UVU Animal Allies Club

To the Best of Our Knowledge: Animals and Us

2011-03-18T08:42:00.002-06:00

I'm a big fan of this program. I've found that they frequently are able to dig up intriguing subtleties on issues. I think it is important for animal activists to be aware of the conversations going on in the world about animals and animal ethics, even if not everything that is said in these conversations aligns with our world view. Anyway, check it out.

ANIMALS AND US

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The way we think about animals often defies logic. In America, dogs may sleep on our beds, but in Korea, they often end up on the dinner plate. Some people may be horrified by a pet boa constrictor's appetite for live mice, but a cat that roams outside is a far deadlier killer. And for all the talk about vegetarianism, Americans eat more meat than ever before. In this hour of To the Best of Our Knowledge, why it's so hard to think straight about animals.

SEGMENT 1:

This hour, why it's so hard to think straight about animals. We start with psychologist Hal Herzog, author of "Some We Love, Some We Hate, Some We Eat: What it's so Hard to Think Straight About Animals." He talks to Anne Strainchamps about his own mixed feelings. Journalist John Woestendiek is the author of "Dog, Inc." which explores the bizarre tale of Bernan McKinney.Steve Paulson was fascinated by this story of the man who received the first commercially cloned dog.

SEGMENT 2:

Jaron Lanier is famous for popularizing "virtual reality" and his recent book "You Are Not a Gadget" makes him one of the go-to thinkers about computers and society. So why is he in a program about animals? As he tells Anne Strainchamps, it's because he loves cephalopods - like the squid and the octopus. Novelist T.C. Boyle has made a career out of finding loaded subjects for his fiction. In his new novel "When the Killing's Done" the face-off is between an animals rights activist and a biologist. He tells Jim Fleming the animal lover, however, is not a very nice guy.

SEGMENT 3:

Barbara King is an anthropologist who studies monkeys and apes, but she also loves the pets she and her husband live with at home. She tells Steve Paulson human and animal history is so intertwined it's hard to imagine one species without the other.

CD copies are available at 1-800-747-7444. Ask for program number 11-03-06-B.

................................................................

Books & CDs:

John Woestendiek, Dogs, Inc. (Avery)
Hal Herzog, Some We Love, Some We Hate, Some We Eat (Harper)
Barbara J. King, Being With Animals(Doubleday)
Jaron Lanier, You Are Not a Gadget (Knopf)
T.C. Boyle, When the Killing's Done (Viking)

Websites:

T.C. Boyle
http://www.tcboyle.com/
Hal Herzog
http://halherzog.com/
Barbara J. King
http://www.barbarajking.com/
Jaron Lanier
http://www.jaronlanier.com/
John Woestendiek
http://www.ohmidog.com/about/

Music:

After Herzog:
Greg & Jere Canote w/ "I Heard the Voice of the Porkchop"
On "The American Fogies: Volume Two"
Rounder Records
After Woestendiek:
Jane Siberry w/ "Everything Reminds Me of My Dog"
On "Bound by the Beauty"
Reprise
After Lanier:
Beatles w/ "Octopus' Garden"
On "The Beatles/1967-1970"
EMI Records
After Boyle:
Quartet San Francisco w/ "Celebration on the Planet Mars"
On "Whirled Chamber Music"
ViolinJazz Recordings
After King:
Jane's Addiction w/ "Pets"
On "Porno for Pyros"
Warner Brothers Records

First Animal Allies Club Dine-Out Night! Mountain West Burrito in Provo

2011-03-10T10:15:00.000-07:00

Facebook event page: AAC Burrito Night

Time	Friday, March 11 · 7:00pm - 9:00pm

Location	Mountain West Burrito 1796 N 950 W Provo, UT

Created By	Animal Allies Club at UVU

More Info	Join us for the UVU Animal Allies Club monthly dining night! Each second Friday of the month we will be visiting a different veg-friendly restaurant. For the month of March we will be going to Mountain West Burrito, a new Mexican place which has gotten raving reviews from Utah County vegans. So join us for food, friends and conversation!

KUER RadioWest: The Wolf's Tooth

2011-02-10T08:51:00.009-07:00

via publicbroadcasting.net

Continuation of RadioWest's series on predators

2/9/11: The Wolf's Tooth

08 Feb 2011 05:00:00 GMT

Conservation biologist Cristina Eisenberg says we have a complicated relationship with wolves. She actually uses the term "pathological" to describe it. Eisenberg explains some people irrationally love wolves - without taking human needs into consideration. Others have demonized the predators - without recognizing the vital role they play in our ecosystems. Wednesday we continue our series on predators. Eisenberg joins Doug to talk about striking a balance on wolf management in the West.

Play:

House committee skins Oda’s feral cat bill | The Salt Lake Tribune

2011-02-09T21:00:00.002-07:00

via sltrib.com

Classy story title, Gehrke. (rolls eyes)

"A House committee neutered Utah’s “feral cat” bill Wednesday, concerned the proposal to allow the shooting of feral animals could open the door to “joykilling.”

Instead, the bill approved by House Judiciary Committee eliminated all references to feral animals and left Oda’s bill allowing people to shoot an animal in order to protect against “injury or death.”

See also, the Deseret News: 'Feral cat' bill gutted in committee; just one line left

25 Lions Rescued from Circus Cages | Care2

2011-01-20T10:17:00.004-07:00

via care2.com

"Twenty-five rescued circus lions from all over Bolivia were gathered this week, in preparation for their trip to an animal rescue center in Colorado. Animal Defenders International worked with Bolivian authorities enforcing the country’s ban on the use of animals in circuses. The lions will be transported to The Wild Animal Sanctuary near Denver, CO, where they will have about 80 acres of open land to move around in. Preparations are being made to move the lions now."
Read more: http://www.care2.com/greenliving/twenty-five-lions-rescued-from-circus-cages....

China bans animal circuses - The Telegraph

2011-01-18T23:10:00.003-07:00

Story via telegraph.co.uk

Proposed bill would permit shooting feral animals

2011-01-14T17:57:00.004-07:00

via ksl.com

Please contact Rep. Oda and let him know that this proposal is cruel and NOT the most effective way of controlling feral animals. Urge him to support education on spaying/neutering and trap-neuter-release programs! coda@utah.gov House of Reps.: (801) 538-1029 Home: (801) 773-9796

Full Story from KSL: http://www.ksl.com/index.php?nid=148&sid=13997075#
See also, the Daily Herald: http://m.heraldextra.com/news/local/article_1a0aca82-2019-11e0-ab16-001cc4c002e0.html
"Oda said a humane killing would be any method that caused the least amount of suffering. Shooting is singled out as an acceptable method in his bill, but Oda said other means that would be allowed include using a bow and arrow, clubbing or decapitating some animals."

First Animal Allies Club coffee night of 2011!

2011-01-09T13:43:00.004-07:00

Come visit with fellow animal allies at Coffee Pod in Provo this Friday!

January AAC Coffee Night!

Time	Friday, January 14 · 7:00pm - 9:00pm

Location	Coffee Pod 426 W 1230 N Provo, UT

Created By	Animal Allies Club at UVU

More Info	What are your resolutions for the new year? If you want to be more involved in animal rights, come socialize with your favorite animal lovers! We know all of the good protests and vegan recipes, so come hang out!

BOLD NATIVE screening + Q&A with the filmmakers

2011-01-03T15:50:00.010-07:00

BOLD NATIVE screening + Q&A with the filmmakers

Time	Monday, January 24 · 7:00pm - 10:00pm

Location	Utah Valley University LI 120 (Library Auditorium)

Created By	UVU Animal Allies Club

More Info	Guests: Director/Writer-Denis Hennelly, Producer-Casey Suchan, and Actor-Peter Young Suggested donation of $5 http://boldnative.com/

Vegan Food on UVU Campus

2010-12-09T13:36:00.001-07:00

Hey AAC members. Over at my blog, The Vegan Cooking Adventures of Meggie and Ben, I have been posting some of the yummy vegan dishes you can buy on campus. My favorite places include La Esquina, the sushi place, and Jamba Juice. Check out my blog here or the links above for some awesome tried-and-tested foods :)

TOMORROW: Ching Farm Sanctuary Vegan Thanksgiving Dinner

2010-11-12T15:56:00.001-07:00

Everyone please come! It is a great opportunity to help farm animals. You can buy tickets at the door!

UVU Review Article: Trap Neuter Release Program

2010-10-25T15:06:00.000-06:00

Check out this article on the new trap neuter release program written by the UVU Review!

Thanks to initiatives taken by the Animal Allies Club, a trap-neuter-release program for feral cats on campus has been given a trial period.

“We are very excited for the opportunity to help the feral cats on campus,” said Breana Reichert, president of the Animal Allies Club. “Hopefully it will be a mutually beneficial endeavor, both for the cats and for UVU.”

Read more here: http://www.uvureview.com/2010/10/25/trap-neuter-release-program/

Rescued pit bull makes successful transition from dogfighting | Deseret News

2010-10-12T17:13:00.002-06:00

via deseretnews.com

"A pit bull named Hector that was rescued from NFL quarterback Michael Vick's illegal dogfighting operation in 2007 is now a certified therapy dog that makes visits to hospitals and nursing homes."

Rehabilitating Former Fighting Dogs | The Diane Rehm Show from WAMU and NPR

2010-10-04T19:50:00.002-06:00

via thedianerehmshow.org

Police called to animal shelter meeting

2010-10-01T12:57:00.002-06:00

via heraldextra.com

"Residents are questioning whether board members of the north county animal shelter broke the law on Thursday after refusing to allow the public to speak at an advertised hearing at a public meeting. Shelter staff called police after turning away a dozen residents from the meeting."

Link: http://www.heraldextra.com/news/local/article_039b5087-d2e9-5cb9-aa07-f9e76eb...

Some evacuees oinked, clucked and whinnied all the way to safety | The Salt Lake Tribune

2010-09-23T17:25:00.002-06:00

via sltrib.com

Article in the Tribune about Ching Farm's evacuation from the Herriman Machine Gun Fire.

Andy Stepanian: Discovery Channel Gunman Is Not an Ecoterrorist if I Am

2010-09-06T16:37:00.002-06:00

via huffingtonpost.com

UVU Students Need to Support This Great Event!

2010-08-30T21:20:00.003-06:00

Animal Rights Play to be Held in Library

Wick, a one-woman play by Claudia Stevens, is scheduled to be performed on campus on September 7. The play is about Miriam Rothschild, a British environmentalist who is considered a champion of animal rights.....

Read more here.

Animal kill counter information

2010-08-18T09:47:00.002-06:00

For those of you who have been interested in our animal kill counter, visit this website for more information!

http://www.adaptt.org/killcounter.html

Ric O’Barry and Louie Psihoyos on Democracy Now! August 16th 2010

2010-08-17T19:55:00.003-06:00

via democracynow.org

"We go now to the Oscar-winning film The Cove, which opened last month in Japan after months of protests by right-wing activists who had pressured some cinemas into canceling screenings. The documentary stars Ric O’Barry, a former trainer for the hit 1960s television series Flipper. He is now a dolphin activist, and the film documents how a group of filmmakers used hidden cameras to expose the annual slaughter of over 20,000 dolphins in the small fishing village of Taiji, 200 miles southeast of Tokyo.
Ultra-nationalist groups say the documentary is anti-Japanese and distorts the truth. They also accuse the filmmakers of having connections to an anti-whaling direct-action group called Sea Shepherd, that Japan labels a terrorist organization.
But the controversy turned into a debate over the freedom of expression. Major newspapers and prominent filmmakers and lawyers condemned the cancellations. In June, a Japanese court issued a rare ban against the demonstrators, ordering them to stay away from a theater showing The Cove.
Dolphin activists like Ric O’Barry say the real impact of the film inside Japan can be gauged during the six-month dolphin hunting and killing season, which begins September 1st."
Watch/read/listen/download the program here: http://www.democracynow.org/2010/8/16/filmmakers_activists_try_to_save_dolphins#

Free Kittens

2010-08-16T16:10:00.001-06:00

My parents seem to have a way of collecting stray kittens. They currently have three left that need homes. Let me know if you or anyone you know wants a really sweet cat! I picked up a kitten from the same litter as the two 4 month old kittens and she is the sweetest cat in the world. The 2 month old kitten seems very cuddly as well. Kittens are located in Highland, Utah.

4 month old grey and black tabby with a white belly

4 month old orange tabby with a white belly and legs

2 month old grey and white kitty

Win a copy of vegan on the cheap!

2010-08-13T08:57:00.002-06:00

Check out this blog, Vegan Planet, and post a comment to win Vegan on the Cheap!

Move to Limit ‘Factory Farms’ Gains Momentum

2010-08-12T16:52:00.002-06:00

via nytimes.com

It's a step.

"WEST MANSFIELD, Ohio — Concessions by farmers in this state to sharply restrict the close confinement of hens, hogs and veal calves are the latest sign that so-called factory farming — a staple of modern agriculture that is seen by critics as inhumane and a threat to the environment and health — is on the verge of significant change.

A recent agreement between farmers and animal rights activists here is a rare compromise in the bitter and growing debate over large-scale, intensive methods of producing eggs and meat, and may well push farmers in other states to give ground, experts say. The rising consumer preference for more “natural” and local products and concerns about pollution and antibiotic use in giant livestock operations are also driving change."

Read the rest of the article: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/12/us/12farm.html?_r=1#

2010 Veggie Awards

2010-08-03T14:05:00.000-06:00

Everybody go take the 2010 Veggie Awards Survey!

U.S. State Department Warns Corporations: “Never confront the protesters…most of them know what their rights are”

2010-07-29T10:30:00.003-06:00

Read the article here

A few great vegan recipe sites

2010-07-29T09:34:00.005-06:00

Just thought I would share some of my favorite vegan blogs with everyone :) I actually just started my own vegan blog too; so give me some support!

My blog
Fat free vegan kitchen
Hell yeah its vegan
Your vegan mom
The blooming platter of vegan recipes

Animal Rights: New Laws Take Movement to the Mainstream - TIME

2010-07-22T16:13:00.003-06:00

via time.com

From Mother Jones:

2010-07-21T14:34:00.003-06:00

Puppy Protection Act Offers (Slim) Hope to (Some) Abused Dogs

— By James Ridgeway

| Wed Jul. 21, 2010 10:13 AM PDT

Congress.org reported this week on bills recently introduced in both houses of Congress. The Puppy Uniform Protection and Safety (PUPS) Act (S 3424 and HR 5434) would “amend the Animal Welfare Act to provide further protection for puppies.”

The bills, from Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) and Rep. Sam Farr (D-Calif.), were introduced at the end of May and tail a Department of Agriculture inspector general report regarding federal investigations of breeders.
The IG report, released May 25, says large breeders who sell animals covered under the Animal Welfare Act (AWA, PL 89-544) online are exempt from inspection and licensing requirements “due to a loophole in AWA.” The IG says there are “an increasing number” of these unlicensed, unmonitored breeders.
The bills would require licensing and inspection of dog breeders that sell more than 50 dogs per year to the public (including online) and would also outline additional exercise requirements for dogs at facilities – such as having sufficient, clean space and proper flooring.
According to a press release, Durbin said he would work administratively with the USDA to fix problems at its Animal and Plant Health Inspection Services, and then introduce addition legislation if needed.

Supporting humane treatment of puppies would seem like a political no-brainer, right? AsLiliana Segura pointed out on Twitter earlier today, what could be better in the upcoming midterm elections than “to be able to say ‘our opponents HATE puppies’”? Mainstream groups like the Humane Society have been pushing for legislation action on puppy mills for years, to little avail. (Click here to see video of a Humane Society raid on a massive puppy mill in Tennessee, and here to read some gruesome details from the USDA’s report on puppy mills.) Yet the bills are not exactly barreling their way through Congress; both are waiting for attention from agricultural subcommittees, and after two months, the Senate bill has only seven co-sponsors.

In addition, when it comes to animals routinely used in cosmetic testing, and animals (including puppies and dogs) treated cruelly in drug testing and medical research, the federal government has pretty much sat on its hands–or worse. To take one particularly galling example, the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine last year exposed an effort on the part of the National Institutes of Health to sell young constituents on the idea of animal experimentation. As Stephanie Ernst wrote on Change.org:

[T]he NIH promotes, on its Web site, achildren’s coloring book that gives a skewed view of animal experiments. The coloring book implies that researchers are trying to cure animals that are already sick—rather than purposely infecting them with diseases—and ignores the fact that animals suffer and die in the process. The coloring book, entitled The Lucky Puppy, was produced by an industry trade group, the North Carolina Association for Biomedical Research, whose members have a financial interest in the continuation of animal research…
The book erroneously portrays the lives of animals in laboratories as pleasant and carefree. Published scientific research and numerous undercover investigations clearly demonstrate that animals in laboratories suffer pain and distress from experimental procedures and routine laboratory practices. The coloring book also makes misleading claims about the benefits of animal experiments, implying that research findings from experiments on animals are directly applicable to both the animals used in research and to humans.

The federal government is also actively engaged in protecting animal testing and experimentation against animal rights activists. Anyone who chooses to take action against an animal testing facility is not, as one would expect, subject to charges of breaking-and-entering or vandalism. Instead, they are branded terrorists under the notorious Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act; for actions in which no human being were harmed, they can end up serving long sentences in a federal supermax Communications Management Unit. (See the blog Green Is the New Red for the best information on AETA.)

James Ridgeway is a senior correspondent at Mother Jones. For more of his stories, click here.

Ultramarathoner Jurek Takes Diet to the Extreme

2010-07-07T15:09:00.002-06:00

via nytimes.com

Mark Bittman's May 12th article in the New York Times about vegan marathoner Scott Jurek.

Protecting Great Apes From Uganda to the U.S. | Change.org

2010-06-30T16:07:00.005-06:00

Protecting Great Apes From Uganda to the U.S.

by Debra DurhamJune 29, 2010 09:00 AM (PT)

This is a guest post by Debra Durham, Ph.D., a primatologist and ethologist with the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine.

It's 7 a.m. and I am already sweating because I'm hiking through the forest in the tropics of Uganda. It's not just the hike or the humidity, but I also have a 50 pound load on my back. But this is no ordinary load; not a tent and backpack. Rather, I am carrying Nani, a chimpanzee who lives at Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary.

Together, with some of the caregivers and other chimpanzee residents, we are going on a forest walk this morning. Along with other activities, this is part of the care and rehabilitation that may someday prepare Nani and the other residents for reintroduction to the wild. In fact, I'm here in Africa for three months to study chimpanzees, to find out more about how they fare both in the wild and in rescue centers like this one.

Nani is fortunate to be at Ngamba Island. Like so many other residents here, Nani was stolen from the wild as a youngster. Her mother and other members of her family were almost certainly killed, either as part of the illegal trade in bush meat, or for the black market in live chimpanzees. Nani survived, and now that she has been nursed back to health in the safety of the sanctuary, there is hope that she may one day live with other chimpanzees in the wild ... where she belongs.

Once we reach our destination in the forest, Nani jumps down with the others where she can play and explore and enjoy the forest. Since Nani has had a ride all the way out, she seems to have the energy for all of this. I, on the other hand, am sweating and happy to take a seat on a fallen log to catch my breath and watch the fun. I think how very fortunate Nani and the others are to be safe and get the special care and attention provided by the sanctuary.

As a primatologist, I wish all chimpanzees knew the safety and dignity of sanctuary. This includes the more than 1,000 chimpanzees who are now suffering in U.S. laboratories where they are used in experiments, or languish for decades being warehoused for testing and research.

The Great Ape Protection Act (H.R. 1326), which has more than 140 congressional co-sponsors, would phase out the use of chimpanzees in invasive experiments and retire federally-owned chimpanzees to sanctuaries. The United States is the last country in the world that permits and funds large-scale chimpanzee research and testing, despite evidence that such experiments have failed to translate into human health benefits.

Nani is not so different from the chimpanzees who were stolen from the forests of Africa and brought to the U.S. to be used in laboratories decades ago, except that Nani is safe now, and she has the hope of one day being free. Chimpanzees who have lived in laboratories and been subjected to experiments are too traumatized to return to the wild, but they can have a better, safer life in a sanctuary.

Please ask your representative to co-sponsor the Great Ape Protection Act and put an end to chimpanzee experiments.

Photo credit: Chimpanzee Sanctuary and Conservation Wildlife Trust/Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine

Debra Durham, Ph.D. is a primatologist and ethologist with the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine.

End Chimpanzee Experiments, Pass the Great Ape Protection Act

http://animals.change.org/blog/view/protecting_great_apes_from_uganda_to_the_us#

The Growing Fight Against Animal Cruelty

2010-06-28T14:06:00.002-06:00

via publicbroadcasting.net

Charles Siebert on Radio West. He is the author of the article The Animal-Cruelty Syndrome in the New York Times on June 7th. Here's the description:

"SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH (KUER) - Abused and neglected animals used to be the problem of the local Humane Society, not law enforcement or psychologists. But that's changing. High profile cases such as the 2007 arrest of NFL star Michael Vick on dog-fighting charges and growing research showing a link between animal cruelty and human abuse is prompting public outcry and tougher laws. Monday, join guest host Jennifer Napier-Pearce for a discussion about animal cruelty and what it reveals about aggression and empathy."

The Whales Win - For Now | elephant journal

2010-06-25T16:17:00.002-06:00

via elephantjournal.com

"At the recent meeting of the International Whaling Commission (IWC) in Morocco, members spent two days discussing a “compromise” that would allow whaling nations to legally hunt whales for the next ten years, thus overturning a ban on commercial whaling that the IWC put in place almost 25 years ago. Despite the ban, Japan, Norway and Iceland have continued to kill whales using exemptions and loopholes. The three whaling nations have killed over 28,000 whales since 1986.

The purpose of the compromise was to cut the amount of whales killed to 200 by the end of the ten-year plan, with the hope that Japan will eventually be moved to end their whaling.

The compromise, supported by a group of nations led by the United States as well as organizations like Greenpeace, the World Wildlife Fund and the PEW Environment Group, was not much of a bargain for whales.

The fact that a compromise was a possibility is disheartening to say the least, and that environmental groups and the Obama administration supported it is even more distressing. Despite a 24-year ban, governments and organizations are losing their will to hold Japan – as well as Iceland and Norway – accountable according to laws already on the books."

Read the rest here: http://www.elephantjournal.com/2010/06/the-whales-win-%E2%80%93-for-now/

Tuna’s End - NYTimes Magazine preview

2010-06-24T17:41:00.002-06:00

via nytimes.com

Also, here's Vegan.com's analysis of the article:
"Pollan of the Sea" http://www.vegan.com/blog/2010/06/24/pollan-of-the-sea/

In Whaling Wars, Resources vs. ‘Beings’ - Green Blog - NYTimes

2010-06-24T16:09:00.002-06:00

via green.blogs.nytimes.com

"For many whaling foes, the legitimacy of the practice hinges not on whether populations are sustainable enough to allow selective hunting, but on whether whales, like higher primates such as chimpanzees or gorillas, are too intelligent and evolved to be hunted at all.

“It’s kind of a dichotomy between those who see whales as resources and those who see whales as beings,” said Hal Whitehead, a marine biologist at Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia, who studies sperm whales in the wild.

Proponents of whaling have argued for years that evidence of cetacean intelligence is weak and overstated. The Japanese Whaling Association, a pro-whaling lobbying group, states at its Web site that “those who assert that the whale has a higher intelligence base their assertion on the large size of a whale’s brain. It is simply natural for a whale which has a large head to have a larger brain than those of other animals, but that does not necessarily mean that it has higher intelligence.”

Yet arguments about brain size and cetacean intelligence have fallen to the wayside in recent years, with experiments in captivity showing that dolphins can grasp basic language and math skills, understand concepts of imitation and improvisation and succeed in self-awareness tests previously passed only by humans and primates."

Read the rest of the article here: http://green.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/06/24/in-whaling-wars-resources-vs-beings/

'The Cove' Star Ric O'Barry Steps Up Dolphin Efforts in Japan - Japan Real Time - WSJ

2010-06-24T15:54:00.002-06:00

via blogs.wsj.com

"Mr. O’Barry, a former dolphin trainer who stars in the Academy-Award winning documentary, said he’s organizing a gathering to coincide with the beginning of the hunt on Sept. 1. It’s intended to attract onlookers and lots of media."

Chimpanzees: An Unnatural History | Nature

2010-06-22T16:11:00.002-06:00

via pbs.org

"NATURE introduces you to the unsung heroes in our history in Chimpanzees: An Unnatural History.

The history of chimps in our society is a history unlike any other. We have sent them into space, dressed them in costumes and demanded that they entertain us. Some have been adopted into human families until they “outgrew” their cuteness, many have been used to test our drugs or to help develop our vaccines, others have been infected with our most frightening diseases. While we are mesmerized by their likeness to our species and we have continually found uses for chimps, we never considered what they wanted or needed.

But their side of the story is starting to emerge. And it can be heard at the sanctuaries where many retired chimps now reside. It can be read in their medical records, seen in their mutilated bodies, or sensed through their psychological afflictions. We’ve had a conflicted relationships with chimps in our society but there are some people who want to simplify it. Chimpanzees: An Unnatural History will introduce you to the rescuers at sanctuaries like Fauna Foundation, Save the Chimps, Center for Great Apes. And they are determined to see that the traumatized residents they have saved from a life of confinement and suffering can finally be allowed to feel like chimps."

Repeat After Me - Inside NOVA

2010-06-18T15:18:00.002-06:00

Repeat After Me

By Peter Tyson on June 15, 2010 1:29 PM |

What do these groups of animals -- parrots, hummingbirds, songbirds, bats, elephants, cetaceans (whales and dolphins), and possibly some lions -- have in common with us humans? Hint: think what parrots are famously good at.

Right, parroting. These seven animal groups - and no others known so far -- can imitate sounds they've heard. Other creatures may understand the meaning of sounds, but they can't mimic them. A dog knows what "sit" means but can't, well, parrot that sound. A chimp can ape, but not vocally. All they can do is produce sounds they were born with.

Why? The reason, as Erich Jarvis of Duke University and other neurobiologists have found in birds and humans, have evolved a special neural connection that makes this possible. It's a direct link from the forebrain to motor neurons in the brainstem that are responsible for vocalization. It's this link that enables our speech.

Jarvis and colleagues are just beginning to uncover the physical basis of that neural hook-up -- one of many recent advances that are forcing a radical revision in how we think about animal smarts.

Erich Jarvis © NOVA/WGBH Educational Foundation

"What we've been looking for, and I'm pretty sure we're finding now, is the genes responsible for making that direct connection," Jarvis told me on the phone the other day. Jarvis believes that one or more mutations in existing genes brought about this rare trait, possibly independently in all seven lineages known to have the ability. "We're not saying we've found the smoking gun, but we're getting closer to something that makes logical sense," he says.

A zebra finch, one of the species Jarvis studies in his lab. © iStockphoto/dr_hector

This putative tweak of genetic code has helped enable quite sophisticated behavior in animals that got the mutation-behavior that goes beyond simple parroting and might smack of intelligence. Take the songbirds: Mockingbirds can produce hundreds if not thousands of calls, many of them learned. Chickadees can remember where they buried thousands of seeds. Jays have demonstrated mental time travel. Crows (yes, they're songbirds) can make and use tools.

But aren't chimps a lot smarter than birds? Well, it depends on how you define intelligence, Jarvis says.

For most of the last century, Jarvis told me, biologists thought that the layers in the mammalian cortex -- the distinctive folds covering the tops of our brains -- allow for more complexity than the corresponding ball-like structure in birds and reptiles. "So mammals in general are going to be more intelligent than non-mammals, with a lineage leading up to humans -- that was the idea," Jarvis says.

But he and others are showing that neither folds nor even brain size are necessary for such cognitively complex behavior. What's ultimately important, Jarvis says, is the connectivity of the brain's neural networks.

Intelligence, such research is showing, comes in different forms and flavors, not just the human kind.

via pbs.org

The Animal-Cruelty Syndrome

2010-06-17T17:08:00.002-06:00

via nytimes.com

Tastes Like Chicken: The Quest for Fake Meat - TIME

2010-06-09T17:34:00.002-06:00

via time.com

So what do you think? I'm not sure how I feel about the processed chicken alternatives but I am damn sure I would never eat meat grown in a petri dish.

PINKWASHING: The irony of KFC's Buckets for the Cure campaign

2010-05-28T15:26:00.004-06:00

via medscape.com

"Breast Cancer Action (BCA) was this national nonprofit education and advocacy organization that coined the term "pinkwashing" to describe the situation where a company purports to care about breast cancer by promoting a pink-ribboned product, but manufactures products that are linked to the disease."

Breast Cancer Action website: http://www.bcaction.org/

Tell KFC and Komen to stop the pinkwashing!

Barbara Ehrenreich on the Cancer-Industrial Complex: Not So Pretty in Pink: The Uproar Over New Breast Cancer Screening Guidelines

Excerpt from John Robbins' book The Food Revolution. When Prevention and Profits Don't Mix
The Food Revolution on Google books

Exerpt from The China Study (Introduction) in which Dr. Colin Campbell explains that animal protein promotes disease.
The China Study on Google books

Cornell Chronicle: China Study II: Switch to Western diet may bring Western-type diseases

Disclaimer: I am not one to think narrowly about health, so it should be known that I am aware of all the studies that indicate that simply abstaining from animal products is not enough to prevent disease. It makes a lot of sense that a holistic approach to health is the best approach, including exercise, meditation, not smoking, etc. and eating a good array of plants full of antioxidants and all sorts of good vitamins and minerals. No single nutrient can work miracles, its all about the entire picture. Essentially the research says its a good idea to minimize the meat and dairy you consume and make sure to eat lots of healthy fruits and vegetables (among other healthy plant foods). Michael Pollan boiled it down to "Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants." which is a great little summary I think. For me personally, veganism is not only about health so I'm not really interesting in trying to scientifically prove the health benefits of excluding ALL animal products from my diet. People (who aren't concerned about animals or the environment, just themselves) don't like to be told to exclude all animal products and science doesn't really back it up for health reasons, and that is ok. It still stands that Americans eat a lot of crap and are really sick and capitalism allows corporations to create the nightmare and profit from the pain, both human and non-human.

Posted via web from kazookah's posterous

Conklin Dairy Farms Video Shows Dairy Cows Being Violently Abused, Says Mercy For Animals

2010-05-26T15:37:00.003-06:00

via huffingtonpost.com

"CLEVELAND (AP/Huffington Post)-- An animal welfare group said Tuesday that a graphic video it secretly recorded shows workers at a dairy farm beating cows with crowbars, stabbing them with pitchforks and punching them in their heads.

The video was recorded in an undercover investigation at Conklin Dairy Farms Inc., said Mercy For Animals, a not-for-profit group that publicizes what it calls cruel practices in the dairy, meat and egg industries and promotes a vegan diet.

The video shows workers at the federally-subsidized farm holding down newborn calves and stomping on their heads. It shows one worker wiring a cow's nose to a metal bar near the ground and repeatedly beating it with another bar while it bleeds."

Pets and the Human-Animal Bond | Nature

2010-05-24T16:33:00.002-06:00

via pbs.org

"Americans own 73 million dogs and 90 million cats. They become best friends, soul mates, family members, and even surrogate children. Relationships with cats and dogs are some of the longest and most intimate of our lives. Why are we so attached? Animal behavior experts, evolutionary biologists, veterinarians, and pet owners share insights and observations about these animals and their impact on us."

Animal Activists Fight for Their Own Rights | Salt Lake City Weekly

2010-05-13T00:43:00.002-06:00

Animal Activists Fight for Their Own Rights

Some Utah animal advocates fear being put in a legal cage.

By Jesse Fruhwirth

In June 2008, Jeremy Beckham took a day trip from Seattle to Vancouver, British Columbia, with his girlfriend and brother to visit famed Capilano Suspension Bridge. The longtime Salt Lake City animal-rights activist had no problem entering Canada, but his name was flagged by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection when he returned.

“They brought me in a separate room, so it was clear they were singling me out,” he said. He gave the agent his name, told him he was a student at the University of Utah and that he was just visiting Canada as a tourist. “Then [the agent] said, ‘What student groups or political organizations do you belong to?’ ” Nervous already, Beckham was now alarmed. Why should his political beliefs have any bearing on his re-entry?

Beckham, 25, refused to answer the question, and all others.

The agent asked if he was refusing to cooperate with a “national security investigation.” Beckham’s answer was not what the agent wanted to hear: “I’m not refusing to [explain] why I was in Canada, [but] I’m not going to answer questions about my political beliefs.” Beckham was cuffed, and he recalls the agent saying, “You can sit there until you’re ready to answer some questions.”

He sat handcuffed for an hour or more. Eventually, a “good cop” with a kind demeanor—to contrast the previous brusque “bad cop”—came into the room and uncuffed Beckham. He asked the same questions as the first agent and Beckham explained, for a second time, his trip to the Capilano bridge.

“Let me tell you a bit about why you were stopped,” Beckham says he was told. “We looked into you, and we know that you are an animal-rights activist. … That’s your right. You might not be aware of it, but Canada is a hotbed of violent animal-rights extremism. … We don’t think you’re a violent animal-rights activist necessarily, but we have to ask these questions. Did you speak with any animal-rights activists [in Canada]’” Beckham remained silent.

Twenty minutes later, he was free to go.

It’s not clear whether Beckham was listed in the FBI’s Terrorist Screening Database, or “watch list” as it’s frequently called. Beckham has never been charged with any so-called “eco-terrorism,” but people he knows have, and activist associates of his have been convicted of picketing-related charges. Beckham believes the government hypes the threat of animal-activist crimes in order to disrupt the entire movement and that merely being an animal activist can make you guilty by association. Beckham and others believe animal exploitation is the moral equivalent of human torture or murder, and they’re incredibly earnest and uncompromising in their beliefs that breaking the laws to free animals is similar to the Underground Railroad.

"They brought me in a separate room, so it was clear they were singling me out. Then the agent said, ‘What student groups or political organizations do you belong to?’ ”
—JEREMY BECKHAM

Agree with them or not, understanding their motivation is key to understanding tactics that some find unsavory: picketing at animal researchers’ homes, for example, or publicly praising illegal mink releases. While some activists have purposely violated the law in defense of animal rights, those who are not willing to cross legal lines face anxiety-inducing quandaries: When does free speech become illegal support of others’ crimes, and what are the consequences of being an “eco-terrorist” sympathizer?

Law enforcers from the FBI down to Salt Lake City Prosecutor Sim Gill remind these activists that ignorance of the law is no excuse for violating it, and yet refuse to issue legal opinions that clearly distinguish illegal behavior and free speech. An FBI official recently told City Weekly that the activists have nothing to worry about if they “don’t push the envelope.” But activists are almost sure to keep pushing. In which case, they may face more detentions at the border, FBI informants in their midst and more revisions to the legal understandings of free speech and assembly.

Animal-Rights “Rock Star”

Peter Daniel Young, 32, is certainly the most prominent animal liberator/convicted “eco-terrorist” in Utah. The son of a radio disc jockey, Young was born in California and mostly raised in the Seattle-area community of Mercer Island. Already a hardcore music fan and Straight Edge kid—meaning he loved aggressive, angry music but disdained drugs and alcohol— Young became only the second vegan in his high school and hasn’t eaten meat or dairy since, not even in prison.

The roots of his radical respect for animals can be traced to John Robbins’ markedly unradical Diet For a New America television special from 1992, which Young saw in a high school class. The 60-minute film barely mentions animal rights and focuses on Americans’ unusual levels of meat and dairy consumption relative to other countries. There’s just a brief scene about the conditions of animals on factory farms, but it’s presented as more of a gross-out to eaters than an argument that animals deserve better treatment. Nevertheless, those images stuck with Young.

Young graduated from high school in 1995 and continued his practices of picketing businesses that exploited animals. He quickly grew intolerant, however, of the slow pace of progress and moved on to criminal acts of activism, often referred to as “direct actions.” “We were under the illusion that this [picketing] was building up toward some crescendo where all the animals were free, and it just wasn’t working.”

His first illegal direct action was to smash the windows of a Seattle ham store and paint “Meat is Murder” on the walls. That made the news, as did other crimes he committed anonymously. Before long, though, both cops and news crews recognized him as an activist. He felt “marked” and needed anonymity to continue his illegal work, so he headed for the Upper Midwest in 1997.

“The road trip that lead to my indictment was to be my last stop before college,” he said. “I wanted to do one last, great thing.” That thing was to assist in the release of thousands of mink from their cages at six ranches in South Dakota, Iowa and Wisconsin, sort of an epicenter of mink farming. Wisconsin is the top producer of mink pelts with 71 farms, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Utah is the second highest, with 65 farms.

Mink are among the best animals to liberate, Young says, because they’re scrappy survivors who have the instincts for life in the wild. The fur industry disagrees about minks’ chances of survival after a lifetime in a small cage—which is usually only months long—never having time to run around, much less hunt or swim. Each side has anecdotes and scientific research to back their mortality/survival claims.

Young and a co-defendant were caught—their red Geo Metro with Washington plates had been spotted at mink farms and was seized by a Wisconsin officer—but he was not indicted until the next year. Young went underground and stayed on the lam until 2005, when he was arrested in San Jose, Calif. He pleaded guilty and was sentenced to two years in prison and $254,000 in restitution, most of which went unpaid because he stopped making payments after his one-year probation expired.

Young became a convicted eco-terrorist, though he never intended to nor actually did hurt anyone—except financially. He sees mink releases as akin to interrupting a rape in progress, so he doesn’t have any mixed emotions about harming animal-exploitation businesses. He says he’s now engaged only in above-ground, legal activism because, as a “marked” man, he attracts a lot of law-enforcement attention.

Young also drew attention of animal-rights activists, becoming a “rock star” among local groups, at least according to a woman who once dated Young and is now suspected of working as an informant for the FBI.

Continue reading: Page 1 | Page 2 | Page 3 |

via cityweekly.net

American Experience . Into the Deep: America, Whaling & the World | PBS

2010-05-07T14:17:00.002-06:00

via pbs.org

Into the Deep will air on 5/10 on PBS. It details the 300-year saga of the American whaling industry.

"The history of the American whaling industry from its 17th-century origins in drift and shore whaling off the coast of New England and Cape Cod, through the golden age of deep ocean whaling, and on to its demise in the decades following the American Civil War."

Frogs, Amphibians, ecosystems and what we can do to help

2010-04-30T17:22:00.003-06:00

Today is Save the Frogs day, but this is an issue we can focus on and be active about every day of the year. Frogs are an incredibly important part of the earth's complex ecosystems and they are dying off faster every year.

A lot of these articles are a few years old, but things haven't gotten any better, only worse.

The Great Amphibian Die Off

Wisconsin researcher says frog deformities increase with use of fertilizers

New Report Details Historic Mass Extinction Of Amphibians; Humans Worsen Spread Of Deadly Emerging Infectious Disease

Amphibians face mass extinction

Save the Frogs, Today and Every Day

Amphibians In Losing Race With Environmental Change

Disease threatens mass extinction of frogs

Amphibians' Ability To Predict Changes In Biodiversity Confirmed By New Study

Killer Fungus Threatening Amphibians

Studies offer new insights into causes of deformed frogs

Amphibian Warning Bell of Mass Extinctions

Frogs Are Being Eaten to Extinction

A Tale of Two Frogs for "Save the Frogs" Day

Global Appetite for Frog Legs Threatens Species

Are Humans Now Eating Frogs to Extinction?

7 Ways YOU Can Save the Frogs

Again, check out the PBS documentary Frogs: The Thin Green Line (linked to on a previous post) for a great overview of the situation.

download the full gallery on posterous

Posted via email from kazookah's posterous

Gulf Oil Spill Map - Wildlife at Risk - Map

2010-04-30T15:09:00.002-06:00

via nytimes.com

"The oil spill from a deepwater well is threatening various birds and marine mammals along the Louisiana coast. The National Audubon Society has identified some of the most vulnerable birds. About 210,000 feet of protective boom has been laid."

Frogs: The Thin Green Line

2010-04-30T14:26:00.003-06:00

Just in case anyone hasn't seen this yet, I'm posting it because you can watch it for free online:

Farmer honored for guarding environment

2010-04-22T17:38:00.002-06:00

via durangoherald.com

"DETROIT - Lynn Henning's southern Michigan farm is within 10 miles of a dozen large livestock farms, and for years she's gathered water samples and used aerial photography to help hold them accountable to environmental laws.
With the growth of factory farming over the last decade around the small, rural communities of Clayton, Mich., and Hudson, Mich., Henning said government oversight has failed to keep pace. So in addition to being a full-time farmer, growing corn and soybeans with her husband, she's a full-time environmentalist."

Carnivorous Climate Skeptics in the Media - Food - The Atlantic

2010-04-22T17:22:00.002-06:00

via theatlantic.com

This Earth Day, go vegan | guardian.co.uk

2010-04-22T16:07:00.002-06:00

via guardian.co.uk

Supreme Court Overturns Law Banning Videos Depicting Animal Cruelty | PBS NewsHour | April 20, 2010 | PBS

2010-04-21T13:57:00.002-06:00

via pbs.org

"The Supreme Court on Tuesday struck down a federal law banning videos of animal cruelty, saying it violates the right to free speech. Margaret Warner talks to Marcia Coyle of the National Law Journal for more on what the ruling means."

If you go to the site, there is also a written transcript available.

Supreme Court Overturns Animal Cruelty Video Ban: Ruling Could Spur New 'Crush' Videos

2010-04-20T14:10:00.002-06:00

via huffingtonpost.com

WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court, with only one dissenting vote Tuesday, struck down a federal ban on videos that show graphic violence against animals. The ruling cheered free speech advocates, but it raised concerns that more animals will be harmed.

The Truth about Sarah Palin and Wildlife in Alaska | Grizzlybay.org

2010-04-15T13:16:00.002-06:00

via grizzlybay.org

I have an idea, how about we drill for oil in her front yard?

The Permavegan: A Rebuttal to Lierre Keith's "The Vegetarian Myth"

2010-04-12T21:27:00.006-06:00

via permavegan.blogspot.com

This is the most coherent review/rebuttal/discussion of Lierre Keith's book/thesis that I have read. I'm really really impressed so I'm sharing it.

The blog looks like a fantastic resource even aside from these posts so I'm really excited about this finding. For more info about the blog author see here.
Anyway the rebuttals are spread across 3 different posts right now

"Facing Death: A Rebuttal to Chapter One of Lierre Keith's "The Vegetarian Myth"

"Linking The Vegetarian Myth, The China Study, and Permaculture Activist: A Serious Injustice"

"Does Carbon Isotope Analysis of Dental Enamel Prove Australopiths Ate Meat, Thereby Undermining Plant-Based Nutrition?"

Anyway, if you have any thoughts I'd definitely be interested in hearing them. I haven't read the book yet, but I plan to as soon as school gets out.

Fewer pound animals headed for research at University of Utah | Deseret News

2010-04-12T14:27:00.002-06:00

via deseretnews.com

See: http://www.pcrm.org/resch/anexp/pound_seizure.html

What do you think? Vegan food on campus

2010-04-09T15:23:00.003-06:00

So, I know we've struggled to get vegan food on campus and I was wondering what you guys thought about this idea -

As much as fresh vegan food is the ultimate goal and ideal, what if we approached the school with specific pre-prepped food suggestions that they can offer across campus? Have we done this already? It seems to me that if we give specific requests we might get somewhere. I don't know. My thought is frozen food. Amy's and Kashi, and any others we can think of. I think we can make a convincing argument that students will buy these food items if they are offered - so long as there is access to microwaves. They could offer them in the cafeteria, LA cafe, library, Scoops, etc. Possibly we could convince UVU to get some frozen food vending machines even? Who knows.

Also, BYU already has Amy's on campus for their students, see:

Get Amy's on your Campus!

A happy Amy's fan and University of San Francisco student

Something’s been cooking on campuses nationwide for sometime now.Students, dining directors, managers of c-stores (convenience stores on campus) and school administrators have requested Amy’s products on their campus. As the old saying goes, “If you build it they will come.” Well, Amy’s has sure arrived at colleges and universities all over the nation and it really is because our student/consumers are passionate about Amy’s.

With over 500 Colleges and Universities, placing Amy’s and counting, students from the likes of: Duke University, Brigham Young University, University of Pennsylvania, Rutgers University, University of California at Berkeley, to name a few have all adopted a healthier way of eating on campus. Student’s lifestyles seem to include Amy’s passion for healthy living. Amy’s recognizes that food affects the way you feel and students are demanding an alternative to the dinning hall options. They are speaking out demanding products that are quick, healthy, and of course, taste great.

“Students are really asking for Amy’s products on campus,” says Craig Forrest, Amy’s Kitchen Campus Business Development Manager. They’re passionate and that passion is rewarded in many ways. After emailing, craigforrest@amyskitchen.net to have Amy’s products on campus, the student is then instructed to provide a contact, the contact’s phone number and the best time to call the C-store on campus. Next Amy’s will send to the student an Amy’s gift package.

“It’s really amazing how tenacious the students are when trying to place Amy’s on campus.” says Craig Forrest. He surmises that Generation Y, which was brought up eating Amy’s at home, is now demanding it on campus because that’s what they want and that’s what they’re used to. Dining directors and administrators are listening. Overall the success at the campus level is grass roots and fueled by the students. Students choose Amy’s for a number of different reasons but the universal reason among all students is…it taste great because it’s made with love and fueled by passion. What a winning combination!

So, for example...

Amy's Items that are Vegan that we could request:

Bean & Rice Burrito - Non Dairy
Black Bean Vegetable Burrito
Breakfast Burrito
Indian Samosa Wrap
Indian Spinach Tofu Wrap
Teriyaki Wrap
Asian Noodle Stir-Fry
Thai Stir-Fry
Baked Ziti Bowl
Brown Rice & Vegetables Bowl
Brown Rice, Black-Eyed Peas & Veggies Bowl
Teriyaki Bowl
Apple Toaster Pops
Strawberry Toaster Pops
Cream of Rice Hot Cereal Bowl
Multi-Grain Hot Cereal Bowl
Rolled Oats Hot Cereal Bowl
Steel-Cut Oats Hot Cereal Bowl
Tofu Scramble
Black Bean Vegetable Enchilada
Vegan Rice Macaroni & Cheeze
Indian Mattar Tofu
Indian Vegetable Korma
Single Serve Non-Dairy Rice Crust Cheeze Pizza
Single Serve Rice Crust Roasted Vegetable Pizza
Single Serve Roasted Vegetable Pizza
Tofu Scramble in a Pocket Sandwich
Mexican Tamale Pie
Non Dairy Vegetable Pot Pie
Shepherd's Pie
Black Bean Enchilada Whole Meal
Black Bean Tamale Verde
Roasted Vegetable Tamale

Kashi Items that are Vegan that we could request:

Veggie Chana Masala

Tuscan Veggie Bake

Ranchero Beans

Black Bean Mango

Garden Vegetable Pasta

Mayan Harvest Bake

Thoughts?

Life is life whatever form it takes | UVU Review

2010-04-07T13:55:00.002-06:00

Article in the UVU Review about the film/screening/director.

Jessica did an awesome job

via uvureview.com

Posted via web from kazookah's posterous

Skin is skin regardless of origin | UVU Review

2010-04-07T13:50:00.003-06:00

Article in the UVU review about the film screening.

via uvureview.com

World Week for Laboratory Animal Liberation & 3-Day Facebook Moratorium

2010-04-06T18:56:00.002-06:00

Please join us and others across the world in getting active as part of World Week for Laboratory Animal Liberation by GETTING OFF FACEBOOK FOR 3 DAYS.

This entails getting offline and out in the streets (so to speak) to actively help saving animal's lives. We will be updating a multi-faceted event, which will include many different ways in which you can become active. We are going to focus on April 22, 23, & 24 as the three days designated to GET OFF FACEBOOK and GET ACTIVE!

Please see the link below for more information and ideas.

http://fbmoratorium.wordpress.com/

Giraffe calf dies at Hogle Zoo - Salt Lake Tribune

2010-04-04T20:43:00.002-06:00

via sltrib.com

Article about last week's tragedy. :-(

Fur popular among the younger set - KSTU

2010-04-04T19:12:00.002-06:00

via fox13now.com

"Young designers used fur this year, and retailers and fashion icons are asking for it. One reason? Innovations have led to lower costs."

Peter Young and Steven Best on RadioActive! March 31 : Animal Action

2010-04-04T19:06:00.002-06:00

via krcl.org

SALT LAKE CITY, UT (KRCL) - Peter Young spent several years hiding from the FBI after raiding fur farms in Iowa. Dr. Steven Best is an outspoken writer, philosopher and activist, dedicated to liberating animals from human industry. How far should humans go to rescue creatures who have no voice? Young and Best offer a pro-animal worldview at Utah Valley University's Animal Ethics Conference.

Animal research takes hit - Davis County Animal Services will no longer hand over stray animals for research

2010-04-02T11:44:00.002-06:00

via standard.net

Tom Regan and Chris Foster on RadioActive! : March 30 : Animal Rights

2010-04-01T16:10:00.003-06:00

via KRCL.org

SALT LAKE CITY, UT (KRCL) - Tom Regan is considered the philosophical father of the animal rights movement. Chris Foster is a UVU professor and the head of Mormons for Animals. Nick welcomes both to discuss the philosophical and spiritual dimensions of animal rights activism.

Tom Regan on KUER's Radio West: 3/30/10: Animal Rights, Human Wrongs

2010-04-01T15:24:00.002-06:00

via publicbroadcasting.net

SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH (KUER) - Philosopher Tom Regan has spent his career at the forefront of the animal rights movement. It's a role he says he would have never taken on if he hadn't first been a human rights advocate. It was during the Vietnam War when he began researching non-violence, and Regan says it was Gandhi's writings that challenged him to think about the "invisible violence" in his own life. Regan is in Utah, and Tuesday, he joins Doug to make the case for our ethical duty to animals.

Polar Bear, Bluefin Tuna Ban Fails At UN Conservation Meeting

2010-03-26T13:40:00.002-06:00

via huffingtonpost.com

"Fishing nations won a victory over environmentalists Thursday when a U.S.-backed proposal to ban export of the Atlantic bluefin tuna was overwhelmingly rejected at a U.N. wildlife meeting."

Ric O'Barry on SeaWorld's Despicable Track Record.

2010-03-16T14:16:00.002-06:00

via elephantjournal.com

Ask Shamu: The U.S. Tortures Both Human and Animal Prisoners | Mother Jones

2010-03-16T13:44:00.003-06:00

via motherjones.com

Jonathan Balcombe: "Second Nature: The Inner Lives of Animals" | The Diane Rehm Show

2010-03-16T13:10:00.004-06:00

via thedianerehmshow.org

This was on the Diane Rehm show this morning. Doug Fabrizio had Jonathan Balcombe on RadioWest last year about his book Pleasurable Kingdom - another really good program, check it out here.

Should Animal Abusers, like Sex Offenders, Be Registered?

2010-03-04T16:10:00.002-07:00

From Time:

Cruelty to animals, it is said, is often a precursor to graver crimes. So would there not be some usefulness to a registry of individuals convicted of felony animal abuse? Legislators in California want the Golden State to be the first to establish such a record — just as California was the first in the nation to create a registry of sex offenders.

The goal of the registry, which would list crimes against both pets and farm animals, is to make it easier for shelters and animal-adoption groups to identify people who shouldn't be allowed access to animals. It would also be a boon to law enforcement because animal abuse, the bill's authors' say, often escalates to violence against people. Abuses covered in the bill would include the malicious and intentional maiming, mutilation, torture, wounding or killing of a living animal. It would also target pet hoarders and operators of animal-fighting rings (such as dog-baiting and cockfighting) who have felony convictions.

"We think California is primed for this kind of a bill," says state senate majority leader Dean Florez, who introduced the bill in late February. "We've progressed to the point where we as a legislature are moving in a direction of this bill, which is ultimately, How do we in essence prevent repeat offenses when it comes to cruelty to animals in the state of California?" It is an issue that, Florez says, Californians care for deeply. About 60% of California residents own pets, he says; add in farm animals, and 80% of the population has some kind of ownership of animals.

The bill's biggest stumbling block may be the funding it would require. Created with the assistance of the Animal Legal Defense Fund, the bill would raise the approximately $500,000 to $1 million necessary for its launch through a 2- or 3-cent tax per pound of pet food, says Florez, a Democrat who is chairman of the Food and Agriculture Committee. He estimated that after it's launch, the project could cost between $300,000 to $400,000 a year to maintain. Yet even that relatively small amount has some organizations, including a national pet-product trade group and even the Humane Society, raising concerns. Jennifer Fearing, California senior state director and chief economist for the U.S. Humane Society, supports the measure's aims but worries about whether it can get passed. Says Fearing: "I would be shocked if this legislature is prepared to enact any tax this year, much less one levied on pet owners who are struggling to care for their animals, when many of them are dropping them off at shelters."

Ed Rod, vice president of government affairs for the American Pet Products Association, says the proposal is inherently inequitable."You're looking at pet owners paying for something that's really going to benefit everyone," says Rod. "And animal abuse certainly affects pets, but it also affects agricultural animals as well, and in this case I don't believe there is any provision to impose a fee on livestock feed. The goal we support, certainly, but we think this is kind of a blunt instrument to reach that goal."

There may be other ways to fund the registry. Fearing says the Humane Society supported a similar law in Tennessee that called for those convicted of animal abuse to pay $50 toward the cost of an animal-abusers registry. The bill, however, was defeated. Florez says having offenders pay a fee toward the operation of the registry is also under consideration in the California legislation.

Even if those convicted of animal-abuse felonies were charged a fee, however, that may not be enough to cover the cost of the registry, since only a small percentage of animal-abuse cases result in felony charges, according to Madeline Bernstein, president of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Los Angeles. "The bottom line is that there aren't a lot of felony convictions for animal abuse in the state of California," says Bernstein. The proposal also puts an added burden on local police — operating at a time of state funding cuts — by requiring them to gather registry information on convicted felons and transfer the information to the Department of Justice within three days of collection.

Despite the obstacles, Florez expects to push the legislation as far as it can go. Could he get the two-thirds majority required to turn the bill into law — particularly from the Republican minority that pledged not to raise taxes? "In this case," he says, "the issue is simple. Do Republican members ... really want to be seen on the side of animal abuse? I don't think they do."

New Posters for the Conference

2010-02-24T17:09:00.000-07:00

Print them, save them, distribute them, whatever! We want publicity!
Rsvp with our new FB event at www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=301389496047&ref=ts

Article in The V.

2010-02-01T17:43:00.001-07:00

You can find an article I wrote in The V, of this weeks issue of the UVU Review. Go Vegan.

Carrot confusion
By Chris Manor on 01 February 2010

I must be honest, I’m not a nutritionist, and can only speak from my personal experience of being vegan. (Luckily for you, there is a qualified person, Janae Wise, who will be speaking Feb. 9 on this subject.) In these past six years I’ve heard lots of myths about veganism, as well as lots of excuses for why people are unwilling to stop supporting the various industries that exploit non-human animals. I offer a simple normative claim: It is not morally permissible to use non-human animals as a means to an end that suits a preference or convenience. My claim does not foreclose the possibility of using animals as means, but the end must certainly be of vital necessity. I’ll wager that all uses of animals in the world do not meet this criteria, from the food and clothing industry to medical research as well as entertainment.

Living in a country that rations healthcare resources on a free-market economics system means some of us go the extra mile to stay healthy. Veganism becomes the ultimate diet for doing this. Despite what some would say about getting enough protein, or a lack of overall food choices, veganism proves wrong all its accusers. When talking to people, I usually encounter the question, “But what about protein?” Meat is not the sole source of protein. Anybody can get sufficient protein from foods like brown rice, quinoa, lentils, beans, nuts and seeds. It is not the case the one cannot get sufficient protein from a vegan diet, even for those who are more athletic. Mike Mahler is a great example of this. He is a kettlebell enthusiast and does strength training, but more importantly has been vegan for over 10 years. Another example is the monks in the Shaolin Temple. They are strict vegetarians their whole lives and are capable of some amazing feats. Go ahead, YouTube it, “Myths & Logic Of Shaolin Monks.”

Another thing I have heard is that, because humans have evolved as meat eaters, we should continue this. I must say, the situation of nomadic hunter/ gather persons is much different from ours as people living in cities in the twenty-first century. Our hunter/ gathering ancestors did not practice industrial factory farming, which is both toxic for the environment as well as harmful to water and agricultural resources. Hunter/ gather societies did not have a fast food restaurants either. The meat they ate was not pumped full of hormones and antibiotics, but more importantly, they ate meat because they had to.

A final word on veganism. For those wanting to pursue this diet, I always recommend you begin by adding things to your diet, rather than subtracting. Start by eating more fruits and vegetables. Try using tofu or tempeh instead of beef or chicken. Once you get comfortable with the new additions, you’ll find that the old things that you used to eat will begin to phase themselves out.

19 bears rescued from bear bile farm in Vietnam

2010-01-22T14:28:00.003-07:00

19 bears rescued from bear bile farm in Vietnam

By MARGIE MASON
The Associated Press
Friday, January 22, 2010; 10:56 AM

View a slideshow

Vetranarians from Animals Asia Foundation sedate a bear and give it a complete health check at a rescue center at Vietnam's Tam Dao National Park on Friday, Jan. 22, 2010. The newly rescued bears two of them missing limbs and one blind were sedated and removed one-by-one from their tiny cages Friday at Tam Dao National Park. They are joining 29 bears already at the rescue center. (AP Photo/Margie Mason) (Margie Mason - AP)

TAN UYEN, Vietnam -- The three tractor-trailer containers sat in a row, divided with metal partitions into 19 tiny, sweltering cells.

Massive claws and furry black noses poked between the iron bars: 19 rare Asiatic moon bears awaiting their next gall bladder milking. Their bile is a coveted traditional medicine ingredient used to treat everything from hemorrhoids to epilepsy.

Some paced nervously inside the cages, panting and foaming at the mouth with wild bloodshot eyes. Others laid in their urine and feces, resting on the cool concrete floor. They devoured the bananas and chunks of watermelon - including the rinds - offered to them, a welcome treat from their usual diet of rice gruel.

The bears were found at an illegal Taiwanese-owned operation in southern Vietnam. On Friday, four days after being hoisted onto tractor trailers and driven 1,240 miles (2,000 kilometers) north, they reached a new home with grass and tire swings at a rescue center about two hours outside of Hanoi, the capital.

The newly rescued bears - two of them missing limbs and one blind - were sedated and removed one-by-one from their tiny cages Friday at Tam Dao National Park. They are joining 29 bears already at the rescue center.

Ultrasound tests found evidence of thickened gall bladders, a telltale sign of milking, said Animals Asia veterinarian Heather Bacon. She said some may need to have the organ removed because of extensive damage.

Many of the black bears, some standing 6 feet (1.8 meters) tall on their hind legs and weighing 330 pounds (150 kilograms), have been caged since being snatched from the wild as cubs up to seven years ago, said Tuan Bendixsen of Animals Asia Foundation in Vietnam, which rescued the bears this week.

Bear bile has been used for thousands of years in Asia to treat fevers, pain, inflammation and many other ailments. In the 1980s, China began promoting bear farms as a way to discourage poaching. The bears were housed in small cages, and the green bitter fluid was sucked from their gall bladders using crude catheters, sometimes creating pus-filled abscesses or internal bile leakage. Many bears die slowly from infections or liver ailments, including cancer.

The idea caught on in Vietnam and elsewhere as demand grew alongside the region's increasing wealth. Bear bile products are also illegally smuggled into Chinatowns worldwide. An informal survey by the World Society for the Protection of Animals found 75 percent of stores visited in Japan selling bear bile products, followed by 42 percent in South Korea. In the U.S. and Canada, it was about 15 percent.

Bear bile harvesting remains legal in China, where the government says 7,000 bears are milked on about 250 farms, though animal welfare groups say the real number could be double that. Demand for illegal wild bear bile, believed to be more potent, is also increasing, they say.

Amid international pressure, Vietnam outlawed the milking practice in 2005, and some 4,000 bears in captivity were implanted with microchips to help identify any new bears added illegally. Owners were warned not to tap them for bile. But the practice continues, and a black market thrives.

"We want this industry to end. Government has decided to phase this out, and we understand it's going to take time," said Chris Gee from the World Society for the Protection of Animals in England. "Across the whole of Asia there's probably 20,000 bears on bear farms."

Last year, a farm in northern Vietnam was raided for selling bile to busloads of South Koreans, who watched it being extracted as part of their sightseeing tours. Some of the farms in Vietnam are owned by South Koreans and Taiwanese.

"They're more organized and bigger. They're run like a business now," said Bendixsen. "It's part of a package tour."

Bear bile contains a high concentration of ursodeoxycholic acid. A synthetic version is sold as a pill and used in Western medicine for treating gall stones and liver ailments.

The pill is sold in China but cannot be used in traditional medicine because it is not derived from a natural source.

In a paper published last year, Yibin Feng from the School of Chinese Medicine at the University of Hong Kong suggested herbal substitutes that produce the same healing elements for various ailments could replace bear bile.

Another option is to use bile taken from slaughtered pigs or rabbits, which contains lower concentrations of ursodeoxycholic acid, or use artificial bear bile, which has a similar chemical makeup and produces the same medicinal effects.

"We found some animal bile and plants have better effects than bear bile in some diseases," Feng said. "Given all these, people in China should accept these alternatives. Of course, some people in mainland insist that no matter how close those substitutes can be, it is still not as good as the real ones."

The moon bears, named for the tan crescent-shape marking across their chests, will remain in quarantine for 45 days. They will then be moved to a building with large living cells where they will learn to mingle with other bears, before moving to a bear house where they can play outside in an enclosure with trees, grass, tunnels and swings.

They'll also be spoiled with dollops of honey and peanut butter.

----

On the Net:

Animals Asia Foundation:http://www.animalsasia.org/

Veganism: The Health Benefits of a Plant Based Diet

2010-01-10T10:08:00.002-07:00

Date:	Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Time:	6:00pm - 7:00pm
Location:	SC 206 g&h

Come hear nutrition and exercise specialist Janae Wise speak about the health benefits of a whole foods vegan lifestyle. She will go over the principles of good health and the science behind what makes a plant based diet ideal for preventing and reversing disease.

Janae is a whole foods vegan mother of three and says she "absolutely loves it."

Disclaimer: Janae Wise is not a doctor, registered dietician, certified nutritionist, or other licensed medical professional. The information to be presented is intended for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice.

Hosted by the Animal Allies Club in conjunction with the Exercise Science Club.

Coffee Night tomorrow night!

2010-01-07T13:31:00.001-07:00

Come check it out!

Coffee Night is tomorrow(Friday 8th) @ 7:00.

Meet up at the coffee pod in Provo.

Club Rush

2010-01-05T13:05:00.001-07:00

We will be tabling at club rush January 13 and 14. If you have some free time between 10 and 2 come find us in the hall of flags and help us hand out pamphlets/fliers etc!

Seitan Cooking Class

2010-01-03T10:09:00.000-07:00

Seitan Cooking Class

Date: Saturday, January 23, 2010
Time: 2:00pm - 4:30pm
Location: Cammie's house (email animalalliesclub@gmail.com for the address)

Cammie has (again) graciously opened her house to the Animal Allies Club for a cooking demonstration of the vegan 'meat' made from wheat gluten: seitan.

For those of you not familiar with seitan is it is a food made from the gluten of wheat and is an alternative to soybean-based meat substitutes such as tofu. Wheat gluten has a chewy texture more similar to meat than other substitutes.

After making the seitan we will make seitan fajitas with onions and bell peppers. We need people to bring onions, peppers or tortillas; if you can bring any of these let us know!

Printable fliers - The Cove

2010-01-03T10:05:00.004-07:00

Here are some printable fliers for our upcoming film screening of The Cove if any of you want to hand them out!

Poster for The Cove film night.

2009-12-20T09:46:00.002-07:00

UVU Film/Fundraiser: "The Cove"

2009-12-17T08:54:00.002-07:00

UVU Animal Allies Club, in conjunction with UVU Cinema Club and UVU Peace & Justice Club present a film and fundraising event on Tuesday, January 26 at 7pm in LI 120.

Come see the multiple award winning documentary: The Cove.

This event is free, but we will be taking donations for a charity (TBA prior to event). Please invite everybody you know to one of this decades most powerful films on the big spring. (See the trailer below.)

http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/event.php?eid=218157546136&index=1

New Blog for the UVU Animal Ethics Conference

2009-12-16T22:40:00.000-07:00

http://uvuanimalethicsconference.blogspot.com/

We will continually update information about the conference on that blog.

Next VEGAN DRINKS!! December 7th @ Vertical Diner

2009-12-01T09:23:00.002-07:00

Next Vegan Drinks is December 7th at Vertical Diner, from 7-9. Let's roll deep.

John Joseph of the Cro Mags

2009-11-29T19:17:00.001-07:00

Fox News Coverage of Morgan, UT Fur Protest.

2009-11-29T16:36:00.004-07:00

from Fox News

be sure to check out the comments section for a good laugh.

http://www.furfreeutah.com/

*UPDATE* Teresa Platt's review can be found here.

Fake Meats at Many Lands.

2009-11-26T10:49:00.002-07:00

OK, I asked the guy who owns Many Lands(1145 N 500 W Provo, UT 84604-3335 (801) 375-3789) if he would start carrying fake meats like they do at the South East Asian Market(422 E 900 S, Salt Lake City - (801) 363-5474).

He responded by saying, well have 20 of your friends come in and ask for it. So, if people really want to start having more good things to eat in Utah County, such as fake fish, duck, ham, drumsticks, shrimp, etc., then go to Many Lands and ask for it.

If you don't shop there already, you are missing out.

Also, the company that carries a lot of those is this VegeOne

http://www.Vege1.com

KUER's RadioWest - Dr. Jonathan Balcombe - Pleasurable Kingdom

2009-11-25T14:19:00.004-07:00

I know this is a couple of months old, but I finally got around to listening to the podcast and thought I'd share it here. Just click on the image to go to the site, or to download the podcast right click here and go to 'save link as'.

REPOST: National Fur Farm Protest This Saturday in Morgan, Utah. BE THERE!

2009-11-23T20:15:00.002-07:00

Nationwide Convergence on Fur Farm Capital

On November 28th, activists from across the country will converge on Morgan for Fur Free Saturday. Morgan is the largest fur farming town in the country, with 15 active mink farms. For the first time, the animal rights movement will bring the tears and rage for the millions killed every year for fur to the belly of the beast: Morgan, Utah. This convergence will climax in a one-mile march through the heart of this fur farm capital, past two of Morgan’s mink farms.

The mere threat of this protest has already generated enormous media coverage, and Morgan County’s mink farmers and police are scared. Morgan has responded by amending their protesting ordinance to outlaw protesting within 1000 feet of a mink farm. Activists responded by filing two lawsuits, charging the ordinance is unconstitutional. The protest will continue.

Morgan is clearly a town contemptuous of the constitution and steeped in the tradition of murder. Two lawsuits and numerous news headlines later, activists remain committed to march on Morgan November 28th, and are calling on activists nationwide to join them.

We will meet at Coffee Garden on 9th South and 9th East in Salt Lake City at 10 am and carpool up to Morgan.

This event is likely to be legend.

More info at the Fur Free Utah website: www.furfreeutah.com

Contact: peteryoung@furfreeutah.com

We want as many out of town activists as possible to attend this event. All activists arriving from out of town will be provided with a place to stay.

ALSO:

The day before Morgan, on Fur Free Friday, we will be protesting throughout downtown Park City, Utah. Known as "Black Friday," this is the busiest shopping day of the year and there will be plenty of shoppers in Park City on this day. We will use the occassion, a traditional day of protest against the fur industry, to demonstrate against Park City's multiple fur stores.

We will meet at Coffee Garden on 9th South and 9th East in Salt Lake City at 10 am and carpool up to Park City.

The Emotional Lives of Farm Animals

2009-11-22T22:48:00.000-07:00

UVU Animal Ethics Course, Spring 2010

2009-11-19T15:11:00.002-07:00

UVU will be offering a Philosophy 451r class titled Human Animal Relationships. The class will be TR from 2:30-3:45 and will be taught jointly by Christopher Foster and Karen Mizell. If you attend UVU and have room in your schedule please sign up for this class! As of now it only has 5 people in it and will need a few more for the class to carry.

Foster!

2009-11-18T08:19:00.000-07:00

So I took in a foster cat this Sunday and it has so far been a great experience! I already love him so. It will actually be kind of hard when he gets adopted, but then I will foster another. I am doing it through No More Homeless Pets Utah (who have been wonderful to work with), and YOU SHOULD TOO. You can meet Gino here, at my blog!

the slightest of updates.

2009-11-17T13:17:00.002-07:00

Ya'll remember that petition thing I was having people signed. Well I finally got around to giving that to Val Brown. He was pretty impressed by it, and seemed to receive it rather well. I also included a small list of suggestions to help dining services help us Vegans out. We'll see what changes this leads to.

Between that and the survey that just happened, hopefully we'll have a bigger consideration when it comes to food in the cafeteria.

Protest at the University of Utah 11/17/09

2009-11-15T15:47:00.001-07:00

Date: Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Time: 11:30am - 1:00pm
Location: Administration Building, President's Circle (260 Central Campus Dr)
Hosted by Salt Lake Animal Advocacy Movement (SLAAM)

Bring your friends and family to let the University of Utah know that torturing animals in it's labs will not be tolerated. Let's end dog and cat vivisection in Utah!

Facebook event: http://www.facebook.com/events.php?ref=sb#/event.php?eid=315754575082&ref=mf

University of Utah Labs Caught Testing on and Killing Homeless Dogs & Cats

2009-11-11T10:24:00.001-07:00

For more than eight months in 2009, a PETA investigator worked undercover inside the laboratories of the University of Utah (UU) in Salt Lake City and documented miserable conditions for and terrible suffering of the dogs, cats, monkeys, rats, mice, rabbits, frogs, cows, pigs, and sheep confined there.

Our investigator learned that homeless dogs and cats—obtained for a few dollars from area animal shelters through an archaic Utah state "pound-seizure" law, which requires government-funded shelters to turn animals over to laboratories that request them—were used in invasive, painful experiments and killed.

A pregnant cat pulled out of the Davis County animal shelter gave birth to eight kittens the very day she arrived at UU's laboratories. When the kittens were just 7 days old, a chemical was injected into their brains to cause fluid to build up. After the surgery, the distressed cat—who showed great affection for her kittens before they were taken for the experiment—stopped nursing her babies, and they all died.

In other experiments, a cat named Robert, who was also bought from the Davis County animal shelter, had a hole drilled into his skull and electrodes attached to his brain, and dogs bought from a local shelter had their necks cut open so that medical devices could be implanted inside.

Undercover Investigation Reveals Cruelty and Neglect in Utah Lab

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Mice and rats were given enormous tumors and painful, deadly illnesses. Rats had holes drilled into their skulls for invasive brain experiments. Monkeys were kept constantly thirsty so that they would cooperate in experiments for a sip of water. Sick and injured animals were denied veterinary care and left to languish and die.

Incompetence, indifference, and neglect forced many of the animals to endure severe trauma, prolonged suffering, and agonizingly slow and grisly deaths. These are only a few of the widespread instances of cruelty that PETA's investigator observed at UU.

Please be a voice for the animals suffering at the University of Utah. Urge the university to stop the experiments on homeless and unwanted animals, who depend on shelters for care and safety, immediately. Also, please call on administrators to release to the public complete records on all the animal-based experiments funded by tax dollars, including grant proposals, experimental protocols, veterinary records, and minutes of oversight committee meetings.

NATIONWIDE FUR PROTEST in Morgan, UT

2009-11-10T10:17:00.002-07:00

Nationwide Convergence on Fur Farm Capital

On November 28th, activists from across the country will converge on Morgan for Fur Free Saturday. Morgan is the largest fur farming town in the country, with 15 active mink farms. For the first time, the animal rights movement will bring the tears and rage for the millions killed every year for fur to the belly of the beast: Morgan, Utah. This convergence will climax in a one-mile march through the heart of this fur farm capital, past two of Morgan’s mink farms.

The mere threat of this protest has already generated enormous media coverage, and Morgan County’s mink farmers and police are scared. Morgan has responded by amending their protesting ordinance to outlaw protesting within 1000 feet of a mink farm. Activists responded by filing two lawsuits, charging the ordinance is unconstitutional. The protest will continue.

Morgan is clearly a town contemptuous of the constitution and steeped in the tradition of murder. Two lawsuits and numerous news headlines later, activists remain committed to march on Morgan November 28th, and are calling on activists nationwide to join them.

This event is likely to be legend.

More info at the Fur Free Utah website: www.furfreeutah.com

Contact: peteryoung@furfreeutah.com

We want as many out of town activists as possible to attend this event. All activists arriving from out of town will be provided with a place to stay.

Vegan Thanksgiving

2009-11-07T14:33:00.002-07:00

Vegan Thanksgiving!

Please comment on the event with they type of food you will be bringing to we don't have too many overlaps. Join the facebook group or email animalalliesclub@gmail.com to rsvp.

Here is a list of things that need to be brought for sure:
Tofurkey (2-3)
Sweet Potatoes
Mashed Potatoes
Gravy
Pumpkin Pies
Stuffing

Another Beef Recall? How Surprising...

2009-11-02T13:53:00.001-07:00

http://money.cnn.com/2009/11/02/news/companies/beef_recall.cnnw/index.htm

Half a million pounds of beef recalled on E.coli fears

Meat producer Fairbank Farms says ground beef may be contaminated with a potentially lethal bacteria.

NEW YORK (CNN) -- A voluntary recall was announced Monday for more than half a million pounds of ground beef because it may be contaminated with bacteria linked to at least two deaths, officials said.

Fairbank Farms of Ashville, New York, said the recall was issued Saturday for approximately 545,699 pounds of ground beef produced between September 14 and September 16 after the meat was "possibly linked" to E. coli O157:H7.

"Any customers from northeastern or mid-Atlantic states who have identified recalled ground beef products should remove the product from their freezers and return it to their stores for full reimbursement," the company said.

Lola Russell, a spokeswoman for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, confirmed a death in New York; Chris Nielsen, a spokeswoman for New Hampshire's State Department of Health and Human Services, confirmed another death in New Hampshire.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service said it learned of the problem during an investigation of a cluster of E. coli 0157:H7 illnesses in Connecticut, Maine and Massachusetts.

The recall was for distribution centers in eight states, but the company said some retailers may have sent the affected beef to other states.

The bacterium can cause bloody diarrhea, dehydration and kidney failure.

Retail outlets include: ACME, BJ's, Ford Brothers, Giant Food Stores, Price Chopper, Shaw's, and Trader Joe's. The products affected are listed on the USDA Web site.

Other grocers may also be recalling the products, which are already at least 23 days past their expiration date, meaning they are no longer being sold as fresh.

"We're assisting our customers in conducting this recall, and continue to urge consumers to check their freezers for ground beef products that are listed in the recall," said CEO Ron Allen in a news release. "Consumers who identify these products should return them to the point of purchase for a full refund."

-- CNN Radio's Ninette Sosa contributed to this story.

Vegan Thanksgiving in Provo

2009-11-01T18:22:00.003-07:00

Plans are being made to have Thanksgiving in Provo on Sunday, November 22nd.
It will be all Vegan. What we need to do is the following:

1) Make a list of the things we'd like to have(Tofurky, sweet potatoes, stuffing, pumpkin pie etc).
2) Have everybody RSVP and include in that, what they intend on bringing from that list.
3) Thank Cammie for graciously hosting the event.

So leave a comment, let's get the list of goodies together this week, get the RSVPs done next week.

The internet is still the best source for recipes for everything Vegan.
Anybody can e-mail [xendofthelinex] [at] [gmail] [dot] [com]

My name Glenn Beck....

2009-10-30T19:19:00.001-06:00

...let me show you my failures....

First animal abuse case under Henry's Law in Utah

2009-10-29T13:39:00.000-06:00

From Rhonda Camper-Dew with the Henry's Law facebook page-- should we try to go up as a club?

Anthony Spidle is scheduled for his pre trial conference for his aggravated assault and animal cruelty charges. He will be in court November 9th at 1:30pm with Judge William Barrett at the 3rd District Court in Salt Lake City on the 4th floor in room W48. This is a landmark case that will set a precedent for future animal abuse cases. Please attend if you can.

Also, I'm wondering if anybody currently volunteers at the Lindon animal shelter, because I would like to start doing that. I just don't really want to go alone.. and I've been meaning to go get started for two weeks now and keep not being able to and I think it may be because I'm afraid:) haha. so.. just let me know!

Huffpost book review: Jonathan Safran Foer's Eating Animals

2009-10-29T12:55:00.007-06:00

Click HERE to go to the article

Also,

Natalie Portman wrote a piece for the Huffington Post a couple of days ago titled Jonathan Safran Foer's Eating Animals Turned Me Vegan.
Here is another article about the book from the Huffington Post: Jonathan Safran Foer's Controversial New Book, Eating Animals
The author of the book wrote an article on CNN titled Eating animals is making us sick.