Well, quite. A path I didn't go down because a. they were mainly from around Boston, b. I'm not really an expert and c. I'm just not going there.
On a slightly lighter note - me and Mrs. Serbia visited Belfast 4 years ago. I booked a hotel not knowing anything about Belfast. Arrived in the afternoon, ventured out to the local pub in the evening. It was fairly obvious i wasn't in a pro British area. A couple of pints, went outside for a smoke, local asks where we're from. Serbia I say FECKIN HELL THAT'S A TERRIBLE PLACE! he says
You want to see how the yanks celebrate ST Patricks day ! I have American relatives , love most of them , but this reaction , turns my stomach . IRA Soldiers etc ......
Just finished watching A United Kingdom. The true story of Prince Seretse Khama of Bechuanaland [now modern Botswana], who married Ruth WIlliams in 1948 in the face of fierce opposition from all sides. It's a very interesting story and it sends echoes all the way to the present. Recommended.
http://news.sky.com/story/czech-zoo-cuts-off-rhino-horns-as-precaution-over-poaching-fears-10810209 Czech zoo has removed the horns from its rhinos following the death of a rhino in Paris Zoo. Terrible that it has come to this.
Was going to 'like' your post, but how can one like a post like that. Anyway, agreed that it is terrible that it has come to this. Is there any data on whether it is feasible to do this in the wild, and so make the rhino safe from poachers.?
Just had a breakfast of turmeric/tandoori marsala fried seeded bread, in olive oil [all healthy] with reduced baked beans and fried mushrooms. I forgot the egg.! By gum, that was unexpectedly lip smacking tasty.
Interesting futures on the electrically powered front. A company in the USA has said that it intends to build an electrically powered aircraft within 10 years for short-haul transport. Already, EasyJet are said to be interested: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-39350054 This sort of blue sky thinking requires that battery technology progresses as it has done for the last decade or so, for the aircraft to be viable. Another interesting development is the first UK factory to be opened building electric London Hackney Taxis. Inevitable really. They generally make short journeys and the stop-start nature of their progress through London traffic is certainly suitable to a pollution free motor. Makes one wonder why it's taken so long, to be honest. It took the Chinese to see the opportunity: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-coventry-warwickshire-39343519
Rhinos and elephants in the wild use their horns for defence and, in the case of elephants, for feeding, so not practical. I hope the zoo destroyed the horns....would be very tempting to sell them as they would be extremely valuable but the trade should not be encouraged.
Hmm, how about super-glueing a carbon fibre horn on the rhino.? Could even be used for advertising [Slightly kidding there. But only slightly]. Not even sure of the far reaching negative implications if they sold the natural horns as well. They could fund the de-horning and replacements. Too pragmatic.?
It's the market that needs killing, so I don't believe in selling to users. However, I can see it would be tempting...especially if the zoo is short of cash.
I was thinking along the lines that if you legitimise it [say like making cannabis legal], you knock out the poachers and their network. Plus you flood the Asian market [though I doubt that flooding the market is possible] and bring the price down to the point where it's worthless for the poachers trying to find rhinos that aren't already de-horned. I'm not altogether making an ultra serious point here, just putting the thought out there.
Not sure there are enough horn/tusks left in the world to flood the market. The zoos are easier targets than poaching in the wild, especially as rangers often shoot poachers now. Now there's an idea One of the answers (there are no perfect answers) is to encourage locals to value their wild life by having a financial interest in it. Getting a balance between local farmers needs and the needs of the animals with subsidies if necessary. Tourism is of course a way of bringing valuable foreign currency in. Even controlled big game hunting (though I shudder to say it) is better than an uncontrolled system where animals may be left to suffer unnecessarily. My attitude to hunting is if you aren't going to eat it, don't shoot it.
On a far less tragic scale, but a personal one, I 'dabbled' with coarse fishing during my teens. I had all the great gear and no idea. Eventually I became a reasonably capable coarse fisherman though. I used to allow myself this pastime because I thought I was doing no harm to the fish, and after all I wasn't eating it. Then the thought took root in me that I shouldn't be playing with an animal's life just for my amusement. Plus, I saw some of the fish that had previously been caught. No harm eh.? At least I could fish for my dinner though, I suppose.
http://www.dailyecho.co.uk/news/151...nal__flashmob_filmed_in_Westquay/?ref=mr&lp=2 A nice change....a singing flashmob in West Quay. Would really lift spirits...well done to them.
