Just say it: Killing animals for appetite is wrong

Great argument for why it's necessary to bring the animal rights message to the public eye:
http://fortheabolitionofveganism.blogspot.fr/

Serve With Fava Beans and a Nice Chianti: The Hannibal Lecterism of Happy Meat

This is chilling but brilliant.

UNEP article on GHG caused by meat

The article.

Vets experience inside slaughterhouse

Link

Thanks-Giving

The best thing about moving to Canada, and particularly studying in the Engineering Dept. of the University of Calgary, is that it gave me the opportunity to get to know wonderful people from all around the world; people I'd be unlikely to meet otherwise.  I grew to know and care for individuals from China, Taiwan, South Korea, Egypt, Jordan, Palestine, Iran, Turkey, Germany, and of course, Canada.   I quickly realized that some of my perceptions of other nations, based on the media or stories, were largely false, and that we are all basically alike as human beings. This Thanks Giving I wish that everyone would have this opportunity to know others that are "different" from them, as I am sure that this would be the road to peace.  I wish for a peaceful, non-violent world, where no one would dream of dropping a bomb on people from another country, because their friends live there!  I wish for a time when we will no longer make excuses for killing people, or any sentient beings.  We can all contribute to peace today as peace starts within ourselves, at home and the food we consume.  I ask you to spare a thought for the "meat" on your table.  It's hard to imagine that "it", was once a boy or a girl who was killed, then dismembered, and transformed completely.  This animal-being may not seem very important in the scheme of our lives, and human trials and tribulations, but he or she, like us, had only one chance to experience life, to exist. and would have wanted to live and be free.  We are not so different.

Abolition and Welfare debate?

Fantastic essay by Melanie Joy on the so-called Abolition and Welfare debate. Let's put an end to it and start a dialogue!  I love the vegan philosophy she espouses. It's completely encompassing of all living beings, including those silly ones called humans.

Hilarious and so true

"School field trip to slaughterhouse traumatizes children": Link

Animal free braai (aka BBQ)

South Africa is meant to celebrate its heritage on National Heritage Day on the 24th of September.  Unfortunately, this day has been hijacked by the meat and braai brigade.  It seems that South Africans' most unifying cultural element is burning the flesh of dead animals so that they can eat them.  I understand that there are many happy memories around the fire with family and friends, usually on a beautiful South African evening, but we can partake in this tradition by replacing meat with healthy vegetables, while leaving the animals alone.  Also, meat, especially the burnt variety found on the fire, is well-established to cause colorectal cancer, so it seems a switch to vegetarian would be good for the health of South Africans too.  Truthfully, I'm not holding up much hope for that because it is such a proud tradition associated with rugby and other sports, where men feel like men managing the fire and meat, and drinking beer.  But perhaps an odd soul here and there might be prompted to switch to veggies, or at least add them to their meal. I'm trying to put together a list of good braai ideas which I can post to Facebook a few days prior to the event.  Something like this:

"Why not replace cancer-causing artery-clogging animal flesh with delicious cancer-fighting vegetables this National Braai Day.  Don't forget the old favourites: grilled miellies, portabello mushrooms, toasted samies and potatoes. You could be adventurous and try grilled pineapple, eggplant, tofu and more. Don't forget Fry's products for tasty veggie sausages!"

And then I'll add some good recipe links. This is what I've found so far, but somehow I'd like something better - more conventional veggies and more appealing pictures.

http://www.vegkitchen.com/tips/vegetarian-barbecue/

http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/content/recipes/vegetarian/vegetarian-barbecue/ - This one includes cheese unfortunately, but I like the layout.

http://inhabitat.com/8-scrumptious-vegan-bbq-recipes-for-summer/ - I like this one as it's simple and sweet.

Do you have any suggestions?

I must be very careful with my phrasing as I imagine some South Africans will be furious at my statement. I don't want to simply use the words "Add" veggies though. I want it to be "replace".  If it sounds like I'm talking to them (the SAFAs) perhaps they'll feel like I'm patronising them or telling them what to do. How do I make a suggestion without getting the wrong tone?

Slaughterhouses and violent crime

Probing the link between slaughterhouses and violent crime

Academic study

Unbearable Lightness of Being

I came across an phenomenal quote from "The Unbearable Lightness of Being" by Milan Kundera (p. 289 - 290):

True human goodness, in all its purity and freedom, can come to the fore only when its recipient has no power. Man­kind’s true moral test, its fundamental test (which lies deeply buried from view), consists of its attitude towards those who are at its mercy: animals. And in this respect mankind has suffered a fundamental debacle, a debacle so fundamental that all others stem from it.

You can read a larger extract, beautifully written here.  I must read this book.

Another powerful speech

You must watch this powerful speech by Philip Wollen (Australia) called: Animals should be off the menu.

Peaceable Kingdom

The Peaceable Kingdom is a wonderful movie which had been tears several times. You can buy the dvd here: http://tribeofheart.org/
and the website:

Great new blog

I'm going to follow this blog, be their voice, you should too. The blogger grew up on a cattle ranch and explains his first encounter with the darker side of ranching.  He's a naturally empathetic person who considered things from the animals' perspective. That changes everything.

Great interview with Dr. Marc Bekoff

I loved this Interview with Dr. Bekoff. What an inspiring human being and game changer. I wish there were more compassionate conservationists. Many, are extremely instrumentalist in their view of wild animals. I'm also thrilled at the discovery of Michael Tobias' blog, which is a very interesting read if you're into conservation, environmentalism and animals. That would be me!

Brilliant Sue Coe

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/sue-coe/animal-cruelty-book_b_1519323.html#s=980275

On feminism and animal rights

http://carolglasser.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/Brock-Review-2011_Glasser.pdf

Make your own FB Ad

Ok, I have to do this. I can pay for adverts on Facebook and for as little as a dollar per day I could spread awareness about animal abuse. http://www.farmsanctuary.org/CompassionateCommunities/?page_id=35

Competition

Note to self: Enter this competition and speak for animals! http://www.wolfoundation.org/home/About.html

So proud of Anita and Toronto Pig Save

http://www.thestar.com/news/article/1175879--porter-toronto-pig-save-activists-protest-slaughter-weekly-at-quality-meat-packers-abattoir?bn=1#photo

Great websites to understand water usage

Main website: http://www.waterfootprint.org/?page=files/home

Calculate your water footprint: http://www.waterfootprint.org/index.php?page=cal/WaterFootprintCalculator#result

National water consumption/production: http://www.waterfootprint.org/?page=files/WaterStat-NationalWaterFootprints

Publications: http://www.waterfootprint.org/?page=files/Publications

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/graphic/2012/feb/14/water-footprint-world-map

These websites are not vegetarian sites, but provide irrefutable evidence of the enormous water footprint of animal products.

Green-fur add found misleading

The ASA found an advert stating that fur was "eco-friendly" to be misleading and said that the ad could no longer appear in it's current form. LINK

Some blogs to read

Veggie Revolution

Farm Sanctuary

Morality in animals

Franz De Waal's TED talk on reciprocity and compassion in animals

Ag-Gag Bills in the US

Brilliant interview with undercover investigator on Green is the New Red.

Human rights violations in meat-packing plants

Blood, Sweat and Fear is a report by Human Rights Watch documenting the human rights abuses of workers, often poor immigrants, working within slaughterhouses and meat-packing plants in the U.S.. Although, it does not question the fundamental brutality and oppression of the activity in itself, it documents very clearly the exploitation of humans working there.  It makes it quite clear that these circumstances arise not by accident, but by deliberate design.  If the corporate powers are willing to treat humans with such utter contempt, one can understand why it's even more terrible for animals, who have no protection, and are bred and raised for the sole purpose of exploitation and slaughter.

Wait for Me

A poem for those who cannot sleep at night thinking of the untold suffering of countless unseen animals around the world.

Desire for babies

Paedophagia – the sickness of society

Melanie Joy again

This a brilliant lecture by Melanie Joy about the disconnect between the animals we eat and the animals we love.  She raises the great point that there is NO FREE choice without awareness and knowledge.

The first 100 chimps

http://first100chimps.wesleyan.edu/

A very interesting journal

I happened upon this interesting journal called Nature Loving.

Stunning wolfdog sanctuary in Alberta.

I discovered this sanctuary today.  Beautiful photos of wolf dogs and they're anti wolf hunting!

The Human Cost of Animal Suffering.

The human cost of animal suffering. A compelling article about the hidden violence of slaughterhouses written by Mark Bittman for meat-eaters.

How can we continue to turn a blind eye to this?!

I shouted out in pain watching this video.  I have seen similar before, but it always shocks me to the core.



GOOD people CANNOT support industries so cruel and evil. Good people CANNOT turn a blind eye to this SLAUGHTER and TORTURE. Good people CANNOT sit by and do nothing while BILLIONS OF ANIMALS die like this every year.

The fact is, that as a whole, as a society, we do not give animals the slightest moral consideration. Every single one of their interests is secondary to any one of our interests, no matter how trivial ours are. Even fashion, fake eyelashes, and entertainment trump their rights to life, freedom from confinement, and freedom from the most grotesque torture imaginable. 

Happy film on animal farming ;)

Portraits of dogs just before death

This is beautiful and sad. Yun-Fei Tou is an artists who captures the soul of these animals moments before they are euthanized. 

Websites and blogs I like to read.

Animal Emotions by Marc Bekoff
Animal Rights: The Abolitionist Approach Approach by Gary Francione
Carol J. Adams
On Nonhuman Slavery
On the Road to Liberation by David Sztybel
Our Hen House by Jasmin Singer and Mariann Sullivan
The New Animalist  by Andrew Westoll
The Veganomaly
Vegan.com by Erik Marcus

Zoocheck Perspectives by Zoocheck Canada

Nutrition and Science
Jack Norris RD
PaleoVeganology
The Vegan RD: Thoughts on being a vegan by Ginny Messina

Recipes
Chef Chloe
Chocolate-Covered Katie
Happy Herbivore
Mouthwatering Vegan Recipes
Our Veggie Kitchen
Vegangela
We Love Food

Politics
Green Is The New Red 

Other recently discovered
Pythagorean Crank
Skeptical Vegan
Speciesist Vegan
The Rational Vegan
The Vegan Skeptic

Apology to a slaughtered cow

Wow, this video is really moving and brought me to tears. John apologises to the spirit of a cow who was murdered brutally for food.  It is very personal and helped me connect to that particular cow, and all the particular cows and animals who are slaughtered every day for food.

Link

The not-so-heroic truth about Edison

How were we not told that Edison electrocute an elephant and numerous animals to prove the point that AC current is dangerous!   Not only this he paid for the creation of the first electric chair to kill human beings.

See wikipedia's extract:

" Edison carried out a campaign to discourage the use^[18] of alternating current, including spreading disinformation on fatal AC accidents, publicly killing animals, and lobbying against the use of AC in state legislatures. Edison directed his technicians, primarily Arthur Kennelly and Harold P. Brown,^[19] to preside over several AC-driven killings of animals, primarily stray cats and dogs but also unwanted cattle and horses. ^[20] Acting on these directives, they were to demonstrate to the press that alternating current was more dangerous than Edison's system of direct current.^[21] He also tried to popularize the term for being electrocuted as being "Westinghoused". Years after DC had lost the "war of the currents," in 1903, his film crew made a movie of the electrocution with high voltage AC, supervised by Edison employees, of Topsy, a Coney Island circus elephant which had recently killed three men.^[22]

Edison opposed capital punishment, but his desire to disparage the system of alternating current led to the invention of the electric chair. Harold P. Brown, who was being secretly paid by Edison, built the first electric chair for the state of New York to promote the idea that alternating current was deadlier than DC."

Here's a video of it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HMmslGfaNls

The comments are almost as vile as the act itself. 

Here is some more horrific information about the history of the electric chair: http://www.capitalcentury.com/1907.html

Honestly, what is the explanation of such wanton and careless cruelty? Is it male ego? Really, what is it?

Richard Dawkins interviews Peter Singer

I couldn't imagine a more interesting pair of people to have a discussion.  My only surprise is how easily Peter Singer has Richard Dawkins on the ropes. I admire Richard for being humble though and acknowledging the logic of Peter's arguments. Many interesting philosophical topics are presented here, which all relate to animal eating.

Nelson Mandela

When I read quotes by Nelson Mandela I am struck by how powerful, inspiring and beautiful his sentiments are.  Although he was my president I did not realize what a beautiful mind he has. I feel so fortunate to have been alive and in South Africa when he was freed and became president.  I hope that his words and life are an inspiration to all to strive for peace and equality on earth, to work bravely for the oppressed.

Homage to writers

Incredible writing that explains exactly what is so wrong with the slaughterhouse.

"The uproar was appalling, perilous to the ear-drums; one feared there was too much sound for the room to hold--that the walls must give way or the ceiling crack. There were high squeals and low squeals, grunts, and wails of agony; there would come a momentary lull, and then a fresh outburst, louder than ever, surging up to a deafening climax. It was too much for some of the visitors--the men would look at each other, laughing nervously, and the women would stand with hands clenched, and the blood rushing to their faces, and the tears starting in their eyes. Meantime, heedless of all these things, the men upon the floor were going about their work. Neither squeals of hogs nor tears of visitors made any difference to them; one by one they hooked up the hogs, and one by one with a swift stroke they slit their throats. There was a long line of hogs, with squeals and life-blood ebbing away together; until at last each started again, and vanished with a splash into a huge vat of boiling water. It was all so very businesslike that one watched it fascinated. It was pork-making by machinery, pork-making by applied mathematics. And yet somehow the most matter-of-fact person could not help thinking of the hogs; they were so innocent, they came so very trustingly; and they were so very human in their protests--and so perfectly within their rights! They had done nothing to deserve it; and it was adding insult to injury, as the thing was done here, swinging them up in this cold-blooded, impersonal way, without a pretence at apology, without the homage of a tear. Now and then a visitor wept, to be sure; but this slaughtering-machine ran on, visitors or no visitors. It was like some horrible crime committed in a dungeon, all unseen and unheeded, buried out of sight and of memory.”
― Upton Sinclair, The Jungle. (photograph Gail Eisnitz) (jb)

animals as commodities

Rhino poaching in South Africa has sky rocketed with 1 or more rhinos killed per day in 2011.  

They are killed for their horns which are extremely valuable in Asia for "medicine" and decorations.  

They are not always killed first, rather their horns are hacked off and they are left to die in agony.  This is terrible and heartbreaking. Not only will these beautiful animals go extinct very soon, but they are suffering tremendously and having their lives terminated.  I hate that this is a completely illegal act ignoring the will of the majority of South Africans, but it is also totally part of world system that views animals as commodities of utilitarian benefit to humans.  The only difference is that South Africans value these rhinos as a symbol of national wilderness and beauty, while Asians view them as medicinal and decorative commodities.  South Africans are not necessarily against the murder of rhinos as legal hunting continues in South Africa.  If these animals tasted good then we would eat them as indifferently as all the other millions of animals that are raised for our consumption.  My heart is aching. 

A news story.

An environmental argument for reducing meat.

Link by Ezra Klein

Powerful

link
Dr Steve Best's video definitely has the feel of propaganda, but the videos of animal abuse are real and normal in all forms of animal exploitation.  It is a powerful video, but I don't think I would share this to convince others as I don't think the truth needs to be made so slick to be effective.  I prefer a more compassionate and educational approach.

Interesting interview with former animal researcher

Link

National Research Institute

Science board of NSDA.

Melanie Joy's theory of Carnism

Carnism

Cruel and useless animal experiments

Another example of cruel and useless experiments done on rats, mice and dogs. It makes me so sad.  If you're willing to accept that animal testing is morally acceptable, it seems that every ill-conceived and deplorable experiment can be carried out. How about we study humans when we want to know something about them?!