Worst comparison of the day

By Thomas Lifson

Usually we don't do news-of-the-weird topics in the AT blog, but this simile demands notice. On one level, it is a perfect example of a comparison that is relevant to anyone. But on a couple of other levels it is just wrong, not suitable for public discussion.

The back story: A resident of Australia's Northern Territories discovered to her horror that passing snake had eaten her dog. Poor woman, poor dog. A heart break. The news report in Metro.co.uk included a picture of the offending snake, with a conspicuous canine-shaped lump halfway down. Check it out here.

But then, God help us, the unnamed author of the piece did the inevitable and quoted an expert.

A local snake expert was called in to catch the serpent. David Reed said that he'd never seen an incident like it, as the dog was approximately 60% of the bodyweight of the reptile.

He likened it to a fully-grown man managing to eat a 16-year-old boy.

Hat tip: Dennis Sevakis