The Great Race

Cockroaches were in the news again today, as a race between two giant Madagascar hissing cockroaches took place in New Brunswick, New Jersey yesterday. What made it newsworthy was how the roaches were named and how they finished. The New Jersey Pet Management Association included the race as part of their annual clinic and trade show. And the roaches were names John McCain and Barack Obama. According to one news release, McCain "sped to the finish while Barack Obama was reluctant to leave the starting point." There's no guarantee the race is a prediction of things to come in November, but you have to like their style. Madagascar hissing cockroaches get their name their place of origin, the island of Madagascar off the eastern coast of Africa, and from the loud hissing sound they make to scare away predators. They are large in the roach world, up to three inches long, and are sometimes kept as pets. Although they are not a pest control problem here in San Diego, we knew you'd want to know they are doing their part for national politics.