I’m always looking for new reasons to argue for the benefits of a vegetarian diet. This latest bit is less convincing than, say, “it lowers your risk of heart disease by 60%.” But still, it’s encouraging to those who care about such things, that more American kids than ever are turning away from meat. One in 200, in fact. It’s certainly something. And yet global meat consumption is growing at a rate of 2% a year, with traditionally vegetarian countries mimicking our not-so-awesome eating habits, to not-so-awesome results.So let’s review some of the better arguments for vegetarianism, shall we? Obviously, eating a mostly vegetarian diet isn’t always convenient. It can be limiting, especially if you consider yourself, as I do, a foodie. It also doesn’t always make you the best dinner guest, and can change social rituals a little bit (I love nothing more than a four-hour dinner of shared everything). But to me, the benefits outsize the compromises.For those unmoved by such things, consider the most persuasive and high-stakes argument of them all: The UN report which found that cattle rearing produces more greenhouse gasses than the transportation industry. That means that cutting down on your meat intake will actually do more for the environment than trading in your SUV.Again in September, the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change pleaded with people the world over to at the very least curb their meat intake. Their one-meat-free-day-a-week suggestion was a little on the light side if you ask me, but it was something. Baby steps, right? The report doesn’t seem to have reduced meat consumption, though. Probably because altering our diet seems to be the one leap that otherwise environmentally conscious people want to make. Or is it?Lately there’s been a rash of stories, columns and fun facts bringing vegetarianism back into the discussion. There are columnists like this, who say “not everyone can make the leap to full-fledged vegetarian,” but contemplates the limits of her “flexitarian” diet. Then there is this: the latest in the meat-eater-goes-veg magazine story. (We ran our own a while back-hilariously told by Justin Droms.) So we’ll see if the debate takes up more or less space in the coming months.In the mean time, there’s always the Lettuce Ladies.
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Man’s dog suddenly becomes protective of his wife, Internet clocks the reason right away
The online community came through in a big way.
Reddit user Girlfriendhatesmefor’s three-year-old pitbull, Otis, had recently become overprotective of his wife. So he asked the online community if they knew what might be wrong with the dog.
“A week or two ago, my wife got some sort of stomach bug,” the Reddit user wrote under the subreddit /r/dogs. “She was really nauseous and ill for about a week. Otis is very in tune with her emotions (we once got in a fight and she was upset, I swear he was staring daggers at me lol) and during this time didn’t even want to leave her to go on walks. We thought it was adorable!”
His wife soon felt better, butthe dog’s behavior didn’t change.
Otis knew before they did. Canva Girlfriendhatesmefor began to fear that Otis’ behavior may be an early sign of an aggression issue or an indication that the dog was hurt or sick.
So he threw a question out to fellow Reddit users: “Has anyone else’s dog suddenly developed attachment/aggression issues? Any and all advice appreciated, even if it’s that we’re being paranoid!”
The most popular response to his thread was by ZZBC.
Any chance your wife is pregnant?
ZZBC | Reddit
The potential news hit Girlfriendhatesmefor like a ton of bricks. A few days later, Girlfriendhatesmefor posted an update and ZZBC was right!
“The wifey is pregnant!” the father-to-be wrote. “Otis is still being overprotective but it all makes sense now! Thanks for all the advice and kind words! Sorry for the delayed reply, I didn’t check back until just now!”
Redditors responded with similar experiences.
Anecdotal I know but I swear my dog knew I was pregnant before I was. He was super clingy (more than normal) and was always resting his head on my belly.
realityisworse | Reddit
So why do dogs get overprotective when someone is pregnant?
Jeff Werber, PhD, president and chief veterinarian of the Century Veterinary Group in Los Angeles, told Health.com that “dogs can also smell the hormonal changes going on in a woman’s body at that time.” He added the dog may “not understand that this new scent of your skin and breath is caused by a developing baby, but they will know that something is different with you—which might cause them to be more curious or attentive.”
The big lesson here is to listen to your pets and to ask questions when their behavior abruptly changes. They may be trying to tell you something, and the news may be life-changing.
This article originally appeared last year.
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14 images of badass women who destroyed stereotypes and inspired future generations
These trailblazers redefined what a woman could be.
Throughout history, women have stood up and fought to break down barriers imposed on them from stereotypes and societal expectations. The trailblazers in these photos made history and redefined what a woman could be. In doing so, they paved the way for future generations to stand up and continue to fight for equality.
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Why mass shootings spawn conspiracy theories
Mass shootings and conspiracy theories have a long history.
While conspiracy theories are not limited to any topic, there is one type of event that seems particularly likely to spark them: mass shootings, typically defined as attacks in which a shooter kills at least four other people.
When one person kills many others in a single incident, particularly when it seems random, people naturally seek out answers for why the tragedy happened. After all, if a mass shooting is random, anyone can be a target.
Pointing to some nefarious plan by a powerful group – such as the government – can be more comforting than the idea that the attack was the result of a disturbed or mentally ill individual who obtained a firearm legally.
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