Grazing The Net: India's cattle crisis
Think American politics are insane? It's mild compared to what the
mix of religion, politics and drought have spawned in India. The drought is responsible for a "cattle famine," a crisis that's rapidly overshadowing issues of human health and famine.
Despite the fact cows are "sacred" to the Hindu religion, a growing number of cows are abandoned in the country, and, predictably, a growing number of dead cows occupy places where dead cows are a nuisance. Into that volatile mix comes news that the
meat found in the home of Mohammad Akhlaq, lynched last year by a mob, was confirmed to be beef.
The family denies the forensic labs' findings, but lawyers defending those who killed Akhlaq say the information is crucial to the case. They claim it will be used to
neutralize the "criminal culpability"
of the accused.
Speaking rationally, the lawyer for the Akhlaq's family said the forensic report should be irrelevant, since the case is about whether Akhlaq was murdered.
Vegans Pelted With Sausage
Weekend diners at the bohemian Kiwi Café were surprised by an attack from more than a dozen men who began
pelting customers with grilled meat, sausage and fish.
It was apparently a
protest against the restaurant's vegan menu
and just the latest incident in a simmering culture war in Georgia, a country in Eastern Europe.
The
attackers were called anti-vegan "extremists,"
though officials aren't sure if the incident was a prank, a revolt against veganism, or a protest against the encroaching Western liberal values epitomized by the café.
The restaurant's operators called the intruders "fascists" and "Nazis" in a Facebook post.
Profit Tracker: Profits Remain Above $150
Cattle feeders recorded their second consecutive week with average profits of more than $150 per head, despite a $6 retreat in cash cattle prices. The Sterling Beef Profit Tracker calculates the
average breakeven for fed cattle sold last week was $114, while cash trades occurred at $124 - $125 per cwt.
Andrew Griffith, University of Tennessee Extension economist Andrew Griffith says
calf prices have followed an exaggerated seasonal pattern
this year. After a peak in March, lightweight steer prices have declined $40 per cwt., nearly a 20% drop.
Cowboys of the Outback
The cowboys of the Outback: Photographer captures Australia's
stockmen transporting 3,000 cattle on a THOUSAND-MILE
round trip to survive drought.
