Newsmaker: Take the ‘No Foie Gras’ Pledge
Filipino celebrities joined the international campaign against foie gras (say FWAH-GRAH) by taking the ‘No Foie Gras’ Pledge organized by PETA Asia-Pacific. The Pledge states that they will never buy or eat foie gras because they ‘believe that force-feeding ducks and geese with long metal tubes is extremely cruel.’
Foie Gras is made from the enlarged livers of male ducks and geese. Their livers grow up to 10 times the normal size because they are force-fed 2kg of corn, lard and salt water. Foie Gras is already banned in at least 15 countries including United States, United Kingdom, Germany, and Israel. High-profile personalities such as Prince Charles and Pope Benedict XVI have spoken against it as well. But in the Philippines, it is still served in a number of fine restaurants in Metro Manila.
The signatories of the pledge include model Isabel Roces, Senator Bong Revilla, and veteran actor Eddie Gutierrez. Let’s follow their lead and do an online pledge against foie gras here!
Quote of the Day: Ludwig Büchner
Our quote today comes from Ludwig Büchner, born today in 1824. He was one of the philosophers who popularized materialism and based his worldview on the facts and discoveries established by the philosophers of the natural world (science). He was a medical doctor by profession but he had to quit when he wrote the book, Kraft und Stoff (Force and Matter) - a book that was translated into 15 languages and appeared in 21 editions. His ideas were the foundation of the freethinkers movement in Germany and in 1881 he founded the “Deutsche Freidenkerbund”(German Freethinkers League) which served as the first atheist group in Germany.
“Man is no more ‘responsible’ for becoming willful and committing a crime than the flower for becoming red and fragrant. In both instances the end products are predetermined by the nature of protoplasm and the chance of circumstances.” - Ludwig Buchner
Life is Fun: Labor Day
Happy Labor Day to everyone! Here’s a little story about an entreprenuer who hates the internal revenue service:
A businessman on his deathbed called his friend and said, “Bill, I want you to promise me that when I die you will have my remains cremated.”
“And what,” his friend asked, “do you want me to do with your ashes?”
The businessman said, “Just put them in an envelope and mail them to the Internal Revenue Service and write on the envelope, “Now you have everything.”
The Power of the Word
The Lord has revealed to the nations his saving power. - Psalm 98
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About this post:
This is the daily post of Lester Galvez Cavestany entitled Perlas. The information here is presented to you in bite-sized servings so that it’s quick and fun to read. It has four parts: 1) Newsmaker is about news and views that matter to you; 2) Quote of the Day has history, quotes and biography tidbits; 3) Life is Fun gives you a healthy dose of medicinal laughter; 4) And lucky last, we have The Power of the Word which can serve as your daily spiritual bread.
If you enjoyed reading this post, come back to this site every day and be sure to share Perlas with your friends using the Email this Post tool below.
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References:
Newmaker:
http://www.thepittsburghchannel.com/food/11122972/detail.html
http://www.philstar.com/archives.php?&aid=20080429199&type=2&
http://www.naracampaigns.org/foiegras.html
http://getactive.peta.org/campaign/asia_pacific_filipino
http://www.themeatrix.com/inside/
Quote of the Day:
http://www.provethebible.net/T2-Verac/C-1001.htm
http://www.bahai-library.org/unpubl.articles/originality/intro.html
http://home.utm.net/pan/panorama.html
http://www.profam.org/pub/rs/rs_1803.htm
http://www.answers.com/topic/ludwig-b-chner
Life is Fun:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=227×1230
The Power of the Word:
http://www.nccbuscc.org/nab/readings/050108b.shtmll
Visit www.filipinovoices.com for more socio-political blogs.
5 Responses to “Take the No Foie Gras Pledge, Ludwig Buchner and Labor Day Joke”
The saddest quack, indeed, comes from the FWAH-GRAHed duck… but it’s not as abominable as allowing rice shortage in a country which hosts the International Rice Research Institute… just because the fertilizer fund ended up not enriching the rice lands but perhaps some people’s garden’s behind their Swiss chalets? What a shame… and rice paddies are converted into exclusive enclaves and/or golf courses for the 1% of the population? Just asking. I feel consoled, though, that I believe there is a Supreme Judge up there Who cannot be bribed and hands out a fair verdict in His own perfect time… not yours nor mine.
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Hah… Labor day used to be happy day when I was a kid. That was before poor became poorer and rich became richer. Steam been building up since. How long do you think?
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Whats wrong with feeding the duck with a tube? Any farmer in the north feeds our cows thru a bamboo tube of more than two nodes long filled with water and rice bran or ground corn. Sometimes with molasses. Thats when grass and hay are at a premium or when nursing back to health.
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Whether or not these celebs are fighting for the right thing, it’s good to see them get involved in social issues.
If we can only channel their activism into issues like genuine agrarian reform or pro-poor programs…
May day, and other significant holidays meant civic and military parades obviously to show our might. But has anyone seen a military parade lately? No more might perhaps against any foes, only good nothing or against unarmed civilians at endless rallies. Sign of discontent.
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Feel free to express your self