The following is the letter to the TOI editor that mr vidyaranya bellur emailed, but unfortunately the letter was highly edited and published on 28/01/08. since he had emailed a copy to me, i thought of publishing it here unedited so that it might interest my readers and they may write their comments on this:
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Your news item “Sweden to study belching cows TOI dt. 23-1-08″ is not only hilarious but epitomizes height of senselessness on part of research funding agencies. Cows every where have been nurturing from time immemorial on naturally grown greens and have been yielding milk that is nourishing human kind ever since civilization. Also, it is a well known fact that cow dung is an excellent manure that enriches the soil solely because it’s herbivorous nature. We may recall here how processed meat & bone were fed to these poor herbivorous animals which resulted in spread of mad cow disease in Europe which in turn lead to the butchering of thousands of innocent cows.
Now we hear of this crazy research being carried out on these poor bovines’ belchings which is supposedly contributing to the emission of green house gases! Instead, I strongly suggest the funding may be diverted to measure the emissions under the pants of junk food eaters where the results would indicate the contribution of human methane levels that would far exceed those of bovines’ belching!
Thanking you,
Yours faithfully,
B.S.Vidyaranya
Hello dear..
Where’s the edited version.. ???
Stupid researchers!!
Nithin,
This is the edited version that appeared in TOI Edit page (Jan.28th):
Research on belching cows is pointless
The report ‘Sweden to study belching cows’ (Jan 23) is not only hilarious but it shows the height of senselessness on the part of funding agencies. Cows everywhere eat grass, produce milk and belch since time immemorial. This crazy research being carried out on these poor bovines is pointless.
B S Vidyaranya, VIA E-MAIL
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Why don’t the research people realize how incredibly stupid beyond words this is?? Cows burping causing the PLANET TO WARM? Seems it is simply very easy these days to brainwash people.
I sure could think of a better way to spend $590,000 (yes, that’s the fund amount) – hmmm, maybe ask Kekkkkta kapoor to start a serial “Kow Kow ki Kahaani”!
On a serious note, instead of blaming the animals, we need to blame ourselves – our way of life, our habit of commercialising everything…. things we could control far better than the natural life of animals!
thanks RK, for that edited and published letter. thanks for the extra inputs and your views. that “Kow Kow Ki Kahani” was typical of RK humour!
nitin, hop you got to read the edited version provided by RK.