May 2011
48 posts
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Elephants Remove Tornado Wreckage.
As if the tornado that ripped through Joplin, Mo. killing over 100 people couldn’t bring anymore tragedy, word has come that elephants in the Joplin area for a circus performance are being forced to help clean-up heavy storm debris.
Onlookers captured a video of an elephant being fitted with ropes and chains in order to pull heavy debris including wrecked cars. The elephants were in...
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May's Top Stories.
It seems like just yesterday I was compiling the top stories for April. May has sure gone by fast and we’ve had lots a interesting and thought provoking posts and comments. As always, thanks to all The Informed Vegans out there for sending me article ideas, ‘Liking’ us on facebook, and reblogging often, you guys rock.
Without further ado:
5. Win a Tofurky Pizza!
People loved...
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Tick Bite Causes Allergy To Meat.
Doctors were baffled when patients in the Southern US and Australia were reporting sudden allergies to meat when scientists discovered the unlikely source, the lone star tick.
Seventy-eight year old Peyton Thomas had always been a big meat eater when one summer he suddenly developed an allergy to beef, pork, and lamb. After visiting several doctors it was determined that Thomas had contracted a...
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Herpes Forces Rodeo Queens to Ride Stick Ponies.
Due to a widespread outbreak of horse herpes, all rodeo events involving horses in Farmington Utah have been cancelled or altered. This made for a comical scene for the junior queen competition where contestants were forced to ride stick ponies.
Contestants were judged as they travelled the course on their stick ponies. Event manager and official “posse member” Kim Jansen put a...
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Taxes Fund Shrimp On Treadmill Study.
Pacific University Professor David Sholnick has a made a career out of forcing animals to run on treadmills for scientific research. Unfortunately for Dr. Sholnick, he’s also made himself a target for conservatives and animal rights activists who see his expensive animal studies as waste of taxpayer dollars.
Republican Senator Ton Coburn (R-OK) is taking aim at the National Science...
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Mark Zuckerberg Kills His Own Meat.
In a revelation reminiscent of elephant killing GoDaddy CEO Bob Parsons, Mark Zuckerberg told Forbes that he will only eat animals that he kills himself.
Zuckerberg is not an avid or successful hunter so he admits that he is “basically vegetarian.” However, he has already killed a pig, goat, and a chicken by going to California “kill your own animal” farms. Friend and...
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Win A Tofurky Pizza!
Lazy vegans everywhere rejoice! Vegan frozen pizza is here and we’re giving you the chance to win one free.
Tofurky’s new delicious frozen pizzas are topped with melty Daiya mozzeralla and come in three different styles; plain cheese, pepperoni, and Italian sausage. So easy and so freakin good. The best part is, one can pick one up for free.
Here’s how:
1. Go to The...
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Dairy Princess is Lactose-Intolerant.
The Gray’s Harbor Dairy Princess and official Dairy Ambassador for the county is actually lactose-intolerant.
For two years, Laurel Gordon has been travelling her county to promote dairy but she recently revealed that she is actually lactose-intolerant. The Dairy Princess doesn’t drink cow’s milk at all opting for more digestion-friendly soy milk. Even though she can’t...
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Minnesota Investigation Ban is Dead.
Another one bites the dust.
A Minnesota bill that that would have outlawed the filming or photography of factory farms is officially dead. Similar bills were introduced in Iowa, Florida, and New York with Florida and Minnesota’s bills both defeated.
Anti-animal rights groups who seek to hide abuse against animals on factory farms appear to be travelling the country trying to get one of...
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Marmite Banned in Denmark.
The brown sticky yeast extract known as Marmite has officially been banned in Denmark. Beloved by many and hated by many more, the nutritious vegan spread just can’t seem to get any respect.
Marmite is most well known and loved in the UK. The brown sticky spread is a yeast extract usually put on dry toast and is fortified with vitamins. This fortification is what made Marmite the target...
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EU Animal Testing Ban Threatened.
The European Union recently promised to ban the sale of all cosmetics that were tested on animals by 2013 but representatives are now threatening to push the ban’s start date back 10 years to 2023.
The Humane Society of the United States has launched a petition campaign to get lawmakers to stick to the original timetable for implementing the ban. The petition already has close to 50,000...
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Is The Panhandling Dog Cute or Cruel?
At first glance, the cleverly costumed dog posing with fans for tips outside of Citi-field and Yankee stadium in New York seems innocent but concerned activists are alleging abuse.
The cute pit-bull pup named “Coffee” wears yellow shades, a Mets jersey, a bandanna, and holds a pipe in her mouth. Pictures taken by concerned passersby show Coffee has no teeth and that the stylish...
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The Power Vegan's Humane Stock Portfolio.
Investing money on the stock market can be tricky but what can be even more difficult is creating a stock portfolio that not only makes money but doesn’t contribute to animal cruelty. One firm has a solution.
Aperio Group LLC. has launched the Humane Equity Index Portfolio which allows people to make financial investments exclusively in cruelty-free companies. The Humane...
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Backstreet Boys Go Vegetarian.
Just when you thought you couldn’t get anymore excited for the epic New Kids on the Block/Backstreet Boys double reunion tour, the boys go and do something like this.
Backstreet Boys heartthrob Nick Carter told Celebuzz that the band has adopted an all vegetarian diet for the duration of the tour. The guys have all been out of shape after disbanding almost a decade ago and now they are...
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Introducing The Mobile Slaughterhouse
We’ve all seen food trucks driving around town serving up tacos, pizza, or indian food but the latest development in the mobile “food” business might surprise you.
Introducing the mobile slaughterhouse.
In an effort to reduce the costs of trucking animals hundreds of miles from the factory farm to the slaughterhouse, a few companies have decided to bring the slaughterhouse to...
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Kung-Fu Panda Advertises On Tofu.
Product integration has become so common that it almost goes unnoticed amongst the millions of other ads we’re hit with every day. When a summer blockbuster comes out we almost expect the McDonald’s toys, Slurpee cups, and Pepsi cans to be plastered with the main character’s faces. This summer however, Dreamworks is stepping outside the box to conduct product integration...
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Sex Offender Kills Puppy, Faces Life Sentence.
A California man faces the possibility of life in prison after killing a 6-week old Chihuahua by throwing her against a wall during a domestic dispute with his wife.
Convicted sex offender Bud Ruiz bought the 6-week old puppy for his wife as a Mother’s Day present. During an argument with his wife, Ruiz picked up the puppy and threw her against the wall, killing her. Ruiz’s wife...
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Child Slaves Rescued From Leather Shop.
Forty-four child laborers were rescued from a leather goods shop in New Delhi where they were forced to work in unsafe and unhealthy conditions with routine beatings.
The children, most around the age of 10, were reportedly beaten and kept in a small room at a leather shop with little ventilation. They were forced to work 16-17 hour days assembling leather handbags, purses, and shoes. Most of...
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Company Cares For Animals After Rapture.
Mere days away from the May 21st doomsday rapture, many people are growing concerned about what will become of their animal companions once they are taken to heaven. Luckily, some business-minded and animal friendly atheists have a solution.
Since many Christians believe that animals don’t have souls and can’t go to heaven, many are expecting millions of animal companions to be left...
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Cattle Industry Goes Grassroots to Inspire College...
Sensing a declining interest in meat, the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association has launched a new program aimed at recruiting college kids to start a grassroots pro-meat movement by certifying them as “Master’s of Beef Advocacy.”
By signing up for a brief online 6-hour class, college kids become a “Master of Beef Advocacy” or “MBA.” The...
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Yellowstone Wolves Worth $35 Million.
In 2006, the University of Montana released a unique study where they measured the economic impact the wolves of Yellowstone have on the surrounding economy. The study disproves decades of anti-wolf arguments brought by local ranchers and gives economic and environmental advocates even more to back them up.
The study, prepared for the Yellowstone Parks Foundation, was conducted over a period of...
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Contraband Bologna Seized at Border.
Mexican border agents seized 400-pounds of illegal contraband bologna at the United States’ southern border.
Agents say a Mexican citizen was attempting to smuggle 35 giant rolls of the deli meat into the US by hiding it in the space behind his pick-up seats. It is illegal to bring unchecked meat into the country because of the high risk of spreading deadly diseases. The smuggler was...
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Vegan Black Metal Chef Launches Website.
Brian Manowitz, the Vegan Black Metal Chef, has two big passions in life, good food and black metal which inspired him to release a hilarious and informative cooking video combining the two. The project went viral almost overnight and a “pleased and humbled” Manowitz has launched a new website to capitalize on the success.
The Vegan Black Metal Chef’s first video tutorial has...
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16000-Pounds of Deli Meat Recalled.
Rose & Shore Meat Co. of California is recalling 16,000-pounds of deli meat.
Consumer complaints of illness prompted the company to test samples of the meat and discovered traces of deadly Listeria. The contaminated meats have already been distributed to Oregon, Washington, Arizona, and Nevada.
Cold meats, like deli slices, are particularly dangerous carriers of food-borne illness and are...
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Ecuador Bans Bullfighting.
The people of Ecuador have just voted to ban bullfighting and officially end 500-years of bloodsport in the country.
Bullfighting in Ecuador has been a tradition passed down for 500-years from rich European descendants. Pro-traditionalist groups protested the ban by telling voters the end of bullfighting would cause 100,000 people to lose their jobs, a figure has yet to be substantiated.
Last...
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500-Pound Pig Killed After Minivan Escape.
A Washington State Patrol officer shot and killed an escaped 500-pound pig near Spokane Valley after several failed attempts to stun her with a taser.
The enormous pig was being kept in the back of a minivan and escaped through a broken window. After several attempts to use a stun gun and one attempt to lasso her, the pig was shot and killed. Her body was later removed from the scene by a tow...
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Stores Sell Dog Fur Labeled 'Rabbit.'
Humane Society International (HSI) revealed today that Australian clothing stores Myer and Whittner have both been selling vests made from dog fur and marking them “rabbit.”
HSI conducted tests on the fur and confirmed they were indeed dog. HSI says both Myer and Whittner are selling the vests as “rabbit fur” to avoid customer anger but both stores claim to have no idea...
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Roger Ebert Loves New Vegan Film.
Perhaps the most famous film critic of all-time, Roger Ebert, has given a big thumbs up to an indie documentary about veganism called Forks Over Knives.
Forks Over Knives documents one film makers’ journey to save his own life by going vegan for 6 months. Think of it as the vegan version of Morgan Spurlock’s Supersize Me! Not only did Ebert love the film but he goes on a...
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EU Demands Fur/Leather Be Labeled.
The European Union passed regulations that will soon require that clothing which contains leather or fur be clearly labeled.
The new regulations demand that clothing sold in the EU that contain any fur or leather bare a label that states the item contains ”parts of animal origin.” This will allow consumers to easily tell if an item is real or faux.
Humane Society International...
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Chickens Force-Fed Minerals to Boost Weight.
In the latest scandal to hit China’s food market, authorities have discovered heavy minerals were being fed to chickens to fatten them up and make them more valuable at market.
Chinese authorities seized more than 1,000 chickens who had been force-fed heavy minerals including Barite which is used for medical and industrial purposes. Barite is most commonly used to deflect x-rays and to...
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AHA 'Heart Check' Logo Completely Bogus.
We’re all familiar with the American Heart Association’s ‘heart check’ symbol that graces the packaging a thousands of food items but did you ever think about how it got there?
Nutrition blog Small Bites reveals that some of the most unhealthy companies are allowed to sell products bearing the ‘heart check’ logo simply because they bought the rights...
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Florida Investigation Ban Dead.
The Florida bill that was set to ban the filming of factory farm abuse is officially dead. The Florida state legislative session ended this week without passing the bill, ding dong that shit is dead.
The bill would have made filming or photographing animal abuse in the state of Florida a felony crime punishable by as much as 30 years in prison.
The Humane Society of The United States commented...
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Coolest Animal Moms.
There are some really cool moms out there and in honor of their special day, check out what some of these are amazing animal moms do for their kids:
Pigs.
Mother pigs sing to their piglets to calm them while they’re nursing.
Chickens.
Studies have proven that mother chickens react with empathy, fear, and stress when their baby chicks are in danger.
Cows.
Mother cows are extremely...
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Florida Bans Bestiality.
Last month we told you about Florida’s third attempt to ban sexual contact with animals (aka bestiality). Good news from the sunshine state, the ban has passed the legislature and is awaiting the signature of the governor!
The ban was inspired by the disturbing story of a pregnant pet goat, Meg, who was asphyxiated and died while being raped in 2007.
Welcome to the 21st century Florida!...
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Racehorse Jumps Into Crowd.
The horse racing and jumping season has begun and already injuries and deaths are being reported but this time it’s not the horses or the jockeys but the crowd.
During Austraila’s Grand Annual Steeplechase, a horse who had raced the previous day jumped the wall of their enclosure and landed straight down on top of spectators. Seven people, including a 2-year old and an 80-year old,...
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Meatless Mondays: Cancelled Due to Flawed Logic.
The kids at Kalamazoo College recently fought and earned the right to open-minded dining in the cafeteria. Due to flawed logic and a complete ignorance in survey taking, Meatless Mondays have been reduced to “meatless every now and then.”
The university had agreed to a trial run of Meatless Mondays where all the food served in the dining hall would be meat-free one day a week. The...
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Fishermen Paid to Catch Trash.
In an effort to ease pressure on dwindling fish populations, the EU is going to pay fishermen to catch plastic instead.
The project will be tested first in the Mediterranean and all the plastic rounded up will be recycled. The mission is two-fold: clean up the oceans to protect marine and human life and ease the overfishing problem. Overfishing is caused largely by fishermen killing more than...
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Heat Your Cold Cuts If You're Over 50.
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) is recommending that anyone over the age of 50 heat cold cuts and other processed meats thoroughly before eating to avoid deadly listeria.
Eighty-five percent of all listeria cases are caused by cold meats and 1-in-5 infected people die.
Folks over 50 are at a much higher risk of being affected by listeria, a bacteria mostly found on cold meat that has...
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The Artist Who Killed A Dog On Film.
A New York based artist is still having to answer for a film he made almost three decades ago in which he shot and killed a dog.
In 1977 for his “Shot Dog Film,” artist Tom Otterness adopted a dog from his local shelter. He tied the dog to a fence, pointed his camera, and filmed himself shooting the dog with a gun. The dog’s slow death was looped to run continuously and shown...
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Taiji Dolphin Slaughter Cancelled.
*Updated 7pm EST: Although dolphins may be safer, advocates monitoring the cove in Taiji are reporting that pilot whales have been captured for apparent slaughter but nothing has happened yet. We’ll keep you updated.
For the first time in it’s 23 year history, the Taiji dolphin slaughter has been cancelled.
The Taiji slaughter became ground zero for the anti-whaling movement in...
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Neo-Nazis Target Propagandhi.
Canadian punk band Propagandhi have made a name for themselves by being a great band with a political tilt. Their music has taken on issues of animal rights, sexism, and gay rights making them a much loved band around the world but also making them targets for hate groups like the neo-Nazis.
Neo-Nazi groups are organizing online an effort to disrupt a string of Propagandhi shows...
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Comparing Vegans and Osama.
Now that Osama Bin Laden is dead, everyone on the FBI’s Most Wanted Terrorist list can take a step to the left including the new number 2, vegan activist Daniel Andreas.
In a world of true terrorists, some have the audacity to claim that Daniel Andreas is on par with the likes of Osama Bin Laden and Ayman Al-Zawahri. With Bin Laden now deceased, Andreas is the number two most wanted...
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Our Baseball Team Got Some Press.
A few months ago we told you about how we sponsored a little league team in my hometown. Looks like the local paper there picked up the story and has some great interviews with the team and their coach. Here are some of the highlights:
Team coach Chris Avery on hearing that we sponsored the team:
“It was definitely a little odd. When I first told my parents about it they said...