2001-11-17 - 1:59 p.m.

I'll write a brief entry as I am trying desparately to get out of the house today to run errands.

WOE TO THE FAMILY FARM

Family farms here in Va produce a large number of chickens for consumption and for their eggs.

Our family had some success with chickens until the fox feasted on them.

Yesterday I heard on NPR that Northwest airlines will no longer carry live poultry as US mail. Apparently the other major airlines made this decision a few years ago which resulted in Northwest getting the monopoly on the poultry transport operation. The problem is that the airline gets paid much less for US Mail than it does for shipping other cargo. So the poultry is taking up valuable revenue producing space which the airlines see as more important now that the airlines are failing due to the recent terrorism.

As a chicken momma this is distressing news! (Yes I have raised baby chicks--- and cleaned their butts, (really- you must the first few days) fed them daily and kept them warm. I have helped them with their first baby chick steps-- to ensure they don't trample each other. And I have purchased all my chicks through the Murry McMurry Hatchery which shipped them to me through the mail. They have ALWAYs arrived healthy and strong within a day or two of hatching.

So when the news said that the PETA folks were influential in this decision by lobbying the airlines I was saddened. PETA apparently claims that its unhealthy to ship chicks as they get too hot in the cargo areas. (Not true asthe optimal temperature for baby chicks is about 120 degrees) They claim that the chicks are also exposed to freezing cold. Both claims seem unlikely!

ahh-- a cause for me to work on... but now-- off to the mall for the shopping of new shoes for Katerina.

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