For his birthday today, Jonathan chose my tie using some convoluted arithmetic: He noted that he was 733 days old when I turned 37 (in 1988), so he studied my tie blog to find the tie I wore 733 days before his 37rh birthday (which takes us back to 30 July 2023). I'm very glad to show these white tigers! The tiger's white coat is rarer than orange because it results from a recessive gene. International Tiger Day is celebrated annually on 29 July.
Happy Birthday, Jonathan!
International Tiger Day occurs annually on 29 July. That was Saturday, so I'm celebrating today (Sunday). All tigers are endangered; it's estimated that there are only about 3,500 tigers worldwide. White tigers, though, are not really something to celebrate. I've learned that the white coat is rarer than orange because it results from a recessive gene -- and that same gene causes a combination of defects. "The same gene that causes the white coat causes the optic nerve to be wired to the wrong side of the brain, thus all white tigers are cross eyed, even if their eyes look normal." And so white tigers are not a distinct species but are (defective) genetic variants. No white tigers have been found in the wild since 1958, and all the ones currently exhibited in zoos and circuses are the results of intentional inbreeding (by humans). Some are Bengal white tigers, descendants from breeding at the Cincinnati Zoo in 1974, and others are cross bred Bengal/Siberian tigers, descendants from breeding at a small zoo in South Dakota about two years later. So, although they are truly beautiful to see, white tigers represent more about humans' greed and profiteering than sincere efforts for wildlife conservation.
International Tiger Day occurs annually on 29 July, this coming Friday. I won't be wearing a tie that day, so I'm celebrating a little early! All tigers are endangered; it's estimated that there are only about 3,500 tigers worldwide. White tigers, though, are not really something to celebrate. I've learned that the white coat is rarer than orange because it results from a recessive gene -- and that same gene causes a combination of defects. "The same gene that causes the white coat causes the optic nerve to be wired to the wrong side of the brain, thus all white tigers are cross eyed, even if their eyes look normal." And so white tigers are not a distinct species but are (defective) genetic variants. No white tigers have been found in the wild since 1958, and all the ones currently exhibited in zoos and circuses are the results of intentional inbreeding (by humans). Some are Bengal white tigers, descendants from breeding at the Cincinnati Zoo in 1974, and others are cross bred Bengal/Siberian tigers, descendants from breeding at a small zoo in South Dakota about two years later. So, although they are truly beautiful to see, white tigers represent more about humans' greed and profiteering than sincere efforts for wildlife conservation.
Maybe you remember that annoying game where someone repeats your words back to you. Maybe you remember that annoying game where someone repeats your words back to you. Today's a good day to remember, because it's Repeat Day. No one knows why, and no one knows why. I've heard that repetition is the key to learning, more than once. The "Hallelujah Chorus" is repetitive, but Handel's masterful use of interweaving themes and musical climaxes keeps it wonderfully fresh all the time, unlike what happens when the worship chorus "I Could Sing of Your Love Forever" devolves into endless repeats that could be phrased "I'm so sick of this song, forever!" Some people celebrate today by watching "Groundhog Day" (at least twice). My tie features an endless repeating parade of white tigers, perfectly suited for Repeat Day. I think it's very interesting, and I'm happy to say that more than once.
