November 22, 1997 will mark the 500th anniversary of explorer Vasco Da Gama's first reported sighting of a penguin. According to an unsubstantiated source, a confused and famished Da Gama was reported to have said, "Vamos a comer, Puffinos para la cena esta noche!" There have been no celebrations or parades planned to mark this historic day in penguin history.

Angst-ridden adolescents of all ages have a new anti-hero to call their own. His name is Bad Badtz-Maru, and right now he's one of the coolest characters in the cartoon kingdom. Bad Badtz-Maru, a penguin, is the newest comic creature from Sanrio, the Japanese stationery and accessories company that's best known for the cartoon character Hello Kitty. Worldwide, the company's sales of merchandise - which ranges from stickers and pencils to T-shirts and backpacks - top $1 billion a year.

While Sanrio's original target audience was - and remains - pre-teen girls, the company's Bad Badtz-Maru character has achieved a cult-like following among older teens and twentysomethings. Bill Hensley, a U.S. marketing manager for Sanrio, says that's one reason for Badtz' popularity. In New York City, Badtz is the company's No. 3 best seller, behind Hello Kitty in first place and Keroppi the frog in second. With his just-got-out-of-bed head of spiky hair and heavy-lidded expression of ennui, this penguin is the black sheep of the Sanrio family.

"I like him because he's not as cheerfully goofy as Kitty or Keroppi," confessed one Fashion Institute of Technology student who was fingering Badtz-Maru pencil cases in Chinatown. "This guy is more cynical, like me." Ironically enough, one of the largest retailers of Bad Badtz is a Chinatown basement shop called Penguin Village, located at 13-17 Elizabeth St. in New York City.

The KEV Pinguine Eishockey team has been playing in the German Hockey League since 1981. Located in the city of Krefeld, these hockey penguins skate alongside such teams as the Frankfurt Lions and the Nurenburg Ice Tigers. The Penguin, which is the Krefeld club's nickname, has its own nickname - Kevin, which accounts for the KEV in the team name. On the very busy team jersey, one can find over a dozen versions of Kevin.

On September 9th, actor Burgess Meredith, whose career spanned almost sixty years, waddled into the sunset. A respected verteran actor and director, Meredith was best known as Sylvester Stallone's manager Mickey in the Rocky movies, and as "The Penguin" in the 1960's Batman series. Meredith played The Penguin in the 1966 Batman movie, and then went on to be one of the most used and loved villains in the television series, appearing in 10 episodes. "I waddled like a penguin, which seemed the obvious thing to do. The touch I liked was that peculiar penguinlike quack I used in my lines," Meredith said.