WALL OF EXPLOITATION BEGINS TO CRUMBLE

A primary reason our animal-destroying culture persists is that the different forms inherently support each other. Hunters tell tender-hearted meat-eaters, hey, at least I kill my own meat. And "entertainment" animals reinforce the concept that these beings are mere objects to serve us in whatever way we desire. But the unified front is cracking under separate attacks. Hunting has already suffered a right uppercut from CWD concerns, which are only compounded now that CWD-infected deer have escaped from a quarantined farm. And voters in Florida and Oklahoma will decide whether to continue two "traditions," sow crates and cockfighting, respectively, that were untouchable only a few years ago. You want a more visible crack? Here's a director of a major zoo blasting the institution of animal circuses, raising completely valid points about the ignominy of the latter while ignoring the former (and the historic alliance between the two). Meanwhile, in England, the previously lightweight RSPCA has boldly stated that Elephants Should Not Be Kept in Zoos. Ever. And a lawsuit from a parent in San Francisco aims to stop their school from sending schoolkids to a rodeo to watch big he-men abuse terrified calves. Other SF parents are complaining about a "McTeacher's Night," where McDonald's enlists schoolteachers to promote brand awareness and loyalty among their students. Granted, no one of these protests or turnarounds is a major event in itself. But it's a good sign that wall can't stay up forever.

HAPPY DAYS ARE THERE AGAIN

While it's still in the basement, or at least on the basement steps, McDonald's stock price has inched up over the last couple days, probably because of this news, which investors always seem to love: McDonald's is supposedly about to lay off hundreds of people! First those healthy fries, now this - how can they go wrong? The company states that "McDonald's management team is focused on increasing sales, growing our business and building shareholder value." Right, it's job one!

THREE WEEKS TO BETTER HEALTH

Now, even I am a little cautious about this one, but apparently, University of California researchers have found that a low-fat, high-fiber diet combined with an hour of walking a day not only caused participants to lose weight, but dramatically improved their health. In just three weeks, their blood pressure dropped, so did their cholesterol, and insulin levels were almost cut in half. That last fact is particularly noteworthy for low-carb zealots, given what the subjects were eating: While there's no mention of meat, "they could eat all the whole-meal bread, pasta, fruit and vegetables they wanted." That's right - they said "pasta." Go figure.

CARELESS

Another tale, with obligatory "local angle," of a family fighting for meat regulations after losing a child to the careless practices of Big Meat. Careless = uncaring. The meat industry is uncaring almost by definition. After all, if they don't give a damn about the billions of terrified animals they're killing every year, why would we expect them to care about our kids - or give our children's lives higher priority than a wad of cash?

DEER, DEER

Salon reports on the continuing CWD crisis and pulls no punches in stating that "game farms played a key role in spreading the illness" and finger "the growing use of supplemental feeding by deer farmers who want to induce the growth of big antlers to increase game animals' value as trophies." It's a good piece, but doesn't answer the question of what to do. If wholesale slaughter is not going to contain this disease, and nobody can eat the slaughtered animals, why bother? In fact, why bother having state game agencies whose income is based on underwriting "sporting" slaughter at all? The 2001 National Survey of Fishing, Hunting and Wildlife Association Recreation shows that in some states, non-hunting animal enthusiasts spend more than hunters! Well, at least hunting keeps the wild population numbers down. Oh, wait...