I do have a tracker that allows me to check whether my readers arrive from a referral link or not. Today was a surprising find of people who searched for a quote about foie gras that I wrote in an earlier post.

All thanks to another blogger and I'm really flabbergasted at how she was able to extrapolate that quote to euthanasia, sleeping around to get AIDS and about pummelling a sick dog to death since it was going to die anyway. Oh and she called me an airhead too.

Well, its NOT me to start an online argument and please...I really can't be bothered to sling mud. I have to thank her for creating more traffic to my blog as well! Haha...well, just to clear some things because I sincerely think that her short rant doesn't really factor in certain ideas and is the perfect example of misquoting plus a shocking way of interpreting. Kinda like the example of "流氓律师 can twist law around to get his guilty charge acquitted" that she mentioned.

Euthanasia - mmm...one of my pet debate topics. Well, I don't condone euthanasia for humans and this would be another topic where BOOKS have been published. I shall not start a blog version. By the way, there's euthanasia for animals and its already legalised, babe - just in case you didn't realise.

If this were a paper that I were to hand in to my prof, I'd define 'cruel'. According to dictionary.com (I know, I know, its not the best dictionary to use but its online...so its convenient), being cruel is to "willfully or knowingly causing pain or distress to others."

If you're vegetarian, then I would probably further understand your huge reaction. You'd probably think that eating all kinds of animals to be cruel. Nonetheless, my context is that these animals are already reared to be food for humans. Feeding them is necessary. So...is force feeding to fatten them really cruel? What if an animal refuses to eat for some weird reason? Is force feeding them to keep them alive cruel? Most important question - do the ducks suffer?

By the way, there's also something called 'ethical' foie gras where the ducks naturally force feed themselves before they fly south for the winter. Farmers kill them immediately after they've fed enough. If it makes you feel better, I'd probably ask the restaurant whether their foie gras is "organic" or not.

Please read this article by the BBC here for more info on foie gras and on ethical foie gras.

Another mention - the way the geese and ducks are killed for food are ethical too. Their heads aren't bashed etc. Which takes the cruelty of this whole issue, no?

As for the sick puppy, the puppy was not raised for food (maybe it was..if it were in China or Korea). As such, physial trauma (pummeling and trashing as suggested by you) to end its life is obviously cruel.

Well, like all debates on philosophy, morals and ethics, we can go on and on and on. I even had this same discussion on foie gras with a friend who eats meats but won't eat foie gras because of this whole force feeding issue. However, I've learnt that there are many ideas and beliefs around. I can agree to disagree and I do respect people's opinions as well as they respect mine. That friend and I are still friends and I can happily eat foie gras in front of him without him grimacing. Same way I eat beef in front of vegetarian friends.

“You have your way. I have my way. As for the right way, the correct way, and the only way, it does not exist.” - Nietzsche

“I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it” - Voltaire