More on Humane Slaughter. Humane?

The only image I could find to show humane slaughter.

Thanks to Nicole for this reminder: slaughter should be humane and pets should not be slaughtered. I have always been concerned about the slaughter of animals raised as pets. They neither deserve to be killed and eaten nor abused and left to languish. Responsible pet ownership should be just that: responsible. Unfortunately too many people fail to look ahead when the get a pet; cat, dog or horse. These critters live a long time, eat every day, need care every day and need wellness and illness care too. They can’t be left alone without some kind of care either. So what happens if people get tired of them? The shelter, the knacker or the road. So very cruel.

Visit any animal shelter in a university town and you hear the same story: lots of adoptions at the beginning of the fall term, lots of returns at the end of the spring term. Pets of convenience. And the epidemic of feral cats is appalling. I do advocate exterminating feral animals, but humanely.
Off the soap box, Woody. Just wanted to add to the discussion. (I couldn’t find a single image out of 100s that could be used to illustrate the idea of “humane” slaughter. I am beginning to think it doesn’t exist. Maybe only when you ambush something. This is an evolving value. I never thought it would be.)

Image: http://b.vimeocdn.com/ps/254/255/2542557_300.jpg

Eat Trigger or Silver? Disgusting. Eat Bambi? Killer! Eat Elsie? Yumm.

So the question of the day seems to be “horse or no horse”? (Or in Iceland “Why the hell is there no meat at all in a meat pie”?

Not a thing in the world wrong with eating horse. Or donkey. Or mule. Or deer. Or elk. Oh, the list goes on and on, and still people foam and retch at the thought of eating something strange. You want strange? Try “net-catching dictyophora” or “green ant bums, mate, yumm”. I have eaten some strange things along the way. Strange things like baby octopi, eels in hot sauce, stew with chicken heads (feathers and all) and who knows what else? Donkey sausage? Yep.

So what is the big deal with horse? They are leaner than beef, better for you that lamb and more meat that a nice fat deer. You only don’t want to eat horse because of cultural issues. I accept that. But for heaven’s sake, get over the whining and moaning about what other people eat. I was at a market in Orlando where pig uteruses and ovaries were on sale. Yuck. But they do sell them to somebody. I was at a market in Taiwan where live snakes were skinned (alive) and sold for sombodies dinner. If it isn’t poison someone probably not only eats it but loves to eat it. And even some poisonous things like fugu are prized by some.

No, the issue is adulteration. Plain and simple. If it says “beef” it shouldn’t be horse. Eat Bambi or Trigger if you want to, just don’t mix it with my “100% ground Elsie”.

Image: http://www.unhipchick.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/elsie-the-cow-2.jpg

Sequester THIS!!!

I am really getting tired of the inability of the political types in D.C. to do their jobs and get the damn country going forward. There is only one word missing: cooperation. Regardless of party, most of us elected our representatives to get something done. Not to swan around the House or Senate pontificating about the other side. Not to lie and cheat and obfuscate. I think they all do it to an extent and it really pisses me off. Now I also think that one side does it more than the other and the other side thinks the same (but I think they know they are liars). Even if we assume they (all of them) think they are right, they need to GET OFF THE DIME AND GO TO WORK FOR THE PEOPLE!!!

We have had a couple of years of gridlock and financial brinkmanship and it doesn’t look like it is getting better, fiscal-wise. Look at this: good gains in the housing market; consumer confidence up; stock market up; auto sales up; travel up; unemployment down. And these CLOWNS dick with the system to make it weak and puny. It really sucks that we let them get away with it. What to do? Wait until election? Impeach the lot?

Hell if I know. Maybe have a massive uprising and take away their salaries. Demand that if they can’t get the job done, they shouldn’t be paid. Bet things would get moving then. Doubt if we can do it. Too much money supports them.  And they are all rich bastards anyway. They could take the hit and laugh at us. Maybe we should have a giant moon-in with gigantic signs that say “SEQUESTER THIS!!!!!”

Image: http://blogs.seattleweekly.com/dailyweekly/mooning.jpg