Tuesday 22 February 2011

Sorry if this spoils your day

But it needs to be widely understood that slaughtering animals for human consumption is a nasty business. However it need not be a prolonged, inhumane, barbaric ritual.

The video description begins:
"This video starts by showing the Western humane "Bolt Gun" method of instant slaughter. The remainder of the video then shows the Islamic Halal method of slaughter. Halal is the Sharia Law prescribed method of ritual killing involving the cutting of animals throats and letting them bleed to death".
Meet your Meat, the Barbarity of Halal Slaughter


In my time at work I visited many abattoirs to collect things like spleens, brains, adrenal glands and blood for research and teaching. I have watched as cows, sheep and pigs were killed by bolt gun in front of me. Never did I witness scenes like these.

If your religious conviction demands that animals for food have to die slowly in great pain while obviously concious then

BECOME A VEGETARIAN YOU FUCKING HEARTLESS CUNT.
Grow into these trousers... >>

Wednesday 16 February 2011

Stardust/NExT re-images comet Tempel 1

A couple of days ago the space probe Stardust/NExT zoomed past comet Tempel 1 and the images are being made available at http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/stardust/


5 years or so ago the probe Deep Impact smashed a massive (370 kg) chunk of copper into the comet to try to stir up sub surface material. Stardust/NExT has re-imaged that impact site, though it's difficult to see in the above image. Tempel 1 is 7.6 x 4.9 kilometres across so it's a pinprick somewhere between the two craters at the centre of this image.

Hopefully, as the images are processed and enhanced, it will become more visible.

UPDATE: Phil Plait has identified the site, see here. Grow into these trousers... >>

Sunday 13 February 2011

Early evening music - John Martyn

I just tripped across this track by the late, great master. The oil rigs are a puzzle to me, the music is class...

Grace & Danger - John Martyn
Grow into these trousers... >>

Friday 4 February 2011

Sometimes I despair at religious 'logic'

BBC news reports on the troubles in Egypt quoting Issam al-Aryan, spokesperson and reputedly "A senior member of the Muslim Brotherhood":
"We want a civil state, based on Islamic principles. A democratic state, with a parliamentary system, with freedom to form parties, press freedom, and an independent and fair judiciary,"
Which sounds fine except for the 'Islamic principles' bit which which denies such rights if you happen to be female, or gay, or follow another religion, or you are an apostate, or a non-believer, or an alcohol imbiber, or a cartoonist, or a pork eater, or a dog owner or...

BANG! <head explodes>

Grow into these trousers... >>