History 101: The Zoot Suit Riots
 

I knew about the concentration camps for people from Japanese origin during the second world war but was not aware that people from Mexican origin had suffered from pogroms at the time. An interesting book about the second world war, the USA army and and race issues is "And then we heard the thunder" by John Oliver Killlens.

Overall it is not so surprising, legal apartheid in the USA was only ended with the Voting Rights Act of 1965, less than 30 years before it ended in South-Africa.

Jacob

[url]http://laughingsquid.com/cat-battle-armor-turns-any-feline-into-an-unstoppable-force-for-slaughter/[/url]

[QUOTE=Xyzzy;364264][URL]http://laughingsquid.com/cat-battle-armor-turns-any-feline-into-an-unstoppable-force-for-slaughter/[/URL][/QUOTE]
I'm not sure why, but this makes me think of a feline equivalent of Ronald Reagan's Strategic Defence Initiative ("Star Wars"). The main difference, I think, is that this feline version isn't meant seriously (or is it?).

[QUOTE=Brian-E;364306]I'm not sure why, but this makes me think of a feline equivalent of Ronald Reagan's Strategic Defence Initiative ("Star Wars"). The main difference, I think, is that this feline version isn't meant seriously (or is it?).[/QUOTE]Not to be taken seriously but not amusing to me either. It made me recall the spurs people would attach to chickens for fighting.

[QUOTE=only_human;364335]Not to be taken seriously but not amusing to me either. It made me recall the spurs people would attach to chickens for fighting.[/QUOTE]

Except that spurs on fighting cocks are very seriously intended. Maiming or killing the opponent chicken is the goal.

EDIT: .....and on rereading your post, I see that this was probably the source of the discomfort you mention regarding cat armor.

[QUOTE=kladner;364472]Except that spurs on fighting cocks are very seriously intended. Maiming or killing the opponent chicken is the goal.
[/QUOTE]

If you want to kill a chicken you take a knife and cut its head off. Spurs on fighting cocks are very seriously intended for "entertainment", and for betting large sums of money on the outcome. It is no surprise that cock fighting is banned in all civilised countries.

[QUOTE=BudgieJane;364489]If you want to kill a chicken you take a knife and cut its head off. Spurs on fighting cocks are very seriously intended for "entertainment", and for betting large sums of money on the outcome. It is no surprise that cock fighting is banned in all civilised countries.[/QUOTE]
[SOAPBOX] Yes, though I think fewer "civilised" countries would have banned it if its human participants were typically heads of state and their cronies all dressed up in fancy costumes. [/SOAPBOX]

[QUOTE=Brian-E;364492][SOAPBOX] Yes, though I think fewer "civilised" countries would have banned it if its human participants were typically heads of state and their cronies all dressed up in fancy costumes. [/SOAPBOX][/QUOTE]agreed. For an example of illegal animal abuse that is prevalent, there is this: [url]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soring[/url]

[QUOTE=only_human;364495]agreed. For an example of illegal animal abuse that is prevalent, there is this: [URL]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soring[/URL][/QUOTE]
Thanks. I had never heard of this practice before. Always been pretty dubious about the ethics of using horses in sports like racing and dressage, but this is sheer cruelty.

[URL="http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2014/01/13/iranian-news-agency-says-the-u-s-is-secretly-run-by-nazi-space-aliens-really/"]Iranian news agency says the U.S. is secretly run by Nazi space aliens. Really.[/URL]

[QUOTE=only_human;364523][URL="http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2014/01/13/iranian-news-agency-says-the-u-s-is-secretly-run-by-nazi-space-aliens-really/"]Iranian news agency says the U.S. is secretly run by Nazi space aliens. Really.[/URL][/QUOTE]Same journalism school as the [URL="http://www.welovetheiraqiinformationminister.com/"]Iraqi Minister of Information?[/URL] a.k.a. [URL="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yfAeMtcURg0"]Baghdad Bob[/URL] <-Utube link.