Indian Cows: Blessed Bovines

An abbreviated excerpt from about.com on India and their cows:

As the sheep is to Christianity, the cow is to Hinduism. Lord Krishna was a cowherd, and the bull is depicted as the vehicle of Lord Shiva. Today the cow has almost become a symbol of Hinduism.

In India cows are everywhere! Because the cow is respected as a sacred animal, it's allowed to roam unharmed, and they are pretty used to the traffic and the rhythm of the city. So, you can see them roaming the streets in towns and cities, grazing unmindfully on the roadside grass verges and munching away vegetables thrown out by street sellers. Stray and homeless cows are also supported by temples, especially in southern India. As opposed to the West, where the cow is widely considered as nothing better than walking hamburgers, in India, the cow is believed to be a symbol of the earth - because it gives so much yet asks nothing in return.

Because of its great economic importance, it makes good sense to protect the cow. It is said Mahatma Gandhi became a vegetarian because he felt cows were ill-treated. Such is the respect for the cow, notes scholar Jeaneane Fowler, that Indians had offered to take in millions of cows waiting for slaughter in Britain as a result of the crisis in beef production in 1996.

Cows form the core of religious sacrifices, for without ghee or butter, which is produced from cow's milk, no sacrifice can be performed.

In the Mahabharata, we have Bhishma saying: "Cows represent sacrifice. Without them, there can be no sacrifice…Cows are guileless in their behaviour and from them flow sacrifices…and milk and curds and butter. Hence cows are sacred..."

Bhishma also observes that the cow acts as a surrogate mother by providing milk to human beings for the whole life. So the cow is truly the mother of the world.

Jessica Simpleton

"Jessica Simpson wants to adopt" according to CNN.com. Is it me or is adopting babies like this year's chihuahua in a Gucci dog carrier? Between Angelina Jolie, Meg Ryan and now Jessica Simpson we have a regular fad kicking in. It's time to get a franchise going and make a buck on this. Ladies, quit the pill and make a buck. Celebrities have just discovered "adoption" and doesn't it look cute to have a little foreign baby on one's hip? Too bad the peaseant look of last season is out because half starving little children look really good next to those exotic colors and patterns.

Here is a quote from our little blonde automaton, "I think Angelina Jolie has done amazing, amazing things, and the international adoption rate just since her has skyrocketed," she said. "It's unbelievable."

So if Angelina Jolie started raising snakes you might have gotten on that band wagon too? Think for yourself, invest in a brain. GOD!!!!!!!!

I love them. Is it wrong?

I thought I would get the gratuitous pet pic out of the way. It had to happen eventually, so, I thought, why not be up front with it. I promise this won't happen again.............today.

A Mouse Jockey is.....

A Mouse Jockey, in my definition not Webster's, is someone who moves bad copy around a boring layout. NOT that it started out that way, NO a client got involved. Hello my name is Simone and I am a graphic designer. I am reaching out from my cave, from the chair my ass is taking the shape of and trying to do something creative for the first time in 8 years. If not for others, for myself. It may take a little time to remember what it is like and if I can manage to pull myself away from my other master, the TV, I might get inspired.