I wrote the bi-monthly NewsBeet briefs for VegNews magazine from 2007-2009 (see below).

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September 2009



Sealed with a Kilt
Parliament’s recent 550 to 49 vote banning the sale of sealskin products throughout the European Union may be a death blow to the Canadian seal hunt, which kills about 300,000 seals every year by clubbing or shooting, but it also cramped the style of another industry: kiltmakers. Purveyors of Scotland's national dress say that the sporran (a pouch worn on the front as a replacement for pockets) has been traditionally made from sealskin for more than 100 years, and claim that the ban will “destroy Scottish heritage” (according to one anonymous industry insider, at least). By October 2010, it will be illegal in EU countries to sell any sealskin products—even those that were manufactured before the ban went into effect. Makers of sporrans are expected to replace sealskin with alternative materials, such as synthetic pleather, but complain that these faux fabrics cannot replicate the texture of marine mammal hide.  news.scotsman.com

Shroom with a Brew
An enterprising pair of students from the Haas School of Business at the University of California, Berkeley are taking environmentally sustainable production to new levels with Back To The Roots Ventures, a socially-responsible company based in the San Francisco Bay Area that grows edible mushrooms from used coffee grounds. With the help of two award-winning mycologists who specialize in training farmers to use sustainable agriculture methods, seniors Alex Velez and Nikhi Arora are able to turn coffee waste collected from local coffee shops into 1500 pounds of oyster and shiitake mushrooms a month, which they then sell to local grocery stores. By recycling materials that would otherwise be buried in a landfill into a nutritious food source and donating a portion of its proceeds back into the community, BTTR Ventures' founders say they hope “to shift the standard way of doing business, directly impacting our economy and changing the world.”  bttrventures.com

Tuesday, Wednesday...Vegday?
This past May, the city of Ghent in Belgium officially proclaimed Thursday “Donderdag” (“Veggieday”), making this medieval metropolis the world's first to encourage its citizens to eat vegetarian on a weekly basis. From now on, elected officials and government employees living in Belgium's second most populous city are expected to eat meatless meals every Thursday to set an example for fellow Ghentians on how to fight obesity and global warming. The project was a joint effort between the city and Belgian advocacy organization Ethical Vegetarian Alternative (EVA), which helped launch the first Veggieday with a celebration that included free food, cooking demos, and presentations on healthy eating. With more vegetarian restaurants per capita than international capitals like London, Paris, and Berlin, Ghent is already way ahead of the dietary curve, and has printed up approximately 90,000 customized street maps showing residents and visitors where they can find these enticing eateries.  BBC

I Like Bike
For Josh Hooten—founder of Herbivore Magazine and Herbivore Clothing—there was no better way to celebrate his 10th anniversary as a vegan than by doing a good deed for the organization that first inspired his ethical transformation. So he got on his trusty bicycle in his hometown of Portland, Oregon and rode approximately 600 miles south to Farm Sanctuary's rescue center and shelter in Orland, California. This required a full week and a half of hard core pedaling, and camping out under the stars most nights, but it was well worth it because along the way Hooten raised more than $12,700 for the animals. After timing his journey to arrive just in time for Farm Sanctuary's annual California Country Hoe Down on May 16 and 17, Hooten emceed the event for a crowd of enthusiastic celebrants despite being utterly exhausted. See picturesque photos from Hooten's ride at his blog.  joshivore.blogspot.com

Silk Milk Bilk
When people purchase foods made from “natural” or “organic” ingredients, they have a right to expect these products to live up to their claims, but a new report shows that labels can be deceptive. According to Beyond the Bean: The Heroes and Charlatans of the Natural and Organic Soy Foods Industry, an in-depth and wide-ranging survey conducted by the Cornucopia Institute, some companies are buying their soybeans from countries where organic standards fall far short of those required for USDA certification. One of these companies is White Wave, makers of Silk, the best-selling soymilk in the US. After corporate colossus Dean Foods acquired White Wave in 2002, it increased profit margins by expanding distribution to new markets and replacing American-grown organic soybeans with a cheaper and less nutritious variety imported from China. Fortunately, consumers can learn which companies support truly sustainable organic agriculture by consulting the Cornucopia Institute report online.  cornucopia.org

Presidential Garden
This spring, First Lady Michelle Obama started an 1100-square foot White House Kitchen Garden with a class of fifth graders from Bancroft Elementary School to help fight childhood obesity and diabetes—and it’s all organic too, which is sure to please everyone, right? Well, everyone that is except the Mid-America CropLife Association (MACA), an organization representing agrichemical companies like Monsanto, DuPont, and Dow. In a long letter addressed to “Mrs. Barack Obama,” MACA representatives urged Ms. Obama to start using their constituents’ “crop protection products” (i.e., pesticides and herbicides) because an organic garden does not “recogniz(e) the importance and value of America’s current agricultural technologies in feeding our country and contributing to the U.S. economy.” MACA Executive Director Bonnie McCarvel was less subtle in an email to the organization’s members, in which she wrote: “While a garden is a good idea, the thought of it being organic made (us) shudder.”  credoaction.com

El Rushbo’s Soft Side
Hard as it may be to believe, Rush Limbaugh—the radical right-wing pundit and heckler of liberals who famously wants President Obama to fail—is actually an animal lover. For years, Limbaugh’s trans-species affection was mostly confined to his beloved companion cat Punkin, but recently the de facto “leader of the Republican Party” has recorded two public service announcements for the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS)—one against illegal dog fighting and the other reaching out to people of faith with a message promoting “the moral obligation that we have to be good stewards of God’s creatures.” As a result, some of the syndicated radio and TV host’s normally dedicated Dittoheads have criticized Limbaugh for lending his voice to a pro-vegan group that allegedly wants to outlaw hunting, with a sportsmen’s coalition urging him to stop “helping (HSUS) to mainstream their image in the minds of reasonable people.”  Washington Times

Must Eat TV
At 9:00 p.m. on Wednesday, May 27, television’s first sitcom about a vegan family premiered on ABC. The Goode Family, co-created by Mike Judge, the man behind such animated hits as King of the Hill and Beavis and Butthead, centers on a brood of uber-environmental vegans who do everything they can to, well, be good by living sustainably and ethically. However, because Judge aims to illustrate how “complicated” and “expensive” this supposedly is, the cartoon may irk some environmentalists and vegans. For example, parents Gerald and Helen Goode drive a hybrid vehicle with a bumper sticker that reads “WWAGD?” (translation: “What Would Al Gore Do?”), and Che, the family dog, is a reluctant herbivore who often attempts to eat woodland creatures and neighborhood pets. However, while the program does poke fun at vegans, it also conveys, with humor and wit, the reasons why vegans choose not to eat animals.  abc.com

Supplemental Findings
New research suggests that popping vitamin C and E pills before working out may counteract some of the positive effects of exercise for people at risk for diabetes. Physical exertion produces compounds in the body called “free radicals” that are believed to accelerate the aging process, so some experts have recommended large doses of antioxidants as a way of neutralizing their ill effects. However, free radicals also beneficially increase the body’s sensitivity to insulin (which helps prevent diabetes), so taking supplements erases the gains of exercise for those at risk for the increasingly common metabolic disorder. Researchers emphasized that the negative effects of vitamins C and E only occur when they are taken in pill form, and that those at risk for diabetes who want to increase their blood glucose levels through engaging in regular aerobic workouts should eat fruits and vegetables naturally rich in these antioxidants.  Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences

Skeleton Key
A recent study provides evidence that vegans’ bones are just as strong as those of meat eaters. Researchers measured the bone density of 210 women between 50 and 85 years old, half of them Buddhist nuns from monasteries in Vietnam whose order requires them to follow a vegan diet. Even though the vegan subjects on average consumed less than half the calcium eaten by the omnivores (330 mg compared to 682 mg), their osteoporosis rates were equal (about 20 percent for each group). Study leader Dr. Tuan Nguyen said that “although the vegans studied do indeed have lower protein and calcium intakes, their bone density is virtually identical to that of people who eat a wide variety of foods, including animal protein.” Factors aside from calcium intake that influence osteoporosis rates and were not accounted for by the study include consumption of caffeine and nicotine, exercise, and vitamin D levels.  Osteoporosis International

Vanity Plate Debate
Denver vegan and mother of three Kelley Coffman-Lee just wanted to express her healthy infatuation with soy foods on a personalized license plate inscribed with the abbreviated phrase “ILVTOFU,” but the Colorado Department of Motor Vehicles said no way. After a spokesman for the Colorado Department of Revenue justified their rejection of Coffman-Lee’s request by explaining that some motorists might misconstrue the declaration as having a sexual or obscene meaning, the American Civil Liberties Union got involved, questioning the decision’s Constitutionality and filing an open records application with the state seeking the full list of censored license plates. Coffman-Lee maintains that anyone driving behind her would have no doubt about what it is she really loves, given the number of pro-vegan bumper stickers adorning the rear end of the family’s Suzuki SL-7. “I was just going to have a cool license plate,” she asserted, “and the DMV misinterpreted my message.”  Denver Post

Free Food!
Though restaurants and supermarkets throughout the land offer more meatless options than ever before, many people still think vegan food is boring because they have never had the opportunity to sample truly tasty plant-based treats. But now anyone can expose members of their community to a new way of eating with the help of VegFund, a non-profit based in Gainesville, Florida that provides activists with vegan food to give away at a very affordable price—free! That’s right: no cost and no strings attached for anyone who wants to be reimbursed for distributing plant-based food at art exhibits, concerts, non-profit fundraisers, parades, health fairs, farmers markets, faith-based festivals, environmental conferences, and pretty much any other conceivable event. VegFund also provides signage, recipes, and money to cover the cost of supplies, educational materials, and booth fees. Learn how to make the most of this amazing offer by visiting the VegFund website.  vegfund.org

Maine Event
The northernmost state in the US recently became the sixth to prohibit the use of gestation crates for pregnant pigs and veal crates for male calves when the Maine Legislature unanimously ratified an agricultural reform bill sponsored by Senator John Nutting. Maine follows Florida, Arizona, Colorado, California, and Oregon in passing a law requiring farms to provide animals raised for food with at least enough room to stand, lie down comfortably, fully extend their limbs, and turn around. In addition, animal protection lobbyists may introduce a ballot measure in Ohio to enact a similar ban if the agriculture industry continues to oppose a reform bill in the state legislature. Meanwhile New York and Rhode Island lawmakers are already considering legislation to outlaw gestation and veal crates—along with battery cages for egg-laying hens, just as California did last year when voters overwhelmingly approved the Prevention of Farm Animal Cruelty Act.  hsus.org

Exposing Exposés
A specialist working for the Office of Security's Financial Crimes Enforcement Network at the U.S. Department of Commerce spoke to factory farmers at an Animal Agriculture Alliance Stakeholders Summit this past May. However, rather than encouraging farmers to institute policies that would ensure compliance with animal welfare laws, this government representative presented a talk entitled "Improving Security and Deterring Threats to Your Business" to help factory farmers effectively hide their abuse of animals from prying eyes. His lecture advised employers to ferret out undercover investigators by conducting criminal background checks, warn employees that use of recording devices will result in prosecution for criminal trespass, and require workers to sign non-disclosure agreements. This trend of blaming whistleblowers for exposing cruelty rather than holding animal abusers accountable was also recently exhibited when an agribusiness op-ed accused investigative activists from Mercy For Animals of perpetrating a “smear campaign” against an egg farm.  diggingthroughthedirt.blogspot.com

Getting Down to Biz-ness
What is Biz Stone, co-founder of microtexting sensation Twitter, doing right now? Well, Tweeting, probably, but, this venturesome vegan is also fighting in the Healthy School Lunch Revolution being led by the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine. In April, Stone mailed an old-fashioned postal letter to Representative George Miller, who chairs the House Education and Labor Committee (which authorizes the Child Nutrition Act), urging him to ensure that kids can choose vegetarian lunches in the nation’s schools. “Hundreds of thousands of students across the country don’t eat meat, according to a recent Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study,” Stone wrote. “However, these young vegetarians often can’t find healthy, meatless meals in the school cafeteria.” Congressman Miller responded with a 104-character Tweet (36 under the max) which read: “Thanks 4 insight. Our goal 4 the child nutrition reauth is 2 improve children’s access 2 healthy & affordable meals at school.”  healthyschoollunches.org


July 2009



Veg-Friendliest Restaurant Chains
You're on a road trip and far from home when hunger strikes, but where can you get a decent vegetarian or vegan meal in unfamiliar territory? Don't worry: the Vegetarian Resource Group (VRG) has got you covered. Based on a review of the 400 largest restaurant chains in the United States, they've chosen the “Veggie-Friendliest of Them All” and published the results as a feature article in their quarterly magazine, Vegetarian Journal. Their analysis distinguishes between vegetarian and vegan offerings, and, in addition to a comprehensive parsing of ingredients, was based on criteria such as whether establishments use separate pans, preparation utensils, and serving dishes for vegetarian menu items. The top veg-friendly restaurants chosen by VRG (and presented in alphabetical order) were Chipotle, Fresh Choice, Moe's Southwest Grill, Noodles & Company, Pei Wei Asian Diner, P.F. Chang's China Bistro, Qdoba Mexican Grill, Souplantation and Sweet Tomatoes, and Taco Del Mar.  vrg.org

In the Mouth of the Beholder
Everyone from professional chefs to discerning gourmands and finicky foodies knows that garnishing a dish with a dash of visual flavor can greatly enhance and enliven the eating experience, but Edith Zimmerman takes the art of food presentation to whole other level entirely. Digital photographs of her bizarre but compelling food sculptures, made from vegetables and fruits purchased at a produce store in her Brooklyn, New York neighborhood, are gaining notice in the blogosphere. Her edible creations include a “Runaway Lobster” chiseled from a red potato, a praying mantis made from green onions, and a romantic pair of “Bananas In Love” blissfully holding hands in repose. From where does the artist get her inspiration? “I look at a fruit or vegetable until I see what it reminds me of,” she says, “then I turn it into that thing.” Get an eyeful of Zimmerman's cool culinary carvings online at her blog.  http://www.edithzimmerman.com/blog/?cat=259

Low Carbon Menu
To counter climate change, major food service companies supplying college cafeterias and hospitals are heeding the call to provide offerings that produce a smaller carbon footprint—including an increasing proportion of meatless meals. At the forefront of this effort is Bon Appetit, whose “Low Carbon Diet” program calls for replacing one-quarter of their meat and dairy dishes with veg options. According to Helene York, the initiative's key developer, diners “don't mind the changes to the menu, because it tastes good and costs less.” Sodexo, which serves about 10 million people around the world daily, also has plans to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in their operations by boosting vegan and vegetarian alternatives to animal products. Meanwhile, in the San Francisco Bay Area, the group Physicians for Social Responsibility is working with local hospitals to launch its “Balanced Menu,” which promotes a healthy, environmentally-conscious diet with less meat and more fresh veggies.  San Jose Mercury News

Go Veg = Climate Change $avings
If society at large shifts to a diet low in meat, $20 trillion could be cut from the cost of combating global warming say scientists from the Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency. According to their new report, growing produce and grains for people rather than raising animals for food would free up vast tracts of earth that are currently used for growing animal feed and grazing animals. Biodiversified vegetation could then be grown on these land areas to absorb excess carbon dioxide, as well as plants to be processed into clean biofuels. The researchers also point out that a more plant-based agricultural system would reduce greenhouse gas emissions by millions of tons a year, buying us more time to develop less expensive green energy sources. As one way of enabling consumers to make environmentally-informed purchases, the report suggested adding the hidden costs of carbon emissions into the price of meat products.  New Scientist

Green Tea-riffic
Adding to research suggesting that green tea helps prevent Alzheimer's disease and promote cardiovascular health, two recent studies may indicate that the antioxidant-rich beverage may also help regular drinkers lose weight and reduce their risk of breast cancer. In one 12-week double blind experiment involving over 100 adults conducted by scientists with the American Society of Nutrition, those who drank a cup of green tea daily lost somewhat more subcutaneous fat in the abdominal area than subjects given a caffeinated placebo brew. Study participants also performed at least three hours of “moderate-intensity” exercise per week, so it is assumed that one would have to engage in physical activity to experience the weight reduction benefits associated with the flavinoids in green tea. Another longitudinal study conducted in Shanghai, China on nearly 7,000 women found  the incidence of breast cancer was 12 percent lower in regular green tea drinkers compared to others.  The Journal of Nutrition

A Nano Solution
The days of using animals to test environmental pollution levels may be coming to an end with the introduction of a tiny “lab on a chip” apparatus developed by scientists at Tel Aviv University in Israel. Though only one-quarter of a square inch in size, the small plastic wonder displays a mind-boggling analytical ability, encased as it is in genetically-engineered bacteria that light up when they detect specified contaminants in water. This type of chemical information is typically acquired by putting fish in the water and later dissecting them to determine the level of toxins in their flesh, but the chip allows this to be done in a way “that is more humane, much faster, more sensitive and much cheaper” said project leader Professor Yosi Shacham-Diamand. Such microchip systems can also be applied to other areas, such as stem cell research, breast cancer monitoring, and early-warning biological warfare alert systems.  Green Right Now

Culling for Dollars
While last year brought record sales and profits to the dairy industry, global demand for their products is now in decline due to the economic recession. The price of milk has dropped so low that, in California, the nation's top dairy-producing state, it now costs farmers more than twice as much to produce a gallon of milk than the market will pay. Saddled with cattle who are no longer cash cows but business liabilities, many farmers are culling their herds by selling animals for hamburger meat at even younger ages than usual, even though they now fetch less than half the price they did only last year. According to federal livestock reports, dairy cow slaughter rates rose by 30 percent between September 2008 and February 2009, and agribusiness experts expect that more than 1.5 million cows (about 16 percent of the nation's total) will be sold for slaughter this year.  Associated Press

Phactory Pharming
The Centers for Disease Control estimates that about 70 percent of antibiotics administered in the US are given to farm animals just to keep them alive in filthy, overcrowded factory farms, yet the overuse and misuse of these “miracle drugs” is making the human population resistant to their medical benefits. Moreover, factory farms have become virtually perfect laboratories for the development of mutant superbugs—extremely hazardous and potentially deadly bacterial strains that cannot be stopped using conventional antibiotics. That is why Rep. Louise Slaughter, congress' lone microbiologist, recently introduced the Preservation of Antibiotics for Medical Treatment Act (PAMTA), which would prohibit the sub-therapeutic use of seven classes of antibiotics on farm animals. Scientific proponents claim the bill would save the country between $4 and $5 billion a year in healthcare costs, while advocacy groups say it would force producers to provide farm animals with more sanitary and less densely-packed environments.  pewtrusts.org

Poisoned Pork
One of the most dangerous antibiotic-resistant pathogens to emerge from the factory farm is the ST398 strain of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, or MRSA (pronounced “mersa”), which now claims the lives of more Americans – about 18,000 a year – than the AIDS virus. This flesh-eating superbug is generally transmitted from pigs to factory farm and slaughterhouse workers, who then suffer symptoms that include massive pimples (that sprout on the face, under the arms, behind the knees, and on the buttocks) and fatal heart failure. However, studies done by University of Minnesota researchers showed that between 25 and 39 percent of hogs raised in the US carry the infection, and fears that it has entered the human food supply increased when three people in Scotland who do not work on pig farms came down with MRSA. Despite its deadly potential, no governmental regulation agency in the US is testing pork for the contamination.  New York Times

Beating Diabetes is No Yolk
Recent long-term research by Harvard Medical School linked egg consumption with increased risk for type 2 diabetes, finding that subjects who ate an average of one egg per day to be 58 to 77 percent more likely to develop the disease than those who do not consume chicken ova. The study of 57,000 adults found that the high cholesterol content in eggs raises blood sugar and insulin levels, leaving those with a genetic disposition to diabetes at greater risk for developing the disorder. However, the results also suggest that any foods high in cholesterol are likely to promote the development of diabetes, and researchers recommend that those at risk for the disease limit cholesterol in their diets. While all animal products are high in cholesterol, plant foods are naturally cholesterol-free. Research done by Dr. John McDougall and others indicates that diabetes can be prevented and reversed with a vegan diet.  Diabetes Care

BOCA Goes Egg-Free
In March 2009, popular mock meat maker BOCA Foods announced that they will remove eggs from all of their offerings by the end of 2009. The Kraft subsidiary's announcement was made in response to a campaign spearheaded by advocacy organizations Compassion Over Killing (COK), Mercy For Animals (MFA), and the Animal Protection and Rescue League (APRL) seeking more vegan options in the marketplace. About 95 percent of eggs produced in the US come from hens who are confined in battery cages so restrictive that they can barely move, let alone engage in basic natural behaviors like spreading their wings, perching, or walking. MFA Executive Director Nathan Runkle applauded the decision, saying that “A growing number of consumers are choosing egg-free foods as a way to protect animals from needless cruelty on factory farms. We're thrilled that even more vegan options will be available to those seeking healthy and humane meals.”  boca-egg-facts.com

Downed for the Count
Just 54 days into his presidency, Barack Obama announced that the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) will enforce a ban on the slaughter of all downed cattle for human consumption. Since the early 1990s, animal and consumer advocacy groups have been pressing the government to prohibit downed cattle from entering the human food chain to protect the public from meat-borne diseases and stop farmers from dragging or prodding sick, crippled animals to slaughter. The USDA imposed a partial ban in 2007, allowing producers to kill cattle who become downed after reaching the slaughterhouse, but now this legal loophole will be closed, permanently prohibiting the slaughter of all downed cattle for food—no matter when or where they become disabled. While it will still be legal to slaughter downed pigs, sheep, and goats for food, advocacy organization Farm Sanctuary is working to ban the slaughter of all downed animals for food.  whitehouse.gov

Fast Food Rainforest
Rampant cattle ranching has been decimating fragile South American rainforests since the 1970s, but Brazil's new plan to double their market share of the world's beef supply from 30 to 60 percent by the 2020s threatens to accelerate the destruction of these irreplaceable biodiversified ecosystems to entirely unprecedented levels. Brazil is already the top beef producer on the planet with more cattle than any other country  – about 65 million head by the latest count – but a prescient report released by international environmental organization Greenpeace warns that that they will not be able to meet their progressive targets for reducing deforestation by 72 percent by 2017 if the government proceeds with this short-sighted program. Greenpeace's innovative analysis directly links recently-established cattle grazing areas with resulting deforestation using satellite-mapping techniques of Mato Grosso, one of the largest Amazonian states, by showing the devastation that follows when rainforests are razed for cattle grazing.  Independent UK

Eat Red, Be Dead
In the largest study ever conducted regarding the link between meat eating and mortality, subjects aged 50 to 71 who regularly ate four ounces of red meat per day were found to die earlier than those who consumed less. Of the more than 500,000 volunteers who filled out a questionnaire in 1995 for the study conducted by the National Institutes of Health and the American Association of Retired Persons, 24,700 died within 10 years. Even after accounting for other factors (like smoking, exercise, body mass, and family medical history), those who ate the most red and processed meat (like bacon, hot dogs and sausage) were still over 30 percent more likely to die in the given timeframe than those who avoided these foods. The risk of early mortality was found to be only slightly lower for those whose diets included more fish and poultry than beef and processed meat products.  Archives of Internal Medicine

Soy-oy-oy!
Why is the head of the Nebraska Soybean Association (NSA) attacking the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) when this national animal advocacy organization actively promotes and even endorses soy products? Because, according to NSA President Debbie Borg, HSUS is allegedly “out to dismantle animal agriculture” and create a “vegan society,” and charged the group with lying to supporters about their goals. Paul Shapiro, Senior Director of HSUS’s factory farming campaign, said the organization’s mission is no secret, adding that “While soy is used for many vegetarian meat products, the largest consumer of soy in the U.S. is the animal agribusiness industry, so it’s not surprising that agribusiness interests are attacking HSUS. We’re winning campaigns and animals are better off because of it. If someone wants to talk about lying, we need look no further than the misleading claims that agribusiness spokespeople make about how farm animals are treated.”  brownfieldnetwork.com


May 2009



Survey Says...
In January, newspapers reported on a recent study done by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) claiming that just 1 out of 200 (about 1.25 percent) American youths is vegetarian. What mainstream journalists failed to consider in their interpretation of the CDC results is that their survey only asked parents to answer questions about whether their children followed a vegetarian diet for more than two weeks during 2007 to treat a health condition, and completely ignored subjects who are vegetarian for ethical, religious, environmental or other reasons. As dietician and Vegan Outreach co-founder Jack Norris pointed out in his blog, the actual number of young vegetarians is therefore much higher than the CDC results indicate. For example, a 2005 Vegetarian Resource Group poll conducted by Harris Interactive showed that approximately 3 percent of young people aged 6 to 17 were vegetarian, which is more than double what the CDC reported.  veganealth.org

Real to Reel
Are you perturbed by the absence or negative portrayal of vegans and animal activists in mainstream Hollywood movies? Disturbed by the conspicuously uncritical portrayal of animal exploitation on prime time television programs? If so, then now is your chance to change the game by getting in on the ground floor of Green Light Flix, a new production company dedicated to making feature films, videos, podcasts, and webisodes from the perspective of animal rights and environmentalism. By joining the organization's “Producers Club” and paying membership dues of as little as $25 a year, anyone can be well on their way to becoming a movie mogul while also receiving limited-edition DVDs, and the opportunity to submit ideas for projects and cast votes on which ones should be produced. The mission of Green Light Flix, according to co-founder Dawn Black, is “to show activists in a positive light while entertaining and educating audiences.”  greenlightflix.com

Grand Veg Auto
In its 2008 Proggy Awards, PETA honored Fable II as the year’s Most Animal-Friendly Video Game, describing it as “a vegetarian's dream come true” because in this virtual universe, “eating a plant-based diet helps you rack up 'purity' points, whereas eating meat makes your character fat and evil.” The group also called the game, which was created by Microsoft’s Lionhead Studios, “an effective tool that teaches gamers the real-life benefits of a vegetarian diet.” While this generous assessment may be basically accurate, numerous critics have pointed out that players of Fable II can also earn reward points for shooting bunnies, eating live baby chicks, and kicking chickens like footballs. PETA spokesperson Dan Shannon defended the organization's recognition of Fable II by explaining that “(The chicken-kicking) is done in a light-hearted manner. I don't think anyone's going to go out and start kicking chickens in their yard because of this game.”  edge-online.com

Go Ahead, Make My Steak
Despite what you may have heard about Clint Eastwood, he is definitely not a vegan, or even a vegetarian for that matter. Rumors that the legendary tough-guy actor and director is vegan started as far back as 2005, with numerous newspapers and Web sites quoting Eastwood as having quipped “I try to stick to a vegan diet – heavy on fruit, vegetables, tofu, and other soy products.” This myth was debunked, however, when a New York Times reporter interviewing Eastwood tried to confirm his dietary status, and found out from the man himself that he is not, even writing that “(Eastwood) looked slightly aghast when told exactly what a vegan is.” In response, Eastwood said “I never look at the Internet for just that reason,” which certainly helps explain why he never knew people believed he was vegan. He added, “I am not a vegetarian. I love sushi and stuff like that.”   New York Times

No Mercy in Hate Crime
In late December 2008, Nathan Runkle, the founder and Executive Director of Mercy For Animals and an openly gay leader in the animal rights movement, was the victim of a vicious and unprovoked assault by an unknown assailant at a gay night club in Ohio. Runkle, 24, was briefly hospitalized after sustaining two bone fractures, a broken nose, a deviated septum, and severe facial bruising. The Dayton Police Department investigated the incident and categorized it as a felonious assault, though Runkle and others believe his anonymous attacker was motivated by hatred of homosexuals, and wanted to intimidate members of the queer community with a threatening message. Acts of violence targeting people based on race, color, religion, and nationality are considered hate crimes under current Ohio state law, but those motivated by sexual orientation are not. Runkle hopes his case will help persuade lawmakers to change state law to include gays.  mercyforanimals.org

Pass Gas, Pay Tax?
In the wake of a 2007 U.S. Supreme Court ruling that greenhouse gases count as air pollution, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released a report that briefly cited livestock belching and flatulence as a source of carbon dioxide and methane, which is about 20 times as powerful a warming agent as CO2. After reading the paper, animal agriculture groups sounded the alarm that if the government applies the EPA's definition to current Clean Air Act regulations, they could impose a federal “fart tax” of about $175 per dairy cow, $87 per steer, and $20 per hog on any farm whose annual carbon emissions exceed 100 tons, costing mid-sized producers between $30,000 and $40,000 a year. Meanwhile, the Republic of Estonia has already imposed this “fart tax” on its farmers, and Argentine scientists have shown that methane emissions can be reduced by one-quarter by feeding cattle clover and alfalfa instead of grain.  msnbc

Obama's Animal-Friendly Appointee
In a move that has thrilled animal advocates, President Obama has tapped Harvard Law School professor Cass Sunstein to head up the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, a highly influential position otherwise known as the “regulatory czar” that holds responsibility for ensuring that all U.S. regulatory agencies follow administration rules. Sunstein is a vegetarian who co-edited the book Animal Rights: Current Debates and New Directions in 2004, and has taken strong stands against animal cruelty in the agriculture, clothing, entertainment, and research industries. He also believes that “(A)nimals should be permitted to bring suit, with human beings as their representatives, to prevent violations of current law,” a prospect that would basically grant animals unprecedented legal rights if put into practice. Though this is unlikely to happen anytime soon, there is reason to hope that Sunstein will hold the nation's regulatory agencies to higher standards regarding the treatment of animals.  planetsave.com

Rolling In Endorsements
The veggie bandwagon is picking up new passengers all the time as more influential people and organizations get on board. Dr. Terry Mason, Chicago's health commissioner, entreated the city's citizens to go meatless for the month of January in his fourth-annual Re-Start campaign combating obesity and high cholesterol, while Mason himself plans to stick to a vegetarian diet for good. In the same month, the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health launched a national program called Meatless Mondays that encourages people to eat vegetarian one day a week, claiming that even this slight lifestyle adjustment will bring noticeable health benefits. Over in Europe, Germany's Federal Environmental Agency is urging the populace to reduce their meat consumption to counter climate change. Though these authorities treat vegetarianism as a temporary or sometime measure to deal with ongoing and permanent problems, their projects will convince many people to reevaluate their lifestyle choices.  Chicago Tribune

Real Downers
After a Chico slaughterhouse was caught last year illegally selling meat from downed animals to the National School Lunch Program, prompting the country's largest beef recall, California legislators passed A.B. 2098, an amendment to state law that closes loopholes allowing downed animals to enter the food supply. And the response of meat industry groups once the law was enacted? A lawsuit seeking to overturn the measure to protect people's health and safety and reduce farm animal suffering. “Downer Syndrome” is often a symptom that an animal is carrying a dangerous food-borne pathogen, and downed animals are routinely driven to the kill floor with repeated electric shocks and other forms of physical abuse, or dragged or pushed there by farm machinery. Yet meat producers maintain that they alone are qualified to determine when animals are “well” enough to be safe for human consumption, and what constitutes “humane” treatment of farm animals.  animalrights.change.org

Doesn't Ad Up
When foie gras company D'Artagnan claimed that their foodstuff was produced humanely without the use of force-feeding, and that the ducks' livers “are not diseased, simply enlarged,” the National Advertising Division of the Council of Better Business Bureaus (NAD) disagreed, and recommended that they stop using these advertising claims. The ruling was the result of a complaint brought to NAD by The Humane Society of the United States pointing out the discrepancies between established scientific evidence and D'Artagnan's false and misleading claims. According to NAD's Web site, the group's purpose “is to foster truth and accuracy in national advertising through voluntary self-regulation.” In response to the verdict, D'Artagnan stated that the company “strongly disagrees with NAD's decision but will nevertheless comply and modify its advertising.” In recent years, NAD has also deemed the advertising of Foster Poultry Farms and United Egg Producers misleading in response to complaints from animal groups.  nadreview.org

Robbin' Robbins
In these tough economic times, flimflam financier and former Nasdaq chairman Barnard Madoff stands out as a particularly reviled villain, having stolen in excess of $50 billion from unsuspecting investors in a Ponzi scheme of titanic proportions. Among the many people who lost their life savings in this debacle was veg advocate John Robbins, lecturer and bestselling author of Diet for a New America and many other books. The Robbins family lost over $1 million, about 98 percent of their net worth, which they believed was invested in secure and socially responsible funds based on the recommendation of a trusted friend of 35 years and a run of good returns. In December 2008, the same friend who vouched for Madoff called Robbins to deliver the bad news that they'd both been bankrupted. To meet expenses, the Robbins are renting part of their property in California's Santa Cruz mountains to tenants.  Santa Cruz Sentinel

Hopping Towards Extinction
A scientific study conducted by the University of Adelade in Australia that involved researchers from the US, Canada, and Singapore concludes that the global appetite for frogs' legs is contributing to the amphibians’ imminent extinction. Citing habitat loss as the main cause of their disappearance, the report also points out that killing 100 billion frogs every year for their legs is taking a huge bite out of their numbers. More than 100 classes of frogs have already become extinct in recent years, and the researchers warn that as many as 3000 species are currently headed toward the brink of annihilation. Meanwhile, UK chain restaurant Eco is serving a new “Hopper Pizza” with frogs' legs as the main topping. Chef Sami Wasif calls his creation “refined,” but British advocacy group Animal Aid is calling for consumers to boycott the business because frogs' legs are cruelly amputated while they are still alive.  Australian Associated Press

“Man” Meat
Vegetarian stockbroker Ryan Pacifico is suing his former Wall Street employer for discrimination, charging that his erstwhile boss repeatedly equated his animal-friendly dietary ethics with homosexuality during his tenure with the financial firm. Pacifico worked for French-owned Calyon in the Americas as a junior foreign-exchange trader from 2005 until 2008 when he was fired on performance-related grounds, which he says were fabricated by his boss, Robert Catalanello, allegedly due to intolerance of his employee’s ongoing refusal to eat meat. According to Pacifico, Catalanello called him “a vegetarian homo” and made comments like “You don't even eat steak, dude. At what point in time did you realize you were gay?” Pacifico, 28, has been vegetarian for 15 years, and served steak at his wedding (to his wife). The plaintiff's lawyer explained that “(Catalanello) associated being a vegetarian with being gay. It's a ridiculous male stereotype that only real men eat meat.”  New York Daily News

Cap'n Jack Attack!
Leading man Johnny Depp is taking aim at outlaw fishing pirates who pillage the seven seas for illegal catches, devastating marine ecosystems and destroying aquatic biodiversity in the process. In December 2008, the Pirates of the Caribbean star penned a letter, as part of the Environmental Justice Foundation's “Save the Sea” campaign, urging immediate action to stop these high-seas poachers from doing irrevocable environmental damage. “Pirate fishing operations are plundering fish stocks the world over, which in turn undermine all attempts at their sustainable management, already under pressure from widespread misdirection,” he wrote. Pirate vessels operate with virtual impunity to international fishing laws by flying flags that are not those of the countries they originated in, making it difficult to prosecute their crews for crimes. These corrupt buccaneers often use illegal long-line and driftnet fishing methods to steal their baited booty, and then sell it at poorly-regulated ports of convenience.  ejfoundation.org

Presidential Epicure
No, President Barack Obama is not vegetarian (yet), but some see his first-term eating habits as a significant step in the right direction. He recently hired Sam Cass, the Obama family's personal chef from their Chicago days, to assist executive chef Cristeta Comerford, who also served George W. Bush in this capacity. Kass is the founder of a chef business called Inevitable Table which (according to its Web site) advocates “a healthy lifestyle that focuses on the quality and flavor of food to encourage good eating habits,” and has earned a reputation among foodies and environmentalists for both his culinary skills and a commitment to using organic, sustainable and local ingredients in his delicious dishes. He'll also be cooking with veggies from the rooftop garden that (according to former executive chef Walter Scheib, who held that position from 1994 to 2005) has crowned the White House since the Clinton era.  New York Daily News


March 2009



Vegasaurus Rex
Paleontologists now believe that the Heterodontosaurus, a dinosaur who lived approximately 190 million years ago, was in the process of evolving into a vegetarian before they went extinct. The scientists who recently described these findings in the Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology base their theory on the jaw of a baby Heterodontosaurus skull. That is, the fossil has fangs at the front, but molar-like teeth at the back for grinding, which are mostly found in mammals and may indicate that the reptilian species was an omnivore who might have eventually become a full-blown herbivore if they hadn’t all bitten the dust during the Early Jurassic period. At less than two inches long, the baby Heterodontosaurus skull is the world’s second smallest known dinosaur skull. It was excavated about five decades ago, but was only recently re-discovered by a University of Chicago PhD student in the archives of a South African museum.  Discovery Channel

Vegans Gone Wild
On November 1st, 2008 (World Vegan Day), British readers got their first taste of Off the Hoof, a naughty new veg lifestyle magazine published by Bristol-based business Yaoh Hemp Products. Editor (and vegan pub proprietor) Al Slurry predicts that the risqué publication will appeal to millions of “ethical voyeurs” (whether veg or not) who want to see vegans in the buff alongside celebrity profiles, travel features, recipes, and articles on a range of topics relating to compassionate consumerism. Slurry noted that the ribald content targets readers of popular UK “adult” periodicals like Nuts, Private Eye and Loaded, explaining that “Most of the other veggie/vegan/ethical titles are published by charities. We don’t suffer from the same editorial constraints they do!” Off the Hoof is already being sold at health food stores in Britain, but readers from around the world can subscribe to the juicy journal by visiting the magazine’s Web site.  offthehoof.co.uk

Help Animals While You Sleep
If you regularly have pleasant dreams about animals, you’re not alone. A paper entitled “Dream reports of animal rights activists” in the September 2008 issue of the journal Dreaming claims that animal advocates dream more about animals than most people do, and that their dream relations with other species are much friendlier than the general population. In 2004, graduate student Jacquie Lewis found a willing subject pool for her project by renting a table at the Animal Rights National Conference in Washington, DC, where she convinced 284 attendees to describe their most recent remembered dream on a survey. The results showed that animal rights activists dream about other species much more frequently than other groups do, and that “(their) dreams illustrate heightened friendliness toward animals and involved plots in which they faced situations to help animals,” strongly suggesting “the interconnectedness of dreams and waking life experiences among animal rights activists.”  Dreaming

McDogfighter
Although former Atlanta Falcons football star Michael Vick is currently doing time in federal prison for running a dog fighting operation from his home, that hasn’t stopped McDonald’s from using the convicted quarterback’s image to sell hamburgers to young consumers. One of the fast food franchise’s newest Happy Meal box features advertisements for a series of six sports-related video games named for famous athletes. The marketing debacle is reportedly a remnant of a promotional deal that cable channel ESPN made with McDonalds four years ago, which was well before Vick pled guilty to felony animal cruelty charges for forcing pit bulls to fight one another to the death, and for killing numerous dogs himself by shooting, hanging, drowning, and electrocution simply because they were not good fighters. Vick, who has been officially suspended from the NFL for two years and filed for bankruptcy, will have finished serving his 23-month sentence in July 2009.  TMZ.com

Pocket Poacher
In November 2008, state game wardens discovered 335 birds of almost every species found in California at the home of Peter Ignatius Ciraulo, 42, who was convicted of illegal waterfowl poaching in Santa Clara County Superior Court. Most of the birds were found dead in freezers at Ciraulo’s house in Gilroy, but there were also seven snow geese who were injured but still alive. Perhaps strangest of all, the hapless hunter even had several goose breasts stashed in his jacket pockets. Why did the accused exceed the hunting season limit by several hundred birds? “He said he was going to eat some of them,” said Department of Fish and Game spokesperson Patrick Foy, “but when we asked him why he had so many, he never really offered up a very valid explanation.” Foy also warned that poaching crimes are already rising as a direct result of the nation’s economic downturn.  San Francisco Chronicle

Heart of the Lonely Hunter
According to University of Michigan Health System cardiologist Dr. Eric Good, hunters are three times as likely to die from a heart attack during recreational outings than from a gunshot wound. Good cites several risk factors that increase the likelihood that hunters won't return from the woods, including pre-existing conditions such as heart disease, high blood pressure, elevated cholesterol, and diabetes. All of these health problems are exacerbated by excessive meat consumption, which is typically higher in hunters who eat the flesh of the animals they shoot. In addition, excessive drinking the night before the hunt, the adrenaline rush that accompanies the moment of killing, and hauling large carcasses out of the forest also raise the probability of a lethal cardiovascular incident. To prevent hunters from falling prey to fatal heart failure, Dr. Good recommends that they take precautions like hunting with a partner and carrying a cell phone.  CNN

Kosher Clash
Kosher meat products have been in short supply lately since Agriprocessors, the biggest kosher meat plant in the US, declared bankruptcy after being charged with hiring 389 illegal immigrants – and many Jewish Americans ate vegetarian on the Sabbath and beyond as a result. Postville, Iowa-based Agriprocessors supplies over half the nation’s kosher meat, and the shuttering of their beef department left meat cases empty, and raised prices for the commodity, throughout the land. Empire Kosher Poultry has tried to take up the slack by increasing production, but they do not have facilities for slaughtering cattle. Many Hebrew faithful therefore prepared the traditional holiday cholent (a stew typically made with meat, grains and potatoes) minus any animal ingredients. While bankruptcy laws still allow Agriprocessors to produce a limited amount of meat, charges filed against the company’s owners for violating federal labor laws could ultimately cost them millions of dollars in fines.  Israel National News

Compassionate Caterers Celebrated
In October 2008, at the Tante Marie School of Cookery in the UK, six finalists battled it out for the top spot in the Vegan Society Catering Challenge, an annual event that gives creative cooks a chance to display their skills at preparing gourmet vegan food. This year’s winner was Paul Russel, a Lecturer in Hospitality and Culinary Arts Management at University College Birmingham, whose prizewinning menu consisted of Soupe au Pistou with a Potato Ravioli, Crisp Fried Baby Artichokes in a Poppy Seed Coating Served on a Pea and Roasted Red Pepper Risotto with Cashew Aioli, and Dark Chocolate Truffle Cake with Cherries. Upon accepting the illustrious award, Russel, said he was “delighted to be able to showcase this fascinating cuisine” and that “The competition is also a great opportunity to prove to the industry that vegan food can be just as exciting and diverse as any other cuisine.”  vegansociety.com

The Best of the Best
In the field of professional food writing, winning a Gourmand World Cookbook Award is generally considered to be the equivalent of taking home an Oscar statue or a Nobel Prize medal. During this year’s ceremony at the resplendent Alte Opera building in Frankfurt, Germany, a brand new category called “The Best of the Best” managed to up the ante even more by recognizing 96 food and wine books (all of which had already won Best in the World Awards in previous years), out of more than 200,000 published since the awards started in 1996. Indian author Rashmi Uday Singh took top honors among vegetarian cookbooks with her renowned volume Around the World in 80 Plates, published by The Times of India group in 2005. “I wrote this book for love and this universe responded with love,” Singh proudly said of her work. “This award is the ultimate crown of recognition.”  India Times

Educating for Empathy
In 2006, New York City Council Member Tony Avella introduced Resolution 497 (a.k.a. the “Heart Reso”), which would require the Department of Education to fulfill their state-mandated duty to instruct students in the humane treatment and protection of animals, as required by a law enacted in 1947. Yet most teachers aren’t even aware that there is such a rule, so Avella’s resolution would require the issuing of a memorandum to all New York City public schools notifying them of their responsibilities. Though Resolution 497 is supported by numerous other Council Members and endorsed by many animal advocacy groups, it still has not been passed. Avella has led the fight for other animal protection causes, such as the proposed ban on carriage horses in Manhattan. He is also running for mayor of New York City, and if he wins will likely be one of the animals’ most powerful advocates in government.  tonyavellaformayor.com

Pot Kettle Black
The beef business is none too happy about recent progress being made by vegan advocates to reform the animal agriculture industry. Speaking at the Texas Cattle Feeders Association Annual Convention in November 2008, vice president of Policy Directions, Inc. Steve Kopperud warned that the increased spread of veganism will bankrupt livestock producers and lead to mass-starvation. Kopperud's reasoning is based on his claim that two-thirds of the US landmass is unfit for growing crops and that the only use for it is grazing animals, but he conveniently neglects to mention that at least 60 percent of the food grown in this country is fed to farm animals and inefficiently converted into meat with massive protein loss. When Kopperud rails against “allow(ing) idiots to dictate policy on how (meat producers) operate,” one has to wonder whether he is aware that he is projecting his own illogic onto others.  cattlenetwork.com

(Don’t) Meat the Beatle
One of the world's most famous musicians has joined with a Nobel-prizewinning scientist to urge people to fight global warming by going vegetarian. In a letter published by UK newspaper The Independent, former Beatle Sir Paul McCartney and Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change chairman Rajendra Pachauri wrote that transitioning to a plant-based diet is “the single most effective act” that individuals can engage in to reduce their carbon footprint. The pair's public plea points out that rapidly rising “consumption of animal protein...reduces the availability of food grains for direct consumption by impoverished human beings,” leaving people in the most vulnerable regions to starve because they cannot afford the most basic staple foods. Both McCartney and Pachauri are vegetarians who regularly encourage others to eat less meat as “a very attractive option for reducing emissions of greenhouse gases and stabilising the Earth's climate and ensuring global food security.”  The Independent

ACE of Hearts
At the 12th annual Accessories Council Excellence (ACE) Awards in New York City, Paul's fashion designer daughter Stella McCartney took home the first-ever Green Designer of the Year Award for creating her exclusive line of shoes and handbags made from eco-friendly materials. McCartney's refusal to use environmentally-toxic animal-based fabrics like leather and fur puts her on the cutting edge of a movement within the fashion field to provide progressive consumers with more shopping options. As McCartney told the industry journal Women's Wear Daily, “I do want to show that accessories can be made from a more ethical viewpoint—and be sexy and cool. The myth of leather—that every bag and shoe needs to be made from it—needs to be broken down. It's a bit caveman.” The ACE Awards honor fashion designers, celebrities, journalists, and companies that have made a difference in the accessories industry.  ecorazzi.com

Less Meat, More Veggies
In 2007, the World Cancer Research Fund released the results of a widely-publicized study showing a strong link between eating processed meats and greatly increased risk of bowel cancer. A recent survey showed that one in 10 Brits have cut back on their consumption of fatty animal products in the past year in response to the report. Of the 2,124 survey respondents, most of those who reported changing their diets were people over 55 years old, 37 percent of who said they were actively trying to eat fewer processed meats because of health concerns. Respondents also made other healthy lifestyle changes recommended by the report, such as quitting smoking, drinking less alcohol and exercising more. Richard Evans, the World Cancer Fund's head of communications, noted that “This survey shows that if people are told how they can reduce their risk of cancer then many of them will make changes.” BBC NEWS

Foodshed Ahead
The City of San Francisco is expected to pass a pioneering food policy program this year  aimed at creating a regional Bay Area “foodshed” to save energy, reduce pollution, support local producers, improve food safety, and increase access to fresh produce for low-income residents. Comprised of more than 50 experts in different aspects of food production and dispersion, the Urban-Rural Roundtable is focused on four key topics: farming, food dispersion, the environment, and local culture. They have considered dozens of ideas, from growing fruit trees on streets to formalizing partnerships with farms that use alterative energy sources like wind and solar to grow crops. Of these, four or five will be proposed for implementation. With a goal of providing most of San Francisco's food from within a 200-mile radius of the city, planners would do well to encourage residents to conserve resources by eating more fresh veggies and less meat.  San Francisco Chronicle


January 2009

Air Guitar Hero
While Olympic athletes fought to bring home the gold from Beijing this past August, miming minstrels from 20 countries contended for the top prize at a far more rockin’ event in Oulu, Finland – the 13th annual Air Guitar World Championships, which drew more than 15,000 fans and enthusiasts. Not surprisingly, the winner of this unique international tournament was a vegetarian – San Francisco native Craig "Hot Lixx Hulahan" Billmeier, who earned a nearly perfect score for his electrifying one-minute interpretation of the Toadies’ song "Plane Crash". Billmeier, who also recently became the first two-time US champ on the imaginary instrument, has been vegetarian since 1996 – the same year the Air Guitar World Championships started. Is there a connection? Well, vegetarianism shares a non-violent philosophy in common with the official Air Guitar Ideology, which states “if one is holding an air guitar, one cannot, at the same time, be holding a gun.”  airguitarworldchampionships.com

Cell Phone Food Finder
A handy new cell phone application from WebDiet helps hungry users locate healthy restaurant food nearby based on their specific dietary preferences. With MealSearch, users can choose from a variety of criteria (including vegan and vegetarian) to see a listing of restaurants in the area offering dining options (including items both on and off the menu) that meet their personal needs. The service also includes a daily meal planning system that keeps tabs on the user's eating habits (as long as they enter the information) and makes dining suggestions based on whatever he or she has already consumed that day. It also conveniently allows users to scan UPC bar codes directly into their iPhones to get nutritional information about particular products. WebDiet founders Wendell Brown and Craig Gold (a vegan) plan to roll the service out to the iPhone, Blackberry, MobilePC, and Nokia S60, with other popular mobile devices to follow later this year.  cnet.com

The Vegan 100
Cyber-savvy gourmands may know about some of the various food-themed internet memes spreading 'round the blogosphere these days, but for the uninitiated, these “viral” messages generally contain self-administered surveys purporting to allow devotees of a particular diet to test their culinary sophistication. Basically, food memes are lists of must-taste foods, and the idea is to check off those you've tried and tally up your score, then embark on a gustatory adventure to finally discover what you've been missing all these years. One notable meme now making the online rounds is the Vegan 100, which recommends everything from peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and Tings to delicacies such as Japanese Umeboshi, Crème brûlée and the tropical Mangosteen fruit. A kind of bucket list for plant-eaters, the Vegan 100 is also intriguing enough to entice omnivores into exploring the vast riches of the vegan lifestyle, so check it out whatever your persuasion.  eatdrinkbetter.com  

Lifetime Achievement
Congratulations to animal activist extraordinaire Paul Shapiro, who (at 29), recently became the youngest person ever elected to the U.S. Animal Rights Hall of Fame. Inducted at the Animal Rights 2008 National Conference in Washington, DC, Shapiro began his career as an organizer in 1995 by founding a high school club called Compassion Over Killing, which soon grew into a pioneering grassroots group that made national news with videos of undercover factory farm investigations. A decade later, Shapiro signed on as the first Director of Factory Farm Campaigns for the Humane Society of the United States. He is also the first to win all three awards proffered by the venerable AR conference: Young Activist, Grassroots Activist, and now Hall of Fame inauguration. “I am honored by this award," Shapiro said, “because to me it symbolizes an increasing recognition of farm animals’ importance and the need to win tangible advances for them.”  arconference.org

The Bushmeat Dilemma
Scientists rank the commercial bushmeat trade as the most pressing threat to the survival of wild apes, elephants and other native African species, so why is the Centre of International Forestry Research recommending legalization of the destructive practice? To feed a hungry population, they claim, but eminent conservationist Richard Leakey counters that devastating wild animal populations will only accelerate extinction without relieving poverty. In an article for the online environmental magazine Wildlife Extra, Leakey acknowledged that about 80 percent of people in central and western Africa now rely on bushmeat for daily sustenance, but insisted that “Legalizing this multi-billion (dollar) trade will not help the wildlife. It will instead exterminate what remains, species that we are working so hard to preserve.” Though protective of threatened and endangered animals, Leakey suggests we “encourage the rearing of chickens, fish and cane rats to alleviate (people’s) protein deficiency” without considering a vegan solution.  wildlifeextra.com

Revenge of the Animals?
Some scientists cite a perceived rise in animal-on-human violence in recent years as evidence that other species are seeking vengeance against humanity for the ongoing atrocities committed by our kind. After correlating anomalous elephant rampages with the species' psychological traumatization from poaching and deforestation, researcher Gay Bradshaw applied her findings to animal attacks from across the species spectrum and around the globe. “What's happening today is extraordinary,” she told the British press. “Where for centuries, humans and animals lived in relatively peaceful co-existence, there is now hostility and violence.” Vegan ethologist and author Marc Bekoff, however, cautions that further study of this theory is needed before meaningful conclusions can be drawn. "Revenge does seem to be a factor in some attacks," he noted, “but human-animal encounters are also increasing because we continue to encroach on their habitat, so offering a general theory of global revenge at this time is premature.”  The Telegraph 
For more information on this, read my blog post The Ultimate World War: Animals Against Humans

Red Clover, Red Clover
The science journal Phytomedicine reported in June that taking a red clover supplement before eating can protect against the adverse health effects of consuming monosodium glutamate (the addictive chemical scourge otherwise known as MSG). This ubiquitous food additive is found in many commercially processed foods sold in supermarkets and restaurants because it accentuates the flavor of whatever it is mixed with. MSG also triggers a rush of dopamine in the body, hooking users into a habitual pattern of glutamate toxicity that causes brain damage. But researchers found that a pre-meal herbal dose of red clover could neutralize MSG’s adverse affects by providing phytoestrogenic isoflavones that fit right into the human body’s estrogen receptors, temporarily blocking brain cell loss. Red clover can be purchased online or at health food stores in tea, tincture, pill or liquid extract form, and studies have found no significant side effects in those who use it.  naturalnews.com

Obama On Animals
What’s newly-elected President Barack Obama’s stance on farm animal issues? Along the road to the White House, one vegan activist helped the world get a glimpse during a town hall meeting at St. Pete Gibbs High School in St. Petersburg. After an electrifying speech, Obama opened the floor to questions from the audience and called on Nikki Benoit, Outreach Coordinator of Florida Voices for Animals, who was wearing a Vegan Outreach t-shirt. “As I was being handed the microphone, he read my shirt out loud – and pronounced ‘vegan’ correctly!” she said. Benoit’s question about the ethical, environmental and health problems caused by factory farming evoked cheers from spectators, as did Obama’s response, which favored shifting government subsidies from factory farms to family farms and making fruit and vegetable options more accessible in schools. “Obama’s answer showed he understands how destructive factory farms really are,” Benoit said of the historic exchange.  vegan.com
For more information on this, read my blog post Obama vs. McCain on Animals & the Environment

“Vegan” Police
The Federal Bureau of Investigation sure seems to take dietary profiling seriously. As VN reported in March 2008, the FBI secretly analyzed San Francisco Bay Area grocery sales between 2005 and 2006 in hopes of identifying potential terrorists by targeting those who like Middle Eastern food. More recently, the FBI allegedly tried to recruit informants to infiltrate vegan potlucks in Minneapolis-St. Paul before the Republican National Convention to surreptitiously monitor activists planning to disrupt the event. The idea was that these hired moles would cozy up to protest organizers, get information about their upcoming activities and report back to FBI agents. The program was conducted under the FBI's Joint Terrorism Task Force, whose mission (according to the Minneapolis division's website) is to “investigate terrorist acts carried out by groups or organizations which fall within the definition of terrorist groups as set forth in the current United States Attorney General Guidelines.”  envirolink.org

Vegan Vampires
These days, even the undead are converting to the veg lifestyle – at least in the world of fiction. The Twilight book series (now a major motion picture) by Stephenie Meyer features a vampire who is derided as a “vegetarian” because he drinks the blood of animals rather than human beings. Obviously, killing animals for sustenance is not vegetarian, causing some fans to critique the designation. Alternately, in the universe of True Blood, a new television show on HBO, vampires can actually choose to be vegan by drinking Tru Blood, a “synthetic blood nourishment beverage” designed to help them become productive non-plasma-sucking members of mortal society. A promotional advertising campaign for the program consisting of realistic billboard ads and commercials was so convincing that many people thought Tru Blood was a bona fide energy drink and tried to buy it. Alas, they were left high and dry by this meta-marketing strategy.  trubeverage.com

Vegetarian PM
Israeli foreign minister Tzipi Livni recently became her country's first-ever vegetarian prime minister, as well as the first woman to hold the office since Golda Meier in 1974. Livni, a self-described animal lover who doesn't eat meat for ethical reasons, is the head of Israel's Kadima party. Founded by her mentor, former prime minister Ariel Sharon, the Kadima party advocates the withdrawal of Israeli settlements from both the Gaza Strip and West Bank, and the formation of a separate Palestinian state as the solution to generations of deadly violence in the region. Livni is a lawyer and former spy for the secret service who, at the age of 50, is considered relatively young and untested for a world leader, yet many believe she represents a new way of approaching conflict resolution. Perhaps her peaceable vegetarian diet and compassion for others will help her facilitate an agreement that satisfies both nations.  New York Times

Accessorize Me!
Animal-friendly fashionistas may be dismayed to learn that worldwide fur clothing sales jumped 11 percent in 2007, but there is also reason for hope in a counter-trend showing a marked rise in faux fur selections on the racks. Famous fashion designers such as Stella McCartney, Calvin Klein, Ralph Lauren, Tommy Hilfiger, Marc Bouwer, and Sheila Frank are among those who have formally committed to a no-fur policy for their collections, and some are offering stylish synthetic fur options. Taking compassionate fashion to the next level, the Humane Society of the United States even sponsored designer Charlotte Ronson's show last spring, with models wearing “No Fur” buttons as they sauntered down the runway. Yet shoppers should be forewarned that many of these items are exorbitantly expensive because of the designer brand names attached to them. However, recognizing market opportunity, some are now offering mid-range faux fur accessories to meet increasing demand.  Forbes

Beatle & The Nuge
In some ways, Paul McCartney and Ted Nugent are the ultimate musical odd couple: one is a vegan rock icon who co-founded one of the most influential pop bands in history, while the other is an avidly carnivorous hunter whose grating guitar riffs created hits like “Cat Scratch Fever” in the 1970s. Nugent has also earned a reputation for blasting vegans and animal rights activists with rapid-fire insults, but he recently stepped up with an offer to act as McCartney's bodyguard when the 66-year-old Beatle performs a concert in Israel that has prompted death threats from radical Islamic Jihadists. As Nugent said on WENN Radio, “It would be my pleasure to keep this legendary musical hero safe from terrorists and madmen, and then buy him a nice dinner of tofu.” Perhaps wanting to avoid publicity that could trigger an international incident, McCartney declined the Nuge's generous offer of armed protection.  Guardian UK

Sweet Freedom
In the last issue of VN, we reported that 10 prominent leaders of the animal protection movement in Austria had been arrested and charged, without any evidence, of heading up a vast “criminal organization” that has perpetrated every animal rights-related crime in the country over the last decade. After 104 days of incarceration—during which animal advocates around the world protested outside Austrian embassies, and Austrian activists demonstrated daily at the jails where prisoners were being held—all of the suspects were finally released. Dr. Martin Balluch, president of the group Verein gegen Tierfabriken (The Association Against Animal Factories), notes the irony that activists “have the right to free speech and to protest and to associate freely. But those freedoms end when they are used to effectively change society.” The Green Party recently nominated Balluch as a candidate in the next Parliamentary elections, so maybe he can help change that.  vgt.at/index_en.php