Alex and Me Book - Page 2

11-18-2008, 08:18 PM

This is on my Christmas list already.

11-19-2008, 10:22 AM

I am done reading it also, and it was so hard to read the end. Very upseting and also tears. But also a remarkable book.

11-20-2008, 03:52 PM

I went to a presentation done by Dr. Pepperberg and found she had brought an entire entourage just to sell her book. Everybody assumed positions behind the tables (they brought the entire 'store' with them) as a well-oiled machine even though she had been told that no selling was allowed when she was booked and well in advance of the event. And, after they descended on the premises and the organizers realized what was actually happening and they were approached and asked to leave, they refused. The club that booked this event lost its priviledges to use any public library in NYC because of this. And she never even apologized.

I was also fascinated by Alex and his intelligence but, as I started thinking about it, was also quite bothered by the fact that Alex's life must have been very sad... living in a lab, surrounded by people that changed every few years and whose only interest was in studying him and question him incessantly about the same things over and over. I was not suprised to find out he suffered from a condition developed only by birds that live under a lot of stress. I was also not suprised to find out that he had died young and that they could not find any apparent cause for his death. That happened to two birds I rescued, birds that had lived for years under tremendously stressful situations.

While he was alive, she was once asked how she viewed her relationship to A.L.Ex (from Avian Learning Experiment). and she replied he was a subject of an experiment. Now she is selling a tear-jerker about her feelings for him. I find this very disturbing...

11-20-2008, 06:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Beatriz Cazeneuve

I went to a presentation done by Dr. Pepperberg and found she had brought an entire entourage just to sell her book. Everybody assumed positions behind the tables (they brought the entire 'store' with them) as a well-oiled machine even though she had been told that no selling was allowed when she was booked and well in advance of the event. And, after they descended on the premises and the organizers realized what was actually happening and they were approached and asked to leave, they refused. The club that booked this event lost its priviledges to use any public library in NYC because of this. And she never even apologized.

I was also fascinated by Alex and his intelligence but, as I started thinking about it, was also quite bothered by the fact that Alex's life must have been very sad... living in a lab, surrounded by people that changed every few years and whose only interest was in studying him and question him incessantly about the same things over and over. I was not suprised to find out he suffered from a condition developed only by birds that live under a lot of stress. I was also not suprised to find out that he had died young and that they could not find any apparent cause for his death. That happened to two birds I rescued, birds that had lived for years under tremendously stressful situations.

While he was alive, she was once asked how she viewed her relationship to A.L.Ex (from Avian Learning Experiment). and she replied he was a subject of an experiment. Now she is selling a tear-jerker about her feelings for him. I find this very disturbing...

Wow I can't believe that her and her entourage did that. Thats pretty insane. She definitely should of apoligized for that.

In reference to Alex being in the lab all the time, I kinda agree with you, but he also got to have all those people with him even thou they were testing him. I was surprised that she didn't have an autopsy done on him when he passed. She just walked out of the vet at that point. If it was me I would have. But all in all he was a very smart bird.

11-21-2008, 12:10 PM

I actually agree with Beatriz, I think it's very sad. We all know that everyone recommends training for about 10-15 mins per day, but he was doing something like 8 hours in the lab. That must have stressed him out a lot. I do agree it is fascinating what they have found out from him, but still quite sad.