What is up with the news reports of animal torture?

[Deja Q]

tortoise, a couple of kitties, what else, oh my...

Never mind people in general seem to show a disregard for basic rules (e.g. jaywalking, obscene acts in stores for all to see - it's popcorn time when the manager comes around to kick the juveniles out...)

And worst of all, microwave popcorn has gone up in price. Damn it. Everybody knows ethanol is not an ideal solution to the problem so why do it? (it'd be cheaper to go hybrid in the end, surely?)