Happy to be discriminated against?
I hate discrimination. In fact, you could say I discriminate against discrimination. Are there times, though, when those being discriminated against are happy to be left out in the cold?This question came to mind earlier today when I was our riding my bike with two friends. It was a wet, humid day, the way New Orleans feels in August when you're not sure if it's sweat trickling down your back or the relative humidity.
Most of the moisture in the air had been deposited over night in the form of rain and the slow warming of the day was simmering off what didn't get sucked into the parched soil.
There's something about rain that brings the critters out. As a kid, we used to see earth worms and craw-daddies all over the sidewalk. Today, I saw a toad in the road.
He'd been there for a while. Something had convinced him he must cross the road. Why did the toad cross the road? I don't know, and he's not telling. Not cause he's so good at keeping a secret, but because he's dead. Squished. Pancaked.
Which got me wondering: why are frog's legs considered such a delicacy and not toad's? Has anyone actually tried toad's legs and decided that frog's legs are far superior? Or, was there a time when toad's legs were preferred, but the toad community started an ad campaign to convince people that frog's legs were indeed tastier and filled with more good cholesterol than toad's legs?
Maybe it’s the other way? Is the world’s toad community up in arms that their green brethren are considered scrumptious while toads are only good for peeing in your hand when you pick them up and giving you warts?
Guess it’s better to be thought of incontinent and warty than tasty and tender.
posted by daveed @ 17.6.06
5 Comments:
Do you think the same type of animal discrimination occurs with turtles and tortoises? The latter seem a bit more exotic, even being made into hair adornments, while the former are routinely plopped into soup. Sounds like a Rodney Dangerfield type existence to me. Is one really a lesser animal? Is there such a thing? Ingrid Newkirk my possibly be able to shed some light on this issue.
A sad side note: I heard today Charles Darwin's tortoise, Harriet, died.
http://boingboing.net/
I feel discrimination every time I'm riding with a group that goes uphill.
While I'm thinking about it, we had four people on a ride that enjoyed the experience of 9 or 10 tube changes/repairs, and the only person to not get a flat or necessitate a repair is the one who said (after we'd had 6 flats), "we won't flat anymore today. can't happen."
I take full responsibility for Robbie's flat.
I've told the story of the 3 hour tour that lasted 5 hours. I've gained iconic status for so boldly sticking my chin out and being the only one not to flat.
Got 2 tubes for ya.
Don't go so far as to take responsibility. The one guy with more access to tubes than all of the people who read this, combined, didn't even bring a tube on the ride.
Then again, he's given us tubes, so it probably all works out.
However, if anyone ever rides with Whale Call when he flats, it'll be quicker to just ride home to get the car and come back to get him than wait for him to make the repair.
Good times...
Don't go so far as to take responsibility. The one guy with more access to tubes than all of the people who read this, combined, didn't even bring a tube on the ride.
Then again, he's given us tubes, so it probably all works out.
However, if anyone ever rides with Whale Call when he flats, it'll be quicker to just ride home to get the car and come back to get him than wait for him to make the repair.
Good times...
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