Thursday, April 7, 2011

CHINESE Foot binding

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=8966942

420 000 000

the amount of internet users in China by the end of 2010.

http://www.internetworldstats.com/asia/cn.htm
I discovered that since the 1970's china has relaxed it's policies of banning religion and now have a freedom to practice religion throughout the country although some new religions are still banned. Mostly Buddhism and Taoism are practiced:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religion_in_China#Modern_history

SOME SCARY facts about the future route china is planning to take in the economic and socio-political front.

some hard-core facts about china

http://www.con-telegraph.ie/opinion/olivers-twist/1753-how-china-became-so-powerful

some hard-core facts about china

http://www.con-telegraph.ie/opinion/olivers-twist/1753-how-china-became-so-powerful

Sunday, April 3, 2011

Farmers no longer want to farm with rhino

Farmers no longer want to farm with rhino; the government loads them with red tape and jail threats if they do not stick to the onerous rules imposed on rhino owners. If you keep the horn in your possession you risk being murdered so under the current legislation, farmers are vigorously being disincentivized from keeping rhino.
Let’s incentivize the farmer, emerging black farmer and communities and they will increase our rhino numbers for us.

What is the horn made of???

The horn differs from most in the animal kingdom as it comprised entirely of keratin ( the same substance as your hair and fingernails) with calcium and melanin deposits.
It is not attached to the skull. Here's an image explaining:
horn skull

FACT vs FICTION

Whilst doing some research, I came across the interesting notion that Rhino horn is used to create the handles of daggers that are given  to men as a rite of passage when they reach manhood. This is ironic seeing that the daggers are given to the men to defend themselves, which is the exact purpose that they perform for the rhino's in nature. Strangest thing is that a the horn's purpose on the dagger is purely ornamental as they are bejeweled and polished as handles yet on the rhino the defense they provide is completely functional.

http://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/episodes/rhinoceros/rhino-horn-use-fact-vs-fiction/1178/

here's an example of a Chinese translucent bowl on auction:
BOWL