Thoughts from the Dirty City

I have been thinking about the upcoming New Year quite a bit lately, more so than I would like to admit. I have been looking back over the last years (years) and deciphering what it is about my life that needs changing. What issues need resolved. I know this is nothing new, and in fact almost everyone starts to spend a bit more energy pondering the rearview mirror this time of year.

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The other day I took a walk during my lunch break. I was just wandering around taking in my new surroundings and not really paying attention to where I was going (shocking I know) and got myself good and turned around.  I jogged a few blocks hoping to run accross a street i recognized to no avail. I was lost.

I scoped out the passersby looking for the least menacing character I could find. I spotted an older, nice looking gentleman with a dog (people with dogs always seem more trustworty). I asked him if he could point me in the direction I need to be.  He didn’t look up or make eye contact of any kind, or even make any gesture as to what direction I should head. He just calmly started giving me highly detailed directions. It seemed off, but whatever he was going to get me where I needed to be.  It wasn’t till about half way through his directions I realized he was blind….yup…I had to get directions from a blind man…

Gandhi said “the world has enough for everyone’s need, but not for
everyone¹s greed”

What, you thought I was going to make some kind of joke or something?

by Gillette Burgess

The Goops they lick their fingers
And the Goops they lick their knives:
They spill their broth on the tablecloth
Oh, they lead disgusting lives!
The Goops they talk while eating,
And loud and fast they chew;
And that is why I’m glad that I
Am not a Goop, are you?

In keeping with yesterday’s post, I have decided to revisit my youth a bit. When I was little I could recite this poem by heart, but still made my dad read it to me every night before bed. If I think back on my childhood, this poem and the book it came from is one of the first things that come to mind. Just thinking about the detailed wood cut prints that illustrated each of the pages makes me smile.

I would love to recommend the book, but it has long been out of print. It is called “The Children’s Book of Literature” and is a large collection classic children’s stories, poems and fable’s.

And, just in case you are wondering: I AM actually a GOOP. Always have been, always will be.

My Resignation:

This letter is to inform you that I am hereby tendering my resignation as an adult. I have decided I would like to accept the responsibilities of a child again.

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From iGoogle How to of the Day

I was intrigued when I saw the title of today’s “how to of the day” I don’t consider myself an angry person, but who couldn’t learn to be a little more understanding. I was hoping for something really inspiring to make me want to call those mean girls from high school and tell them they are pretty and I didn’t mean all of those horrible things I said. Instead, I wanted to send iGoogle a message telling them where they could shove it. Too harsh? I don’t think so.

Theirs is a 12 step process, that alone should have been enough to prevent me from reading on. Read more

First there was in vitro babies, next on the list, in vitro chicken nuggets. No, really. I’m not kidding. Scientist have spent years working on a viable meat substitute that is in fact meat. Last month in Norway in international symposium met to discuss the issue. With the world facing a food shortage crisis the new science of “growing” meat in a lab instead of the farm seems to be the solution of choice.

The ecological effects of farming for meat are well known. Not to mention the countless ways the end product can end up containing any number of diseases. Meat grown in a lab would eliminate all of the nasty side effects of farming for meat, as well as producing a safer product for human consumption. They are even talking about ways to eliminate certain types of harm full fatty tissue and incorporate other more beneficial fats like Omega 3.

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So I got signed up to get a quote sent to me each day. I’m not entirely sure how I got on the list, but I figure since they aren’t trying to sell me anything I might as well keep getting them. Not to mention the entire email is never more than a sentence, even I can handle that much.

Today’s quote was: “The best ad is a good product” from Alan H. Meyer. It was the first quote I had gotten that actually applied to me and my daily life. Usually they are proverbial nothings like “A good appetite never wants sauce.” Is that supposed to mean something, cause if it is it was lost on me.

Anyway, back to Meyer and his musings. I have only one thing to say to this guy and that is “shut the truck up.” I say a great ad is all you need.

Especially if it is designed by me

A note to all office employees,
I know you are being polite, and I am not trying to minimize your efforts at being a good samaritan, but seriously for the love of god stop holding the door for me. Every morning I get to the office and about half way between my car and the door someone spots me and decides to be nice and stop to hold the door for me. I know it sounds like a really nice gesture, and I am sure I should be thankful instead of resentful but it really isn’t helping me in any way shape or form.

It always happens when I am just far enough away that it would seem rude to continue walking at my normal pace. Obviously said person at the door is a nice person, one that holds doors open for other people, so I don’t want to be rude and keep this person waiting. But each morning it seems that before I have even finished my coffee I am jogging in dress shoes. In all honesty a door is not that hard a thing to open, and it isn’t like I am caring arm-loads of goods from my car to the door. It’s just me, my bag and my coffee. I am 100% sure that I am proficient enough at being upright as to remain that way while opening a door. And if I do happen to fall, or have a mishap I wont blame you, and it will certainly be entertaining.

So please, I beg you, don’t hold that door. Just turn and smile, if I am really that close give the door a toss to keep it open while I head in. I wont think you are being rude, I promise!!!

Friday, March 28, 2008 the commercial hunt for 275,000 baby harp seals began. I got an email from The Humane Society of The United States notifying me of the situation. I was honestly a little confused when I read the email. I distinctly remember this practice being banned in the 80’s. So I did a little bit of research and it turns out that I was right, sort of.

In 1983 the the outrage over what was happening to these animals brought the seal hunt to an end. Europe banned the trade of fur from newborn seals and much of the world stopped looking assuming the problem had been solved. The hunt continues though. Hunters have found a way around the import ban by waiting until the pups are 12 days old before clubbing them. See, there is no ban in place of seal skin, just “baby” seal skin.

In 2006 legislation began to be drafted by European Parliament banning the trade of all seal products, regardless of the age of the seal. Studies are currently being conducted to provide a foundation for such a ban. The findings of these studies are by no means surprising. Seals are often killed ineffectively, meaning that the initial blow to the head doesn’t render them unconscious, as it is suppose to. Many times these still fully conscious pups are hooked, dragged to the boat and skinned alive.

Regulations state that after “stunning” the pups (rendering them unconscious) they are to be bled on the ice before being transported to the vessel for processing. As barbaric as it sounds, this is the most humane method of hunting for pup fur. Yet this is rarely the way the kill goes down. In most cases, even the supposed “humane” scenarios, it takes several blows from the club to knock out the struggling pup. They are then transported to the boat to be processed, the lucky ones never regain consciousness. The carcass is then tossed back on to the ice to rot. There is no market for seal blubber, and the young pups offer little meat.

I know that many people are going to make the argument that these hunters need to make a living and feed their families, and I completely agree. Truth is, the boats and crews that make these trips are local fishermen. It just so happens that the seal hunt takes place in the fishing off season. The money they make off the pup pelts is a very small fraction of their annual income. Income that can be made up for with other government programs that are already in place.

The hunt is not only a tragedy for the seal pups, it is also an incredible and unnecessary risk to the humans involved. Already this year three fisherman have lost their lives to the icy waters. This truly is a no win situation for all those involved.

The commercial seal hunt is the largest slaughter of marine mammals on Earth. To learn more, and to help put an end to the hunt visit The Humane Society’s website at: www.hsus.org