vegansaurus!

It's Paul Shapiro's Animal News You Can Use!

youtalkfunny — Fri, 17 May 2013 10:39:06 -0700

It’s Paul Shapiro’s Animal News You Can Use! Yay, Paul! Yay, Animals!

Want some awesome news? We passed a gestation crate ban bill in New Jersey this week! It’s now on Gov. Christie’s desk awaiting signature or veto. Of course the pork industry is lobbying for the latter.

The pork (and beef) industry is also lobbying aggressively to kill federal legislation to ban barren battery cages for laying hens as well as require battery egg cartons to be labeled as “eggs from caged hens.” And speaking of Congress, Rep. Steve King of Iowa inserted a provision into the House version of the farm bill that, if enacted into law, would wipe out numerous laws protecting farm animals. One columnist noted in response that it’s “unknown whether Rep. King is any kin to author Stephen King, but the Iowa Congressman is more horrifying.”

As you know, the Tennessee governor admirably vetoed his state’s ag-gag bill this week, leaving North Carolina as the sole state with a major ag-gag battle occurring right now. Interestingly, famous animal scientist Temple Grandin recently remarked that “ag-gag bills are the stupidest thing that ag ever did.”

P.S. Video of the week: Ebenezer the pig is no Scrooge when it comes to loving dogs!

Great job, humanity: Global warming forces ocean fish to new waters

seriousmeaveness — Fri, 17 May 2013 08:05:04 -0700

Global warming is fucking with the fish, and the fish-catching economy is finally catching on. From All Things Considered:

The new study in Nature shows these anecdotes aren’t simply a fluke. Data from fish catches from around the world show it’s happening everywhere the ocean is warming—which is just about everywhere.

So they’re seeing swordfish in Denmark, Mexico-based Humboldt squid in British Columbia, and Atlantic mackerel in Iceland. I wonder what it’ll be like when we’ve made the oceans so hot fish can’t live there anymore. What’ll become of the pescatarians?

“This is suddenly a wake-up call,” [Mark Payne at the National Institute for Aquatic Resources in Denmark] says. “It’s a strong suggestion that climate change is here. It’s real, and it’s really starting to affect what we catch and, therefore, what we eat.”

Bye, environment! Nice polluting you!

[Narrow-barred Spanish mackerel photo by Klaus Stiefel via Flickr]

Poor little spotted kiwi! Like all of New Zealand’s...

seriousmeaveness — Thu, 16 May 2013 11:03:31 -0700

Poor little spotted kiwi! Like all of New Zealand’s national birds, it used to be super-duper endangered. Then the Department of Conservation established new colonies in areas without predators in the ’80s, and the population boomed. But a recent analysis of these colonies reveal a serious problem with the little spotted kiwis. Per Becky Crew at Running Ponies:

[T]he birds upon which all hopes of substantial genetic diversity rested – had never actually bred. They didn’t even produce one chick. Which means that all the little spotted kiwi on the planet, from every population, have come from the five birds that were originally put on Kapiti Island in 1912.

Genetic diversity is vital to a species’ survival. So what are scientists going to do about it? First, further analysis. They might have to revert the little spotted kiwis’ status back to endangered. If only all humanity had left New Zealand alone. We might still have moa!

[Photo of little spotted kiwi chick by Andrew Digby via Running Ponies]

PETA continues its quest to be the weirdest pro-vegan...

seriousmeaveness — Thu, 16 May 2013 08:35:50 -0700

PETA continues its quest to be the weirdest pro-vegan organization on earth—not that there’s a lot of competition, but definitely it’s steep—with PETA Europe’s sexxxxy sexxxxxxxy animals-doin-it video promoting the “bigger sexual appetite” of us vegans.

Maybe it’s spring and all the pigeons out are strutting for each other, but I’m not in immediate hate with this thing. What do you guys think? Puerile and great, or just puerile?

Meagen at Vegan Food Addict is killing it with this savory...

seriousmeaveness — Thu, 16 May 2013 04:11:01 -0700

Meagen at Vegan Food Addict is killing it with this savory coconut okra. I love new recipes for unusual vegetables! Of course okra is super good for you, but battering and deep-frying it is a massive pain, so how about lightly stir-fried? You can avoid sliminess with acid! Better cooking through chemistry.

Here I am, on the vegan ad beat again! This time, we have a...

youtalkfunny — Wed, 15 May 2013 16:46:00 -0700

Here I am, on the vegan ad beat again! This time, we have a wacky spot from Silk by agency EVB. I haven’t tried Silk Iced Latte yet, have you? Is it good? I’m not one for iced coffee but it’s about to be summertime. Hot weather makes people go all sorts of cray. Once I start sweating, who knows what I might do! Drink iced lattes! Take a cab five blocks! Hole up in my air-conditioned apartment watching DeadZone on Roku and going straight-up Todd Oldham on the walls with potato stencils and hot-pink paint!

Have you watched Isa’s video of her wild backyard bunny,...

seriousmeaveness — Wed, 15 May 2013 13:48:18 -0700

Have you watched Isa’s video of her wild backyard bunny, Falafel, aka my new best friend? Man I wish we had wild bunnies in New York. Rats are fine and all, but there’s nothing like a lightning-quick little bunny darting into your path and surprising you with cuteness. Adorability sneak attack!

(via our Laura at Jezebel)

Did you know: PCRM has a vegan-food-only office!

seriousmeaveness — Wed, 15 May 2013 10:35:29 -0700

PCRM! Sometimes amazing, sometimes embarrassing, but always working toward a vegan world, which we can certainly appreciate. And in service of that goal, the organization has a vegan-food-only office policy, which the Washington Post reported on this week for … reasons.

PCRM has also piloted vegan eating programs at other workplaces in the Washington area. In one instance, they worked with a group of employees at Geico’s Chevy Chase headquarters. The nonprofit asked the insurance group to adopt a vegan diet and offered them weekly instruction on how to make healthy, tasty and cost-effective vegan choices. After 22 weeks, they compared employees in that group to Geico employees who hadn’t received the training. The vegan group lost more weight, reported improved physical health and said they saw a decrease in food costs.

Of course people are always yapping about how veganism will MAKE YOU THIN at which point YOU WILL WIN LIFE, which is a dumb lie. But are we going to criticize a cruelty-free office kitchen? Of course not. Health vegans, we love you too. Everyone’s welcome on team vegan.

[Photo by Justina Davies via Flickr]

Product review: medium-spicy Nacheez!

jennybradley — Wed, 15 May 2013 07:43:03 -0700

Great news, vegan cheese-lovers—Nacheez innovator Ilsa Hess has added a new flavor to her line of nacho cheese sauce! What was once only available in spicy or mild is now accessible in a medium spice level. I was generously sent a couple of jars to sample, one of which was simply heated up and poured atop tortilla chips immediately after I ripped the package open—delicious!

For the second jar I wanted to be a little more creative, as my first impulse was to eat it with a spoon over the sink. I’d been meaning to make the Nacheez banana empanadas for about a year, but to be real, it has sounded a little too eccentric for my taste.

I did make the empanadas, and though it is a funky combination of flavors, they’re actually really tasty! The sweetness of the bananas combined with the tang of the Nacheez is an eclectic harmony! Next time I think I’m gonna skip the work of shaping empanadas (okay fine, I really made calzones) and just make a pizza. That way the bananas, uncovered in the oven, will caramelize to their fullest potential (or at least until the pizza dough is nicely browned on the bottom).

Even if banana-Nacheez pizza isn’t your thing, you can enjoy medium Nacheez in a variety of different ways, like my personal fave—a chili cheese dog!

Medium Nacheez is available for purchase directly from Nacheez.com.

Vegans: You’ve got four months to get your asses to...

reportingrzurer — Tue, 14 May 2013 15:07:00 -0700

Vegans: You’ve got four months to get your asses to Chicago for the fanciest, highest-concept, most ridiculous meal you will ever eat. Starting May 8, the theme for Grant Achatz’s rotating-menu, fancy-schmancy, modernist restaurant Next is VEGAN. See preview video above, which is actually more of a masturbatory inside joke about stealing vegetables from Chicago restaurants, but the music is good, so whatev.

This place is so crazy you don’t make a reservation or order a meal, you BUY A TICKET. And for four months only, we can actually eat there! The May tickets sold out in like two hours on Tuesday (sorry I’m not THAT on top of it), but I bet you can get rid of a kidney or something and find some on the underground market, or follow Next on Facebook or Twitter to hear about when June tickets go on sale.

If anyone goes, please document and share with us! I’m seriously considering buying a plane ticket for this. Seriously.

Coming soon! NYC Vegan Cook-Off: Hors d'Oeuvres Competition!

youtalkfunny — Tue, 14 May 2013 11:49:58 -0700

Check it out NYC! A competition for my favorite food category: vegan hors d’oeuvres! Why do we eat anything else? Appetizers are really the only food that matters. Well, that and dessert. Why do we eat anything but appetizers and desserts? BECAUSE WE ARE MASOCHISTS, I THEORIZE!

Details:

The Vegan Cook-Off: Hors d’Oeuvres Competition

Sunday, June 2, 2pm
The Bell House
149 7th Street, Brooklyn (directions)
Tickets $12 advance / $15 day of to eat and vote (includes a free raffle ticket)
Free to compete. Competitor applications close Friday, May 17 at 11:59pm.

Queens elementary school cafeteria goes vegetarian!

youtalkfunny — Tue, 14 May 2013 06:06:53 -0700

While students at the Active Learning Elementary School in Queens are free to bring whatever lunch they want from home, the school cafeteria will now be serving exclusively vegetarian meals. Apparently, they had already been serving veggie meals three days a week, and health is a big focus of the educational mission there.

The school of nearly 400 students, from pre-kindergarten to third grade, was founded five years ago on the principle that a healthy lifestyle leads to strong academic achievement.

“We decided on a vision where health and nutrition would be a part of educating the whole child,” school principal Bob Groff said….

“The vegetarian menu fits right in with our mission, and we are thrilled that our students in pre-kindergarten all the way up to grade three understand the importance of healthy and nutritious meals,” Groff said in a statement.

New York schools — which provide meals for 1.1 million students daily—offer principals vegetarian and nonvegetarian lunch options. Groff worked closely with the department so that the menu changes came at no additional cost to the school.

Pretty amazing. Would you have imagined this was a possibility in today’s America? I’m amazed. I also can’t believe the beef industry isn’t breaking down the principal’s door with pitchforks. You go, Mr. Groff!

Meet Jerry James Stone’s gorgeous avocado gazpacho, with...

seriousmeaveness — Mon, 13 May 2013 13:26:25 -0700

Meet Jerry James Stone’s gorgeous avocado gazpacho, with basil, cilantro, tarragon, chiles, limes, and heirloom tomatoes! And JJS wants yours to be the tastiest kitchen of the summer, he’s put together a page with all his vegan recipes! And they are glorious. Go, read, eat with your eyes, and get ready for a bountiful season of sunshine and delicious home cookery.

The SF SPCA and 7x7’s chihuahua-celebrating party is back...

seriousmeaveness — Mon, 13 May 2013 10:37:58 -0700

The SF SPCA and 7x7’s chihuahua-celebrating party is back for its third year! It’s The Whole Enchihuahua 2013, coming to Dolores Park on Saturday, May 18. Why should you go, chihuahua-fancier?

This fun-filled afternoon includes a doggie costume contest, food trucks, live mariachi music, adoptable animals, an exciting dog rally training course, Ask-A-Trainer Q&A, Ask-A-Vet Q&A, free dental checks for dogs, pet-related vendors, and more.

Chihuahua mixes represent a disproportionately large and growing percentage of dogs in Bay Area shelters. The Whole Enchihuahua aims to educate the public about Chihuahua overpopulation, while giving San Franciscans an excuse to spend a fun day in the park among adorable dogs!

Want your own little big-eyed pocket-puppy pal? The SF SPCA can introduce you to some little dogs in need of forever homes. After all, having a dog can save your life.

Need more convincing? Look at some photos of last year’s event! Tiny fancy dogs in tiny fancy costumes!

The Whole Enchihuahua goes down on Saturday, May 18, from noon to 3 p.m. in Dolores Park, and the costume contest starts at 2. Get details (many, many details) at SF SPCA. ¡Olé!

Got a tip about an awesome vegan-friendly event? Let us know! We love fun!

Claret makes cute vegan handbags!

youtalkfunny — Mon, 13 May 2013 08:52:13 -0700

Claret only has three bags in the collection at the moment but I’m pretty into them. And the bag above is $140 so the price isn’t that bad. I love the design details. I’m excited to see what they’ll make in the future!

It's Paul Shapiro's Animal News You Can Use!

youtalkfunny — Fri, 10 May 2013 11:37:15 -0700

Big news in Tennessee: The state attorney general ruled yesterday the ag-gag bill is “constitutionally suspect.” The bill is still awaiting the governor’s signature or veto.

Other big news: The Pennsylvania state senator who announced he was going to introduce an ag-gag bill decided yesterday that he in fact won’t introduce it at all.

Here’s a short new Food Day blog of mine on ag-gag, and a new interview of mine on the Tampa NPR affiliate about a variety of farm animal-related matters.

Politico had a big story on the beef and pork industries’ aggressive campaign to kill federal legislation to ban barren battery cages for egg-laying hens. One agribusiness spokesperson quoted in the piece says they oppose the bill so strongly that they’d fight to kill the entire farm bill (which gives them massive subsidies) if the legislation to improve laying hen welfare were included in the bill.

On a more optimistic note, meat giant Tyson Foods reported a 42 percent drop in net income this quarter…

Video of the week: Ever seen a pig and cat play cat and mouse?

Can’t see the video? Watch it on Vegansaurus.com!

Bonus article: If you’re as psyched about the cicadas as I am, enjoy!

Vegan shoes on sale at Fab

youtalkfunny — Fri, 10 May 2013 09:06:26 -0700

Fab.com has some great vegan options at the moment! That is all.

Spotted: New vegan handbag line Freedom Of Animals

youtalkfunny — Fri, 10 May 2013 05:49:44 -0700

Style.com just posted about this brand new vegan company Freedom Of Animals and my dear sis-in-law sent it my way. My sis-in-law is a fashion designer and totally the arbiter of good taste so I was very stoked. Of course, the bag above is $480. So now you are probably like, “screw you, Megan Rascal, screw you!” But I got to keep you in the loop on advances in vegan fashion.

You’ll like the company too:

Freedom Of Animals bags are sustainably sourced and consciously made. Our fabrics comply with EPA guidelines. No harsh chemicals were used in any of our products and we are 100% cruelty free.

Sound good? Sounds good! My favorite is the Melia Lia above. This pic from their site is also my favorite too:

Haaaaa.

Guys, this is Ajabu, an orphaned elephant rescued just a month...

seriousmeaveness — Thu, 09 May 2013 15:13:40 -0700

Guys, this is Ajabu, an orphaned elephant rescued just a month ago in Kenya.

Ajabu was just a day or two old when she was spotted all alone in Kenya’s Tsavo East National Park on 4th April 2013. When it became apparent that there were no other elephants in the area, a call was put into the DSWT to rescue Ajabu.

Two weeks on and this tiny orphaned elephant is making good and steady progress at the DSWT’s Elephant Nursery in Nairobi National Park. Read the full rescue update on Ajabu and support her future by fostering her at DSWT.

Guys, she’s so little and she has to wear sunblock to protect her baby skin! What a darling. Thank goodness for organizations like the DSWT, who can rescue orphaned elephants and provide for their needs. Keep up with Ajabu and sponsor her and her fellow residents at DSWT online.

Hey bunny-lovers! Celebrate the release of the fifth edition of...

seriousmeaveness — Thu, 09 May 2013 13:23:37 -0700

Hey bunny-lovers! Celebrate the release of the fifth edition of the House Rabbit Handbook with the House Rabbit Society on Saturday!

Please join us for the release of the fifth edition of the House Rabbit Handbook by author and House Rabbit Society founder Marinell Harriman! Books will be available for purchase ($12.95) and Marinell will be available to sign them. We’ll have vegan snacks available as well as information on getting involved with the House Rabbit Society. We look forward to seeing you!

The party happens on Saturday, May 11, from 1 to 4 p.m. at 148 Broadway in Richmond. For more information, call (510) 970-7575 or visit rabbitcenter.org. Bunny party in Richmond!

Got a tip about an awesome vegan-friendly event? Let us know! We love fun!