My computer died, and because I’m poor my mother just gave me her super-old laptop. It has, I kid you not, HALF a gig of ram. So I can’t run all that much at once. I always just have a couple tabs, two programs max. My computer would literally laugh at me as it crashed if I tried to have 15-20 tabs and four browsers open.

I need a new computer. *sigh*

Personally, I’d rather leave the page I’m on and go where the link takes me (provided we’re still on the same domain, yanno?), than have four tabs with the same domain up. But, rather new tabs than new windows. I’m obsessive like that, more than six tabs and I’ll start to look for things to close. Sssh, don’t tell my M, he likes to keep some fifteen-twenty tabs open and uses four different browsers to never have to close one unnessecerily. Guess who edits? Ahem. Ahem.

Imma gonna go hide nao.

And you guys have to be short SOMETHING over there. Because you DO have stuff… You have… Wait for it… Accents! OMG!ACCENTS to be precise. I’m jealous of all the Aussie accents.

Also.. I don’t know how to set the links. I don’t actually set them. I just tell the thingy where I want the link to go… You have to understand, I’m a computer IDIOT. An honest-to-goodness IDIOT.

I could have thought a new tab would be better though, no? I always thought it annoyed people when clicking on a link took you away from the page you were currently on…. No?

(See? I’m an idiot.)

THIS CONVERSATION IS GETTING LONG, looks like independed blogpost time for me. (brb)

And… No, don’t get me wrong. NEED is different than WANT. If a pet died and you NEEDED a portion of his or her body for your survival, or your culture ensured that the people around you who saw the leather item would understood intrinsically how and why you were using the leather and that it was only from an animal who died of natural causes etc., I would totally understand!

I just think that situation is nearly impossible these days. Most necessity situations are eliminated by modern life. If you were in a plane and it crashed and you needed to hunt an animal for food? That’s okay because “I feel like it” is different from “my survival or well-being depends on it.” I just don’t see anyone who can afford to keep a cow strictly as a family pet would NEED the leather for any reason. Want, perhaps. Need? I doubt it. I don’t think it’s wasteful to allow a body to return to nature, to foster the growth of flowers and trees, and to provide nutrients for animals and insects that feed on decomposing bodies. I don’t see that as wasteful OR disrespectful. I think it’s very respectful of nature, actually.

I do think it’s wasteful to take an animal’s skin and not let it go back to the plants and animals in nature that would use it in a clean, environmentally friendly way, and instead increase the demand for the harsh, environmental poisons that are necessary for tanning animal hides.

Now, as far as the cultural impact. Like I said, if people saw it and knew “Oh, she must have had a pet die, and she is preserving its memory and respecting it by doing _____…” I suppose that makes sense to reinforce that cultural value. While I might not DO it, since I have no need (and, like I said, I don’t think it’s wasteful for an animal’s body to go back to feed nature) I could understand that. Totally.

However, I think today’s society makes that next to impossible. I don’t think anyone who saw the leather item would think it must be from a pet, and one that died naturally, and that it’s only to preserve the animal’s spirit. I sure wouldn’t. (And no one else I know!) Because that’s just not a common source of leather or reason for using it. Not at all. In fact, people would subconsciously get the message reinforced that the skin of a dead animal is omg!fashionable. Or necessary. It’s neither, and I wouldn’t want to reinforce that message, strictly out of respect for the dead pet cow’s brothers and sisters who may very well be raised for slaughter! That seems deeply disrespectful to the animal’s spirit, if the “humane” use of that animal’s skin actually reinforced truly inhumane acts on other animals to attain the same product, yanno?

And it must be a cultural difference; While I see your point, I simply couldn’t let a body go to waste. Culturally, it just seems like it would be incredibly disrespectful (as a friend) to the animal’s spirit to just bury or burn it. Instead I’d try to figure out every possible way to utilize it, to ensure that the memory lasts longer. I’m talking about, it’s already dead and you can’t do anything about it. And fuuuuuuuuuck purses made of leather. The one I want is made of recycled tire rubber (waterproof! ecohappy!)

Also, in all seriousness, I can’t see myself using my pet’s body as a vending machine for personal desires. Like, oh, my dog had such nice fur, I think I’ll skin her and make myself a purse. Not because I NEED to, but just because I wanna. I just… *shudder* I can’t personally see how that would display evidence of moral and intellectual advancement. It seems to display evidence of being selfish.

And I am SO stoked to see the search terms this time around! Heh. Well done!

Clearly the second person did not want to read about collar-poppin’ douchebags.

If I had a pet cow, and it died because it was old/sick/ect, would the leather from that be considered humane?

Andes mint parfait? -drooool-

I now curse you with obama terrorist! (heeee)

(I’ve no idea whose the incest is – is it sibling-dogs doing scatplay or is it sibling-children playing with sexy dog poo? Anyway. Eww.)