Tiger stylists sh1t out of luck...

[straight blast]

I was just watching a show on Tigers on TV and really enjoying it until they told us just how few Tigers are left in the world and the rate at which they are declining. I have this horrible, sad premonition that one day in 50 years I'll be talking to a little kid about Tigers and they won't know what they are, or they'll think that they're something like dinosaurs.

I then thought to myself, I wonder how all the Tiger stylists will feel when their totem (?) animal becomes extinct? I realise that few Tiger stylists have ever seen a Tiger, but in the future I just guess that they'll have to take their instructor's word for what one behaved and fought like. I realise that there are 1000s of species the world over that are becoming extinct, but I've always had a soft spot for the predators, especially Wolves, Lions & Tigers.

This makes me so sad. If I live to see the extinction of the above species I think it'll be the saddest day of my life. F**k humanity has a lot to answer for. We are the biggest parasitic scourge this planet will ever have to deal with. Sometimes I am so ashamed of my race that I wish that I'd been born something else. But mind you, if I had been, chances are that I'd have been hunted for my pelt, or had my young stolen as fighters for the pits, or had my home destroyed to make a table, or my organs used for "traditional" medicine, or massacred simply because I chose not to be domesticated, etc. etc.

F**k I hate my species sometimes. And let it not be said that I'm a frothing environmentalist. I'm sure as hell not. Just as a Christian I find it hard to love my fellow people when I hate what they (and I :( ) do. I really hope the Earth wipes us out with a good planetary enema before we get it first.

My condolences to the Tiger stylists.

[jon]

Man that really is a scary thought!
Dinosaur kung fu:eek:
Tigers since my study of Hung Ga have become one of my favorite animals. They are one of the only pure warriors left on the planet and yet there in danger of becoming extinct thanks to us.
Kinda makes you think about the rational of the human spirit doesnt it...
One thing i do know... We are not the only power here, if we stuff with things to much just as you say we will be wiped out...
The planet will repair itself given enough time [time heals all wounds] and we will be not even a memory.
The plantet has an inbuilt protection mechanism, its wiped the earth before and repaired and we would be fools to think it cant happen again.
I only hope we have enough sence to keep ourselfs from accelerating the process any further.

[PhoenixPangaryk]

Your concern in 50 years about trying to explain what a tiger was may not be far off. What about when we finish raping and destroying the earth and our grandchildren, who live in space ships and moon cities, ask why we killed earth. They will tell them we had 'heaven on earth' and we destroyed it.

As far as us being a parasite. Visualize this one. Your in space taking a close up look at the earth and you see this cancer spreading everywhere, consuming all life and continually reproducing until earth is consumed and starved of its resources, or 'fuel' that sustain it. This cancer alarms you and as you zoom in more you can see it is clearly the propogation of the human species.

You look to the virus's all over the world and it dawns on you....

Mankind was the cancer - the virus's and plagues were the immune system of the earth fighting back. Who will win? I hate to sound all armaggedony (cool word) but I think the only way to save the earth is to get rid of about 3 billion of us parasites. Earth wide ozmosis is unlikely at this point and with the way the third world is arming themselves and fighting ... it is grim. Work out hard is all I can say!

Grim Huh?:confused:

[Yung Apprentice]

Sounds similar to what Agent Smith said in the Matrix when he talks to Morpheus.

[Mokujin]

You guys are way too negative. Yes humans do bad things, but I don't think we will / can destroy the Earth. Sometimes I think we will annihilate each other to the point of extinction, but the Earth will remain. It will heal itself and continue on with the next dominant species.

Anyway, everyone can make a difference. Due to vile animal cruelty and abuse, my wife and I have become vegetarians (although I'm a quasi-veg man, I still eat fish and shrimp). Point- if everyone starts to do something small it will snowball into something big.

Every time you think we suck, remember the gorgeous creations we've made, like the pyramids and the steps taken to preserve our environment. Remember folks like Mother Teresa and missionaries who risk their lives to bring food and hope to the poor. Remember those who paved our freedom with their blood and sweat.

The human race might be bad, but we're not beyond redemption.

Peace!
:D
Mokujin

[Leonidas]

I remember what agent smith said too. Its pretty much true. Its ironic, on one end of the spectrum theres the virus, lowest form o' life, all it does is reproduce destroying everything else to accomplish its goals, on the other end humans who are s'pose to be higher life forms but we all breed like monkeys and we destroy anything for money or that we dont understand. There are people like mother Theresa but they try to fix things caused by 95% percent of people. Can't do nothing about it though. Things always get worse, just on a larger scale. Not as many wars because we found a way to kill millions of people at once.

[neptunesfall]

Q: What is the Voluntary Human Extinction Movement?
VHEMT (pronounced vehement) is a movement not an organization. It's a movement advanced by people who care about life on planet Earth. We're not just a bunch of misanthropes and anti-social, Malthusian misfits, taking morbid delight whenever disaster strikes humans. Nothing could be further from the truth. Voluntary human extinction is the humanitarian alternative to human disasters.
We don't carry on about how the human race has shown itself to be a greedy, amoral parasite on the once-healthy face of this planet. That type of negativity offers no solution to the inexorable horrors which human activity is causing.
Rather, The Movement presents an encouraging alternative to the callous exploitation and wholesale destruction of the Earth's ecology.
As VHEMT Volunteers know, the hopeful alternative to the extinction of millions of species of plants and animals is the voluntary extinction of one species: H omo sapiens... us.
Each time another one of us decides to not add another one of us to the burgeoning billions already squatting on this ravaged planet, another ray of hope shines through the gloom.

http://vhemt.org

[Qi dup]

Tigers are really cool animals. I'll bever forget a picture I saw of a tiger leaning down to drink out of a river but it's eyes are looknig right at the camera man. I think it's from national geographic, it's the coolest tiger picture i've ever seen. I would really hate to see them extinct, but I can't say I would be saprised. I'm saprised how little people really know about how bad of shape the enviroment is in. Without trying to sound 'armaggedony' (I like that) THere really arnt a whole lot of options left. Just the facts.

[Budokan]

While tigers may be run out of their natuaral habitats they'll still be taken care of and bred in zoos. Not the best of lifestyles, but better than extinction--at least until human beings grow up a little and turn some of the planet back over to them.

[firepalm]

Don't post too often but this topic is one that I feel very strongly about. One of the single biggest problems facing animals, such as tigers, bears (North American), rhinos, certain species of deer, etc... is illegal poaching. Statistically in North American illegal poaching is the second highest 'organized crime' next to the drug trade. North American black bears are in serious danger of extinction from illegal poaching. The single reason for the illegal poaching, the Asian market is a literal multi million dollar trade industry for animal parts such as tiger *****, tiger bones, bear gall bladder, deer horns, etc... The demand is supposedly for traditional medicinal purposes (ie; athrodisiacs). Ironically the same cultural that saw to incorporate these animals into its art forms (martial arts, fine art, statues, etc...) is also the same one has created the demand for what ultimately contribute to these species demise. There has been attempted education in places like Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan, etc... that product such as tiger *****, tiger bones & deer horn are actually ineffective (proven scientifically so) yet the demand continues. Just a few years agon in Taiwan you could go to a public market that slaughtered tigers in public view and sold the various parts. Its been shown that in Chinatowns all over North America you can still buy these illegal products as well. Chances are if you follow a older generation traditional KF sifu from Asia, he or she, quite possibly believes in the fallacy of the use of these animal products. There is serious concerns now with China's rapidly improving economy that there will become even greater demand for these endangered species. All of this unfortunately paints a rather grim out look for these species.

For those that are interested there is a website for which Jackie Chan is a spokesperson @ www.jackiewild.com . It talks about these problems & what you can do.