Lord Herbert wrote on Jun 22^nd, 2013 at 1:58pm:


The Chinese don't just use cats for food - they use their fur for their exported toys and they are skinned alive. As human beings there is no need for us to cause suffering to any animal deliberately. There are plenty of methods for a quick, painless kill.

Cats aren't cruel deliberately. It is a base instinct and not all cats torture small animals, but so many people feel the need to torture them more so than any other animal?

The money you "cat lovers" spend on your pets feeding and what not could feed 10 starving kids in any 3rd world country you could name. Whats that about empathy again? Oh, Im sorry they have brown skin, thier lives are obviously worth a lot less than your self entitlement to a pet you think has a personality. 

ian wrote on Jun 24^th, 2013 at 10:59am:


Correct!

If I thought the 'starving African kids' situation was only a temporary situation due to natural causes, I would gladly make some donations.

However, the situation is interminable for as long as the billions that are given each year to the African nations through Western Foreign Aid is not allowed to trickle down to save their own children from starvation.

It would make no difference if I sold my house and property and sent the entire proceeds to 'help the starving children'. If billions each year makes no difference, then me living on a park bench would make no difference either. 

And then again, the UN is sponsoring doctors to treat millions in Africa for malaria ~ which in turn is going to increase the population by several million a year ~ adding further to the problem of 'Africa's starving children'.


ian wrote on Jun 24^th, 2013 at 10:59am:


It's having the capacity to sympathise with another person's situation ~ which I do. But I'm not a sentimental fool either for others to profit from.

ian wrote on Jun 24^th, 2013 at 10:59am:


Apology accepted.

ian wrote on Jun 24^th, 2013 at 10:59am:


.... billions of dollars each year in Foreign Aid ... and millions of dollars each year from private charities ... and yet ....

Nice try Ian, but my guilt meter hasn't twitched off the start pin.

***

And yes, my cats have personality ...

link

I decide where my money goes, not you or anybody else. If I want to spend it on pets, it's none of your smacking business.

You feel good buddy, paying the massive salaries of the big wigs managing these charities.

I have no guilt whatsoever, you on the other-hand must have; you're the one making all the assumptions and doling out the unwanted advice.

"assuage" ....... Do you mean justify? At least spell it correctly!

ian wrote on Jun 24^th, 2013 at 12:35pm:


as·suage 
/əˈswāj/
Verb
Make (an unpleasant feeling) less intense: "the letter assuaged the fears of most members".
Satisfy (an appetite or desire): "an opportunity occurred to assuage her desire for knowledge".
Synonyms
soothe - appease - allay - pacify - mitigate - calm

I think it's you who should check your spelling ignoramus. Also that misspelled word is totally unnecessary "Chowderhead".

'Charity Begins at Home'.

(My three cats are sitting here and nodding wisely at this).

Something as simple and cheap as a fish-and-rice diet would save the children from starvation. It would end it overnight.

Billions in Foreign Aid and millions in charity and yet STILL there's not enough money to buy dried fish and rice?

Give ... me .... a break.

When I was a boy in the 50's my mother told me to eat up ALL of my brussels sprouts, swede, parsnip, spinach, turnips, and broccoli because there were starving children in Africa.

I went to bed every night KNOWING I had helped some starving kid in Africa. I could hear my stomach rumbling with gratitude.