« Previous | Main | Next »
A new amended law in Switzerland protects the dignity of vegetation.
(Thanks to DavCat)
DavCat also sent in this Science News Update
You can follow this conversation by subscribing to the comment feed for this post.
As a final step before posting your comment, enter the letters and numbers you see in the image below. This prevents automated programs from posting comments.
Having trouble reading this image? View an alternate.
Your Information
(Name is required. Email address will not be displayed with the comment.)
Other species? Try kingdom . . .
Posted by: Mahatma Kane Jeeves ‹(•¿•)› | October 20, 2008 at 04:04 PM
I vaguely remember some science fiction story in which the protagonist could hear the screams of flowers being cut. Or maybe I made it up or dreamed it.
Posted by: Mahatma Kane Jeeves ‹(•¿•)› | October 20, 2008 at 04:07 PM
Sounds like a Robert Heinlein novel, perhaps. Or maybe I had the same dream.
As someone who has lived in Switzerland for nearly year, let me just say on their behalf: yes they are somewhat off the deep end sometimes.
Posted by: RoJo | October 20, 2008 at 04:17 PM
I love peas.
Posted by: Mot the Hoople | October 20, 2008 at 04:25 PM
Kiss my grits!
Posted by: SW | October 20, 2008 at 04:26 PM
Mow your lawn, go to JAIL!
Posted by: padraig | October 20, 2008 at 04:27 PM
MKJ, we'll have none of your speciesism here. Or is it phylumism? And none of your disOrderliness...
Posted by: padraig | October 20, 2008 at 04:28 PM
FEED ME SEYMOUR!
(And please don't make any disparaging remarks about my voluminous appetite that would imply I have an eating disorder because that could scar me emotionally).
Posted by: Clark Kent | October 20, 2008 at 04:32 PM
Hey! Did you guys hear that Nicolas Sarkozy's bank account was hacked into and money was stolen?
Amazing that he hasn't surrendered yet.
Posted by: Mot the Hoople | October 20, 2008 at 04:36 PM
Shouldn't it be "the morel consideration of plants for their own sake"?
(bad pun - wrong kingdom)
Posted by: LM | October 20, 2008 at 04:38 PM
That's OK, Clark. Audrey (I and II) had no dignity to start with.
Posted by: Diva | October 20, 2008 at 04:39 PM
Define dignity.
Posted by: Cat R | October 20, 2008 at 04:53 PM
Dang. No more plant Speedos.
Posted by: Margaritaville | October 20, 2008 at 05:04 PM
So the plants in my closet are protected?
Posted by: Layzeeboy | October 20, 2008 at 05:08 PM
What plants destroying the dignity of people? I am constantly being humiliated zucchini. And it gets worse... baby carrots smirk at me.
Posted by: random thunking | October 20, 2008 at 05:08 PM
random, they're not smirking at you. They're smirking with you.
Posted by: Cat R | October 20, 2008 at 05:14 PM
*snork*@ LM!
random, when I think of the indignities foisted upon me by fermented barley, malt, and hops, well I just blow a raspberry at the whole thing.
MKJ, I read that in a short story collection, 30 years ago. It may have been Harlan Ellison, butt if I'm wrong I blame beer.
Posted by: CJrun | October 20, 2008 at 05:16 PM
Now Cat, she's got STYLE!!
Posted by: Diva | October 20, 2008 at 05:16 PM
The broccoli was staring at me last night. So I eated it.
I'm a vegetarian because I hate vegetables and want them to die. No, it's not easy being green.
Posted by: Annie Where-but-here | October 20, 2008 at 05:17 PM
*SNORK* @ CJ!
*hands an "about" and a "by" to random, who might just be in the process of being made
indignantundignified by CJ's fermented grains*Posted by: Diva | October 20, 2008 at 05:18 PM
Thanks Diva, now I'm being humiliated by words. Or lack there of.
Posted by: random thunking | October 20, 2008 at 05:26 PM
Is there no benefit at the top of the food chain?
Posted by: Cheesewiz | October 20, 2008 at 05:28 PM
Nah, random - just blame the grain.
Posted by: Diva | October 20, 2008 at 05:31 PM
Laugh if you like, but it's true: wheat doesn't get much dignity at my house, especially a couple of hours after I've eaten a bowl of WheatBran.
Posted by: tony field | October 20, 2008 at 05:33 PM
so no more xmas trees? or jack-o-lanterns?
Posted by: insomniac | October 20, 2008 at 06:09 PM
Some vegetables do deserve dignity. Or else.
Posted by: Clean Hands | October 20, 2008 at 06:09 PM
*Suspects Stephen King will use this information for plot development of his next novel...something scary involving a cucumber getting whacked*
Posted by: Cheryl Howard | October 20, 2008 at 07:19 PM
With all due respect to Science (Update), I think we can all sense cucumber distress. Oh! They mean before they have been eaten. Never mind.
Posted by: CJrun | October 20, 2008 at 07:49 PM
They exempted beets, right? Please tell me they exempted beets.....
(Private note to Mr. Completely: We're waiting.....)
Posted by: Meanie the Blue | October 20, 2008 at 07:50 PM
The ones with fiber are so violated.
Posted by: SarcasmStar | October 20, 2008 at 09:29 PM
All this time, it was the lawn moaning and groaning. I thought it was our teenage sons.
I remember a plant screaming story from what had to be the early 80's. It would have been junior high and I read everything under the sun, so hard to pinpoint exactly when or what genre it was from.
I could have made it up because I really hated picking green beans in our garden. My mom still swears I can hear a phone ring six blocks away. But I think it is a real story.
Posted by: shell | October 21, 2008 at 12:34 AM
Once upon a time...
Posted by: Cheryl Howard | October 21, 2008 at 05:06 PM
It's a little late for the vegetation in Switzerland since the cows have been abusive for over 100 centuries. Oh sure,you can hear those blades of grass screaming out:
"We won't become cheese."
But who knows perhaps the other indignities,cow pies might be beneficial to the vegetation.
Posted by: bilgewater | October 21, 2008 at 07:05 PM
Key name the Blog is not making fun of : Beat Keller (the first name probably has two syllables)
But if this idea passes, what will vegetarians eat?
Posted by: oneblankspace | October 21, 2008 at 08:34 PM
OBS--tofu? Becuase I'm not sure if that can be classified as animal, vegetable or drywall.
Posted by: Cheryl Howard | October 22, 2008 at 12:07 AM