|
Welcome to the International Skeptics Forum, where we discuss skepticism, critical thinking, the paranormal and science in a friendly but lively way. You are currently viewing the forum as a guest, which means you are missing out on discussing matters that are of interest to you. Please consider registering so you can gain full use of the forum features and interact with other Members. Registration is simple, fast and free! Click here to register today. |
![]() |
#1 |
Grammar Resistance Leader
TLA Dictator Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Pattaya, Thailand
Posts: 39,909
|
Stupid Parents + Stupid Zoo /= Dead Toddler, Luckily
Notwithstanding the former member who would probably argue that the parents were trying to murder their kid, this seems like a perfect storm of stupidity.
Who thought, "I know, we'll build a rhino enclosure for the Get Up Close to the Terrifying Beasts area and leave spaces in the fence that a toddler can get through" was a good idea? I realize most people have never been out in the Umfolozi but the first thing Ranger Gary told us, and he repeated often, was "they're instinctively territorial and will charge anything or any creature that crosses their arbitrary boundaries". Those boundaries change depending on various factors, and I'd imagine that at a zoo "enclosure I go to often" is probably a line of demarcation. Who let's their toddler out of their arms around great hulking mindless brutes (people or animals - I would neither let my toddler down in the All Blacks scrum nor in a crash of rhinos)? Very fortunate that the tyke isn't dead. https://edition.cnn.com/2019/01/01/u...zoo/index.html |
__________________
Ha! Foolmewunz has just been added to the list of people who aren't complete idiots. Hokulele It's not that liberals have become less tolerant. It's that conservatives have become more intolerable. |
|
![]() ![]() |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
![]() |
#2 |
Philosophile
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Osaka, Japan
Posts: 24,425
|
Because we just know that some racists are gonna race, it should be pointed out that this was a white rhino.
|
__________________
"The thief and the murderer follow nature just as much as the philanthropist. Cosmic evolution may teach us how the good and the evil tendencies of man may have come about; but, in itself, it is incompetent to furnish any better reason why what we call good is preferable to what we call evil than we had before." "Evolution and Ethics" T.H. Huxley (1893) |
|
![]() ![]() |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
![]() |
#3 |
Illuminator
Join Date: Nov 2014
Posts: 4,391
|
Toddler should have had a gun.
|
__________________
...our governments are just trying to protect us from terror. In the same way that someone banging a hornets’ nest with a stick is trying to protect us from hornets. Frankie Boyle, Guardian, July 2015 |
|
![]() ![]() |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
![]() |
#4 |
Penultimate Amazing
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Way way north of Diddy Wah Diddy
Posts: 23,431
|
There's something just very wrong about the whole concept of "popular rhino encounters."
|
__________________
I love this world, but not for its answers. (Mary Oliver) Quand il dit "cuic" le moineau croit tout dire. (When he's tweeted the sparrow thinks he's said it all. (Jules Renard) |
|
![]() ![]() |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
![]() |
#5 |
Embarrasingly illiterate
Join Date: Sep 2006
Posts: 14,605
|
A gun to stop a rhino would have to be bigger than the kid
Amazing animals Fast as f'. Weigh about as much as a car, and are probably stronger and more protected. Get angry. I think I read years ago (not sure if it's still current or whether I have it perfectly correct), that while people think the big cats are the biggest human killers, it is rhinos. Mind you I would be angry too if I were them |
__________________
I generally oppose gun control, but I support the ban on assault weapons and I support a slightly longer waiting period to purchase a gun. With today’s Internet technology we should be able to tell within 72-hours if a potential gun owner has a record. Source: The America We Deserve, by Donald Trump, p.102 , Jul 2, 2000 |
|
![]() ![]() |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
![]() |
#6 |
Penultimate Amazing
Join Date: May 2006
Posts: 16,117
|
Somebody appears to have forgotten that a safe enclosure bars both the animals and the humans from each other's territory.
|
__________________
My new blog: Recent Reads. 1960s Comic Book Nostalgia Visit the Screw Loose Change blog. |
|
![]() ![]() |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
![]() |
#7 |
Penultimate Amazing
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Way way north of Diddy Wah Diddy
Posts: 23,431
|
|
__________________
I love this world, but not for its answers. (Mary Oliver) Quand il dit "cuic" le moineau croit tout dire. (When he's tweeted the sparrow thinks he's said it all. (Jules Renard) |
|
![]() ![]() |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
![]() |
#8 |
Embarrasingly illiterate
Join Date: Sep 2006
Posts: 14,605
|
|
__________________
I generally oppose gun control, but I support the ban on assault weapons and I support a slightly longer waiting period to purchase a gun. With today’s Internet technology we should be able to tell within 72-hours if a potential gun owner has a record. Source: The America We Deserve, by Donald Trump, p.102 , Jul 2, 2000 |
|
![]() ![]() |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
![]() |
#9 |
Muse
Join Date: Mar 2008
Posts: 721
|
|
![]() ![]() |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
![]() |
#10 |
Uncritical "thinker"
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: UK
Posts: 20,024
|
|
__________________
OECD healthcare spending Expenditure on healthcare http://www.oecd.org/els/health-systems/health-data.htm link is 2015 data (2013 Data below): UK 8.5% of GDP of which 83.3% is public expenditure - 7.1% of GDP is public spending US 16.4% of GDP of which 48.2% is public expenditure - 7.9% of GDP is public spending |
|
![]() ![]() |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
![]() |
#11 |
Philosopher
Join Date: Apr 2004
Posts: 6,691
|
|
__________________
"A closed mouth gathers no feet" "Ignorance is a renewable resource" P.J.O'Rourke Prayer: "a sophisticated way of pleading with thunderstorms." T.Pratchett "It's all god's handiwork, there's little quality control applied", Fox26 reporter on Texas granite Forum Birdwatching Webpage |
|
![]() ![]() |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
![]() |
#12 |
Philosopher
Join Date: Nov 2004
Posts: 5,029
|
This is journalism sensational hype. This is a two year old toddler who should have been held back by her parents. She had to wedge her way through the bars. The father kept hold of her the whole time. She got "bumped" by the snout of one rhino. She suffered a mild abrasion to her face.
A kid would suffer more injury and risk by tripping on a lego brick and faceplanting on the carpet. |
__________________
Heaven forbid someone reads these words and claims to be adversely affected by them, thus ensuring a barrage of lawsuits filed under the guise of protecting the unknowing victims who were stupid enough to read this and believe it! - Kevin Trudeau |
|
![]() ![]() |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
![]() |
#13 |
Embarrasingly illiterate
Join Date: Sep 2006
Posts: 14,605
|
|
__________________
I generally oppose gun control, but I support the ban on assault weapons and I support a slightly longer waiting period to purchase a gun. With today’s Internet technology we should be able to tell within 72-hours if a potential gun owner has a record. Source: The America We Deserve, by Donald Trump, p.102 , Jul 2, 2000 |
|
![]() ![]() |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
![]() |
#14 |
Grammar Resistance Leader
TLA Dictator Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Pattaya, Thailand
Posts: 39,909
|
I think I saw a recent ranking of all creatures.
1. Man 2. Mosquito 3. Tse Tse Fly 4. Saltwater Croc and then a whole bunch of amphibians, fish and reptiles five through nine and the Cape Buffalo was #10. No hippos, no rhinos. I think the latter can be explained by there being so few rhinos left. I'd imagine that while there are plenty of hippos, their habitat is much more limited now, too. Oh, and you have to split "dogs" into two categories.... rabid and not. It's not the dog that kills, it's the rabies, so they count them as "disease deaths". Dogs would be waaaay up there near mosquitos if you counted rabies deaths which are astonishingly high, like 50 x that of crocodiles. |
__________________
Ha! Foolmewunz has just been added to the list of people who aren't complete idiots. Hokulele It's not that liberals have become less tolerant. It's that conservatives have become more intolerable. |
|
![]() ![]() |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
![]() |
#15 |
Loggerheaded, earth-vexing fustilarian
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Arcadia, Greece
Posts: 24,075
|
|
__________________
"Even a broken clock is right twice a day. 9/11 truth is a clock with no hands." - Beachnut |
|
![]() ![]() |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
![]() |
#16 |
Philosopher
Join Date: Dec 2006
Posts: 8,430
|
Quote:
|
__________________
"I don't think I'm getting the most out of my computer. I turn it on... and use it as a light." - Harry Hill |
|
![]() ![]() |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
![]() |
#17 |
Grammar Resistance Leader
TLA Dictator Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Pattaya, Thailand
Posts: 39,909
|
|
__________________
Ha! Foolmewunz has just been added to the list of people who aren't complete idiots. Hokulele It's not that liberals have become less tolerant. It's that conservatives have become more intolerable. |
|
![]() ![]() |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
![]() |
#18 |
Philosopher
Join Date: Dec 2006
Posts: 8,430
|
It would be more logical to discount mosquitoes. It's a bit like saying water is the most deadly liquid on earth on account of five million people dying from waterborne diseases each year. The only conceivable purpose of these 'most deadly' lists is a fun point of interest, and in which case it should relate to the character, behaviour and inherent danger of the animal itself.
|
__________________
"I don't think I'm getting the most out of my computer. I turn it on... and use it as a light." - Harry Hill |
|
![]() ![]() |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
![]() |
#19 |
No longer the 1
Join Date: Apr 2007
Posts: 19,886
|
|
__________________
As human right is always something given, it always in reality reduces to the right which men give, "concede," to each other. If the right to existence is conceded to new-born children, then they have the right; if it is not conceded to them, as was the case among the Spartans and ancient Romans, then they do not have it. For only society can give or concede it to them; they themselves cannot take it, or give it to themselves. |
|
![]() ![]() |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
![]() |
#20 |
Penultimate Amazing
Join Date: Jun 2005
Posts: 16,268
|
I wiki'd it, 55,000 rabies deaths per year worldwide.
Likje oine case/year in California, either in an international traveler or from a raccoon. |
__________________
Great minds discuss ideas. Medium minds discuss events. Small minds spend all their time on U-Tube and Facebook. |
|
![]() ![]() |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
![]() |
#21 |
Philosopher
Join Date: Dec 2006
Posts: 8,430
|
The dog bite problem is created entirely by humans. Dogs are domesticated animals. When people fail to live up to their responsibilities dogs run wild and become diseased, and some of those diseases come back to literally bite people in the ass. You reap what you sow.
|
__________________
"I don't think I'm getting the most out of my computer. I turn it on... and use it as a light." - Harry Hill |
|
![]() ![]() |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
![]() |
#22 |
"más divertido"
Join Date: Jul 2009
Posts: 19,299
|
Correcting the topic title to "does not equal" instead of "slash equal sign" would be helpful in this instance. I was surprised to read that the toddler died, after having read that she was only injured yesterday.
|
![]() ![]() |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
![]() |
#23 |
Philosopher
Join Date: Nov 2006
Posts: 8,338
|
An 11" gap? That wouldn't even cut it for a stair railing, how did they get away with that here?
|
__________________
REJ (Robert E Jones) posting anonymously under my real name for 30 years. Make a fire for a man and you keep him warm for a day. Set him on fire and you keep him warm for the rest of his life. |
|
![]() ![]() |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
![]() |
#24 |
Now. Do it now.
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: UK
Posts: 24,804
|
No, you're confusing rhinos with hippos. And that's wrong too (rhinos, the few remaining ones, run away from humans). The biggest killers in the wild in Africa are 1/ mosquitoes, 2/ snakes, 3/ feral dogs. Hippos, in some sources, are said to kill around 3000 people a year (compared with 20,000+ each for dogs and snakes), and lions, leopards etc just a handful. Rhino kills of humans could likely be counted on one hand........per decade, and they'll all be captive animals.
|
__________________
"The Conservatives want to keep wogs out and march boldly back to the 1950s when Britain still had an Empire and blacks, women, poofs and Irish knew their place." The Don That's what we've sunk to here. |
|
![]() ![]() |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
![]() |
#25 |
Self Employed
Remittance Man Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Florida
Posts: 16,048
|
I think we all know the difference between an animal attack and disease transmission.
|
__________________
- "Ernest Hemingway once wrote that the world is a fine place and worth fighting for. I agree with the second part." - Detective Sommerset - "Stupidity does not cancel out stupidity to yield genius. It breeds like a bucket-full of coked out hamsters." - The Oatmeal - "To the best of my knowledge the only thing philosophy has ever proven is that Descartes could think." - SMBC |
|
![]() ![]() |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
![]() |
#26 |
Muse
Join Date: Mar 2010
Posts: 715
|
|
![]() ![]() |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
![]() |
#27 |
![]() Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Monkey
Posts: 47,418
|
|
__________________
You added nothing to that conversation, Barbara. |
|
![]() ![]() |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
![]() |
#28 |
Graduate Poster
Join Date: Feb 2015
Posts: 1,259
|
|
![]() ![]() |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
![]() |
#29 |
"más divertido"
Join Date: Jul 2009
Posts: 19,299
|
|
![]() ![]() |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
![]() |
#30 |
Penultimate Amazing
Join Date: Jun 2003
Posts: 41,943
|
I've seen various different reports in this regard. "Man" is frequently left out of the rankings as being in a separate category, mosquitos and tse tse flies may be left out since it's the diseases they spread which does the actual killing. For the rest, it seems to depend a bit on who you ask and how you count. This place claims hippos are number one in Africa:
https://www.reference.com/science/de...290af1b2ef5da3 This place lists top ten in Africa: https://www.planetdeadly.com/animals...animals-africa Rhinos are number 9, Nile croc is number 4, hippos are number 3. The number 2 and number 1 slots are really categories and not species: parasites and snakes, respectively. |
__________________
"As long as it is admitted that the law may be diverted from its true purpose -- that it may violate property instead of protecting it -- then everyone will want to participate in making the law, either to protect himself against plunder or to use it for plunder. Political questions will always be prejudicial, dominant, and all-absorbing. There will be fighting at the door of the Legislative Palace, and the struggle within will be no less furious." - Bastiat, The Law |
|
![]() ![]() |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
![]() |
#31 |
Penultimate Amazing
Join Date: Jun 2003
Posts: 41,943
|
|
__________________
"As long as it is admitted that the law may be diverted from its true purpose -- that it may violate property instead of protecting it -- then everyone will want to participate in making the law, either to protect himself against plunder or to use it for plunder. Political questions will always be prejudicial, dominant, and all-absorbing. There will be fighting at the door of the Legislative Palace, and the struggle within will be no less furious." - Bastiat, The Law |
|
![]() ![]() |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
![]() |
#32 |
Penultimate Amazing
Join Date: Jun 2003
Posts: 41,943
|
|
__________________
"As long as it is admitted that the law may be diverted from its true purpose -- that it may violate property instead of protecting it -- then everyone will want to participate in making the law, either to protect himself against plunder or to use it for plunder. Political questions will always be prejudicial, dominant, and all-absorbing. There will be fighting at the door of the Legislative Palace, and the struggle within will be no less furious." - Bastiat, The Law |
|
![]() ![]() |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
![]() |
#33 |
![]() Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Monkey
Posts: 47,418
|
|
__________________
You added nothing to that conversation, Barbara. |
|
![]() ![]() |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
![]() |
#35 |
Graduate Poster
Join Date: Feb 2015
Posts: 1,259
|
|
![]() ![]() |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
![]() |
#36 |
Philosopher
Join Date: Dec 2006
Posts: 8,350
|
Let's note that she was barely brushed by the rhino. It would have been a tragedy -- and obviously unnecessary -- to kill it.
Quote:
|
![]() ![]() |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
![]() |
#37 |
Philosopher
Join Date: Apr 2004
Posts: 6,691
|
Yeah well my pedants joke about hippos only being the 3rd biggest killer vs the the most deadly was lost as well.
Even my point about mosquitoes seems to have not been read either, as there were a number of subsequent posts to mine that were basically “mosquitoes, Gotcha!”. |
__________________
"A closed mouth gathers no feet" "Ignorance is a renewable resource" P.J.O'Rourke Prayer: "a sophisticated way of pleading with thunderstorms." T.Pratchett "It's all god's handiwork, there's little quality control applied", Fox26 reporter on Texas granite Forum Birdwatching Webpage |
|
![]() ![]() |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
![]() |
#38 |
Director of Hatcheries and Conditioning
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Waiting for the pod bay door to open.
Posts: 39,644
|
Up close petting a rhino. What could possibly go wrong.
|
__________________
Continually pushing the boundaries of mediocrity. Everything is possible, but not everything is probable. For if a man pretend to me that God hath spoken to him supernaturally, and immediately, and I make doubt of it, I cannot easily perceive what argument he can produce to oblige me to believe it. Hobbes |
|
![]() ![]() |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
![]() |
#39 |
Graduate Poster
Join Date: Mar 2018
Location: Norvegr
Posts: 1,031
|
|
__________________
Proud Dirtbag Leftist. |
|
![]() ![]() |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
![]() |
#40 |
"más divertido"
Join Date: Jul 2009
Posts: 19,299
|
|
![]() ![]() |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
![]() |
Bookmarks |
Thread Tools | |
|
|