But it looks like celebrities are good for something after all.

Melissa Gilbert, now the president of the Screen Actors Guild, has sent letters to Hollywood stars asking them to not shop at WalMart. WalMart's low prices, she says, "come at tremendous cost". Agreed. There is a greater price we pay with our tax dollars subsidizing workers health care, the loss of independent retailers and entrepreneurs, and the destruction of small town life.

A host of celebrities have come out in support of PETA's actions against KFC. These include Paul McCartney and Richard Pryor. PETA is taking KFC to task for the needless torture of chickens. Of course we need to kill chickens for food. But there are humane ways of doing it for the same cost. Funny how many people who are so very adamant about "respecting life" don't extend this to all living creatures. It's hard to imagine that the reshaped candy tasting chicken from KFC was ever a live creature.

It goes to that curious notion of man being different in kind from animals. It's a convenient philosophy when you need to justify absolute disrespect for life and the integrity of the planet.

We've lost our connection to nature and the source of our food. In a machine world we've lost respect for the animals we eat and the resources we consume. The world is organic but we have created a simplistic, mechanistic view of things that supports our automated industrial food production and blinds us from our disconnect with nature.

The abstraction is tremendous. This video makes it a bit more real, and may make you see your popcorn chicken in a different light.

Speaking of scholars, Cornel West has also come out in strong support for PETA, connecting the abuse of chickens to "all injustices". I urge other intellectuals to join Dr. West.

And finally, speaking of celebrities with no discernable talent, Justin Timberlake has just completed his "I'm Lovin' It" tour, hosted and titled by McDonald's. Junk music and junk food do seem to complement one another.