On Charles and Happiness
I pondered having another contest: $100 for whoever could guess what happened to Charles’ foot. But I promise you, unlike the last contest, which ended in 24 hours, this one would go on for quite some time and involve me…
Archive for
Nov 30
South Korea Challenges China in Cruelty Olympics
In S. Korea Kills Animals to Stop Bird Flu (AP), Bo-Mi Lim reports that, well, South Korea is killing animals to stop the spread of bird flu. Notice how there’s no mention of birds being killed (not that they should…
Nov 28
On the Euthanizing of Feral Cats
Look, people, we’ve got a feral cat problem in South Florida, and it’s not going anywhere. And because it’s largely our fault, due to lack of education and action regarding spaying and neutering, we, in my opinion, are obligated to…
Jonathan Safran Foer is My New Hero
This morning’s New York Times brings a wonderful Op-Ed by Jonathan Safran Foer called “My Life as a Dog.” (If you haven’t read or seen his breakout, award-winning book [made into a movie starring vegetarian Elijah Wood] Everything is Illuminated,…
Peter Singer Supports Animal Tests
Fasten your seat belts. It’s going to be a bumpy night. Peter Singer, remember, is a utilitarian. And he is not now, nor has he ever been, someone who thinks humans shouldn’t be using animals (or harming animals) ever. Be…
Hunting to RELAX?
In U.S., Women Go Wild for Hunting (by Sarah Mahoney, Reuters) tells us that increasing numbers of women are hunting, and have become “one of the most enthusiastic segments of the hunting world.” More than 3 million women hunt, and…
THE WAY WE EAT: Why Our Food Choices Matter
Though I’ve referred to THE WAY WE EAT: Why Our Food Choices Matter (by Peter Singer and Jim Mason) a handful of times already, I have yet to post an official review, mostly because I am ambivalent. The most appealing…
The Presidential Pardon: A Mockery of Suffering
Every year, when I see the “traditional” presidential pardon of a turkey, I’m so disgusted, not just about the pardon itself, but about the way the journalists, both live and in the studio, and the people at the event, think…
Nov 22
Baby Boomers Say the Darnedest Things
Yesterday I was at Whole Foods for the third time this week–and I’m not even cooking anything. As loyal readers know, I’ve ordered the entire, allegedly-festive meal, already cooked, from Whole Foods, and I’m picking it all up at 10pm…
Acupuncture for Your Companion Animal
In Vets Turn to Acupuncture for Ailing Pets (AP), Marcus Wohlsen reports that supply and demand is alive and well in the vet business. Increasing numbers of vets are pursuing training in holistic or complementary medicine because their customers (the…
Nov 20
Japan’s Ritual Massacre of Dolphins
In Intelligence of Dolphins Cited in Fight Against Hunt, Rick Weiss of the Washington Post reports that this fall and winter, like every fall and winter for centuries, the Japanese government will sanction a “dolphin drive,” wherein “thousands of bottlenose…
Charles, the Element, and Thanksgiving
Over the past two months, I’ve received dozens of e-mails with suggestions of books, websites, and ways to help Charles Hobson Booger, III overcome his nervous nippy behavior with other dogs. It’s heartwarming that perfect strangers spent so much time…
The Economics of Dog Racing
First, I couldn’t see Fast Food Nation yesterday because I worked with a client until 8pm, and promptly passed out moments later. I hope to see it this evening and write about it tomorrow. While walking Charles and Violet yesterday,…
Industry Reaction to Fast Food Nation
Check out the Wall Street Journal article, Flak Over ‘Fast Food Nation,’ written around the time of the film’s premiere at Cannes in May of 2006. Fascinating, though predictable, stuff from an industry that is being exposed more and more…
UPDATE: Deer With Snout Stuck in Pumpkin
In Pumpkin Stuck on Deer’s Face last Saturday, I was in a snit because though the poor young buck was starving and walking around Michigan with a Halloween jack-o-lantern stuck on his face, the biggest problem with trying to help…
