Sunday, December 01, 2013
Homo Homini Lupis
Oh, I miss those days of Bobby's disgusted looks when he's just got someone to admit to something nasty.
Sunday, November 24, 2013
Ambush!
I wish I could say I was ambushed by a tiger in my meeting at London Zoo on Tuesday, but it was just by animal director David Field.
There were two other (unannounced) people at the meeting. I would have taken someone else along had I known.
However, his technique quickly showed his tactics - attack and discredit me. And I kept bringing the discussion back to the important thing, the thing I was there to discuss, the animals.
I can see why the treatment of the gorilla baby and the lion cub went horribly wrong. It wasn't anyone's responsibility. Certainly not his. He's answerable to all sorts of organisations. They are all there for the benefit of the animals.
And yet the animals died.
The decision was made to give the tigress and cub access to the pool enclosure because there were high structures in the "dry" enclosure that Melati could have taken the cub up into, and if it had fallen, they thought that would be more dangerous than the water.
Er, sorry? Aren't young mammals a bit like rubber? When they fall, especially on to soft grassy surfaces, do they not often bounce? OK, still a danger, but not necessarily a fatal one. Drowning? ALWAYS fatal, certainly in circumstances like these, with no possiblility of rescue. A greater risk. Obvious, in my opinion.
The relationship between Melati and JaeJae has become calmer, which I saw for myself. Apparently, when separated, they call for each other. So they will consider letting dad in with Melati and any future cubs.
Other zoos do this with other species of tiger. Not convinced it will work for these two. So be prepared for the next lot of cubs to be murdered by dad.
I hope I'm wrong. Certainly, despite them trying to play the blame game with me over my outspokenness, I'm pretty sure they will be more circumspect next time.
Meanwhile, the reaction to Zoo Check (part of the Born Free organisation founded by the stars of the eponymous film, and now run by their son) was that Mr Field would never speak to them, they are animal rights extremists. He seems to think this is a bad thing. Of course, I let them know of his views when I got home...
I also asked Mr Field how he thinks I came up with his name for my campaign against the incompetent treatment of animals. He seemed to think I'd seen him on the telly! I had to tell him that it was months of building up information by chatting with staff and volunteers, till finally someone named him. I had never seen his face till the day of the meeting. Sorry if I wounded your vanity, sir.
Unfortunately, a programme on the history of zoos and zoo visits aired the next evening, and there was his mug. Spoiled the whole programme.
There were two other (unannounced) people at the meeting. I would have taken someone else along had I known.
However, his technique quickly showed his tactics - attack and discredit me. And I kept bringing the discussion back to the important thing, the thing I was there to discuss, the animals.
I can see why the treatment of the gorilla baby and the lion cub went horribly wrong. It wasn't anyone's responsibility. Certainly not his. He's answerable to all sorts of organisations. They are all there for the benefit of the animals.
And yet the animals died.
The decision was made to give the tigress and cub access to the pool enclosure because there were high structures in the "dry" enclosure that Melati could have taken the cub up into, and if it had fallen, they thought that would be more dangerous than the water.
Er, sorry? Aren't young mammals a bit like rubber? When they fall, especially on to soft grassy surfaces, do they not often bounce? OK, still a danger, but not necessarily a fatal one. Drowning? ALWAYS fatal, certainly in circumstances like these, with no possiblility of rescue. A greater risk. Obvious, in my opinion.
The relationship between Melati and JaeJae has become calmer, which I saw for myself. Apparently, when separated, they call for each other. So they will consider letting dad in with Melati and any future cubs.
Other zoos do this with other species of tiger. Not convinced it will work for these two. So be prepared for the next lot of cubs to be murdered by dad.
I hope I'm wrong. Certainly, despite them trying to play the blame game with me over my outspokenness, I'm pretty sure they will be more circumspect next time.
Meanwhile, the reaction to Zoo Check (part of the Born Free organisation founded by the stars of the eponymous film, and now run by their son) was that Mr Field would never speak to them, they are animal rights extremists. He seems to think this is a bad thing. Of course, I let them know of his views when I got home...
I also asked Mr Field how he thinks I came up with his name for my campaign against the incompetent treatment of animals. He seemed to think I'd seen him on the telly! I had to tell him that it was months of building up information by chatting with staff and volunteers, till finally someone named him. I had never seen his face till the day of the meeting. Sorry if I wounded your vanity, sir.
Unfortunately, a programme on the history of zoos and zoo visits aired the next evening, and there was his mug. Spoiled the whole programme.
Sunday, November 17, 2013
I'm going to have a Field day!
Those of you who have suffered with me the negligence and arrogance of some staff at London Zoo, which led to the death first of the baby gorilla, then of the tiger cub, will be pleased to know that I have managed, through scathing emails and tweets, to secure a meeting with the Big White Chief, David Field, a senior member of the zoo staff, one time designated Animal Manager, but promoted after the gorilla's death. This death happened when, as related to me by various staff and volunteers, against all advice, this man insisted on making the baby and its mother share space with the new silverback, who was not the baby's father.
My initial inquiries sent me on the trail of the European endangered species programme after the zoo with the studbook for gorillas ignored me. The person I dealt with at the endangered species programme turned out to be Mr Field's wife. No action. No blame attributed.
Well, on Tuesday I am finally meeting with Mr Field. My concerns now are huge. AS if losing the cub wasn't enough, my most recent observations make me think they could sacrifice the tigress to their nonchalant conduct.
Someone has to speak for animals who cannot speak for themselves. It should be David Field doing so. It looks like it will have to be me.
My initial inquiries sent me on the trail of the European endangered species programme after the zoo with the studbook for gorillas ignored me. The person I dealt with at the endangered species programme turned out to be Mr Field's wife. No action. No blame attributed.
Well, on Tuesday I am finally meeting with Mr Field. My concerns now are huge. AS if losing the cub wasn't enough, my most recent observations make me think they could sacrifice the tigress to their nonchalant conduct.
Someone has to speak for animals who cannot speak for themselves. It should be David Field doing so. It looks like it will have to be me.
Sunday, November 10, 2013
Saturday, November 09, 2013
By The Numbers
Apparently today, 9/11/13, is the last time till 2105 that the date will figure three consecutive odd numbers.
Yes.
Who keeps track of these things?
Of course, in the US, where you do dates backwards, this phenomenon happened back in September, on the 12th anniversary of the Attacks, so I guess people had better things to be thinking about.
In Britain we also refer to this date in the US way as 9/11. But would the US do us this courtesy with the London attacks? I suppose we should be glad they can't be turned back-to-front, as they were, of course, on 7/7.
Oh, and the last time the dates will be three consecutive even numbers is next year, on 10/12/14. That's December for us and October for the US.
Divided by a common language.
Yes.
Who keeps track of these things?
Of course, in the US, where you do dates backwards, this phenomenon happened back in September, on the 12th anniversary of the Attacks, so I guess people had better things to be thinking about.
In Britain we also refer to this date in the US way as 9/11. But would the US do us this courtesy with the London attacks? I suppose we should be glad they can't be turned back-to-front, as they were, of course, on 7/7.
Oh, and the last time the dates will be three consecutive even numbers is next year, on 10/12/14. That's December for us and October for the US.
Divided by a common language.
Wednesday, November 06, 2013
Crackle, crackle
For several weeks now my phone has been crackling badly. My broadband, which arrives via the phone line, has become more and more unreliable.
The company, BT (short for British Telecom, which used to be a publicly-owned monopoly) installed my first telephone line 40 years ago. My current line was installed in this house in the mid/late 1960s. It was my school friend Lesley's number. I later bought the house from her parents. The line enters the house from a telephone pole across the road. To me it is obvious that the line outside is really vulnerable, but when the line started to fail I couldn't persuade BT of that. They wanted me to commit £129 before they would book an appointment. Someone on the other side of the world, who had no idea what was outside my house, insisted it might be a problem inside the house.
So after 40 years, I left BT and let Sky take over responsibility for my phone line. Gradually the problem got worse, so the other day I booked an appointment to have the repair done. If the fault was found to be with my equipment, I would be billed £99 after the fact. Knowing what I knew, it was a deal I was happy to go for.
Yesterday my next door neighbour had an engineer at her house for hours. A couple of weeks ago the people next door to her had an outside repair done. While my chap was working today, an engineer came to look at another line two doors away. Gosh, I wonder if maybe these ancient lines ALL need replacing?
The wear on the piece of line he removed was appalling. It's a surprise it worked at all. In fact, just before he arrived, I had lost the dialling tone, my line was dead.
But now everything appears to be fixed! Cross all fingers.
The company, BT (short for British Telecom, which used to be a publicly-owned monopoly) installed my first telephone line 40 years ago. My current line was installed in this house in the mid/late 1960s. It was my school friend Lesley's number. I later bought the house from her parents. The line enters the house from a telephone pole across the road. To me it is obvious that the line outside is really vulnerable, but when the line started to fail I couldn't persuade BT of that. They wanted me to commit £129 before they would book an appointment. Someone on the other side of the world, who had no idea what was outside my house, insisted it might be a problem inside the house.
So after 40 years, I left BT and let Sky take over responsibility for my phone line. Gradually the problem got worse, so the other day I booked an appointment to have the repair done. If the fault was found to be with my equipment, I would be billed £99 after the fact. Knowing what I knew, it was a deal I was happy to go for.
Yesterday my next door neighbour had an engineer at her house for hours. A couple of weeks ago the people next door to her had an outside repair done. While my chap was working today, an engineer came to look at another line two doors away. Gosh, I wonder if maybe these ancient lines ALL need replacing?
The wear on the piece of line he removed was appalling. It's a surprise it worked at all. In fact, just before he arrived, I had lost the dialling tone, my line was dead.
But now everything appears to be fixed! Cross all fingers.
Sunday, November 03, 2013
A promise is a promise
I 've been trying to get my friend Julie to the zoo for ages, but her work schedule is very difficult.
We were in two minds about the date we set when we heard about the tiger cub, but Julie hadn't seen the new adult tigers, so we decided to go along on Halloween so she could see them.
I must say that their stewardship of the animals continues to worry and astonish me. Both were in the half of the enclosure where the pool is where the cub died. There seemed to me to be no reason why they shouldn't have free access to both halves. What's more, they usually only keep them together with keepers looking on in case of aggression. None were in sight.
Jae Jae had of course hogged the covered area where there is a heater. Melati was out in the cold and wet grasses.
Later, she took a chance and was warily lying near Jae Jae in the heated area. She didn't look very relaxed, and when she decided to try and move closer to the overhead heater she did so very cautiously.
We were in two minds about the date we set when we heard about the tiger cub, but Julie hadn't seen the new adult tigers, so we decided to go along on Halloween so she could see them.
I must say that their stewardship of the animals continues to worry and astonish me. Both were in the half of the enclosure where the pool is where the cub died. There seemed to me to be no reason why they shouldn't have free access to both halves. What's more, they usually only keep them together with keepers looking on in case of aggression. None were in sight.
Jae Jae had of course hogged the covered area where there is a heater. Melati was out in the cold and wet grasses.
Later, she took a chance and was warily lying near Jae Jae in the heated area. She didn't look very relaxed, and when she decided to try and move closer to the overhead heater she did so very cautiously.
Graansha
As usual, I had forgotten that the pictures for this album accidentally got uploaded somewhere else, and I can't remember where.
Since my internet connection is being rather temperamental thanks to a very old line and that unusual autumn weather condition, wind and rain, not to mention the impossibility of updating the payment card for my mobile iPad SIM, I may be difficult to get hold of at times till I find time to sort things out.
Meanwhile, here's some GGG to cheer you up.
Since my internet connection is being rather temperamental thanks to a very old line and that unusual autumn weather condition, wind and rain, not to mention the impossibility of updating the payment card for my mobile iPad SIM, I may be difficult to get hold of at times till I find time to sort things out.
Meanwhile, here's some GGG to cheer you up.
Wednesday, October 30, 2013
Beano, Essence of Cat, is gone
My beautiful boy Beano came to me with his "brother" Dandy after being dumped in a park. He got into so many scrapes from the start that Your Cat Magazine published his tales on two occasions.
Bitten by a bullying tom when tiny, Beano had gone missing on a freezing January night when only 6 months old. A canvass of the neighbourhood led to whoever had taken him in letting him out, and he appeared warm and fed at my bedside at 2.30 am.
At 2, his normal cheery nature disappeared, and a vet check showed that he had a crumpled shoulder blade, probably from the womb. Steroids built up his muscles, and he became a sturdy young adult cat. Beano did all the normal cat stuff, only more so. Always a good hunter, a neighbour spotted him 30 foot up a tree creeping towards the fragile-looking end of a branch in pursuit of a bird.
When he was 4, Beano developed a problem with his right eye. It had to be removed, and tests showed that it was a neurofibroma, which meant it was isolated and unlikely to have spread.
Having only one eye did not deter him from hunting, as many a hapless bird or mouse discovered. He would always run from the camera, however. I think the flash might have made him think his remaining eye was having problems. So I don't have as many pictures of him as I would like.
A few years ago Beano had his second published adventure, when he went missing for four days over the new year. My canvass turned up nothing at first, and I was resigned to the fact that he was probably roadkill somewhere. I just hoped he wasn't lying injured and in pain. On the fourth day I got a phone call from some people in the next street who thought they had him behind their sofa. He'd only announced himself when he left them a calling card at the top of the stairs. While they were in, he hid, while they were out, he obviously drank and fed - he was neither hungry nor dehydrated when I got him home.
In 2004 Beano lost his zest gain. The white tip of his tail was no longer waving like a banner, and he seemed depressed. An x-ray revealed no injury, but over the years his spine has shown signs of nerve damage, and he has become less and less able to walk comfortably. Recently he had become doubly incontinent. My house smells like a urinal. People who don't like it can keep away. Beano's the important one.
He'd also been worrying at his mouth when eating, and when he had his latest check-up at the vet's last week, they found a lump. On Monday they removed it, tested his kidneys and thyroid, and sent the lump off for analysis. His organs tested as fine, and I was waiting for the biopsy results to come back. Once back from the vet's Beano was on great form (though I was over £500 poorer. Worth it though. I thought so, anyway.)
But last night, he suddenly got off my lap with a cough. I waited for it to go, but it didn't. After a while, I called the emergency vet's. But I've lost a cat to that practice before, and I wasn't even sure he was strong enough to make it. So I stayed with him into the small hours as he gasped for breath, trying to help him to get comfortable. At 4.30 am he lost his brave fight for life. My beautiful, unique boy is gone. He was 17.
Beautiful Beano, Essence of Cat
Bitten by a bullying tom when tiny, Beano had gone missing on a freezing January night when only 6 months old. A canvass of the neighbourhood led to whoever had taken him in letting him out, and he appeared warm and fed at my bedside at 2.30 am.
At 2, his normal cheery nature disappeared, and a vet check showed that he had a crumpled shoulder blade, probably from the womb. Steroids built up his muscles, and he became a sturdy young adult cat. Beano did all the normal cat stuff, only more so. Always a good hunter, a neighbour spotted him 30 foot up a tree creeping towards the fragile-looking end of a branch in pursuit of a bird.
When he was 4, Beano developed a problem with his right eye. It had to be removed, and tests showed that it was a neurofibroma, which meant it was isolated and unlikely to have spread.
Having only one eye did not deter him from hunting, as many a hapless bird or mouse discovered. He would always run from the camera, however. I think the flash might have made him think his remaining eye was having problems. So I don't have as many pictures of him as I would like.
A few years ago Beano had his second published adventure, when he went missing for four days over the new year. My canvass turned up nothing at first, and I was resigned to the fact that he was probably roadkill somewhere. I just hoped he wasn't lying injured and in pain. On the fourth day I got a phone call from some people in the next street who thought they had him behind their sofa. He'd only announced himself when he left them a calling card at the top of the stairs. While they were in, he hid, while they were out, he obviously drank and fed - he was neither hungry nor dehydrated when I got him home.
In 2004 Beano lost his zest gain. The white tip of his tail was no longer waving like a banner, and he seemed depressed. An x-ray revealed no injury, but over the years his spine has shown signs of nerve damage, and he has become less and less able to walk comfortably. Recently he had become doubly incontinent. My house smells like a urinal. People who don't like it can keep away. Beano's the important one.
He'd also been worrying at his mouth when eating, and when he had his latest check-up at the vet's last week, they found a lump. On Monday they removed it, tested his kidneys and thyroid, and sent the lump off for analysis. His organs tested as fine, and I was waiting for the biopsy results to come back. Once back from the vet's Beano was on great form (though I was over £500 poorer. Worth it though. I thought so, anyway.)
But last night, he suddenly got off my lap with a cough. I waited for it to go, but it didn't. After a while, I called the emergency vet's. But I've lost a cat to that practice before, and I wasn't even sure he was strong enough to make it. So I stayed with him into the small hours as he gasped for breath, trying to help him to get comfortable. At 4.30 am he lost his brave fight for life. My beautiful, unique boy is gone. He was 17.
Beautiful Beano, Essence of CatSunday, October 27, 2013
Friday, October 25, 2013
Pablo the Pilgrim
I used to feed and fuss a gorgeous silver tabby cat in my street. He had a home, but he was a bit of a free spirit. His owners didn't object. They told me they had adopted him from an apparently vagrant life a few miles away.
Pablo didn't change his ways. He took himself across several busy roads to make himself at home on the other side of our urban village, and it was only after two weeks, when his new "owners" took him to the vet's for a check up that his microchip was found, and he was reunited with his owners.
I myself scooped him up in the next street playing chicken among the cars and took him to his home. They didn't even know he'd got out.
It's been months since I saw him. I guessed he'd gone wandering again, or maybe a car had got him.
But it turns out he's been on a real long-distance adventure. He's turned up in Scotland. That's about 450 miles away.
He's being flown back. He may already have arrived.
Can't wait to see him again.
I hope this link works for everyone so you can see Pablo and read the story.
Sunday, October 20, 2013
Gone
Bobby looks energised, if you just look at his body language. His face tells the story of his Season 4 exhaustion, though.
Tuesday, October 15, 2013
Close London Zoo
You may remember how London Zoo's incompetence and negligence caused the death of their first gorilla baby in over 20 years. I could make no headway because David Field, the animal manager responsible for putting the baby in with an unrelated male, was married to Lesley Dickie, the person from the endangered species programme who should have dealt with it.
Field was later promoted rather than sacked.
Now the useless bastards have done it again. The new-born Sumatran tiger cub has drowned.
The tiger enclosure has two halves, one with pool, one without. Any sensible person would have made sure Melati and her cub had access only to the dry enclosure. But no. These idiots who would apparently let their own small children loose near water have sacrificed this wonderful little baby to their own ignorance and negligence.
In a few months my membership will be up, and I cannot imagine they can do anything to persuade me or the other disgusted members to renew.
Close now, ZSL, you are just a bunch of amateurs who should never be let loose on vulnerable endangered species. As for the Sumatran tiger stud book,it's just a travesty to let you keep it.
Field was later promoted rather than sacked.
Now the useless bastards have done it again. The new-born Sumatran tiger cub has drowned.
The tiger enclosure has two halves, one with pool, one without. Any sensible person would have made sure Melati and her cub had access only to the dry enclosure. But no. These idiots who would apparently let their own small children loose near water have sacrificed this wonderful little baby to their own ignorance and negligence.
In a few months my membership will be up, and I cannot imagine they can do anything to persuade me or the other disgusted members to renew.
Close now, ZSL, you are just a bunch of amateurs who should never be let loose on vulnerable endangered species. As for the Sumatran tiger stud book,it's just a travesty to let you keep it.
Sunday, October 13, 2013
Fingers Crossed
Because I have to have a one-and-a-half centimetre raise put into my left shoe to even up my odd-length legs, I am limited as to what shoes I can buy. I only get two pairs a year adapted by the hospital's contractors, so I have to be careful about comfort. They slice off the bottom of the sole, whack in the raise, then glue back the sole, so that the tread is the same on both shoes.
It's a long time since I had any heels (apart from some ankle boots a couple of years ago that can't be adapted, so rarely get worn) so I was quite excited to find some wedges that incorporate apparent comfort and adaptability. I'm also keen on Velcro fastenings because they make it easier on my creaky joints.
Wins all round. If they really are comfortable...
Wins all round. If they really are comfortable...
The Gift
This was the first time I'd come across Bobby Canavale. Don't like him one bit.
This Bobby, however, I'll take any time, anywhere.
Sunday, October 06, 2013
Ultimate Squee
The thing I miss most about being under par is my regular visits to the zoo.
Then on Wednesday I heard the news - Melati, the little Sumatran tiger, had given birth to her big boyfriend Jae Jae's cub.
They still don't know the sex. But they had cameras set up to keep an eye on things, and filmed the birth, Melati's first maternal actions, and the cub's scrabblings to join mum while she watched in apparent disbelief.
They say she's being a great mum, and will bring the baby out when she's ready.
Then on Wednesday I heard the news - Melati, the little Sumatran tiger, had given birth to her big boyfriend Jae Jae's cub.
They still don't know the sex. But they had cameras set up to keep an eye on things, and filmed the birth, Melati's first maternal actions, and the cub's scrabblings to join mum while she watched in apparent disbelief.
They say she's being a great mum, and will bring the baby out when she's ready.
And so it goes. On and on
Still having wound problems, this time the left boob is infected and not healing. Wouldn't be surprised if that one needs another going over.
My bank took a month to get me a new debit card, meanwhile the old one had expired, causing all sorts of problems. My complaint has been answered, but nothing is really to my satisfaction, so I will still change banks, and I am going to write to the Ombudsman.
And then there's the phone. Two weeks ago I tried to report it as crackling, but they have tied their website into so many knots all I could do was send an email, which received no response. Last week I found the correct path to report a fault, and by this time the phone was cutting people off mid-call. I received no updates. I could not access my account because none of the four or five numbers on my bill was apparently my account number, and there was no other way to get in there. So I phoned up BT, who insisted my line had been tested and nothing was wrong (crackle, crackle). But if I would promise to pay nearly £130 should the fault wbe inside my house (oh I bet it would be, too) they would come and check the overhead lines outside. I refused, and then called Sky to transfer my line account to them (I already pay them for calls). BT still has to look after the line, but doesn't get the size of rental fee they used to!
And guess what? Since I refused to pay the blackmail fee, my line has stopped crackling. Almost to the minute.
Poor BT. You know what they say? Tough titties.
Though of course, mine are not so tough at the moment...
And to make up, there's a post of Bobby below.
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