I have been away from my computer for a couple of days -been on the road - before I get on the topic of this new post. I want to thank everyone for voting and making Psychosomatic Rants win the 'Blog of the Day' Awards. Two different websites have notified me and sent their congratulations saying this blog won. - so thank you!!
The second announcement is for the peeps who watch FUSE Yes, the music channel. This past Saturday, if you watched you would have seen me. If you missed it - don't worry because they will be running reruns.
The third and final announcement is Psychosomatic Rants and Zombie-Popcorn is now in Hi-def (HD) so for now on - all videos clips and full features will be in HD. If you don't have an HD screen on your computer or laptop you will still be able to watch the videos - so nothing has changed - except that if you don't have the Divx player plug-in you will have to do a short download. If you are using both FireFox and IE browsers will notify you of the download at the top of your screen under your nav. Bar. If you don't see it - all the videos will have a link under the video for you to download the plug-in.
Also, every video can now be viewed in full screen mode (and I recommend it for today's video) Just right-click on the screen of the video and click full screen.
Ok, enough 'tech' talk - lets get this blog going!
I have been on the road - driving for the past 2 1/2 days. From Norfolk, VA to Phoenix, AZ. 30 plus hours - Woo-Hoo!!
Since I was in the new 'Ringling Beats Elephants' van every stop became a opportunity to talk to people about the conditions and abuses that these elephants go through everyday of their lives.
I found my kind of restaurant
After leaving this restaurant I drove to the top of the world
Where I found a time machine...
so to give you an idea what my past couple of days was like check out this video. I recommend this video in full screen mode.
Enjoy!
No video? Get the DivX Web Player for Windows or Mac
As good ol' Willie Nelson said, 'On the Road Again' - I am preparing and packing to hit the road running. This time I will be on the road until December. It seems I am not the only one ready to take off running. According to the Associated Press in Colorado Springs, Colorado, 'Four zebras and three horses from the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus took an unscheduled run on a road just outside World Arena, where the circus was performing this weekend. About 15 animal handlers chased them for about half an hour.' 'The zebras ran onto a road alongside the interstate, and the horses followed.' (News source: http://abclocal.go.com/wpvi/story?section=bizarre&id=5397915)
I guess the only difference is that I am running towards Ringling Bros. to document the abuse and the horses and zebras are running away from the abuse.
This is not the first time animals have tried to escape the captive and abusive environment of Ringling Bros.
Not only do I get to travel the country but I get to meet some amazing people. (You should come out when I hit your town.) I am also lucky enough to have PETA pimp my ride. Check this out, yo!
Come out to have some vegan food with me and take a photo of yourself with this rad ride. If I am not coming to your city -don't worry because you can read daily updates here on Psychosomatic Rants - it's going to be awesome!
Check out my travel dates and drop me an email to let me know you are coming out.
Phoenix, AZ
Jun 27 - Jul 01 Bakersfield, CA
Jul 05 - Jul 08 Fresno, CA
Jul 11 - Jul 15 Los Angeles, CA
Jul 18 - Jul 22
Anaheim, CA
Jul 25 - Aug 05
San Diego, CA
Aug 08 - Aug 12 Oakland, CA
Aug 16 - Aug 19 San Jose, CA
Aug 22 - Aug 26 Portland, OR
Aug 30 - Sep 02 Everett, WA
Sep 06 - Sep 09
Stockton, CA
Sep 13 - Sep 16 Sacramento, CA
Sep 20 - Sep 23 Salt Lake City, UT
Sep 26 - Sep 30 Denver, CO
Oct 04 - Oct 14 Cleveland, OH
Oct 19 - Oct 28
Rosemont, IL
Nov 01 - Nov 11 Chicago, IL
Nov 13 - Nov 25 Huntsville, AL
Nov 28 - Dec 02
Don't forget to visit www.circuses.com and I will see you on the road!
If you read my blog post, 'What do vegetarian Zombies eat?' you would know how I got into 3D movies and horror films. What you may not know is how much I enjoy watching them but it has to be the perfect environment.
So, to have that perfect environment - you have to build it, right?!. That is exactly what I did!
I began to transform my bedroom into the ULTIMATE 3D and horror movie-viewing environment. To make a long story short - I will just insert photos to tell the story. Keep in mind these photos were taken during the work in progress. I haven't taken any newer photos lately - sorry.
I did not think the room was scary enough - so I had to think of something that would be amazingly scary - so I can up with two ideas. The first idea I have not purchased yet but will happen in the near future.
It is a Six foot tall, free standing male zombie, poseable arms, legs, upper torso rotates in the creepy zombie circle. (see photo of him to your right - isnt he pretty?!)
Then I thought to myself, 'I need a water fountain for this ULTIMATE 3D and horror movie-viewing environment.' Then I found the best water fountain ever! - it's a head in a lab jar that BLEEDS! What could be better than a bleeding head for a water fountain!!
Any way, there is more to this ULTIMATE 3D and horror movie-viewing environment but I wont go into any more details about it because I am getting off the subject.
(Getting back on track)
So you maybe thinking to yourself, 'Damn, Jason I think you're a little nuts' - But for the sake of this blog, I am going to pretend you are thinking, 'Damn, Jason, what does any of this have to do with 3D movies, sure you talk about liking 3D movies but all I see is horror stuff!"
I currently have a projector for the ULTIMATE 3D and horror movie-viewing environment. It works great with your typical anaglyph 3D movies, yes, anaglyph - you know the kind where wear the red/blue 3D glasses.
Like these.
and you look really cool like these guys
Anyway, I need a projector like the InFocus DepthQ® 3D Video Projector so I can watch my field-sequential 3D - You know, the kind you see in most of the IMAX 3D movies. The 3D is so much better than the old school anaglyph 3D -and most of the movies I own are in this format.
Enough of my ranting, I will leave you with a short list of the 3D movies I own.
OH WAIT, before I list my movies - there is a new 3D movie coming out - well, only in IMAX3d - HARRY POTTER AND THE ORDER OF THE PHOENIX, from Warner Bros. Pictures, will be digitally converted into An IMAX 3D Experience.
Word on the streets its only the last 20 mins of the film will be in 3D - but who cares!
Catwomen of the Moon
The Judds - yes, its a music video featuring The Judds
The Mask
Robot Monster
Tales of the Werewolf
Kiss- Psycho Circus
Freddy's Dead The Final Nightmare (Nightmare on Elm Street)
Around the country, local communities are carefully considering a ban on the cruel bullhook.
First, let me give some background for those who don't know about this issue or what a bullhook is.
What is a bullhook?
The bullhook is a tool used to punish and control elephants. It is also known as, an ankus, elephant goad, or elephant hook. (The name changes because elephant "trainers" like to confuse people by saying, "No, we don't use bullhooks -we use an ankus" - no matter what name they use, it is still the same device. They've recently taken to calling it a "guide.") The handle is made of wood, metal, plastic, or fiberglass, and there is a sharp steel hook at one end and a sharp point. Its shape resembles a boat hook or fireplace poker. Some bullhooks have long, "shepherd's crook" cane-style handles, allowing the trainer a firmer grip so that greater force can be exerted while pulling and yanking the hook deeper into the elephant's flesh.
Both ends inflict damage. The trainer uses the hook to apply varying degrees of pressure to sensitive spots on the elephant's body (see diagram), causing the elephant to move away from the source of discomfort. Holding the hooked end, the handle is swung like a baseball bat and induces substantial pain when the elephant is struck on the wrist, ankle, and other areas where there is little tissue between skin and bone.
What is the 'ban bullhook' legislation?
The legal language to introduce these bans can vary. For example, some "prohibit the use of an ankus, bullhook, or similar device on an elephant" while others "Prevent Abuse of Elephants." Their goal is the same, to make it illegal to use or prohibit the use of a device thathas the sole purpose of causing pain and injury to elephants. The city of Pompano Beach, Florida, banned bullhooks by categorizing them as devices "likely to cause physical injury, torment or pain and suffering to animals." And just in the last few years alone, the city of Chicago, and states of CA, MA, and CT all addressed the issue of bullhook cruelty.
Ok - moving on...
As you can imagine, the circus tries to turn obvious cruelty into a controversial issue.. At face value, you would think that banning something which causes animals to suffer would be an open and shut case - ban it. Once you look into the history of abuse caused by the bullhook, you will see that there is plenty of videotaped evidence and shocking reports of vicious beatings from circus employees. n. You would think that the circus would be embarrassed to admit that they are still using this barbaric tool that slices and punctures flesh and causes elephants to cry out in agony.
Well, they aren't.
Ringling Bros. does not even take on the issue of the bullhook, instead, they threaten the media and government officials by saying that they will boycott the city if the legislature passes a bill prohibiting the use of -what Ringling misleadingly calls "a guide"-the bullhook.
Here is an example from Connecticut's News channel where Ringling Bros. threatens to not come back if the bill passes.
You would think that if the safety and well-being of the elephants were important to Ringling Bros and other animal circuses that they would be willing to find an alternative to the device that has been proven to cause pain and injury to these elephants instead of threatening a city with a boycott.
Ringling Bros. and other circuses do not care about the well-being of these elephants and want to keep using the bullhook so they can inflict pain and force these majestic animals to perform silly tricks that they do not want to do. Check out this video, where elephant trainer, Tim Frisco, instructs would-be trainers how to dominate elephants and make them perform circus tricks as he yells, "Sink that hook into 'em."
-Before you watch the video- here is some trivia for you - Tim Frisco, the guy in this video, learned the trade from his father, a former trainer for Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus. Joe Frisco, Jr., the brother of Tim Frisco, is currently on the road as an elephant 'trainer/handler,' I like to say "abuser" with the Red Unit of Ringling Bros. and you may have seen his photo in my other posts, as he is the one who is carrying both the whip and the bullhook.
Just last year we filmed a Ringling Bros. trainer striking an elephant named Tonka with a bullhook. In the video, Tonka reacts with a series of cries. Moments later, a bloody wound can be seen behind her left earflap.
Ringling Bros. and other circuses will go to extremes to make sure they can keep using their torture device -the bullhook, ankus, elephant goad, or elephant hook. So please, consider working with your city council to ban bullhooks in your community. If the circus comes to your town please do not attend, unless it's to hit the streets with me.
U.S. government fights to keep meatpackers from testing all slaughtered cattle for mad cow- The Associated Press
The Bush administration said Tuesday it will fight to keep meatpackers from testing all their animals for mad cow disease.The Agriculture Department tests fewer than 1 percent of slaughtered cows for the disease, which can be fatal to humans who eat tainted beef. A beef producer in the western state of Kansas, Creekstone Farms Premium Beef, wants to test all of its cows.Larger meat companies feared that move because, if Creekstone should test its meat and advertised it as safe, they might have to perform the expensive tests on their larger herds as well.
The Agriculture Department regulates the test and argued that widespread testing could lead to a false positive that would harm the meat industry.A federal judge ruled in March that such tests must be allowed. U.S. District Judge James Robertson noted that Creekstone sought to use the same test the government relies on and said the government didn't have the authority to restrict it. - A federal judge ruled in March that such tests must be allowed. The ruling was scheduled to take effect June 1, but the Agriculture Department said Tuesday it would appeal, effectively delaying the testing until the court challenge has played out.Mad cow disease, or bovine spongiform encephalopathy, is linked to more than 150 human deaths worldwide, mostly in Britain.Three cases of mad cow disease have been found in the United States. The first, in December 2003 in Washington state, was in a cow that had been imported from Canada. The second, in 2005, was in a cow born in Texas. The third was confirmed last year in an Alabama cow.(article source)
The best line from this article is, "The Agriculture Department regulates the test and argued that widespread testing could lead to a false positive that would harm the meat industry." -
Dont you think an outbreak of Mad Cow would harm the meat industry - Call me silly, but I think the death of people would 'harm' the industry.
Also, can someone explain why the government makes it mandetory to test certain things on animals even though the results are not always correct and then when we want to make our "food" safer they tell us we cannot test it because testing can cause inaccuracies.
Who is calling the shots here - people who care about the safety of others or the industry that cares about making money?
Thanks to Mr. Bush, The Agriculture Department and the meat industry for looking out for all of us - I knew you always had our backs! Please note the sarcasm. :)
"Marriage is just a piece of paper." These are the words I found myself muttering as I was faced with questions surrounding my long term relationship when I was all of 20. I had been in a serious relationship for a couple of years, and to my surprise I did not want to get married and couldn't ever see it happening.
All of my life I had dreamed of the pretty dress and things like guest lists and registries for mountains of things I didn't need . Not to mention the glorious song that "we" would dance our first dance to. A child of the 80s I must admit that at one point, all of my wedding daydreams involved growing up to marry Han Solo or Prince, but for some reason, now I didn't, and no Tuskin Raider or Little Red Corvette could change my mind.
I had been exposed to the same endearing, and at times, down-right nauseating diamond engagement ring commercials that everyone else had, which either left me repulsed or sobbing. I am not sure when the change happened, but somewhere and somehow I had shifted my dreams of being princess Leia in a white flowing gown to being a college girl , holding her own and running--screaming--from eternal commitment.
Around this time I began to become more politically involved. I boycotted T.V., let my leg and underarm hair flow freely, rejected make-up, and devoted much of my time to volunteering at GLBT centers and doing outreach. While becoming happy and being confident in my own skin, I was becoming more and more angry at society and felt at times as though I was fighting the injustices of the world alone. I was compulsively recycling and composting and snickering at Wal-Mart and everyone who drove an SUV. For me, it seemed as though lessening my ecological footprint was also lessening my faith in humanity. I also started to question my own beliefs and asked myself what exactly I was fighting for. I remember at one point I attended a beautiful wedding. It was highly commercial, but ultimately, the couple did it for all the reasons you should--for love. It was a magnificent ceremony that had everyone in tears. As they left for their honeymoon, all I could think of was how I would be boycotting marriage until the day that all couples could have the same right.
These issues were and still are extremely important to me. For all of us who are activists we become accustomed to the feeling of sacrifice. It's hard to remember to be true to yourself at times when you give up so much to try to make the world better. There comes a time however, when giving your all is not as productive as living your all.
Being an absolute optimist, the pain of hating the world was weighing down upon me and it felt like I was trying to sprint through molasses. I feared that a dampened spirit could eventually mean certain death for my activism. It is amazing what long drives--wasting TONS of gas--and 7-11 coffee can do, but alas--out of my desperation came complete reclamation.
I began to embrace all that I had been immediately dismissing. I realized how much my politically correctness had de-romanticized by existence. I loved pink, so why was I opting for earthy browns to avoid being a stereotypical pink loving girl? Do I really hate Wal-Mart and Starbucks that much--I mean--geezus, they have readily available vegan food for the masses who would otherwise never ever find it. I started cooking a lot. I started creating vegan versions of all the mainstream foods I could think of to entice my friends to embrace animal rights by tugging at their belly strings, and it became a complete obsession. I realized that leading by example, for me, would be a far more powerful form of activism than my previous self-righteous persona of extreme extremism.
When I thought I had it all sorted, that I was finally living true to myself and making the world better by being me, I was reminded of marriage and how I couldn't really decide what, after all these years that I thought of it now. Politics, expectations, and bride-zillas aside, I was finally able to remember that I believed in love and that love too was a part of my activism in this life.
Marriage is not something I need to hate on because I am a feminist, as in our time, in the society in which we live, it is no longer a singing over of our civil rights when we sign the dotted line. We can keep our names or invent a new one, should we choose. To me, marriage is not an expectation, a financial merger, the "next logical step", or even a piece of paper. It can be whatever you choose it to be. For me it is the joining of souls, or the rejoining of souls who have always known each other. Standing up before the universe to say, "Fie on you for all of your hate and all of your injustice--our love is unbreakable and together we are more powerful than we are apart."
Whatever you decide to do with your life, I implore you to be passionate and to know why you do what you do. Simply checking the button to vote "entirely republican" "democrat" or "whatever party" may be simple, but you won't ever own that vote. If the world comes crashing down because of a mindless tick box you made, you will never be able to explain why. You can express your love for pink, zombies, and princess wedding gowns all while sipping your soy latte from Starbucks and dreaming of dancing with your love to your song on your wedding day--moments before you leave for a day passing out leaflets about the hideous ways that KFC tortures their chickens. Sometimes this can change the world more than scowling at Wal-Mart as you drive by praying for a meteorite.
<3
Some people are beer snobs, wine snobs, music snobs, or movie snobs. Me, liking Pabst, Mad Dog, Journey, and movies like Flashdance, I fall into none of the aforementioned categories. I am however, a devout popcorn snob. If popcorn becomes a religion, I am signing up and this is my mantra:
Microwave popcorn does not equal popcorn.
Microwaves are great for heating up your leftover General Tso's Tofu but when it comes to Orville's kernels, its just dag nasty and freakish:
Microwave Popcorn = $$$, smelly whether you burn it or not, but if you do burn it, all of your possessions will smell like a train wreck for weeks. Not fun to make. Full of freaky chemicals that are tested on animals and making people sick.
Stove-Popped Popcorn= $, smells amazing!, fun to shake the pan and even more fun when the popcorn tries to escape, only has 2 ingredients (popcorn kernels and oil).
Air Popped Popcorn= $$$, you have to buy the machine, not enough fat for anything (like, um..salt) to stick to. Very fun though and smells great.
Stove popped popcorn is super easy, cheap, and perfect. I eat it for dinner at least 3 times a week.
The following is the recipe for the best popcorn on the planet:Sauce pan with tight fitting lid
Olive oil
Yellow popcorn kernels
Popcorn salt
Nutritional yeast powder (optional)
Pour enough olive oil into the pan to generously coat the bottom. Next, add just enough popcorn kernels to cover the bottom of the pan. Cover with lid. Place on burner over medium high heat. You will hear a sizzle and eventually the kernels will begin to pop. When you hear approximately 5 pops, start to shake the pan a bit side-to-side.
Use caution because pan will be hot, I always use a potholder!
You need to shake the pan continually so the popcorn will not burn. Popping will become very quick and towards the end you will start to hear a pop only about every 2 sec. When it slows down, remove from heat immediately. When popping has stopped, transfer into a sturdy bowl and add salt and nutritional yeast to taste. Yum!!!
Turn on a zombie movie and make this for your loved ones, bffs, girlfriends, boyfriends, and just peeps you meet on street- because once you pop, you won't be able to stop!
The above photo is on my Myspace page and the number one comment, other than "Damn, Jason you clean up well" is "What's this photo is about?" The photo is a press conference I did in Oklahoma about a year ago on an investigation where I attended two bowfishing tournaments one in Iowa and the other in Texas.
Bowfishing involves hunting for fish in shallow water and shooting them with arrows that are attached to fishing line. Impaled fish are reeled in by the arrow in their body, then thrown back into the water or into trashcans on board to suffocate and die from their injuries. The goal of bowfishing tournaments is simple: to kill as many fish as possible.
(Insert Flashback music)
On May 6, I traveled to Toledo Bend Lake, Huxley Bay Marina, on the border of Texas and Louisiana to attend the Bowfishing Tournament that took place on May 7.
When I arrived at the marina, there was only one bowfishing team (two men) at the marina hotel. I introduced myself to them and told them that I wanted to get some footage of bowfishing, and I asked them if I could ride in their boat during the tournament. One of the men replied, "You're welcome to ride with us, but you really should talk to Alan. He's the world champion of bowfishing, and he can really show you the ropes and get you great footage." He then pointed at a trailer house and said that Alan would arrive within the hour and that he would be staying in the trailer. I made small talk with the men for a bit longer and then returned to my hotel room.
Around 7:30 p.m. I left my room to look for more bowfishing contestants. I noticed that some people had gathered in front of Alan's trailer so I walked over and asked if Alan was there. He stood up, and I introduced myself, explained that I was trying to get some bowfishing footage, and asked him if I could ride with him. After asking me a few questions and thinking it over, he agreed to take me out at 8:30 that night. Filled with nervousness, I went back to my hotel room to gather my video and digital cameras.
At 8:30 p.m., Alan knocked at my door. Once we got in the truck, we drove for about an hour to a place that he and his fishing partner referred to as "the secret spot." During the drive, I asked questions about bowfishing and his World Championship bowfishing victory. We finally arrived at the dock, and we loaded our gear onto the boat and set out for a long night of bowfishing. It was pitch black out, and the only light was from the spotlights that shined into the water. The boat was a typical airboat. We rode around for 15 minutes, and then they killed the engine and the lights. In the darkness, I could hardly see my own hands in front of my face and everything was silent.
I started to feel uneasy, and right then Alan turned to me and barked, "If you tell anyoneanyone at allwe will kill you!" If it had not been so dark out, he would have seen my face turn pale as fear gripped my body. I tried to play it cool, saying, "That's why I have the camera-so I don't have to tell anyone." Alan replied, "Seriously, you can't tell any of the other fishermen," and then I realized he was talking about not telling anyone where the best bowfishing spots are. I laughed nervously and said, "There's no way I am going to tell them-I want to come out with you again." Alan and his team partner chuckled, and Alan said, "I'm just f*ing with you. Now let's go get some fish."
When we arrived five minutes later, they took their positions in the front of the boat. They controlled the boat from there, and as we slowly crept through the shallow waters they both began shooting. I turned on my camera and started filming the fish as the arrows impaled them. The fish fought with every ounce of energy that they could muster, and as they struggled their blood and innards spattered the inside of the boat. I was sitting at the back of the boat filming, and I was constantly wiping the blood and guts from the lens of the camera and my face. The terrified fish gasped as they suffocated in the open air, and blood poured from the gaping wounds on their bellies.
The men clearly enjoyed hurting and killing these unsuspecting animals. They would not allow me to film or take photos of them throwing the suffering fish back into the water. I asked them why, and they would not give me an answer. I did not want to mess up the relationship so I didn't press the issue, but I did get some footage of it.
When the "throw back" fish did not make it off the boat, the men would punt them like footballs. During their rampage, they targeted other animals as well-they shot at turtles and snakes, and they were going to shoot a beaver, but then they noticed that I had the camera on them so they relaxed the pull they had on the bow. This bloodbath lasted until roughly 6 o'clock the next morning.
On our drive back to the hotel, I asked them if I could ride on their boat during the tournament. Alan said that it was fine with him if I tagged along but that he would have to talk with the judges to see if they would allow me to be on the boat, because the rules state that only the registered team can be on the boat.
Later that morning, I walked outside and Alan and the judges were sitting under a tree. Alan called me over to them and said, "Get your gear together. They said it's OK for you to be on the boat, so we're going out tonight." I thanked them and Alan said to meet him at 7 p.m.
I returned at 7 p.m., and we loaded up the truck and headed toward the same spot we went to the night before. They told me that if I'd thought that the previous night was fun, I hadn't seen anything yet. Once we arrived at the "spot," we went out on the boat and they started shooting as they had the night before, except this time instead of throwing the injured animals into back into the lake to die, they tossed them into trash cans in the boat. They did not have time to slowly remove the fish from the arrows as they had the night before-instead, they whipped the arrows to send the dying fish into the trashcan, where they would slowly suffocate or bleed to death.
During the first hour, they got 30 fish. Alan told me that they usually get between 100 and 120 fish each hour, and he began complaining about the scarcity of fish this year, blaming the wind and the weather conditions.
Earlier in the day, Alan had told me that most bowfishing tournaments are judged not by the weight of the fish, but by how many fish the bowfisher impales. I asked him what his goal was for this tournament, and he replied, "To win!" Then he added, "Three hundred plus. We have to get at least 300."
As the night wore on, more and more fish, blood, and innards filled the boat and trashcans. Blood and fish parts covered everything, including the three of us and all of the gear. Pools of blood had formed on the floor, and the boat resembled a slaughterhouse on the water. When the fish were thrown into the trashcan, their intestines were usually pulled out through the hole created by the arrow. They lay shivering, covered in their own blood and the blood of others, and it was clear that they were suffering just as much as dogs or cats would if their bellies were ripped open and they were left to die.
Alan and Harold went through at least three dozen arrows. I estimated that roughly 10 percent of the fish that were shot got away with arrows still stuck in them. Alan and Harold did not care, even though it would have been easy for them to circle around to pick up the fish and the arrow. Instead, they'd simply pick up another bow and begin shooting again. The suffering fish who were left behind with arrows in their stomachs would continue to thrash in the water until they died, and Alan and Harold would just keep motoring forward, searching for more animals to kill.
In a few instances, the arrows impaled the fish and pinned them to the ground in the shallow waters. They fought to free themselves, and I all I could do was film the cloud of blood that formed around them. At other times, the arrows would penetrate the fish with such force that they would go completely through their bodies, leaving the fish hanging on the fishing line. Harold would run the arrow back through the open puncture wound to avoid cutting the fishing line. This task took several agonizing minutes, as Harold twisted the arrow and the fish to free the line from her bloody, thrashing body.
I almost lost it a couple of times during the night as I watched hundreds of fish suffer and die right in front of me. I clearly saw the confusion and panic in their faces as they slowly suffocated and bled to death. The fish fought so hard and would actually work with each other: I saw three fish reposition themselves so that they were lying stacked on top of each other, and then the two bottom fish thrashed at the same moment, launching the top fish completely out of the trashcan and back into the water. The fish continued to fight to escape until they were completely exhausted-it was clear that they valued their own lives and didn't want to die anymore than I do. Tears threatened to flood my eyes as I sat watching the fish struggle and gasp, and in order to stay focused I had to constantly remind myself that the footage and photos I was getting would help save other fish from a similar fate.
I have been told that the reason it is easy for people to eat fish and not care about them is because fish can't show emotion in their faces and we can't hear them scream. I accepted that argument until this weekend. I watched more than 300 fish slowly and helplessly die right in front of me. I don't think I can ever really describe what I saw and what those individual fish went through. Every time a "new" fish was about to be thrown into the trashcan, you could see the other fish react as if they knew what was happening. These fish fought so hard and would work with each other--you could see them thrash around, and it seemed as if they were thrashing in a pattern. They continued to do this until they were completely out of energy.
At the end of the tournament, "my" team came in second place with more than 300 fish. Nine boats participated in the tournament, including our own. All the boats killed more than 200 fish each, and after the contest was over they loaded the trashcans full of dead fish on a boat, took them out to the middle of the lake, and dumped them overboard.
To read about my experience in Iowa - click here
Here is the video footage from this investigation.
