Do lobsters have feelings? The reason that I axe is that on a cooking
show recently(Mike Smiths') a live lobster was steamed to death. It
was put into a pot with a little water and then covered and the heat
turned on. Did this lobster suffer for a long time?

that's vewy funny

yes of course they have feelings!
it hurts when you boil them

they are kicking and screaming

shrimp too!

steak too!



--
Barry

=^.^=

.... Women and cats are both black at night. - Bosnia ...
> wrote in message
oups.com...
> Do lobsters have feelings? The reason that I axe is that on a cooking
> show recently(Mike Smiths') a live lobster was steamed to death. It
> was put into a pot with a little water and then covered and the heat
> turned on. Did this lobster suffer for a long time?
>

Switch wrote:
>
> it hurts when you boil them
>
> shrimp too!
>
> steak too!

Steak... only when *you* cook it.

Ahahahahahahahahahahahaha. . . .

If you're actually interested, get yourself a copy of an excellent book,
"The Secret Life of Lobsters".

> wrote in message
oups.com...
> Do lobsters have feelings? The reason that I axe is that on a cooking
> show recently(Mike Smiths') a live lobster was steamed to death. It
> was put into a pot with a little water and then covered and the heat
> turned on. Did this lobster suffer for a long time?
>

In rec.food.cooking wrote:
> Do lobsters have feelings? The reason that I axe is that on a cooking
> show recently(Mike Smiths') a live lobster was steamed to death. It
> was put into a pot with a little water and then covered and the heat
> turned on. Did this lobster suffer for a long time?

You mean, I presume, to ask whether they feel pain - not
whether they get misty-eyed when watching romantic movies
or listening to Barry White albums.

The answer is "no." Their nervous systems are pretty damn
primitive.

If you're at all squeamish, though, you can kill then quickly
by plunging a good stout knife down through the head and then
bringing it down and forward, bisecting the head. Or you can
put them in the freezer for about 15 minutes, which basically
puts them to sleep, before you boil or steam them.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/animalrigh...408050,00.html

[Followups]

--
Mark Shaw
================================================== ======================
"Labor to keep alive in your breast that little spark of mnshaw@
celestial fire called conscience." - George Washington gmail.com

wrote:
> Do lobsters have feelings? The reason that I axe is that on a cooking
> show recently(Mike Smiths') a live lobster was steamed to death. It
> was put into a pot with a little water and then covered and the heat
> turned on. Did this lobster suffer for a long time?

They have senses for sure, just like we humans who rule the earth. I
suspect they also can sense impending death - a necessary item for
survival and evolution. But I am not knowledgeable about lobsters. I
cannot eat them any more unless it is packaged meat and I don't see the
claws and eyes. They are being depleted too much in the wild also? I
may have read that there is a problem there too.

I have a feeling that being put into a pot and steamed to death is not
a way to go.

Too reminiscent of the Spanish Inquisition.

> wrote in message
oups.com...

> They are being depleted too much in the wild also? I
> may have read that there is a problem there too.

Myth, at least in the New England fishery.

Book: "The Secret Life of Lobsters"

Lobsters die instantly when shocked, ie: by dropping them on the floor,
knocking them against the counter, etc. Steam is hotter than water, so
steaming them will cook them faster than dropping them in a pot of boiling
water if you keep the lid on.

I have not heard anything about the east coast lobster population being in
any sort of trouble. Lobsters migrate, so over a period of several years,
the harvest in say, New England will drop, while the harvest in Gaspe will
increase, as herds of millions of lobsters march across the ocean floor from
place to place. Different locations have bumper years and then cycle to
very poor years.

-JD

> wrote in message
oups.com...
> wrote:
>> Do lobsters have feelings? The reason that I axe is that on a cooking
>> show recently(Mike Smiths') a live lobster was steamed to death. It
>> was put into a pot with a little water and then covered and the heat
>> turned on. Did this lobster suffer for a long time?
>
> They have senses for sure, just like we humans who rule the earth. I
> suspect they also can sense impending death - a necessary item for
> survival and evolution. But I am not knowledgeable about lobsters. I
> cannot eat them any more unless it is packaged meat and I don't see the
> claws and eyes. They are being depleted too much in the wild also? I
> may have read that there is a problem there too.
>
> I have a feeling that being put into a pot and steamed to death is not
> a way to go.
>
> Too reminiscent of the Spanish Inquisition.
>



----== Posted via Newsfeeds.Com - Unlimited-Unrestricted-Secure Usenet News==----
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"John D" > wrote in message
...
> Lobsters die instantly when shocked, ie: by dropping them on the floor,
> knocking them against the counter, etc.

False. Lobsters are fairly simple creatures and are actually relatively hard
to kill.

> Steam is hotter than water, so steaming them will cook them faster than
> dropping them in a pot of boiling water if you keep the lid on.'

False. Steam *can* be hotter than water, under pressure, but in the home
kitchen (pressure cookers excepted) it is at the same temperature as boiling
water - 212f. ANd, since water has a much higher thermal capacity per
volume, it will heat and kill lobsters much faster than steam.

And, fer crying out loud, REPLY AT THE BOTTOM where you are supposed to.


--
Peter Aitken
Visit my recipe and kitchen myths page at www.pgacon.com/cooking.htm

John D wrote:
> Lobsters die instantly when shocked, ie: by dropping them on the floor,
> knocking them against the counter, etc.

LOL...anyone remember that Frasier episode where the brothers took over
a restaurant, and Niles couldn't bring himself to kill an eel so he
could cook it? Daphne grabbed the tail end of it and whacked it really
hard against the kitchen counter, and just handed it to Niles to throw
in the pot.

N.

wrote:
> wrote:
>> Do lobsters have feelings? The reason that I axe is that on a cooking
>> show recently(Mike Smiths') a live lobster was steamed to death. It
>> was put into a pot with a little water and then covered and the heat
>> turned on. Did this lobster suffer for a long time?
>
> They have senses for sure, just like we humans who rule the earth. I
> suspect they also can sense impending death - a necessary item for
> survival and evolution. But I am not knowledgeable about lobsters. I
> cannot eat them any more unless it is packaged meat and I don't see the
> claws and eyes. They are being depleted too much in the wild also? I
> may have read that there is a problem there too.
>
> I have a feeling that being put into a pot and steamed to death is not
> a way to go.
>
> Too reminiscent of the Spanish Inquisition.

I wasn't expecting the Spanish Inquisition.

In article >, on Tue, 14 Feb 2006
09:54:01 -0700, Pennyaline wrote:


> I wasn't expecting the Spanish Inquisition.


No one expects the Spanish Inquisition!

--
Seth Goodman

This question comes up here, what, at least a couple of times per year?
;-)

Nobody has ever yet totally agreed......
--
Peace, Om.

"My mother never saw the irony in calling me a son-of-a-bitch." -Jack Nicholson

"OmManiPadmeOmelet" > wrote in message
...
> This question comes up here, what, at least a couple of times per year?
> ;-)
>
> Nobody has ever yet totally agreed......
> --
> Peace, Om.
>
> "My mother never saw the irony in calling me a son-of-a-bitch." -Jack
> Nicholson

http://search.barnesandnoble.com/boo...555599& itm=1

In article >,
"Doug Kanter" > wrote:

> "OmManiPadmeOmelet" > wrote in message
> ...
> > This question comes up here, what, at least a couple of times per year?
> > ;-)
> >
> > Nobody has ever yet totally agreed......
> > --
> > Peace, Om.
> >
> > "My mother never saw the irony in calling me a son-of-a-bitch." -Jack
> > Nicholson
>
> http://search.barnesandnoble.com/boo...id=ME3ckhBCEi&
> isbn=0060555599&itm=1
>
>

I'm afraid that if I read that, I've never eat Lobster again...

Not that I do often anyway.
I prefer fresh Dungeness crab over lobster any day!

Or very large prawn.....
--
Peace, Om.

"My mother never saw the irony in calling me a son-of-a-bitch." -Jack Nicholson

wrote:
> Do lobsters have feelings? The reason that I axe is that on a cooking
> show recently(Mike Smiths') a live lobster was steamed to death. It
> was put into a pot with a little water and then covered and the heat
> turned on. Did this lobster suffer for a long time?
>




No. It pretended it was in a sauna after Mike whispered
the suggestion into its ear.

I forgive you for axe-ing.

In my experience lobsters feel depression, submersion,
sadness, grief, elation (many are bi-polar)and orgasm.
No pain, no regrets, no tension, and surprisingly,
no lack of taste.

gloria p

"Puester" > wrote in message
...
> wrote:
>> Do lobsters have feelings? The reason that I axe is that on a cooking
>> show recently(Mike Smiths') a live lobster was steamed to death. It
>> was put into a pot with a little water and then covered and the heat
>> turned on. Did this lobster suffer for a long time?
>>
>
>
>
>
> No. It pretended it was in a sauna after Mike whispered
> the suggestion into its ear.
>
> I forgive you for axe-ing.
>
> In my experience lobsters feel depression, submersion,
> sadness, grief, elation (many are bi-polar)and orgasm.
> No pain, no regrets, no tension, and surprisingly,
> no lack of taste.
>
> gloria p

They urinate near other lobsters to attract a mate. That's almost as weird
as being stuck on a Greyhound bus next to Sheldon on a long trip.

In article >,
"Doug Kanter" > wrote:

> "Puester" > wrote in message
> ...
> > wrote:
> >> Do lobsters have feelings? The reason that I axe is that on a cooking
> >> show recently(Mike Smiths') a live lobster was steamed to death. It
> >> was put into a pot with a little water and then covered and the heat
> >> turned on. Did this lobster suffer for a long time?
> >>
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > No. It pretended it was in a sauna after Mike whispered
> > the suggestion into its ear.
> >
> > I forgive you for axe-ing.
> >
> > In my experience lobsters feel depression, submersion,
> > sadness, grief, elation (many are bi-polar)and orgasm.
> > No pain, no regrets, no tension, and surprisingly,
> > no lack of taste.
> >
> > gloria p
>
> They urinate near other lobsters to attract a mate. That's almost as weird
> as being stuck on a Greyhound bus next to Sheldon on a long trip.
>
>

<snork>
Glad I was done eating when I read this......... ;-D
--
Peace, Om.

"My mother never saw the irony in calling me a son-of-a-bitch." -Jack Nicholson

"OmManiPadmeOmelet" > wrote in message
...
> In article >,
> "Doug Kanter" > wrote:
>
>> "Puester" > wrote in message
>> ...
>> > wrote:
>> >> Do lobsters have feelings? The reason that I axe is that on a cooking
>> >> show recently(Mike Smiths') a live lobster was steamed to death. It
>> >> was put into a pot with a little water and then covered and the heat
>> >> turned on. Did this lobster suffer for a long time?
>> >>
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > No. It pretended it was in a sauna after Mike whispered
>> > the suggestion into its ear.
>> >
>> > I forgive you for axe-ing.
>> >
>> > In my experience lobsters feel depression, submersion,
>> > sadness, grief, elation (many are bi-polar)and orgasm.
>> > No pain, no regrets, no tension, and surprisingly,
>> > no lack of taste.
>> >
>> > gloria p
>>
>> They urinate near other lobsters to attract a mate. That's almost as
>> weird
>> as being stuck on a Greyhound bus next to Sheldon on a long trip.
>>
>>
>
> <snork>
> Glad I was done eating when I read this......... ;-D
> --
> Peace, Om.

Seriously, get that book I mentioned. It's full of interesting useless facts
like that. You won't be able to put it down.

In article >,
"Doug Kanter" > wrote:

> "OmManiPadmeOmelet" > wrote in message
> ...
> > In article >,
> > "Doug Kanter" > wrote:
> >
> >> "Puester" > wrote in message
> >> ...
> >> > wrote:
> >> >> Do lobsters have feelings? The reason that I axe is that on a cooking
> >> >> show recently(Mike Smiths') a live lobster was steamed to death. It
> >> >> was put into a pot with a little water and then covered and the heat
> >> >> turned on. Did this lobster suffer for a long time?
> >> >>
> >> >
> >> >
> >> >
> >> >
> >> > No. It pretended it was in a sauna after Mike whispered
> >> > the suggestion into its ear.
> >> >
> >> > I forgive you for axe-ing.
> >> >
> >> > In my experience lobsters feel depression, submersion,
> >> > sadness, grief, elation (many are bi-polar)and orgasm.
> >> > No pain, no regrets, no tension, and surprisingly,
> >> > no lack of taste.
> >> >
> >> > gloria p
> >>
> >> They urinate near other lobsters to attract a mate. That's almost as
> >> weird
> >> as being stuck on a Greyhound bus next to Sheldon on a long trip.
> >>
> >>
> >
> > <snork>
> > Glad I was done eating when I read this......... ;-D
> > --
> > Peace, Om.
>
> Seriously, get that book I mentioned. It's full of interesting useless facts
> like that. You won't be able to put it down.
>
>

You are probably right.
And it'd appeal to the zoologist in me. :-)
--
Peace, Om.

"My mother never saw the irony in calling me a son-of-a-bitch." -Jack Nicholson

On Tue, 14 Feb 2006 17:25:05 GMT, Puester >
wrote:

wrote:
>> Do lobsters have feelings? The reason that I axe is that on a cooking
>> show recently(Mike Smiths') a live lobster was steamed to death. It
>> was put into a pot with a little water and then covered and the heat
>> turned on. Did this lobster suffer for a long time?

>No. It pretended it was in a sauna after Mike whispered
>the suggestion into its ear.
>
>I forgive you for axe-ing.
>
>In my experience lobsters feel depression, submersion,
>sadness, grief, elation (many are bi-polar)and orgasm.
>No pain, no regrets, no tension, and surprisingly,
>no lack of taste.
>
Yeah, but they have very thick skins. I tried to insult one once and
the little bugger just ignored me.

Hey, maybe they have kill files!

modom

modom wrote on 14 Feb 2006 in rec.food.cooking

> On Tue, 14 Feb 2006 17:25:05 GMT, Puester >
> wrote:
>
> wrote:
> >> Do lobsters have feelings? The reason that I axe is that on a
cooking
> >> show recently(Mike Smiths') a live lobster was steamed to death. It
> >> was put into a pot with a little water and then covered and the heat
> >> turned on. Did this lobster suffer for a long time?
>
> >No. It pretended it was in a sauna after Mike whispered
> >the suggestion into its ear.
> >
> >I forgive you for axe-ing.
> >
> >In my experience lobsters feel depression, submersion,
> >sadness, grief, elation (many are bi-polar)and orgasm.
> >No pain, no regrets, no tension, and surprisingly,
> >no lack of taste.
> >
> Yeah, but they have very thick skins. I tried to insult one once and
> the little bugger just ignored me.
>
> Hey, maybe they have kill files!
>
> modom
>

Try harder...I got one to cry once...

--
The eyes are the mirrors....
But the ears...Ah the ears.
The ears keep the hat up.

wrote:
> Do lobsters have feelings?

Just buy her some flowers and tell her you will respect her in the
morning....sheesh - the lengths some people will go to for a date on
V-Day...

Cheers
Cathy(xyz)

In article . com>,
"cathyxyz" > wrote:

> wrote:
> > Do lobsters have feelings?
>
> Just buy her some flowers and tell her you will respect her in the
> morning....sheesh - the lengths some people will go to for a date on
> V-Day...
>
> Cheers
> Cathy(xyz)
>

ROFL!!!

Good one Cathy! ;-D
--
Peace, Om.

"My mother never saw the irony in calling me a son-of-a-bitch." -Jack Nicholson

wrote:
> Do lobsters have feelings? The reason that I axe is that on a cooking
> show recently(Mike Smiths') a live lobster was steamed to death. It
> was put into a pot with a little water and then covered and the heat
> turned on. Did this lobster suffer for a long time?

Lobsters and other large crustaceans have the worlds largest nerve - it
is used as a model system to study the ion channels in the synapse. So
yes, I would say they do feel pain.

-L.

wrote:
>
> Do lobsters have feelings? The reason that I axe is that on a
> cooking show recently(Mike Smiths') a live lobster was steamed to
> death. It was put into a pot with a little water and then covered
> and the heat turned on. Did this lobster suffer for a long time?

Yes, and he deserved it. Lobsters are the most
bigoted, hate-filled animals in the whole ocean.
Steam them all, that's what I say! :-)

Mark Thorson wrote:
> WilliansWalker wrote:
> >
> > Do lobsters have feelings?

Does lobster have feelings...

Lobster are extremely sensate creatures, they do feel pain, more
exquistely so than humans... but it's highly debatable whether lobster
are emotional creatures, it's doubtful they feel guilt when they nip
off your two inch fuse.


> Lobsters are the most...

Lobster is the most.

Lobster has a greater IQ than yoose.

Sheldon

On 14 Feb 2006 13:01:22 -0800, "Sheldon" > wrote:

>
>Mark Thorson wrote:
>> WilliansWalker wrote:
>> >
>> > Do lobsters have feelings?
>
>Does lobster have feelings...
>
>Lobster are extremely sensate creatures, they do feel pain, more
>exquistely so than humans... but it's highly debatable whether lobster
>are emotional creatures, it's doubtful they feel guilt when they nip
>off your two inch fuse.
>
Nonsense. Any person who has taken Zoology 101 has looked at a digram
of the lobster nervous system. It is very sparse, consisting of a
very small network. The brain is about the size of a pinhead. They
are so primative that they can lose claws, legs etc to predators and
simply grow new ones.
>
>> Lobsters are the most...
>
>Lobster is the most.

Lobsters (plural)...are
>
>Lobster has a greater IQ than yoose.
>
>Sheldon

In article >,
Allan Matthews > wrote:

> On 14 Feb 2006 13:01:22 -0800, "Sheldon" > wrote:
<snip>
> >
> >Lobster are extremely sensate creatures, they do feel pain, more
> >exquistely so than humans... but it's highly debatable whether lobster
> >are emotional creatures, it's doubtful they feel guilt when they nip
> >off your two inch fuse.
> >
> Nonsense. Any person who has taken Zoology 101 has looked at a digram
> of the lobster nervous system. It is very sparse, consisting of a
> very small network. The brain is about the size of a pinhead. They
> are so primative that they can lose claws, legs etc to predators and
> simply grow new ones.

Yes, but though they have few neurons, some of them are REALLY BIG. As
someone pointed out yesterday there are these giant axons ... they're
even used to study ION TRANSPORT! Think about that. ION TRANSPORT!
(Pardon me for shouting ... I guess I'm getting overly worked up about
this.)

In any case, based on the size of a nerve we can surely conclude,
following I don't quite know what kind of logic, that they feel pain
and, as Sheldon points out, they feel it "more exquistely so than
humans."

Pass the butter,
Dave W.

--
Living in the Ozarks
For email, edu will do.

Regardless of what doesn't happen, there's always someone who knew it wouldn't.
R. Henry

On 14 Feb 2006 07:07:06 -0800,
wrote:

>Do lobsters have feelings? The reason that I axe is that on a cooking
>show recently(Mike Smiths') a live lobster was steamed to death. It
>was put into a pot with a little water and then covered and the heat
>turned on. Did this lobster suffer for a long time?

Howdy,

No expert I, but...

Years ago, I knew a woman who had a Ph.D. in WDSL&OSC
(Whatever Discipline Studies Lobsters and Other Such
Critters.)

Based upon her research, she was of the opinion that when
they were put in a bit of cold water that was then heated
they went into some sort of zoned out state that was far
more humane than the boiling water route. She also said that
because of the relatively slow increase in temperature and
the "zoning out" that it induced, they would taste better as
well.

All the best,
--
Kenneth

If you email... Please remove the "SPAMLESS."

Kenneth wrote:
> Years ago, I knew a woman who had a Ph.D. in WDSL&OSC
> (Whatever Discipline Studies Lobsters and Other Such
> Critters.)
>
> Based upon her research, she was of the opinion that when
> they were put in a bit of cold water that was then heated
> they went into some sort of zoned out state that was far
> more humane than the boiling water route. She also said that
> because of the relatively slow increase in temperature and
> the "zoning out" that it induced, they would taste better as
> well.
>
> All the best,

Gruesome but makes sense. When animals sense impending death, they
release hormones which affects the muscles and their tastes, so I would
believe in her thesis. The woman who specializes in designing
slaughterhouses also made the same observation in her Ph.D. thesis.

wrote:

> Do lobsters have feelings? The reason that I axe


Lobsters utterly disdain Ebonics...

--
Best
Greg

"Gregory Morrow" > wrote in message
oups.com...
>
> wrote:
>
>> Do lobsters have feelings? The reason that I axe
>
>
> Lobsters utterly disdain Ebonics...

That explains why they never get their nails did.