Now for today's puff news piece

I can always rely on China to haul me out of a writer's block.  Further to my recent remarks about the poor status of animal welfare at the Adelaide Zoo, this report in today's The Age is completely outrageous!

There is just so much wrong with this article that I dunno where to start; a zoo (being an institution supposedly in the business of protecting the lives of animals) breeding a tiger and a lion ... for what reason?  Or were they just locked-up in the same cage together? 

Then there's the mother abandoning the cubs (which under the circumstances is probably completely natural, even though the in-depth analysis from the reporter attributed this outcome to "unknown reasons"), resulting in two of them dying of weakness [presumably from malnutrition/starvation].  Sure, this sort of thing would happen in the wild, but isn't there supposed to be supervisory care of animals in zoos?  Surely the zoo staff would be tasked with paying extra special attention to newborn cubs?

And then there's the statement, "...zoo staff found a dog ... to feed the surviving cubs".  Ah geez.  Pretty lucky to have that dog hanging around – and she looks so impressed in the photo, too.  What sort of outfit is this?

There's so much more going on with this story than has been articulated in this three sentence grab.  I don't know who I am more angry with, a Government which treats its caged animals only slightly better than many of its citizens, or The Age, for spewing out this regurgitated, Chinese propoganda. 

And don't be blaming all this on on-line content killing the print media – I paid the full $1.70 for the print version, and that's where the story was!  Grrrr.

This poor girl's eyes are as dead as my faith in the international community to support both human and animal rights in China.  Pic: http://www.theage.com.au

Editorialising

Partly because I am so high brow and intellectual, but mostly ‘cause it’s the only channel on the TV here, I’ve been watching a lot of BBC World News lately.  I’ve noticed that in the midst of the hard hitting analysis and commentary, a lot of the reporters try to editorialise, and show a bit of flare, but with only very rare success.

For example one reporter, in describing the Libyan rebels’ brave stance against Gaddafi’s ruthless military juggernaut, said “…despite the sporadic mobilisation and apparent lack of discipline amongst the rebels, the militia leaders assure NATO that their forces are indeed well organised.  From here at the front line, however, one could only describe their position as organised chaos”.  Hmm, pithy - not bad, I suppose.

Or how about this, “for now, the world is asking, is there a cure for the US’ Afghanistan headache?”, lame!

And tonight, this one nit wit described Gaddafi at one of his recent, rare press appearances as wearing “his trade mark dark glasses”.  Hmm … trade mark?  “Distinctive”, I’ll give you, but surely if Muammar Gaddafi’s got a trade mark, it’s more in the line of political and military obstinacy and ruthless, blood-thirsty butchering and maiming of innocent civilians.

If you’re going to free-style it off the auto-cue, BBC World, at least have a go at keeping things on the straight and narrow as you fall over yourselves trying to let fly with the witty one-liners.

TM

Pic: http://www.thewashingtonnote.com

Fines fail to deter cyclists running red lights

From today's Age:
http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/fines-fail-to-deter-cyclists-running-red-lights-20110410-1d9fb.html


Isn't it great to have such a wonderful, informed, slightly left-leaning daily broadsheet to keep the news on the straight and narrow - Geezus, The Age!  Why not just give Andrew Bolt the Editor in Chief possie and be done with it - far better to incite already alarming driver hatred for cyclists, than to offer the balanced view that we two-wheelers face every day, such as being regularly cut off while in designated bike space, rammed from behind on roundabouts, literally knocked sideways from indicator-shy taxis, having to swerve into traffic to avoid pedestrians walking off curbs without looking while on mobile phones, or watching-out for people making a run for the tram despite the last flash of the 'red man' having been well and truly rested.


Why aren't there covert police operations investigating these, daily events?  And while I'm at it, how about tackling all the ridiculously fast, loud, hotted-up, hoon mobiles and motorbikes, all over the roads in the day and night - perhaps that might be a better use of the law enforcement dollar?


But thanks The Age - this is great stuff.  All I need now is a few more angry Commodore, taxi and 4WD drivers giving me the forks while swerving across bike lanes 'for fun', abusing me for assuming my designated place in front of them at the lights, or pulling-up and opening car doors in no-standing, designated bike zones.


How 'bout some reflection of where we'd all be if the the tens of thousands of cyclists traversing the inner city each day decided to add a couple of wheels and a V8 engine?  How 'bout some balanced perspective? - my elbows, knuckles, knees and nerves depend on it.

Never mind the stabbings and arm robberies.  Criminals; every one of 'em.  
Pic: http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/fines-fail-to-deter-cyclists-running-red-lights-20110410-1d9fb.html