Questionable... But awesome!!!

Bosco Verticale

Literally translated from Italian, that means 'Vertical Forest'  and it's a real idea, and it's being constructed in Milan, Italy.

It's either a great idea, or a disaster waiting to happen.  I've asked some architecture people I know about green buildings, and they always talk about how tricky it is to a) account for the weight of plants and watering and such, and b)make sure the plants don't destroy EVERYTHING.

The concept and idea came from an architect named Stefano Boeri, who wants to use it as a way to bring the forest back to an urban environment.

I like this idea.  I want to go see it, so it's a darn good thing I know some Italian, because I'm going to be there, gosh darn it.  My hang up is that plant roots are destructive.  There isn't a lot that can withstand it.  We've all seen cement upturned by growing tree roots (sidewalks, for example).  So I'm not sure how the architect is going to prevent that from happening.  I feel like it would be a serious concern.

Not sure how many people heard of this before me, I am rather late in the game on current news and this isn't even current.  The design was created way back in 2006.  The architect stated in one article that he actually tested trees in a wind tunnel to make sure they wouldn't get blown down by the wind if they were up at a great height.  I didn't even think of that, but now all I can picture is an oak tree falling down on my car as I'm driving in stop and go traffic.

I hope it works out.  I really do.  The apartments will cost a lot, but it's an awesome idea.

Quit calling my food cute

I have nothing against vegetarians.  Some of them are great.  But last weekend I was subjected to an hour long lecture on why I should stop eating meat, and I almost smacked one in the face.

Cows and pigs and sheep are cute.  I agree with this.  I have no problem admitting it.  But I also know that cute is a word we assigned for them because they had that winning combination of big eyes, big ears, big feet and silly noises.  That's anthropomorphizing.  Animals do not care if they are cute.  They did not evolve to be aesthetically pleasing to us.  That was not their purpose.  Big ears help control body temperature and hear better.  Big eyes help an animal to see better.

However, through our own hubris, we came to believe that they were.  It's easy to see how it came about.  These are the days of tea cup pigs, bred specifically for some twit who wants something adorable, and, apparently, so inbred it will die young in misery.  Cute sells, and cute is created by stunting normal growth.

Tea cup pigs are created by breeding the runts of runts.  They don't stay tea cup sized for long, either.  And you can buy them pretty cheap, but be prepared to shell out a fortune in vet bills, because these things are plagued with health issues.

I'm not saying that I'm eating your tea cup pig.  I am saying that to make the point that 'cute' isn't a word that should be used in an argument against eating animals.  They are two separate things.  I do not eat meat because I hate cute animals.  I eat it because it is tasty and I like it.

In that same vein, who are these vegetarians, to decide what plants live an die?  Cutting down plants means less oxygen for us heterotrophs!  You're killing us slowly with your plant eating!  At least I kill the methane and carbon dioxide producers as well!

Sorry for the rant, I'm just irritated.  And omnivorous.  And proud of it.

Also, if you're planning on getting a pet, get a mutt, not a breed.  People shouldn't have the right to breed animals to satisfy whims of the consumer.

Also FYI this is what those cute little porky things grown into:

Story on the DailyMail