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Passionist 
Forum Senior Member
Joined: March 14 2005
Location: Finland
Status: Offline
Points: 1119
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 Posted: February 21 2008 at 07:00 |
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I never really liked cats that much because they give me horrible allergic things. But they're cuddly ^_^
Anyway, a cat to me was always like a teenage girl. They just let you know in every possible way, that they don't need you, and then the come home for dinner...
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Peter
Special Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator
Joined: January 31 2004
Location: Canada
Status: Offline
Points: 9669
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Posted: February 21 2008 at 07:46 |
 BaldJean wrote:
you forgot to mention one thing, Peter: they also served and still serve as food in some countries, for example Iceland and China. actually chow-chow, the name of a special breed of dog, means "yummy-yummy" regarding to taste in Chinese.
one of the reasons Amundsen won the race to the South Pole against Scott was that he used sledge dogs which not only pulled the sledge but also served as living supplies; the less the sled weighed the fewer dogs were needed to pull it, so when a sufficient amount of provisions was used up certain dogs became "available".
this just serves to show what a friend man's best friend actually is
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Actually, I did not forget either of those facts. they weren't particularly useful to the point I was trying to make, and I also did not want to give offense to any members from such a (here nameless) dog-eating country.
(Yes, and in WW2 Stalingrad, the starving beseiged population first ate all the livestock, before they ate their dogs and cats, and then resorted to cannibalism as a means to stay alive.)
I have never heard that about Iceland -- are you sure they eat dogs there? (Nor can i locate any references to that on the Net -- though it seems they eat "white dogs," which are hotdogs made from mutton.) Can you provide a citation? (Just curious -- it may well be true for all I know.)
Is your concluding remark meant to demonstrate that the actions of a few cultures, or polar explorers (who are in quite extrordinary circumstances, and whom I doubt were lusting after their steadfast dogs as meat the entire time) prove that the entirety of humankind does not really like dogs? That My family and I don't love ours as another member of the family? Why this seeming hostility toward my post?
(Or am I misunderstanding your intent?)
Edited by Peter - February 21 2008 at 07:55
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"And, has thou slain the Jabberwock?
Come to my arms, my beamish boy!
O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!'
He chortled in his joy.
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Peter
Special Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator
Joined: January 31 2004
Location: Canada
Status: Offline
Points: 9669
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Posted: February 21 2008 at 08:05 |
BTW Jean, it seems they eat cat in certain cultures too -- did you "forget' that?
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"And, has thou slain the Jabberwock?
Come to my arms, my beamish boy!
O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!'
He chortled in his joy.
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BaldJean
Prog Reviewer
Joined: May 28 2005
Location: Germany
Status: Offline
Points: 10387
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Posted: February 21 2008 at 08:06 |
Peter wrote:
BaldJean wrote:
you forgot to mention one thing, Peter: they also served and still serve as food in some countries, for example Iceland and China. actually chow-chow, the name of a special breed of dog, means "yummy-yummy" regarding to taste in Chinese.
one of the reasons Amundsen won the race to the South Pole against Scott was that he used sledge dogs which not only pulled the sledge but also served as living supplies; the less the sled weighed the fewer dogs were needed to pull it, so when a sufficient amount of provisions was used up certain dogs became "available".
this just serves to show what a friend man's best friend actually is
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Actually, I did not forget either of those facts. they weren't particularly useful to the point I was trying to make, and I also did not want to give offense to any members from such a (here nameless) dog-eating country.
(Yes, and in WW2 Stalingrad, the starving beseiged population first ate all the livestock, before they ate their dogs and cats, and then resorted to cannibalism as a means to stay alive.)
I have never heard that about Iceland -- are you sure they eat dogs there? (Nor can i locate any references to that on the Net -- though it seems they eat "white dogs," which are hotdogs made from mutton.) Can you provide a citation? (Just curious -- it may well be true for all I know.)
Is your concluding remark meant to demonstrate that the actions of a few cultures, or polar explorers (who are in quite extrordinary circumstances, and whom I doubt were lusting after their steadfast dogs as meat the entire time) prove that the entirety of humankind does not really like dogs? That My family and I don't love ours as another member of the family? Why this seeming hostility toward my post?
(Or am I misunderstanding your intent?) |
first of all - no hostility at all. I have no idea where you get this feeling from. second: my knowledge of dogs being eaten in Iceland stems from a report about Iceland by the magazine GEO, a source which is usually quite accurate. as to cats being eaten: mankind will eat anything provided it is nourishing. there is a famous play named "Der Etappenhase" by Willy Millowitsch, a German theater comedian whose productions were shown on German TV a lot; in this a family has "rabbit" for dinner, which later turns out to be cat indeed
Edited by BaldJean - February 21 2008 at 08:13
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 A shot of me as High Priestess of Gaia during our fall festival. Ceterum censeo principiis obsta
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Jim Garten
Special Collaborator
Retired Admin & Razor Guru
Joined: February 02 2004
Location: South England
Status: Offline
Points: 14693
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Posted: February 21 2008 at 08:46 |
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The difference between eating cats & dogs is that dogs will probably roll over & suggest the best cut as long as it pleases you, the pack leader...
...whereas a cat will just look cute & point at the dog.
Having met Peter's dog, I can attest it is a bit of a cutie, but overall, I always have, I do and I suspect always will prefer cats; where Peter sees selfishness, I see independance (OK, OK and selfishness). I think that's what I love about them - being a selfish person myself, I know Vicky and I can go away & not worry about the cats: they're happy enough being fed by a neighbour & when we come back from holiday, we're all gushy over seeing them again & they're "sorry... do I know you?".
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Jon Lord 1941 - 2012
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Peter
Special Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator
Joined: January 31 2004
Location: Canada
Status: Offline
Points: 9669
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Posted: February 21 2008 at 09:14 |
BaldJean wrote:
Peter wrote:
BaldJean wrote:
you forgot to mention one thing, Peter: they also served and still serve as food in some countries, for example Iceland and China. actually chow-chow, the name of a special breed of dog, means "yummy-yummy" regarding to taste in Chinese.
one of the reasons Amundsen won the race to the South Pole against Scott was that he used sledge dogs which not only pulled the sledge but also served as living supplies; the less the sled weighed the fewer dogs were needed to pull it, so when a sufficient amount of provisions was used up certain dogs became "available".
this just serves to show what a friend man's best friend actually is
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Actually, I did not forget either of those facts. they weren't particularly useful to the point I was trying to make, and I also did not want to give offense to any members from such a (here nameless) dog-eating country.
(Yes, and in WW2 Stalingrad, the starving besieged population first ate all the livestock, before they ate their dogs and cats, and then resorted to cannibalism as a means to stay alive.)
I have never heard that about Iceland -- are you sure they eat dogs there? (Nor can i locate any references to that on the Net -- though it seems they eat "white dogs," which are hotdogs made from mutton.) Can you provide a citation? (Just curious -- it may well be true for all I know.)
Is your concluding remark meant to demonstrate that the actions of a few cultures, or polar explorers (who are in quite extraordinary circumstances, and whom I doubt were lusting after their steadfast dogs as meat the entire time) prove that the entirety of humankind does not really like dogs? That My family and I don't love ours as another member of the family? Why this seeming hostility toward my post?
(Or am I misunderstanding your intent?) |
first of all - no hostility at all. I have no idea where you get this feeling from.
second: my knowledge of dogs being eaten in Iceland stems from a report about Iceland by the magazine GEO, a source which is usually quite accurate.
as to cats being eaten: mankind will eat anything provided it is nourishing. there is a famous play named "Der Etappenhase" by Willy Millowitsch, a German theater comedian whose productions were shown on German TV a lot; in this a family has "rabbit" for dinner, which later turns out to be cat indeed
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Okay Jean -- no problem. I did say "seeming" (I was not sure), and it's so easy to mistake the 'tone" of mere text, especially in the absence of those handy emoticons. 
People also get quite passionate about their preferred pets -- divisive topics at PA: religion, politics, metal as prog, prog, and pets. beware wading into the cat and dog minefield! 
Yes, if it can possibly be eaten, human will eat it (and have done so, somewhere).
In Bill Bryson's amusing and informative A short History of Nearly Everything, he tells of one early British naturalist/scientist who was determined to try every animal found in Britain. Apparently he found almost all of them palatable, but pronounced mole to be a "disgusting" dish. 
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"And, has thou slain the Jabberwock?
Come to my arms, my beamish boy!
O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!'
He chortled in his joy.
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Atkingani
Special Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator / Retired Admin
Joined: October 21 2005
Location: Terra Brasilis
Status: Offline
Points: 12288
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Posted: February 21 2008 at 14:11 |
On the other hand, stray dogs will eat human's corpses in warzones or areas plagued with hunger or diseases... dogpacks formed in these places may consider a child or a disabled adult as their prey.
Those beautiful giant wildcats (genus Panthera) won't lose the opportunity to kill and eat a person and even medium-size felids like the cougars may do their attempts if chances appear.
Survival is the key... for all species!
Edited by Atkingani - February 21 2008 at 14:12
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Guigo
~~~~~~
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BaldFriede
Prog Reviewer
Joined: June 02 2005
Location: Germany
Status: Offline
Points: 10266
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Posted: February 21 2008 at 14:15 |
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It also has to be mentioned that, although it is not very common, some people do eat horse meat in Germany; there still is the odd "Päädmenges" (Cologne dialect word for "horse butcher") in Cologne, where you can buy your "Päädswoosch" (Cologne dialect word for "horse sausage"), and "Suurbrode noh Husareaat" (literally "sour roast hussar style", another Cologne dialect term) is made from horse meat as well. In France this is even more common.
Edited by BaldFriede - February 21 2008 at 14:19
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 BaldJean and I; I am the one in blue.
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The T
Special Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator
Joined: October 16 2006
Location: FL, USA
Status: Offline
Points: 17493
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Posted: February 21 2008 at 15:32 |
The question is: have we been as good friends to dogs as they have been to us?
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The Pessimist
Prog Reviewer
Joined: June 13 2007
Location: United Kingdom
Status: Offline
Points: 3834
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Posted: February 22 2008 at 12:51 |
Peter wrote:
^ Ah, Stoney, but the Allies used them too, and dogs have been used to do much other good as well -- more good than ill on the balance, by far.
Dogs regularly find lost children, avalanche victims, disaster victims, fleeing criminals, etc.
They provide eyes for the blind.
On ships, they kept rats down, and rescued drowning sailors. They still rescue drowning people (Labrador retriever, Newfoundland dog). With their very keen noses, they can be trained to detect land mines, explosives, narcotics, etc. (Likely even provide early diagnosis of specific illnesses, is the latest hoped-for application.)
They can guard property, children, the elderly. They can be beasts of burden. They can be used for transportation in snowy climes. They can herd and protect sheep. They can detect and retrieve game for hunters. In hospitals & nursing homes, they can comfort the ill, elderly and lonely.  They can even clean up kitchen and dining room spills!
Etc, etc!
(You know all these things, no doubt.)
Did you know that dogs are (genetically) tame wolves -- they are the same species. When you are in their "pack," they are completely loyal to you, and protective of you, until death. They will stand in the face of danger -- even die -- for you. (Ask any cop who has a canine partner.)
When my family and I were camping in a tent, my little dog went after a black bear that was very near to me (and my sleeping wife and kids). My little dog did not act as if he was small -- he fearlessly harassed that bear until it soon fled. We stayed there another night -- I was very glad to have him, his bravery, his bark, his sharp ears, and his nose with us.
Cats can make good pets for many people, and it seems that many progholes prefer them, but they simply cannot compete with dogs in terms of loyalty and age-old utility to man. A cat does things for itself (many will find that instinctive independence & "selfishness" admirable), but a dog does things for YOU. Our partnership with them goes back to the stone age. They did not get tagged "man's best friend" for nothing!
And puppies are darned cute -- who could honestly deny that?
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My God, that's beautiful... dogs ARE fearless. We were nearly burgled quite a while ago by some raging moron in a baseball cap. Luckily my little wire fox terrier was in the garden, and before the pathetic man knew what was coming, my little dog (about a quarter of his size) ran up and bit his balls so hard, there was blood on the patio  he ran away screaming and swearing his head off while my dog chased him out. also when i was little, she guarded me and whenever anyone she didn't know came near me, she barked and growled in a very threatening manner. unfortunately she past away about 6 years ago  man i loved that dog, man's best friend indeed.  and puppies ARE damn cute 
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Kittens vs Puppies
