Homeless, this Christmas

You don’t have to be human to experience the effect of the financial crisis. This year, more dogs are being abandoned by owners as the credit crunch bites.

I just caught the itv London local news and they reported on how Battersea Dogs Home is overrun with strays.

According to this London dog shelter, scores of pets (mainly puppies, I think) given as Christmas presents make their way to the shelter because people don’t want them anymore.

These puppies are just  dumped on already choc-a-bloc dog homes or are thrown away like rubbish.

However, in a BBC report, it’s the older dogs who are sent away to shelters, to make way for new puppies during the festive season.

This shows that no animal is safe then.

When will it stop?
It really breaks my heart to think that so many of animals end up homeless and if they are not found a home, then are put down.

In India, this is not just limited to December, but continues throughout the year. So, the situation is ten times worse than here.

Just because animals can’t talk, doesn’t mean they don’t feel.

One time, my grandmother weht on holiday for a month, leaving her dog in the care of her housekeeper.

And believe me when I say, that dog pined for her the entire time she was away. He wouldn’t touch his food and had become skelenton thin.

So yes, I do believe animals have feelings, even though some may strongly disagree.

A pet, in my opinion, is like a child.  You have to take care and protect it, and in turn you are shown unconditional love.

Lay off the cooking sherry, Nigella!

What was British celebrity chef, Nigella Lawson, thinking when she said she would proudly wear fur if she killed it herself?

Nigella Lawson; Source: Wikipedia

In a live interview on BBC’s The One Show, Nigella actually admitted that she would very happily wear bear fur, if she could kill the beast herself.

And not only that, but she would in fact, wear it proudly as a trophy.

It disgusts me to think people in the public-eye can make such callous remarks and not be reprimanded for it.

Undoubtedly, she has received loads of negative media coverage in the past week.

However, the fact of the matter is, it is still media coverage even if it is bad.

Could it have been a publicity stunt? I honestly don’t know.

Fur trade=Inhumane

Some will criticise her, I suppose.

On the other hand though, others may condone her comments and think that atleast she is honest enough to admit how she really feels about wearing fur.

Watching videos on how fur is made is just heart-wrenching.

To see the cruel conditions in which fox’s, bears and other fur-bearing animals are trapped and the way they are treated by fur-farmers is unthinkable.

How people can even consider wearing fur is beyond me. It is not a fashion statement. Heartless and cruel is what it is, not to mention inhumane.

The fur trade needs to end. Using the skin of innocent, defenceless animals is not something to be proud of. People who glorify the use of fur, serioulsy need to get their heads examined.

And the winner is….Alexandra!

What a night it was. From the performers to the judges, to the fans – the atmosphere on the X Factor was just electric.

I must say though, it was a tough call. Uptill today, I honestly thought JLS would win. It just goes to show, doesn’t it,  how unpredictable things are.

When I watched Alexandras performance tonight, it was so clear that she would be crowned the winner.

For one, she toltally owned that stage. When she sang Hallelujah, it gave me goosebumps.

Alex performed and looked like a real diva. Did you know that she has even be compared to the incredible Whitney Houston?

She was not just a worthy winner, but a deserving one.

Don’t ever give up….

It really makes me wonder, what Louie Walsh was thinking of three years ago when he kicked her out of the competition.

It takes gutts to come back, I give her that, not to mention determination.

On the other hand, I felt so sorry for the adorable Eoghan Quigg, even though I wasn’t a fan. His little 16-year-old heart must have shaterred into tiny pieces.

Watching him come in third even made my grandmother shed a couple of tears.

Eoghan may be a cutie, but it was so obvious tonight he was way out of his depth. Small fry amongst big fish.

Although I have watched loads of singing and talent competitions, I can’t put my finger on why tonight’s drama won’t be forgotten anytime soon.

How can ‘he’ be pregnant?

Thomas Beatie, was shrouded in controversy being the world’s first pregnant man.

I just watched this programme on Channel four, it was a detailed account of events leading upto the impregnation of the world’s first man.

But, can you really call Thomas Beatie, a man?

Undoubtedly, he looks like one, but the fact of the matter is that he was once a woman.
Misleading information
It is physically impossible for a man to have children. Beatie however, has constantly been referred to as the ‘pregnant man’.

In the programme, he admits that even though he underwent surgery, he still kept his female reproductory organs.

Transgendered is what he is. I can’t understand how he can be called the pregnant man, when he clearly isn’t.

I mean, ‘real’ men do not have feamle reproductory organs, obviously.

That’s why I think calling him the pregnant man is totally misleading.

Just plain stupid, maybe?

Scores of passengers were left stranded at Stanstead airport, as environmental group Plane Stupid disprupted hundreds of flights with their tactics to combat climate change.

Many believe that Plane Stupid’s actions were  just that, plain stupid.

I was going through the Telegraph’s website and one of the comments caught my eye. This is what he had to say.

“I dont know much about global warning or have any views on it really, but what i do know is that if these activists are proud of themselves, then they are utterly selfish.

Innocent passenegers have had to pay out copious amounts for new tickets to get to their destinations.

Considering it’s coming up to christmas and the whole financial state at the moment these costs are so unnecassary!!

Writing as someone who has serious doubts about whether airport expansion is still necessary, I have been appalled by their tactics.

Given how many other people the demonstrators have alienated, perhaps Plane Stupid is apt after all.”

A different approach, perhaps?

I do agree, to some extent with the above comment.

The idea behind it was in goof faith, but I think the way in which the activists carried out their protests was flawed.

To combat climate change, you need supporters. But after reading and listenting to comments on this, there were not many who were amused with the group’s approach.   

Innocent passengers were the unknowing victims of this campaign.

The next worry however, is if this is going to happen at Heathrow as well.

In addition to this, BAA’s (British Airport Authority) security provisions are in serious question. 

Protestor’s set on driving their point home is one thing, but what about those with more sinister intentions?

What will the faith of millions be, if a major terrorist attack does occur?

A ‘porky’ mess

Intensive pig farming; Source: Wikipedia

I was listening to the news on the radio today and was shocked to learn that cancer-causing dioxins had somehow managed to contaminate pig feed in Ireland.

The consequence: All pork products like sausages, bacon, salami, ham, white pudding and pizza with ham toppings had to be removed  from supermarket shelves across Europe.

According to the article in The Times of India, “Dioxins are contaminants that may be formed during combustion processes and can be present in industrial wastes.”

Industrial wastes? How could toxic industraial wastes make its way into animal feed or anywhere near it, for that matter? That’s what I want answered.

Tell the truth..

As is to be expected, the authorities played down the entire situation.

A food safety expert, Professor Hugh Pennington told the BBC the health risk was “very, very low”. 

Also, the UK’s Food Standards Agency said it did not believe that consumers faced any “significant risk”. 

Well, obviously there was some risk involved, otherwise why would the products in question be recalled?

It’s hard to digest that some pork products contained up to 200 times more dioxins than the recognised safety limit.

All that’s in my mind is how could this have happened? And what is going to be done to prevent a future occurrence?

Will this slip-up take a toll on Ireland’s farming industry, considering that this is the time of year when pork is in great demand? Only time will tell, I suppose.

Goa on the rocks….

On alert: Beautiful Goa; Source: Wikipedia

Goa has been in the news for the past week or so now, but more so today and it’s for all the wrong reasons.

Following the recent terrorist attacks in Mumbai, Goa is on the hit list.

The reason being that nearly 2 million tourists flock there annually. December being one of its peak months. 

To be honest, it gives me the chills to even consider what might happen. What would the police do?

Goa’s police force…actually, what police force? I’m not being harsh, just honest.

Having lived there for nearly all my life, does by no means make me an expert, but enables me to assess the situation, I believe.

 

A frightening situation

First of all, when you think of the police, you think  of physically fit men/women.

Okay, so that’s out. Most of the police force in Goa are overweight, not to mention corrupt and in most politicians pockets.

What would they do if terrorist’s struck? Probably to dive under their rickety tables, cowering in fright, would be their immediate reaction.

Thaindian News reports that, “Even for minor law and order situations, elections as well as VVIP visits or cultural events, the State has to call for outside forces or work with the available limited force.

This is done by diverting staff from the districts as well as units, thereby severly affecting the working of the police department.”

The Times of India confirms the fact that even during the International Film Festival of India (IFFI) that is held in Goa, “the event puts a massive strain on the police machinery.

To handle such situations, an increase of reserve force is the need of the hour to ensure effective patrolling.”

What will the fate of Goa be, if our own security force is so limited? How fast can we expect any kind of rescue operation to take place?

All will be revealed unfortunatley, when the inevitable does happen and it’s just too late to do anything  at all.

Animals a stomping, crushing, eating, killing….

Cute, not realy? Cuddly is probably out of the picture too. But don’t rats, snakes and yes, even cockroaches and grubs have the right to be treated fairly? 

Everytime I happen (and this is definitely accidental) to catch I’m a Celebrity….Get me out of here!  all I see are animals being stomped to death or crushed or squashed or eaten.

What I want to know is, how can ITV get away with such shows masquerading as family entertainment?

It really gets under my skin to think shows like this actually appeal to a large percentage of the poupulation.
Maybe it’s not apparent that THIS IS ANIMAL CRUELTY!

How about if an adorable bunny or some other such pet were used in the programme? Wouldn’t the public react differently to that ?

I’m fine with celebrities promoting (feel free to call it whatever you like, I’m being kind!) themselves on television, that’s their choice. But, the innocent animals used in such ‘hits’ don’t have a say, do they?

Cruelty…who cares? 

According to Vegetarians International Voice for Animals (Viva!), ‘evidence from Australian wildlife experts has revealed some species of kangaroo are on the brink of extinction.

This includes a new report from the Australian Society for Kangaroos (Decimation of an Icon), which shows that several species of kangaroo shot in the wild for meat and leather are on the brink of extinction in wide areas of Australia.

More than three million animals are still allowed to be slaughtered every year, despite the worst drought in living memory and the result is a collapse of kangaroo populations.’

And yet, here we have I’m a Celebrity creating tasks that include eating ‘exotic meats’ like crocodile eyes and feet; kangaroo testicles.

The celebs even have containers of snakes, eels, rodents, not to mention, millions of insects tipped onto them. 

Hopping mad...another 'unwilling participant'; Source: Wikipedia

In the Telegraph, the RSPCA voiced its concerns, saying it feared that the  show’s ‘Bushtucker challenges’, were desensitising people’s attitudes towards animal cruelty.

“The use of animals in this way is completely unacceptable and could easily cause great distress to the animals involved,” said a spokesman.

“There is no excuse for using animals in stunts that carry a high risk of them being harmed and we believe the series gives out a very irresponsible message to viewers about how to treat animals.”

However,  an ITV spokesman defended the use of animals on the show and said: “At each of the bushtucker trials, which feature animals or insects, we have qualified and experienced animal and insect wranglers on site and every trial has been carefully tested and developed.”

I’m not convinced. And don’t forget the mental torture these animals have to endure? Can you imagine what rats trapped in a tub of snakes slithering at the bottom have to go through?

Animals are not just being harmed, but are being caused fear and distress, and they are dying. Animal welfare, unfortunately,  has gone out the window.