Student break into Houston Zoo exhibits during field trip

originally posted by: Tangerine
You left out one important component: extremely gullible people.

I did not leave out anything.

There's a local news article and allegations that are being investigated.

The only time it talks about a student "in" the jaguar cage is when they mention Twitter. Is that because someone Tweeted that?

The OP link says "In the jaguar pit".

The original article says "the jaguar was in the cage"

Little old to be taking a zoo trip wtf education system.

originally posted by: Tangerine
a reply to: Anyafaj

Apply common sense. Nowhere in the principal's letter (if there was such a letter) does it say a student was inside a cage with a leopard. You need to follow other links to better images of the photo in question. It produced an optical illusion and the person was not inside the cage. Had s/he been, severe injury would have resulted. Have you never been a teenager? Had a photo taken at the zoo created the optical illusion that you were inside a cage almost touching a leopard, you likely would have been quite happy to maintain that illusion to gain attention.

Why oh why is common sense in such short supply? Why didn't the OP do a little research before posting this story? Why did the readers simply assume that this was a legitimate story? How easy it is to con people.

I did apply common sense, but thanks for playing. NOT a hoax!

You're troll-fu is no match for me! "Wahhhhhhh"

originally posted by: Tangerine

originally posted by: Annee
So, you're all excited about "IN THE CAGE".

The headline says this:

Houston Zoo is investigating after image of student inside jaguar PIT attempting to pet animal during field trip surfaced on Twitter Read more: www.dailymail.co.uk... Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook

Further down it talks about Twitter messages:

Several users on Twitter reportedly claimed the image of the student from the field trip last Friday in the jaguar cage . . . Read more: www.dailymail.co.uk... Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook

Your source is a freaking tabloid.

If you'd like, feel free to use Click2Houston.com! Be. My. Guest!

originally posted by: Tangerine
You left out one important component: extremely gullible people.

I'll tell you whatsy, you are soooo determined to prove this is a hoax, why don't you get in your car, drive to Houston, provide your services to the zoo. (I'm sure they'd love to have an Armchair Private Eye), tell them how experienced you are and you're skills and all, then when you're all done with your little investigation, you give us all a little ringsy and tell us all how it went, K doll? Thanks for playing!

originally posted by: Anyafaj

originally posted by: Tangerine
You left out one important component: extremely gullible people.

I'll tell you whatsy, you are soooo determined to prove this is a hoax, why don't you get in your car, drive to Houston, provide your services to the zoo. (I'm sure they'd love to have an Armchair Private Eye), tell them how experienced you are and you're skills and all, then when you're all done with your little investigation, you give us all a little ringsy and tell us all how it went, K doll? Thanks for playing!

I'll just post here and say I went there and the leopard told me it never happened and you'll believe it. Problem solved. No,wait! I'll have to post it on Twitter and then you'll believe it!

originally posted by: Tangerine

originally posted by: Anyafaj

originally posted by: Tangerine
You left out one important component: extremely gullible people.

I'll tell you whatsy, you are soooo determined to prove this is a hoax, why don't you get in your car, drive to Houston, provide your services to the zoo. (I'm sure they'd love to have an Armchair Private Eye), tell them how experienced you are and you're skills and all, then when you're all done with your little investigation, you give us all a little ringsy and tell us all how it went, K doll? Thanks for playing!

I'll just post here and say I went there and the leopard told me it never happened and you'll believe it. Problem solved.

No,wait! I'll have to post it on Twitter and then you'll believe it!

Who? Exactly said they believed something because it's on Twitter?

However, it's extremely plausible since almost every teen has a cell phone and Twitter account.

You probably think it's Photoshopped

originally posted by: Tangerine
POST REMOVED BY STAFF

Really? I'd say 95% of my posts are about social issues.

The funny thing here is you are the other side of the coin.

You chastise for believing (a very probable) news report ---- by making claims it can't be believed because it's on Twitter. Here's your mirror.

-----------------------------------------------------

Back on track.

I am helping raise a high school freshman. I don't know if this event actually happened. But, again, I say it is very probable. I say this because of the stories I hear from my granddaughter.

originally posted by: Annee

Who? Exactly said they believed something because it's on Twitter?

However, it's extremely plausible since almost every teen has a cell phone and Twitter account.

You probably think it's Photoshopped

See she wants to do a Kangaroo court with the Mods to get them to say this is all a hoax and move this to the Hoax bin. Right now, she's all bum hurt because it's not working and it's not in the hoax bin yet because guess what, NOT A HOAX! But thanks for playing!

originally posted by: Anyafaj
originally posted by: Annee

Who? Exactly said they believed something because it's on Twitter?

However, it's extremely plausible since almost every teen has a cell phone and Twitter account.

You probably think it's Photoshopped

See she wants to do a Kangaroo court with the Mods to get them to say this is all a hoax and move this to the Hoax bin. Right now, she's all bum hurt because it's not working and it's not in the hoax bin yet because guess what, NOT A HOAX! But thanks for playing!

Edging toward personal too. No thanks.

It was reported on a legitimate local news site.

What actually happened, we don't know. But, I'd say if it's being investigated ---- that makes it a legit news story.

Being that minors are "allegedly " involved, we'll probably never know all the facts.

originally posted by: Lysergic
Little old to be taking a zoo trip wtf education system.

It does look like a park setting.

Could just be a fun day outing. They do that near the end of the year.

originally posted by: Annee




Edging toward personal too. No thanks.

It was reported on a legitimate local news site.

What actually happened, we don't know. But, I'd say if it's being investigated ---- that makes it a legit news story.

Being that minors are "allegedly

" involved, we'll probably never know all the facts.

Exactly. I doubt highly a legitimate news site, NO, not Daily Mail, a LEGITIMATE news source, would not report on a hoax as if it were actual news.

originally posted by: Annee

originally posted by: Tangerine
POST REMOVED BY STAFF

Really? I'd say 95% of my posts are about social issues.

The funny thing here is you are the other side of the coin.

You chastise for believing (a very probable) news report ---- by making claims it can't be believed because it's on Twitter. Here's your mirror.

-----------------------------------------------------

Back on track.

I am helping raise a high school freshman. I don't know if this event actually happened. But, again, I say it is very probable. I say this because of the stories I hear from my granddaughter.

You're right. I confused you with someone else and for that I apologize. I have no doubt that teenagers are stupid enough to try to enter a cage with a leopard. However, I seriously doubt that the zoo is stupid enough to not anticipate the incredible stupidity of people not to mention that they're fully aware that if a person can get into the enclosure the leopard could even more easily get out. The combination of the much better photo showing a very high fence slanted inward, the extremely high likelihood that the student would have been severely injured if not killed, the likelihood that the poor quality photo produced an optical illusion, the high improbability that the student could have scaled the fence and jumped into the enclosure and walked up to the leopard all while the leopard lay there asleep, and the poor quality of the news sources leads me to conclude that it is very unlikely that the student was actually in the enclosure with the leopard. He may well have climbed the short vertical fence and gotten to the tall leaning fence. I try to apply common sense to the analysis of claims and find many lacking.

a reply to: Tangerine

We are in agreement that there is a secondary high fence enclosure.

Modern zoos try to make them more open and natural. Hence a protective barrier, a pit area, then the animal enclosure.

People aren't suppose to be so stupid that they cross a protective barrier, but then how do you fall off a cruise ship.

Ever heard of the "caveman gene"? I'm not sure if it's real, but it's logical. Supposedly it's an area of the brain that activates during teen years ---- that makes them feel invincible. Anyway, that's just an interesting side note.

I don't think the Twitter photos are faked. They could be, but I don't think so.

Every time my granddaughter walks out the door, I say to her: DON'T DO STUPID. We also have a code word. If she uses it -- I drop everything and go to her. No questions asked.

EDIT NOTE: I first read about the Caveman Gene about 20 years ago. You can imagine everyone and his brother has jumped on this, adding their perspective, etc. When I first read it, it was a real research paper about teen behavior. It's buried somewhere on the net. Didn't want you to think I was misleading you.

I don't expect it, but hopefully the parents will properly discipline their children.