Friday, September 23, 2011
I love this guy too
Before I forget, Myq Kapan is a comedic genius with a great knack of playing with words. When I get around to it I'd like to purchase his "Vegan Mind Meld". Check him out here .
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
Great site for men who want to make ethical consumption choices
We definitely need more super cool, intelligent men, like Joshua Katcher, who promote ethical consumption. Why does society condemn men for caring and considering the effects of their choices on the planet and other living beings? Take a look for yourself:
The Discerning Brute. It's a fascinating and inspiring read for women too.
The Discerning Brute. It's a fascinating and inspiring read for women too.
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
Share this on Facebook
This video shows some of the truth behind the dairy and veal industry. Although it includes some disturbing footage, it has a positive message which will make it more palatable to people are naive and not wanting to know the ugly truth.
Going vegan with Ellen
She's great: http://vegan.ellen.warnerbros.com/blog/
I want to be vegan! I know it's the right thing to do. I am utterly convinced, and yet I fail repeatedly despite trying. It's difficult when there is barely a vegan thing to eat anywhere. Also, I'm terrible with time management. I cannot find the time to do most of the things I want to do, so it's difficult to plans meals ahead, buy all the necessary groceries, and then cook, cook, cook so that I have the food I need during the week. On top of it, I'm a totally untalented cook so I seldom have inspiration for vegan meals using whatever's available in my kitchen. I have cut out all dairy and eggs at home, but I still struggle when I'm out with friends or, at work where there are so few options. I know it will be better when I'm in Toronto, but ideally I should stick to my convictions where-ever I am.
If I'm having a hard time as a non-mother, I can only imagine how hard it would be for a mother with a job or studies to try to convert to vegan cooking. It seems evident that animal activism, should include two goals : 1) to raise awareness about the terrible cruelties involved in any production of animals for profit, and 2)to provide affordable and convenient vegan alternatives.
I'm thinking that when I move to Toronto I will make an effort to increase vegan options in my community by requesting or suggesting vegan alterntives at restaurants, coffee shops, and grocery stores. It's not much, but it's a start. I'm new to activism. As my confidence and experience grows I hope to do more.
I want to be vegan! I know it's the right thing to do. I am utterly convinced, and yet I fail repeatedly despite trying. It's difficult when there is barely a vegan thing to eat anywhere. Also, I'm terrible with time management. I cannot find the time to do most of the things I want to do, so it's difficult to plans meals ahead, buy all the necessary groceries, and then cook, cook, cook so that I have the food I need during the week. On top of it, I'm a totally untalented cook so I seldom have inspiration for vegan meals using whatever's available in my kitchen. I have cut out all dairy and eggs at home, but I still struggle when I'm out with friends or, at work where there are so few options. I know it will be better when I'm in Toronto, but ideally I should stick to my convictions where-ever I am.
If I'm having a hard time as a non-mother, I can only imagine how hard it would be for a mother with a job or studies to try to convert to vegan cooking. It seems evident that animal activism, should include two goals : 1) to raise awareness about the terrible cruelties involved in any production of animals for profit, and 2)to provide affordable and convenient vegan alternatives.
I'm thinking that when I move to Toronto I will make an effort to increase vegan options in my community by requesting or suggesting vegan alterntives at restaurants, coffee shops, and grocery stores. It's not much, but it's a start. I'm new to activism. As my confidence and experience grows I hope to do more.
A video about where your meat comes from
If you eat meat, you have a responsibility to yourselves and the animals to know where it comes from. Warning: Movie has disturbing scenes.
Tuesday, August 09, 2011
Excellent podcast
Our Henhouse interviews Mercy for Animal undercover investigator of animal abuse on factory farms. The interview starts with a long discussion on Chicago food, but be patient, after that it goes into the interview.
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Great music play list for animals
Here is the play list:
1. Prince - Animal Kingdom
2. The Colourfield - Cruel Circus
3. Luminous Frenzy - McEmotion
4. Robert Wyatt - Pigs (in there)
5. The Style Council - Blood Sports
6. The Playthings - Life in a Bowl
7. Howard Jones - Assault & Battery
8. Cerrone - Supernature
9. Poison Girls - The Offending Article
10. Cecil McCartney - Sacrifice
11. Paul McCartney & Wings - Wild Life
12. X-Ray Spex - Peace Meal
13. The Smiths - Meat is Murder
14. Consolidated - Stoned (Live Bass Mix)
15. Dead Prez - Be Healthy
16. The Playthings - Nursery Rhymes
17. Crass - Merry Crassmas
There are some great songs here. Love Pigs (in there), Sacrifice, Wildlife, and Meat is Murder
1. Prince - Animal Kingdom
2. The Colourfield - Cruel Circus
3. Luminous Frenzy - McEmotion
4. Robert Wyatt - Pigs (in there)
5. The Style Council - Blood Sports
6. The Playthings - Life in a Bowl
7. Howard Jones - Assault & Battery
8. Cerrone - Supernature
9. Poison Girls - The Offending Article
10. Cecil McCartney - Sacrifice
11. Paul McCartney & Wings - Wild Life
12. X-Ray Spex - Peace Meal
13. The Smiths - Meat is Murder
14. Consolidated - Stoned (Live Bass Mix)
15. Dead Prez - Be Healthy
16. The Playthings - Nursery Rhymes
17. Crass - Merry Crassmas
There are some great songs here. Love Pigs (in there), Sacrifice, Wildlife, and Meat is Murder
Friday, July 22, 2011
Give your opinion on animal tests
The University of British Columbia is doing a survey on public opinion of lab tests on animals. I'm going to fill it in and will definitely bare in mind the findings of this article which rigorously discusses the effectiveness of animals to predict human responses.
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
A list of companies that test on animals (or don't)
While I don't like many of PETA's publicity stunts and tactics, they have provided a list of companies that sell personal and household product that do or do not test on animals. It is quite shocking to see which companies test on animals for such benign products like tooth paste! Please consult and try to modify your purchases as much as possible. We vote with our money! Our purchases should reflect our values and ethics.
Is animal testing a useful predictor of human reaction?
Read this paper for a fascinating, compelling and thorough discussion on the predictive power of animal vivisection.
This excellent academic paper uses evidence from many decades of animal testing to argue convincingly that animal studies which test the effects of medicine and the toxicity of chemicals do NOT predict the performance of medicine or toxic effects in humans. The success of prediction is sometimes worse than tossing a coin, i.e., worse than random, and this is the case for even our closest relatives. Yet animal experimentation is on the increase in many places (The U.K. for example), and primates, dogs and cats are still used to this day in the US and Canada. Unfortunately, animal testing will probably increase with increased public pressure to test whether chemicals are carcinogens, as well as the toxicity of GMOs. While many top scientists have pointed out how ineffective animal studies are in predicting effects in humans, many scientists argue that they are "useful", especially when they can cherry-pick particular results to benefit their companies. This is a clear example of how so-called objective scientists who do "real" science, are completely blind to their own lack of objectivity and scientific credibility.
So if many scientists recognise how useless animal studies are for predicting human response, and considering that animal experimentation necessarily inflicts terrible pain and suffering to animals, why do they continue? I wonder if it is simply to whitewash the public, make us feel that the products and medicines we consume are safe.
It's hard to believe that I wanted to be a scientist. Of course, not all scientists have to be completely closed-minded, accepting of the status quo and unethical. Just a large proportion of them, like most human beings.
It's also completely bizarre to me how people can train to be vets, presumably out of some love of animals, and in the end be warped to support the status quo of terrible factor farming, slaughter houses, and medical testing. These vets supposedly do check-ups on these places, and turn a blind eye to the attrocities that they see there. The one thing that has become clear to me now is that people will generally just go with the norm, no matter how terrible and injust it is.
This excellent academic paper uses evidence from many decades of animal testing to argue convincingly that animal studies which test the effects of medicine and the toxicity of chemicals do NOT predict the performance of medicine or toxic effects in humans. The success of prediction is sometimes worse than tossing a coin, i.e., worse than random, and this is the case for even our closest relatives. Yet animal experimentation is on the increase in many places (The U.K. for example), and primates, dogs and cats are still used to this day in the US and Canada. Unfortunately, animal testing will probably increase with increased public pressure to test whether chemicals are carcinogens, as well as the toxicity of GMOs. While many top scientists have pointed out how ineffective animal studies are in predicting effects in humans, many scientists argue that they are "useful", especially when they can cherry-pick particular results to benefit their companies. This is a clear example of how so-called objective scientists who do "real" science, are completely blind to their own lack of objectivity and scientific credibility.
So if many scientists recognise how useless animal studies are for predicting human response, and considering that animal experimentation necessarily inflicts terrible pain and suffering to animals, why do they continue? I wonder if it is simply to whitewash the public, make us feel that the products and medicines we consume are safe.
It's hard to believe that I wanted to be a scientist. Of course, not all scientists have to be completely closed-minded, accepting of the status quo and unethical. Just a large proportion of them, like most human beings.
It's also completely bizarre to me how people can train to be vets, presumably out of some love of animals, and in the end be warped to support the status quo of terrible factor farming, slaughter houses, and medical testing. These vets supposedly do check-ups on these places, and turn a blind eye to the attrocities that they see there. The one thing that has become clear to me now is that people will generally just go with the norm, no matter how terrible and injust it is.
Thursday, July 14, 2011
Tracking animal abuse
This is a web application that tracks where the latest animal abuses in agriculture have occurred in the U.S. It's an example of one animal activist activity that can be achieved geospatial web technologies. Any other ideas? Is there anyway I can use my boring GIS and mapping skills to help animals?
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