Reality TV

It turns out that one of my biggest experiments in living was one that I hadn’t actually planned. When I moved house, back in March, I had no furniture or anything. To cut a long story short, after I moved out of my ex’s house back to my parents, I ended up selling him everything at a knock down price, to save the hassle and expense of removing and storing it.

This meant that I pretty much had to start from scratch. Over the last few months I have been buying bits and pieces as I can afford them, essentials such as a bed and a fridge/freezer came high up on the list, closely followed by kitchen table and sofa. One thing that I have yet to acquire, however, is a television set. It didn’t set out as some huge political or lifestyle statement to not have TV. I know many people choose not to have one for some good reasons. As time has gone on I have not felt that my life or home are deficient for choosing not to have one. Perhaps when the long winter nights close in I will feel differently.

People find it weird, to say the least. But then people find my being a vegan weird

So what do you do with your time if you don’t have a telly? Confession time: I never had TV when I was a student either, except for the final year when I lived in a shared house. And that year we didn’t even watch it that much, apart from Pop Idol on a Saturday night, which both dates me and proves the point that telly was not adding much value to my life. And that’s the point, what does having a television add to your life?

Since living on my own, I have to make the effort to get out of the house and not be some kind of hermit, which would be my natural tendency. Having television would hamper that effort. Not having a television has given me evenings where I have had time to pursue other interests such as joining local activities, going out for walks on the long evenings, chatting to friends on the phone or internet, getting more involved in the local veggie scene, writing letters, cooking and baking, reading novels. All lovely things that I would not bother doing if I was sitting spud-like in front of the box.

If I do decide to buy a television, it will be because I want to get one for a reason, not “just because”. That’s a crap reason for doing anything, in my not-so-humble opinion.

Do you have a TV? Do you watch it much? What kind of programmes? Am I missing out? Please comment!

Picture credit: Striatic on Flickr

Total randomness from the Dirty Beach crew. Sexual innuendo. And a cameo appearance by Noel Fielding, what’s not to love?

What could be better than a cute baby to brighten up your day? OK, don’t answer that. No, don’t worry, I haven’t become broody, but this is rather sweet. Having said that, I’m not sure if drinking Evian makes you look that young! Ah the wonders of digital animation…

The Apprentice: So you can’t eat honey? Why not?

Me: I can eat honey, but I choose not to.

TA: So why do you choose not to?

Me: Well, I avoid animal products, and honey comes from an animal.

TA: (in a don’t be silly tone) Bees aren’t animals! They’re insects!

Me: Insects are animals. They’re not plants, now are they? Did you never play animal, vegetable or mineral when you were a kid? Google it (cos Google know everything, right?)

TA: (I can tell she still doesn’t believe me) So why don’t you eat honey? Is it because bees get squished?

Me: (we’re getting somewhere) That’s part of it. Also they decapitate the male bees to produce sperm to breed them. I don’t like that. Plus they don’t make honey for us. It’s a food store to feed the hive in the winter when there are no flowers about and they can’t get the nectar. So by eating honey we’re stealing their food

TA: So how come it’s ok to eat plants then?

Me:(joking) Oh, don’t start on that stuff about how carrots scream.

*both laugh*

TA: I don’t like honey much anyway.

By the way, if you are wondering why honey isn’t vegan, take a look at this excellent essay, which basically says what I said above but with proper references and everything.

Picture credit: Lumatic on flickr

More Wordless Wednesday

The intensive pig farming industry in the UK lodged a complaint against an advertisement by Compassion in World Farming (CIWF). However, the complaint backfired when the UK’s advertising regulator, the ASA, backed CIWF’s claim that piglets feel pain just like a human would when their teeth are clipped without anaesthetic.

The advertisement appeared in the national press earlier this year, including in the magazine of food celebrity Jamie Oliver. The ad shows a picture of a pig and asks: “What noise does a piglet make when its teeth are cut off with pliers – without anaesthetic? Same as you”.

A farmer complained stating that piglets don’t get distressed if their teeth are clipped properly without anaesthetic. The ASA looked at the scientific evidence and concluded that Compassion in World Farming was truthful in stating that piglets squeal in pain when they have their teeth clipped without anaesthetic. This is because piglets’ teeth contain nerves and they feel pain as a result of tissue damage just like humans would.

Routine clipping of the teeth of young pigs is banned under EU legislation, yet it happens regularly in most standard intensive pig farms in the UK. Despite the ban, the British Pig Executive (BPEX) reported last year that 57% of pig farmers in the UK clip the teeth of all of their pigs.

You can view the advertisement HERE.

From this year’s veggie pride (which I couldn’t go to as I was at the Benjamin Zephaniah gig). So many vegan events, so little time - and money!