Monthly Archives: January 2019

Double standards

While watching Countryfile this morning, I was warned of distressing scenes. These came in the form of stock footage of cattle corpses being burnt in the early 2000s foot and mouth outbreak. Then, more recently, pig corpses in Belgium, following the arrival of African Swine Fever.

One wonders why most viewers would be disturbed, since death would inevitably be the end result. But, of course, slaughterhouse scenes are rarely shown on TV.

One proposed solution to the spread of African Swine Fever is genetic engineering. Currently, the approach is is to cull wild boar, to reduce the risk of the disease spreading. There’s apparently some opposition to this, but the main drive isn’t one of animal welfare, but of impact on food production.

The programme has now moved on to fluffy rabbits. They’re cute, so they’re allowed to live out their lives in better conditions. More importantly, they’re allowed to live out their lives.

A busy weekend

We’ve had a packed few days. Friday evening was mostly spent in Trillians, where a bunch of us went to support a bloke we (mostly) know separately.

That’s him on drums.

Afterwards, my second in command and I caught a cab to our local. Where we caught the last part of a set from Beyond Madness.

Saturday was spent in Durham, with nice people.

Who fed us with lovely food.

Returning home on Sunday, we called off at the Hungry Vegan for hot dogs, then walked to Ouseburn where old furniture was purchased.

It needs a little work, but really only a little. There was beer in Arch 2, the Cluny, the Cumberland Arms, the Free Trade Inn and the Tyne Bar. And our local. We called in there too.

Cool bird boxes were discovered.

That’s the Cumberland Arms in the background.

The river looked nice on our walk back along the quayside.

I Want Junk

Boho was a brilliant vegan restaurant on Pink Lane and I was so disappointed when it closed. But, in it’s place, we have Junk It Up, a vegan fast food place.

We were so impressed with the food.