The Cost of Competition by Janus Kane

Piggybacking on M.J.'s commentary from the other day, I would like to open this discussion - why is competition so important to us? Why are we so driven to compete? It does not sustain us. Competition is not a necessity like food, water or air and yet some of us crave it and hold it in greater reverence than the oxygen they breathe.

I begins early, when we are children. Many parents stress about getting their children into the 'best' schools, pushing them to get excellent grades and join and excel at sports and other groups. We soon start to define ourselves by our GPA, sports achievements or other awards. We are encouraged to; jump higher, run faster, be smarter and hit that baseball harder. Parents have become violent at their children's little league games - all in the name of good, wholesome competition, while children are shunned by their peers because they are not wearing the best shoes or designer jeans.

We continue to compete as we grow older, scrambling for the most attractive spouse, the biggest house in the nicest neighborhood, the most expensive car and the best paying jobs. To what end? The fastest man in the world must some day step aside as someone new steps up to break that record. The prettiest model must someday accept the fact that her looks have faded in the natural aging process. The most affluent among us must still accept the inevitable end that we all must face. All of their prosperity amounts to little more than a number on a balance sheet and a few luxuries that most of us will not enjoy. But, at the end of the day, they will lie, just as cold and dead in the ground as we will.

What will it take for us to realize that these accomplishments are as inconsequential in the great scheme of things as the length of grass on a perfectly mown lawn. Time will come and do its will, leaving our petty accomplishments in its wake.

Once put into perspective, there is nothing wrong with pushing one's body or mind to the limits of its endurance. Striving for perfection, whether it be faster, stronger or smarter is a worthy pursuit, as long as this drive does not cloud one's focus on life itself. But, what of the unwilling victims of this lust for perfection? Is it fair for a child to be dragged along, unwillingly, in the wake of their parents' need to be connected, albeit vicariously, to their spawn's achievements. And what of the animals that are so mercilessly pushed and prodded for our entertainment?

If an adult male wants to run himself into a heart attack for the sake of pursuing the four minute mile, so be it. Most animal competitions are fairly innocuous: cat shows, obstacle and obedience trials and dressage events. But, when it comes to blood sports and racing, where immature horses are ridden into the ground for 'sport' and animals are starved and tortured to make them aggressive, more sensible minds should prevail.

The Tragic Sport of Horse Racing by M.J. Claire

The recent running of the Preakness makes me think of how we treat (or perhaps mistreat) the animals in this 'sport of Kings'. The sad fact is that the price our equine friends pay for this 'so called' sport is very high indeed.

The race track is rife with abuse and inhumane treatment of these noble animals. At what point will we realize that the ends do not justify the means? Horses sent to slaughter in droves or animals fracturing their legs in that ultimate race - is this something we can call a sport? Have we lost our conscience? As long as we are not responsible for the abuse, can we then turn a blind eye?

This abuse is taking place out in the open, not in some dank, dark alley. Take what happened to Eight Belles in the Kentucky Derby. If the industry cannot even take proper care of their 'shining stars', what is happening to the rest of these animals? This is definitely not an instance where ignorance is bliss. Just because these horrors are not happening in front of our face does not mean that they should not be addressed. Is our entertainment so important that we can justify this kind of exhorbitant price?

Who out there is not crushed by the vision of this amazing animal 'Eight Belles' racing toward the finish line on broken legs? I think this is a stunningly sad commentary on the human race that we can remain complicit in such abuse just to satisfy our entertainment needs.

Animal Chat by M.J. Claire

A cute commercial, I believe the product is Pupperoni, shows an assortment of animals and how we communicate with them: a woman holds up a dress to a great Dane who is holding a sign that says 'I like the red one', a dog lies on his back holding a sign that says 'a little to the left' as his owner scratches his belly and a Bulldog, sitting by his burly owner, holds a sign that says 'I'm not going to cry' as they watch a sad movie. It makes me think about how we communicate with the animals in our lives.

Most of us have come to know when the animals we live with need the essentials: a fresh bowl of water, some moist food or a scratch behind the ear. One of my cats will meow and head butt me until I lift the covers so she can come under and snuggle against me. Another can go for days without any human contact but then she follows me everywhere I go, winding herself around my legs and trying to trip me up, until I give her some much needed attention.

It gets more difficult when these animals that we love so much are not feeling well, especially cats. Felines are so independent that we don't always notice, especially in a multiple cat household, when they are not eating, drinking or using the litter box. More than once, I have had a cat become ill and I have wondered to myself if I should have seen the signs earlier. In those instances, I can't help but think how nice it would be if they could hold up a placard saying 'hey stupid, I'm sick'. For owners with AIDS infected cats, it becomes even more important. Oftentimes, when we finally realize that they are sick, it is already too late for their depressed immune systems.

But not all pet owners are even that mindful. How many households are there where the dog or cats in residence are nothing but an afterthought? In those instances, the animal may be lucky just to be brought inside on a night when temperatures dip below zero. In these homes feeding and watering the animals may or may not get done on a regular basis, shots and regular vetting doesn't usually occur and the animal is probably not neutered.

These neglectful situations occur because many people do not see the health and well-being of their animals as an important consideration. If they did, our animal shelters would not be overflowing and there would not be astronomical numbers of innocent animals euthanized every year. For these owners, I would say; take a moment and look into the eyes of your animal. They are trying to communicate with you. They can communicate with you, but they cannot do it with a big sign around their neck. You have to look and listen.

On the far extreme of these owners are the ones who can only communicate with their animals in a violent manner. These are the people who enjoy inflicting abuse on something that is small and defenseless. How can someone actually enjoy looking into an animals eyes and seeing pain and fear? It is incomprehensible to me and yet it happens every day. These people just do not know, or care, that human beings do not have a monopoly on suffering. To these people, I would say, talk to your animals. They are much more than so much fur and bones. Perhaps, if you let them, they can help you find a way to heal the anger that drives you. Because, no matter what abuse you heap on them, the animals in your life will accept you. That is a great gift that should not be squandered.

Nightsweats in Bigelow Hollow

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