h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I'm cold.
I'm alone.
I'm guilty.
I'm scared.
I'm too f**king aware.

Did you say you're not allowed pets at your place? I've found they're good company for feeling cold, guilty and scared. Sounds like you could do with something furry to wrap yourself around.

I'm not at my flat, am I? I don't have internet at my flat and have no magic powers of telepathy like the chaps in the classic film 'Scanners'.
I don't get any deeply depressed at my flat as I do here at my mothers.

I have to be there [at my flat] 6 months before I sign a longer-term tenecy agreement, which allows the keeping of pets.

I have no intention of having pets there, not even when I can. Though if my mother dies or is taken into some sort of care before my cats die then I'll take Daisy in and have Annie put to sleep.
As implied by the above, I already have cats.

Having a pet doesn't replace central heating.
Having a pet doesn't make you feel like you have a bond with another person... Not unless you're one of those f**king scummy people that persecute humans in the name of humane treatment for all creeatures or the patheticly dementia ridden elderly.
Having a pet doesn't change your fears for the future, you thoughts on your past self or the obligations that fall to you.
Having a pet doesn't take that deepest fear dwelling like a daemon inside you can't look at directly without first shaking and crying at sucking all the air about unable to breathe.
Having a pet doesn't change you inetence awareness that you are hurting and that you will hurt more, nor your awareness that the day you stop hurting it's because you are there to feel anymore.

"I'm not at my flat, am I?"

Oh, I see! I didn't realise. Are you caring for her?

"and have Annie put to sleep."

Is she on her last legs or something?

"Having a pet doesn't replace central heating."

I thought you were speaking metaphorically. But cats can make quite good hot water bottles.

"Having a pet doesn't make you feel like you have a bond with another person"

I assume you're doing a Snailrind and using the 'you' in a general way. Because it does make *me* feel like I have a bond--if not with another human, at least with another being capable of responding to me.

"those f**king scummy people that persecute humans in the name of humane treatment for all creeatures"

Are you talking about medical research?

"Having a pet doesn't change your fears for the future, you thoughts on your past self or the obligations that fall to you.
Having a pet doesn't take that deepest fear dwelling like a daemon inside you can't look at directly without first shaking and crying at sucking all the air about unable to breathe.
Having a pet doesn't change you inetence awareness that you are hurting and that you will hurt more, nor your awareness that the day you stop hurting it's because you are there to feel anymore."

For me, a pet helps a little with these things--but there again, I am an animal freak. I didn't mean to trivialise your problems, Nyxkind. I found myself wishing I could give you a great big RL hug, but that's not an option, so I thought of animals.

"Oh, I see! I didn't realise. Are you caring for her?"

I was visiting for the weekend.
[He says posting from library].

"Is she on her last legs or something?"

I worry that her age will make her suffer.

"But cats can make quite good hot water bottles"

I don't like the hairs... and besides they only sleep on me when they chose.

"I assume you're doing a Snailrind and using the 'you' in a general way."

Uh-huh.

"Are you talking about medical research?"

Not specifically. I'm talking about those I consider to be a collective of scum that try a prevent medical research, hunting farming and other perfectly valid humane activities by using harassing, cruel and/or violent behaviour.
Anyone that can get more worked up about the bizarre notion that a rodent isn't being treated as though it has rights than they can about a world of human suffering is the that really has the moral, ethical and humanity vacuum.

"I don't like the hairs... and besides they only sleep on me when they chose."

Well, then shave them, and smear yourself with catnip. Sheesh. Do I have to think of *everything*?

"I'm talking about those I consider to be a collective of scum that try a prevent medical research, hunting farming and other perfectly valid humane activities by using harassing, cruel and/or violent behaviour."

It is rather hypocritical, that sort of behaviour. But it mainly seems to be done by people who are young and idealistic. When I was, oh, sixteen or so, I joined a pressure group called 'Compassion in World Farming', because I was doing a lot of work on farms at the time and thought some of the practices were cruel. I was really taken aback by their newsletter: they'd go and find the most hideous example of animal cruelty and parade it around as though it was the norm on every farm. I've been highly sceptical of pressure groups ever since.

I'm inclined to disagree with you that the activities you mention are *always* humane, though; it depends on how they're done. Some ways of going about things are unnecessarily cruel and wasteful.

"Anyone that can get more worked up about the bizarre notion that a rodent isn't being treated as though it has rights than they can about a world of human suffering is the that really has the moral, ethical and humanity vacuum."

Maybe so. There are many people out there who have been treated more kindly by rodents (etc) than they have by fellow humans; they've had more opportunities to love and be loved by rodents (etc) than humans.

Personally, I don't believe in the existence of inherent rights, at all, for anyone. (Unless the Flying Spaghetti Monster decrees it.)

Are you feeling warmer now?

For "try a prevent medical research, hunting farming and other perfectly valid humane activities"

Please read 'try *to* prevent medical research, hunting and other pefectly valid *human* activities'

I don't give a toss how cruel fox hunting is at heart. It's nowhere near as cruel as many people try to make out it is and at the end of the day hunting verman for human pleasure as part of a cultral tradition should come out on top as a basic human freedom not be banned for the sake of a vicious parasite.

Certain intensive farming practices cause undue stress to the livestock. I see this as a symptom of bad policy at the EU, not because farmer are the money grambing greedy monsters many people try to make them out to be.

Once again I care little how many rodents and the like are tested to advance medicine. It should be regulated, and is, though the reg cold be tighter. But the regulation should always e biased to the goal of helping people and understanding, not the animal that doesn't even know it exists, [which to my mind rules out the great apes for a start]. Terrorising families and businesses at the production end of the research animal or at the testing end is stil a form terrorism, the pursuit of a polictical end by inflicting suffering on humans.



"It is rather hypocritical, that sort of behaviour. But it mainly seems to be done by people who are young and idealistic."

In my experience it's done by 2 sets of people, the first that have no ideals, they just use the cause as an excuse for the their violent and criminal behaviour. The other type are the ideaologically motivated, they are of all ages. They have fukked up ideals and should be forced to watch pictures and images from around nation and the world of how people are being abused, oppressed and suffering.

"Maybe so. There are many people out there who have been treated more kindly by rodents (etc) than they have by fellow humans; they've had more opportunities to love and be loved by rodents (etc) than humans"

I have been raped, beaten , spat at, given a torrent of verbal abuse and more. My dogs, my ponies, my cats seemed to be the only living things that were there for me at times.

"Personally, I don't believe in the existence of inherent rights, at all, for anyone."

Indeed. And until the arguement and battle for human rights freedom and liberties are secured animals rights should not even be so far forward as a back burner.

It's bloody chilly here.

to warm you a little.

I think too that we should care for fellow humans. ...and I do try...
I think that well performed research using animals is a good thing (Heck, the company that employs me does it!).

I wish I could make you happier!

Hello.
It's slightly warmer here today.

Isn't mum very cold if the heating is iffy and she can't go anywhere? Or is she not at the flat?

(Sorry for snooping)



Milla

I do agree with you, human rights should no doubt be put first. I am however going to defend all those cute and fluffy for a moment. Rodents for MEDICAL research is okay, but all these animals being used for cosmetic testing.... i.e. bunnies having mascara put in their eyes to see their reaction to it, is a wee bit on the cruel side.

Yes she was cold too.

And nowhere else to go!?

Glad it's warmer!

Well we couold have got the Bentley out and gone to the Ritz.

...and make good use of the TopHat!