knot

This is a partner to the D posted 7 knots ago. I haven't drawn anything in the last two days at work because I have been under the weather. I have another ~5 drawings or so before I run out an have to draw some more stuff but I am feeling a little better today and should be back on course soon so that you won't have to see the scraps of my sketch book.

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I have an ascii art planned but don't know if I will get to it tonight.

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Spurred by a post from halfempty:
My last knot post had a bit about consumption in it. His post does too. To take one line more or less at random, "We feed more than 70 percent of the grains and cereals we grow to farmed animals".

Balance that with this from Pravda which talks about how humans need meat and that even the best and knowledgeable vegetarians tend to not get the balance of amino acids right.

I don't see meat as murder. I do see the western view of meat as extremely unhealthy. I try to keep meat intake to a healthy level. This isn't easy. Just 7 years ago I was having to eat 4000+ calories a day just to stay alive. Doing that on a meat free or reduced meat diet is nearly impossible. Now that I am down to around 1700[0] calories I have a lot more room for low cal vegy foods without running the risk I might loose 5 pounds and end up in a hospital. I try to keep my meat intake to 4 ounces or less per meal and don't see meat as being required once a meal or even once a day like so many Americans. When I eat out I try to eat vegetarian because it is cheaper. If I can't or feel the need for meat I try to keep it in moderation. I won't order a thick burger unless there is someone to share it with.

Lentils are tasty but are never found in America as fast food. Potatoes are great but are always fried or mashed pseudo-potatoes. Beans are good but too high in fat. I will eat a boca burger once in a while but on the whole I try to avoid faux-meat foods. The amount of environmental damage caused by Roundup ready soy beans isn't much better than the amount of human edible food we feed to calorie inefficient carcass farms. Not only that but there is a world of tasty veg food out there that does just fine not pretending to be meat so there is no need to eat bad meat substitutes.

My request to those who haven't tried it that the next time you go out to eat take a look at the vegetarian portion of the menu and get something on there. If you have never heard of the menu item then that is even better because eating only things you know about is way to limiting. It may not change your life but it should save you a little money, a little land and maybe a little guilt. If you do it often enough it may save you some inches and some medical conditions.

Am I a saint? Hell no. Once in a while I require a big hunk of meat. Tonight I will, for the first time in many years, eat a large porterhouse steak with too much gorgonzola cheese on it.


By the way, if an ignorant vegetarian ever tells you, as they have told me, that chimps don' eat meat just remind them that they are known for those sticks they put into termite mounds for a tasty snack. They aren't pulling berries out of the termite mound but bugs which are animals. If they pretend to not know about the termite stick trick then you have my permission to remove their incisors with you fist or boot.


[0] this number is abnormally low for a 6'2" person but I have a desk job and don't get enough of a work out because I have an untreated herniated intestine that might get really angry at me if I started moving more. Yes I am going to get this problem fixed soon.