Producers breeding the banty right out of roosters

Let’s recklessly roast the headlines in the summery sun, like baby-oil sunbathers.

Fat, impotent roosters are making chicken more expensive”: This all due, of course, to man’s meddling with the poultry, in an effort to breed some kind of super rooster able to sire untold number of chickens. But, as is so often the case when you mess with mother nature, the opposite happened.

Scientists found that “genetic engineering had made the roosters susceptible to overfeeding” and unable to fertilize as many eggs as previous, trimmer roosters.

Now, no doubt, the chicken producers will come up with an equally cockamamie “solution”, and consumers will have to check the label on chicken to see if it meets or exceeds their daily requirement for Viagra.

BrusselKale could be the superfood we’ve been waiting for”: The perfect side dish to go with your SuperSteroidChicken.

Science says an apple a day could improve women’s sex lives”: Unless, of course, they’re married to a doctor…

Hundreds line up to buy marijuana in Washington”: In Bellingham, Cale Holdsworth, visiting from Abilene, Kansas, purchased two grams and told the media, “This is a great moment.” It also would have been a great moment to employ the overused, but in this case spot-on, “Wizard of Oz” line: “Toto, I’ve a feeling we’re not in Kansas any more.”

Hundreds line up to buy marijuana in Washington”: Among those making a purchase was Seattle city attorney Pete Holmes, who wanted to be one of the first to demonstrate there are alternatives to the nation’s failed drug war.

He then, however, unwittingly demonstrated one of the factors contributing to that failed war, (which disproportionately sent more black Americans to prison, with harsher sentences, even though white Americans were just as likely, or more so, to use drugs but not be penalized) by referencing the last time he smoked marijuana, paraphrasing a cartoon: “Remember, children, there’s a time and place for everything. That place is college.”

(Just so Holmes understands the “drug war” was never waged against college students…)

Farmer loses phone, returned 8 months later”: His iPhone fell out of his shirt pocket into a silo holding 290,000 bushels of grain. The phone eventually ended up at a feed mill in Japan, where it was found by a worker, who contacted Eric Slater with the Zen-Noh Grain Corporation’s terminal in Convent, Louisiana, who contacted the farmer and returned the phone.

Slater said it’s not uncommon for cellphones to accidentally fall into grain shipments. “Frankly, I field about a phone a month,” he said. How reassuring for our food supply. (“Siri, where are you?” “I’m in the (*&%^$@ grain silo.”)

We probably really don’t want to know, or ponder, where else phones kept in farmers’ front shirt pockets fall before finally making their way to a grain shipment…

Don’t farmers wear overalls with snaps anymore? (They could call them “SmartOveralls” if they keep the phone out of the grain…)

Christian Siriano: Melissa McCarthy is a ‘difficult’ diva”: As opposed to an “easy” diva? Aren’t divas by definition difficult?

This week, say no to fat, impotent roosters, who can’t even strut, and yes to banty ones.

Carol MacPherson: 425-339-3472; cmacpherson@heraldnet.com.

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Opinion

toon
Editorial cartoons for Wednesday, April 17

A sketchy look at the news of the day.… Continue reading

A new apple variety, WA 64, has been developed by WSU's College of Agricultural, Human and Natural Resource Sciences. The college is taking suggestions on what to name the variety. (WSU)
Editorial: Apple-naming contest fun celebration of state icon

A new variety developed at WSU needs a name. But take a pass on suggesting Crispy McPinkface.

Apply ‘Kayden’s Law’ in Washington’s family courts

Next session, our state Legislature must pass legislation that clarifies how family… Continue reading

What religious icons will Trump sell next?

My word! So now Donald Trump is in the business of selling… Continue reading

Commen: ‘Civil War’ movie could prompt some civil discourse

The dystopian movie serves to warn against division and for finding common ground in our concerns.

Liz Skinner, right, and Emma Titterness, both from Domestic Violence Services of Snohomish County, speak with a man near the Silver Lake Safeway while conducting a point-in-time count Tuesday, Jan. 23, 2024, in Everett, Washington. The man, who had slept at that location the previous night, was provided some food and a warming kit after participating in the PIT survey. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
Editorial: Among obstacles, hope to curb homelessness

Panelists from service providers and local officials discussed homelessness’ interwoven challenges.

FILE - In this photo taken Oct. 2, 2018, semi-automatic rifles fill a wall at a gun shop in Lynnwood, Wash. Gov. Jay Inslee is joining state Attorney General Bob Ferguson to propose limits to magazine capacity and a ban on the sale of assault weapons. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson, File)
Editorial: ‘History, tradition’ poor test for gun safety laws

Judge’s ruling against the state’s law on large-capacity gun clips is based on a problematic decision.

This combination of photos taken on Capitol Hill in Washington shows Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-Wash., on March 23, 2023, left, and Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., on Nov. 3, 2021. The two lawmakers from opposing parties are floating a new plan to protect the privacy of Americans' personal data. The draft legislation was announced Sunday, April 7, 2024, and would make privacy a consumer right and set new rules for companies that collect and transfer personal data. (AP Photo)
Editorial: Adopt federal rules on data privacy and rights

A bipartisan plan from Sen. Cantwell and Rep. McMorris Rodgers offers consumer protection online.

Students make their way through a portion of a secure gate a fence at the front of Lakewood Elementary School on Tuesday, March 19, 2024 in Marysville, Washington. Fencing the entire campus is something that would hopefully be upgraded with fund from the levy. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Editorial: Levies in two north county districts deserve support

Lakewood School District is seeking approval of two levies. Fire District 21 seeks a levy increase.

toon
Editorial cartoons for Tuesday, April 16

A sketchy look at the news of the day.… Continue reading

Harrop: Expect no compromise from anti-abortion right

And no clarity from Donald Trump regarding his position, at least until he’s back in office.

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.