Popular Post RUPERTKBD Posted July 2, 2018 Popular Post Share Posted July 2, 2018 So I came across a story that I wanted to post, but it didn't really belong in any of the current threads and I didn't think it really needed it's own. So I created this thread as a repository for notable world events that don't need an entire thread dedicated to them. I wanted to start it off with some good news for a change and this is great news coming from Thailand: https://www.cnn.com/2018/07/02/asia/thai-cave-rescue-intl/index.html Quote Rescue teams found all 12 boys and their coach alive in a cave in Thailand Monday, according to a high ranking person involved in the search and rescue operation. The boys, who range in age from 11 to 16 years old and are part of the same soccer team, have been missing for nine days. A park officer first sounded the alarm after spotting the boys' bicycles near the entrance to the off-limits cave complex. The cave labyrinth is popular with tourists and for the first kilometer (0.6 miles) or so inside the cavernous entrance, limestone rock formations hug high ceilings, creating an almost amphitheater-like atmosphere. Late last week trekkers discovered a hidden opening deep in the jungle giving an alternative point of entry to the cave system. The natural chimney, around 1.5 meters in diameter and at least 22 meters (72 feet) deep, was found to the north of the opening of the cave, where the boys' bikes were found last Saturday. I had been following this story for the past week and a bit, and I have to say that as time went on, I was becoming less optimistic. I was very happy to see this headline this morning. World Cup Football on the TV and good news about another soccer team in the headlines. Pretty good way to start a holiday Monday... 1 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post nuckin_futz Posted July 2, 2018 Popular Post Share Posted July 2, 2018 This is not a new news event but if this doesn't hit ya right in the feelies. I don't know what will. Incredible sight of the elephant that cried: Raju was held in chains, beaten and abused for fifty years and on the day he was released tears rolled down his face These incredible pictures show the moment an elephant who was held in chains and beaten and abused for fifty years cried as he was released to freedom. Raju the elephant was left bleeding from spiked shackles and living on hand-outs from passing tourists after he was captured and tied up by his ‘owner’. But, after 50 years of torture, the animal cried tears of relief after he was rescued by a wildlife charity in a daring midnight operation – fittingly on American Independence Day. North London-based charity Wildlife SOS stepped in to save Raju from dying in his bonds after learning of his plight in India. Every day, the majestic animal was forced to hold out his trunk and beg for a few coins from passers-by – surviving only on plastic and paper for food. However, last week, a 10-strong team of vets and wildlife experts from the charity were joined by 20 forestry department officers and six policemen to seize Raju from his suffering in the Uttar Pradesh area of India. The mission took place under the cover of darkness, as fewer people would be around for the dangerous rescue and the animal could be protected from the searing heat of the sun. Pooja Binepal, the charity’s UK spokesman, described the rescue as ‘incredibly emotional’ for the team. She said: ‘Raju has spent the past 50 years living a pitiful existence in chains 24 hours a day, an act of intolerable cruelty. Every day, the majestic animal was forced to hold out his trunk and beg for coins from passers-by - surviving only on plastic and paper for food The elephant was left bleeding from spiked shackles and living on hand-outs from passing tourists after he was captured by his 'owner' Wildlife SOS vet Dr Yaduraj Khadpekar tries to free Raju from the chains which he was kept in for 50 years Wildlife SOS founder Kartick Satyanarayan said: 'The chains around his legs had spikes which were cutting into his flesh - and each time he moved puss would ooze out of wounds. Pain and brutality were all he knew' ‘The team were astounded to see tears roll down his face during the rescue. It was so incredibly emotional for all of us. We knew in our hearts he realised he was being freed. ‘Elephants are not only majestic, but they are highly intelligent animals, who have been proven to have feelings of grief, so we can only imagine what torture half a century has been like for him. ‘Until we stepped in he'd never known what it is like to walk free of his shackles – it's a truly pitiful case. ‘But today he knows what freedom is and he will learn what kindness feels like and what it's like to not suffer any more.’ The daring rescue came exactly a year to the day since the charity was alerted to Raju's plight by the Uttar Pradesh Forest Department in India. A confiscation process went through the courts as Raju's owner did not have any legal documents for his possession meaning the charity could rescue him from suffering. It is not known exactly how Raju came into his plight, as little is known about his early years, but the charity believes he was poached from his mother as a young calf. Ms Binepal said: ‘The poachers either slaughter the mother, or they drive the herd into traps that are small enough only for the babies to fall into. The mother cries for her baby for days after he's been stolen – it is a sickening trade. ‘The calves are then tied and beaten until they submit to their owners – their spirits are effectively broken. ‘We discovered Raju's case was particularly tragic. ‘He'd been poached as a calf and then he has been sold on and sold on. Incredibly we believe he has had up to 27 owners – he's been treated as a commodity every two years of his life. ‘By the time we found him in July 2013 he was in a pathetic condition. He had no shelter at night, and was being used as a prop to beg from dawn until dusk from tourists visiting the sites of India. ‘He hasn't been fed properly and tourists started giving him sweet food items and because he was in a state of hunger and exhaustion he began eating plastic and paper. ‘His nails are severely overgrown, he has abscesses and wounds because of the shackles and continually walking on a tarmac road has led to his foot pad overgrowing.’ Once the court order was finally issued, a team led by Wildlife SOS founder Kartick Satyanarayan carried out two days of surveillance before launching the rescue. Over the weekend, Raju received emergency medical attention to his wounds as well as a bath and food Mr Satyanarayan said: ‘As we watched we quickly realised we had to act as quickly as possible as his situation was so desperate and the cruelty so extreme so we decided to move the rescue forward by a day. ‘The chains around his legs had spikes which were cutting into his flesh – and each time he moved puss would ooze out of wounds. Pain and brutality were all he knew. ‘His cruel handler even tore out the hair from his tail to sell as good luck charms. The exploitation and abuse just had to stop.’ However, even on Thursday evening as the mercy mission began, Raju's owner tried to prevent his rescue. Mr Satyanarayan said: ‘He began to shout commands to terrify Raju – and try to provoke him. ‘It created an incredibly dangerous situation as a bull elephant could snap a human like a tooth pick if he becomes afraid or angry. ‘When that failed he then put a series of chains around his legs in an attempt to prevent us removing him – so viciously tight that were cutting into his legs. ‘But we stood our ground and refused to back down – and as we did so, tears began to roll down Raju's face. Some no doubt were due to the pain being inflicted by the chains, but he also seemed to sense that change was coming. It was as if he felt hope for the first time in a very long time. ‘We knew it was now or never so we made the drastic decision to move his transportation truck closer and then walk him 200 yards. ‘Every step would have been agony, but we had to take him, or he could have vanished forever. We decided we'd remove the shackles once we'd got him to safety.’ Incredibly, Raju calmly complied, despite every step causing searing agony. ‘It was as if he knew we wanted to help him,’ Mr Satyanarayan said. Once he was loaded, and given additional sedation, a convoy then escorted the five-and-a-half tonne elephant, 350 miles on the back of an open-top lorry to the charity's Elephant Conservation and Care Centre at Mathura. ‘Incredibly he stepped out of his truck and took his first step to freedom at one minute past midnight on July 4th, which felt so extraordinarily fitting,’ Mr Satyanarayan said. ‘The other elephants in the sanctuary awoke from their sleep as we pulled in and came to have a look – it was an extraordinary moment.’ Raju was then fed bananas, banana leaves, mango and bread and biscuits and given water before the charity's head wildlife vet Dr Yaduraj Khadpekar began the painstaking process of removing his shackles. Mr Satyanarayan said: ‘It took him and two handlers 45 minutes to liberate him as they'd been wound round his legs to prevent their removal and to cause pain if anyone tried to take them off. ‘We all had tears in our eyes as the last rope which held the final spike was cut and Raju took his first steps of freedom. ‘The entire team were exhausted, but incredibly elated as he has suffered such unthinkable abuse and trauma for so, so long. He'd been beaten so badly, his spirit is broken.' A 10-strong team of vets and wildlife experts from the charity were joined by 20 forestry department officers and six policemen to seize Raju from his suffering in the Uttar Pradesh area Over the weekend, Raju received emergency medical attention to his wounds as well as a proper bath and food. ‘It will be a long rehabilitation process, but we will teach him that humans don't mean pain and brutality, but it's going to take time,’ Mr Satyanarayan said. ‘When he is ready he will initially join two companion elephants called Rajesh and Bhola, who once also suffered unthinkable cruelty. ‘They've both been rehabilitated and once he settles he will learn how to live again by following their example, before he joins the rest of the elephants – including five flirtatious females to live out his days. ‘But for the moment he's tasting freedom for the first time in his life and he'll spend the rest of his life in a safe compound living out his days in dignity, free from suffering and pain.’ 5 1 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob_Zepp Posted July 2, 2018 Share Posted July 2, 2018 1 hour ago, RUPERTKBD said: So I came across a story that I wanted to post, but it didn't really belong in any of the current threads and I didn't think it really needed it's own. So I created this thread as a repository for notable world events that don't need an entire thread dedicated to them. I wanted to start it off with some good news for a change and this is great news coming from Thailand: https://www.cnn.com/2018/07/02/asia/thai-cave-rescue-intl/index.html I had been following this story for the past week and a bit, and I have to say that as time went on, I was becoming less optimistic. I was very happy to see this headline this morning. World Cup Football on the TV and good news about another soccer team in the headlines. Pretty good way to start a holiday Monday... So nice to see a positive story that doesn't have a single shred of divisive politics in disguise on that news network. This was a story of interest that I too was growing increasingly pessimistic as that region is very thick jungle and I could see in my mind's eye the challenge of finding them being beyond difficult. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RUPERTKBD Posted July 3, 2018 Author Share Posted July 3, 2018 It's another one of those debates that we have here in society: When does trophy hunting become "conservation"? https://www.msn.com/en-ca/news/world/american-hunter-defends-black-giraffe-trophy-kill-after-images-posing-with-corpse-spark-outrage/ar-AAzwjPG?li=AAggNb9 Quote A woman who sparked outcry when photographs of her posing with the corpse of 18-year-old giraffe she had shot went viral, has defended her actions and said she was carrying out “conservation”. Tess Thompson Talley, who lives in Kentucky, posted the images of herself with the animal taken during a hunting trip to South Africa last year. “Prayers for my once in a lifetime dream hunt came true today,” Ms Talley, 37, wrote. “Spotted this rare black giraffe bull and stalked him for quite awhile. I knew it was the one. He was over 18 years old, 4,000 lbs and was blessed to be able to get 2,000 lbs of meat from him.” Personally, I doubt this had anything to do with "prayers being answered", or being "blessed", (I don't believe in God, but if I did, I doubt that he'd sanction the killing of one of his creatures, just for the sake of mounting it's head on a wall and I definitely believe he wouldn't help in the effort) Also, I really have to wonder how the killing of a rare animal can be considered "conservation". I'm sure one of out local hunting aficionados will be along shortly to explain. And giraffe "meat"? Really? I find that hard to swallow... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RUPERTKBD Posted July 3, 2018 Author Share Posted July 3, 2018 BTW: I heard on Cuomo last night that those kids in Thailand are stuck in that cave for a while yet. The caves are flooded and they have to teach the kids to dive in muddy water where visibility is basically zero. According to a former Navy Seal that CC interviewed, it's extremely dangerous for an experienced diver, let alone a neophyte. Right now there in the process of bringing 4 months worth of food into the cave, while the kids go through the learning process. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob_Zepp Posted July 4, 2018 Share Posted July 4, 2018 What the fox is on that iceberg? FacebookTwitterEmailRedditMore These fishermen were not looking for anything other than crabs when they set sail on Friday, but then they saw a small dark shape on top of an iceberg. Alan Russell and his crew from Labrador, Newfoundland were roughly 4 miles (7 kilometers) away from shore when they spotted the critter perched atop of the makeshift raft. When they sailed closer, they found that it was a little Arctic fox, soaking wet and shivering from the cold. Initially, the fishermen tried to pluck the fox from the ice, but it was too skittish to let them get close enough. The team then resorted to breaking the ice pan with their boat and fishing the fox out of the water with a net. The crew looked after the fox, but it refused to eat anything that they offered it. WATCH: Audacious Arctic Fox Persuades Ice Fisherman to Share His Precious Catch Russell’s boat eventually stopped for supplies at a nearby harbor where they bought a package of sawdust to help the fox dry off. Not only that, they finally found a treat that appealed to their rescued friend: Vienna sausages. The crew managed to nurse the fox back to health by keeping it warm and feeding it sausages. By the time it was strong enough to be released back into the wild, it had developed a friendly bond with its human companions. “He wasn’t aggressive at all,” Russell told CBC’s Labrador Morning. “After a while, when he was coming around, he liked us more, because we were feeding him. And he didn’t mind us after.” Russell guesses that the critter had been hunting for food on the ice pan when it broke off from the mainland and floated out to sea. “He probably only had another day or so on the ice floe, or it would have foundered,” he said. “And the way that the wind was, the ice was probably never going to go back into land. He’s a pretty lucky guy.” 2 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
riffraff Posted July 4, 2018 Share Posted July 4, 2018 Love these stories. hopefully he can adjust back into the wild after some care from humans. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
riffraff Posted July 4, 2018 Share Posted July 4, 2018 On 2018-07-03 at 7:41 AM, RUPERTKBD said: It's another one of those debates that we have here in society: When does trophy hunting become "conservation"? https://www.msn.com/en-ca/news/world/american-hunter-defends-black-giraffe-trophy-kill-after-images-posing-with-corpse-spark-outrage/ar-AAzwjPG?li=AAggNb9 Personally, I doubt this had anything to do with "prayers being answered", or being "blessed", (I don't believe in God, but if I did, I doubt that he'd sanction the killing of one of his creatures, just for the sake of mounting it's head on a wall and I definitely believe he wouldn't help in the effort) Also, I really have to wonder how the killing of a rare animal can be considered "conservation". I'm sure one of out local hunting aficionados will be along shortly to explain. And giraffe "meat"? Really? I find that hard to swallow... Horrible. You have to question the mentality of anyone travelling across the world to kill a beautiful animal.....a rare one at that. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post nuckin_futz Posted July 6, 2018 Popular Post Share Posted July 6, 2018 On 7/4/2018 at 1:06 PM, riffraff said: Horrible. You have to question the mentality of anyone travelling across the world to kill a beautiful animal.....a rare one at that. You're probably going to like this one. ......... A Pride of Lions Killed and Ate a Group of Rhino Poachers Who Broke Into a Wildlife Reserve A group of rhino poachers were eaten by a pride of lions in Kenton-on-the-Sea, according to the owner of the South African wildlife reserve where the incident happened. The remains of what appears to be three bodies were discovered on the Simbuya Game Reserve along with high power rifles owner Nick Fox said in a statement. Fox said the poachers’ mangled remains are suspected to have been eaten by a pride of six lions who were on the reservation to protect the endangered and highly targeted rhinos who are hunted for their horns. The poachers entered the reserve with a slew of weapons — including a high-powered rifle with a silencer, an axe, wire cutters and food supplies for a number of days — on the night of July 1 or the early hours of July 2. Fox, who said the reserve has had previous run ins with poachers, said that the supplies found are all the hallmarks of “a gang intent on killing rhino and removing their horns.” The wildlife reserve’s owners became aware that something was wrong when anti-poaching dogs alerted a handler, who then heard a loud commotion coming from the lions. Fox said a field guide alerted the Anti-Poaching Unit that there appeared to be human remains and poaching weapons near the lions earlier this week. He then alerted local authorities and the Association of Eastern Cape Game Reserves. As of Thursday, it is not clear exactly how many poachers were killed, according to Fox, but local police are still investigating. https://www.yahoo.com/news/pride-lions-killed-ate-group-200757005.html 2 1 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
riffraff Posted July 6, 2018 Share Posted July 6, 2018 5 hours ago, nuckin_futz said: You're probably going to like this one. ......... A Pride of Lions Killed and Ate a Group of Rhino Poachers Who Broke Into a Wildlife Reserve A group of rhino poachers were eaten by a pride of lions in Kenton-on-the-Sea, according to the owner of the South African wildlife reserve where the incident happened. The remains of what appears to be three bodies were discovered on the Simbuya Game Reserve along with high power rifles owner Nick Fox said in a statement. Fox said the poachers’ mangled remains are suspected to have been eaten by a pride of six lions who were on the reservation to protect the endangered and highly targeted rhinos who are hunted for their horns. The poachers entered the reserve with a slew of weapons — including a high-powered rifle with a silencer, an axe, wire cutters and food supplies for a number of days — on the night of July 1 or the early hours of July 2. Fox, who said the reserve has had previous run ins with poachers, said that the supplies found are all the hallmarks of “a gang intent on killing rhino and removing their horns.” The wildlife reserve’s owners became aware that something was wrong when anti-poaching dogs alerted a handler, who then heard a loud commotion coming from the lions. Fox said a field guide alerted the Anti-Poaching Unit that there appeared to be human remains and poaching weapons near the lions earlier this week. He then alerted local authorities and the Association of Eastern Cape Game Reserves. As of Thursday, it is not clear exactly how many poachers were killed, according to Fox, but local police are still investigating. https://www.yahoo.com/news/pride-lions-killed-ate-group-200757005.html Would love to be in on the animal chat around the drinking hole that day! go nature go! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sean Monahan Posted July 6, 2018 Share Posted July 6, 2018 On 2018-07-03 at 7:41 AM, RUPERTKBD said: It's another one of those debates that we have here in society: When does trophy hunting become "conservation"? https://www.msn.com/en-ca/news/world/american-hunter-defends-black-giraffe-trophy-kill-after-images-posing-with-corpse-spark-outrage/ar-AAzwjPG?li=AAggNb9 Personally, I doubt this had anything to do with "prayers being answered", or being "blessed", (I don't believe in God, but if I did, I doubt that he'd sanction the killing of one of his creatures, just for the sake of mounting it's head on a wall and I definitely believe he wouldn't help in the effort) Also, I really have to wonder how the killing of a rare animal can be considered "conservation". I'm sure one of out local hunting aficionados will be along shortly to explain. And giraffe "meat"? Really? I find that hard to swallow... Tough to read stuff like that. What an asshat. Hopefully nature gets its revenge in the not-too-distant future. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shift-4 Posted July 6, 2018 Share Posted July 6, 2018 http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/japan-executes-leader-sarin-attack-aum-shinrikyo-cult-1.4736332 Leaving this here. I was unaware Japan had the death penalty. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RUPERTKBD Posted July 6, 2018 Author Share Posted July 6, 2018 (edited) 11 minutes ago, Shift-4 said: http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/japan-executes-leader-sarin-attack-aum-shinrikyo-cult-1.4736332 Leaving this here. I was unaware Japan had the death penalty. Yeah, saw that this morning. I'm personally anti Death penalty, but the world is probably better off without these guys. I think I knew that Japan had Capital punishment, it's just that they don't use it often. Edited July 6, 2018 by RUPERTKBD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RUPERTKBD Posted July 6, 2018 Author Share Posted July 6, 2018 The Thai cave saga is not over yet.... https://www.cnn.com/2018/07/05/asia/thai-cave-diver-intl/index.html Quote Pressure is mounting on Thai authorities to bring forward a rescue plan for 12 boys and their coach trapped deep inside a flooded cave in northern Thailand, after the death of a former navy diver and a drop in oxygen levels underground. Officials initially thought they could keep the boys and their coach in the cave where they are trapped for up to four months, until waters dropped sufficiently for them to be able to walk out. But the death of a rescue team member, and the realization that oxygen levels have fallen to potentially dangerous levels, appears to have forced a reassessment of the situation. Sad news....hopefully they can figure something out soon... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CBH1926 Posted July 7, 2018 Share Posted July 7, 2018 Lot of stupid people in the world these days. https://www.si.com/soccer/2018/06/24/jimmy-durmaz-sweden-racial-abuse-social-media-germany-loss-world-cup Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gnarcore Posted July 9, 2018 Share Posted July 9, 2018 On 7/6/2018 at 10:23 AM, Shift-4 said: http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/japan-executes-leader-sarin-attack-aum-shinrikyo-cult-1.4736332 Leaving this here. I was unaware Japan had the death penalty. They don't let you know when it's coming either. Every day you wake up they could come by and drag you off to be killed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RUPERTKBD Posted July 10, 2018 Author Share Posted July 10, 2018 I've antagonized a few of the religious CDCers on these boards over the years....this story is one of the reasons that I do so: https://www.msn.com/en-ca/news/world/faith-healer-parents-plead-guilty-in-the-death-of-baby-after-they-chose-prayer-over-medical-help/ar-AAzQ0Ws?li=AAggNb9 Quote The parents of an infant twin girl who died hours after her birth in 2017 pled guilty on Monday. The couple, Sarah Mitchell, 25, and Travis Lee Mitchell, 22, pled guilty to negligent homicide and criminal mistreatment in the death of their daughter Gennifer Mitchell, according to the Associated Press. The two are members of the Followers of Christ church, a small religious group that rejects medical care in favor of faith-healing. Sarah gave birth to another child, Gennifer’s twin, Evelyn, who survived after a deputy medical examiner visiting the home because of the other baby’s death, noticed the still-living twin was also struggling to breathe, the AP reported. Sarah did not know she was expecting twins or when she was due as she did not have any prenatal care. The court heard that after being born the child struggled to breathe for a number of hours and members of the church were instructed to pray or lay hands on the dying baby but no one called 911. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
riffraff Posted July 13, 2018 Share Posted July 13, 2018 http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/girl-feeding-bear-through-patio-door-1.4743928 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shift-4 Posted July 13, 2018 Share Posted July 13, 2018 13 hours ago, riffraff said: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/girl-feeding-bear-through-patio-door-1.4743928 Soon to be Darwin candidates Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
riffraff Posted July 13, 2018 Share Posted July 13, 2018 3 minutes ago, Shift-4 said: Soon to be Darwin candidates Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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