I was really disturbed by a YouTube video. I came across it while I was searching for info about other Canadian sources of baby chicks, in case in the future when our new chickens are grown and finished laying, we want to try some other breeds.

But I wasn’t disturbed for the reasons you might think. Give it a watch if you want (2 million others already have), but first a warning in case you are very sensitive: it shows baby chicks being killed (albeit quickly and in a veterinarian-approved way), and some other unfortunate occurrences which are a part of a mass-hatching operation*. I will NOT embed it, I’m even reluctant to link it because of the fact that it is pure “Go Veg” propaganda; the comments on it have been heavily moderated in such a way that it is absolutely clear that the video producer is only permitting those who agree with their fucked-up viewpoint to have their voices heard.

I wrote a comment, but I know it won’t be permitted to go through, so I have reproduced it here along with a slight expansion of my thoughts.

Not that many years ago – even up until the last century, in many cases – people had to provide their own meat, through hunting or farming/animal husbandry, or go without. There were no grocery stores. If you didn’t do it yourself, you probably knew the person who did, and the guy who cleaned and butchered your meat for you.

As cities grew, society adapted by designating specific individuals to take care of the food needs of humanity. The demand for easily-available, easily-prepared food increased steadily. Over time, more and more emotional and physical distance was put between raising & killing animals (and plants) and the products on the shelves in stores. You no longer cut a piece of meat from a carcass, you open up a package and put it in a pot or frying pan.

The comments on that YouTube video now reveal that even hiring others to handle the difficult job of providing our food has become too emotionally distressing for some, particularly the terminally stupid. “OMG! THINGS HAVE TO DIE SO THAT I CAN EAT! THAT MUST BE CRUEL OR SOMETHING!”

The pussification of society is complete.

GO VAG!

(Oh, and of course, let the poor – who can’t afford the organic, inefficiently-produced expensive vegan products – die.)

*One thing in the video is a skewed statement about debeaking. First, only the very tip of the beak is removed, and second, if the tip is NOT removed, the young birds can peck at each other until one dies – which is a hell of a lot crueler and slower death than being tossed in a macerator.

In fact, they report in the Annals of Internal Medicine, the rate of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) in older men taking erectile dysfunction drugs like Viagra is twice as high as in their non-medicated peers.

In both groups, however, the numbers are swelling. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there were more than six new cases of STDs per 10,000 men over 40 in 2008, up almost 50 percent since 1996.

From: Viagra-popping seniors lead the pack for STDs.

So… those who WANT to have sex and get some chemical assistance to do so are more likely to get a sexually transmitted disease than those who can’t/don’t want to have sex.

In summary: If you have sex, your chances of getting an STD are higher.

Obvious bear is obvious.

Also, have they hired 5th graders to write the news, since it is written at a grade-5 reading level anyway? “Numbers are swelling”? People over 40 are SENIORS? The title doesn’t actually follow the facts in the article at ALL.

GAH – I don’t expect reporters to be scientists, but this is a pretty serious case of CWB (Confound With Bullshit).

Several parties from the left to the right, including the main opposition Bharatiya Janata Party or BJP, observed the strike or bandh against the Congress party-led ruling coalition’s recent decision that boosted the price of gasoline by about 30 cents a gallon at a time when inflation is on the rise. The prices of other fuels such as kerosene and cooking gas also went up.

Schools, colleges and offices remained closed Monday in many parts of the country and flights were canceled, the Times of India reported. The capital New Delhi was partially affected with BJP workers disrupting movement of vehicles in some parts of the city, the report said.

From: Fuel price hike draws nationwide protest

In India, gas rises by 30 cents a gallon and the entire country goes on strike.

In Ontario, the government raises the price of gasoline the equivalent of 33-36 cents per (Imperial) gallon and we have a national holiday.

Way to bend over and take it, guys. Who voted for evil reptilian kitten eater from another planet (and notorious liar) McGuinty again?

I haven’t seen it (yet?), but I’m hearing Shyamalan has really screwed up The Last Airbender.

Of all the films coming out this year, I was looking forward to two the most: Iron Man 2, and Airbender.

Now I can’t even gloat that the Twilight sequel is rated so poorly (50% on RT right now), because The Last Airbender is at 6%. That’s right, 6 PER CENT. I found some of the negativity about Transformers:Revenge of the Fallen (20% on RT) was really ridiculous – I still enjoyed that movie for what it was. I can’t find much hope for a film with only 2 positive reviews out of over 30.

I don’t think I will even bother to go see it, unless someone I respect suggests that it isn’t that bad. I’ll wait for a DVD release. And then borrow it from the library.

Oh well. There’s always Tron:Legacy in December, I guess.

Shit. The Airbender trailers looked pretty good too, didn’t they?

I HAZ A SAD.

I’m trying REALLY hard to maintain my sense of humour here, but it’s just becoming too difficult.

The latest series of incidents with someone I THOUGHT was supposed to be a good friend has led to serious doubt as to whether any of this is worthwhile.

I try and share things that I find funny on Tumblr, but more and more I find people arguing with humourless or obviously mentally ill folks. Trying to break the tension by making a joke appears to have become an indictable (or is that unfollowable) offense.

I started a new Twitter account to resume popping out those lame, short observations I think are amusing, and that’s turned into a shameful embarrassment with less than 2 dozen followers.

All in all it wouldn’t be so bad if it just happened at arms length and I could just observe the ridiculous foibles of others – but it doesn’t. Again and again, I’ve seen reprehensible behaviour from people I thought were decent folks, which has demonstrated their whole “good” side was little more than a facade that collapsed under scrutiny.

The disappointment is starting to really eat at me. I’ve got enough challenges in life, and more than enough things on my plate to face on a daily basis. To discover that my ONE way of coping – through humour – is disintegrating, because every time I put faith in the belief that someone is mature enough to handle a little prodding when they do something I consider idiotic, is completely disheartening.

I’m sorry if you can’t tolerate being forced to do a little introspection. I’m sorry if your tolerance for people being dishonest is higher than mine and it bothers you that I speak out when I see it. I’m sorry for being real and complex and expecting everyone to have some depth, instead of being superficial and meaningless.

OK, you got me. I’m not sorry for any of that at all.

I’m just no longer interested in feeling sorry for being on Tumblr.