blind naked mole-rat lovin'

[verbminx]

I promised pictures of the very odd toy I bought tonight, and here it is (I took two and put the other under the lj-cut). His name is "Rufus" and he is apparently the Cute Animal Sidekick on the show Kim Possible, which I've never seen but now may be forced to check out. Because I really need to know some of the inner workings of the mind that thinks naked mole-rats are the appropriate small animal to be a Cute Animal Sidekick on children's television. I understand when the creator of something like the deliriously twisted comic Skelebunnies does a big feature on naked mole-rats (including a cute illustrated boardgame) in his zine, but Disney, I do not understand.

For comparison, check out some information on real naked mole-rats. They are quite mysterious and odd and sometimes sad little animals. One wonders: Are they moles, or rats? (the latter - sort of.) Why are they naked? Shouldn't someone make them little sweaters?

R U F U S

Comments

[spillshercoffee.livejournal.com]

Oh dear, that is the cutest thing with the exception, perhaps, of my stuffed pink baby walrus. There may be contention for the title. (must get pictures)
I have seen Kim Possible once or twice. I vaguely recall this little guy.

Thank you for the lesson on naked mole-rats. I am enlightened. If only I could knit something more exciting than a scarf.

[spillshercoffee.livejournal.com]

Distant cousin, perhaps?
The Baby Pink Walrus

[verbminx.livejournal.com]

awww, very cute!
but i think the issue is that miss walrus isn't very WRONG.
(I'm not exploiting Rufus on his cuteness so much as his wrongness.)
i mean, walruses have a definite Following, though they aren't as popular as seals and otters. i would expect to see the occasional walrus-representing cuddly toy. Tho a pink one is particularly tickling.

a naked mole-rat beanie is pretty WRONG. they are these tiny, endearingly ugly animals who live like insects, have no way of regulating their body heat aside from piling up on each other, and have outsize teeth. you could never market an official naked mole-rat beanie baby, because most people would find them repellent! the only possible way to sell a naked mole-rat beanie is to make it a character on a show and do merchandising tie-ins... (then, getting back to what i was saying earlier, i wanna know who the weird weirdo is who thought, "Small animal sidekick...? AHA! A naked mole-rat will do the trick nicely!"

so, it's delightfully wrong.
but not as wrong as a fluffy little pink cthulhu beanie would be.
(and yes, people do make them...)

i dunno. i just like weird beanies. up on my desk i have a lightning bug, a starfish, the cheshire cat, a tree frog, a chinese dragon, and now... RUFUS! :D

[spillshercoffee.livejournal.com]

I definitely see your point.
I was just exploiting the fuzzy "pinkness", myself.
The naked mole-rat is most definitely a unique character choice.

But then I have friends who keep hairless (regular) rats as pets. There's definitely someone out there to love the naked mole-rat.

[verbminx.livejournal.com]

ps - only knitting scarves, huh?

question: do you know how to purl?

(it took me forever to figure it out. I was making a REALLY silly mistake that is really commonly made because of the way most purling instructions are written. LMK if you need help. i've been able to get a few people purling so that they could get out of scarf heck...)

[spillshercoffee.livejournal.com]

Yeah. Just scarves at this point. No time to really explore fancy patterns. But yes, I can knit and purl. But only in straight, even lines.

I come from a long line of serious knitters. My grandmother could make a intricately cabled sweater in under 3 days. Magic. I just can't seem to go beyond straight even lines (provided I don't drop any stitches). Knitting is one of those many many things I want to become better at, but never have the time.

I'll get time soon enough.
I foresee it.

[ragdoll.livejournal.com]

Kim Possible rocks. It's a great fun show about a teenage spy chick who saves the world every day while being a cheerleader, student and daughter (to two genius scientists). I've seen a bunch of episodes and they're very silly and very funny. Rufus belongs to Kim's nerdy best boy friend whose name escapes me at the moment -- but he's a good sidekick (the friend) with a great naked mole rat pal. I think episodes are available on video or DVD -- look for them.

[verbminx.livejournal.com]

it's on Disney - i actually skipped watching it the other night. i'll try to catch it sometime soon. i want to see...well...like i said. why of all things a naked mole-rat??

(I thought it was just me and Tommy Kovac who had an obsession with them. They're inherently hilarious. Like chickens. And monkeys.)

[ragdoll.livejournal.com]

It's a lot of fun. I highly recommend it.

I didn't know about naked mole rats until I saw Rufus. So I'm definitely late to the party.

[astroasis.livejournal.com]

Hey, he's cuuuuuute!

[verbminx.livejournal.com]

...until you gotta trim those teeth with fingernail clippers.

(no, i kid. i think he's a-freaking-dorable! why else did I have to have him? ;)

[tree]

oh my! i wanted to knit jumpers for the penguins! except, um, i cannot knit. i have tried, really. i'm just not coordinated enough.

[verbminx.livejournal.com]

oh, well. penguin jumper knitting time is over. i honestly intended to make a few, but didn't get to it while they actually needed them.

now i am determined that little rufus will have a little sweater, by my own hand. no mole-rat of MINE is going naked - what with his lousy body-temp maintenance systems and lack of other mole-rats to snuggle with for warmth.

[spooble.livejournal.com]

I actually like Kim Possible and may need a stuffed Rufus, myself.

[verbminx.livejournal.com]

fi' dolla' an' a trip to the walmart's, my friend.

they have a bigger one that MAKES NOISES when you squeeze its paw. but i couldn't afford that one. :)

now, go watch the mole-rat cam at the national zoo.

[coconuthead.livejournal.com]

I don't know about naked mole rats themselves, but I am completely devoted to the naked mole rat expert in "Fast Cheap and Out of Control".

[djymm.livejournal.com]

You're just a sucker for animal experts, aren't you?

[coconuthead.livejournal.com]

Just Errol Morris-related animal experts. Can you blame me? Naked Mole Rat guy has that bow tie! Who wouldn't love him?

[djymm.livejournal.com]

so we've got Ray Mendez

Clyde Roper

and, just for comparison, C. Everett Koop

because he seems to exemplify the look they're all headed for.

[coconuthead.livejournal.com]

Aw, C. Everett Koop? He never hunted a squid in his life!

Anyway, you know what my favorite Clyde Roper pic is:
http://cryptozoo.monstrous.com/clyde_roper.htm

[verbminx.livejournal.com]

... just when you thought that this post couldn't get any stranger ...

;)

[purplecleo.livejournal.com]

::shrieks with delight:: I MUST LEARN TO KNIT! People say I'm crazy when I tell them animals deserve clothes too! ::eyes my pet rat thoughtfully::