Which had more value?

[""]

I was doing a little news browsing when I came upon this article. Call me a sap but this line "The bird was shot by an exterminator with an air rifle while cowering in a corner" actually made me tear up. Yes, an actual tear rolled down my cheek, as I thought about that poor little bird.

I support hunting. I eat meat and poultry. So it's not that. I just found it kind of cruel.

Here's the article:

AMSTERDAM, Netherlands — A sparrow knocked over 23,000 dominoes in the Netherlands, nearly ruining a world record attempt before it was shot to death Monday, the state news agency reported.
The unfortunate bird flew through an open window at an exposition center in the northern city of Leeuwarden where employees of television company Endemol NV have worked for weeks setting up more than 4 million dominoes in an attempt to break the official Guinness World Record for falling dominoes on Friday night.

Only a system of 750 built-in gaps in the chain prevented the bird from knocking most or all of the dominoes over ahead of schedule, "Domino Day" organizers were quoted as saying by the NOS news agency.

The bird was shot by an exterminator with an air rifle while cowering in a corner.

The organizers are out to break their own record of 3,992,397 dominoes set last year with a new record of 4,321,000.

The poll is coming up, with the following question:
What would you have done if you'd been in charge?

 

[""]

I chose the first one. The bird is a living creature. The damage had already been done, and the dominoes had to be fixed anyway. So why not just catch the poor thing and set it free outside. I didn't get the point of killing it.

 

[Madcoil]

Blood for the blood god. Blood for the blood god. BLOOD FOR THE BLOOD GOD! KILLKILLKILLKILLKILL!

 

[BrownCoat]

Kill it and let if be a lesson to all the other sparrows. Besides, revenge is a dish best served cold.

I was ambivelent between kill it and catch it. The only problem with killing it is the bloodstains.

 

[Madcoil]

But bird is a dish best served barbequed.

 

[ebia]

What makes you think that catching it was a viable option?

 

[""]

What makes you think that catching it was a viable option?

If you can shoot it with a bullet, you can shoot it with a tranquilizer.

 

[ebia]

If you can shoot it with a bullet, you can shoot it with a tranquilizer.

What makes you think an appropriate tranquilizer gun was available at short notice?

 

[Eudaimonist]

I didn't get the point of killing it.

It's possible that in the process of catching it, it would have knocked over more dominoes.

I would have tried to catch it, anyway.

 

[Ampoliros]

I would have kept the windows closed in the first place, preventing any unfortunate mishaps

 

[MoodyBlue]

Really sad that a bunch of friggin dominos are deemed more important than the life of one of God's creatures.

 

[levi501]

it was obviously a demon sparrow that was righteously dealt with.

 

[Diane_Windsor]

Really sad that a bunch of friggin dominos are deemed more important than the life of one of God's creatures.

Agreed.

Now, if that bird was a Bluejay *evil laugh*

Diane

 

[Dislike]

Death is a dish best served frequently.

 

[AcadiaMoon]

I heard this on NPR this morning. I love birds, birds are one of my creatures. I certainly wouldn't have shot it. Setting up a silly game for an instant of worthless and meaningless fame is hardly worth shooting one poor lost bird. I lit a candle for it this evening because it just really bothered me.

 

[Moros]

Catch it, drive it to the other side of town, and let it go.

 

[IiYiIiIzage]

Time is much to precious to spend time putting up dominoes. Honestly this makes the bird look smarter than the human beings. At least the bird was probably going to do something useful, maybe getting food or getting something to drink.

 

[Jacob4Jesus]

That's just stupid. Hopefully the sparrows will curse them to never be able to put up another domino.

 

[Helo]

If you can shoot it with a bullet, you can shoot it with a tranquilizer.

Its a sparrow, not an ostritch. A tranq dart probably would have killed it.

Personally I cant see WHY they killed it, I mean they put ALOT of effort and work into this project and then have a flipping BIRD come in and screw half of it up. But on the flip side, the bird had no idea, there was no malicious thought "Im going to screw up thier attempt! MWAHAHA!!!"

It was frustration welling up, understandable but I think someone should have just caught the bird and let it go. If it was in a corner, I dont see what was stopping anyone from putting a trash-can or something over and bringing it outside and letting it go

Setting up a silly game for an instant of worthless and meaningless fame

Immagine working on something for HOURS...and then having it screwed up.

 

[DailyBlessings]

Imagine working on something for HOURS...and then having it screwed up.

I've lost hours of work on numerous occasions... without shedding or feeling the need to shed living blood over it. Is an hour of work that much more important than life? What will last longer, blood or dominoes?