FReeper Canteen~ Camel Spiders Found in Iraq , Urban Legends and Folklore ~Sept.21,2006

[fatima]

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Camel Spiders Found in Iraq , Urban Legends and Folklore Urban Legends:Subject: FW: Camel Spider found in Iraq--This is a huge spider!!!! Yuck. I sure am glad we don't have these here. Although we probably will after this war..... This picture is a perfect example of why you don't want to go to the desert. These are 2 of the biggest I've ever seen. With a vertical leap that would make a pro basketball player weep with envy (they have to be able to jump up on to a camels stomach after all), these spiders latch on and inject you with a local anesthesia so you can't feel it feeding on you. They eat flesh, not just suck out your juices like a normal spider. Comments: The photo appears to be authentic. Fortunately for all of us — especially the guys in the picture — the same cannot be said of the accompanying text, which merely repeats false rumors circulating since the start of the Iraq war. This scary-looking creature (actually, it's a pair of scary-looking creatures dangling end-to-end) is indeed commonly called a camel spider, but it is found in arid locales all over the world — including the southwestern United States — not just in the Gulf region. A typical specimen can grow to about the size of a child's hand, but, though they are known for being vicious predators, camel spiders are neither venomous nor a threat to human beings. They don't eat camels, either.

World's Tallest Woman Netlore Archive: Emailed photos purport to show the tallest woman in the world Description: Emailed photos Circulating since: 2002 Status: False

The Giant Grizzly Bear Not quite a world record In real life, the big grizzly in the first two photographs measured 10' 6" from nose to tail and weighed an estimated 1,000 to 1,200 pounds — unusually large for the vicinity in which it was found, says the USDA Forest Service, but not quite a world record, nor even a record for Alaska. It was killed on October 14, 2001 by U.S. Air Force Airman Theodore Winnen on Hinchinbrook Island, Prince William Sound. The photos were taken by his hunting partner, Staff Sgt. James Urban. Both were stationed at Eielson Air Force Base near Fairbanks at the time. Though the bear was within 10 yards of the hunters' position and moving towards them when he fired the first shot, Winnen says, it did not charge them, contrary to what the email claims. "I don't know if the wind was in our favor or what," he told the Anchorage Daily News. "We were dressed in camouflage. He might not have seen us." Winnen's weapon was a 338-caliber Winchester Magnum, not a 7mm semi-automatic as alleged. The first bullet pierced the bear's brain but left it standing; five more in the chest brought it down.

[swmobuffalo]

"I hate cold. If it's below 60, I'm shivering. ;-)"

If it's below 70 I'm freezing!

[swmobuffalo]

"With my luck Minette would bring me one! "

We had a cat that would bring us snakes! I'd much rather deal with a grass snake than a spider! When we lived on the farm many moons ago, I used to make my husband check the sinks and the bathtub before I go near them. Wolf spiders would be in them and if he didn't check them inevitably I would put my hand in the sink and a spider would run at me!

[Kathy in Alaska]

So glad you were there to take care of her, ms b.

[Kathy in Alaska]

And where might this vodka factory be?????? LOL!

[TASMANIANRED]

Life can be very severe if you are smaller..

[MS.BEHAVIN]

LOL
Minette has brought me all manner of critters..
Mice,moles
She even once brought me a darned Salamander!
*shudder*
Spiders...yech!
Ms.B

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good evening/morning, swmo....snakes and spiders. Ick!

[Kathy in Alaska]

But...but...but...what about your pet spider? d:o)

[MS.BEHAVIN]

LOL
He's about the size of a quarter, Ma..
Not the size of a puppy!
Ms.B

[SevenofNine]

St Petersburg you know former Tsar hood and certain hood of certain KGB agent you connect the dots LOLOLOL!

Well AFP wire report that Thail former PM has take refuge of all place Paris France

TOO FUNNY

[MS.BEHAVIN]

AAAAhhhhhh...
Thanks Ma!
It is amazing how all your training comes flooding back to you in a situation like that!
Course, I am getting a good ejumacation!
Ms.B

[Kathy in Alaska]

Thank you, Victor, for your service to our country.
Prayers for your safety and success of mission.
Counting down to coming home!!

[fatima]

Dec 28th, 2005 While stationed in Kuwait in 2003, awaiting orders to go forward in support of 3rd Infantry Divisions invasion, I was on my way back from the shower trailer to my tent on the outskirts of Camp New York. I had just had my first hot shower in a week and was feelin' mighty fine, walkin' in my shower shoes, all relaxed and all, you know the deal. Well, I'm about 200 m from my tent, walking with my Mag-lite 3D cell flashlight beaming over the smooth sand in front of me when all of a sudden I notice movement in the sand. I point my light right at the spot and next thing ya' know I see this thing shoot (shoot is the best way to describe it) across the sand about 5 m in front of me, heading to my right flank. I see in the light that it is a spider-looking thing, bigger than a kitten and i just about *#@^%&* myself. I noticed how it made the dry sand spit up behind it as it ran, leaving a dust trail hanging in the air and I immediately ran to my left. As I started to run, I figured I'd run a semicircle to get as far away from this thing as possible as I went to my tent. I was horrified of this thing whatever it was. I realized as I was running that if it was really after me it would have got me by now, due to the speed it had exhibited. The sand kicking up from my flip-flops felt like THE THING fast at my heels. I made it back okay and shared my experience with my SGT., who began to recount the stories of the camel spiders he encountered on his first tour there. All I can say is now that I'm back in the states, and out of the service, is that my arachniphobia that I had before I went to Kuwait and Iraq is nonexistent. Now, when I see a spider, real spider that is, I just smash it with my hand. During my tours of the Middle-East and Southwest Asia, I eventually came to accept them as part of daily routine. I do believe however that if I ever see another camel-spider in person, I'll have a nervous breakdown or something. These things alone are enough to give someone P.T.S.D. The Iraqi's I talked to said that they believed the camel spider was "Allah Mujad" or "fighters of God". Their word for camel spider is pronounced, as best as I can in type anyway, "ainkabout",like INKABOOT. I spoke with one boy who said that INKABOOT ran across his face while he was in bed and he considered it a blessing. The Iraqis think INKABOOT fights for them against the American forces. Well, that's my story and I still have nightmares sometimes about those things. Dave Holmes, Formerly Spc. Holmes, United States Army. /p>

[swmobuffalo]

"I don't like spiders and snakes."

Sounds like a song to me!

[Kathy in Alaska]

He's about the size of a quarter....

LOL! There is that.

[SevenofNine]

OMG TOO FUNNY report from AP wire report that LA Times has lay off 300 workers here kicker one of them is publisher TOO FUNNY now Publisher ripping Chicago Tribune parent company saying that Chicago Cubs

NO DUDE reason is LA Times SUCKS least Cubs are loveable losers they fit in Communtity RIGHT TOMKOW LOL!

[Kathy in Alaska]

Jeez, fatima........I woulda had a heart attack.

[fatima]

That is such a good story that you feel you are there.

[fatima]

[fatima]

Incy Wincy spider went up the water spout,
Down came the rain and washed the spider out,
Out came the sun, and dried up all the rain,
And Incy Wincy spider climbed up the spout again.