Just some end-of-the-week ramblings...

A not entirely realistic Rhino. Image courtesy of the BBC

Well, the 30 day writing challenge is all official and such and more than a few people have already agreed to join me in pushing their creative abilities to the very maximum this March. It has even crept into the Google rankings - do a search on '30 day writing challenge' and you'll find that I've now managed to edge my way into the top ten results. So, if you're one of those people who are stumbling in from the cold wilderness of the internet and onto the blog for the first time - welcome!

This week has mostly been about work. Lots of work. Towering piles of work that soar, ominously, around me and taunt me about my seeming lack of ability to plough my way through them. But, in amongst all that work, I've managed to get some creative shenanigans going on. You see, despite the heavy workload, I've found that the creative centres of my brain (which, for some time, have been refusing to talk to me) are suddenly doing their thang with some alacrity. Now I just need more spare time. If you have any, feel free to donate it...

And I couldn't blog today without sharing the wonderful story I ran across yesterday. the story of the Tokyo Zoo which has been conducting emergency drills to simulate the escape of a Rhino from its enclosure.

A rhino. One of the largest mammals on land. Weighing in at up to 4,500kg, equipped with near-armour plated skin and capable of running at speeds of 25mph. A frightening proposition, should one ever be in the position to have to try and capture one that has escaped...

So, how did the zoo manage to simulate this? How did it give its employees a taste of the raw fear that can only be experienced when something the size, and weight, of a small truck is barrelling towards you with its head lowered and its horn ready to skewer your most delicate bits in entirely unpleasant ways?

Why, they had two people dress up in a paper-mache suit and sent them stumbling blindly around the zoo while their fellow guards, skilfully, used nets and (fake) tranquillisers to attempt to recapture the rampaging beast.

If you want to see the video then the BBC has a most excellent clip HERE

I am sure that this is exactly how a real, frightened, potentially angry, three ton rhino would behave should it escape and that this exercise is not, in any way, going to inject an altogether false sense of security into zoo employees...