Ooo-wee, it’s mega-hot on the East Coast, but here in the Valley of the Sun, things have kinda settled into a seemingly-endless stretch of moderate heat and humidity. It’s early August and everything… seems… to… be… moving… just… a… little… bit… slower… than normally. The tropics are quiet and the National Hurricane Center has downgraded their hurricane projections for the rest of the year (Rob will like that), and the Red Sox keep pulling walk-off victories out of their you-know-whats.

A perfect day for this roundup of news from around the globe regarding our furry, feathery, and finny friends:

* Some good news for a group of penguins stranded in the temperate waters of Brazil. The Brazilian military will be conducting a “penguin-lift” to return the castaways to their icy Antarctic home. I’ve heard of worse uses for a military, that’s for sure.

* Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro continues his slow recuperation from the life-threatening injury he suffered at the Preakness. Things got a little dicey several weeks ago (and, given the type of injury he suffered, may still again), but the longer he goes down the recovery trail, the better things look.

* Still on the horse racing front… Upset that your horse seems distracted before the race? Want to show him who’s boss? Well, this is NOT a recommended alternative to horsey Ritalin. Not only do you pi$$ your horse off so he finishes back in the pack, but you’re subject to disciplinary action as well. And well you should – what a moron.

* While nobody wants to see any animal get run over, never mind a cute little bunny rabbit, this is kinda sad.

* R.I.P. “Big Hoppi”. Turns out that wounded grackle that captivated the Fenway Park crowd during Tuesday night’s Sox-Indians game became a victim of a red-tail hawk nesting in the light towers of Fenway Park yesterday. Evidently, the Fenway grounds crew had tried to provide the grackle safe haven, but to no avail. Too bad – for his short life, he sure gave a lot of people something to smile about.

* OK, enough bad news. Here’s something that’ll cheer you up. Elvis’ childhood teddy bear eaten by beserk Doberman. A conspiracy theory or campaign promise floated by Dem moonbat Cynthia McKinney? Nope, it really happened at a London children’s museum when a cantankerous canine guard dog attacked a display of teddy bears on display. Not a hunka-hunka burning love on display there!