http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/11/17/eating-a-deep-fried-fish_n_360576.html

i've never been hardcore or strict about my vegetarianism. in fact, i wouldn't even call myself one; i'm actually a pescetarian, in other words i eat seafood and eggs but stay away from poultry and red meats. it's not because i feel as though my diet was lacking in proteins and fats that i can get from fish, it was really more that i just never felt too sympathetic to sea creatures. last night however my perspectives changed. i read on perez (yes, i love perezhilton.com) that chinese chefs have discovered a way to keep fish alive even after being deep fried so that customers can experience and "enjoy" the freshest fish possible. according to perez, you can see the fish move and struggle as people dig into its flesh (i obviously did not have the courage to bring myself to click play). after just reading about this inhumane treatment, i began to think about myself: am i any different? i consume fish, though they aren't alive when i eat them, it's not that different. with every dollar i spend on fish, environmentally speaking, i'm essentially helping the fishing industry continue their harmful ways (unless they practice sustainable fishing practices). i guess this is my goodbye to eating fish then. yeah, no more sushi but i'll just have to remind myself of the poor fish being battered to death before it reaches my plate. that should be stomach churning enough to get me to rethink. i can't make the full step into vegetarianism though, shrimp and other seafood i will still eat. if i cut out shrimp from my diet, i will essentially narrow down my options at a restaurant to, like, two dishes. it's a slow, working progress though. maybe something will change my mind about shrimping...actually, i already know that shrimping in the ocean is more harmful to underwater ecosystems than fishing. well, again, working progress.