[Archived] News comment

[yoda]

Bloody hell good job the people at the zoo are not in charge of Burnley's population, there would only be about 100 people left

Royston Vassey is a zoo,

anyway taken from the Encyclopedia of the Earth

MVP estimates may also be derived from population censuses or genetic analyses. Long-term population census data are generally rare in ecology, but studies have shown the persistence of (sometimes small) populations over periods of 50, 75 and 100 years. Genetic analyses typically involve the estimation of loss of genetic diversity and fitness and projection to extinction. Some studies indicate that inbreeding depression alone can lead to extinction, even among wild populations. Thus, when considering the viability of a given population, one should consider whether the population is large enough to avoid inbreeding depression, if there is sufficient genetic diversity for adaptive change to occur, and if the population is large enough to avoid accumulating new deleterious mutations. Following Frankham et al., estimates of the population numbers required to overcome these effects (known as the effective population, Ne) are 50 to avoid inbreeding depression, 500-5000 to retain evolutionary potential, and 12 to 1000 to avoid the accumulation of deleterious mutations. Franklin proposed the 50/500 rule used by conservation practitioners, whereby an Ne of 50 is required to prevent an unacceptable rate of inbreeding, while a long-term Ne of 500 is required to ensure overall genetic variability. Given that the average Ne /N ratio is roughly 0.10 these rules of thumb translate to census sizes of 500 to 50,000 individuals.

[Jock]

Brown is a free mason and a protector of digusting people. The real con is that we think we have democracy. They all p!ss in the same pot.

[thenodrog]

Brown is a free mason and a protector of digusting people. The real con is that we think we have democracy. They all p!ss in the same pot.

Is he? How do you know it's supposed to be secret?

Royston Vassey is a zoo,

anyway taken from the Encyclopedia of the Earth

MVP estimates may also be derived from population censuses or genetic analyses. Long-term population census data are generally rare in ecology, but studies have shown the persistence of (sometimes small) populations over periods of 50, 75 and 100 years. Genetic analyses typically involve the estimation of loss of genetic diversity and fitness and projection to extinction. Some studies indicate that inbreeding depression alone can lead to extinction, even among wild populations. Thus, when considering the viability of a given population, one should consider whether the population is large enough to avoid inbreeding depression, if there is sufficient genetic diversity for adaptive change to occur, and if the population is large enough to avoid accumulating new deleterious mutations. Following Frankham et al., estimates of the population numbers required to overcome these effects (known as the effective population, Ne) are 50 to avoid inbreeding depression, 500-5000 to retain evolutionary potential, and 12 to 1000 to avoid the accumulation of deleterious mutations. Franklin proposed the 50/500 rule used by conservation practitioners, whereby an Ne of 50 is required to prevent an unacceptable rate of inbreeding, while a long-term Ne of 500 is required to ensure overall genetic variability. Given that the average Ne /N ratio is roughly 0.10 these rules of thumb translate to census sizes of 500 to 50,000 individuals.

So why not simply geld Marcus?

[Guest Norbert]

I bet those PETA types have been going mental about that poor giraffe without realising they are part of the problem. Firstly, they occaionally breed which produces more consumers who will want things like computers, coffee, soya etc. Secondly, soya is becoming a massive cash crop with is turning South America into a 'green desert' with Uruguay, Argentina etc. chopping down rainforests, and destroying the plains and wetlands to feed their lifestyle, and thirdly they're humans. there are too many of us to be honest, and as a species we're the most destructive force in nature. Yes, I know giraffes are African, but the issues are similar there too.

These factors contribute to the existence of zoos, the risk of captive inbreeding etc.

[yoda]

I bet those PETA types have been going mental about that poor giraffe without realising they are part of the problem. Firstly, they occaionally breed which produces more consumers who will want things like computers, coffee, soya etc. Secondly, soya is becoming a massive cash crop with is turning South America into a 'green desert' with Uruguay, Argentina etc. chopping down rainforests, and destroying the plains and wetlands to feed their lifestyle, and thirdly they're humans. there are too many of us to be honest, and as a species we're the most destructive force in nature. Yes, I know giraffes are African, but the issues are similar there too.

These factors contribute to the existence of zoos, the risk of captive inbreeding etc.

Good job there are some religious factions about trying to re dress the balance then

[Guest Norbert]

True. Problem is that their passive supporters like having big families, and/or have weird views on contraception.

[thenodrog]

I bet those PETA types have been going mental about that poor giraffe without realising they are part of the problem. Firstly, they occaionally breed which produces more consumers who will want things like computers, coffee, soya etc. Secondly, soya is becoming a massive cash crop with is turning South America into a 'green desert' with Uruguay, Argentina etc. chopping down rainforests, and destroying the plains and wetlands to feed their lifestyle, and thirdly they're humans. there are too many of us to be honest, and as a species we're the most destructive force in nature. Yes, I know giraffes are African, but the issues are similar there too.

These factors contribute to the existence of zoos, the risk of captive inbreeding etc.

It's the tidllywinks to blame most. I read last week that China's soya imports have increased 7x since the turn of the century!

Who can predict the long term consequences of destroying the 'lungs of the world'?

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

Just watch millions get poured into flood defences now that the Home Counties are getting their feet wet.

[jim mk2]

Cynical view but very true. I notice the TV news channels have been far more active today after the Thames broke its banks in Berkshire and Surrey. Twas ever thus though - this country has been increasingly London centric since the 1960s and the process has accelerated in recent years as manufacturing has declined. London is a world city and does not need to be this country's administrative capital. The solution in my view to reverse the regions' decline is to move parliament and government to the centre of the country. Manchester or Birmingham would be fine.

[Guest Norbert]

Just watch millions get poured into flood defences now that the Home Counties are getting their feet wet.

I thought the same. I guess second homes in the South West do not matter as much. After all, it is only Plymouth, Cornwall, Somerset etc. that are cut off right now. It isn't holiday season.

[ABBEY]

Like I said on the climate thread.

Somerset under water a month shag all done ... Thames over flows and within day politicians all over it.

How many countries are having collections for our floods ... Proper proper winds me up .

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

" Money No Object Now " . You couldn't make it up.

[Guest Norbert]

Now doubt the Daily Express will be wondering how this will affect Kate Middleton's family, since they live in Berkshire.

It is like those floods around 2007. It was all about the posh parts of Gloucestershire, but Sheffield and Hull got battered, and there was nowhere near as much concern.

[Audax]

Other zoos offered to take in that giraffe, what is so strange and ironic is that if an individual owner did this, they could be prosecuted for animal cruelty.

[Audax]

Olympics, Male Figure Skating, 'short program', it's interesting,

The Romanian, Zoltan Kelemen, apparently is at least partially blind from an aerosol can once bursting near him as a boy, thought he did well, not as good as the stars but what an effort, they say he doesn't get Olympic funding because he doesn't pass the physical per his eyesight, appears he basically has one functioning eye but I have to give him all the credit.

USA skater slammed right into the wall going for one of those up-in-the-air spins, Jeremy Abbot still came out with a fair score.

The Russian 31 years old, bowed out, Eugeny Plushenko, he's had 2 back surgeries and a few knee operations. So that says something even if the announcers did not say officially, it was from his skating and routines, I'd think it is.

[Audax]

Latest Screwed Up Crime in the USA potentially speaking, victims lured using Craig's List which is similar to Gumdrop Tree and the victims killed for Satanic ritual purposes. This is unconfirmed so far.

http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/fbi-checking-satanist-teens-claim-22-murder-victims-n31771

Edit On: I'm thinking a lot, all or some of this story is fabricated, the girl and her husband moved around too much when she mentions the states of Alaska, North Carolina, Texas and California and the woman is only 19 years old.

[thenodrog]

Bloody hell! Its like a twin peaks sub plot,

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

Anybody still think Tony Blair was a Socialist ? What a charlatan. The guy's a serial liar.

[thenodrog]

You mean Jimmk2's hero? He wasn't called Tony B Liar for nothing Tyrone.

btw... You surely didn't ever vote for him did you?

[Guest Norbert]

I can say I never voted for him, but I did briefly buy into that optimistic view in 1997 (I was 16, and it was a lovely sunny day after the election).

[speeeeeeedie]

Anybody still think Tony Blair was a Socialist ? What a charlatan. The guy's a serial liar.

Are you referring to his "advising" of Rebekah Brooks? http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-26259956

Or his alleged affair with Murdoch's wife? http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2014/feb/14/tony-blair-rupert-murdoch-deconstruction-friendship-wendi-deng.

All in he is one smooth operator. Who would have thought that a Labour politician would be good friends with Rupert Murdoch? Yet I'm sure that die hard Labour supporters would argue that Blair did it all for the cause in order to gain his trust then stick it to him (well his wife anyway - allegedly).

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

You mean Jimmk2's hero? He wasn't called Tony B Liar for nothing Tyrone.btw... You surely didn't ever vote for him did you?

I voted for the Party as I have in every election since 1970. I'd no illusions about him right from the start. Too smooth and slippery for me. As for his wife, don't get me started. At least they're not spoiling another pair. David Milliband was Blair mk 2 in my opinion.

Are you referring to his "advising" of Rebekah Brooks? http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-26259956

Or his alleged affair with Murdoch's wife? http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2014/feb/14/tony-blair-rupert-murdoch-deconstruction-friendship-wendi-deng.

All in he is one smooth operator. Who would have thought that a Labour politician would be good friends with Rupert Murdoch? Yet I'm sure that die hard Labour supporters would argue that Blair did it all for the cause in order to gain his trust then stick it to him (well his wife anyway - allegedly).

Nobody in their right mind can trust Rupert Murdoch, the guy's not dealing with a full deck.

[Al]

Show me any politician and I will show you a liar.

[jim mk2]

The brilliance of Tony Blair (no other Labour leader has won three elections in a row, after all) is that he presided over a transformational decade that saw Britain become more modern, confident, liberal, open and at ease with itself in all sorts of important ways. He has always been friends with Murdoch but who courted who ? Murdoch saw the way the wind was blowing in Britain in the mid-1990s and shifted his newspapers' editorial stance towards the Labour party.

[K-Hod]

What's that old Billy Connolly quote? 'The desire to get into politics should ban anyone from being able to do so'?

At any rate, none of them are trustworthy.