and 700 pounds! Luckily for the zookeepers, Mars is still small enough to be easily handled. When he's an adult, though, his stubbornness is going to be so much harder to control! Thankfully, that can be left as a problem for another day. Looking for more PetHelpful updates? Follow us on YouTube for more entertaining videos. Or, share your own adorable pet by submitting a video, and sign up for our newsletter for the latest pet updates and tips. Baby Hippo's Stubborn Refusal To Go Inside Is the Ultimate Toddler Moment first appeared on PetHelpful on Aug 1, 2025 This story was originally reported by PetHelpful on Aug 1, 2025, where it first appeared. Solve the daily Crossword


UPI
a day ago
- UPI
Conjunto music pioneer Flaco Jimenez is dead at 86
Aug. 1 (UPI) -- Texas conjunto music pioneer Flaco Jimenez, 86, died while surrounded by his family at one of his son's homes on Thursday night, his family announced. Flaco was born in San Antonio in 1939 and began performing with Tex-Mex bands at age 15, which led to his earning multiple Grammy Awards many years later. "It is with great sadness that we share tonight the loss of our father, Flaco Jimenez," his family said on Thursday in a Facebook post. "He was surrounded by his loved ones and will be missed immensely," his family said. "Thank you to all of his fans and friends -- those who cherished his music," the family continued. "His legacy will live on through his music and all of his fans." The post was signed by Arturo and Lisa Jimenez, Javier and Raquel Fernandez, Gilbert Jimenez and Cynthia Jimenez. Flaco Jimenez suffered from a long-term illness prior to his death, the San Antonio Express-News reported without saying the nature of the illness. His last words were, "Ya estoy cansado," which is Spanish for "I'm tired," Arturo Jiminez said. Flaco and his brother, Santiago Jr., were born and raised in San Antonio and became leading performers of conjunto music, which their grandfather, Patricio Jimenez, pioneered. Conjunto music combines Mexican, German, Polish and Czech waltz and polka musical traditions to create a danceable form that features the accordion with accompaniment from guitars, bass and drums. Conjunto is particularly popular in northern Mexico and Texas, and Flaco played a three-row button Hohner accordion and sang. He recorded his first regional hit, "Hasta La Vista," in 1955 for the Tipico record label. Flaco's early conjunto recordings were made for small record labels and later were collected by folk recording label Arhoolie. Flaco in a 1973 interview described conjunto as "happy music" and said it combined polka with rock and roll and cumbia forms. "You can't just stick with polka and redova and schottisches," he told Arhoolie owner Chris Strachwitz in the interview. "You have to play what's going on in the world." Flaco recorded with fellow conjunto pioneer Doug Sahm in New York City in 1972 and contributed to Ry Cooder's 1976 album, "Chicken Skin Music," which helped spread conjunto beyond its Tex-Mex roots in San Antonio. He also performed with the Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan and Dr. John, among others. Flaco was especially influential as a solo performer and as a member of the Texas Tornados and Los Super Seven musical acts. Flaco's career led to his receipt of many awards, including six Grammy Awards from 1987 to 2015. One of his Grammys was a Lifetime Achievement award. Notable deaths of 2025 Ryne Sandberg Chicago Cubs Chicago Cubs Hall of Fame second baseman Ryne Sandberg waves to the crowd before throwing out a ceremonial first pitch at Wrigley Field in Chicago on October 12, 2015. Sandberg died on July 28 after a battle with cancer at the age of 65. Photo by Brian Kersey/UPI | License Photo