Free the pigs! (wait, this is for the fish).

Weird, Mixed Up, Jumbled June is tumbling into it's second week with a mish mash jumble of noodley goodness coming your way.. but before we get there.

We gotta talk.






There are lots of people out there that don't believe fish have feelings.   Well, I'm here to tell you - YOU'RE WRONG!  In fact, I used to have a fish-child, who was the most fun-loving, warm lil guy ever.  He'd come up to me when my hand was in the aquarium and nuzzle me.. we loved eachother.  I knew he knew me.
Let's ask the burning questions:

Do Fish Feel Pain?

One of the most common defenses for cruelty to fish is the assumed stance that fish are incapable of feeling pain. Because we can't hear fish screaming in pain or see visible grimaces of agony when we hook them, it's easy to declare that they must not have the ability to feel emotional or physical pain. However, an inability to communicate pain on a level that we can see is not a sign that the pain does not exist.

At least one groundbreaking study has definitively concluded that fish are quite capable of feeling pain, even if not on the exact same level as human beings and other mammals. But, as any aquarist or fisherman can tell you, fish express pain in manners beyond simple reflex when they are hurting: it requires only simple observation to see this.

Those who hunt sharks and other large fish will often report the animal writhing in pain or making desperate attemps to escape the source of injury. Studies show personality changes, not just physical changes, in fish that have been injured-- a sure sign that the pain is a feeling, not a simple reflex. Aquarists like myself have seen fish not only feeling sharp physical pain, but also more complex types of discomfort: a fish with the skin infection commonly known as ich will scratch against hard objects to relieve the itching that the parasite causes.

Do Fish Have Emotions?

Those who continue to justify cruelty to fish will still stand by the idea that, while fish may be able to feel physical pain, that does not make them able to think or feel on an emotional level. Many of the same objectors will make similar claims about simpler mammals like mice and rats, although those who have kept any of these creatures as pets will attest to the ability of even very "stupid" animals to bond and feel emotion.

Many people who practice the art and hobby of humane fishkeeping have noted the tendency of schooling fish to become depressed in the absence of companions. To this day, I feel guilty about a white cloud minnow who I kept alone. Although all signs of physical health indicated that he was in top shape, he sulked in the bottom of his aquarium for months, eating sparingly until he slowly starved to death.

When the next occupant of the tank exhibited similar behavior, I knew that it was not a matter of a physical or neurological problem. I moved the new aquarium occupant to a different tank with other white cloud minnows, and he immediately perked up his attitude, began eating copiously, and could be seen swimming eagerly around the tank, "playing" with his friends. Do fish have emotions? Any aquarist can tell you: absolutely.

There have been studies!  STUDIES, People!
So now you cannot say - 'Eh, I eat fish because they don't feel pain, etc'

So why all this talk about fish, and where does this jumble come in?
Well,
What do you get when you mix eggs, tuna, dairy cheese, mushrooms and peas together?
(eggs and tuna?  BLLEEECH, right?)




Well, I'm talking about the mighty 'egg noodle'
And if you said "Tuna noodle casserole" you would be correct.
I think it's quite a bit of a jumble myself.

Back in the day when my bestie and I had an apartment together, she would jumble up this very thing.. and we'd call it:  "Crap"  (It's kind of what it is).  If it wasn't noodles it was rice..  there was no limits to crap at our house.  And it fed us for days.
Well, my bestie is now vegan and so am I, so what do we do now?

We IMPROVISE!

Let's do some numbers:

Tuna Noodle Casserole                      Vegan Noodle Casserole
Calories - 350                                                 185
Total Fat  - 13                                                   4
Cholesterol - 45                                                0
Sodium - 720                                                   68
Total Carbs - 32                                               19
Fiber - 1                                                           8
Protein - 27                                                      32
WW Pts -  9                                                     5

Yee haw!  Well get-along-little fishy!
So - this act of goodness will take place in the ROVL kitchen Sunday night.  Normally I do Saturdays but considering I have to catch up since I'll be out of town most of the day  - I'm going to move it on up to Sunday.

And where am I going, you ask?
Perhaps you'll see me on the news station being carted away for trying to free pigs at the Hatfield/McCoy half marathon...
PERHAPS I'll rekindle a feud.  ;)


Let's hope I don't rekindle no feudin'.   I have to get back home to make this food!  (Although I would love to free all the piggies!)

Ok - as so I don't get myself arrested and thrown in a cell with a Hatfield, I'll close it off.

See you this weekend!






Music enjoyed while blogging:
Subsonic Radio 56K

Current Craving:
Something sweet.

Current Motivation:
Gettin' packed to go learn about my McCoy ancestors.