Hot Button Topics (religion, politics, sports)

[Chocofreak13]

@bella: hence why i was a bit "ehhhhh" about it. saying 'i want to marry an asian guy!" isn't akin to happiness and is kind of stereotyping, since i'm sure there are asshole japanese guys just like there are asshole american ones. and there are nice japanese guys just like there are nice american ones.

@pent: with that though, there should be laws regarding "common law marriages", affording some rights to a couple who has lived together ___ years (it's usually around 7 that they're considered "married"). :\

[Nichi]

Definitely, yeah. Giving more rights to people who need them most is definitely a good thing

[Chocofreak13]

it's stupid not to. so i can't get on my partner's health insurance despite me needing it and us having been together for 15 years?

[Pitkin]

Just to add about the horse meat (this time a bit more seriously):

I haven't got a slightest issues eating horse meat, and have been eating it for years. Horse is quite a divisive meat in the sense that even between two neighbouring countries like the UK and France, the former finds eating it repulsive even today while in the latter it's been eaten more or less always. The reasons are certainly historical, horse having either attained or not the position of being "a human's friend" or part of the workforce (or even a comrade in war). Purely personally, I don't see eating an animal X any worse than eating beef or pork. I wouldn't like to eat my or someone else's pet, of course.

Naturally, the biggest issue about the lasagna au cheval is that it was claimed to be 100% domestic beef in, while it turned out to be 100% Romanian horse. A major-scale fraud, which is suspected to be the doings of the Romanian mafia or something along those lines. I'm afraid that all the horse-based food found will be just categorically trashed, while the food is not risky for health. It's another mountain to add to the pile of wasted food, and the animals sacrificed obviously died without meaning if they don't even feed anyone.

[Nichi]

That's terrible ;_;

Also, horse meat sounds odd to me. Deer meat, however, I can understand a bit more (Plus, Bambi's mom makes good chili)

[stewartsage]

Deer meat is delicious, and I'd be lying if I said I wouldn't at least try horse or mule.  Latter's supposed to be really tough though, which makes since considering how much muscle they are.

I feel like all my criminology courses are this thread the class.

[Simonorged]

As long as it's not sick or already dead, all is fair game. Except humans, I can't stand the idea.

[Bella]

Sorry guys, as a former horse-crazy kid and person who worked with horses for 3+ years, I absolutely cannot imagine eating horse (outside of a life-or-death scenario, of course - but I wouldn't be averse to consuming human in such a situation, either). Same goes for dog, cat, most "domestic" birds, guinea pig, goat, rabbit in most (if not all) cases (so, "pet" animals in general), as well as highly-intelligent and self-aware creatures like monkeys, whale, elephant and dolphin. And shark too.

In the US at least, horses are considered pets, so people are about as repulsed by the thought of eating horse as they are eating a cat or dog. There's also the issue of the vast majority of US horses being treated with drugs that make their meat toxic to humans, and although it's illegal to slaughter horses for human consumption in the US, there is an ongoing problem in the US of people having their pet horses stolen, taken to auction and sold to killer buyers who ship the animals to Mexico to be slaughtered and sold as food product around the world. (Which, again, is potentially-dangerous due to the chemicals used on US horses - though honestly, if a person knowingly buys horse meat and gets sick eating it, I think it's well-deserved.)

Also, since deer meat was brought up: I actually believe that hunting is a VASTLY more ethical and humane way to obtain meat vs. buying meat obtained from a factory-farmed animal. After all, an animal born into the wild has had a good life and it's safe to assume that its death was quick, painless and that it didn't even see it coming, as opposed to factory-farmed animals, who are generally born and raised in abysmal settings and suffer quite a lot before their eventual slaughter. I've always found it very hypocritical of people to support the consumption of farm-raised animals but be against hunting on grounds of it somehow being inhumane.

That being said, I realize that hunting, buying wild meat, or meat obtained from small and humane farming operations is a luxury and not a feasible option for a majority of people.

[Chocofreak13]

i think veal is inhumane. mind you, i got my education on the subject from south park. but keeping them tiny and not letting them roam just to keep them tender is pretty damn mean.

@horsemeat: with bells on this one here. my aunt has had horses since before i was born, and while i'm not against killing and eating horses (since that's some people's culture), i'm not for it either. as B mentioned here we give our animals all sorts of LOVELY DRUGS to help with health/deworming/life enhancement/etc. just as it would be dangerous to eat a guy who's on a cockail of medications, so too is it dangerous to eat an animal that is on one.
non-medically treated horses, though, would be safer, but i just can't support it since one of the local animal shelters has horses. (actually, they have cows, sheep, chickens, and goats too.)

@hunting: i greatly support this, but take it with a grain of salt. (kinda literally.) considering all the things wild animals get into, people need to be VERY CAREFUL since they DON'T get the lovely drugs to keep them safe. worms, diseases, and all sorts of other little nasties can be crawling on that fresh catch, so you have to take the proper precautions and keep up-to-date on what's huntable this season and what isn't.
hunting, though, helps keep the natural order in check. it is thanks to us that the tops of the wild food chain don't become overpopulated and stretch the available resources too thin. (for reference, see the videogame Tokyo Jungle.) with that, though, perhaps WE could benefit with a natural predator....

[Nichi]

Agreed on hunting

with that, though, perhaps WE could benefit with a natural predator....

This line thoroughly creeped me out; since knowing my luck, I'd be one of the first to be killed >_>;;

[Chocofreak13]

no, your boss would be. he's let himself fall into complacency. besides, predators go where their best odds of getting food are, in this case densely populated countries and cities. you're fine. -w-

[Nichi]

Indeed

Therefore, Bella is the safest one of all -w-

[Chocofreak13]

currently, yes, but region-wise i'd say it's either her, stew, or nej, given they're in proximity of unpopulated woods.

[stewartsage]

Fuckin' right.  We sent those bitch ass wolves and mountain lions packing once, we'll do it again.

[alfonso_rd_30]

@ horse meat... well I'm not up for eating it, sincde half o my family comes from a rural environment, but if I'm forced by the circumstances then so be it...

@ hunting... I'm ok with it... as I am with bullfighting---


@choco: wut about moo?