This article in the LA Times about the “sport” of cock fighting in the Philippines is the kind of thing that makes me embarrassed of my heritage.

Personally, I find the all fighting sports stupid, but maybe that’s because I just don’t get it. Really, I don’t. What’s so exciting about watching people pummel each other for fame, glory, or money? Then when you get down to the idea of dog and cock-fighting, IQ levels seem to plummet even further. Here’s a tasty quote from the article by Jorge Araneta, a coliseum owner, who is trying to explain that cock-fighting should be more acceptable than human boxing because chickens who fight one another to the death is “what comes naturally” to them:

This is a better proxy than human beings beating each other’s brains out. I pleaded with Ali to give it up after that fight.

Um, right. I feel bad for Ali and all, but give me a break! There is NOTHING natural about forcing chickens to fight viciously against one another. YOU (the human handler) are putting them (the chickens) in that position. In the wild, they might fight one another if survival or territory were on the line. But in the cock-fighting ring, they (the chickens) did not CHOOSE to enter that ring to maim or kill another chicken. They are fighting for your pleasure and greed, not for anything natural. Compared to human boxing, boxers make their own choices about entering the sport. Sure, maybe they also have some overzealous handlers, but when you get right down to it, they are (and are capable of) making the choice to enter or leave the sport. Last I checked, chickens who are in the sport aren’t making those decisions, their handlers are.

Here’s another brilliant quote from Manny Berbano, another supporter of the so-called sport and publisher of some magazine called Pit Games:

As long as the Almighty permitted intelligent men, created in his image and likeness, to fight in public and kill each other while the world looks on approvingly, it’s not for me to deprive the chickens of the same privilege.

My immediate thought upon reading that quote was: Are you serious? Did he just bring GOD into this? I really have nothing to say about this dude other than karma payback’s gonna be a bitch.

Categories: animals, news
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Yesterday a co-worker surprised me by giving me a young tomato plant to adopt. The thing looked a little dilapidated; one branch had already died, and a couple others looked like they’re on their way. Still, I was thrilled as a kid in a candy store with my new plant!

I got home and repotted him. (”Him” being “Henry,” which for some reason, I find myself calling the plant. Don’t ask.) Organic soil and a little wire cage to help stabilize him for later. Supposedly if you’re to stick anything in the soil, such as stakes or cages, it’s best to do it when repotting so as to reduce the number of shocks the plant gets. I gave him a good watering and left him out in a sunny spot outside for the day.

While tomatoes are supposed to love sun, I think my little guy is still in shock because when I got home today, one of the dying branches looked even more dead than it did yesterday. I thought about pinching it off, but decided to leave it on for another day. However, a couple of the bloomin’ tomatoes were looking OK! Granted, this is my first ever tomato plant so I don’t really know what “looking OK” is supposed to look like. I guess as long as it’s not black or dried up, then I’ll assume things are fine.

On a more successful note, the rose bush in the front of our property is having a grand ‘ole time right now! Not too long ago, our gardener whacked off pretty much the entire thing, leaving little more than a stump. I was mortified, thinking that that was the end of our one and only rose bush. Considering how little we know about plants, it was quite a pleasant surprise to find the bush revived and thriving.

Categories: garden
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I have a not-so-secret desire to be a gardener. (Or at least not kill every single plant I try to raise.) With the fact that I now have two houseplants that are, surprisingly, still alive, I’m gaining more confidence to carry on. One of the two has actually been alive for over a year! So today I bought another basil plant from TJ’s. I realize this makes it my fourth of fifth attempt, but damn it, I’ve got to succeed at some point! Right?

Originally my plan was to start a tomato plant. I’ve been wanting to try container gardening for some time, and I hear that tomatoes are pretty easy for newbies. When I read green LA girl’s recent foray into gardening, who apparently also has a black thumb, I knew that I should just take the plunge. I got up this morning all gung-ho about getting my tomato plant started: looking at what kind of container I should choose, which variety of tomato I should try, and where can I get some good potting soil. Then I started feeling a little overwhelmed at all the different options … I never knew there were THAT many varieties of tomato! Unfortunately, I chickened out and came home with nary a tomato seed.

To help myself feel a little less defeated (and not quite empty-handed), I bought the basil plant. It’s not such a bad consolation prize, and I do love the smell of fresh basil in the kitchen! So while I try to keep this basil plant alive, I’m doing a bit more research on growing tomatoes. Maybe by next weekend I’ll build enough confidence to (finally) get started.

Categories: garden, home
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I just read an article on LATimes.com that just chafed my hide. I believe that everyone has a right to their opinion, even if I think they’re total crackpots (”opinions are like assholes…”). However, I fail to see the point or benefit of demonizing environmental activism.

In September 2007, Scholastic will release The Down-to-Earth Guide to Global Warming by Laurie David and Cambria Gordon. The book pages will be printed on paper that contains 100% post-consumer water fiber as well as use soy inks. Scholastic’s press release describes the book as:

Written for ages 8 and up, is the comprehensive resource young readers can look to for understanding why global warming happens and how we can work together to stop it. Irreverent and entertaining, and packed with essential facts and suggestions on how to effect change, Down-to-Earth offers a message of hope.

Then on the other side of the spectrum, there’s World Ahead Publishing, publishers of titles such as Caucus of Corruption: The Truth About the New Democratic Majority and Help! Mom! There are Liberals Under My Bed!. Like Scholastic, they also plan to publish their own environment-themed book. Except instead of encouraging responsibility for our own impact on the Earth, World Ahead’s book will be “intended to debunk global warming and discourage environmental activism.”

They’ve got cojones, I’ll give them that, but it almost seems as if World Ahead delights in publishing their books for the sole purpose of sticking their tongues out at liberals. Can we grow up here? Being aware and taking care of where we live has nothing to do with the left or right, it’s simply about being responsible for our actions. It’s one thing if you don’t believe that global warming is taking place, or that humans are the main perpetrators. It’s another to paint “environmental activism” as a bad thing and to discourage it, putting faith, instead, in the doctrine that IF global warming becomes an issue, capitalism will be the answer.

I’m curious to see just exactly how they will go about telling kids that “it’s OK to chill about global warming” (which is actually part of the book’s title). I’m picturing a scene where a father and son are having a heart-to-heart conversation about how it’s OK for mom and dad to drive Hummers, because despite what those kooky environmentalists might say, ginormous vehicles have no negative impact on the environment. But even if they did (which is doubtful, of course), then it’s still no cause for worry because MegaCorp, Inc. will come up with something snazzy to fix everything!

Categories: books, environment
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