I was doing a bit of organizing and decided to make a spreadsheet of what games I have came from where, and if they currently play on my machine. And lo and behold buried in all that madness was a gift code for an Alpha Minecraft account that I never got around to gifting to anyone. Seriously, it's from Dec 16, 2010. A bit stale, but hey, should still be good!

So, post uhm… hmm. Post something about the weirdest animal you know (pic, factoid, whatever). Or maybe post your favorite 4X game. Either of those will work for an entry. Winner will be chosen by whim in like a day or two.

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Minecraft Alpha Giveaway*

Step 1a: Post words or images about a weird animal. Because nature is weird and cool.
-OR-
Step 1b: Post words or images about your favorite 4x game. Because 4x games are awesome.
Step 2: Wait 24-48 hours.
Step 3: Someone in this thread is getting a moth-balled gift code.
Step 4: Dig Deeper. DEEPER. OH GOD THE LAVA! WHY?!

*Minecraft is currently not in Alpha. It has been out in the wild for like three years now. However, during the Great Lawyer Attack of 2010, Notch said that Alpha accounts would continue to receive all future coolness (updates, expansions, etc) for free. Which is actually why I was intending to gift it in the first place all those years ago. Better late than never!

Very cool gift! Not in but thank you ;-)

Thanks for the giveaway! Count me in :D Continuing on the echidna line, did you know echidnas have four-headed penises?
WARNING: VERY NSFW (and disturbing)!
http://www.abc.net.au/science/scribblygum/June2000/img/f_echidpenis.jpg

Not in but it's awesome you found that code!

http://www.cracked.com/article_19719_6-terrifying-new-creatures-science-just-discovered.html

http://www.cracked.com/article_19364_15-animals-you-wonE28099t-believe-arent-photoshopped.html

Because I can't possibly decide on one, here's 21 for the sake of making sure the competition can't upstart me that easily. Thanks for the giveaway.

I will partaker and I have posted a picture of the rarest animal of them all. :)

The strangest animal of all time... That's easy... I mean it should be obvious, as I am (and hopefully you are) one of them. I mean really look at the human race. We make no sense most of the time. we stare at screens all day, and click a plastic and metal board. We drink things that are poisons because we like to. We were the skin and hair of other animals to stay warm, because we have lost our own. We kill each other for frivolous things. We project our thoughts to guide our hands to form letters which form words to communicate without speaking. We do things in indirect manners. Humanity really is the strangest animal of them all. As for the game, I already have it so I wont be in this give away.

Please don't go. The drones need you. They look up to you.

The fossa, endemic to Madagascar, is in many ways like felines but is actually closely related to mongooses. I wish I could be more detailed; I don't think it would be necessary anyways. I saw the fossa on a Madagascar documentary some time ago. I thought it was interesting that an animal not of the 'cat' family had evolved a cat-like like appearance.

Cool giveaway! In and thank you!

Hmm. Strange animals huh? Difficult to decide which to choose. Cthulhu's pet, the star-nosed mole? Or the fearsome Sabre-toothed deer? No, I know, I'll take the RL predecessor of the gremlins,

the Aye-Aye,

because there was such a nice book written about it (among other rare animals. Link).

The king cobra, despite its fearsome reputation, is a caring parent. Unusually among snakes, it will make a nest for its eggs and stay to protect them until they hatch.

The Aye-Aye was actually the first bizarre creature I thought of!

However, as Lifthrasil has already introduced the Aye-Aye, I shall introduce an old favorite of mine, the pangolin. The pangolin is the only mammal, to the best of my knowledge, that is covered with scales instead of hair. It looks rather like a four-legged pine cone or artichoke. When threatened, it rolls itself up like a wood louse (pillbug). Like the giant anteater - to which it is not related - it has an extremely long tongue that it can extend to 40 cm, or retract deep into its chest.

These are all really amazing! I've never even -heard- of a Fossa before or a saber-toothed deer, and I certainly didn't know that about king cobras. I may have to hand this decision over to Random.org tomorrow because if this keeps up I won't be able to choose a coolest critter. Just, wow.

I do not have any animals to talk about, but I can say my favorite 4X game. My personal favorite 4X game that is the only one I have played, is Civilization, specifically the original. I have played the later entries of the Civilization series but oddly enough I enjoy the first one the most. I think it may have something to do with the board game look of it with the tile graphics of the units which I greatly enjoy.