An item from a Mexican newspaper reveals that the Royal Air Force is not as stuffy as we once thought. Apparently, penguins are fascinated by airplanes. So when British pilots stationed on the Falkland Islands are looking for some fun, they like to fly over a beach colonized by our flightless friends, and watch their heads--sometimes up to 10,000 of them--turn in unison, following the flight of the planes. When the pilots really want a laugh, they fly right over the penguin colony, which causes the penguins to look up, up, up--and fall right on their backs. Who said the Falklands weren't worth fighting for?

On the Internet, we noticed this delightful tale from one Doug White: "I was once told a wonderful story about penguins in Antarctica. I worked for awhile at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, and there were several researchers who had spent time down there. One claimed that penguins are very imitative.

"[The Penguins] watched the researchers play football on the landing field. One day the scientists came out to discover that the penguins had taken the field. They would line up in two rough groups, and then start squawking, and running around bumping into each other. After a bit of this, they would pick themselves up, and start the process all over again. They hadn't quite got the idea that a ball was important to the process, but they kept at it for some time. The sight was so ridiculous that everyone was rolling on the ice laughing." "The fellow who relayed this story says he can't watch football to this day. Every time they have a wide shot of the teams going at it, all he can see is those penguins knocking each other down. After hearing this story, I have the same problem."

When the female returns from feeding, the male Emperor discovers that much of the sea around the continent has frozen and the short trek he and the Mrs. originally made to lay their egg had now turned into a hundred mile waddle over solid ice. You would think the male would remember this scenario from the last year.

Slowly, steadily, at about a half of a mile per hour, these hungry gentleman of the south waddle their way back to food, stopping for an occasional belly slide or two. They reach their destination in about two weeks, having lost a large percentage of body weight in the process. Bon appetite, gentlemen. We salute you, Emperor Penguin--whipped and pround of it!

On the beautiful northwest coast of Tasmania sits the picturesque town of Penguin. The town was founded in 1875 and was named for the Fairy Penguiin, which inhabits this area of the island. The indigenous penguins were discovered by Ronald Campbell Gunn in 1861. Why they were given such a name is not clear (maybe Gunn thought they looked like fairies). According to the Rand McNally International Atlas, it is the only town in the world named Penguin. think of it: There is a Penguin Police Department, Penguin High School, and Penguin Fire Brigade! Town Folk are known as Penguinites! On weekends, couples go to downtown Penguin! For penguin lovers, it must be paradise.

In 1975, an 8-foot ferro-cement penguin statue was erected in the town's main park to commemorate its centennial. For more info write to the Penguin Chamber of Commerce, Penguin, Tasmania, Australia 7316.