Lakeland Ledger Feb 14, 2002

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PETA Still Critical of College's Use of a Cow

By ERIK ORTIZ The Ledger

LAKELAND -- An animal-rights group is not satisfied with Florida Southern College's explanation for allowing a game of cow bingo on campus.

In a letter dated Feb. 7, FSC officials defended their treatment of the cow used during a Jan. 16 fund-raising event.

"To our knowledge, no laxatives were used on the cow. School officials were present from start to finish while the cow was on the campus," said FSC spokeswoman Shari Szabo in the letter to the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals.

PETA finds FSC's reasoning predictable.

"All they did was deny the cow was fed laxatives," Amy Rhodes, a PETA cruelty caseworker, said Tuesday. "And they quoted someone who wasn't even there."

Rhodes disagrees with a statement from Jennifer Vermillera, local executive of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals who was quoted by FSC.

In the letter, Vermillera said, "I don't know if a cow would be that sensitive (about being put on public display)."

Rhodes contends that cows are affected by laughter.

"I was not talking about the cow being embarrassed. That's just silly, but I would assume that she was stressed in that situation," said Rhodes, who does not think animals should be used for entertainment.

Rhodes's other concern was that children were present during the cow bingo game.

"I am told there were a

hundred people laughing at (the cow), some children," Rhodes said. "You don't teach children to ridicule animals or degrade them because they may do the same to people. It's a dangerous message to send to children."

PETA expressed its concerns in a letter to FSC President Thomas Reuschling in January, saying it can be emotionally devastating for an animal to be exposed to ridicule.

Rhodes, who was not present during the fund-raising event, said she was informed of the game by worried students who are members of PETA.

"I hope that the school will take the concerns from students seriously and not brush this aside," she said.

The cow, donated by a local farmer, was used during a carnival which raised money for the women's softball, soccer and volleyball teams.

Cow bingo was played on a grid on Barnett Field. The squares were available to purchase and the winner was chosen by the square on which the cow deposited a cow patty.

PETA does not plan to respond to FSC's letter.

-- (Petulant Petula@PETA.posturing), February 16, 2002

Answers

I have yelled at clumsy cows, and I'm here to tell you that they didn't care. The cow is not a sensitive animal. Either they have loads of confidence and self-esteem, or they are so abysmally stupid that they don't realize when they are being held up to scorn and ridicule. You be the judge.

-- Peter Errington (petere7@starpower.net), February 16, 2002.

The Gateway Cow gets paid to be funny.

-- helen (hiding@from.peta), February 16, 2002.

Maybe they think YOU'RE stupid, Peter.

-- (just@a.thought), February 16, 2002.

Everyone yells at a cow. Once.

-- Carlos (riffraff@cybertime.net), February 17, 2002.

While this all might seem humorous to you backwoods, tooth-missing, hillbilly type, trailer-dwelling West Virginians, as a sophisticated city boy I must admit I don't get it. Now stop interrupting me so I can listen to my Eminem CD.

-- clueless (clueless@in.Chicago), February 17, 2002.

Let's not fight about this. How about we talk this over a nice juicy double-Whopper at Burger King?

-- (mmm@burg.ers), February 17, 2002.

I was thinkin' more like Outback!

-- capnfun (capnfun1@excite.com), February 17, 2002.

"...but I would assume that she was stressed in that situation," said Rhodes.

Who's to say? Maybe the cow was thinking, "Okay, art it isn't. But it beats bein' eaten!"

-- David L (bumpkin@dnet.net), February 22, 2002.

I'm with cap'n. Let's go to Outback. : )

Disney World has a cute cow... Minnie Moo. She was born with a black spot in the shape of 'Mickey Mouse ears' on her side. She seems perfectly content in the (laughter-filled) children's portion of the park.

As to the above story, you have to wonder about people waiting around to see where a cow will drop a load. Interesting form of entertainment. ; )

-- Pammy (pamela_sue57@hotmail.com), February 22, 2002.

Cows like to take a shit with their heads uphill cause when it's greasy they know the angle of the drop will keep their ass cleaner. But when it's flat they get confused and they walk in circles lookin for the uphill side which makes for more fair of a bingo game. But by the time they make up their mind they really got to go bad so it makes for heavier drops and more clean ups if required by state and local laws. And that's the truth!

-- Boswell (fundown@thefarm.net), February 22, 2002.

Boswell,

You actually studied this?

I must admit, I'm impressed.

-- Stephen M. Poole (smpoole7@bellsouth.net), February 22, 2002.

Cow Bing news. Hey, this is some serious shit.

-- (Roland@hatemail.com), February 22, 2002.

Yes Mr. Poole I did more than study it. I've organized and been the owner of the winning 5 year old Hereford cow 3 years runnin now at the local fair. She knows how to count up to 23 now and she knows exactly where she's at. Downhill, uphill, sidewaze it don't matter. After winning it's a matter of pride for her. Most people don't worry about bettin on her droppin her load at the precise spot. Concentration is what got her to where she is today. Just a pat on the head and an extra half bale of straw for beddin at nite does the trick!

-- Boswell (fundown@thefarm.net), February 22, 2002.

It's things like this that made me think I was NOT a liberal all f my life. Cows get branded, do they complain to the ranchers?

All the cow is doing is what every creature that eats does.
Only cats are embarassed if they are watched when they take dump. They will literally turn you invisable if you are watching, and not speak to you for days!

-- Cherri (jessam5@home.com), February 23, 2002.

Cattle aren't something that you can get up and personal with. Still, they know some things. I had about 800 head on my research plots last year. I had one technical person who was [what shall we say] scared to death of them. We could walk into a field and they would all gather around this one person. We would have to come to the rescue. Like all herd animals, they could smell fear.

In my experience, from Wyoming, sheep can be stupid. Yet, they are intellectual giants compared to domestic turkies. Wild ones are a different thing.

Best Wishes,,,,

Z

-- Z1X4Y7 (Z1X4Y7@aol.com), February 23, 2002.

Space Cows

-- (lars@indy.net), February 23, 2002.

Z, what sort of research were you doing on cows?

-- (cin@cin.cin), February 23, 2002.

Cin:

Actually, I am not doing any research on cattle. I work on plants. Still, to have a reasonable ecosystem for this work, one must have grazing animals; cows be it. We use Angus; they are easy to handle in a rotational grazing system; excluding the few culls, they are docile.

One of the projects is working on persistance in grasses with decreased toxicity. This is not only important in the cattle industry but is becoming an ecological disaster in north america. We are ready to release populations that will replace toxic populations and all without rDNA technology. That will come later. It is a technically complex field. I tried to give you a non-technical description.

Best Wishes,,,,

Z

-- Z1X4Y7 (Z1X4Y7@aol.com), February 23, 2002.

Cows don't smell fear like dogs do. Bulls can be that way at times but only we they are cornered. The reason they gathered around the guy was because they were curious or they thought you had a bale of hay or sack of feed. Young yearling heifers are the most curious about humans. Make one quick move and they're gone though. If you want to piss a cow off real bad just wear some English Leather or Jade East and you'll find yourself goin ass over tea kettle down over the hillside. 1600 lbs. of enraged beef with kill on her mind is what it's about for sure!

-- Boswell (fundown@thefarm.net), February 23, 2002.

Z, does your project have anything to do with Russian napweed or yellow spurge?

-- Peter Errington (petere7@starpower.net), February 23, 2002.

Boswell:

I am beginning to think that you haven't spent that much time around cattle. It wasn't a guy anyway.

Peter:

No, that one dealt with endophyte infected fescue. It would take pages to explain. That is just one project. I try to keep this non-technical.

Best Wishes,,,,,

Z

-- Z1X4Y7 (Z1X4Y7@aol.com), February 23, 2002.

If cow bingo is so bad, what about that notorious devil's-work-for-idle-hands, cow tipping?

-- Little Nipper (canis@minor.net), February 23, 2002.

"To err is human, to forgive is bovine".

And that's my thought for the day.

-- Peter Errington (petere7@starpower.net), February 24, 2002.

Z, I was born and raised on this ranch and lived here since 1948. My dad had the first Registered Polled Hereford Ranch in the Northwest starting in 1925. We had 100+ brood cows until 1990 and we sold down to 50 and dispersed in 1995. I used to spend Jan and Feb on the road with at least 25 head of comin 2 year old bulls competing at the stock shows. We had Grand Champion and Reserve Champion Bulls, Grand Champion Female, Best Pair of Bulls all in 86 at Lewiston against the best Horned Hereford operations in the business. So don't tell me I do not know Jack shit about the cow business. I beg to differ! Don't know anything bout sheep and don't care to.

-- Boswell (fundown@thefarm.net), February 24, 2002.

Boswell, don't be so damn sensitive about everything. A lot of people know a lot of things you know, just some may have gone into the finer points of them in their lifetime. Stop resenting what you percieve as people who are smareter than you, everyone is different and has different strengths and weaknesses. Hell, I've spent the last 6 years learning to spell, when 20-30 year ago I could troubleshoot a mainframe down to chip level. Accept yourself and it won't rub you wrong when someone else knows things in more detail than you do.

Hell, I've been taking dumps since 1952 but I'm not an (UMMM what do they call them doctors?)

-- Cherri (jessam5@home.com), February 24, 2002.

Well Cherri, I've been taken dumps too since 1952 but its always been kind of a private thing don't ya know. There's two things I know a hell of a lot about and that's farmin and flyin. I just get edgy when some damn professor out in the pasture taking notes on grass tetany throws a challenge my way. Professors and lawyers will bring this country down someday in the near future.

-- Boswell (fundown@thefarm.net), February 24, 2002.

Cherri, what Z said was this:

Boswell: I am beginning to think that you haven't spent that much time around cattle. It wasn't a guy anyway.

All Boswell did was respond to the accusation that was leveled at him. Haven't you done the same when someone accused you of not knowing anything about computers or the military?

-- (One@WhoWas.There), February 25, 2002.

Also, I think the word you are looking for is "proctologist."

-- (One@WhoWas.There), February 25, 2002.

"Z, I was born and raised on this ranch and lived here since 1948."

"Well Cherri, I've been taken dumps too since 1952"

Four years of constipation as a newborn! Wow Boswell, you are lucky to be alive!

-- (nemesis@awol.com), February 25, 2002.

Good eye, nemesis!

-- what i think (boswell@not.a real person), February 25, 2002.

Hey there Nemesis, that was a good one! I get careless when I get excited. I just turned 54 on Feb 19. The anniversary of the first day of fighting on Iwo Jima. Nothing against Cherri personally and I have problems with spelling myself at times.

-- Boswell (fundown@thefarm.net), February 25, 2002.

I get careless when I get excited.
**BLUSH**, Boswell, I didn't realize I affected you that way.

-- Cherri (jessam5@home.com), February 26, 2002.

Well Nemesis, I'm going to have to call you on the subject of takin a dump. You are wrong wrong wrong! I'm spent the last two days at the WSU library and doing a lot of research on dumping. In Ester Manwaring's colossal book called "The ABC's of Proper Bathroom Etiquette" copyrighted 1889 and printed by Lymons and Nichols, she says right in there that you get diapered tell you're three years old and you go poop untill you are seven. There's no possible way that a human can take a dump before that age according to this expert on dumping. Even I was wrong partly because I couldn't have possibly taken a dump before 1955.

-- Boswell (fundown@thefarm.net), February 27, 2002.

Ah Cherri Cherri, you never will know how much you excite me. To know that a woman like you has had her hand on the control stick of a airplane is one hell of a turn on. With throttle in hand and the thought of you rippin and grippin it is too much to handle. With your feet in the stirrups or I mean pedals and coming in for a soft landing tail wheel first is tops in my book.

-- Boswell (fundown@thefarm.net), February 27, 2002.

Please place a header on your posts to indicate those an old lady with a weak heart should skip...

-- Blue Hairs feeling faint (you@be.blue.too.someday), February 28, 2002.

LOL Boswell

How ...ahem...sweet. ; )

-- (cin@cin.cin), February 28, 2002.

To that old lady with the blue hairs, don't worry about bein forewarned about headers cause I only get one of them bout every two years. And Cin, I've always been a sweet and sensitive fellow cause I always remember to send flowers on the 4th of July and Abe Lincolns birthday.

-- Boswell (fundown@thefarm.net), February 28, 2002.