Nice People Thread Number 11 - A Treasury of Nice People

neverdespairgirl

Some scary ones get a lot of protection, like tigers, lions, polar bears, etc.

But sharks don't, with you on that one (-:

Nikkster

neverdespairgirl wrote: »

Some scary ones get a lot of protection, like tigers, lions, polar bears, etc.

But sharks don't, with you on that one (-:

Can't stay I'd like to pick a fight with a rhino or elephant either :eek:

zagubov

Generali wrote: »

There was a piece in The Economist years ago, which I have failed to find, about animals recognised to be endangered and those which receive public funding and proper protection.

Big animals; cute animals; and (especially) big, cute animals get plenty of protection. Ugly or scary ones get basically none.

For example, it's easy to buy dolphin-friendly tuna. However, over a million sharks a year are apparently killed as 'by-catch' by tuna fishermen but there are no major and well-funded campaigns about that.

I don't think tuna tastes anything like as good since they took the dolphin out TBH.

We're like that about too many things. Saw some figures about how much we pay in Britain to research disease, divided by the number of victims. It was around £1500 per AIDS death £150 per heart disease and £11 per Alzheimers death.

Not begrudging any of it; we probably waste much more on developing new trainers or breakfast cereals or slightly different cellphones.

HAMISH_MCTAVISH

Nikkster wrote: »

Can't stay I'd like to pick a fight with a rhino or elephant either :eek:

Not much in the wild scares me....

Except the hippopotamus.

And sometimes, Mrs McTavish.

Generali

zagubov wrote: »

We're like that about too many things. Saw some figures about how much we pay in Britain to research disease, divided by the number of victims. It was around £1500 per AIDS death £150 per heart disease and £11 per Alzheimers death.

Not begrudging any of it; we probably waste much more on developing new trainers or breakfast cereals or slightly different cellphones.

And a huge amount on some forms of routine screening that cost a fortune and have a proven disbenefit (sorry for the horrible economic jargon word).

Generali

HAMISH_MCTAVISH wrote: »

Not much in the wild scares me....

Except the hippopotamus.

And sometimes, Mrs McTavish.

Put me down for mozzies (the malarial ones) and the Irukandji jellyfish (the capital I is because they are named after an aboriginal tribe):

http://www.jcu.edu.au/stingers/irukandji%20brochure1.pdf

I think I've mentioned them a couple of times before. They are effectively invisible tiny box jellyfish with the ability to fire their venomous barbs at you. Oh and the generally believed 'cure' of vinegar on the stings for a box jellyfish makes the sting and outcome worse not better. And it doesn't hurt, it just itches a bit........at first. Rather appropriately, one of the chief symptoms is a feeling of impending doom.

Oh and there is some evidence that they are headed south towards me, although still about 1400kms (900 miles) away:

http://www.themorningbulletin.com.au/news/irukandji-most-venomous-box-jellyfish-kills-faster/1723743/

vivatifosi

Generali wrote: »

There was a piece in The Economist years ago, which I have failed to find, about animals recognised to be endangered and those which receive public funding and proper protection.

Big animals; cute animals; and (especially) big, cute animals get plenty of protection. Ugly or scary ones get basically none.

For example, it's easy to buy dolphin-friendly tuna. However, over a million sharks a year are apparently killed as 'by-catch' by tuna fishermen but there are no major and well-funded campaigns about that.

I don't think tuna tastes anything like as good since they took the dolphin out TBH.

I remember that article, so you are definitely correct! Australia does a pretty good job protecting the shark imo. Don't they do a lot of work to prevent Indonesian fishermen catching them for shark fin soup.. particularly in remote areas such as off the northern coast of WA?

zagubov wrote: »

We're like that about too many things. Saw some figures about how much we pay in Britain to research disease, divided by the number of victims. It was around £1500 per AIDS death £150 per heart disease and £11 per Alzheimers death.

Not begrudging any of it; we probably waste much more on developing new trainers or breakfast cereals or slightly different cellphones.

I think this is one of the ways Bill Gates and Warren Buffett have made huge strides... malaria was one of the most underfunded causes of all. If Alzheimer's funding was poor, it is much worse for diseases that mostly appear in sub Saharan Africa. Well done them.

HAMISH_MCTAVISH wrote: »

Not much in the wild scares me....

Except the hippopotamus.

And sometimes, Mrs McTavish.

Think yourself lucky that she probably can't run as fast in heels after that comment Hamish!

vivatifosi

Generali wrote: »

Put me down for mozzies (the malarial ones) and the Irukandji jellyfish (the capital I is because they are named after an aboriginal tribe):

http://www.jcu.edu.au/stingers/irukandji%20brochure1.pdf

I think I've mentioned them a couple of times before. They are effectively invisible tiny box jellyfish with the ability to fire their venomous barbs at you. Oh and the generally believed 'cure' of vinegar on the stings for a box jellyfish makes the sting and outcome worse not better. And it doesn't hurt, it just itches a bit........at first. Rather appropriately, one of the chief symptoms is a feeling of impending doom.

Oh and there is some evidence that they are headed south towards me, although still about 1400kms (900 miles) away:

http://www.themorningbulletin.com.au/news/irukandji-most-venomous-box-jellyfish-kills-faster/1723743/

That article is about where my cousin lives. She only goes in the sea in a wetsuit and if the jellyfish there don't get you the tiger sharks will. They aren't exactly friendly waters.

Generali

vivatifosi wrote: »

That article is about where my cousin lives. She only goes in the sea in a wetsuit and if the jellyfish there don't get you the tiger sharks will. They aren't exactly friendly waters.

Is it one of those Lycra jellyfish suits? It's a bit warm up there for a wetsuit!

I've been swimming a few times up around Townsville and also around Airlie Beach. It's great water for swimming in if you can ignore your fellow marine bathers.

Still I'd rather be swimming with those jellyfish than some of the people you get around Woy Woy and The Entrance.

Doozergirl

LydiaJ wrote: »

How are things now, Doozergirl?

Sorted a minor problem but still have the overall problem. Tenant who seems to think rent is optional. We don't have time for this.

Section 8 on Monday? I dunno.