The Imponderable Pandering to Pandas

Posted by Unknown On Saturday, June 16, 2012 1 comments

Where the conservation of species is concerned, the giant panda is surely the most powerful symbol in the world. Recent developments indicate that panda diplomacy is now in vogue.


In the third national census conducted by WWF in 2004, it is estimated that there are about 1600 left in the wild - an increase of more than 40 percent previously known to exist. The 2004 survey showed that there are 23,049km2 of panda habitat in China.

A national treasure in China, the panda is also the symbol of the World Wildlife Foundation since its formation in 1961.

According to THIS LINK:

Pandas live mainly bamboo forests high in the mountains of western China. Most of the wild population being distributed between the Qinling and Minshan Mountains.



Pandas eat the leaves, stems, and shoots of various bamboo species.

Since bamboo contains very little nutritional value, pandas must eat 12-38kg every day to meet their energy needs.

About 1% of their diet is made up of other plants and meat. Sometimes,  the panda will hunt for pikas and other small rodents.

Pandas belong to the bear family and have the same digestive system of a carnivore. However, due to environmental factors, they have adapted to a vegetarian diet.

Hence, it is essential that they live close to areas where bamboo is abundant. A key threat to their survival is the loss of bamboo habitat.

Wikipedia refers to "Panda Diplomacy" as China's use of Giant Pandas as diplomatic gifts to other countries. The practice existed as far back as the Tang Dynasty, when Empress Wu Zetian (625–705) sent a pair of pandas to the Japanese emperor. From 1958 to 1982, China gave 23 pandas to nine different countries.

By 1984, however, pandas were no longer used purely as agents of diplomacy. Instead, China began to offer pandas to other nations only on ten-year loans. The standard loan terms include a fee of up to US$1,000,000 per year and a provision that any cubs born during the loan be the property of the People's Republic of China. Since 1998, because of a World Wildlife Fund lawsuit, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service allows a U.S. zoo to import a panda only if the zoo can ensure that China will channel more than half of its loan fee into conservation efforts for wild pandas and their habitat.
Pandas have become important diplomatic symbols, not only to China. In a visit by Hu Jintao to Japan in May 2008, China announced the loan of two Pandas to Japan. The President was quoted as saying "Giant pandas are very popular among the Japanese, and they are a symbol of the friendly ties between Japan and China." CLICK HERE for more.

The Star reported that Malaysians will soon be able to see the iconic but endangered Giant Panda in real life. China will loan two baby pandas to the country for 10 years.

This follows an agreement between the Government and China Wildlife Conservation Association, in commemoration of the countries' 40th anniversary of diplomatic relationship, the Natural Resources and Environment Ministry said in a statement yesterday.

According to a Bernama statement:

The pair of panda bears, on loan to Malaysia by China, will be placed at the Wetland Park in Putrajaya because of its location which is in the country’s administrative centre, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz said today.

He said the choice of the Wetland Park was made also because it was easy for the people to go.

“We appreciate the panda bears because they symbolise the close relationship between Malaysia and China.

“The people should have access to the bears and we choose the Wetland Park because the place is easy for the people to go,” he told reporters after the 1 Malaysia community gotong-royong with participants of the National Service Training Programme at Kampung Sauk here.

Can you imagine the cost of maintaining those pandas? And at whose expense? Is it justified?

Well, we need not go to Putrajaya or China to see pandas! Atlanta Zoo runs a live cam for its Pandas. The site said that thanks to a generous gift from EarthCam, fans all over the world can continue to enjoy watching Zoo Atlanta’s giant pandas.

The live stream will be broadcast Monday – Friday; 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. (EST) AT THIS LINK.

CLICK THIS LINK to enjoy lovable and cute photos of pandas FREE OF CHARGE :-).

Those endearing pictures of pandas will certainly provide comic relief for our reaction to the imponderable pandering of pandas!

Have a lovely evening!


Fathers' Day - How It Started

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To all fathers, grandfathers, godfathers and fathers-to-be, here's wishing you a very happy and blessed Fathers' Day. May you and your family have a wonderful time together today and everyday!

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Father's Day is a beautiful festival that acknowledges and appreciates the important role played by a father in raising the child and consequently building a stronger society. Though fathers have been revered at all times by civilizations across the globe ironically what was missing until the last century was the official recognition of the significance of fathers in ones life.

Father's Day story is the tale of realization of the need for a Father's Day festival primarily by Ms Sonora Louise Smart Dodd of Washington. The story narrates Sonora's unflagging struggle to officially set a day to honor all fathers. Thanks to Sonora, today Fathers Day is celebrated in a large number of countries around the world.


The Beginning of Father's Day Story


Historians have recorded that there was a tradition to celebrate Father's Day even thousands of years ago. Their study say that 4,000 years ago in Babylon a son called Elmesu carved a father's day message on a clay card. In his message Elmesu wished his father a long and healthy life. There is no knowledge as to what happened to this father son duo but it is believed that several countries retained the custom of celebrating Father's Day.


Genesis of Father's Day in Modern Society
The tradition of celebrating Father's Day as seen today originated in the last century. Though there are several people who are credited for furthering the cause of Father's Day, there is far greater acceptance for Ms Sonora Louise Smart Dodd's contribution. A doting daughter from Spokane, Washington, Ms Dodd is recognized as the Founder or Mother of the Father's Day Festival.

The inception of the Father's Day took place in Sonora's mind when she happened to hear a Mother's Day sermon in 1909. Sonora, who was then 27, had begun to recognize the hardships her father must have gone through while bringing up his six children alone. When Sonora was 16, her mother had died during childbirth. Sonora's father a Civil War veteran by the name of William Jackson Smart raised six children including the newborn on his own. Sonora questioned that if there is a day to recognize mothers then why is not there a day to honor fathers?

Many people laughed and joked at Sonora's idea. But her will did not droop. She began a sincere campaign lobbying for the cause of Father's Day. Her hard work began to show signs of success when Spokane celebrated its first Father's Day on June 19, 1910 with the support of Spokane Ministerial Association and the local Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA). To pay tribute to her affectionate father, Sonora wished that Father's Day be celebrated on her father's birthday on June 5, but it so happened that there was not enough time for preparation and the day came to be celebrated on third Sunday in the month of June.

The noble idea of celebrating Father's Day became quite popular in US so much so that President Woodrow Wilson approved of the festival in 1916. President Calvin Coolidge too supported the idea but it was President Lyndon Johnson who signed a Presidential Proclamation declaring the third Sunday of June as Father's Day in 1966. Then in 1972, President Richard Nixon established a permanent national observance of Father's Day to be held on the third Sunday of June.

Fathers Day Celebration in Present Time
Father's Day has become a hugely popular festival. World over people thank their father and pay tribute to them. Most commonly children gift Father's Day cards and flowers to their father. Neckties are a popular gift on the occasion of Father's Day. Due to the tradition of giving gifts, cards makers, florists and gift sellers campaign for Father's Day Festival in a big way and cash in on the sentiments of the people.




How Things Have Changed

Posted by Unknown On 4 comments

Whilst it is true that things have changed, is it necessarily for the better? For example, whenever I see young toddlers playing with iPads, my heart is filled with worry. Will they be sensitive to nature, people and things around them or will they be devoid of emotions and believe that things can be compartmentalized with the click of the mouse? Please leave a comment to share your views. I have already tweaked the comment system so there are no more technical glitches. :-) Thanks! Have a great Saturday afternoon!











The Maths Lesson

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A little boy was doing his maths homework.

He said to himself, "Two plus five, the son of a b***h is seven.

Three plus six, the son of a b***h is nine..."

His mother heard what he was saying and gasped, "What are you doing?"

The little boy answered, "I'm doing my maths homework, Mom."

"And this is how your teacher taught you to do it?" the mother asked.

"Yes," he answered.

Infuriated, the mother went to school the next day and asked the teacher, "What are you teaching my son in maths?"

The teacher replied, "Right now, we are learning addition."

The mother asked, "And are you teaching them to say two plus two, the Son Of a B***h is four?"

After the teacher stopped laughing, she answered,

"What I taught them was, two plus two, THE SUM OF WHICH, is four."

HAVE A FABULOUS DAY !!

Life isn't about how to survive the storm,
But how to dance in the rain.....


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