UPDATE! Goat Simulator Arrives April 1!

In my last post, I noted that a video game created during a creative jam may or may not become available for public consumption....

GUESS WHAT?

"You Did It, Internet. Goat Simulator Is A Real Thing That You Can Buy." - via Kotaku




Now I will admit, and fully realize, this is not a PR coup.  It does not tell a very truthful story about Capra hircus. For instance:

- Goats do not survive when hit by cars. Do not, in real life, hit goats with cars.
- Goats do not survive long falls, even onto trampolines. Do not drop goats in real life, even onto trampolines.
- Goats do not  have tongues that stick to things like axes. Do not try to get your goat to lick an ax and carry it around.

So I guess as far as defeating goat stereotypes, this video game isn't going to score many points (I will say I didn't see the goat in the game eating any garbage.)

But then again, Jam City Rollergirls didn't depict roller derby with complete accuracy either.

And just look at how much fun this will be! People are really looking forward to it. At least, the Goatmaiden is!

Most Metal Goat

I thought I had seen the best combo of goat+metal band possible with the Metallica Packer Goat. However, life has proven me wrong by introducing me to Biquette.

More from Metal Insider:

Grindcore fan that happened to be a goat passes away 

We see a lot of things come across our desks, but the goat in the front row of a Wormrot show that’s been kicking around the internet for a few years is one of the best images in metal. Now, thanks to the team over at Noisey, we not only know that the goat had a name, Biquette, but sadly, that Biquette is no longer with us, having passed away last month.

Raad the rest here:
http://www.metalinsider.net/in-memoriam/grindcore-fan-that-happened-to-be-a-goat-passes-away

Photo from Biquette's Facebook Page

A happy little tune for your Thursday!

According to Wikipedia, George Formby (5/26/1904-3/6/1961) was once Britain's top-paid entertainer. He usually played tunes on ukulele both on the stage and in film.

Goats love to surf

Goatee has a protoge - Pismo!

Read more here.

MOW GOATS in Cleveland

Recently visited Cleveland and picked up a copy of the Plain Press, the free west side paper. There was a great little article on MowGoats- a pilot project designed to clear vacant lots using  THE POWER OF GOATS! Goats not only clear the spaces, but are environmentally sounds, and their presence draws communities together. Who wouldn't want to come and visit someone herding a group of caprines with names like Clover, Buffy, Rosie and Princess?

Check out this blog!

Goatee the Surfing Goat

The story is one told again and again. Surfing soccer-loving boy gets goat as a way to clear brush from his land. Boy, who used to live in Africa and has ties to http://www.flosoccerministry.com/ , planned to eat "Goatee" after she finished her duties, but, like many bitten buy the goat-bug (ew) found that the creature had such personality he couldn't help but fall in love. Well, not that kind of love (although the section of the video above does have a scene of them swinging tandem on a swing set, I am sure it's just platonic love).

Boy then, on his 33rd birthday, took the goat surfing and thought she did a good job. A video of him and Goatee appeared on a local tv station and soon went viral, being picked up all over the world.

Goatee is the mascot of Flo (forever loving others) Soccer Ministry, which spreads the love of Jesus through soccer. Something about soccer, and surfing, and goats... and Jesus I guess...they all inspire passionate embrace and soulful support that seems to go beyond the single entity. At least that's what I think. Think what you like - it's still cool to see a goat surf.

Sydney the Alpine Goat at the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo

I recently visited my favorite goat in the world at the world famous Cleveland Metroparks Zoo. Sydney was an utter jerk when I worked with her back in 2000, when the Australian Adventure exhibit first opened. It was the first time I was around goats, and I soon learned to love her devious personality. She was the one who was always jumping out of the enclosure, munching on kid's strollers, and so on. She was one of the original animals in the contact yard (petting zoo).

She's getting on in years and seems to have mellowed. Still, she's awesome.

Sydney in her younger years

Goat Cart

This photo was sent in by Chad M. Thanks! I will add it to my growing collection (I have one on line here, and two hanging in my office.)

Wisconsin Tops the 50 States for Dairy Goats!

I just read in an issue of Wisconsin Trail's Magazine that Wisconsin produces more goat milk than any other state.

The Fantome Farm was featured in the piece and was one if not the first farm to sell chevre (soft fresh French style cheese made from goat's milk) made on their farm from milk from their own herd. Chevre means goat in French. Other goat farms selling cheese include:

Blue River Capri Creamery
LaValle Carr Valley
Cross Plains Dreamfarm
Mt. Sterling Goat Cheese
Westby Nordic Creamery

Pearls Before Swine

A famous Goat shares time with me every Sunday as I read the comic "Pearls Before Swine." He goes by Goat, but Wikipedia says his real name is Paris. I feel a special kinship with this goat, since it also states in the same entry that Rat makes fun of him for having a blog no one reads. Ha!

Too Many Pancakes!

As a follow up to my post about Goats on the Roof of Al Johnston's restaurant, I will share a few photos of the actual restaurant.























Outside of the restaurant. It was stormy this day, and so there were no goats on the sod roof. Supposedly once a thunderclap scared a goat off the roof and he ran across the street and into Egg Harbor and Al Johnston had to take a boat out to him to get him back!













































Probably a good thing goats can't read.

I won't share the entire Kid's Placemat with you, because I want you to go an check it out yourself, but I will scan in a few cute coloring pictures to give you a taste! (Speaking of taste, do have the Swedish pancakes with lingonberry sauce and a side of meatballs when you go!)

Goat Commerce!

I did a quick Facebook search for goat-related bars, restaurants and other industries. This is what I have found thus far:

An online gift shop called Get Yer Goat
A yoga studio and art gallery called Green Goat Gallery in NC (note: NC and SC seem to have a good amount of goat named things)
Thirsty Goat in FL
Simply The Goat - a bar in OH
The Surfing Goat Dairy in HI
The Goat radio station in Alberta Canada
Artois the Goat - a romantic movie about a man who "embarks on an epic quest to create the greatest goat cheese the world has ever known"
Green Goat screenprinting
Goat Island Restaurant - I think this is in TX
Goat and Compass tavern NC
Space Goat comic agency and production studio - I think they're in Seattle, WA
The Girl & Goat restaurant - in Chicago - that is run by winner of the show "Top Chef"
The Blue Goat concert venue in KS
The Flying Goat restaurant

And finally, a Facebook page dedicated to this commercial:

The Daily Goat

Ok sorry if this is a repost, but this is a parody news blog that has been around for a while.

Goatman

Oh yes. The cryptozoological world is afire with GOATMAN! Not really, but I found this on Wikipedia and had to post. Akin to Bunnyman, he attacks people with an ax. It is a real urban legend, based in Maryland.

Spokesgoats

Meet Hilda - from the book The Cole Family Christmas. Hilda is also the spokesgoat for ReadAloud.org.

I thought perhaps Hilda was the first spokesgoat, or the only one. But then I turned to the ol' internet, and lo and behold, look who I found!

































Gloria, the spokesgoat for Celebrity Dairy. Met her on Facebook. She's in an open relationship LOL.
















There is Gruff the ecologically friendly mountain goat that tells people to Recycle Stuff at Quad/Graphics.

Pricilla, Happy Goats Soap's spokesgoat. She's also a blogger. (Many goat farms have a "herd queen" that farmers use as their spokesgoat.)

Nanny, the spokesgoat for Rikki's Refuge animal rescue (who says Oreo Cookies are the best diet for goats).

Caprina, the spokesgoat (and new name) of the company formerly known as Canus.













Frank the goat on Livejournal (a mascot - not a spokesgoat.)

Goat Unicorn

Lancelot, who's mother at least was an Angora goat, was "created" by Morning Glory and Otter G'Zell in the '80s. I remembered him touring with the Barnum and Baily Circus and that I thought his horn was pretty crude. But he seems like he would have been a nice guy.

Kissing Goat Statue

I could barely contain my joy at one of the newest acquisition by the Madison Chazen Museum. It is an anthropomorphic statue of two male goats making out.

Okay-so they have anthropomorphic wieners too (real goat penises might be more controversial as they are rather odd looking, with a little curlicue at the end. Male goats also pee on themselves during mating season and work the urine into their hair. To smell attractive. To the ladies. Or life partners I suppose.) Also, the title of the piece "A Rush of Blood to the Head" is apparently a Coldplay album. Hm. However the artist Beth Cavener Stichter has used goats as inspiration in the past, along with other compelling and disturbing animals (I think I saw a capybara and a mouse deer in her gallery.)

This statue has already attracted 31 comments on the Cap Times website listing the article I first read about the art piece including some "it's no big deal" and others stating "I can't take my kids here now."

The article in the Isthmus interestingly enough argues the fact that the statue shouldn't be alarming, but is.

Me? I haven't actually seen it yet in person, but I am happy for what buzz and discussion it has already generated.

Creepy goat blog post #1 done!

Creepiest Children Books!

I think with this little gem I am launching a month long Creepy Goat Challenge! Please send me creepy goat related myths, pop culture elements or whatever you can find. I know of some right off the top of my head I have been waiting for the right time to share... that time... is now~!

Goat Comercial Panacea!

Boy I've been out of the loop - look what I missed:

One Adult, One Goat

New Goat Commercial!!