This week in Australia

[Kimra]

TV channels, brightening my day by showing footage of dogs being skinned alive.

Thanks, thanks heaps for that.

[Apocalyptus]

Eurgh, what channel was that on?

[Kimra]

Ten. It was George Negus reporting about it. And I actually think it's a valid news story, and that maybe some people need to be shocked into action.

I honestly managed to not see this, but my sister who did was very disturbed by it, and remains, days later, disturbed by it. I am very glad I missed it, because I know I would not have handled it.

p.s. don't wear ugg boots if it's not sheeps wool.*

*Why the hell would anyone wear ugg boots that aren't wool?

[Oldrac the Chitinous]

p.s. don't wear ugg boots if it's not sheeps wool.*

*Why the hell would anyone wear uggboots that aren't wool?

Do you have the same channel numbers everywhere in Australia?

[Apocalyptus]

Not everywhere, but in the major cities I think it is for the commercial channels. Their number is basically their brand.
Once when I went to Uluru though they had two of the normal channels (9 and 10) combined into one bizarro channel I didn't like very much because they didn't play The Simpsons every weekday at 6pm like Channel 10 does (I was 16 at the time if that makes it better).

don't wear ugg boots if it's not sheeps wool.

So I'm to assume it was a news article about how it's fairly common for ugg boots to be made out of dog skin, and the dogs are being skinned alive? How awful.
One more reason to never wear ugg boots, then.

[Kimra]

But it's the fur not the skin. So if you avoid 'fur', ugg boots are still fine. I don't even understand why anyone would wear them if they weren't sheep's wool. The wool is so so comfortable.

And yeah, it was about the wild racoon dogs in China, and how they sell it to people in other countries as fake fur so a whole lot of manufacturers are using real fur, harvested in the most inhuman way possible, and not even telling anyone it's real fur. Apparently the ugg boots are one of those brands that use it.

But then again I don't even like fake fur on principal.


Question for anyone daring, (I've tried to look this up but wont be able to handle peta's website and I also know they are rarely even handed in their information sharing) is there any reason an animal has to be alive to be skinned? It's a morbid question, but it is something I want to know.

[DonRetrasado]

You won't be able to hear their screams if they're already dead.

[Kimra]

You won't be able to hear their screams if they're already dead.

I knew there was a reason. Well spotted my man.

[GUTCHUCKER]

The same reason a bear will eat you alive. You don't have to be dead to be eaten/skinned, just not moving.

[Kaharz]

I actually tried to look, but all search results are either videos of animals being skinned alive in China or petitions to try to get China to stop skinning animals alive.

It is supposedly easier to skin an animal when it is still warm. I've been told this by pig farmers and that is supposedly what China claims as well. Apparently pigs are very difficult to skin in the first place and you want to start as soon as you kill it, because it gets a lot harder once the muscles start stiffening and the body cools.

I however can't imagine it is easier to do when the animal is still alive and capable of moving, even if it is restrained. But I also doubt that they are doing it simply to be cruel. Regardless of the reason, it is pretty fucked up.

[Kimra]

Yeah that was my problem too. I didn't want to see any of those links.

So chances are they do it because of some misinformation that's persisted for some generations. Oh well, it's disgusting for whatever reason.

[Sahan]

Australian bars are embracing a better way to deal with drunken violence outside their doors. Softer floors.

[Apocalyptus]

Well you've got to give them points for originality at least.

[Oldrac the Chitinous]

The title of that article entertains me.

[zomgmouse]

So the whole "Occupy Melbourne" thing. It's essentially pointless. So is the reaction to it.