factory farming
Barbarism in the UK
cheap and sad
milking shed
Christopher Booker sums up the global warming scandal:
Since 1988, when the greatest scare the world has seen got under way, hundreds of billions of pounds have been poured into academic research projects designed not to test the CO2 warming thesis but to take it as a given fact, and to use computer models to make its impacts seem as scary as possible. The new global "carbon trading" market, already worth $126 billion a year, could soon be worth trillions. Governments, including our own, are calling for hundreds of billions more to be chucked into absurd "carbon-saving" energy schemes, with the cost to be met by all of us in soaring taxes and energy bills.
Swine flu could be good for pigs...
...and our morals.
This is a video of happy pigs. Pigs are highly intelligent and organised animals.
The Evening Standard writes that US exports of pork fell 20% in the first half of this year after the H1N1 virus outbreak in April led to import restrictions in China and Russia.
US farmers are losing $30 to $35 on every pig they sell this month and may not make money until May, dealers say. Producers have been unprofitable for 20 of the 22 months to July, and more than 5000 of them may have to exit the business. Swine flu will contribute to an 11% drop in global pork trade this year.
Many claim that the barbaric, intensive, industrial farming methods in which over half the world's pig meat is produced could well be responsible for swine flu. Huge industrial farms are perfect breeding grounds for dangerous pathogens and influenza viruses.
Animal discrimination
farm animals don't count
See CIWF for video link.
Our government and the European Union are spending billions attempting to stop climate change. None of our major politicians even query whether this exists though many ordinary citizens and scientists do have severe doubts. Recently most of the mainstream media have been telling us that Emperor penguins are doomed as the Antarctic melts. Other journalists give a totally contradictory view. See Christopher Booker.
However, whatever your views on climate change, why is it that our media and politicians emote about the perceived problems facing Emperor penguins yet are perfectly happy to allow AND SUBSIDISE with your money, factory farming on a huge scale. Pigs, chickens, cows, ducks, turkeys and geese are often given a brief and brutal existence before being slaughtered for a cheap dinner. The motive force for this is, of course the EU and the Common Agricultural Policy. Amazingly here is an article in the europhile Guardian criticising not only the USA but the EU.
Why don't we care what happens in our country but worry about unlikely threats in far away places. Obviously we should care for all animals but yes we CAN do something about our farm animal welfare regardless of what the rest of the world thinks. Spending billions reducing CO2 levels by a tiny fraction of a percent will not make any difference and even IPCC scientists are having doubts about man made global warming. See here.
Write to your council asking it to use cage free chickens and support Compassion in World Farming and our 'ethical chefs' such as Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall's Chicken Run. campaign.
