Vegetarianism is a Higher level View

[austintorn@aol.com]

Loaded for Bear

We built two blinds out of tree branches, about 40 feet apart, called East and West, for I was an Easterner and my guide was a Westerner. Of course there were jokes about which side of the nation could shoot the best.

I had five shells, as did he, varying in weight and precision. I loaded the 180, saving the 225 and the three 150’s.

After a short while, we spotted the bear coming over the ridge, it stopping about 150 yards away and then standing and sniffing the air, moving its head from side to side and all about. It then moved a few feet forward and repeated this. It knew that something was up, but it didn’t know where we were since the wind was in our favor. It was the same mighty and massive bear from yesterday that had buried a mule in a minute.

I was waiting to take the devastating spine shot, but after awhile it became clear that the bear was pushing forward and not going to turn around. Meanwhile, the guide had been giving me the thumb’s-up sign again and again. We dared not speak. Still, I didn’t shoot, for it was not best to shoot a bear from the front. The guide threw his hands up as a signal to go for it already, and so I gauged the wind and allowed for gravity, aiming just an inch above the center of the heart.

The bear was still for a moment and in my sights so I squeezed off the round, quickly reloading the 225 round. The bear fell to the ground and the guide yelled out: “Hey, you got it with one shot; I guess Easterners can shoot!”

The guide shouldn’t have spoken, plus he had spoken too soon. The bear got up, howling with rage and then headed towards us at a good clip. I put another shot to the other side of the heart and the bear stumbled a bit, but then resumed its speed. Two shots to the heart and it was still coming!

I got another round off at 75 yards and another at 50 yards—using my 150’s that were good for a moving target, hitting the bear twice somewhere, in my haste of necessity, but the bear was still racing at full speed, now but 25 yards away. I had one bullet left.

If you’ve ever seen the layout of a human body, seeing the muscles beneath the skin, I can tell you that that is nothing compared to a bear’s. They are not chubby and full of fat, but are lean mean machines of incredible power.

So, it still came on after I shot the last bullet. Meanwhile, the guide had put 5 bullets into the bear and it was still charging. I got out my knife. The guide looked at me, as if to say what the heck was I going to do with that!

The bear, but now 10 feet away, finally sprawled head first to the ground, its adrenaline finally gone, and slid up to with a foot of me and my knife. I backed up 10 feet.

“Is it dead?” the guide asked, going up to its front.

“Hold it,” I warned. “Never approach from the front; go around the back of it.”

He poked it with a stick. There was no response.

I took my share home and put it in the refrigerator. While I was out, my aunt noted it and said to her friend: “this meat is getting dark; it must not have been wrapped properly.”

“Hey, let’s have some,” said my aunt’s friend, “while it’s still good.”

“Ah, it’s so delicious.” they both agreed.

My grandmother soon arrived and told them that they had just eaten bear meat.

They clutched their stomachs and complained of terrible pains.

[MJA]

Hello MJA,

Dr. Neal Barnard also authored "The Power of Your Plate", almost two decades ago. The most helpful dialogue is through the sharing of instructional material supported by personal experience, allowing the reader to come to their own conclusions, especially as everyone's circumstances are unique to that individual.

Some questions that I have been meaning to ask: In discussing Vegetarianism, there are several sub-classifications.

Are you advocating the total Vegan diet, or do you perceive that some animal products that do not require the death of the individual might be deemed acceptable if the animals so involved were managed in an acceptably humane manner?

Where does wool fit into this paradigm?

What about honey?

Dairy products?

I thank you in advance for your considered response.

Labelwench

Wool is scratchy, and honey or simple sugars I try not to need.
I've switched from milk to soy milk sometime ago and think I'm down to my last two cage free eggs, why not.
Cheese is difficult for me. How could I not grate fresh parm on a pasta plate, and give up my casa dias.
One step at a time I guess, as it is for One it is for All.

=
MJA

[labelwench]

Thank you for sharing your personal uses of these products, MJA.

Additionally, I was seeking your ideology behind, Beekeeping, as an example. We need the pollinators in much of the agriculture that forms our food supply.

We are able to plant varieties of plants that the bees can utilize and possibly offer them some protection against weather that might otherwise kill the hive. The bees perform the function that it is their nature to do.

In harvesting honey, enough is left to sustain the hive.

Does such a contrived relationship fit with the principles you are advocating as humane? That is the question I pose for wool and dairy products (cow, goat, mare's milk) as well.

Regards,

Labelwench

[MJA]

Thank you for sharing your personal uses of these products, MJA.

Additionally, I was seeking your ideology behind, Beekeeping, as an example. We need the pollinators in much of the agriculture that forms our food supply.

We are able to plant varieties of plants that the bees can utilize and possibly offer them some protection against weather that might otherwise kill the hive. The bees perform the function that it is their nature to do.

In harvesting honey, enough is left to sustain the hive.

Does such a contrived relationship fit with the principles you are advocating as humane? That is the question I pose for wool and dairy products (cow, goat, mare's milk) as well.

Regards,

Labelwench

Dear LW,

I met a man recently who worked in a paper factory in Wisconsin producing the hives that bee keepers keep in their boxes and the bees live and store their honey in. He said the problem today with mankinds intervention into bee keeping was that all the small bee keepers have been bought up by the mega bee keeper corporation and as in the meat and poltry business, huge problems arise.

I don't need honey, meat or chicken, but we need bees to pollinate our food. The man suggested the solution was to go back to small bee keepers again, and bees will survive our negative destructive mega Ways. Perhaps we should go back further and not intervene at all.

Make sense to me.

=
MJA

[MJA]

http://www.animalrightshistory.org/t...pythagoras.htm

=
MJA

[labelwench]

Hello MJA,

Interesting posts. I have been busy doing my nightshift thing, working nights and weekends to "secure the food supply" and to allow folks with children to have more family time. Nobody wants this job, and it actually is liberating in many ways. Gives me a logical reason for having a wingy disposition.

Busted my ---, last night. The label run was stupendous. I had to draft my co-workers, and they being male and my senior, were none too cheered by the corporate wisdom that dictated our tasks this night.

All sleep deprived, we were a cheerful lot, but hey, we are the S.W.A.T. team of grocery and we'll take on any and all comers.

As I was flogging out the labels in the pet food aisle, it crossed my mind to ask you:

Do you presently, or have you in the past, owned a pet? If so, what do/did you feed it?

While I respect your position, I'm looking for some substance is this debate, to chart a direction forward.

In the meantime, I am going to tend my horses and then cook a medium rare rib-eye steak, with plenty of vegetables on the side, and a glass of California Cabernet.

Berate me if it you choose, but I am most interested in your answer to my question.

Regards,

Labelwench

[Mikal]

Ethical Meat and Unethical Hype -- A Look at 'All Natural', 'Grass-Fed' and Other Half-Truths



Marketing departments like to invent terms that sound good but mean anything -- non-enforceable claims don’t result in lawsuits. Here’s an overview of what labels on the meat you buy actually mean:

All Natural: This means meat that is minimally processed with no artificial or synthetic products. It is not regulated, however, so anyone can put it on their package. It is a claim with no clout.

Cool (Country of Origin Labeling): A USDA regulated label stating where meat was raised, slaughtered, and processed.

Grass Fed: A USDA regulated label meaning, very narrowly, that that animals ate grass. According to the USDA definition, “grass-fed” animals can also be fed grain, and can be raised on grass in confinement, as long as they have access to pasture -- although "access" can be, and often is, nothing more than a facility with a door to a small outdoor area.

Free Range: This means only that the animal has some access to the outdoors. There is no regulation for use of this term, except in the case of chickens raised for consumption. “Pasture-raised” is a more meaningful term.

Organic: This label is USDA and third-party certified. It means that livestock wasn’t treated with hormones or antibiotics and was fed a pesticide-free diet.

Vegetarian Fed: This refers only to an animal’s diet and does not guarantee the animal was pastured or raised humanely.

Air Chilled: This refers to the treatment of living animals. Producers and retailers may also make claims about how the animal is handled between slaughter and purchase. Meat may be wet or dry-aged, frozen, and packaged in various ways.

Humanely Raised/Certified Humane: Many ranches now choose to undergo an audit by third parties such as Animal Welfare Association and Humane Farmed to highlight their extra care. This type of label states that no practices such as overcrowding, castrating, early weaning, or denying animals access to pasture used.

Biodynamic: This pre-organic standard treats the whole ranching operation as an interrelated whole. While some meats are technically organic, a biodynamic farm assures the meat also came from a healthy, self-sustaining system.

Local: Producers who take part in this affidavit program state in writing that the animals were raised within 20 miles. This label is not certified or confirmed by a third party.


Sources:

Four Hour Work Week February 17, 2009



Mikal

[labelwench]

Hello Mikal,

Ah yes, the facts and the feces intermingle freely when it comes to the propaganda known as labelling. I work in the trade, you will recall, hence my "trade name".

Our local agriculture industry has finally obtained sanction to sell local grass fed beef and bison in the stores. The government first had to invest in a portable abbatoir, and the training of licensed inspectors to permit matters to proceed. It has only taken about 20 years, LOL.

From May through September, we have a local Farmer's market that offers a variety of goods, from bedding plants through end products, as well as preserves and crafts. One farmer even produces enough spuds to supply Superstore and Extra Foods, a real farmer, beyond gardening.

Regards,

Labelwench

[Mikal]

Hi LW....interesting that one maneuver took 20 years to accomplish....lol....

In your opinion...now that our consciousness is raised as to genetic modification of food and seed, hormone interference into cattle and chicken for instance and the quality of processed foods more in the nature of being good for "cleaning sewers"....are we looking at a food crisis developing????

Those I speak with are pretty leery....actually confused as to what is safe to eat.....


Mikal

[labelwench]

Mikal,

You bring forth the discussion that is needed.
The stress of nightshift poses a threat to the health of all those that work it. To that end, I have studied many subjects related to nutrition and physiology, won't bore you at present.

What is safe to eat? I read ingredients on food and food-like products every day, trying to find the answer.

There seems to be a general consensus that one should shop the outside perimeters and avoid all things processed, if possible.

Fruits and vegetables, of course , and for those who would include animal products, there are free range eggs,(buy them from a neighbour), olive oil, butter, (do research on all other oils, esp. GM canola and blends, margarine etc.) meat in moderation, local if you can get it.

Grains are a mixed message. Whole grains are better than processed. Nuts and seeds, in moderation.

Moderation is definitely the key.

Still, the waters are murky. Our planet is becoming toxic and all of the Earth's air and water is interconnected, so there is only harm reduction to be practiced.

We could eliminate at least 85% of the products on the shelves of the average grocery store and save countless lives.

We'd succeed in gutting the economy until people were forced to accept a new reality.

It amazes me, that despite the efforts to educate people in regard to nutrition, stores make a bundle on beverages and junk food snacks.

A 591 ml bottle of Dasani water frequently costs more than a processed product such as juice or pop of the same size! Is logic going to carry the day? Apparently not. I observe the proceedings with great interest.

The consumer has more power than they realize, if only they had the will.
Don't buy the foods you feel are unhealthful or disrespectful of the earth, it's persons or it's creatures.

Regards,

labelwench