Three Words: Lobster. Empathy. Center.

This appears to be actual news story, even if it is about a publicity stunt:

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals has sent a proposal to the Somerset County commissioners to lease their jail for the world's first Lobster Empathy Center.

More explanation:

"A prison is the perfect setting to demonstrate how lobsters suffer when they are caught in traps or confined to cramped, filthy supermarket tanks," PETA wrote in a June 2 letter to the commissioners. "The center will teach visitors to have compassion for these interesting, sensitive animals while also commemorating the millions of lobsters who are ripped from their homes in the ocean off the coast of Maine each year before being boiled alive."

More lobsters here.

Comments

[drawnasunder]

Will she be there?

[Tim]

Will I be injected with a drug that will cause me to have the cognitive abiltity of an ocean insect?

[Bingo]

Lobsters are giant bugs that live in the ocean!!!!

Hot chick in bikini, brain functions shutting down...

[Syd]

JIMI IS A POLITICAL PRISONER

Jimi lives in a 3 by 3 by 6 foot glass cage. He is the victim of bigotry and a society that will not see.

He longs for life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

He will get only early death, imprisonment and torture.

He longs to travel to distant shores and see the gardens at the bottom of the sea.

But he is trapped within his prison and never sees the sun or walks the paths of the octopus.

He longs to see the wonders of the future.

All he has to look forward to is being thrust alive into a pot of boiling water while savage monsters await to rip off his limbs and suck out his tender, quivering flesh.

Let's stop this carnage now.

Free the lobster!

Together we can end crustacean captivity in our lifetime.

This has been a message from the Lobster Liberation League
and the American Crustacean Society

[Taktix®]

Will I be injected with a drug that will cause me to have the cognitive ability of an ocean insect?

No need for me. Looking at the picture of lobster girl already has that effect...

[Taktix®]

Also, Tim, you spelled ability as "abilitity."

Freudian Slip much?

[Smappy]

And I suppose they'll post the above picture outside the cells as a vision of the lobster future that we all want to see. . .

[JW]

I move for a vote that we have daily lobster stories. All in favor?

[Pinette]

Libertarians would get laid more if we pretended to give a shit about animal rights.

[nancy dupuis]

dont pretend-REALLY care.

[The Wine Commonsewer]

Saw that picture somewhere else a month or so ago but I can't recall where. Brain Fade.

I'll help save the lobsters because if I can't eat them neither can you! Jack Booted Crustacean Eating Thugs That You Are!

That's right, eat a lobster and go to the hospital. TWC is deathly allergic to the iodine contained in the little creepy crawlies. Deathly. Found that out the hard way.

[B52]

Who's the bitch kissing that rock lobster?

[MP]

What is that thing in the picture? It's certainly not an American Lobster (which, BTW, is only $5.99/lb right now in NH...whatta bahgain).

[Pinette]

to be fair, there is a BIG difference between respecting/feeling empathy for animals, and trying to grant them rights under the law. This seems to be a case of the former.

[The Wine Commonsewer]

Libertarians would get laid more if we pretended to give a shit about animal rights.

A Sierra Club hatin' guy I know was president of his SDS chapter in college. I was stunned. His response: Hey, I wanted to get laid.

[Iron Chef Hosimoto]

What is that thing in the picture? It's certainly not an American Lobster

Langastine?

[The Wine Commonsewer]

Why don't the Peta folks take an interest when the coyotes around here rip live rabbits to shreds and eat them.

[Invisible Finger]

Not only will she save the lobsters, she'll even give you crabs.

[Pinette]

TWC, do you have problems with shrimp? what about fish such as salmon?
I've long suspected I was mildly allergic to iodine (never been diagnosed) because of a certain reaction i get when i eat crab, lobster, shrimp, and strangely salmon.

[Jake Boone]

The Weibskobold! She returns to us!

ALL HAIL THE WEIBSKOBOLD!!!

[TrickyVic]

I was thinking caption contest, but Invisible Finger wins the thread.

[Rimfax]

TWC,

twistedmerkin posted it here quite a while ago.

[ed]

What lobster? Oh.

[T]

Should I have more or less compassion for the lobsters in their cages than I do for the puppies and kitties PETA kills at their animal shelters disposal facilities in Virginia?

[Kolohe]

The only reason why I don't like keeping lobsters in tanks for an extended period of time is that it really destroys their quality. The meat, especially in the claws, shrinks away due to muscle atrophy. I was really spoiled by being able to spend summers in Nova Scotia and having lobster right off the boat.

[Pinette]

T- that's right. Under peta's logic, domestic dogs and cats are not natural species occurring in the wild, so they should be exterminated. the rescue programs run by peta have a 90% kill rate.
It's not that difficult to run a no kill rescue program or shelter, but peta isn't interested in saving lives, they are interested in activism for the sake of activism.

[robc]

Those of you who have shellfish allergies should also avoid eating cicadas. Which is bad, because I need someone to clean them off my yard.

[Seitz]

The meat, especially in the claws, shrinks away due to muscle atrophy.

That's why you need to walk them and feed them and fatten them up, like Homer did with Mr. Pinchy.

[The Wine Commonsewer]

TWC, do you have problems with shrimp? what about fish such as salmon?

Pinette,

Shrimp and salmon are both fine. Scallops are little dicey. Crab is fine.

I actually discovered the iodine allergy quite by accident when I had a routine kidney scan that nearly killed me. You are injected with iodine and then the tech watches your kidneys filter it out.

My doctor later figured out that it was likely the iodine in lobster after I had a bad experience following a lobster dinner. It was my first and I ate two.

The problems weren't immediate but they just kept getting worse until my body was so swollen I couldn't drive because my hands wouldn't work anymore and my face looked like the Pillsbury Doughboy.

You know how young guys are about going to the doctor-that and my doctor didn't realize how serious it was at first. Once I got the adrenaline and the cortisone injections the severity dropped by 2/3. Took several days for the symptoms to go away completely.

If you ever need a kidney scan, you better make dang sure you aren't allergic to iodine.

[oso]

silly, silly PETA. I might have the vaguest twinge of a hint of sympathy for their cause if they weren't so blatantly wrong about just about everything in this campaign.

underwater cameras have demonstrated that lobsters of all sizes have no trouble leaving the traps. they wander in, feed for a while from the bait, then leave. only the lobsters that have the misfortune of being in the trap when it's hauled get caught. because the lobsters use the traps as a feeding station, many researchers speculate that we're in effect "farming" them.

second, all the lobster pounds and groceries here in Maine keep their tanks immaculate, and the water well filtered. who would buy their dinner from a filthy source?

I guess PETA does get the "boiling alive" part right. For that reason, I'm marketing a sound-proof lobster pot, so the more sensitive types aren't put off by all the tortured screams.

[JLM]

I believe that lucky critter is a spiny lobster. No claws, but they get really big.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spiny_lobster

[Pinette]

twc- sounds like I'm not. My reaction is different and I definitely get it when I eat salmon and shrimp as well.

[Seitz]

Those of you who have shellfish allergies should also avoid eating cicadas. Which is bad, because I need someone to clean them off my yard.

You didn't happen to be in the Chicago area last summer when Brood XIII hatched last year, did you? That was kinda cool. Although they were freaking menaces on the golf course. Try playing a shot with one of those things flying and screaming at you. I know they're harmless, but it can still be a little startling.

[Warren]

YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES

The return of Lobster Girl!!
THANK YOU
THANK YOU
THANK YOU

[Bingo]

That is some serious sideboob action going on

[JLM]

Seafood allergies are all over the chart. I've known people that can't eat shrimp, but can eat just about everything else. I've also known people that were allergic to almost all seafood. Within these categories the severity of the reaction also varies wildly.

[robc]

Seitz,

Nope, Louisville for brood XIV (2008) and brood X (2004). X was horrible in some areas of town but not my place. This one is deafening at my house during the day. My fence is absolutely covered with the things. 17 years ago, their shells piled up a few inches deep around trees on some local golf courses.

[Brandybuck]

The return of the Lobster Girl! Can I get my subscription to Reason? back?

[J sub D]

Hooray! Lobster girl is back! Hooray!
I'll now go read the post and comments.

[Seitz]

This one is deafening at my house during the day. My fence is absolutely covered with the things.

My friend couldn't even sit out on his deck and have a few beers last year, because they were so loud in the suburbs. Couldn't carry on a conversation. I live in the city, so they weren't bad where I live, but man, were they loud in the burbs.

[Bingo]

Sideboob is almost as awesome as underboob... the forbidden cleavage.

[The Wine Commonsewer]

Pinette, odd about the salmon AND the shrimp. I know people who are allergic to shellfish but usually they aren't allergic to regular fish too.

Just did a quick perusal of teh tubes and it turns out that salmon is high in iodine. I personally don't have trouble with it, but I usually eat smoked salmon, and I don't eat very much of it. Maybe twice or three times a year. Small portions.

Shrimp OTOH, I eat maybe once or twice a month with little ill effects.

Truthfully, I don't eat a lot of seafoods. Except I do like a good clam chowder.

I'd still be dang careful about any procedure where they intend to inject you with iodine. Nobody asked me squat about allergies. Wouldn't have made any diff, but still....

[ktc2]

That would be a spiny lobster. No claws.

[JW]

This one is deafening at my house during the day. My fence is absolutely covered with the things.

We had them in DC 2 years ago. I thought the racket sounded like a phaser on overload, X a bajillion. But ye gods, they give me the creeps, with their evil red eyes.

[erstwild]

...and served with some ghee or draw butter. Yes!!! Sensitive creatures? Like the type that get choked up watching a deep documentary on the plight of their fellow lobsters? or reflecting on the second movement of Joaquin Rodrigo's Concierto de Aranjuez? They are glorified arthropods for Christ sake! Why don't we save the humans, but acknowledge that our collective futures as life-forms are intertwined. Responsibility. Deal?

[The Wine Commonsewer]

And I found this:

Lobsters have more....more iodine content than any other food regardless of source.

[The Wine Commonsewer]

We have those cicadas in the SW deserts. Wonder if they are the SAME cicadas. Buggers are loud. Some inexperienced folks think they sound like rattlesnakes. They don't, but I can see where the confusion comes from.

[robc]

Seitz,

I had seen a few shells last week, but I walked out on my deck Saturday morning and was deafened. I ate on my deck last night as they were calming down (they only make noise in daytime) and it was very loud still.

Its only the males, that is their mating call. Im guessing the females mate with them so that they will drop dead and stop making all that damn noise.

[BakedPenguin]

TWC - In the past few years I've had a few contrast CAT scans, and they've always asked me if I was allergic to shellfish. So they learned at some point.

[robc]

TWC,

Nope, different ones. 17 and 13 year cicadas are a east coast/midwest phenomena.

http://members.fortunecity.com/cicadaman1999/id47.htm

There are plenty of annual cicadas though.

[Pinette]

hmmm, lobsters do give me a reaction, i always thought salmon was a little worse, but then i eat a lot more salmon than lobster...
maybe it IS iodine after all.
I don't swell up or anything, i just get this semi-uncomfortable tight feeling in my chest/esophagus. It's a very distinct feeling, I've got it as long as i can remember and I'm basically used to it. It doesn't deter me from eating what I like, so it's clearly not that bad.

[peachy]

She is just wasted on him.

[Franklin Harris]

Breaking news: Hot girl in bikini will make out with anyone. Film at 11.

[Franklin Harris]

You know, I could use a little empathy, too, you know.

[JW]

Vote! Damn you! Vote!

TWC--Sorry to hear that old boy. The only reaction lobster gives me is salivating.

[SugarFree]

TWC,

I stopped being able to eat shrimp, crab, lobster, crawfish and all other sea bugs at 16. I already knew what they tasted like.

I found out about the contrast dye after being rushed to an emergency MRA. They asked me all my drugs allergies and everything was fine. The guy was going at my arm with the needle and he goes "By the way, you aren't allergic to shellfish are you?"

Also, stay away from certain classes of radiation meds. Mega dose of iodine. (Stay away from radiation if you can, as well. Duh.)

Of course, after listing penicillin as an allergy on a dozen forms, I was given IV PNC in the hospital once. When I turned into one big rash they attached a bag of something to counteract it. My mom told me they when they hooked to my IV, the nurse squeezed the bag and shot like a quarter of it into me all in one go. I was riding on the shoulders of sweet Goddess Demerol at that point, so it's all a little fuzzy.

[SugarFree]

semi-uncomfortable tight feeling in my chest/esophagus

I get that with under-ripe bananas. Weird.

[fish]

Its only the males, that is their mating call. Im guessing the females mate with them so that they will drop dead and stop making all that damn noise.

Yeah, I used to get that all the time in college too!

[Ken Hagler]

They should change their name to "People for the Ethical Treatment of Insects." The acronym would actually be pretty fitting...

[The Wine Commonsewer]

Thanks to all, for all the updates. I feel better now. Maybe I'll go have some lobster.

[The Wine Commonsewer]

The only reaction lobster gives me is salivating.

Yeah, and like Sugar, I know what it tastes like.

[Urkobold?]

THE WEIBSKOBOLD IS SERVICING THE URKOBOLD AS HE TYPES.

[Apaulogist]

Just when I thought the world couldn't get any more depraved, the People for the Erotic Touching of Animals start promoting bestiality with crustacians!ARGHHH!!!!!

[Mr. Nice Guy]

Good god that gal is smoking hot...

We get these PETA stories from KMW here pretty regularly, and usually they are like this one, where there is no government intervention whatsoever. PETA is a private non-profit organization that raises its own money and it wants to lease the jail. So what's the libertarian angle? I've always thought that there is no necessary reason why a libertarian would be opposed to animal rights or animal welfare, and that its odd to see libertarian orgs and folks take so many pot shots at animal welfare/rights orgs. I've guessed that it's just that for a lot of reasons many libertarians have conservative personalities and I think my hunch is greatly confirmed by these types of stories where there is no government coercion going on anywhere but we are all invited to poke fun at various groups...

[Mr. Nice Guy]

Don't get me wrong. PETA's actions and statements here (and in general) are silly. I just fail to see the libertarian angle. If it was Alcoholics Anonymous or Christian Scientists or whatever trying to rent a public building for some silly reason accompanied by some silly weepy statements of theirs would that be a libertarian story?

[Kwix]

MNG,
I suspect it's because of how libertarians view rights as being alienable. If PETA and other "animal rights" organizations have their way and animals are recognized as having rights, then they are no longer capable of being "commodities" or "food".

Other, less free, philosophies usually place far less emphasis on natural rights so I wouldn't expect adherents of said philosophies to see where there is a problem.

[Everyone knows this right?]

The 'screams' from lobster are just superheated air/steam bubbles trapped and then released from the tissues.

[J sub D]

PETA is a private non-profit organization that raises its own money and it wants to lease the jail. So what's the libertarian angle?

If you click on the About Reason tag you will get

Reason is the monthly print magazine of "free minds and free markets." It covers politics, culture, and ideas through a provocative mix of news, analysis, commentary, and reviews.

[emphasis added]

This obviously fits under culture and ideas. So you're now better informed about Reason. The embarrassment you feel reading this response to your query will pass.

[Tymothi Loving]

Bingo, you almost ruined my computer, what with the water I nearly spit out. I will have to use "underboob, the forbidden cleavage" in conversation now.

[Chris Potter]

Uh, I think the picture made its first appearance in this H&R blog post. And it was of course Ms Mangu-Ward that time as well. She knows how to get butts in the seats, so to speak...

[troy]

There was a lobster in the picture?

reviews picture

After I reboobed the picture, I boobed that there was a boob in the picture.

[The Wine Commonsewer]

Uh, I think the picture made its first appearance in this H&R blog post.

Potter, that's even bigger!

The picture dammit.

[The Wine Commonsewer]

PETA is a private non-profit organization that raises its own money and it wants to lease the jail. So what's the libertarian angle?

As long as they don't get tax funds or prevail upon our masters to enact immoral laws, I don't care. Except it is loads of fun to beat them up for their terrorist ways and their silly stands on some things.

And off topic, if Reason had PETA's budget teh US would be a libertarian paradise. Or at least Gillespie could buy a new leather jacket.

[Shawn Levasseur]

At this point I must remind PETA of the unofficial Maine slogan: "MAINE: We boil things alive, and we're darn proud of it!"

[Aresen]

I'm proud to support People for the Edible Treatment of Animals.

Huh?

Oh, that PETA.

[John C. Randolph]

Of course, to have true empathy with the lobster, one would also have to be microcephalic. So, only Ingrid Newkirk and her fans would really be able to participate.

-jcr

[Brian Sorgatz]

Judging by the picture, I'd say the "empathy center" is actually a lobster bordello.

In which case, why are we libertarians complaining?

[jody]

I must be allergic to lobsters. Just one look at that picture and I've already gotten an uncomfortable swelling. Fortunately, it's not in my throat.

From this libertarian's perspective....

there's plenty of room for all of god's creatures... right next to the mashed potatoes

[brotherben]

Lobster I can take or leave but I have a sudden and intense desire to eat a clam.

[brotherben]

If God didn't want us to eat animals He wouldn't have made them taste like meat.

[J]

I support some degree of animal rights and protection of animal welfare. On the other hand, PETA is not only ridiculous in their positions, they are completely hypocritical. Someone earlier mentioned their rescue kill-rate. It's horrible.

I hate PETA almost as much as the Kelo decision, which is probably up their on my most hated things in America

[J]

My loathing for PETA is so great that I wouldn't even forgive them if lobster girl worked for them.

[Mad Max]

They want to put the lobsters in an old prison? At least if there's a Death Row, they won't have to have a separate death chamber and kitchen.

"And for being edible, I sentence you to be boiled in hot water until you are deliciously dead!"

[Warren]

I sentence you to be boiled in hot water
As opposed to, boiled in cold water?

[PaulJC]

"As opposed to, boiled in cold water?"

Well, he could be cooking at overly high elevations.

[Untermensch]

Lobster I can take or leave but I have a sudden and intense desire to eat a clam.

I would have expected you to want an oyster...