Oryx ovation...

The BBC reports that the keepers at Chester Zoo, commenting on the birth of four Scimitar-Horned Oryx calves, say it "will play a vital part in the conservation of the species." they're not kidding: the Scimitar-Horned Oryx were hunted for their horns, almost to extinction (despite there being a few unconfirmed sightings of them in the wild). Naturally, being docile, ruminant, cloven-hooved and used to arid/near-desert conditions with the ability to go without water for long periods - if you want to know the details..."because their kidneys prevent loss of water from urination and they can modify their body temperature to avoid perspiration." - OK?...all this means that despite the 'EW' (Extinct in the Wild see below) they are 'thriving' in pampered captivity.

"As the name implies, this antelope's most distinctive feature is its impressive scimitar shaped horns, up to 125cm long. It is the only oryx whose horns curve backwards." [Chester Zoo] The calves are still with their mums but will be weaned towards the end of summer; proud father Ronnie only arrived last year; he fathered all four calves so there's no doubt that he clearly understands what he was brought to the zoo to do!

The breed is listed on the World Conservation Union (IUCN) list as extinct in the wild.

Image link to Wikipedia IUCN breed status definitions...

Oryx ovation...

The BBC reports that the keepers at Chester Zoo, commenting on the birth of four Scimitar-Horned Oryx calves, say it "will play a vital part in the conservation of the species." they're not kidding: the Scimitar-Horned Oryx were hunted for their horns, almost to extinction (despite there being a few unconfirmed sightings of them in the wild). Naturally, being docile, ruminant, cloven-hooved and used to arid/near-desert conditions with the ability to go without water for long periods - if you want to know the details..."because their kidneys prevent loss of water from urination and they can modify their body temperature to avoid perspiration." - OK?...all this means that despite the 'EW' (Extinct in the Wild see below) they are 'thriving' in pampered captivity.

"As the name implies, this antelope's most distinctive feature is its impressive scimitar shaped horns, up to 125cm long. It is the only oryx whose horns curve backwards." [Chester Zoo] The calves are still with their mums but will be weaned towards the end of summer; proud father Ronnie only arrived last year; he fathered all four calves so there's no doubt that he clearly understands what he was brought to the zoo to do!

The breed is listed on the World Conservation Union (IUCN) list as extinct in the wild.

Image link to Wikipedia IUCN breed status definitions...

Oncoming oceans...

By 'oceans' of course I mean clear blue water...and at last there is some in UK politics: my favourite MEP, Daniel Hannan, asks in his DT blog "Will David Cameron be Britain's first Euro-sceptic Prime Minister?

"David Cameron has just confirmed that, if ratification of the European Constitution Lisbon Treaty were not complete in every one of the 27 EU states, an incoming Conservative Government would carry out its promise to hold a referendum and recommend a 'No' vote."

I love this bit: "The Euro-phile Andrew Marr assumed an expression of almost Paxmanesque incredulity"...and I've left the orignal link to Hannan's post re bias and BBC political editors last year.

This is a vote winner: I still think the the seeming self-destruction of New labour isn't enough and the Conservatives should stick the boot in while they can...after all, a week is a long time in politics :-)

Oncoming oceans...

By 'oceans' of course I mean clear blue water...and at last there is some in UK politics: my favourite MEP, Daniel Hannan, asks in his DT blog "Will David Cameron be Britain's first Euro-sceptic Prime Minister?

"David Cameron has just confirmed that, if ratification of the European Constitution Lisbon Treaty were not complete in every one of the 27 EU states, an incoming Conservative Government would carry out its promise to hold a referendum and recommend a 'No' vote."

I love this bit: "The Euro-phile Andrew Marr assumed an expression of almost Paxmanesque incredulity"...and I've left the orignal link to Hannan's post re bias and BBC political editors last year.

This is a vote winner: I still think the the seeming self-destruction of New labour isn't enough and the Conservatives should stick the boot in while they can...after all, a week is a long time in politics :-)

Great thread... (BBC Radio Five Live UK News Message Board) on which the following test was posted; I'm 30% Chav...(oh the shame)!! Do the quiz and find out what you are!

The chav Test!

Great thread... (BBC Radio Five Live UK News Message Board) on which the following test was posted; I'm 30% Chav...(oh the shame)!! Do the quiz and find out what you are!

The chav Test!

Oval Office Obama offensive?...

Offensive in both senses of the word. Not very polemic...NOT MUCH! The excellent blogging internet newspaper The Huffington Post reports it thus: "The illustration, by Barry Blitt, is called "The Politics of Fear" and, "according to the NYer press release, satirizes the use of scare tactics and misinformation in the Presidential election to derail Barack Obama's campaign." Uh-huh. What's that they say about repeating a rumor?" And their updates on both the artist and The New Yorker editor comments:

Update: Artist Barry Blitt: "It seemed to me that depicting the concept would show it as the fear-mongering ridiculousness that it is."

Update II: New Yorker editor David Remnick call the cover "satire" targeting not Obama, but the "absurdity" of the rumors flying about him."

OK, a bit tenuous to say the least...but I'm not sure that's how the cartoon will be/is being judged but it will sure spice up the election campaign: the image has it all...'Muslim' Obama, his wife with a Black Panther (??) afro and gear - "packing a machine gun and some serious ammo". Osama bin Laden picture on the wall and not forgetting the Stars and Stripes burning away on the fire! No holds barred!!! (click on image for full story)

Oval Office Obama offensive?...

Offensive in both senses of the word. Not very polemic...NOT MUCH! The excellent blogging internet newspaper The Huffington Post reports it thus: "The illustration, by Barry Blitt, is called "The Politics of Fear" and, "according to the NYer press release, satirizes the use of scare tactics and misinformation in the Presidential election to derail Barack Obama's campaign." Uh-huh. What's that they say about repeating a rumor?" And their updates on both the artist and The New Yorker editor comments:

Update: Artist Barry Blitt: "It seemed to me that depicting the concept would show it as the fear-mongering ridiculousness that it is."

Update II: New Yorker editor David Remnick call the cover "satire" targeting not Obama, but the "absurdity" of the rumors flying about him."

OK, a bit tenuous to say the least...but I'm not sure that's how the cartoon will be/is being judged but it will sure spice up the election campaign: the image has it all...'Muslim' Obama, his wife with a Black Panther (??) afro and gear - "packing a machine gun and some serious ammo". Osama bin Laden picture on the wall and not forgetting the Stars and Stripes burning away on the fire! No holds barred!!! (click on image for full story)

Obvolute ocracy...

Overlapping and overflowing and ever outwards...or at least I hope not.

"The proposed Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) of 27 European Union countries and at least 13 countries from the Maghreb and Arab region may prove stillborn, analysts say."

[IPS: Inter Press Service]
Perhaps the keeness of the French to warm up the unfinished meal that was the Barcelona process - an initiative of cooperation between the EU and 12 Maghreb/Med coast countries launched in 1995 [EUROMED] - is an attempt at to move the goalposts yet again only this time in favour of the French. Ironically enough, Dominique Moïsi (senior adviser at the French Institute for International Relations) - although in favour of the idea despite it being mismanaged - sees something similar: according to IPS he says "the French attempt to make geography and its former colonial links to the Maghreb region the leading criteria for UfM was "the secret vice in the project".

Funnily enough many, including the Libyans,[Eurity TV] (amongst others) believe it is adding too much politics to what was, and should stay, a trading block...where have I heard that before!...back in the EU we're being told it's Nice or Lisbon...take your pick...I vote "none of the above".

obvolute adj. - over-lapping; twisted. obvolution, n.
ocracy n. - government [as always, from Luciferous Logolepsy]

Obvolute ocracy...

Overlapping and overflowing and ever outwards...or at least I hope not.

"The proposed Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) of 27 European Union countries and at least 13 countries from the Maghreb and Arab region may prove stillborn, analysts say."

[IPS: Inter Press Service]
Perhaps the keeness of the French to warm up the unfinished meal that was the Barcelona process - an initiative of cooperation between the EU and 12 Maghreb/Med coast countries launched in 1995 [EUROMED] - is an attempt at to move the goalposts yet again only this time in favour of the French. Ironically enough, Dominique Moïsi (senior adviser at the French Institute for International Relations) - although in favour of the idea despite it being mismanaged - sees something similar: according to IPS he says "the French attempt to make geography and its former colonial links to the Maghreb region the leading criteria for UfM was "the secret vice in the project".

Funnily enough many, including the Libyans,[Eurity TV] (amongst others) believe it is adding too much politics to what was, and should stay, a trading block...where have I heard that before!...back in the EU we're being told it's Nice or Lisbon...take your pick...I vote "none of the above".

obvolute adj. - over-lapping; twisted. obvolution, n.
ocracy n. - government [as always, from Luciferous Logolepsy]

Objicient Oriol's orthopraxy...

Update 11th July: It's not over yet! Resignations force Laporta into new Barca vote [Yahoo! SPORTS ] You have to feel for the new coach Guardiola...he could have done without all this...and I hope Hleb's happy: well good riddance to him.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Oriol Giralt gets it right: Oriol is the FCB member that was heading the motion for a vote of censure against the current president and board. The vote took place on Sunday 6th at Camp Nou - coinciding with my visit there - and 40 thousand members voted (about a third of the total Barça membership). He said that the vote of censure wouldn't cause any strife among the fans adding that it was...

"a democratic exercise which could not possibly cause any social division"

He requested that the Board "read into the results and analyse them profoundly as this is a really good result for us". What may surprise many is that despite the 'yes' vote for the censure motion being the choice of the majority (60.60%), it wasn't the 66.6% necessary by the club's Statutes in order to be successful. " Joan Laporta, Barcelona's president, said on Sunday that the whole thing was a 'sweet defeat' but more importantly...

"was an exemplary democratic exercise [from which FC Barcelona] "has come out reinforced as a democratic institution"...

Imagine if the EU was anything like as democratic...it wouldn't exist!...and finally, just to end a series of posts about Spanish sport (??!!) was THIS the best tennis match ever?

Objicient Oriol's orthopraxy...

Update 11th July: It's not over yet! Resignations force Laporta into new Barca vote [Yahoo! SPORTS ] You have to feel for the new coach Guardiola...he could have done without all this...and I hope Hleb's happy: well good riddance to him.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Oriol Giralt gets it right: Oriol is the FCB member that was heading the motion for a vote of censure against the current president and board. The vote took place on Sunday 6th at Camp Nou - coinciding with my visit there - and 40 thousand members voted (about a third of the total Barça membership). He said that the vote of censure wouldn't cause any strife among the fans adding that it was...

"a democratic exercise which could not possibly cause any social division"

He requested that the Board "read into the results and analyse them profoundly as this is a really good result for us". What may surprise many is that despite the 'yes' vote for the censure motion being the choice of the majority (60.60%), it wasn't the 66.6% necessary by the club's Statutes in order to be successful. " Joan Laporta, Barcelona's president, said on Sunday that the whole thing was a 'sweet defeat' but more importantly...

"was an exemplary democratic exercise [from which FC Barcelona] "has come out reinforced as a democratic institution"...

Imagine if the EU was anything like as democratic...it wouldn't exist!...and finally, just to end a series of posts about Spanish sport (??!!) was THIS the best tennis match ever?