The Virtual Corkscrew Museum's Daily Newspaper
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Tuesday, July 8, 2003 |
Pamploma, Spain - July 6 kicked off the annual running of the bulls through the streets of Pamploma. The Daily Screw is pleased to have the above exclusive photo showing the bulls with some unusual company as reported by Reuters News Service:
Animal rights activists stripped naked to protest against the running of bulls through the streets of Pamplona, condemning one of Spain's most famous traditions as cruel to animals. Activists from all over Western Europe had
planned to run nude along the route for the annual bull runs, but police in the northern Spanish city said the protest was unauthorized and blocked their way.
About 20 men and women went ahead with the protest near the city center however, stripping completely. Some put on plastic horns or fake bull's heads. They were joined by scores of other protesters who kept on all or part of their clothing.
"In the running of the bulls, you have terrified animals slipping and sliding along the cobbled stone streets. Many of them suffer from broken bones," said Sean Gifford, of the U.S.-based People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals group that organized the Saturday protest. "At the end of that terrified stampede, a gruesome death in the bullfighting ring awaits them," he said. "Forty thousand bulls are slaughtered in Spanish bullrings every year in the most horrific of ways. This is a tradition that needs to end."
The ancient San Fermin festival began on Sunday, kicking off a week of celebrations that attract thousands of tourists from around the world.
Sword Follow-Up Story
Wirtz, Virginia - In the March 29 issue of The Daily Screw, we published the 1949 news about Artur Griep's German Patent No. 887,711 for a new cigar cutter (Zigarrenabschneider) design. The sliding cutter is pulled up and the cigar tip is inserted into a hole. The cutter is now depressed and the tip is cut. The cigar cutter was produced as part of a combination letter opener and corkscrew.
An original leather holster for the letter opener has now come to light. It has a magnifier in the top and is marked MADE IN GERMANY.
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©2003 Don Bull, Editor |
