May we all find the peace which we seek:
Thursday, December 24, 2009
Merry Christmas and RIP My Hen Liz - Go Vegan
Liz is gone. I went to let the girls out this morning and she had passed during the night...
I kept telling myself through all these months that when she did go - I'd accept it so much better, because I knew she lived a good (long) life... (considering). Every chance I got I asked other "chicken people" about her breed... and when to expect her organs to fail - They were right... 10 months were all her body could endure.
So I'm not really wishing a Merry anything to the evil industry or culture that made her into the "meat machine" that she was... So big she could hardly walk... Too big to roost with the others at night --- But her dear little chicken brain couldn't understand why not... We even built a "handicapped ramp" for her to get higher at night. Still after she waddled up, to get to her sleeping box, she'd moan and complain --- She so wanted to be with her flock.
For her size she had the sweetest disposition. Her feathers were like velvet. She was the first baby "chick" I ever knew - (or lost).
What a thing to have happen on Xmas eve... But I hope this short capsule of her life might be a "gift" to those who might sympathize with her story... and who might Go Vegan.
Indeed - Liz was a "tough old bird"... And will be dearly missed.
I kept telling myself through all these months that when she did go - I'd accept it so much better, because I knew she lived a good (long) life... (considering). Every chance I got I asked other "chicken people" about her breed... and when to expect her organs to fail - They were right... 10 months were all her body could endure.
So I'm not really wishing a Merry anything to the evil industry or culture that made her into the "meat machine" that she was... So big she could hardly walk... Too big to roost with the others at night --- But her dear little chicken brain couldn't understand why not... We even built a "handicapped ramp" for her to get higher at night. Still after she waddled up, to get to her sleeping box, she'd moan and complain --- She so wanted to be with her flock.
For her size she had the sweetest disposition. Her feathers were like velvet. She was the first baby "chick" I ever knew - (or lost).
What a thing to have happen on Xmas eve... But I hope this short capsule of her life might be a "gift" to those who might sympathize with her story... and who might Go Vegan.
Indeed - Liz was a "tough old bird"... And will be dearly missed.
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Merry Christmas! Uncle Santa Gifts Dairy - The Whole Year Through
Before I was "Provoked" I was in business for myself... For decades I managed with the market to adjust, tighten my belt, be innovative, work harder, and "flow" with the economic times. When sales were down - my business sense said to change my approach... Or even my product. The customer is always right... Right?
When my widgets in my enterprise weren't selling - I suffered the losses and moved on. This is the beauty of the free market... It is based on fair exchange of values... My product purchased without coercion - My buyers, likewise, would give me something I was willing to trade for: "payment". All is equitable in this system. It is the way free exchange and free market contracts are supposed to work...
I like those arrangements in finances - Personal responsibility for good and bad decisions. By all that is right and just - a down turned market should be left alone... To sink or swim. To succeed or not. And in the worse case scenario... You can always open up a crisis hot-line for financially challenged farmers...
Still, in a free economy neither the truth or the economics would be warped to codify and protect losers. Bailouts would not happen because that would be against the mandates of the consumers dollar - Their "vote". But seems our money is no good around this corrupt scheme. This system that rewards failure by creating an artificial reality... These artificial props allow flunkies to avoid due consequences.
A "business" that has been rewarded and gifted for their declining sales is animal agriculture. Indeed the best "customer" to animal ag is UncleSam...err, I mean Uncle Santa.
When my widgets in my enterprise weren't selling - I suffered the losses and moved on. This is the beauty of the free market... It is based on fair exchange of values... My product purchased without coercion - My buyers, likewise, would give me something I was willing to trade for: "payment". All is equitable in this system. It is the way free exchange and free market contracts are supposed to work...
I like those arrangements in finances - Personal responsibility for good and bad decisions. By all that is right and just - a down turned market should be left alone... To sink or swim. To succeed or not. And in the worse case scenario... You can always open up a crisis hot-line for financially challenged farmers...
Still, in a free economy neither the truth or the economics would be warped to codify and protect losers. Bailouts would not happen because that would be against the mandates of the consumers dollar - Their "vote". But seems our money is no good around this corrupt scheme. This system that rewards failure by creating an artificial reality... These artificial props allow flunkies to avoid due consequences.
A "business" that has been rewarded and gifted for their declining sales is animal agriculture. Indeed the best "customer" to animal ag is Uncle
One such package arriving b/4 Xmas is this: "Meat the Need" program which establishes a "tiered-purchase program for the dairy and pork industries", as well as a one-time purchase of "turkey" products. Under this plan - Uncle Santa Sam is buying the "extra" 500 million pounds "goods" to off-set decline in demand/sales.
And if cows have been too good at "giving" milk - The Feds can step in with another market adjustment like the Milk Income Loss Contract (MILC) Objectives To maintain and expand existing markets for dairy which are vital to the welfare of milk producers in the United States. What it is is twisting markets to carry the slack and make payments to "producers" who don't have enough customers.
Let's not forget SNAP Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program
And this in August: The government announced a three-month increase in U.S. dairy support prices on Friday that would put an additional $243 million into farmers' pockets and offset the lowest milk prices in 30 years.
In November: Dairy Economic Loss Assistance Payment (DELAP) Program 290 million to dairy
And now to close out the year Uncle Santa is gifting dairy with payments before Christmas. It’s part of the $350 Million dairy relief package passed by Congress to help struggling producers. Sixty-million will be used to buy cheese for government food programs, starting next March. The remaining $290 Million is direct payment relief.
Relief, bailouts, buyouts, subsidies, and dairy farmer support and welfare... What an odd combination to pass as "business" or as "producers". No one wanted these products when they were "cheap"... But now with the Feds help... the taxpayer is forced to buy them... Quite a system they've got! I hope when these "farmers" are at the bank waiting for their stolen money, they take a good look at who is their keeper. They leech from both the exploited cows and humans alike... Indeed they are already "milking it" into the next year: 4 million in grant money coming in 2010 to research why cows aren't making enough babies.
Animal ag... bah-humbug!
Saturday, December 19, 2009
CHRISTMAS FURS - THE GIFT OF DEATH - GO VEGAN
As I mentioned yesterday, there are things about some Christmas trinkets and holiday ornaments that I will never look at again the same way - 
A memory that stands out for me when I see these little vintage ladies with their "fashionable" fur muffs, is that I too possessed one of these. I remember how happy I was when one was given to me - As a Christmas gift of course...
But I was young, and didn't know at what expense my fluffy rabbit muff was gotten at. In my child's mind I thought owning and carrying the muff was like being closer to one of my animal friends. No where in my wildest imagination could I have known - or understood what I was asking for then.
A memory that stands out for me when I see these little vintage ladies with their "fashionable" fur muffs, is that I too possessed one of these. I remember how happy I was when one was given to me - As a Christmas gift of course...But I was young, and didn't know at what expense my fluffy rabbit muff was gotten at. In my child's mind I thought owning and carrying the muff was like being closer to one of my animal friends. No where in my wildest imagination could I have known - or understood what I was asking for then. But surely we all know now about the cost of furs... And how totally unnecessary using animals as "clothing" is. Please leave furs off your body... and leave bodies off your plate. Go Vegan
Xmas Ornaments part 2 of 3
Friday, December 18, 2009
CHRISTMAS ARK ANIMALS - SOME STARVE AT SEA
To encourage a plant based diet, I often say that we should stop fattening animals in order to fatten people. But starving 28,000 cows and sheep in the middle of the sea, was not what I had in mind.
Not at all.
And thinking about animals traveling by boat - I'm reminded of this Christmas decoration I recently unpacked... It's very delicate and makes a tinkling sound when it moves. It's quite lovely, I've had it for years. But with my current awareness and vegan views, I've come to see this ornament quite differently.
You see, there isn't an animal on this ark that I can delight in, without remembering the exploitations this particular "species" is subject to: Elephants are chained, giraffes are penned, lions are caged, rhinos are poached and mice are murdered. Chimps are in labs... and every animal is in trouble. But the unicorns? They just got darn lucky I guess!
Xmas ornaments - part 1 of 3
Not at all.
And thinking about animals traveling by boat - I'm reminded of this Christmas decoration I recently unpacked... It's very delicate and makes a tinkling sound when it moves. It's quite lovely, I've had it for years. But with my current awareness and vegan views, I've come to see this ornament quite differently.
You see, there isn't an animal on this ark that I can delight in, without remembering the exploitations this particular "species" is subject to: Elephants are chained, giraffes are penned, lions are caged, rhinos are poached and mice are murdered. Chimps are in labs... and every animal is in trouble. But the unicorns? They just got darn lucky I guess!
Xmas ornaments - part 1 of 3
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
