majestictuna

The name of this forum post should be a movie:

Return to Neopets!

The great adventure of one Neocodexer returning to the crippling, apocalyptic world of.....NEOPETS.

Ok.

I'm done now. Apologies for the interruption.

I ran out of babysitters to watch my daughter Friday and Saturday in the morning. A good friend of mine stepped up and did it. She totally saved my ass, restored my faith in humanity. 

My daughter spends so much time with animals that she will bite, lick, and bark like a dog...this was when I decided we had to have another kid.

When you come to a fork in the road, take it.

See I'm a firm believer that animals and humans belong together- when appropriate. There are reasons horses, dogs, cats, and other animals have been "domesticated" and other animals have not. I live a few hours from a reservation that has wild horses on it.

When the economy went down, people would actually release their horses into the wild because they couldn't afford to feed them anymore. Unfortunately, these horses were not adapted for the harsh winters without blankets, the lack of food, and the absence of veterinary care that had once been available to them. Yes, some of the horses survived, but when, in the past, we had driven through it was a surprise and exciting to see a herd of wild horses, now dead horses are almost always seen on the drive through, along with so many herds of horses there is no way the land they live on can support them. 

Additionally, if you knew what horses went through when they were shipped to slaughter outside the United States, I think you would see how many feel this option is a horrific one. I wouldn't post pictures of examples because they are all awful. 

I'm not into using animals as transportation. Horseback riding is one thing, but a single horse pulling a family of four is completely barbaric. I see your point about the working horses not having a future if the business is shut down, but there are plenty of ways around that. I'm sure there are wealthy New Yorkers who would love to adopt these horses and give them a lovely home. With the technology and machinery we have nowadays, there's no point in forcing animals into labor.

Horses as a general rule can actually pull up to 3 times their own weight on wheels over paved ground. Most carriages weigh between 800-1000 lbs. Most carriage horses weight between 1200-2000 lbs depending on whether they are a light breed or a draft breed. Even miniature ponies are easily able to pull carts of up to 2 people- usually a parent and child with a very lightweight cart (weighs around 80-150 lbs). I own two miniature horses that are freaking hilarious with explosive manes and just cuteness all around in general (pic below). Usually we just have them for cuddles and love, but occasionally we'll throw a miniature pony saddle on them and take my 3 year old daughter for a ride. 

Cuteness alert below.

If the horses that were pulling carriages in New York were guaranteed a happy life afterwards and the individuals whose entire livelihood rested on their carriage horses were able to find a career that didn't displace them too terribly, I would be an immediate advocate of their removal from Central Park. I just find it frustrating that the people advocating so strongly for their removal aren't doing much to set up everyone that will lose because of this. I guess I look at this with the ethics of the a Utilitarian. Some must sacrifice for the greater good...I dunno. I'm torn really. 

I just hope they get their shit figured out. 

Adam, from what I have learned in class, you would be taking a Liberal Ethic Lens (yes, lens, like looking glass, eye glass, etc.) on this matter. In other words, you want the freedom (the liberal lens is ALL about freedom of basically everything) to NOT be held liable for another individual's peril. I'm remaining Sweden in this debate, but I think you have a very credible argument. Especially, given your personal experience as a certified first responder. 

Honestly, this subject stirs a lot of frustration in me, because, personally, I want those victims avenged, but it takes away our rights to remain un-involved, safe from the danger and from doing the wrong thing. As they say, no good deed goes unpunished. Also-a side note- while I was discussing this with my husband last night that he felt like the co-worker in the Yania v. Bigan case should have gotten involuntary manslaughter just as you did. Great minds.

Thanks, guys. I will definitely relay the info. She's been off the cake decorating after having her second son and I'm trying to get her back into it. She loved it so much. 

Uno mas!

I can't be humble about this.

My sister is one bad ass cake maker. I noticed there was some interest out and about on the forums on cake decorating so I wanted to brag.

I just....had too.

My sister has no formal training in cake decorating. Everything she has learned she has learned in the last two years. Some of her cakes still need a little work, but the creativity in them is epic. 

Here are a just a few pictures.....Hopefully I do this right. The last time I worked stuff on the internet like this I was in high school....eight years ago.

Also, apologies for just posting the photos and not hiding them so you guys can look at them by choice. I have no idea how to do that- feel free to enlighten whilst I go hunt around figuring out how to do it. Sorry for being such a noob!

Thanks for letting me be a contemptuous ass for my sister!

Spongebob

This was actually just a promotional one she did. 

Yes, I eat lots of cake because of her.

Despicable Me

Spoiler