I need a good zoom lens for my Nikon D5000, something especially good for wildlife photos. Any suggestions?

All you can do is return it to the seller. It is obviously damaged. The cost of repair plus what you paid for it may exceed the cost of the same used lens you can buy on KEH.com which are guaranteed to be in working condition.

The lens is defective which is why you got it cheap.

I cant really gove you an answer,but what I can give you is a way to a solution, that is you have to find the anglde that you relate to or peaks your interest. A good paper is one that people get drawn into because it reaches them ln some way.As for me WW11 to me, I think of the holocaust and the effect it had on the survivors, their families and those who stood by and did nothing until it was too late.