HORSE-RACING AUTHOR: "SPORT" IS ON ITS LAST LEGS

I only came across this now, after the result at the Belmont, which adds a layer of irony. According to the tagline, Nan Mooney is "author of 'My Racing Heart: The Passionate World of Thoroughbreds and the Racetrack' and has written for The Blood-Horse, the journal of record for thoroughbred horse racing." So when this author says horse racing is "hanging on by its fingernails," it's worth noting.

Even better, though, is this line: "Sure, the gambling end of things is supposed to be risky, but racing cannot afford for the lay public to become too awash in cynicism." Heh. Yeah, the gambling end of things sure was risky for all of those who put down large sums of money at 2 to 5 only to watch in despair as the favorite came in dead last. And yeah, I think that, more than events like the killing of Eight Belles, might have an impact on public cynicism.

The only question is, when horse racing aficionados themselves put out pieces trumpeting the fact that horse racing is "on its last legs," who will have the nerve to take the poor hobbled industry out back and shoot it?

MAKING THE CONNECTION

Granted, it's probably easier to go vegetarian in Taiwan than in the cowboy-and-beef-soaked USA, but still, this is heartening, and points to growing awareness of the indisputable connection between livestock production and carbon emissions. If these politicians and role models are actually committing to change their eating for the rest of their life that's pretty astonishing. Even if this is sloppy reporting and they're only going vegetarian for one year, that's still pretty impressive, and it would be great if we could get some version of this going over here.

CRUEL SUMMER

This story is noteworthy because it's not noteworthy. Remember when the concept of a farmer being cruel to a farm animal - especially a cow - was on the outer edge of believability? It was only a few years ago. Now these charges are commonplace. Incremental change is under way, though I don't know how many farm animals exactly have benefited from it so far.

"KFC Canadian franchisee, PETA in accord"

That's the headline. And also, that's the problem, says Gary Francione.