No Animals Were Harmed

[Wneglia]

Good reason to boycott Hollywood

[O Really]

I could argue that forcing animals to act without having a union card is certainly a grievous violation. I would also more seriously argue that negligently putting animals in situations where they could be injured or killed should be criminal. On the other hand, I don't find the incident with King to be all that awful of an example of abuse. Tigers do swim, and they had him in a contained area. Somebody may have effed up, but I don't think it was negligence or abuse. As to the 27 animals that died from Hobbitry, there appears to be two sides to the story, with both sides pointing fingers at the other.

I think a lot matters as to what animals we're dealing with and what we're asking them to do. Try to tell the "air dogs" for example that they're being abused by being asked to jump into the water - or that chasing a frisbee or a ball is not fun. Animals are a part of our lives, and we should respect and take care of them. But teaching one to do something based on his natural skills isn't a bad thing.

[Wneglia]

...A year later, during the filming of another blockbuster, Peter Jackson’s The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, 27 animals reportedly perished, including sheep and goats that died from dehydration and exhaustion or from drowning in water-filled gullies, during a hiatus in filming at an unmonitored New Zealand farm where they were being housed and trained...

Unacceptable, of course, but how many animals are harmed in cancer research?

Unfortunately, computer models cannot give all the information, even though it is gradually replacing animal models. For the time being, animal research is a necessary evil.

[O Really]

The National Institute of Health (NIH) proposed using lawyers instead of rats in their experiments, presenting the following reasons:

1. The lab assistants were becoming very attached to their little rats. This emotional involvement was interfering with the research being conducted. No such attachment could form for a lawyer.

2. Lawyers breed faster and are in much greater supply.

3. Lawyers are much cheaper to care for and the humanitarian societies won't jump all over you no matter what you're studying or what you do to them.

4. There are some things a rat just won't do.

[Wneglia]

The National Institute of Health (NIH) proposed using lawyers instead of rats in their experiments, presenting the following reasons:

1. The lab assistants were becoming very attached to their little rats. This emotional involvement was interfering with the research being conducted. No such attachment could form for a lawyer.

2. Lawyers breed faster and are in much greater supply.

3. Lawyers are much cheaper to care for and the humanitarian societies won't jump all over you no matter what you're studying or what you do to them.

4. There are some things a rat just won't do.

[O Really]

The "necessary evil" is what the cosmetics companies used to argue when they used animals. Opps. Turned out they actually did have workable alternatives.

[neoplacebo]

Big controversy brewing (or maybe it's settled) about the infamous "Possum Drop" which occurs on New Year's night in, uh, Brasstown I think it is. Basically a long standing tradition in which a possum in a box is hoisted up and then lowered to drunken shouts of "hell, yeah" and "damn, that there is a righteous drop." This crowd should have a tv commercial......"we don't always abuse animals, but when we do, we drink..."

[O Really]

Big controversy brewing (or maybe it's settled) about the infamous "Possum Drop" which occurs on New Year's night in, uh, Brasstown I think it is. Basically a long standing tradition in which a possum in a box is hoisted up and then lowered to drunken shouts of "hell, yeah" and "damn, that there is a righteous drop." This crowd should have a tv commercial......"we don't always abuse animals, but when we do, we drink..."

The festivities include a contest with local men dressed as women to compete for the title "Miss Possom Queen"

Last year, they were beaten into submission to the extent they didn't use a live animal. This year may not be settled yet. I think they ought to drop a redneck....from 50 feet up without the cable.

[neoplacebo]

All I can say is "hell, yeah." I bet Mark Meadows would vote for it.

[neoplacebo]

Big controversy brewing (or maybe it's settled) about the infamous "Possum Drop" which occurs on New Year's night in, uh, Brasstown I think it is. Basically a long standing tradition in which a possum in a box is hoisted up and then lowered to drunken shouts of "hell, yeah" and "damn, that there is a righteous drop." This crowd should have a tv commercial......"we don't always abuse animals, but when we do, we drink..."

The festivities include a contest with local men dressed as women to compete for the title "Miss Possom Queen"

Last year, they were beaten into submission to the extent they didn't use a live animal. This year may not be settled yet. I think they ought to drop a redneck....from 50 feet up without the cable.

I bet Homerphobe is steaming at you for blowing his cover.

[O Really]

For those who might think this is a harmless thing to do - and yes, I know it's a 'possum and they don't really do it noticeable damage - would you still support it if they were using your dog or your cat?

[O Really]

Good point. My analogy wasn't very realistic as I think about it. Lots of dogs who are well-socialized and used to living with kids and chaos probably would doze off in the "plexiglass pyramid." You expressed the issue well.

[rstrong]

Q. What's the difference between a hamster and a cow?
A. The cow survives the branding.