An interesting point about the Chinese pandas, anyone given pandas as diplomatical gifts in the 70's, fell from power soon afterwards. Richard Nixon, Edward Heath, Prime Minister Tanaka of Japan and Prince Bernhard of Netherlands all received pairs of pandas from the Chinese government, and all fell from power in spectacular fashion. Hilarity, considering that pandas are essentially parasites riding on human emotions.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/adamcurtis/2010/12/david_dimbleby_and_the_pandas.html
http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/adamcurtis/2010/12/david_dimbleby_and_the_pandas.html