Science fiction is a vastly underrated genre. For almost 200 years now (if you consider Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein to have been the first modern science fiction novel), it’s been on the cutting edge of the technological changes that drive society — not just making up stories about such innovations, but extrapolating them to their logical . . . → Read More: The Matrix and the War on Christmas
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A couple of weeks ago, when our fabulous volunteers from Brandeis University were here, a couple of young female students were accosted in the woods while they were posting “No Hunting” signs. They had gotten quite a bit off the survey map boundary, and were indeed posting trees that were not on our property. The . . . → Read More: Hunters In The Woods Next to the Sanctuary: A Cautionary Tale May 4 is International Respect for Chickens Day, and since VINE Sanctuary has its roots in the Eastern Shore Chicken Sanctuary, we are naturally very committed to the idea of respect for chickens. We also find the choice of term to be striking: “respect” for chickens, as opposed to humane treatment for chickens, or rights . . . → Read More: What Does it Mean to Respect a Chicken? Last time around, Miriam shared her reactions to the “news” that chickens feel empathy. Pattrice here, with a few more words on the subject of bird feelings, and the brains that generate them. My first reaction to the news story was a flood of memories. The sanctuary’s original site was on a country road shared . . . → Read More: More on Bird Brains… Check out this article: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/science-news/8370301/Chickens-are-capable-of-feeling-empathy-scientists-believe.html Now, while this will be almost unbelievable news to many people, the fact is, it’s not news to those of us who have spent a long time hanging around with chickens. In fact, it’s a no-brainer. What’s also true is that not all chickens feel this kind of feeling toward . . . → Read More: Chickens feel empathy! Are we surprised, and does it matter? I was just perusing Pattrice Jones’ site and came across this talk she gave at AR 2006. I reread it, and as always it overwhelms me with its combined simplicity and shattering power. Here it is again. Miriam
This photograph was taken in 1971 in Baltimore City. The turtle was called Timothy. . . . → Read More: Reprise: The Turtle Talk This video showed up on one of the AR news lists and I think it’s phenomenal. Send it to everyone who believes that purchasing free-range animal products is ethical; if anything will make them see otherwise, this will. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jMF5ZW2QvYg In the wake of the BP oil spill comes some of the most shocking footage yet of what goes on inside Department of Agriculture-approved dairy farms, thanks to Mercy for Animals and the undercover footage they took at Conklin Farm in Ohio. I say “shocking” because most of us haven’t seen these things with our . . . → Read More: Conklin Dairy and the 1989 Montreal Massacre: Or, Your Daddy Said I Took It Just a Little Too Far No duh, right? Well, yes, but you know, we humans are crafty when we want what we want and don’t want to change what we want. That’s why slippery slopes are best avoided even by the most scrupulous among us. What on earth am I talking about? Last Saturday, we “bought” 40 hens from a . . . → Read More: No Exploitation is Good Exploitation |
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Chimps, Chickens, and Communication
A new study published in Current Biology proves (as if more evidence were needed) that, in the words of zoologist Matthew Cobb, “humans aren’t quite so unique, after all.” The so-called news is that chimps will warn other chimps about a hazard if and only if the other chimps don’t already know about the danger. . . . → Read More: Chimps, Chickens, and Communication