Can You Believe It? Animals, Opera, and Outrageousness for Thursday, AFD

Part 1. From my Arizona Photo Album:  While we hiked last month through Papago Park near Scottsdale, we caught sight of the rare jackalope, and snappped this incredible photograph:

This strange animal is a hybrid of the pygmy-deer and a species of "killer rabbit".  Preferring hot dry weather, they can be observed (when they can be seen at all) in the desert Southwest, especially the Sonoran desert of Arizona. Jackalopes are extremely shy. Legend also has it that female jackalopes can be milked as they sleep belly up and that the milk can be used for a variety of medicinal purposes. In some parts of the United States it is said that jackalope meat has a taste similar to lobster; once roasted, a well-prepared jackalope is so tender it comes apart with a gentle pulling of the leg. 

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Part 2. Latest Movie News:

International Opera Star Renee Fleming has been cast in the lead in James Cameron's new bio-pic of the eccentric '60's pop diva, Mrs. Elva Miller.  Fleming was not available for immediate comment. She had earlier admitted that Mrs. Miller was an early "inspiration" to her own art, revealing that Miller's artistic genius led her to incorporate a hearty belly laugh into her own pre-performance warm-ups. Pundits and critics are anticipating this movie more eagerly than Anne Hathaway's turn as Judy Garland.

Cameron enthused that cutting-edge 3-D technology will be employed for total immersion into the life of this beloved American singer.  "Fleming's singing style is surprisingly similar to Miller's", Cameron said. "They open their mouths and sound comes out.  In CGI and 3D, as she belts out a tune, one can almost reach out and squeeze Elva's zaftivg figure, and grab her trembling uvula. The way her salivary spray hovers and floats in front of the viewer will be quite an effect."

There will be some challenges; Cameron believes he might need another 4-5 years for technology to allow him to morph the beauty of Fleming into the earthy appeal of Miller (see below).  "Motion capture can only go so far at this time," Cameron admitted.

SNEAK PREVIEW:  Fleming is a great interpreter of song.  Click below to hear her, as Mrs. Miller, do a popular rendition of Bach's "Minuet in G Major"

Thanks to all you good sports...