A Juggling Scorpion in LMAC #101

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(Edited)

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@shaka's template photo this week hit me in the creative solar plexis. Ideas flowed.

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I noticed the benches, and the small rock structure on the side of the wall that looked like a face to me.
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I made little bench people and rock face characters.
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Then I checked out @redheadpei's blog and saw that she was contributing a Joker to LIL, our LMAC Image Library. That was the final piece that led to my collage concept: a juggling scorpion with an audience.

This was a lot of fun, as always.

Have you, my readers, tried your hand at playing with one of @shaka's pictures? That's how I view the collage exercise, creative play. In addition to the fun, there are prizes. Check out this week's contest announcement for details.
You can stop in the LMAC Discord channel to say hello and ask questions. It's a friendly place.

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Lobsters Are Sentient

(The animal in my collage is a scorpion. I couldn’t find information on scorpion intelligence. However lobsters were in the news this week and they look like scorpions, so I decided to write about them. Scorpions are actually more closely related to spiders than to lobsters.)

European Lobster
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Image credit: Bart Braun. Public domain

If you check out my Twitter Profile, you'll see that animal welfare is listed as one of my chief areas of interest. As such, it was no surprise to me this week to read that the U.K. government amended its Animal Welfare Bill to include lobsters and crabs on its list of sentient beings. The agency determined that these animals can feel pain and can suffer. Therefore, it is strongly suggested that consumers and vendors not boil these sentient beings while they are alive.

The statement issued by the U. K. Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs reads:

*Crabs, octopus and lobsters to be recognised as sentient beings in government policy decision making
*Decapod crustaceans and cephalopod molluscs will be recognised under the scope of the Animal Welfare (Sentience) Bill

Land Crab
crab  credit Bhny public domain.jpg
Credit: Bhny on English Wikipedia. Public domain

(The following information is derived from Smithsonian Magazine:)

Copious research has shown that cephalopods (mollusks that include squids, octopuses and cuttlefish) and decapods (crustacean including crabs, lobsters and shrimp) are sentient. The studies indicate that these creatures demonstrate eight neurological and behavioral characteristics of sentience. The criteria for determining sentience includes: "...the ability to learn, feel pain, respond to anesthetics and consider threat vs. opportunity".

Different cephalopod and decapod species demonstrate varying degees of sentience. Octopus come in on the high end, and shrimp on the low end.

Octopus Vulgaris
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Credit: Albert Kik Ma Photo. Used under CC 1.2 or higher license.

The U. K. Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs recommends, therefore, that not only should these sentient beings not be boiled alive, but one should also refrain from cutting into their brains while they are alive. Apparently cutting into brains is a common method of slaughtering cephalopods. The recommendation for humane treatment of cephalopos and decapods, however, does not have force of law.

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LIL Images

Lily, LMAC Search Bot and Librarian

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Image credit: @quantumg

Besides @shaka's amazing template, these are elements I used in the collage. All were from LMAC's free image source, LIL. If you wish to borrow from Lil, or to contribute to the library, rules and procedures are detailed in this post by @shaka. In several cases I had to alter the image to make the element seem more fantastic, or striking.

Borjan
Scorpion
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Snail
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Redheadpei
Joker
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Raccoon
raccoon redheadpei.png
Brume7
Ball
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Geese: My Picture
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Thank you

Thank you @shaka for giving so many people an opportunity to create and to participate in this wonderful community, part of the larger Hive community. Thank you to all members of LMAC for helping to make this a dynamic place. And thank you, readers, for persevering to the end of this long blog.



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36 comments
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It has always seemed to me a cruel custom to boil those little animals alive, although we all benefit from the animals, we should at least make their sacrifice less traumatic.

Quite a teaching your post my dear Agmoore, and your collage a fun one. I too see a face in those rocks. 😁

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Thank you my friend, @mballesteros. I know you have a kind heart and care about all living things. The collage is fun, but I learned as a teacher that sometimes people listen more carefully if the message is delivered in an entertaining way.

If I change one mind, save one lobster or crab from suffering, that would be wonderful :)

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Being a vegetarian, I've never understood why people eat animals and the lobster thing seems really cruel:(

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Being a vegetarian

🌺🌺

I have tried to go vegetarian but have a very restricted diet so it is difficult, almost impossible. However, we don't wear animal products, use animals products, or products tested on animals, in this house. In that one sense, we are 'vegan'.

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That's great! Try Indian food, since we are traditionally vegetarian, there are lot of recipes out there and we never miss meat :)

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I love Indian food. And Sicilian food. And just about any kind. But I would be in the hospital :)) I can't give you the list of restrictions, but my diet is quite bland and simple. No meat at all, mostly dairy and occasional fish. I have to eat something :) Always though, with a thought to how the food was obtained.

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I understand, there are certain vitamin requirements that vegtarians struggle with.

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I already don't trust a scorpian
But a juggling scorpion?... got to really look out for that one ;p

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😂😂

Wait till you see the collage with the juggling spiders. They will haunt your dreams :))

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Amazing collage, @agmoore. Very creative! Can I sit with the snails and enjoy the juggling scorpion's show?

We share a strong interest in animal welfare. I hope with the passing years more people become aware of the inhumanities that are still being done to animals in the name of society.

Thank you for sharing this!

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Thank you @beautifulwreck for those kind words and for caring about animals. I think many people don't understand the suffering that is inflicted. They are used to doing things, to eating in a certain way and don't stop to examine. Perhaps a juggling scorpion will catch at least one person's attention.

You are welcome to join the snails, or geese. They get along fine with each other. The raccoons are another matter 😂

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Interesante información, siempre compro los cangrejos muertos, y langosta nunca le comido, es muy costosa.. me encanta tu collage es muy divertido. Que tengas un hermoso día amiga.

  • Interesting information, I always buy the dead crabs, and lobster never eaten him, it is very expensive... I love your collage is very funny. Have a beautiful day my friend.
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Hello my friend @tormenta. Thank you very much for coming by. I did enjoy making this collage. Great fun.
Sometimes it's good to understand how food gets to our table. Years ago I never understood. I'm learning.

I hope you are having a wonderful, safe day.

Warm regards.

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Hello friend how are you, your collage seemed very funny to me with the scorpio doing juggling and the snails, stones and birds as the public enjoying what he does. Behind your collage you have a message that is to take care of the species that suffer from the damage that man causes to these marine species, governments must apply the law to protect these species of marine fauna.

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Thank you my friend @cetb2008 for stopping by. I hope the collage is funny. I tried. More fun than even usual making this one. A bit off the wall imagination.

As for the animals. It always seems to be the case that we don't allow that animals have feelings because we don't want to think about that. Inconvenient to have to change our habits. I think science has a long way to go to understand not only animal suffering, but human suffering. Awareness.

I appreciate your sensitive response. Please be well and enjoy the coming Sunday with your lovely family.

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hermoso collage natural y muy creativo el Escorpión haciendo de la suyas. Saludos amiga y suerte.

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Thank you my friend @poderart for your kind words. I loved making this collage. It came out the way I planned, though I would have liked to give the bench feet :)) That was too complicated.

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I love the juggling scorpion by the way... despite having a slight phobia of insects (and terrible arachnophobia) this image made me smile and it is possible that it helped alleviate a bit of my phobia 😉

I also read about that re-classification of cephalopods, and know for a fact through diving experience those octopuses are intelligent and sapient. I was on a dive in Lanzarote once when we happened upon an adolescent octopus, the dive guide got us to slowly approach while he held out his finger wiggling it. We all mimicked the dive guide and the octopus approached, and proceeded to use each of its limbs to reach out and grasp our individual fingers. It felt strange with the suction cups, but I swear that octopus was communicating with us. They have such strange eyes but the intelligence I saw in its eyes was undeniable. Something you have to experience to truly grasp.

Great collage as usual and your blog made me think. Thanks for sharing @agmoore x

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Hello @raj808, and thank you! The story about the octopus is priceless. They are without question intelligent. I personally have a problem according humane treatment only to animals we deem to be intelligent. The smarter we are, the better treatment we deserve? That seems morally corrupt. But science has a long way to go in understanding true sentience--feeling, suffering, pain, etc.

I think diving changed the way you see the world. It's a wonderful gift for you.

My collage was so much fun to make. I admit that I chuckled out loud when I finally got that scorpion to juggle :))

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(Edited)

I personally have a problem according humane treatment only to animals we deem to be intelligent. The smarter we are, the better treatment we deserve? That seems morally corrupt.

Completely on the same page as you on this issue agmoore. Who is to say what is and isn't intelligence? Scientists? Religious leaders? There is no way to know how a creature truly thinks/feels without asking it. I wrote about this recently in one of my poetry posts.

I think our experiments trying to learn how other species on earth might communicate in ways alien to the human mind are often flawed by our methodology. We become limited by our frame of reference, our own form of communication. E.g. migrating birds, animals and sea-life all navigate vast distances with no map. Is this because of learned behaviour? In many cases, the answer is yes, but the unspoken question remains; do these creatures only impart this knowledge through repetitive action and observance?

I don’t think so.
Autumn's Crystal Spider Webs

I've been vegetarian since 5 years of age - a choice I made myself along with another friend, and accepted by our hippie parents - and although I do now eat fish, I only eat wild caught fish, or that which I've caught myself. I've spearfished in Mexico, UK, Thailand and Belize. My personal beliefs have shifted a little, but not when it comes to cruelty to animals.

I think diving changed the way you see the world. It's a wonderful gift for you.

It most definitely did... and it might seem a bit odd that I eat fish, but I see the biggest reason for the mass-market of cruelty we have in the modern world comes about because of ‘a disconnect’ from where meat/seafood comes from. I don't particularly enjoy the act of killing an animal (as in the case of spearfishing), but it didn't feel wrong to engage in the hunting and consumption of those creatures. I felt like I honoured them in a way by following the way of nature and making sure that none of what they gave in their life went to waste (even the seagulls got a meal from the offal).

Anyway, I'm kinda rambling.
P.s. I don't eat shellfish at all so the lobsters are safe from me… and the scorpions… well I’d be running in the opposite direction 😆

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I've been vegetarian since 5 years of age

I have tried, on and off, but really have such a restricted diet (most vegetables and fruits are off limits for me, especially raw) that it simply doesn't work. However, being thoughtful about how my food is obtained--that is possible and I try.

I’d be running in the opposite direction 😆

Me too!!!

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Hermoso collage lleno de imaginación creativa. Saludos.🙏🙏

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Thank you, dear @zenai! I had great fun playing with this picture. Collage creation helps to distract me from 'real' life.

Warm regards

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A delightful fun collage A.G. @agmoore with the jesters and juggling lobster entertaining the animals and rock characters.

Love how you positioned the two raccoons on the fence. True they can climb anything. I had the same idea with the cat n my collage. :)🦝😻

Happy week ahead my friend!

I too see a face in the rock.

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I love your pictures, not just the raccoons but so many of those you have contributed. The juggling idea came to me early...where is my mind? (retreating from thoughts of strife and pandemic!).

One you see a face--in a cloud, a rock or anything--can't erase that impression.

Thanks so much for stopping by and for giving such a great appraisal of my fun collage.

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Ah, lobsters. A Jordan Peterson fan, I see :P

not boil these sentient beings while they are alive

Yeah, witnessed a lot of that when I was visiting Russian relatives as a kid. Eh...

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Hello @alexanderalexis. I remember, when I was a child, my grandfather had trophy heads (deer) on his walls. I looked in their eyes and wandered if they were really dead, or if there was some thought still residing in that taxidermic relic.

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Es un collage muy divertido, querida @agmoore. Tus caras de piedra son geniales.
Leí la noticia sobre La inclusión del pulpo y la langosta como animales sintientes. Aplaudí este pequeño paso desde el fondo de mi corazón.
Un abrazo enorme, querida @agmoore.

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Hello my friend, @adncabrera
Please forgive the delayed response. I don't know how I got so busy, but I seem to be falling behind on my obligations.

I appreciate your very kind assessment of my collage and appreciate more your response to the inhumane treatment of lobsters. I personally do not understand how someone can happily walk by a tank in a restaurant with those poor creatures crammed in together. It's one thing to catch them in the wild and humanely kill them to eat. But this...barbaric.

Hope you are not too busy. Looking forward to your collage this week.

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Thank you for the notice, and the badge:)

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