[Gerritsón]

hmmm.. I undertand your opinion..
It is a weird idea that we humans feel we have the right to put other animals in cages..
mixed feelings over here.

[queenofnerds]

It's always nice to see animals up close but yeah the larger animals I find it hard to see. When I went to London zoo the bears were rocking back and forth and they didn't look very happy there. I dont know they could have been perfectly happy but I wonder how they could be.

[milkisobel]

i thing they're really unhappy as it's extremely rare when mamals got babies in zoo, it's signifiant no? there is a zoo in switzerland near my place and it's probably one of the most horrible zoo i've never seen, wa really sad when i heard Björk love this place and visit it often with her girl so far from what i think she iis...

[Jordan~]

I've seen good zoos and bad zoos. I think if the visibility of the animals is a secondary concern to their wellbeing - you might see them if you stand at the viewing area for long enough, but there's not really any guarantee - and the exhibit is appropriately sized, landscaped etc. for the animal it contains, then it's basically like living in a hotel for them: artificial but quite luxurious. Really, I think landscaped artificial environments with platforms or elevated walkways for viewing purposes would be better than exhibits.
A lot of the social animals react better to it, I think, because they form bonds with the zookeepers and that's all it really takes for them to be happy. Most of the time a canine or ape looks delighted to see its keepers because it knows them. It's worst for the rangy, solitary predators, like some of the big cats.
Also, some species only exist today because they've been successfully bred in captivity.
I don't think zookeepers, unless they fork out for climate-controlled exhibits, should stray outside of the local climate in deciding what animals to keep - keeping polar bears in a tropical zoo is plain cruel. I'm not sure if Edinburgh Zoo still has a polar bear, but he must have been delighted this winter when the snow was more than a foot deep all over the country if they do.

[polliwog]

Perhaps we should extend the idea of the zoo as a money-maker. If people are willing to pay so they can view first-hand the so-called wild animals of Earth, why not do the same for the wild members of humanity? Why not modify prisons so that paying customers can safely take guided tours? Why rely on tabloid news to tell you how Charlie Manson is handling his latest parole rejection? See for yourself! And just think; the cost of your ticket will help off-set the cost to taxpayers of keeping those 'animals' locked up! Who knows...maybe they'll even throw shit at you like some of the primates do. What fun!

OMG! Another brilliant idea just hit me! Why not allow people to pay for the experience of a day, a week, or a month in jail or prison? You know, something that would not mark them permanently as a criminal, but would let them see and feel first-hand what it is like to be incarcerated and be in mortal danger every minute of the day. Sounds crazy, but I'd bet there would be willing customers. Sky-diving, surfing in shark-infested waters, rock-climbing, white-water kayaking. Plenty of people pay, directly or indirectly, to do those things. Why not 'walking the yard' at Folsom, Soledad, San Quentin, etc.? What a rush!

[Jordan~]

I would like to go to a zoo where a primatologist who likes gorillas more than people introduces you to some gorillas, and there are no fences.
Also one where there's just wolves who are used to seeing people. Maybe just huskies. Lots of huskies in a big forest with people in huts to make sure they're all right.

[queenofnerds]

Yay day of rest walks by the Thames and shopping are in order I think.

[milkisobel]

but it's too hot to go outside!!

[queenofnerds]

it is really flippin' hot today. I am gonna do myself up nice and look perty and go girly shopping, that is the plan and hot weather just can't get in the way of that. That is not happening

Been playing the piano and relaxing it's been so nice. Listening to audiobooks. Oh it's so good

[milkisobel]

hum i love how your day sounds, perhaps will i play little harp, got a nap, sew a little my new dress i'm making and buy henna for hair!

[queenofnerds]

I should have stayed in! I am all red now, got sunburnt
damn my need to shop

[Jordan~]

It was raining here. On the "hottest day of the year".

[milkisobel]

i love great britain

[ursulabear]

my internet is back! huzzah!

[Gerritsón]

TERRORIZE UZ !!1!1


...by the way, am I right that:

Jordan and Tom live in England,
Queenie, Ursula, Polli in the USA
and Milki in France?

[Jordan~]

Scotland at the moment, in fact. And for the next year. I have Cambridge, England as my location because I was there for two months and I refuse to change it back until I've returned and left triumphant, not coughing my lungs up and on death's door!

[queenofnerds]

I am from London. I have a bit of cockney accent

[Ann]

I have a bit of an American accent. (Commonly confused with southern... we're not all southern, amazingly.)

[queenofnerds]

I don't really mind having a cockney accent really. The last place I worked at they all took the piss out of me saying8 I was 8gonna stab them and steal their wallets 8
The 8 on my keyboard is stuck so I keep tying 8 oh god!

[queenofnerds]

Changed my keyboard now! I have an interview for a full time job tomorrow, nervous.