TCM is going to kill the Tiger off

[edededed]

Japan continues to overfish, yet noone really cares about the plundering fish stocks (some fishermen blame the whales, so that Japan's "research teams" can go and get more of those).

Actually, one of the biggest makers of shark fin soup is... Japan, or so I hear (they ship most of it to China). Although the image of shark fin soup is that of the fins of our favorite apex predators, in fact most of it seems to be taken from benign (but big) sharks like the basking shark. Also note that although it tastes good, the fin itself seems to impart little or no flavor to the dish - mostly texture.

I also agree with Andy's last sentiment there - I have yet to meet any tree-hugging-do-gooders in Asia, but there were droves of those around me in the States (lots of pseudo-hippy girls, especially)... Comparing normal (non-hippy) folks, you can also notice a very large difference in terms of outlook (i.e. in Asia, most people either are apathetic or think that it is an anti-culture conspiracy).

[gosao]

Sharkfins and tiger bones or whatever the asians are into are a part of their food culture. Even if the animals are endangered they'll do what they do. Just because some westerners come over to tell them it's wrong wont change their viewpoint.

Chickens aren't endangered but I don't think folks in the U.S. will stop eatting their breakfast eggs just because of videos like this.

http://www.news.com.au/story/0,27574,26 ... 01,00.html

I just hope there are some scientists out there who have collected enough DNA off of all these endangered species to clone them back to life in the future when they go exinct.

[edededed]

Ethically, the comparison is viable, but in terms of preserving species, comparing domesticated animals and wild animals is quite a different story. (But I hear this counter argument almost every time someone talks about this in Asia.)

It would be interesting if there was a "DNA Monster Machine" or something where you could just put a sample of DNA in there, and voila! Example species generated... but science is quite a ways away yet.

[Steve James]

Yeah, grinding up baby-chicks is at least as gross as clubbing baby seals; but chickens aren't endangered. Besides, it's only an argument for vegetarianism, not that killing bears for their claws or rhinos for their horns is similar.

I do agree that the meat business is a horror show.