Welcome to The Big Jewel, where we strive to be as wise as serpents and as harmless as doves...assuming that the doves aren't carrying Asian bird flu. This week our fearless editor speaks out on a subject even more fascinating than vice presidential hunting accidents. We refer, of course, to the tormenting problems of America's snake owners: "Dr. Snakey's Pretty Pets" By Kurt Luchs (As always, Dr. Snakey -- the "happy herpetologist" -- answers your questions about "problem" snakes in the strictest confidence. But please DO NOT SEND YOUR SNAKES THROUGH THE MAIL for diagnosis; too many mailing tubes have been arriving bent and with postage due.) Dear Dr. Snakey: While I was in India 20 years ago, I bought a snake for 50,000 rupees from a Mr. B. Fakir, who assured me it was a genuine spitting cobra. Imagine my embarrassment when I entered the animal in a spitting contest and found he couldn't spit past his little fangs! He simply lay there and drooled... For the full article please visit http://www.thebigjewel.com/ To unsubscribe from The Big Jewel's Hilarious Weekly Email please send an email with the word UNSUBSCRIBE in the subject line to neilpasricha@xxxxxxxxx