....Circus Anonymous....

..Groovy Man..RBBB Circus Designs..1970..

2012-02-17T08:25:00.000-08:00

..unknown designer..

..Tibbals Digital Collection..
..Ringling Museum..

2012-02-17T05:31:00.000-08:00

..Lottie Brunn and Rex Williams 1961..

..Elephant Diva's..

2012-02-16T07:35:00.000-08:00

..Wanda Moore and Mabel..

..Mary Jane Miller..

..unknown mini Diva..

..Camille O'Brien..

..Cindi Cavallini..

..Josephine Baker..

..unknown Diva..

..Elephant Diva..

2012-02-15T09:51:00.000-08:00

..Verena Lawrence..

..The Billboard..April 21, 1956..

2012-02-14T20:08:00.000-08:00

..R-B Holds Firm in Face of Picketing..
..5 Performers Out; Business Slides But Attendance Drop Not Significant..

..New York..Business for the Ringling show was noticeably off but the show was proceeding on schedule this week, despite picketing by the two unions trying to organize its personnel: American Guild of Variety Artists and the AFL Teamsters.
..Despite the pickets and an unpredictable situation which saw several show people stay out of the Garden, then go back in, only five were among the missing thru last night. These are clowns Emmett Kelly, Otto Griebling and Felix Adler, baton twirler Billie Mahoney and announcer-vocalist Preston Lambert.
..Kelly has been in town but has not appeared at all, while Griebling and the others walked out since the opening. Both have several connections for work in and around New York in various phases of show business. Adlers wife Amelia, not an AGVA member has been clowning regularly. Lambert has work connections in the midwest and the announcing since his departure has been done by Doug Morris.
..Both the unions and the circus were claiming sucess in their dispute, but no other labor organizations have given tangible support as yet. Local 802, the musicans group has expressed "Sympathy" with AGVA but has not issued a call-out. Union show publicists were back at their Garden headquarters at mid-week after operating from the Hotel Paramount for one day.

..Judge's order halts Fulton elephant bullhook ban..

2012-02-14T11:03:00.000-08:00

By Joel Anderson

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
9:53 p.m. Monday, February 13, 2012

A Fulton Superior Court judge issued a temporary restraining order Monday that could prevent the county from enforcing animal control laws in the city of Atlanta, according to a Fulton County commissioner.

Commissioner Rob Pitts said Judge John Goger's order effectively blocks the county's ban of the use of bullhooks by circus elephant trainers.

The decision comes only days before Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus comes to Philips Arena in Atlanta. The show will run from Wednesday to Feb. 20.

Pitts, who has been an advocate for the bullhook ban, said the judge's order hinged on the lack of a specific intergovernmental agreement between Fulton and Atlanta.

"The fact is that Fulton County has been providing animal control services in Atlanta, and Atlanta has been paying Fulton County for those services," Pitts said in a written statement Monday night. "That amounts to an Implied Agreement/Contract.”

Pitts further suggested the order would prohibit the county from enforcing animal control laws in Atlanta, with the exception of rabies cases and cases of imminent danger to citizens by animals.
Anna Ware, a Buckhead resident and local animal rights' advocate, said she was disappointed with the judge's order.

"I believe that when the Fulton County Board of Commissioners passed the bullhook ban ... they heard and understood the concerns of their citizens relating to the use of the of the bullhook," said Ware, who attended the court hearing Monday.

Ware also said the judge's order could nullify previous citations issued in Atlanta by Fulton County Animal Control.

"This could have opened a big ol' can of worms," she said.

Fulton was the first Georgia jurisdiction to approve a bullhook ban, following cities and counties in Florida, South Carolina, New York, Kentucky and Indiana. Commissioners voted for the ban in June.

Officials with Atlanta and Feld Entertainment, which owns Ringling Brothers, could not immediately be reached for comment Monday night.

..Terry O'Brien..

2012-02-14T08:50:00.000-08:00

..Terry is a young lad who spends his aimless childhood roaming the streets of Boston during the Second World War, engaging in childhood fantasies to escape an unstable family environment. During his adolescent and high school years, Terry discovers the art of juggling, which becomes his passion and his business, leading him into unusual situations. Foreign and domestic travel dominates Terry’s young adult life with academic pursuits in Germany, France and Ireland, where more adventure abounds with a tour of Ireland as a performer with Duffy Circus. Misadventure follows Terry to Washington where, as a Naval officer, he becomes a linguist at the National Security Agency, and meets his wife — an analyst. The two “spooks” do the improbable and run away with the circus, spending fifteen years trouping around North America while raising a family..

www.publishamerica.net/product1636.html

..Violence erupts in Athens..

2012-02-13T09:17:00.000-08:00

As Greece’s parliament approved austerity measures Monday, whole swaths of Athens burned.

Protesters set cinemas, shops and banks on fire to express their anger over spending cuts they believed would further exacerbate the country’s economic crisis. At least 45 buildings burned and 67 people were arrested. Police tear-gassed crowds. It was the worst violence the capital has seen in years. The riots also spread to Greece’s second-largest city , Thessaloniki, the islands of Crete and Corfu, and towns across the country.

Hacker collective Anonymous reacted to the cuts, too, taking down the Web sites of Greece's prime minister, the police and parliament, the International Business Times reports. As of this writing, those sites were back up.

The Washington Post’s Michael Birnbaum reports on the spending cuts:

“The measures, which will slash the minimum wage, trim a fifth of government workers and slash entitlement spending, are wrenchingly unpopular in a country already seized by 21 percent unemployment and dim prospects for the future. But European leaders say that Greece will eventually go bankrupt — even with the new $182 billion bailout — if it does not make the changes they are requiring.”

Much of the rioting Sunday took place just outside the parliament building, where tear gas from the protests seeped inside. At one point, a Communist Party lawmaker hurled the thick austerity measures bill across the room.

“The people [have] sent a message: Enough is enough!” Ilias Iliopoulos, general secretary of a public sector union, told Reuters. “They can’t take it anymore.”

..Alfred Court..

2012-02-12T11:18:00.000-08:00

..Court Animal Wagons..

..Alfred Court 1941..RBBB..

..The Montons..

2012-02-11T14:23:00.000-08:00

..RBBB 1952..Lilli Kristensen and Jose Monton..

..Women Love A Man That Can Make Us Laugh..

2012-02-10T08:50:00.000-08:00

..RBBB 1978 Cast..

2012-02-09T22:47:00.000-08:00

..Photo from Henry Schroer..

..US Senate sneaks in SOPA under new name..

2012-02-09T09:08:00.000-08:00

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) launches a second round of attacks in an attempt to censor the Internet.

After trying to adopt Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) and Protect IP Act (PIPA), both pieces of legislation turned out to be a disaster, causing outrage among Internet giants and ordinary users alike. Congress had to retreat. However it's determined to get what it wants this time.

After the shelving of SOPA and PIPA back in January Reid stated,“There is no reason that the legitimate issues raised by many about this bill cannot be resolved.”

As RT reported last month, Senator Reid added that lawmakers will“continue engaging with all stakeholders to forge a balance between protecting Americans’ intellectual property, and maintaining openness and innovation on the Internet.”

The vote on the anti-piracy legislation was postponed from its January 24date after Wikipedia and other popular websites went dark to protest the draft law.

Now the battle for online freedom continues.

The rebuttal to push Internet-regulating legislation has transformed into a new cybersecurity bill. The particulars of the latest attempt by senators to censor the Internet have not been disclosed to the public.

However some leaks suggest that the bill will grant the authority to crack down on the Internet to the executive branch of power, namely the White House. It looks highly possible taking into consideration that the legislation has to come out of the Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee, chaired by Connecticut Independent Sen. Joe Lieberman.

The same Lieberman who earlier co-sponsored the so called Kill Switch bill that could allow the president of the United States to "declare a cybersecurity emergency," and practically shut down the Internet.

After outrage from Internet advocacy groups, Kill Switch never made it in the Senate. This time it may be back under a new name.

Derek-source: http://rt.com/usa/news/senate-sopa-new-internet-847/ See More

..RBBB..Gold Unit..

2012-02-09T07:52:00.000-08:00

..Early morning T.V.
..Catherine Carden..

..Roger Smith..

2012-02-08T08:39:00.000-08:00

..High Grass Circus..

2012-02-07T08:18:00.001-08:00

..Elephant Diva's..

2012-02-05T08:55:00.000-08:00

..Barbara Miller..

..Andrea Ayala Raffo..

..Cathy Hanneford Carden..

..Trudy Wilson Strong..

..Brandy Loter Schmidt..

..Bonnie Bale..

..RBBB 1988 Elephant Diva's..

..Ilonka Karoly..

2012-02-04T07:37:00.000-08:00

..Ivan Ruban..

2012-02-04T07:29:00.001-08:00

..Elephant Diva..

2012-02-03T15:02:00.000-08:00

..Josie Loyal..

..Here Come The Elephants..

2012-02-02T17:07:00.000-08:00

2012-02-02T08:10:00.000-08:00

2012-02-01T09:36:00.000-08:00

From Michelle...

Update Penny Wilson Rodriguez: There will be a Celebration of Life for Mom at Show Folks Club of Sarasota February 12, 2012 at 3PM. It is a Potluck dinner so everyone is asked to bring a dish. We would also like everyone to bring a "Penny" as a tribute. Look forward to seeing everyone there to reminisce moms life and share the joy and laughter she brought to us all.

..Elephant Diva..

2012-01-31T17:05:00.000-08:00

..Carson and Barnes Circus..

2012-01-31T08:55:00.000-08:00

2012-01-30T09:55:00.000-08:00

..Victor Julian..

2012-01-28T11:46:00.000-08:00

..Gilbert Houcke..

2012-01-28T08:10:00.000-08:00

2012-01-28T07:48:00.001-08:00

..Elephant Diva..

2012-01-27T08:53:00.000-08:00

..Faye Snyder and Bimbo..

2012-01-27T06:44:00.000-08:00

Update: I am sorry to have to say Penny Wilson Rodriguez passed last night at 8:22 PM. She was a valiant warrior in her fight to survive, a fight she was unable to continue. In the end she was so tired and she left her body swiftly and painlessly. I am sure she felt joy and freedom as she left the boundaries of her tortured body. She is now riding the elephants in that great 3 ring circus in the sky. She is at peace and with all her loved ones and friends who have gone before her. She will be missed by so many here...for her smile, her endless humor, her love and kindness. Her show will always go on..

..The Wallenda's..

2012-01-25T09:37:00.000-08:00

..bottom level..L to R..Dick Faughnan, Mario Wallenda, Paul Jordan, Karl Wallenda..middle level..Jonny Jordan, Herman Wallenda..Top ..Patsy Jordan..

..Aerial Ballet..Carson and Barnes..

2012-01-25T09:29:00.000-08:00

2012-01-24T08:43:00.000-08:00

..Here Come The Elephants..

2012-01-22T17:22:00.000-08:00

..My Flood..Grand Island Oregon..

2012-01-22T11:21:00.000-08:00

..This is what I awoke to yesterday morning behind my house..Yes that's water beyond the water..

..This is the road to my house..

..Some pictures of Oregon this morning..

2012-01-20T04:15:00.000-08:00

..Oregon..

..Salem..

..Philomath..

..Turner..

..We here on Grand Island are waiting for the sun to rise to see what the River has brought us this morning..

..Protest..

2012-01-18T07:41:00.000-08:00

████ ██████ ██ ████ ██ ████ ██████ ██ ████ ██ ████ ██████ ██ ████ ██ ████ ██ ████ ██ ████ ██ ████ ██ ████ ██.

████ ██ ████ ██████ ██ ████ ██ ████ ██████ ██ ████ ██ ████ ██████ ██ ████ ██ ████ ██ ████ ██ ████ █

████ ██████ ██ ████ ██ ████ ██████ ██ ████ ██ ████ ██████ ██ ████ ██ ████ ██ ████ ██ ████ ██ ████ ██ ████ ██...

This status blacked out to stand against SOPA & PIPA ..Circus Anonymous will be blacked out in protest of the SOPA & PIPA bills..

..Elephant Men..

2012-01-17T19:21:00.000-08:00

..RBBB..Orlando,Fl..Joe Frisco and Gary Thomas..

2012-01-14T08:59:00.000-08:00

..American Circus Elephants..

2012-01-13T03:00:00.000-08:00

..1993..

..Alexandre & Galina Korovnikov..

2012-01-12T15:00:00.000-08:00

..1994..

..Circus Posters..

2012-01-12T12:58:00.000-08:00

..Friends in deed: US-Russia rescue mission cutting through ice..

2012-01-12T11:55:00.000-08:00

Published: 12 January, 2012, 15:52

Edited: 12 January, 2012, 20:03

..U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Healy (R) approaches the Russian-flagged tanker Renda while breaking ice around the vessel, 156 km (97 miles) south of Nome, Alaska in this January 10, 2012 handout photo. U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Healy is escorting the Renda as it carries more than 1.3 million gallons of fuel to help the residents of Nome make it through the winter (Reuters / U.S. Coast Guard / Petty Officer 1st Class Sara Francis / Handout)

Severe weather conditions are delaying the delivery of 5,000 tonnes of fuel to the Alaskan city of Nome, as a Russian tanker and a US icebreaker struggle to make their way through ice. Some 3,500 people in Nome have been left without enough fuel.

Fazil Aliyev, head of the Russian company that operates the tanker Renda, told RT, that the company is tracking the vessel’s path via satellite and according to their information the tanker and accompanying icebreaker are 70 nautical miles away from Nome.

The US Coast Guard say the ice is up to four feet (some 1.3 meters) thick in places and the icebreaker Healy is normally able to cover about 10 nautical miles a day through the ice this thick.

However, strong winds and currents are hampering its efforts, while air temperature in the area is dropping to minus 50 degrees Celsius.

"They have been experiencing a lot of weather challenges with the wind and the currents, that have made it difficult for them to make a lot of progress," US Coast Guard spokeswoman Veronica Colbath said on Wednesday.

If weather conditions do not change, the vessels are expected to reach their destination in 10-14 days. However, the US authorities point out that such mission is of great interest in its own right and a perfect opportunity to learn the capabilities of their icebreaker.

“We have never had a mid-winter 300-nautical-mile trip to Nome. But for us it is a great opportunity to learn what the Healy is capable of and gain navigation experience in such ice conditions,” Colbath said.

If successful, the shipment would mark the first time petroleum products have been delivered by sea to a western Alaskan community in winter. The mission also represents a logistical challenge, as it is coordinated by the American and Russian sides through interpreters.

Russia rushes to rescueBefore the mission kicked off, the organizers had to clear it through Washington, because, in accordance with the law of 1920, only vessels whose owners and operators are US companies are allowed to deliver petroleum products to Alaska. The Renda tanker, however, belongs to the Russian Expert and Marine Surveyors' Corporation based in Vladivostok, in the Russian Far East.

The town of Nome was plunged into a critical situation with fuel when the autumn fuel delivery by US barges was disrupted by a heavy storm. The idea to airlift petroleum products was quickly rejected because in this case their price would skyrocket by US$3 to $4 per gallon (3.8 liters).

Authorities concluded that chartering a Russian tanker would be the best alternative.

Fazil Aliyev told RT that one of the reasons why a Russian tanker was chosen for this operation is that US companies simply do not possess tankers of the class Renda belongs to. He also said that the cost of this operation would be way higher if it was carried out by a US company.

“Our main goal is not so much to make profit, but to rescue people,” Aliyev stated.

He believes the operation is definitely going to be a success and the tanker will reach its point of destination. However, he said the tanker will not be able to dock in the port, so the fuel will be delivered to the coast via special hosepipes the vessel is equipped with.

It is not the first time Renda is delivering fuel to an ice-bound territory. In 2000 the tanker took part in a similar operation when a town in Russia’s Chukotka region was left without fuel in the middle of winter. Although the operation was successful media reports dubbed it a “golden passage” due to the high costs of the voyage

http://rt.com/news/ice-tanker-nome-fuel-611/

..Adam Burck..

2012-01-11T11:59:00.000-08:00

..The Hannefords..

2012-01-09T19:36:00.000-08:00

..McLearen Circus..Casey Cainan..

2012-01-08T12:14:00.000-08:00

..RBBB Red Unit Elephants..

2012-01-05T20:08:00.000-08:00

..Enjoying the Miami sunshine..Photo from Anthony Thomas..

..Elephant Men..

2012-01-04T13:37:00.001-08:00

..The one and only..Bobby Gibbs..

..Okie Carr and Rex Williams..

..Mike Rice..

..Rex Williams and Paul Duke..
..The above photos are from William Prickett..

..Wade Burck..

..Carley Peterson..

..Roy Wells and Robert Schneider..

..(Harry Thomas Jr.) and Gary Thomas..

..CHS..Stuart Thayer Prize..2012..

2012-01-04T12:46:00.000-08:00

2012-01-04T11:20:00.000-08:00

..Photo from William Prickett..Cindy and Roy Wells..Kelly Miller Circus..

..Tony Diano..

2012-01-03T10:56:00.000-08:00

..Elephant Diva..

2012-01-02T16:13:00.000-08:00

..King Bros Circus.?

2012-01-02T16:04:00.000-08:00

Pattie and Hines Rucker..

..The tag on these photos said Beatty/Cole, but I believe these are from the King show..I remember the orange ringcurbs and Whitey..

2012-01-02T15:49:00.000-08:00

..Circus Vargas 1975-77..

2012-01-01T09:09:00.001-08:00

..Oscar and Marian Cristiani..

2012-01-01T03:00:00.000-08:00

..Clyde Beatty Cole Bros Circus 1974..part 5..

2011-12-30T12:00:00.000-08:00

..Circus World Museum..Harry Thomas..

2011-12-30T10:23:00.000-08:00

..Clyde Beatty Cole Bros Circus 1974..part 4..

2011-12-30T08:00:00.000-08:00

..Clyde Beatty Cole Bros Circus 1974..part 3..

2011-12-30T04:00:00.000-08:00

..Cristiani Bros. Circus..

2011-12-29T23:40:00.000-08:00

..Clyde Beatty Cole Bros 1974..part 2..

2011-12-29T21:00:00.000-08:00

..Clyde Beatty Cole Bros Circus 1974..part 1..

2011-12-29T11:31:00.000-08:00

..CBCB 1974..Here Come The Elephants..

2011-12-29T09:00:00.000-08:00

..Model Circus..

2011-12-28T14:16:00.000-08:00

..The Big Top..

..I love the elephants..

..The Front Door..

..My favorite, the Side Show banners..

..This model circus comes from Gary Thomas, seems not only is he a talented elephant man, but he has a creative side as well..I'm hoping he sends me more pictures to share..

2011-12-27T21:55:00.001-08:00

..Elephant Walk..

2011-12-27T13:08:00.000-08:00

..RBBB Los Angeles..2011..Red Unit..

..All photos by: Timothy Norris..

..Random Circus Pictures..( I'm cleaning out my files )

2011-12-26T20:38:00.000-08:00

..RBBB Spec Float..

..The pie car..

..This looks like more trouble than it's worth..

..Herta Cuneo..

2011-12-26T20:22:00.000-08:00

2011-12-26T20:16:00.001-08:00

2011-12-26T20:14:00.000-08:00

2011-12-26T11:28:00.000-08:00

..Frank Sinatra, 1948..Museum of the City of New York..

2011-12-26T09:14:00.000-08:00

..Merry Christmas..

2011-12-24T21:41:00.000-08:00

..from Oregon and Circus Anonymous..

2011-12-22T11:23:00.000-08:00

..Bob Atterbury's shopping center Circus..1960's..

2011-12-22T10:51:00.000-08:00

..Congratulations..

2011-12-21T15:41:00.000-08:00

..Mr. and Mrs. Trey Keys..

..Happy Birthday..

2011-12-21T10:30:00.000-08:00

..The international circus family warmly salutes the grande dame of the French circus, Madame Rosa Bouglione, on the occasion of her 101st birthday, December 21. (Photo by Dominique Secher.)..

..Mills Bros. Circus..

2011-12-20T21:21:00.000-08:00

2011-12-20T21:16:00.000-08:00

..The Young Troupe..

2011-12-20T21:11:00.001-08:00

..Happy Holidays..

2011-12-20T12:01:00.000-08:00

..Hundreds protest gobal warming..LOL..

..I love the details in this display..

2011-12-20T11:34:00.000-08:00

..King Bros-Cristiani Circus..

2011-12-19T12:42:00.000-08:00

..Merry Christmas..

2011-12-18T15:18:00.000-08:00

..My favorite part of Christmas, the lights..

..RBBB 1947 Aerial Ballet..

2011-12-17T21:05:00.001-08:00

..Elephant Diva..

2011-12-17T13:16:00.000-08:00

..Photo's from The Tibbals Collection..Photograrher H Crowell Pepper..

..Two Tails Ranch..

2011-12-16T11:07:00.000-08:00

Happy Holidays!

Happy Holidays from everyone at Two Tails Ranch! Santa is bringing us an early christmas present. A new Asian Elephant is set to help extend our conservation and breeding program here at the ranch, but we need your help.

We are in need of roughly $10,000 worth of upgrades and added expenses the first few months to ensure a loving new home for an elephant in need of retirement. Welding, fencing, paint, and safety equipment need to be updated to create a happy, healthy, and safe home.Please click the link below to help us out! Check out the amazing opportunities a donation provides.

http://us2.campaign-archive1.com/?u=7a6c59617cbe7d735b192b6de&id=b5b2e7ef84

..Here Come The Elephants..

2011-12-16T04:00:00.000-08:00

..Vintage Circus Graphics..

2011-12-15T22:07:00.001-08:00

2011-12-15T21:59:00.000-08:00

..Evansville 2011..

2011-12-15T12:06:00.000-08:00

..Adam Burck..

..The Radio City Rockette's..

2011-12-10T11:25:00.001-08:00

..I always wanted to be a dancer..These ladies have my dream job..

..RBBB Water Stop..

2011-12-09T11:03:00.001-08:00

..Photo from Tripp Gorman..

..Arlington National Cemetery ..

2011-12-08T01:52:00.001-08:00

Readers may be interested to know that these wreaths -- some 5,000 -- are donated by the Worcester Wreath Co. of Harrington, Maine . The owner, Merrill Worcester, not only provides the wreaths, but covers the trucking expense as well. He's done this since 1992. A wonderful guy. Also, most years, groups of Maine school kids combine an educational trip to DC with this event to help out. Making this even more remarkable is the fact that Harrington is in one of the poorest parts of the state.

..Ringling Bros.: Why we're good for elephants ..Los Angeles Times..

2011-12-07T17:59:00.001-08:00

Janice Aria, director of animal stewardship for Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, responds to The Times' Dec. 2 editorial, "Ringling Bros., they're elephants, not clowns."

For more than 141 years, Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus has been showcasing the most amazing talent from around the world: clowns, jugglers, tightrope walkers and more can all be seen when "The Greatest Show On Earth" comes to town. Animals have always been an integral part of Ringling Bros. throughout the years, and they are consistently one of the main reasons families keep coming back, year after year.

Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey animals are inspected by animal welfare officials in nearly every city we visit. There were 45 inspections by the U.S. Department of Agriculture -- in addition to inspections by state and local governments -- from Jan. 4, 2007 to Aug. 25, 2011. This past summer, while in California, our circus had more than 80 inspections by federal, state and local authorities.

None of these inspections found any incidents of inappropriate use of the guide (or "bullhook"). The guide is a necessary tool in elephant husbandry, and it is accepted and used all over the world in elephant care. This tool also allows for the very best veterinary care. Animal-activist groups have distorted the recent USDA settlement agreement as an attempt to further their long-running crusade, bringing up the unfounded allegations of mistreatment by our handlers with a tool they have demonized.

Ringling Bros. resolved the disputed regulatory issues in the agreement with the USDA. We stand by our animal-care program and our people, and we do not admit any wrongdoing. Instead, this is a business decision to resolve our differences instead of engaging in costly and protracted litigation with the federal agency that holds our license to do business. This agreement demonstrates that there are already government regulations and laws in place to help ensure the humane treatment for all animals involved in public display.

Activist groups that distribute misleading information about animal care at Ringling Bros. will never be satisfied with animals being presented to the public, no matter how well they are cared for by Ringling Bros.

Anyone who comes to Ringling Bros. can see that the animals are healthy and thriving in their environment. The full-time Ringling Bros. staff of veterinarians (with specialties ranging from neo-natal to geriatric care) are a critical component of the healthcare plan for all the animals touring on our circus units and at the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Center for Elephant Conservation in central Florida. Moreover, zoos all over the country regularly call our veterinary team for help and advice on their own animals.

While it is true that some elephants in zoos and circuses, like some people, develop arthritis, it is also true that exercise and a physically active lifestyle is the best prescription, and that is what our elephants receive. It is among the reasons that circus elephants tend to live longer on average than their counterparts in zoos

At Feld Entertainment, which owns Ringling Bros., we are making a difference in the conservation of the endangered Asian elephant. We have donated more than $1.5 million to groups and projects to help conserve this magnificent animal. We are a founding member of the International Elephant Foundation; we consistently donate to research projects, including the Smithsonian Institution's study on the endotheliotropic herpes viruses; and we established the annual International Conference and Research on Tuberculosis in Elephants. We also support zoos and stationary institutions by providing suitable companion elephants to facilities whose elephant herds are diminishing in population, as well as helping researchers in range countries minimize elephant-human conflict

Everyone with Ringling Bros. has been and remains dedicated to two goals: providing for the care and well-being of Asian elephants and all of Ringling Bros.' animals, and producing the very best in live family entertainment that can only be found at "The Greatest Show On Earth." Our commitment to those two goals will never waiver.
-- Janice Aria

Photo: Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus artists and elephants perform in New York in March 2010. Credit: Emmanuel Dunand / AFP/Getty Images

..Activists look to ban Circus from Palm Beach County..

2011-12-07T09:58:00.001-08:00

December 06, 2011 8:42 PM

PALM BEACH COUNTY, Fla. -- Animal activists spoke out Tuesday seeking to ban the circus from Palm Beach County.

"When I was a kid, I went to the circus. I didn't know any better. My parents didn't know any better," said Don Anthony of the Animal Rights Foundation of Florida.

Anthony was among a group of a couple dozen activists attending the meeting of the Palm Beach County commission.

"I would never bring any child to the circus now, because I know how these animals are abused, how they are made to live in cages, how they're beaten," said Anthony.

Anthony and the others asked commissioners to ban circuses using animals or at the least outlaw use of bull hooks, electric prods, whips and chains. The speakers spent a lot of time speaking about the elephants.

"In captivity they can not engage in any natural behavior, and spend most of their time in chains," said one activist.

The animals are known for mourning deaths of family members. The activists claim the elephants spirits are broken in captivity.

CBS 12: "Why did you want to come here and talk to commissioners?"

"Because I don't like what they do to the elephants," said six-year-old Aaliyana Smith of Delray Beach.

Six-year-old Aaliyana and Eight-year-old Dominic Geragi of Boca Raton are young activists who both spoke at the meeting.

"I just want to get the word out and I hope they vote to at least ban the bull hooks and the abusive tools," said Geragi.

We contacted Cole Brothers Circus, they have a different take on things.

Renee Storey of Cole Brothers said..."It's a violation of constitutional rights to ban one's business or the circus from a community. The circus is subject to inspections by animal welfare agencies, including Florida Fish and Wildlife, which regulates the exotic animals."

Cole Brothers also points out there were no violations during their most recent local appearance in November.

Read more: http://www.cbs12.com/articles/beach-4737166-circus-county.html#ixzz1fsBEBY4z

..RBBB Fully Charged..

2011-12-03T06:00:00.000-08:00

..Circus Diva..

2011-12-03T03:00:00.000-08:00

..Moira Orfei..