The Associated Press Warns of “Deadly Tarantulas”

What kind of people is the Associated Press hiring these days? Christopher Sherman reports luridly on dangers lurking in Texas floodwaters — “stinging fire ants, snakes and even deadly tarantulas.”

Even deadly tarantulas? I suppose the emphatic adverb is appropriate, because a deadly tarantula would be real news. There is no such thing: no tarantula is known to be deadly to humans, unless the human being happens to be allergic to tarantula venom. And even then, death is unlikely and ginning up hysteria about deadly tarantulas is about as sensible as admonishing us to watch out for deadly halibut — some people are allergic to fish, after all.

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5 Comments on “The Associated Press Warns of “Deadly Tarantulas””

  1. Casey Khan Says:

    “What kind of people is the Associated Press hiring these days?”

    Ask ‘Stuff White People Like.’

    http://stuffwhitepeoplelike.com/2008/06/25/winner-5/

  2. Tim Says:

    Maybe this guy works on their “Iranian nuclear threat” stories too!

  3. Matthew Says:

    Har.

  4. Scott Lahti Says:

    [after Emily Litella]

    Why is everyone so frightened of a nice old-fashioned Italian dance? Why, what fun would an Italian wedding, or picking up your pizza be if you couldn’t hear the tarantella over their speakers? What other rhythm gives you that “When you’re here, you’re family” feeling? And it helps us, too, to never forget who it was named after, that nice gentleman Jim Tarantella over at The Wall Street Journal opinion site, manning with no thought whatever for his own personal safety or sanity the burning deck of neoconservatism whence all but he had fled…

    What? *Tarantula* the spider? Never mind, Cheddar…

  5. Tom Meehan Says:

    Flooding presents more of a danger to Tarantulas than man. I’m pretty sure they can’t swim. By the way, they’ve invaded Florida.

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