Comments on: Very important public service announcement about spiders (video) http://boingboing.net/2012/07/30/very-important-public-service.html Brain candy for Happy Mutants Sun, 19 May 2013 03:51:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.1 By: Tim H http://boingboing.net/2012/07/30/very-important-public-service.html#comment-1494325 Tim H Tue, 31 Jul 2012 20:23:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=173871#comment-1494325  I do question the wisdom of the guy setting his ladder up in front of the spider, upping the horror if it should run and fall.  I do question the wisdom of the guy setting his ladder up in front of the spider, upping the horror if it should run and fall.

]]> By: Tim H http://boingboing.net/2012/07/30/very-important-public-service.html#comment-1494323 Tim H Tue, 31 Jul 2012 20:22:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=173871#comment-1494323  I worked in Australia for a month and had to traverse a city park every time I left the decommissioned lunatic asylum I was at.  As soon as it was dark webs would pop up between the trees at walking level - webs that were 20' across easily and contained fist sized spiders.  At first I stopped walking off the road because I kept walking into the webs and having spastic dance screaming fits.  The webs popped up so quickly, though, that I finally got the point where I would wait for a car to drive along the road and clear the path before I would run the gauntlet.  If I grew impatient I had a giant stick I set aside for web clearning purposes, which I would swing continuously up and down.  I worked in Australia for a month and had to traverse a city park every time I left the decommissioned lunatic asylum I was at.  As soon as it was dark webs would pop up between the trees at walking level – webs that were 20′ across easily and contained fist sized spiders.  At first I stopped walking off the road because I kept walking into the webs and having spastic dance screaming fits.  The webs popped up so quickly, though, that I finally got the point where I would wait for a car to drive along the road and clear the path before I would run the gauntlet.  If I grew impatient I had a giant stick I set aside for web clearning purposes, which I would swing continuously up and down.

]]> By: Palomino http://boingboing.net/2012/07/30/very-important-public-service.html#comment-1493988 Palomino Tue, 31 Jul 2012 16:09:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=173871#comment-1493988 And people laugh at me for keeping the boxes my shoes come in.  And people laugh at me for keeping the boxes my shoes come in. 

]]> By: Antinous / Moderator http://boingboing.net/2012/07/30/very-important-public-service.html#comment-1493602 Antinous / Moderator Tue, 31 Jul 2012 05:56:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=173871#comment-1493602 It's so perfect, particularly the foot in the plastic tub, that it's hard to believe that it's not staged. It’s so perfect, particularly the foot in the plastic tub, that it’s hard to believe that it’s not staged.

]]> By: goinoutwest http://boingboing.net/2012/07/30/very-important-public-service.html#comment-1493561 goinoutwest Tue, 31 Jul 2012 04:27:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=173871#comment-1493561 I'm pretty sure that the close-up of the "spider" biting is actually someone's hairy butt.  Just so you know. I’m pretty sure that the close-up of the “spider” biting is actually someone’s hairy butt.  Just so you know.

]]> By: malindrome http://boingboing.net/2012/07/30/very-important-public-service.html#comment-1493525 malindrome Tue, 31 Jul 2012 03:01:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=173871#comment-1493525 Now that I've started thinking about the spiders, it's kinda hard to think about anything else. Now that I’ve started thinking about the spiders, it’s kinda hard to think about anything else.

]]> By: Mazoola http://boingboing.net/2012/07/30/very-important-public-service.html#comment-1493475 Mazoola Tue, 31 Jul 2012 01:18:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=173871#comment-1493475 You know what else likes warm, dark, damp shoes? Japanese hornets. Fortunately, their sting-y bits tend to be pointed away from one's foot, so it's more a case of "huh, what's that in my shoe? OHMIGOD!! [wham!] [wham!] [wham!]" You know what else likes warm, dark, damp shoes? Japanese hornets. Fortunately, their sting-y bits tend to be pointed away from one’s foot, so it’s more a case of “huh, what’s that in my shoe? OHMIGOD!! [wham!] [wham!] [wham!]“

]]> By: Mazoola http://boingboing.net/2012/07/30/very-important-public-service.html#comment-1493473 Mazoola Tue, 31 Jul 2012 01:15:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=173871#comment-1493473 Yeah, there's nothing quite like waking to the feeling of a 50-cent-piece-sized wolf spider walking along your arm... unless it's the sensation of slamming your face into the back of a chair after launching yourself out of the bed upon waking to etc etc Yeah, there’s nothing quite like waking to the feeling of a 50-cent-piece-sized wolf spider walking along your arm… unless it’s the sensation of slamming your face into the back of a chair after launching yourself out of the bed upon waking to etc etc

]]> By: Antinous / Moderator http://boingboing.net/2012/07/30/very-important-public-service.html#comment-1493449 Antinous / Moderator Tue, 31 Jul 2012 00:10:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=173871#comment-1493449 Palm Springs is a checkerboard of developed land and raw desert, so you're rarely more than a block away from a scorpion breeding facility.  This is a half mile from downtown and across the street from the Convention Center, several mega-hotels and a multiplex, for all your home arachnid needs.  I have to say, I'm enjoying the security of second floor living. Palm Springs is a checkerboard of developed land and raw desert, so you’re rarely more than a block away from a scorpion breeding facility.  This is a half mile from downtown and across the street from the Convention Center, several mega-hotels and a multiplex, for all your home arachnid needs.  I have to say, I’m enjoying the security of second floor living.

]]> By: GlenBlank http://boingboing.net/2012/07/30/very-important-public-service.html#comment-1493434 GlenBlank Mon, 30 Jul 2012 23:44:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=173871#comment-1493434 Yep.  "Pretty rare", but not unheard-of. :-)   We lived three houses away from the city limit, with cotton fields or raw desert beyond.  Never found one in my shoe, but did have to escort one back outside a couple of times. We used to collect them and sell them for 25 cents apiece to a bolo-tie maker.  I made rather a haul (for a 10-year-old!) after I discovered that they glow under a battery-powered blacklight. :-) Yep.  ”Pretty rare”, but not unheard-of. :-)  

We lived three houses away from the city limit, with cotton fields or raw desert beyond.  Never found one in my shoe, but did have to escort one back outside a couple of times.

We used to collect them and sell them for 25 cents apiece to a bolo-tie maker.  I made rather a haul (for a 10-year-old!) after I discovered that they glow under a battery-powered blacklight. :-)

]]> By: chgoliz http://boingboing.net/2012/07/30/very-important-public-service.html#comment-1493415 chgoliz Mon, 30 Jul 2012 23:00:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=173871#comment-1493415 :-)  Priceless! :-)  Priceless!

]]> By: John Maple http://boingboing.net/2012/07/30/very-important-public-service.html#comment-1493394 John Maple Mon, 30 Jul 2012 22:15:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=173871#comment-1493394 Yet another good reason to carry a firearm . . . Maybe. Yet another good reason to carry a firearm . . . Maybe.

]]> By: Brad Zimmerman http://boingboing.net/2012/07/30/very-important-public-service.html#comment-1493393 Brad Zimmerman Mon, 30 Jul 2012 22:09:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=173871#comment-1493393 Looks like you should have checked your keyboard for those small but deadly ones. Looks like you should have checked your keyboard for those small but deadly ones.

]]> By: Felton / Moderator http://boingboing.net/2012/07/30/very-important-public-service.html#comment-1493355 Felton / Moderator Mon, 30 Jul 2012 21:11:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=173871#comment-1493355 I've been getting mostly wolf spiders (I think) that like to hang around in obvious areas, like the middle of the kitchen floor or next to the medicine cabinet.  I don't know, maybe I'm supposed to feed them. I’ve been getting mostly wolf spiders (I think) that like to hang around in obvious areas, like the middle of the kitchen floor or next to the medicine cabinet.  I don’t know, maybe I’m supposed to feed them.

]]> By: RedShirt77 http://boingboing.net/2012/07/30/very-important-public-service.html#comment-1493342 RedShirt77 Mon, 30 Jul 2012 20:47:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=173871#comment-1493342  You know what else works?   Never taking your shoes off until you are ready to buy new ones..  You know what else works?   Never taking your shoes off until you are ready to buy new ones..

]]> By: Antinous / Moderator http://boingboing.net/2012/07/30/very-important-public-service.html#comment-1493334 Antinous / Moderator Mon, 30 Jul 2012 20:39:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=173871#comment-1493334 We get scorpions inside occasionally. Fortunately, ours don't climb, so keeping your slippers on the bedside table prevents any surprises. We get scorpions inside occasionally. Fortunately, ours don’t climb, so keeping your slippers on the bedside table prevents any surprises.

]]> By: Antinous / Moderator http://boingboing.net/2012/07/30/very-important-public-service.html#comment-1493326 Antinous / Moderator Mon, 30 Jul 2012 20:28:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=173871#comment-1493326 I'll just leave this here. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bRV4d9LCawU I’ll just leave this here.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bRV4d9LCawU

]]> By: BombBlastLightingWaltz http://boingboing.net/2012/07/30/very-important-public-service.html#comment-1493328 BombBlastLightingWaltz Mon, 30 Jul 2012 20:28:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=173871#comment-1493328 It could be a lot worse... http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/australiaandthepacific/newzealand/7722296/Tourist-hospitalised-by-venomous-spider-bite-on-penis.html It could be a lot worse…

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/australiaandthepacific/newzealand/7722296/Tourist-hospitalised-by-venomous-spider-bite-on-penis.html

]]> By: HeatherB http://boingboing.net/2012/07/30/very-important-public-service.html#comment-1493308 HeatherB Mon, 30 Jul 2012 20:11:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=173871#comment-1493308 Living in the desert and having found both scorpions and spiders in my shoes (one industrious fella even build a web on a sandal) I can tell you the best thing to do is simply place your shoes upside down when not wearing them. Spiders and and scorpions will climb in but do not like to climb up into the shoes. And of course there is always the handy shaking for safety sake but after I started storing them upside down, I never had the issue. Living in the desert and having found both scorpions and spiders in my shoes (one industrious fella even build a web on a sandal) I can tell you the best thing to do is simply place your shoes upside down when not wearing them. Spiders and and scorpions will climb in but do not like to climb up into the shoes. And of course there is always the handy shaking for safety sake but after I started storing them upside down, I never had the issue.

]]> By: Lemoutan http://boingboing.net/2012/07/30/very-important-public-service.html#comment-1493295 Lemoutan Mon, 30 Jul 2012 20:02:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=173871#comment-1493295 No no no. You'll just start an arms race and the presently tiny population of sock-penetrating spiders will soon dominate. No no no. You’ll just start an arms race and the presently tiny population of sock-penetrating spiders will soon dominate.

]]> By: Fred Talmadge http://boingboing.net/2012/07/30/very-important-public-service.html#comment-1493293 Fred Talmadge Mon, 30 Jul 2012 19:59:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=173871#comment-1493293 When I moved to Texas 20 years ago I was warned that scorpions would do this.   I shook out my shoes for a few years but nothing.  Now I suppose I'll be paranoid again for a few years.  When I moved to Texas 20 years ago I was warned that scorpions would do this.   I shook out my shoes for a few years but nothing.  Now I suppose I’ll be paranoid again for a few years. 

]]> By: Antinous / Moderator http://boingboing.net/2012/07/30/very-important-public-service.html#comment-1493286 Antinous / Moderator Mon, 30 Jul 2012 19:51:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=173871#comment-1493286 You could just wear clogs made of cedar. You could just wear clogs made of cedar.

]]> By: awjt http://boingboing.net/2012/07/30/very-important-public-service.html#comment-1493232 awjt Mon, 30 Jul 2012 18:44:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=173871#comment-1493232 I always doa  spdier check ifI leave my I always doa  spdier check ifI leave my

]]> By: GlenBlank http://boingboing.net/2012/07/30/very-important-public-service.html#comment-1493219 GlenBlank Mon, 30 Jul 2012 18:34:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=173871#comment-1493219 When I first visited Arizona, my cousins, whose subdivision bordered untamed desert, told me the same story, featuring scorpions instead of spiders. I thought they were having me on, but after we moved there, I still spent years shaking out my shoes every morning to make sure there were no scorpions.   As time went on, I discovered  that it was pretty rare to find scorpions inside suburban houses . OTOH, as I discovered on a Boy Scout camping trip, it's still good advice if you leave your shoes sitting out in the open desert.  Very few people die from scorpion stings, but they can be very unpleasant - especially the little pale straw-colored ones. When I first visited Arizona, my cousins, whose subdivision bordered untamed desert, told me the same story, featuring scorpions instead of spiders.

I thought they were having me on, but after we moved there, I still spent years shaking out my shoes every morning to make sure there were no scorpions.   As time went on, I discovered  that it was pretty rare to find scorpions inside suburban houses .

OTOH, as I discovered on a Boy Scout camping trip, it’s still good advice if you leave your shoes sitting out in the open desert.  Very few people die from scorpion stings, but they can be very unpleasant – especially the little pale straw-colored ones.

]]> By: chgoliz http://boingboing.net/2012/07/30/very-important-public-service.html#comment-1493173 chgoliz Mon, 30 Jul 2012 18:02:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=173871#comment-1493173 Now I'm wondering who I hate enough to send them the link. Now I’m wondering who I hate enough to send them the link.

]]> By: Eark_the_Bunny http://boingboing.net/2012/07/30/very-important-public-service.html#comment-1493146 Eark_the_Bunny Mon, 30 Jul 2012 17:39:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=173871#comment-1493146  Well what do you expect from some poor fellow who got bit on the foot by a spider.  Well what do you expect from some poor fellow who got bit on the foot by a spider.

]]> By: Preston Sturges http://boingboing.net/2012/07/30/very-important-public-service.html#comment-1493091 Preston Sturges Mon, 30 Jul 2012 17:07:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=173871#comment-1493091 As soon as the guy started talking, I thought "His voice really isn't that good." As soon as the guy started talking, I thought “His voice really isn’t that good.”

]]> By: kthugha http://boingboing.net/2012/07/30/very-important-public-service.html#comment-1493058 kthugha Mon, 30 Jul 2012 16:38:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=173871#comment-1493058 This is one of the reasons I put up with Minnesota winters.  Because most venomous spiders do not. This is one of the reasons I put up with Minnesota winters.  Because most venomous spiders do not.

]]> By: Wreckrob8 http://boingboing.net/2012/07/30/very-important-public-service.html#comment-1493042 Wreckrob8 Mon, 30 Jul 2012 16:25:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=173871#comment-1493042 My shoes come packed in a handy cardboard nocturnal spider guard. My shoes come packed in a handy cardboard nocturnal spider guard.

]]> By: ROSSINDETROIT http://boingboing.net/2012/07/30/very-important-public-service.html#comment-1493021 ROSSINDETROIT Mon, 30 Jul 2012 15:42:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=173871#comment-1493021 If there might be spiders just throw them away and buy new shoes.  Take it from us, Adidas.  You should do that. If there might be spiders just throw them away and buy new shoes.  Take it from us, Adidas.  You should do that.

]]>