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Mug-shot of a Thief (38)
Callie
![Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1132 W: 105 N: 2609]](http://i1.treknature.com/misc/g-g-g.gif) (7531) | Crooks, muggers, thieves, connivers, counterfeiters, steal, pilfer, purloin, rob, lift, lighten a purse, finger-smiths (pick-pockets), the list is endless when it comes to describing thieves and the acts of thievery in the English Language. I am not saying that the English were or are the world’s greatest thieves, just that in a language of about 600 000 words, they have collected a list as long as my arm to describe thievery! English not being my mother tongue, and a third language while at school, has, however, over the years dug its linguistic claws into my mind, and I love this language with its inconsistencies and more exceptions to the rules than words adhering to the rules!
Take pilfer – to borrow with the intention of never returning – that book from your friend!
Purloin – to steal little by little, or something cheap, often in a sneaky way, also filch, nobble.
Kleptomania –compulsive urge to steal
Plagiarise – steal other’s ideas, writings, tunes etc and use as your own, - except when you do it in the name of research – the last is my cynical opinion.
Rustle – steal cattle or live-stock, and this brings us back to our subject the Black-backed Jackal, Canis mesomelas. You can look HERE to see the first post in this mini series on the master thief of the African Savannah.
The jackals living around the Rest Camp at Nossob are renowned for their ability to steal the meat from the fire. We call barbeque braai in SA, even the English speaking SA’S do so. This refers both to the metal grid on which we place the meat as well as the process of “cooking” the meat, except, meat is braaied, not cooked! The nearest I can give you is browning the meat slowly until done to your taste, rare, medium or well-done!
The jackals will steal anything they can get their teeth in. Now get a hold of this face – it looks pure, sweet innocence, but the shifty eye gives away the crafty mind behind the guileless pose. We have not even started our fire, when Mr Jackal was already sniffing around the perimeter of our site. Last time we were there, I got no decent pictures. I was not going to let the opportunity slip through my fingers again, so we didn’t chase him off, neither did we discourage him, because they have more patience than Job, and can outwait any one when there is the change of a bite or scrap to scrounge, be it from lion or Homo sapiens .
They are unafraid of humans, and sneak up to two meter from one. My wife shined the spotlight on the critter while I was doing the shooting. I posted a WS, so that you can see the trepidation in his stance, ready to bolt at the merest wink of danger. The meat “dropped’ on the floor, so what could we do? |
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Callie
(7531)
jackal-002-ws
Edited by:Luc
(14733) |
Callie,
in photoshop: Intellisharpen II: low iso file, intellisharpen level: 50, sharpen fine detail level: 26, normal halo, save for TN.
I hope you like it,
Luc |
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| Altered Image #1
Callie
(7531)
Trepidation
Edited by:Callie
(7531) |
| 98 mm, two minutes before the mugshot! |
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