Tuesday, August 05, 2008 . 8/05/2008
I haven't posted anything in ages, goddamn. For anyone who bothers to read this and/or thinks that I'm amazing and was worrying about me, let me explain why.I (or rather my dad, since I don't know how) had to reformat my computer since it was messed up and would restart every hour or so (more on this in a bit). He reinstalled Windows XP because 2000 is crap and once he did, I reinstalled Firefox and all my games etc, including Oblivion which would always crash. So I downloaded all the mods I used to use and more, which took forever... and then BAM, my hard drive pooped out. Cue ANOTHER reformat and painstakingly getting all these mods for Oblivion again. Good news is that my new hard drive is obviously much, much better, and now I have a new graphics card too. Doing some reading made me realize that the computer restarting constantly meant that my old hard drive was dying and wasn't getting enough power.
So anyway, I've been playing Oblivion quite a bit since now it runs much better than it ever did, and with high settings to boot. And to avoid looking like a shut-in, I'm going to mention that I'm going to be getting a job at the hospital my parents work at soon, perhaps next week. Data collecting at first probably, but she also suggested I could draw blood which would pay about $12 an hour which isn't bad, and I'd only have to work about four days a week. One problem, though. I have blood phobia. BUT being around blood a little every day before I were to get this job could help, and my mom reassured me that almost everyone faints at first. I know that therapists even take the "face your fears" approach so maybe drawing blood will help me conquer blood phobia once and for all.
AND NOW BACK TO YOUR SCHEDULED PROGRAMMING - animal rights activists. They're at it again:
Two University of California-Santa Cruz research scientists were targets of firebombs early Saturday, which authorities called a troubling sign of escalating violence against university researchers who use animals in their labs.
Santa Cruz police labeled the incidents "acts of domestic terrorism."
In the off-campus incident, a well-known molecular biologist and his family, including two small children, were forced to escape a smoke-filled house using a second-story ladder after a firebomb was intentionally set off, police said. One family member sustained injuries requiring brief hospitalization, and police are calling the firebombing, which occurred shortly before 6 a.m., a case of attempted homicide.
About the same time, a car belonging to a researcher parked at a home on campus also was firebombed, destroying the vehicle.
The violence occurred four days after a customer at Caffe Pergolesi, a downtown Santa Cruz coffeehouse, found fliers listing the names, home addresses, home phone numbers and photos of 13 UC-Santa Cruz science researchers and professors. Police believe unidentified animal rights activists created the fliers, which were made to appear as "wanted posters." They warned: "Animal abusers everywhere beware; we know where you live; we know where you work; we will never back down until you end your abuse." City and UC-Santa Cruz police contacted most of the people on the list to warn them.
Read on
Santa Cruz police labeled the incidents "acts of domestic terrorism."
In the off-campus incident, a well-known molecular biologist and his family, including two small children, were forced to escape a smoke-filled house using a second-story ladder after a firebomb was intentionally set off, police said. One family member sustained injuries requiring brief hospitalization, and police are calling the firebombing, which occurred shortly before 6 a.m., a case of attempted homicide.
About the same time, a car belonging to a researcher parked at a home on campus also was firebombed, destroying the vehicle.
The violence occurred four days after a customer at Caffe Pergolesi, a downtown Santa Cruz coffeehouse, found fliers listing the names, home addresses, home phone numbers and photos of 13 UC-Santa Cruz science researchers and professors. Police believe unidentified animal rights activists created the fliers, which were made to appear as "wanted posters." They warned: "Animal abusers everywhere beware; we know where you live; we know where you work; we will never back down until you end your abuse." City and UC-Santa Cruz police contacted most of the people on the list to warn them.
Read on
Horrible. What these so-called animal rights activists fail to realize is that without animal testing, they most likely wouldn't even be alive. We wouldn't have modern medicine, sunscreen, penicillin, or any of the things we tend to take for granted. Further, researchers must take as much care of these animals as they can.
I can't find the words to say much else as this is all just too insane.
Oh yeah and I just remembered something that has absolutely nothing to do with the above (unless you count vegetarian PETA terrorists) - on Saturday while I was getting my hair done, the hairdresser and her client next to me were talking about how amazing fried chicken tasted and how regular chicken was flavorless. The fuck? I felt like asking "Ever try grilling it? Smoking it? Maybe even, oh I don't know... SEASONING it?" And fried chicken is gross. Get better taste buds, fatass.
Labels: News, Personal, Stupid
1 Comments - Post/view commentsSaturday, July 19, 2008 . 7/19/2008
How to cure anorexia with exorcisms
Exorcisms to cure mental illness and drug addiction, locking vulnerable people away from friends and family, prayer as a solution to all problems – sounds like psych ward from last century. But actually it’s just the ‘Mercy Way’.
The once mighty ‘Mercy Ministries’, a secretive outfit that purports to treat young women with mental illness, is now in serious trouble.
Bankrolled by controversial Pentecostal group the ‘Hillsong Church’ and Hillsong-aligned Gloria Jean’s coffees the group has been the subject of a number of complaints to authorities. They’ve already closed one of their two facilities.
Women who’ve been through its programs say the main ‘treatment’ they were prescribed were exorcisms and prayer study, supervised by bible studies students. That’s whether they were dealing with anorexia, anxiety disorders or substance abuse.
And all the time being kept virtually as prisoners - cut off from the outside world with no TV or newspapers, with severely restricted access to friends and family and made to even ask permission to go to the toilet.
Nowhere was the promised phalanx of mental health professionals, psychologists, psychiatrists, social workers and dieticians. Just bible studies students whose answer to all questions was more prayer.
Three former residents told LIVENEWS.com.au they were left in a worse state after going to stay at Mercy Ministries – which still operates in a house in Sydney’s Glenhaven.
Meg Smith (not her real name) says she went to Mercy because of the group’s promise of free treatment for her anxiety disorder and panic attacks.
But she quickly became disheartened after “free” meant signing over her Centrelink payments to the group and “treatment” didn’t include proper access to doctors, psychologists and social workers.
“The 'counsellor' I had was not qualified to treat mental illness... nobody there was. She was in the middle of a mercy 'in-house program' to teach her how to prayer counsel,” says Smith.
“I spent months there and the only 'therapy' I had was prayer readings and an exorcism.”
She paints a disturbing picture - where a group of vulnerable girls isolated in a suburban home and forbidden to leave or form friendships on pain of being expelled – followed a punishing daily routine.
The once mighty ‘Mercy Ministries’, a secretive outfit that purports to treat young women with mental illness, is now in serious trouble.
Bankrolled by controversial Pentecostal group the ‘Hillsong Church’ and Hillsong-aligned Gloria Jean’s coffees the group has been the subject of a number of complaints to authorities. They’ve already closed one of their two facilities.
Women who’ve been through its programs say the main ‘treatment’ they were prescribed were exorcisms and prayer study, supervised by bible studies students. That’s whether they were dealing with anorexia, anxiety disorders or substance abuse.
And all the time being kept virtually as prisoners - cut off from the outside world with no TV or newspapers, with severely restricted access to friends and family and made to even ask permission to go to the toilet.
Nowhere was the promised phalanx of mental health professionals, psychologists, psychiatrists, social workers and dieticians. Just bible studies students whose answer to all questions was more prayer.
Three former residents told LIVENEWS.com.au they were left in a worse state after going to stay at Mercy Ministries – which still operates in a house in Sydney’s Glenhaven.
Meg Smith (not her real name) says she went to Mercy because of the group’s promise of free treatment for her anxiety disorder and panic attacks.
But she quickly became disheartened after “free” meant signing over her Centrelink payments to the group and “treatment” didn’t include proper access to doctors, psychologists and social workers.
“The 'counsellor' I had was not qualified to treat mental illness... nobody there was. She was in the middle of a mercy 'in-house program' to teach her how to prayer counsel,” says Smith.
“I spent months there and the only 'therapy' I had was prayer readings and an exorcism.”
She paints a disturbing picture - where a group of vulnerable girls isolated in a suburban home and forbidden to leave or form friendships on pain of being expelled – followed a punishing daily routine.
All I can say is wow. The article just speaks for itself. 2 Comments - Post/view comments
Tuesday, July 08, 2008 . 7/08/2008
This post by PZ Myers over at Pharyngula talks about the new (I think) website, The Darwin Conspiracy. Now it is hard as hell to tell a legit religious site from a satirical one, so I'm just going to assume that it's being serious.
So in that case, what the bloody hell? I may not be a biologist (yet!) but it pisses me off like nothing else when creationists make up all these ridiculous claims about evolution and biology. Who is out in the field collecting data? Biologists. Who is interpreting the data? Biologists. Who actually studies biology for a living? You've guessed it, biologists. And yet we have creationists, not making any contribution to anything, not predicting anything, not giving evidence for an alternative theory, trying to undermine all of the hard work biologists do. It's ridiculous. It's way beyond ridiculous, actually. It's downright pathetic. One wonders why these creationists also don't try to undermine the theory of gravitation or even germ theory. I also find it very ironic that people who deny evolution are products of evolution themselves (hell, everyone is; everything is) In that light, it would make more sense to deny germ theory.
Labels: Denialism, Rants, Stupid
0 Comments - Post/view commentsWednesday, July 02, 2008 . 7/02/2008
As some of you might already know, LiveScience isn't always that great (the Science Channel website is much better). But never have I seen an article on it that didn't have anything to do with science whatsoever:Giraffe Helps Camels, Zebras Escape from Circus
AMSTERDAM, Netherlands (AP) - Amsterdam police say 15 camels, two zebras and an undetermined number of llamas and potbellied swine briefly escaped from a traveling Dutch circus after a giraffe kicked a hole in their cage.
Police spokesman Arnout Aben says the animals wandered in a group through a nearby neighborhood for several hours after their 5:30 a.m. breakout.
The animals were back at the circus later Monday after being rounded up by police and circus workers with the assistance of dogs. Aben says neighbors fed some of the animals — which he said was a bad idea — but they were tame and nobody was hurt.
Says Aben: "You have to imagine somebody rubbing his eyes first thing in the morning and saying, 'Am I seeing things or is that 15 camels walking past?'"
Police spokesman Arnout Aben says the animals wandered in a group through a nearby neighborhood for several hours after their 5:30 a.m. breakout.
The animals were back at the circus later Monday after being rounded up by police and circus workers with the assistance of dogs. Aben says neighbors fed some of the animals — which he said was a bad idea — but they were tame and nobody was hurt.
Says Aben: "You have to imagine somebody rubbing his eyes first thing in the morning and saying, 'Am I seeing things or is that 15 camels walking past?'"
Oookay. It may be under "Strange News" but I was under the impression that it was called LiveScience for a reason.
Oh, and was anyone else hoping that the animals would be placed in zoos after escaping instead of being caught again and being dragged back into the circus? I'm not an animal rights guru by any means, nor do I endorse it (I prefer animal welfare), but circuses are pretty nasty places for any animal (humans included). 0 Comments - Post/view comments
Tuesday, June 10, 2008 . 6/10/2008
I used to like the website GalaDarling.com. That was until I found out this chick was both nuts and stupid.What I have linked to above is from a recent article, "The Raw Girl's Travel Guide". Yes, she has gotten into the awful, unhealthy fad of eating raw food and nothing else. Now, this girl used to be anorexic and if you ask me, eating raw isn't much better and seems to me to be the path back to that horrible illness.
Two ridiculous aspects of that article fall under Juice and Vitamins.
... [I]f you have a big ol’ juice in the morning, you’ll find that it will keep you going for quite a long time. Most raw foodists who have been “in the game” for a while find that a decent green juice in the morning means they don’t even think about eating again until late in the afternoon — somewhere around 3 or 4 o’ clock.
Juice in the morning and no lunch. I'm sorry, but this sounds like an eating disorder. And juice is not breakfast.
The second thing I would recommend is hitting up your closest health food store for some vitamins. If you don’t normally take them, now might be a good time to start. Holidays, while typically considered relaxing, can be anything but. People to meet, places to go, lots of walking to get there… it can be exhausting!
Being exhausted when you're busy is normal. A shitload of vitamins isn't going to help you there. Eating properly (aka not drinking juice for breakfast/skipping lunch) will provide you with all the vitamins you need. Many foods (such as veggies) need to be cooked/boiled/whatever in order to release all those nutrients, though, sorry.Also, never take a supplement unless your doctor says you need to! There is such a thing as getting too much of a vitamin and that can be dangerous. Then again, if you eat raw, I'm guessing you'd have a vitamin deficiency of just about everything.
Unfortunately she disabled comments to that article. She was getting her ass handed to her, too. Her last comment before she did this included:
I have my opinion, you have yours.
And since this raw food "diet" isn't healthy at all (and can even lead to osteoporosis), she is no better than an anorexic person having an "opinion" that anorexia is a lifestyle.
Byebye, GalaDarling.com. I've enjoyed your positive articles but in the end, you're just too stupid for me. 0 Comments - Post/view comments
Saturday, June 07, 2008 . 6/07/2008
I can't fucking believe this.A bill has been introduced to the University of Michigan to teach creationism.
From BadAstronomy.com:
They can flush that reputation away if State Rep. Moolenaar and Senator Hardiman get their way; they have introduced a bill into the state legislation to allow the teaching of creationism.
Oh, they won’t phrase it that way, of course. They’ll talk about "academic freedom", and "controversial scientific subjects", but what they really mean is that they want to teach fundamentalist religion in school. It’s that simple.
And guess what political party these guys call home? Anyone? Anyone? Bueller*?
Yeah, they’re Republicans.
Remember when that party was all for defending the Constitution, and not for undermining the First Amendment? Incredible.
We might as well just teach witchcraft alongside medicine for all creationism has to offer. So please do as this guy says:
Are you a Michigan voter? Do you want the next generation to have, y’know, an education? You know what to do. Write letters to these politicians (Mollenaar and Hardiman) and let them know you want reality to stay as it is. Be polite, of course, but be firm. Do your research first, make sure you understand the issue; the links I have here should help. You might also mention that when election time rolls around, this will be a very important issue.
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Sunday, April 27, 2008 . 4/27/2008
I came across this load of steaming bullshit today out of pure boredom. It includes such gems as:Most women, including myself, experience menstruation because they are not truly clean on the inside. Menstruation is the body’s desperate attempt to free itself from toxins, and many females experience premenstrual syndrome (PMS) in addition to the needless bleeding.
and
and
For almost six months in 2006, I ate a completely raw diet, and I only experienced two menstrual cycles.
I think it's ridiculous that women, of all people, are being misinformed about menstruation. It's just stupid and it boggles my mind.
Menstruation does not occur to get rid of "toxins". It occurs to shed uterine lining. Know what helps build it up in the first place? A good diet and enough nutrition. When you don't get enough nutrition, you stop menstruating. This is what happens to people with anorexia and other possibly serious conditions - see here.
Don't get me wrong though, periods aren't even very necessary as far as I'm aware. In fact, our ancestors probably spent more time being pregnant than we do now, and most likely didn't have the opportunity to eat as well as we currently can, thereby reabsorbing the uterine lining in an attempt to make up for it.
So while bleeding isn't necessary, a good diet is. 0 Comments - Post/view comments
Tuesday, April 15, 2008 . 4/15/2008
I'm sure most people who bother reading blogs have already heard about the complete and epic FAIL that is Expelled, a "documentary" on whiny creationists who ARE BEING OPPRESSED BECAUSE OH MY GOD I CAN'T BE A BIOLOGIST AND NOT ACCEPT EVOLUTION.So yeah. This website speaks what I am too lazy to type out. 0 Comments - Post/view comments
Sunday, April 13, 2008 . 4/13/2008
This is scary. If you can get through the whole article without getting really, really pissed off, I applaud you. The whole thing is like a train-wreck.Religion does not belong in public schools. AT ALL. School is not a place to push your pathetic little agenda, that is what church is for. Actually, I'm going to go as far as to say religion doesn't belong in any school whatsoever. Children do not know any better, and by the time they reach college they won't learn much if it's religious in nature. It won't prepare you for anything except a career in fucking up everything.
Labels: Denialism, Evolution, Religion, Stupid
0 Comments - Post/view commentsMonday, March 24, 2008 . 3/24/2008
Well, I went to the eye doctor today. When I walked in I noticed this really annoying infomercial-style thing on this screen that played the same thing over and over about how the retina works and what this new machine does, etc. So that pissed me off real quick. I only lasted until after they took measurements and stuff of my eyes and then I started to cry. I don't know why, but I did. All I wanted to do was go home and go to bed. Needless to say, I had the appointment rescheduled. I don't know what went wrong.. I just felt overstimulated and irritated and it was terrible. And it got me thinking - how the hell am I ever going to make it in the real world? My mom was with me today to get her eyes tested as well and I can only imagine what it would have been like if I went by myself. I feel so fucking helpless.-------------------
Brown criticized over embryo bill
Cardinal Keith O'Brien will use his Easter Sunday sermon to launch an attack on the government's proposals.
He will also call on Gordon Brown to allow Labour MPs a free vote on the issue at Westminster.
Downing Street did not respond directly to the cardinal's attack, saying Mr Brown had already made his views clear.
The prime minister has said the bill would improve research into many illnesses.
Hybrid embryos
Supporters of the bill believe hybrid embryos could lead to cures for diseases including multiple sclerosis and Alzheimer's disease.
Leading scientists accused the Roman Catholic Church of "scaremongering" over research which had the potential to save many lives.
Cardinal O'Brien, who is the Archbishop of St Andrews and Edinburgh, also wants Catholic ministers serving in the Cabinet to stand down rather than support the bill.
In his sermon, which was released on Friday, the cardinal claims that the bill would lead to the endorsement of experiments of "Frankenstein proportions".
Cardinal Keith O'Brien will use his Easter Sunday sermon to launch an attack on the government's proposals.
He will also call on Gordon Brown to allow Labour MPs a free vote on the issue at Westminster.
Downing Street did not respond directly to the cardinal's attack, saying Mr Brown had already made his views clear.
The prime minister has said the bill would improve research into many illnesses.
Hybrid embryos
Supporters of the bill believe hybrid embryos could lead to cures for diseases including multiple sclerosis and Alzheimer's disease.
Leading scientists accused the Roman Catholic Church of "scaremongering" over research which had the potential to save many lives.
Cardinal O'Brien, who is the Archbishop of St Andrews and Edinburgh, also wants Catholic ministers serving in the Cabinet to stand down rather than support the bill.
In his sermon, which was released on Friday, the cardinal claims that the bill would lead to the endorsement of experiments of "Frankenstein proportions".
He says: "This bill represents a monstrous attack on human rights, human dignity and human life.
"In some European countries one could be jailed for doing what we intend to make legal.
"I can say that the government has no mandate for these changes: they were not in any election manifesto, nor do they enjoy widespread public support."
The cardinal describes the practice as "grotesque" and "hideous".
Dr Stephen Minger, director of the stem cell biology laboratory at King's College London, said: "This is yet another example where it is clear that the Catholic Church is misrepresenting science because it doesn't understand the basic facts."
He added: "The church should carefully review the science they are commenting on, and ensure that their official comments are accurate, before seriously misinforming their congregations."
Read more...He says: "This bill represents a monstrous attack on human rights, human dignity and human life."
This research is to save lives you fucking idiot.
I thought religion like this was supposed to embrace the possibility of lives being saved. And since their non-existent god won't help us achieve this, we have science. These idiots have two choices: pray that all problems will go away, OR ACTUALLY DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. And they aren't doing anything but whining as far as I can tell. This is how almost all religion is; go to church, preach to the choir, and whine about how science is so gosh darn evil. I am not going to lie or sugar-coat this any longer - I absolutely hate religion. It is a useless piece of shit that does nothing to help us advance further. If it isn't homosexual discrimination, it's racist. Or telling a woman whether or not she can have a zygote removed from her own body, even if she gets raped. Or letting AIDS run rampant in Africa because missionaries refuse to hand out condoms or do anything but preach abstinence. Or pushing ignorance such as creationism. Or bitching about how science is immoral and wrong.
I am fucking sick of it. And not only is protesting against stem-cell research and the like idiotic, it also shows how absolutely ignorant you are. They are cells. There are cells everywhere, really. They can't think and they can't feel. Did these people not pay attention in Biology class or did they just drop out of school in the 3rd grade? Or think of it this way: I'm willing to bet that these people have eggs for breakfast at least every once in a while. Eggs such as these are the biggest cells we can see without a microscope. Why aren't they protesting against eating eggs since they had the potential to contain life? And why don't women who protest against stem cell research just get pregnant all the time? Every time they get their period, an egg goes to waste!
And as a final note, let me just say that I think anyone who considers a bunch of non-sentient cells more valuable than an actual human life is immoral. Or an idiot, whichever.
Labels: Personal, Religion, Stupid
0 Comments - Post/view commentsSaturday, March 08, 2008 . 3/08/2008
There's now a Topics section in the sidebar (for those of you who care enough) for easier access through this blog. I never really used the new Labels feature, so there aren't many posts with them yet.
------------
Pets Pampered with People Products
Companies well-known for selling people products are expanding into the pet market, hoping their familiar brand names will appeal to the nation’s 80 million owners of dogs and cats.
Dozens of companies — from Harley-Davidson and Jeep to Omaha Steaks and Newman’s Own Organics — now produce pet clothes, toys and treats.
A slowing economy isn’t even worrying companies about jumping into the sector.
“I really have no concerns at all at this point,” says Steven Shweky, president of New York City-based Pet Head, a dog grooming line by Bed Head. “I think [owners] will spend on their pets before they’ll spend on themselves.”
Pets these days are also treated to music therapy and stem cell therapy. Their owners increasingly use pet funeral homes at that special time.
Recent figures released by American Pet Products Manufacturers Association (APPMA,) a trade group based in Greenwich, Conn., shows spending on pets topped $41 billion in 2007 — that’s more than what consumers pay annually to satisfy their sweet tooth for candy.
With pet obsession at an all-time high, the APPMA is forecasting 5.5 percent growth this year.
Paul Mitchell goes to the dogs
Pet Head’s recent launch of more than 300 products includes apparel and accessories as well as shampoos, crème rinses and sprays.
Products are sold in beauty salons nationwide — a sales strategy also used by John Paul Pet, popular grooming supplies created by John Paul DeJoria, co-founder of Paul Mitchell hair care products.
“There’s one dog for every two people in America so your chances of hitting a pet owner [at a beauty salon] are pretty good,” explained Pet Head’s Shweky.
Grooming supplies use similar packaging to Bed Head with bright, bold colors and quirky names. There’s Fears for Tears (tearless shampoo), Dirty Talk (deodorizing shampoo) and Furball, a detangling spray.
Doggie shampoos share the same fragrance as the human cleansers, and are free of chemical additives such as parabens, petroleum derivatives and propylene glycol.
“We’ve really raised the bar in the pet business to mimic what’s going on in the human side, “said Shweky.
Better bowls
Another company eyeing the pet industry as an additional source of revenue is Dexas International, a housewares manufacturer in Coppell, Texas.
The 40-year-old company recently introduced Popware for Pets, a line of collapsible rubber bowls for home or travel.
“This was a natural cross-over,” said John Hollingsworth who developed the company’s space saving pet products. Dexas has long manufactured collapsible measuring cups, colanders and funnels.
The Popware for Pets line includes turquoise and pink bowls that fit into a chocolate brown stand — a color scheme that’s hot in both the housewares and pet industries, he said. When not in use, the dishwasher safe unit flattens to 1.5 inches.
For pups on the go, the company’s lightweight travel bowl easily clips to a collar or leash. It holds two cups of water and collapses to a slender quarter of an inch.
Soft or firm?
Serta mattress is banking on brand image to sell dog beds, which were introduced for the first time last month at a pet industry trade show. The recycled polyester filled beds, made in the United States, feature removable covers for easy washing.
“The consumer has confidence in Serta for their own sleep,” said Randy Spence, president of nVision Marketing in North Carolina, which heads production and sales of the dog beds. “And they certainly want that for their animals as well.”
Work is already under way to add to the line by incorporating features normally found in specialty mattresses, such as memory foam and orthopedic support.
Those human-grade dog beds will hit store shelves later this year, he said, with a price tag of around $200.
[Source: LiveScience]
Dozens of companies — from Harley-Davidson and Jeep to Omaha Steaks and Newman’s Own Organics — now produce pet clothes, toys and treats.
A slowing economy isn’t even worrying companies about jumping into the sector.
“I really have no concerns at all at this point,” says Steven Shweky, president of New York City-based Pet Head, a dog grooming line by Bed Head. “I think [owners] will spend on their pets before they’ll spend on themselves.”
Pets these days are also treated to music therapy and stem cell therapy. Their owners increasingly use pet funeral homes at that special time.
Recent figures released by American Pet Products Manufacturers Association (APPMA,) a trade group based in Greenwich, Conn., shows spending on pets topped $41 billion in 2007 — that’s more than what consumers pay annually to satisfy their sweet tooth for candy.
With pet obsession at an all-time high, the APPMA is forecasting 5.5 percent growth this year.
Paul Mitchell goes to the dogs
Pet Head’s recent launch of more than 300 products includes apparel and accessories as well as shampoos, crème rinses and sprays.
Products are sold in beauty salons nationwide — a sales strategy also used by John Paul Pet, popular grooming supplies created by John Paul DeJoria, co-founder of Paul Mitchell hair care products.
“There’s one dog for every two people in America so your chances of hitting a pet owner [at a beauty salon] are pretty good,” explained Pet Head’s Shweky.
Grooming supplies use similar packaging to Bed Head with bright, bold colors and quirky names. There’s Fears for Tears (tearless shampoo), Dirty Talk (deodorizing shampoo) and Furball, a detangling spray.
Doggie shampoos share the same fragrance as the human cleansers, and are free of chemical additives such as parabens, petroleum derivatives and propylene glycol.
“We’ve really raised the bar in the pet business to mimic what’s going on in the human side, “said Shweky.
Better bowls
Another company eyeing the pet industry as an additional source of revenue is Dexas International, a housewares manufacturer in Coppell, Texas.
The 40-year-old company recently introduced Popware for Pets, a line of collapsible rubber bowls for home or travel.
“This was a natural cross-over,” said John Hollingsworth who developed the company’s space saving pet products. Dexas has long manufactured collapsible measuring cups, colanders and funnels.
The Popware for Pets line includes turquoise and pink bowls that fit into a chocolate brown stand — a color scheme that’s hot in both the housewares and pet industries, he said. When not in use, the dishwasher safe unit flattens to 1.5 inches.
For pups on the go, the company’s lightweight travel bowl easily clips to a collar or leash. It holds two cups of water and collapses to a slender quarter of an inch.
Soft or firm?
Serta mattress is banking on brand image to sell dog beds, which were introduced for the first time last month at a pet industry trade show. The recycled polyester filled beds, made in the United States, feature removable covers for easy washing.
“The consumer has confidence in Serta for their own sleep,” said Randy Spence, president of nVision Marketing in North Carolina, which heads production and sales of the dog beds. “And they certainly want that for their animals as well.”
Work is already under way to add to the line by incorporating features normally found in specialty mattresses, such as memory foam and orthopedic support.
Those human-grade dog beds will hit store shelves later this year, he said, with a price tag of around $200.
[Source: LiveScience]
This is so fucking stupid. What's the world coming to when people care more about treating their pets like humans than actually caring about other humans? You know, like those homeless ones? Dogs don't need clothes on their backs; that is what fur is for. They don't need mattresses. PEOPLE DO. This also brings to mind all of those fatasses that eat enough food to feed Africa. 0 Comments - Post/view comments
Thursday, February 21, 2008 . 2/21/2008
Iran: Four months in jail and 30 lashes for walking dog in streets
Tehran, 19 Feb.(AKI) - A 70-year-old man has been sentenced by an Iranian judge to four months in jail and 30 lashes for going out on the street with his dog.
The incident took place in Shahr Rey, a suburb of Tehran when the owner of the dog was caught by a police who quickly handcuffed the man. He was later charged by an Islamic judge for "disturbing the public order".
The sentence, seems to want to panic the owners of dogs that despite repeated warnings by the police, continue to defy the authorities by taking their dogs outside their homes.
President Ahmadinejad recently provoked debate in Iran about dog ownership when he took possession of four guard dogs, bought in Germany at a cost of 110,000 euros each.
The dogs are at the centre of a theological controversy because Islam considers dogs to be impure.
For this reason, the government has banned owners of domestic animals from taking them on the streets of the city, and owners risk fines or the 'detention' of their animals in a pound.
"The purchase of these dogs was authorized by a fatwa issued by several ayatollahs who approved the use of these animals if the only goal was to guarantee personal security and not infringe on any religious rule," said Iran's semi-official news agency Fars.
[Source]
Tehran, 19 Feb.(AKI) - A 70-year-old man has been sentenced by an Iranian judge to four months in jail and 30 lashes for going out on the street with his dog.
The incident took place in Shahr Rey, a suburb of Tehran when the owner of the dog was caught by a police who quickly handcuffed the man. He was later charged by an Islamic judge for "disturbing the public order".
The sentence, seems to want to panic the owners of dogs that despite repeated warnings by the police, continue to defy the authorities by taking their dogs outside their homes.
President Ahmadinejad recently provoked debate in Iran about dog ownership when he took possession of four guard dogs, bought in Germany at a cost of 110,000 euros each.
The dogs are at the centre of a theological controversy because Islam considers dogs to be impure.
For this reason, the government has banned owners of domestic animals from taking them on the streets of the city, and owners risk fines or the 'detention' of their animals in a pound.
"The purchase of these dogs was authorized by a fatwa issued by several ayatollahs who approved the use of these animals if the only goal was to guarantee personal security and not infringe on any religious rule," said Iran's semi-official news agency Fars.
[Source]
Okay, what the hell? I mean honestly. Even assuming that their god was real, it still doesn't make any sense. Why would he create dogs in the first place if they're unclean? But more importantly, when will countries like Iran ever come into the 21st century?
Labels: News, Pets, Religion, Stupid
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