15 November 2011

33 dead rhinoceros


The photo (credit Reuters/Bobby Yip, via the Telegraph) shows 33 rhino horns - part of a shipment seized by customs in Hong Kong.  All killed to satisfy the misconceptions of some ignorant people.  So very sad.

9 comments:

  1. Not to be overly pedantic, but there is no U in rhinoceros. I noticed it in the recent headline about the flying rhino too, but figured it was a one-time error, made in haste. Looks like one of those spelling bugbears that haunt us all!

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  2. Fixed (five times in the blog). Thank you.

    A modicum of pedantry is quite welcome at TYWKIWDBI. I'm delighted to have what amounts to a cadre of copyeditors double-checking everything I write. Earlier this year someone pointed out that I was consistently misspelling "no one" as "noone." I found that error dozens of times in back posts.

    Pointing out grammatical and spelling errors is kind of like telling another guy that his fly is unzipped. It's for his benefit.

    Thanks.

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  3. I would also like to comment that rhino horn isn't generally used as an aphrodesiac in China. Traditional Chinese Quackery uses it more for snakebites, hallucinations, typhoid, headaches, carbuncles, vomiting, food poisoning, and devil possession.

    I've also seen it mentioned that it will cure terminal brain cancer.

    Someone needs to start up the rumour mill and get it out there that cutting off, drying and snorting the balls of men who have used rhino horn makes the effect ten times more potent.

    Bunch of bastards...

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  4. This type of thing is the MAIN reason the rampant population growth in Asia scares me so badly.

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  5. I just want to clear up the common misconception you put in your post. Rhinoceros horn is most often used for the "cooling" effect in Chinese Traditional Medicine. It is prescribed for fevers.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhinoceros_horn#Horns

    Meg

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  6. Meg, Misconception or not, at the end of the day, the rhinos are dead and the "afflicted" individuals still will still have fevers/no boners. Rhino horns have no medical value (unless it is on a live rhino). The belief that horns, gall bladders, etc. instill medical benefits to the consumer is what allows this tragic farce to continue.

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  7. Apparently you're right, Meg. I was misinformed. I've altered the text. Thanks.

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  8. Black rhinos were recently pronounced extinct. Just sayin'.

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  9. thank you guys for caring for the RHINO. keep protecting them!

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