Things Noticeable this week

[vannax]

Originally Posted by Nobody1

The poaching is only a symptom, not the cause. The real problem is a lack of education due to widespread poverty. The exploitation of so-called third world countries by already rich industrialized nations and supranational corporations is ultimately directed against every foundation of life on earth.

We industrialized, we tried to industrialize Africa, they told us to fuck off.
Now you get Zimbabwe and soon South Africa:
http://www.hinnews.com/za/national-n...er-of-finance/

But yes, global corporate interests are at work destroying things all over.
Too bad that so many folk think "Nationalism=Fascism."

[otokonomidori]

Originally Posted by bloke57

I'm just so heartened that so many members here (given that this is by no means an animal conservation site) care genuinely about these issues.

They want rhino horn to perk up their drooping peckers !

[rupertramjet]

Originally Posted by Nobody1

The poaching is only a symptom, not the cause. The real problem is a lack of education due to widespread poverty. The exploitation of so-called third world countries by already rich industrialized nations and supranational corporations is ultimately directed against every foundation of life on earth.

It took our society thousands of years to reach what we consider to be civilization, in the late 900s Wolves were so much of a threat that King Edmund received wolf heads instead of taxes from the Welsh. Wolves are extinct in Britain> Our attitude to animal welfare has changed dramatically in the last few years, hunting lions was seen as a noble pursuit not so long ago, now we unanimously condemn these idiots as scum.

The senior people throughout Africa have not reached there position through ability, it is always through patronage, and if you are from the wrong tribe forget it! They are expected to give dues to their patron and obviously they expect enough to make that worthwhile all round, corruption is the scourge of Africa, at all levels, even the cop on a check point expects a little something!

We in the West are always keen to talk of education, Africa's elite have long been educated at the top Universities in Britain Europe and America, the school system is better than before, but this is reliant on aid, rather than state support, until the greed, corruption and tribalism has been dealt with, it will never change.

As for the poachers, it is simple, they can earn more in a few days killing wild animals, than they can in a year, simple economics. Perhaps the education is needed in the end users? Pathetic little men who believe in science fiction, and their governments for not introducing laws that make the possession of these products a very serious offense, and opens them to ridicule in the press!

[Dr Pepper]

Originally Posted by haroldeye

Strange you should say that. Certainly in Kenya this is the case but who is orchestrating things in South Africa?

My information came first hand from a former SA army officer who later served in the NZ army during my career arc. He'd -in a previous existence-been part of an SF group hunting them. He to-as alluded to by others in earlier posts-cursed the Chinese in particular for creating the demand which generates the poaching. Even 20 years back he reckoned the African rhino was ultimately doomed-whereas the elephant may well-with a lot of care and oversight-survive.I don't know what scientific background he had-if any-but his opionion was that being a more social herd animal than the rhino, the elephants stood a better chance against poachers than the more solitary rhino.

[Roubignol]

Originally Posted by rupertramjet

It took our society thousands of years to reach what we consider to be civilization, in the late 900s Wolves were so much of a threat that King Edmund received wolf heads instead of taxes from the Welsh. Wolves are extinct in Britain> Our attitude to animal welfare has changed dramatically in the last few years, hunting lions was seen as a noble pursuit not so long ago, now we unanimously condemn these idiots as scum.

The senior people throughout Africa have not reached there position through ability, it is always through patronage, and if you are from the wrong tribe forget it! They are expected to give dues to their patron and obviously they expect enough to make that worthwhile all round, corruption is the scourge of Africa, at all levels, even the cop on a check point expects a little something!

We in the West are always keen to talk of education, Africa's elite have long been educated at the top Universities in Britain Europe and America, the school system is better than before, but this is reliant on aid, rather than state support, until the greed, corruption and tribalism has been dealt with, it will never change.

As for the poachers, it is simple, they can earn more in a few days killing wild animals, than they can in a year, simple economics. Perhaps the education is needed in the end users? Pathetic little men who believe in science fiction, and their governments for not introducing laws that make the possession of these products a very serious offense, and opens them to ridicule in the press!

But Nobody1 is correct.

Our "civilised" countries make business with third-world countries, but do not request the basic standard that we exigate from our own institutions.

We have got a huge debate in the "Communism" topic about this.

I recently watched a French documentary (the shady secrets of our mobilephones.) about the third-world workers exploitations that contribute to offer us commodities at a very cheap price.
African children work in coltan mines, Chinese ones in factories and our governments do not exigate that these children have to go at school instead to be cheap manpower.

It's like to buy digital pictures to a porno photographer who take pictures of women beeing raped. That's pure hypocrisy.

In the documentary, the investigator went to Brussels to ask why the UE lawmakers didn't regulate the "minerals of blood" coming from Africa, the Commissioner "Karel De Gucht" told that they requested the point of view of Nokia and other smarphones builders before to make the rules.
Lobbies didn't want to get them and the Commission weakly and unfairly abdicated.

That's a pure scandal.

Like this, third-world children and workers are exploited instead to get a good education.

[Wendigo]

Meanwhile on a lighter note

Russian spy: EU recalls Russia ambassador after nerve agent attack
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-43489457

"The EU has recalled its ambassador to Moscow after leaders agreed it was "highly likely" Russia was responsible for a nerve agent attack in the UK.
In a statement, the European Council of EU leaders agreed "there is no plausible alternative explanation". "


See the UK and the EU can sometimes can reach agreements.

[rupertramjet]

Originally Posted by xyzde69

That's a pure scandal.

Like this, third-world children and workers are exploited instead to get a good education.

Sadly those of us who have to work with and in the Third World see things slightly differently. Whilst we all stand very much against the explotation of children, in any form, we gain a gram of comfort when they are working in factories, making clothes and the like, I repeat we abhor the fact that they are working, however, some of the major western manufacturers, like Nike, Adidas and a fair few others, insist on the employer having a set number of hours for school work.

The sad truth in these countries, is that the children need to bring money into the household budget from an early age, there are no child benefit payments or other hand outs. We get some comfort from their working in this way, because the sick sad alternative is that girls as young as eight will be married off to some dirty old man, or children of both sexes will be sold into sexual slavery. I hate the fact that they have to work at all, but I far prefer this to their being destroyed by perverted, disgusting sex tourists.

[Estreeter]

Originally Posted by rupertramjet

I hate the fact that they have to work at all, but I far prefer this to their being destroyed by perverted, disgusting sex tourists.

Or lured into terrorist groups.

[Greenman]

Originally Posted by rotobott

If they were loaded and fired upwards the shells would have to come down somewhere, hitting the highest target first, either a tower block, or possibly an attic

I would think they used dummy or blank shells but my attic is miles away from Central London so no possibility of that happening

[Greenman]

Those of you here might have noticed that this is the last night of GMT(Greenwich Meantime) before we lose an hours sleep tomorrow night when the clocks go forward one hour at 1am for the start of BST (British Summertime)