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Painted on the entrance to a Copenhagen bar— this giraffe has taken up drinking upon hearing the news that the Copenhagen Zoo will likely kill another giraffe More giraffe controversy here in Copenhagen It appears that the city's zoo will kill another young, male giraffe in the name of species protection to prevent inbreeding (FYI: it is difficult to castrate a giraffe) HERE is a good summary of the story http://www.newser.com/story/182240/2nd-giraffe-may-be-killed-by-danish-zoo.html INTERVIEW WITH A ZOOKEEPER Earlier this week, after the zoo killed the 1st giraffe, zookeeper Bengt Holst had a rather gripping interview with Channel 4's Matt Frei Watch it HERE http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vuxgAC0dWK4 It would be too easy to compare the Zookeeper's tone to a Hannibal Lecter or a Nazi. However, he's more stoic than Anthony Hopkin's brilliant psychopath, and the Nazi's weren't trying to save the race of those they were exterminating Instead, the Zookeeper reminds me more of the character Christof from the movie The Truman Show. Christof —played by Ed Harris— is the creator of the Truman show. Ed Harris kind of looks like the Zookeeper, but the comparison goes deeper IF YOU'VE NEVER SEEN The Truman Show Feel free to skip the next bit And read again after the picture of the Duplo giraffe ALSO do yourself a favor and watch it Christof's character is much like a zookeeper. He creates and maintains an artificial environment where he can look over Truman. Christof justifies his actions and full-heartedly believes in his efforts. Still, like the Copenhagen zookeeper, his bizarre mix of earnest love and calculated rationality creates major blind spots in his perception of reality Case in point, during the interview, the Copenhagen zookeeper said: "You control your environment just as we control the environment in the zoo" Despite his Spock-like level of rationalization, the Zookeeper has a few quotes that I rather agree with "Why protect [children] from real life? I mean, school children can actually learn a lot from seeing this" "We don't say [the zoo is] nature, we say we are as close to nature as we can get" Unfortunately, Channel 4's Matt Frei is not a world-class interviewer and the conversation devolves into a near farce by the end as Mr. Frei rudely asks the zookeeper, "Do you actually like animals?" Quickly, the Zookeeper responds, "Yes I do. That's why I want to save them" Although, killing a healthy two-year-old giraffe seems an odd way to "save" the animals, I do understand the Zookeeper's point. I don't think the controversy at the Copenhagen Zoo will be over until they stop making an unnecessary spectacle out of their unconventional conservation tactics Also, since the giraffe was fed to the lions .... it's only fair that I post a picture of a lion outside a Copenhagen bar as well CORRECTION (Posted Feb. 24, 2014) On Feb. 13, I wrote that the 2nd Marius was also at the Copenhagen Zoo. That is incorrect. The 2nd Marius is a young giraffe at a different zoo in Denmark. That zoo is called Danish Jyllands Park Zoo
Here’s a brief excerpt from that opinion: “And so our hearts were broken when we saw the keepers at the Copenhagen Zoo break their trust with Marius. He should never have died so young and at the hands of his caretakers, the very ones who should have done all they could to protect him “Zoos may feel that it is necessary to bill themselves as big players on the conservation stage. But what most of us want to see from zoos and their keepers is compassion for their charges, all of whom live such narrow, corralled lives “If zoos cannot offer this to the Mariuses in their care, they will lose the public's goodwill, and will deservedly find themselves heading toward extinction” by Virginia Morell National Geographic Published Feb. 12, 2014 This is my first correction for this blog. Does publishing a correction make me a blogger or a journalist? ... That's a question I won't answer now, but I still feel it is my duty to stand behind all that I share on this blog. In addition to posting this correction here, this FULL correction will be part of an entry on Feb. 24
To the International Olympic Committee, I submit "Paul the Vulture" for your consideration as the next olympic mascot .... in fact, it's not too late to instate this colorful scavenger as a proper mascot to finish out the current Sochi games Valentine's Day is friday, so here's a tip for the fellas--
show your girl you have more than 1 collared shirt by wearing ALL of them at once In honor of Marius (a giraffe at the Copenhagen zoo who was put down before his time) here are a few giraffes I spotted around Copenhagen today In the window of home furnishings store, these 5 wooden giraffes take a moment of silence for their fallen brother Vintage postcard from the Copenhagen Zoo at a bookstore This clown might have the world's worst job. That giraffe literally shit bricks ABOUT MARIUS THE GIRAFFE
It's a tough life for a young male giraffe (such as Marius). Apparently, they are so horny that the only way to stop them from inbreeding is via euthanasia. According to the zoo, they did consider castration, but that would have required sedation ... which is very tricky with giraffes. The reason being, as BBC explains: "it is a relatively high-risk procedure in the case of giraffes, as they are liable to break their necks when they fall while sedated." Oh the evolutionary irony! A long neck is both the giraffe's greatest strength and greatest weakness LINKS BBC coverage — http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-26118748CNN's report — http://www.cnn.com/2014/02/10/world/europe/denmark-zoo-giraffe/ The Guardian -- http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/feb/09/marius-giraffe-killed-copenhagen-zoo-protests *warning don't watch the video* *For the record, I'm not that broken up over the fate of Marius. I just think the zoo's actions were ridiculous and insensitive. I think the zoo acted improperly by making a spectacle out of poor species management planning Intended as a new city landmark, Elbe Philharmonic Hall is Hamburg's most controversial (and still unfinished) building Q: How much has its cost has ballooned? A: More than 10-fold
It was to be completed in 2010 for a cost of 77 million euros Presently, it is expected to open in 2017 at a cost of just over 800 million euros My take is that if you want to build a new city landmark, make sure that it'll at least look good on a t-shirt. I don't think Elbe Hall passes that test For a front view of the Hall look here www.goethe.de/ins/cz/pro/architekturspaziergang/hamburg/2_Philharmonie/1gr.jpg And here's what the completed Hall will look like http://img67.imageshack.us/img67/3035/nordostansicht7ki.jpg A black and white poster to remind you that reality is never black and white Green facade on a "green" apartment complex This "school bus yellow" van was accross the street from a decommissioned playground
This artistic protest is across from a playground where the children love the art AND copy it to the dismay of their parents
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About meI’m a producer, writer and storyteller with expertise in digital, print, film, TV & stage productions Archives
March 2018
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