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Public consultation on possible badger cull (UK)

      
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#707871 - 09/03/06 04:15 AM Public consultation on possible badger cull (UK) *****
simian Offline
110% MONKEY EVERY TIME ALL THE TIME JUST CANT STOP THE MONKEY

Registered: 11/10/02
Loc: London
DEFRA are currently undertaking a public consultation (ending March 10th) with regards to a cull of the protected Eurasian Badger, to prevent the spread of bovine TB.

Scientific opinion (including that of DEFRA's own advisors) seems to be largely opposed to the cull, saying that it would be ineffective or counter-productive.

I'll give you a smattering of links and let you make your own minds up.

It seems unlikely that they'd go ahead with a cull, but not impossible.

Vets want badger cull to halt TB (BBC)

Defra deny preparations for cull have already started (BBC)

Latest findings show that killing badgers causes more cattle tuberculosis than it prevents (The-Scientist.com)

Stop The Cull website

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#707872 - 09/03/06 04:36 AM Re: Public consultation on possible badger cull (UK) [Re: simian]
jeff(fake) Offline
Scientist of Fortune

Registered: 15/04/05
Loc: Edinburgh
It's just madness.

All it is is giving in to pressure from a misguided and incorrect pressure group.

Save the Badgers.
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According to Heisenberg's Uncertainty Principle of Quantum Dynamics, we may already be making love right now...

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#707873 - 09/03/06 04:48 AM Re: Public consultation on possible badger cull (UK) [Re: simian]
Birgit Offline
had her carpal tunnel surgery already thanks v much

Registered: 27/01/05
Loc: Edinburgh


poor badgers
_________________________
"vices are like genitals - most are ugly to behold, and yet we find that our own are dear to us."
(G.W. Dahlquist)

Owner of Dragosani's left half

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#707874 - 09/03/06 04:54 AM Re: Public consultation on possible badger cull (UK) [Re: Birgit]
jo_rhymes Offline
Momma Bear

Registered: 10/04/05
Loc: Telford, Shrops
If we all send this letter to Defra, it'll help make a difference. Don't worry Badgers, we'll not let those bast-ards kill you!
_________________________
Hoppers are angels who lift us to our feet when our wings have trouble remembering how to fly.

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#707875 - 09/03/06 05:12 AM Re: Public consultation on possible badger cull (UK) [Re: jo_rhymes]
TinklePants Offline
Clique Infiltrator, Cunning Linguist and Master Debator

Registered: 03/07/05
Loc: Edinburgh burgh burrrrrr
who remembers badgergirl the tv show? i do
_________________________
I drive bus now?

I eat biscuits with my eyes.

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#707876 - 09/03/06 05:32 AM Re: Public consultation on possible badger cull (UK) [Re: TinklePants]
alien_oddity Offline
Carpal \'Tunnel

Registered: 31/12/04
Loc: in the trees
" badger, badger, badger, badger, badger, badger, badger, mushroom, mushroom, badger, badger, badger, badger, snake, snake woooooooooooo it's a snake"


personaly i'm not for or against a cull, it will be done on the grounds of public interest what ever my view. TB is a nasty illness be it bovine or the multi drug resistant human variaty. badgers themselfs are viscious creatures and i would'nt want to cuddle a wild one but i do think if it's going to cause a lot of other animals to suffer then it needs to be attended to.


sorry if i sound cruel but i lean towards pro hunting ( as humanely as possible)

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#707877 - 09/03/06 05:57 AM Re: Public consultation on possible badger cull (UK) [Re: alien_oddity]
simian Offline
110% MONKEY EVERY TIME ALL THE TIME JUST CANT STOP THE MONKEY

Registered: 11/10/02
Loc: London
Ravehead, that's a fair enough point of view if evidence showed that the cull would be effective in reducing bovine TB.

However, as I stated in the first post, that isn't the case.
Written by: The Scientist

findings suggest "highly complex transmission dynamics." In areas where culling took place, badgers ranged over greater distances. Culling appears to disrupt social groups, and the increased mobility potentially leads to greater contact – and hence disease transmission – with cattle, she said. These findings also help explain why previous research showed that TB rates in cattle fell after researchers practically eradicated badgers, but increased after local culling. "Small-scale culling, such as that which might be advocated as a compromise between conservation and farming concerns, or by farmers acting illegally, is actually the worst possible approach in terms of controlling infection in cattle," Woodroffe told The Scientist




eg. Badgers are social animals that live in extended family groups. If a group of badgers is infected with bovine TB, and some family members are culled, the remaining ones are likely to relocate, spreading the infection.

oh, and thank you for that hilarious rendition of the incredibly hilarious badger mushroom song. Gosh, how hilarious i find that song. Not at all incredibly irritating and lacking in humour, and still quite as fresh and hilarious today as it was back when it was funny. Hilarious! and totally relevant to the discussion too!

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#707878 - 09/03/06 06:08 AM Re: Public consultation on possible badger cull (UK) [Re: simian]
Sym Offline
Geek-enviro-hippy priest

Registered: 28/09/04
Loc: Diss, Norfolk
I admit, I don’t really know anything about this other than scanning the wikipedia page (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eurasian_Badger#Badgers_and_the_spread_of_bovine_TB)

According to that page 80% of bovine TB cases are caused by cattle to cattle transmission. If that is true, then I doubt badgers can make up the other 20%.


Written by:

In an area which provides a very poor habitat, the territory may be as large as 0.5 square miles (320 acres).



According to http://www.badgerland.co.uk/animals/family/territories.html

If the territory is under a square mile then I doubt it will span more than one farm, so I don’t see how they can spread TB from farm to farm. Are foxes a vector for TB? What about cattle auctions and centralised slaughterhouses?

And killing the badgers by shooting! This is the same as shooting foxes, it’s a really bad idea because you’ll end up with anyone who owns a gun trying to get them and more often than not they wont die on the first shot. I know it’s illegal in the UK, but I doubt that will stop anyone who thinks they should be killed.

All in all it seems pointless
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#707879 - 09/03/06 06:33 AM Re: Public consultation on possible badger cull (UK) [Re: Sym]
jo_rhymes Offline
Momma Bear

Registered: 10/04/05
Loc: Telford, Shrops
It does seem pointless. I think it's another excuse for those tweed wearing, bugle-blowing, beagle owning gits to get on their horses again.
_________________________
Hoppers are angels who lift us to our feet when our wings have trouble remembering how to fly.

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#707880 - 09/03/06 06:42 AM Re: Public consultation on possible badger cull (UK) [Re: alien_oddity]
TheBovrilMonkey Offline
Liquid Cow

Registered: 03/09/01
Loc: High Wycombe, England
Written by: ravehead


badgers themselfs are viscious creatures




Really? you must be thinking of something else, because this word:
Written by: Dictionary.com


vi·cious
Pronunciation Key (vshs)
adj.

1. Having the nature of vice; evil, immoral, or depraved.
2. Given to vice, immorality, or depravity.
3. Spiteful; malicious: vicious gossip.
4. Disposed to or characterized by violent or destructive behavior. See Synonyms at cruel.
5. Marked by an aggressive disposition; savage. Used chiefly of animals.
6. Severe or intense; fierce: a vicious storm.
7. Faulty, imperfect, or otherwise impaired by defects or a defect: a forced, vicious style of prose.
8. Impure; foul.




doesn't describe badgers well at all. In fact, it describes those who want to hunt them far better.

As yet, I really havn't heard an arguement for the cull that holds water. I doubt I will.
_________________________
But there's no sense crying over every mistake. You just keep on trying till you run out of cake.

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#707881 - 09/03/06 06:44 AM Re: Public consultation on possible badger cull (UK) [Re: alien_oddity]
ducky2108 Offline
A little bit of a board whore

Registered: 18/12/05
Loc: Glasgow
Written by: ravehead


personaly i'm not for or against a cull, it will be done on the grounds of public interest what ever my view. TB is a nasty illness be it bovine or the multi drug resistant human variaty. badgers themselfs are viscious creatures and i would'nt want to cuddle a wild one but i do think if it's going to cause a lot of other animals to suffer then it needs to be attended to.




Hmmm, do you read Private Eye at all. From that statement, I'd say probably not.

DEFRAs past history of "working in the public interest" is laughable at best, and truely terrifying at worst. Their handling of the foot and mouth crisis, and their subsequent denying farmers the monies owed to them (money already paid by Europe to go to the farmers, currently sitting in the goverment DEFRA funds) and other truely attrocious examples have earned them the nickname of the Department for the Eradication of Farming and Rural Areas. At the end of the day, regardless of scientific or public opinion, DEFRA will probably do what DEFRA want's.

Going slightly off topic, anyone who's interested in politics really should read private eye. It certainly lets you see the government in a light different to that they want you to see.
_________________________
Ancient wiseman say "It is very strange person, who, when left alone in room with teacosy, does not try it on"

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#707882 - 09/03/06 07:35 AM Re: Public consultation on possible badger cull (UK) [Re: jo_rhymes]
Sym Offline
Geek-enviro-hippy priest

Registered: 28/09/04
Loc: Diss, Norfolk
Written by: jo_rhymes


It does seem pointless. I think it's another excuse for those tweed wearing, bugle-blowing, beagle owning gits to get on their horses again.




Many of my friend would fit that description, and I know first hand that they are only doing what they think it right for their land and the animals they farm. This is not always the case I know, but I take great offence to people calling them names because they have no idea about how they live. Most town/city types don't have a clue about the country side but still they take the moral high ground.

Also, I'd love to see a horse and hound hunt after a badger set

Bov, badgers are nasty. I wouldn't want to be near one at all. They can hurt people a lot, but thats only when people get in their way.
_________________________
There's too many home fires burning and not enough trees

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#707883 - 09/03/06 08:13 AM Re: Public consultation on possible badger cull (UK) [Re: Sym]
TheBovrilMonkey Offline
Liquid Cow

Registered: 03/09/01
Loc: High Wycombe, England
Written by: Sym


Bov, badgers are nasty. I wouldn't want to be near one at all. They can hurt people a lot, but thats only when people get in their way.




Yep, it's only when you get close enough for them to think that they're threatened - they don't seek out things to attack.
Powerful and capable of causing serious damage when they're cornered, yes - vicious, no.
_________________________
But there's no sense crying over every mistake. You just keep on trying till you run out of cake.

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#707884 - 09/03/06 08:28 AM Re: Public consultation on possible badger cull (UK) [Re: TheBovrilMonkey]
jo_rhymes Offline
Momma Bear

Registered: 10/04/05
Loc: Telford, Shrops
sym, i didnt mean to offend your animal murdering friends
and I agree with the Bovster, you dont hear of badgers going on vicious rampages attacking the villagers.
They just know how to defend themselves. And it sounds like they need too. (they are cute as buttons though!) :P
_________________________
Hoppers are angels who lift us to our feet when our wings have trouble remembering how to fly.

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#707885 - 09/03/06 08:49 AM Re: Public consultation on possible badger cull (UK) [Re: jo_rhymes]
Sym Offline
Geek-enviro-hippy priest

Registered: 28/09/04
Loc: Diss, Norfolk
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/hereford/worcs/3027681.stm

Anyway, that isn't good grounds to cull something (also, it was a 1 off, so it's a bit of a straw man )- if it were then some demographics of our society should be culled


Edited by Sym (09/03/06 08:50 AM)
_________________________
There's too many home fires burning and not enough trees

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#707886 - 09/03/06 09:04 AM Re: Public consultation on possible badger cull (UK) [Re: Sym]
nearly_all_gone Offline
Pooh-Bah

Registered: 03/08/04
Loc: Southampton
Good news it's being noticed. I wrote to my MP about this barbaric and utterly pointless cull.

On a side note, hunting is utterly despicable, unless out of necessity for survival. Humans have no need to hunt in this day and age, and it is by clinging on to outmoded and dogmatic "tradition" that stops humans from acheiving their true potential as a species, and is keeping pollution on the rise, the rainforests at risk and millions of species on the verge of extinction. I have lived in rural farming communities all my life and am well aware of the sort of people who hunt, the reasons they do so, and their conception of what a "good hunt" means. Anyone who hunts is a morally reprehensible moron stuck in a past age, where slavery existed and women weren't allowed legal representation. Animal rights means a lot to me, which is why I deleted the more vitriolic mass of this post before submitting.
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What a wonderful miracle if only we could look through each other's eyes for an instant.
Thoreau

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#707887 - 09/03/06 09:26 AM Re: Public consultation on possible badger cull (UK) [Re: nearly_all_gone]
jo_rhymes Offline
Momma Bear

Registered: 10/04/05
Loc: Telford, Shrops
for Kevlar.
Sym, after reading that story, surely you must have noted the amount of propaganda in there!
the guy went to get his camera and tried to get close to him. Everyone knows badgers are kickass. That badger "Boris", has been domesticated so it doesnt fear humans. It even says at the bottom of that article that in their natural habitats, badgers wouldnt act like that.
_________________________
Hoppers are angels who lift us to our feet when our wings have trouble remembering how to fly.

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#707888 - 09/03/06 09:34 AM Re: Public consultation on possible badger cull (UK) [Re: jo_rhymes]
Sym Offline
Geek-enviro-hippy priest

Registered: 28/09/04
Loc: Diss, Norfolk
yes, thats why i said it was a 1 off, and that it was a straw man
_________________________
There's too many home fires burning and not enough trees

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#707889 - 09/03/06 09:37 AM Re: Public consultation on possible badger cull (UK) [Re: Sym]
Domino Offline
UnNatural Scientist - Currently working on a Breville-legged monkey

Registered: 26/05/04
Loc: Bath Uni or Shrewsbury, UK
I wonder if this was a cull for Mongolian Snarl-Toothed Boil-Faced Pug-Ugly Giant Rat the same opinions would be held....?
_________________________
Give me a lever long enough and a place to stand and I can beat the world into submission.

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#707890 - 09/03/06 09:41 AM Re: Public consultation on possible badger cull (UK) [Re: Domino]
jo_rhymes Offline
Momma Bear

Registered: 10/04/05
Loc: Telford, Shrops
no, kill all of the ugly blighters. :P


Edited by jo_rhymes (09/03/06 09:59 AM)
_________________________
Hoppers are angels who lift us to our feet when our wings have trouble remembering how to fly.

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#707891 - 09/03/06 11:14 AM Re: Public consultation on possible badger cull (UK) [Re: jo_rhymes]
ducky2108 Offline
A little bit of a board whore

Registered: 18/12/05
Loc: Glasgow
Never mind the badgers. I've got a mate off to kill the Hedghogs of Uist on saturday.

Won't anyone think of the children
_________________________
Ancient wiseman say "It is very strange person, who, when left alone in room with teacosy, does not try it on"

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#707892 - 09/03/06 01:24 PM Re: Public consultation on possible badger cull (UK) [Re: ducky2108]
Cantus Offline
Tantamount to fatuity

Registered: 30/07/01
Loc: Down the road
I was going to start a thread about this about a week ago but I've been really distracted of late.


That said I did send out emails to all the people in my contacts that I thought would actually do something positive about it. Although, to date, only Stroo has told me that she has actually done anything...... mutter grumble moan etc....

Anyhoo, this is the email that I sent to DEFRA on the subject:

Written by: me

I wish to register my response to your consultation document - Controlling the Spread of Bovine Tuberculosis in Cattle in High Incidence Areas in England: Badger Culling.

With regard to Question 1 - My response to your consultation on the spread of bovine tb in cattle, is that I oppose any form of badger culling. Gassing and snaring are inhumane and unacceptable.

Bovine tb tests for cattle are not accurate and are missing infected cows that re-infect the herd, or are sold to other farms to spread the disease.

There is still no firm evidence that badgers pass tb to cattle, it could easily be transmitted from cows to badgers. Government scientists say that culling badgers is not the answer, and cattle measures are needed as cattle are the main source of the spread of the disease.

The remaining questions are irrelevant as I am opposed to any form of culling.

Regards




Well done Mr Simian for bringing this to the attention of the world. Lets hope that it helps ....
_________________________
"I'll carry this....It's harder to spill a hat" - Chellybean
"...like a rabbit caught in a lighthouse?" - Chellybean

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#707893 - 09/03/06 11:03 PM Re: Public consultation on possible badger cull (UK) [Re: Cantus]
Birgit Offline
had her carpal tunnel surgery already thanks v much

Registered: 27/01/05
Loc: Edinburgh
Thanks for that Cantus, it's a much better email than the one they have on I'll use this one as a template if you don't mind!!
_________________________
"vices are like genitals - most are ugly to behold, and yet we find that our own are dear to us."
(G.W. Dahlquist)

Owner of Dragosani's left half

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#707894 - 10/03/06 02:49 AM Re: Public consultation on possible badger cull (UK) [Re: Birgit]
pricklyleaf Offline
with added berries

Registered: 07/03/05
Loc: Manchester
I heard about this too on the radio. It seems like its compleatly pointless as they've actually shown from previous culls that it makes the TB problems worse in the surrounding areas. And as said before, there is no evidence that badgers can pass TB on to cattle.
_________________________
Live like there is no tomorrow,
dance like nobody is watching
and hula hoop like wiggling will save the world.

“What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.”

Ralph Waldo Emerson

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#707895 - 10/03/06 11:32 AM Re: Public consultation on possible badger cull (UK) [Re: pricklyleaf]
Tao Star Offline
Pooh-Bah

Registered: 30/05/03
Loc: Bristol
why does everyone love badgers so much? i don't necessarily think people should go around killing them, but badgers do have TB you know.

when i was in school we got in sooooo much trouble for going near them in case we got bitten & caught something nasty. badgers are nasty peices of work, redemming themselves i suppose by being nocturnal and keeping out of our way. i've seen a few badger bites and they're naaasty. they are you know. also, they get in the way of cars.

it might upset the ecosystem if a third of them get killed i guess, but apart from that i say begone badgers!!! i wouldn't miss them.
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#707896 - 10/03/06 01:04 PM Re: Public consultation on possible badger cull (UK) [Re: Tao Star]
jo_rhymes Offline
Momma Bear

Registered: 10/04/05
Loc: Telford, Shrops
Written by: Tao Star


they get in the way of cars.
i say begone badgers!!! i wouldn't miss them.




nice.
_________________________
Hoppers are angels who lift us to our feet when our wings have trouble remembering how to fly.

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#707897 - 10/03/06 01:42 PM Re: Public consultation on possible badger cull (UK) [Re: Sym]
TheBovrilMonkey Offline
Liquid Cow

Registered: 03/09/01
Loc: High Wycombe, England
Written by: Sym


http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/hereford/worcs/3027681.stm

Anyway, that isn't good grounds to cull something (also, it was a 1 off, so it's a bit of a straw man )- if it were then some demographics of our society should be culled




I've just read that article again - it doesn't mention how the badger got into the garage, but it does mention that Mr Fitzgerald entered the garage by the electric door.

I'm assuming that means the main garage door - the badger may well have just wanted to get the hell out, but that way out's got someone standing in it. It does say that the badger approached slowly, it doesn't quite sound like a frenzied assault.

In no way am I trying to say that badgers are always innocent, but they're animals and act on instinct. They are however, fairly predictable.
Blame can't really be placed on them if they're cornered while feeling threatened - take away the option of running away and since they can't talk their way out, they don't have many options left.

I'm not saying that I have no sympathy for the man, it's obviously really unfortunate that it happened and I feel sorry for him, but he has a background in wildlife and is almost certainly not ignorant - he ought to know better.

Written by: Domino


I wonder if this was a cull for Mongolian Snarl-Toothed Boil-Faced Pug-Ugly Giant Rat the same opinions would be held....?




I'd like to think that regardless of the animal, I'd oppose a cull that hasn't been proven to be of any benefit.
_________________________
But there's no sense crying over every mistake. You just keep on trying till you run out of cake.

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#707898 - 10/03/06 09:48 PM Re: Public consultation on possible badger cull (UK) [Re: TheBovrilMonkey]
Sym Offline
Geek-enviro-hippy priest

Registered: 28/09/04
Loc: Diss, Norfolk
Just to make it clear again, that was more of a joke than anything - there is no grounds for culling just because 1 badger attacked 1 man once. Thats why I said

1) It's a straw man
2) it's a 1 off
3) well, every other bit of the post that isn't a link

Should I remove that post for fear of people accusing me of being a badger killing loon?

Oh actually, they did bite once of Tao Stars friends and they do get in the way of cars, so yeah, go for it. Lets kill all the rabbits, deers and pheasants while we're at it.

Sorry if this sounds bitchy Bov, I am with you on this (as I said in my first post) and it feels like neither you or Jo actually read my post. If you did, then I guess the joke was a bit too dry to work over the internet,

I agree with Domino to a point, I thnk there would be little objection if rats were going to be culled or mosquitoes for that metter.
_________________________
There's too many home fires burning and not enough trees

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#707899 - 11/03/06 12:05 AM Re: Public consultation on possible badger cull (UK) [Re: Sym]
jo_rhymes Offline
Momma Bear

Registered: 10/04/05
Loc: Telford, Shrops
sym, no one's attacking you, it's just obvious the bloke in the link you sent is a moron.
And when it comes down to protesting against culling any other animals. I remember protesting about the snails in Newbury. we have to look after the diversity of the ecology of our planet. not wipe it out.
_________________________
Hoppers are angels who lift us to our feet when our wings have trouble remembering how to fly.

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#707900 - 11/03/06 03:04 AM Re: Public consultation on possible badger cull (UK) [Re: Sym]
TheBovrilMonkey Offline
Liquid Cow

Registered: 03/09/01
Loc: High Wycombe, England
Written by: Sym


Should I remove that post for fear of people accusing me of being a badger killing loon?





No, no, keep it there

I wasn't trying to imply that you were a badger killing loon, but after reading that article and having time to think about it, I thought I might as well post my thoughts. Maybe I shouldn't have done, given the amount of time and other posts that had passed.
_________________________
But there's no sense crying over every mistake. You just keep on trying till you run out of cake.

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