Animal rape?

This week I have witnessed what I believe to be a pigeon mating ritual: a highly ruffled-up male pigeon doing a weird head-bobbing dance, while following a female pigeon. I've seen this a couple of times in the same place, so I'm not sure if it's the same pigeon(s) each time. However, on each occasion the female is beating a hasty retreat, while the male is getting himself all worked up.

It's made me think: how often is animal mating 'rape' as we define it (i.e., sex without consent)? I mean, I know about animals being on heat, and mating cycles etc., but more often than not, I see male birds persisting in chasing seemingly unwilling female birds. Intrigued, I did a bit of 'net research, and while I haven't been able to find any authoritative writings on the subject (guess I'd have to go to a proper library for that) I did find some interesting forum postings.

There were debates on whether we can apply a 'human' term to animal behaviour; debates on what constitutes lack of consent in animals; and reports about 'rape-like' behaviour in dolphins, mallard ducks, dogs and a variety of monkeys. It appears that some animal behaviour definitely falls under our definition of rape. I doubt if anyone has measured how widespread it is though. Maybe because, if found to be prolific, it could fuel dangerous thoughts in male humans?

In a stupid question post John Ruch tells us:

"...animal rape has been a major controversy between biological determinists and social scientists for 30 years. The former think that animal rape demonstrates that rape may be genetically hardwired into human males, while the latter say that’s a weak inference and that consciousness and culture make our behavior much more complex than that. (I only caricature the extreme positions; there are many middle-grounders.)"

Hmmmm. Instinct vs. Evolved consciousness? That's a debate for another day.

Medium vs. Ghost Whisperer

I just saw an ad for a new series of 'Ghost Whisperer' which is soon to be screened on telly, and I am pissed off. Ghost Whisperer is a dumbed-down, boob-enhanced version of Medium with scant plot or character development. It's also got Jennifer Love Hewitt in it dressed in skimpy clothes (see reference to boob-enhanced earlier). And where, I ask, is Season 3 of Medium? I've only been waiting 8 months for the next season of my favourite show! A show with a fascinating theme, which is well written, with real characters, and heart. No wonderbras there!

Yet another disturbing sign that tv today is becoming more and more the domain of the vapid. But you knew that already.

I'm going to try and contain my nausea and hope with all my might that Medium carries on. And comes back soon! *sob*

Beware, Jehovah's Witnesses are now targetting bus stops

A Jehovah's Witness handed me a leaflet today while I was waiting at a bus stop. The leaflet was entitled "All suffering SOON TO END!"

I read it out of curiosity. So, so many points to marvel at in that there little leaflet. My favourite quote: "All the evidence shows that we are nearing the end of man's tragic experiment in independence from God". I didn't know these people were also scientists, and took objective measures to prove or disprove their hypotheses. Interesting!

As well as entertaining me somewhat, today's little encounter made me think about who religious types often target: loners. I was by myself at this bus stop. It reminded me of an occasion some years ago at Melbourne University. It was a Saturday, and I was doing some work for the Convention Centre. I was on a very short lunch break and eating my sandwich when I was approached by a young girl who started asking me all sorts of very focused questions about me - what I studied, what my family was like, what I was into etc. I was sceptical about why she was talking to me... people don't generally initiate these kinds of conversations. Finally she asked me if I read the bible and I thought "a-ha!". I asked her if she was recruiting for a Christian group, and she admitted she was. I just lost it and blasted her for approaching me on false pretenses (hello... aren't you Christian?) and wasting my precious lunch break. These people can be so manipulative! And that wasn't the first time that had happened either. Must be my sweet and innocent face that lures them... ;)