tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28360765.post-9269586243527738332007-11-13T22:55:00.001+11:002007-11-14T20:02:27.591+11:00I'm honoured, Legion of Fans, to be able to help out the SAVE organisation in their worthy work of saving (hence the name) Africa's endangered rhinos.<br /><br /><div>Rhinos are one of my favourite animals and I can identify with them. Their eyesight is poor; they spend large amounts of the day doing nothing; they have large bellies and spindly legs; they like to pooh in the same place every day; despite their size they mean you know harm; and their chief interests in life seem to be eating, sleeping and copulating. </div><br /><div>Yes, LOF, if I was an animal, I think I'd be quite happy as a rhino.</div><br /><div>That is, if I lived in the Kruger National Park, of course, like this chap.</div><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5132617035031326722" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_z6pY1ldtEzg/Rzq3_-UpMAI/AAAAAAAAAHA/mh-Cq6CWUNU/s320/kruger-rhino.jpg" border="0" /><br /><div></div><div>If not, I'd be in serious trouble. Rhinos are in danger throughout Africa, thanks to the enlightened ways of certain Asian and Middle Eastern gentlemen who seem to think that rhino horn is a better alternative to paracetamol for a headache (it's not, contrary to popular opinion, used as an aphrodisiac) or a handle for a dagger. I know what I'd do with the pointy end of a dagger if I met anyone clasping a rhino horn handle. </div><br /><div>Speaking seriously, which I rarely do here, I had some terrible news the other day from my mate Ross. His friends, who Mrs B and I have met, own a game farm in Zimbabwe and someone broke into their property recently and killed their rhinos in their enclosure. Even though the rhinos had been de-horned, the animals were still slaughtered for the stubs that remained.</div><br /><div>Bastards.</div><br /><div>Anyway, thankfully there are still good people in Africa and abroad who are dedicated to the survival of these magnificent creatures and, as I said before, I'm honoured to be able to help them out.</div><br /><div>My very good friends at SAVE, NSW Branch, are holding a dinner dance on <strong>Saturday, February 9, at 7pm at the Hunter's Hill Sailing Club, Merrington Place, Woolwich. </strong>And I, LOF have been invited to speak.</div><br /><div>The cost is AUD$80 per head for a three course dinner and South African beers and wines. For Hunter's Hill and a venue with harbour views this is pretty good value, I reckon. As well as being a supporter of rhino causes, I'm also a big support of South African Breweries so I'm looking forward to downing a few Castles as well. </div><br /><div>If you do wish to attend (for the South African booze, rather than hearing me speak) you should contact <a href="mailto:theafricanqueen@bigpond.com">theafricanqueen@bigpond.com</a> Dress for the evening is "cocktail with an African twist", which sounds interesting. I can hear my pith helmet screaming from it's wardrobe prison.</div><br /><div>I don't know what I'll talk about, but here's a special offer for readers of this blog. For every one of you who attends (sidle up to me and mention you are a legionnaire) I will spend one minute less than I had planned to talking about Land Rover repairs and clutch plates. So there, the gauntlet has been laid down - come along to the SAVE dinner and help save a rhino and stop the audience from falling asleep. </div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/28360765-926958624352773833?l=tonyparkblog.blogspot.com'/></div>tonyparkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08642680619668762777noreply@blogger.com12