UK not liking the Fox

Apparently, London has a problem with urban foxes, or at least the media thinks so...

An urban fox crept into a home in Lewisham on Wednesday and dragged a four-week-old baby from its cot, severing its finger in the process. The child's mother, alerted by the boy's screams, had to kick the fox to get it to release the boy's hand, which was lodged down the animal's throat.

First, ewwww. Second, while these attacks are sensationalized, dog attacks are much more likely in the UK. That doesn't stop them from being the British version of coyotes or GASP wolves. A menace that has very little impact on people but you keep hearing stories about it...

Yet despite being such an atypical event, it [fox attacks] is repeatedly referred to in the press. In comparison, the seven children and five adults killed by dogs since 2005, and the hundreds more disfigured, receive far less coverage. Nor are urban fox numbers increasing, despite claims made by yet another "expert" on the recent Channel 4 programme. In many cities fox numbers have declined due to sarcoptic mange, an extremely unpleasant and fatal disease.

So there you have it. FOXES: The Scourge of the UK.

Well I'm glad I don't live in the UK at the moment

Say what you will about the terrible diet of Americans, but at least when we eat a burger, it consists of the right type of meat. There has been a bit of a problem in the UK concerning its burgers and... well... horses.

Tests conducted by the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) in conjunction with Britain's Food Standards Agency have determined that beef burgers sold by Tesco, Iceland, Lidl, Aldi, and Dunnes Stores across the UK and Ireland contained at least trace amounts of horse DNA. The most egregious offender by far was the Tesco Everyday Value Beef Burger, which was said to consist of nearly 30% horse meat. All contaminated beef burgers were supplied to the supermarkets by three processing plants: Liffey Meats and Silvercrest Foods in Ireland, and Dalepak Hambleton in the UK.

Considering that horses are fairly similar animals to cows, I don't know why this grosses me out so much but it does. It is also rather shocking that the companies were rather unaware that horses were somehow finding their way into the meat. Perhaps they need a sign that shows them the difference between cows and horses.

This does continue to push the stereotype that the British have terrible food. If I ever go on a trip over there I'm just drinking the beer.

(If this post makes you want to join PETA... well I don't blame you if you buy this t-shirt.)