Thursday, April 9, 2009

More Animal Abuse, er ... Science.

I am not an animal rights fanatic. Because of our species' unique type of awareness and the way we manipulate our environment, I don't believe there is any kind of pure relationship with other animals that humans can aspire to. There is no "state of nature" any more when humans are calling all the shots and have been for thousands of years.

I believe the domestication of many animals is probably on the whole a very good thing, for us and them. I don't believe it is necessarily immoral to use animals in scientific experiments, or to eat animals, or to compel animals to perform for us, as long as those relationships are entered into thoughtfully, with respect, and with mindfulness of the extreme risk that comes with such a radical power imbalance.

But this is obscene.

And some day the mice will come home to roost.

Tuesday, April 7, 2009

Walkscore.com

This is cool. A web site where you type in your address and it calculates a "walkability" score, based on the amenities within walking distance of your home. My house got a 28 out of 100. Our old house downtown got an 82.

(via Boston.com via JoeMyGod)