Need a laugh? Check out the penguins
Lee Enterprises attempts to fight off takeover
The Front Page
Morning Update
Sunday, November 28, 2021
By Ken Tingley
Christmas Day came early for me this year.
I got to walk with the penguins in San Antonio, Texas. Over the years, I have visited penguins in aquariums and zoos in Montreal, Cincinnati and Boston. Nothing makes me smile more than observing penguins. But I have never had the chance to see them up close until this year at San Antonio Sea World.
For further inspiration, I found that the amusement park partnered with a local TV station - KSAT - to have a 24/7 live stream of the Penguins posted on their website. I have parked it in the corner of my screen as I write this.
Sea World San Antonio features nearly 300 penguins living in a constant 38-degree habitat that is usually covered with ice and snow. Unfortunately, a recent storm knocked out the snow-making machines leaving the habitat looking more like March in the North Country.
This past summer we signed up for a penguin experience at Sea World where we got to visit with one little guy for half-an-hour or so in a small meeting room. Penguins are generally friendly and love to be petted on their backs and flippers.
But this week was a totally different experience.
We got to go into the penguins’ habitat to observe them up close. A bunch of the little guys rushed us as we got in the door, demanding to be petted.
San Antonio Sea World has four types of penguins - king, gentoo, chinstrap and southern rockhopper. Our guides said the penguins all have different personalities and have named many of them.
There was a group of king penguins standing together. Since this was mating season, our guide referred to them as “the bachelors” because they had not chosen a mate yet. My sister-in-law compared “the bachelors” behavior to junior high boys at a dance. They seem to believe there is strength in numbers.
I took one video where one bachelor comes up behind the others as if he is late to the dance, and then they all walk off together. It still makes me laugh.
We spent about 30 minutes with the penguins, watching them eat fish from trays, squawking at each other and following us around hoping to become our friends.
I tried to pet one of the king penguins and he refused to be a part of it. Every time I moved my hand toward his back, he would swing around with his long beak and nip at my hand. It became a game with me being too quick for him.
When we were heading out the door, two of the penguins snuck into the airlock with us. I guess they were hoping we would take them home.
I would have loved that.
I took photos and video and keep returning to them. They always bring a smile to my face. After discovering the 24/7 livestream, I started providing penguin dialogue to the activities I was witnessing. Apparently, my wife found this a little annoying after several hours.
Now that I know about the 24-hour livestream, I can keep track of my new friends every day when I am back home and provide my own story line.
Earlier this year, I wrote about a Netflix series called “Penguin Town” that chronicled penguin migration from Antarctica to a little resort village in South Africa. I recommend you check out season one. After seeing the penguins here, I learned there will be a second season of “Penguin Town” in 2022.
So if you are feeling low and need a good laugh, search out the closest penguin habitat and make a visit. At the very least, check out the penguincam.
Protecting journalism
It was good to hear that Lee Enterprises, the owner of The Post-Star, is taking decisive steps to make it more difficult for the hedge fund Alden Capital to buy the company.
I don’t pretend to understand all the moves here, but it was explained well on Axios.com. We should all hope that the moves are successful.
Hook ‘em horns
As part of my Black Friday, I attended the University of Texas game against Kansas State in Austin.
With my son currently living in Texas, I figured I couldn’t understand the state unless I went to a Longhorns’ game.
The 100,000-seat stadium looked about half full Friday and with game-time temperatures in the mid-50s, many of the Texans looked cold.
But the Longhorns prevailed 22-17 with late fourth-down stands deep in their own territory.
Tweet of the Day
Delighted they are fighting the takeover. May they succeed!
Just checked out the web cam, hilarious, thanks. Needed a good laugh