An attraction to avoid

[trinder]

This article is definitely not a pop at my best friend Dunc http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree ... china-zoos

[gregorach]

This article is definitely not a pop at my best friend Dunc http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree ... china-zoos

Love the last bit!

On a similar note: Pandas already drunk.

On a more serious note, I'm definitely not a fan of zoos. Still, I have a hard time getting too worked up about a species that seems absolutely determined to become extinct... And anybody who doesn't believe that the panda deal is all about Sino-Scottish trade and diplomacy should probably be in a zoo themselves. Quite what the proper approach to China should be in this day and age is a tricky question...

[the.fee.fairy]

must stay quiet...must stay quiet...

I'm pretty pro-china...living here and all that...

Sometimes I find it pretty hypocritical of people who have never visited and spoken to the Chinese citizens to start complaining about something they know nothing about - the Human Rights record is not great. It's downright awful in the past.

However...I can go out on a Friday night and not have to worry about knife-fights, drunken people vomiting in the street and general anti-social behaviour...

And to be fair, most of the Western World has a pretty dire Human Rights record.

and..to talk about the pandas...there is a lot more squealing going on here over them. I've visited the sanctuary in Sichuan and Chinese girly squeals are amazing! I did NOT pay to hold the babies or hug the adults though...at least they're not doing that in Edinburgh. The pandas are probably pretty happy for the rest!

argh...failed at staying quiet...

[The Riff-Raff Element]

On a more serious note, I'm definitely not a fan of zoos. Still, I have a hard time getting too worked up about a species that seems absolutely determined to become extinct... And anybody who doesn't believe that the panda deal is all about Sino-Scottish trade and diplomacy should probably be in a zoo themselves. Quite what the proper approach to China should be in this day and age is a tricky question...

Well, quite. And all that stuff about only eating bamboo shoots. It seems that pandas - being bears - should be amongst the more omnivorous of species. Yet they would rather starve than change diet. What's the point of trying to preserve a species that doesn't want to be saved?

My veiw? Slaughter them all.

Then sell off the wobbley bits to practitioners of "traditional medicine," and use the proceeds to get the skins properly stuffed for permanent display in musems.

Of course, this would mean the WWF having to change all their stationery.

[gregorach]

And to be fair, most of the Western World has a pretty dire Human Rights record.

Entirely true. The wonderful thing about outsourcing our economy to China is that we get them to do everything we used to, and then we get to complain about it, whilst still enjoying all the benefits.

At least they're not bombing anybody at the minute, or assassinating people with flying kill-bots...

[the.fee.fairy]

At least they're not bombing anybody at the minute, or assassinating people with flying kill-bots...

They were thinking about it for a while when they had a falling-out with North Korea. They opened their jackets said 'here be nukes' and North Korea shut up for a while...

[trinder]

Fee Fairy I have no wish to offend. My views on one ( in this case two Pandas) being sacrificed for the good of preserving the species, is that it is wrong. If these panda's are going to extinction -so be it but these two individuals should not have to sacrifice their own lifestyle. Most importantly as has already been said it, for most people, it really isn't about the Panda's .

[the.fee.fairy]

I'm not offended by you!!

I'm offended by the writer of the article who equates a couple of endangered animals with human rights...

Pandas are an odd species...they do seem determined to die out. My ex had a friend who studied pandas for a while for a zoology degree. In the six months she spent watching them they haver had penetrative sex...only oral sex. They were addicted to going down on each other, but nothing else!!

I don't even get offended to be honest, just a little pi55ed off at people who talk about China and immediately jump on the 'Human Rights' arguments...China is a massive country with many wonderful people in it. It's a bit like the people that equate America with guns, or the Africa with starvation and Dubai with Sharia Law.

[Paul_C]

to be honest i am loving the recent load of chinese films made for them by them. realy give and insight into the mindset. and frankly as bits of cinema they are amazing as well