Though people bitch and moan endlessly about the US and our own little Nanny-state, it is time to give pause that we do not live in the pathetic "One World" which is Europe... in the latest from across the ocean UK Farmers now must provide toys for their pigs... (I'm not making this up)...

In a decree that came from Brussels farmers are now forced to provide "toys" and playthings for their sows or face punishments of 3 months in prison and a $1000 fine.

Wow! How fucking bizarre is this? Supposedly, this originates from the fact that pigs in all habitats bite and chew at one another. Animal activists have urged giving them playtoys hypothesizing that the piggies will then bite the toys and no longer act out at the other pigs.

And this is now official government policy....

Get this quote from a spokesman from Rural Affairs, “We mean footballs and basketballs. Farmers may also need to change the balls so the pigs don’t get tired with the same one. Different colour ones will do. These rules are based on good welfare. We don’t want to come across as the nanny state, but the important thing is to see pigs happy in their environment and they like to forage with their noses.”

I forgot -- THE IMPORTANT THING is to SEE PIGS HAPPY -- not anything about farmer welfare, or their profits, or the like. Maybe the farmers in prison for violating this law can bite the other prisoners and thus get a ball or toy of their own....