END-OF-YEAR CLEARANCE

In preparation for more Mad Cow news in 2004, here are some quick hits on items I had lying around that are about to go stale:

Last performing circus bear in United Kingdom finds sanctuary in Canada: "The [animal] circus has been going so rapidly out of fashion in the U.K., people can't remember the last time they saw a bear at the circus," said Victor Watkins, director of wildlife in London for the World Society for the Protection of Animals. "It's one bear, but it really makes a lot of people aware of the issue. Hopefully, we'll get more circuses around the world to realize bears don't belong there."

Tufts University says it's impossible to follow the Atkins diet healthfully: So, as to whether it's possible to follow the Atkins diet healthfully or tweak it to make it safe and healthful, the answers are no and no.

Meat recalled for non-BSE, non-E.Coli reasons: Tyson frozen grilled chicken patties with pieces of metal; meat dumplings with pieces of glass; Taco Bell ground beef with "a small, hard object" in the meat; and 26,600 pounds ground beef mislabeled as "irradiated" but isn't.

Researchers say wolves could help curb Chronic Wasting Disease; unfortunately, we're too busy killing them all off to notice.

Magnesium fights diabetes: "New research suggests that nuts, grains and leafy green vegetables, foods high in magnesium, may keep diabetes at bay."

Dairy monsters: The UK's Guardian looks at the growing awareness that milk isn't the health food we were told it was.

And I try to avoid giving additional attention to shameless bids for attention, but this latest PETA stunt is beyond the pale and needs to be condemned in the most absolute terms. Stay the hell away from kids, you idiots!
Hopefully they'll get a clue in 2004... along with meat-eaters... hopefully.