vegansaurus!

Megan Rascal curates all the vegan news you need to know in this week’s link-o-rama!  »

You may have heard that our dear Meave has gone to be a Republican in Georgia so in her absence, I’m taking over link-o-rama this week! Let’s turn this party inside out! Just kidding, it’ll probably be similar, just slightly more vapid, as me and Meave are similar, I’m just slightly more vapid. Let the games begin!

If you are wondering what the top picture is all about, it’s a new campaign from La Leche, a group dedicated to educating people on the benefits of breastfeeding (I’m a supporter). I thought I’d note that the fantastically popular and extra lame “Got Milk?” franchise made a deal with La Leche so they can use their stupid tag for good—you know, instead of its regular, milk-mongering evil. Hmm, this gives me ideas for, “the other white meat,” eh?

This week in beauty contests, Eater.com is doing a Hottest Chef in America competition and one handsome young vegan chef has made it to the final round! Portland’s Wes Hannah could very well be the next Hottest Chef in America! I don’t know about you but I would tap that seven ways from Sunday! Yes, friends, my vote is in: Hannah 2011! 

In rescued-circus-animal news, remember those dear lions rescued from Bolivian circuses that Meave told you all about? Well, they touched down in Denver on Wednesday! Safe and sound! With Bob Barker on hand to yell, “Lion No. 1, come on down!” You know, “mimicking the way contestants were introduced on his game show The Price Is Right. Ever heard of it?

This Dish is Vegetarian has the lowdown on a crazy restaurant in Brooklyn where you can eat a steak and then buy a briefcase made out of the same cow? Is this what progress looks like?

The Verdant Life has an awesome looking recipe for broccoli vegan-cheezy pot pies (pictured above)—can I get a what-what?! That looks crazy good. I’m so ready for this. You could make that for your Great American Meatout party! And invite me!

Everyone’s favorite vegan, Sarah Kramer, has made some super-cute journals to sell with 100 percent of the proceeds going to help the sweet dog she is fostering. Get yours! And foster dogs!

In famous non-vegans, Mike Vick was going to be on Oprah and now he’s not? I kind of wanted to see that. Word is he canceled for “personal reasons.” Would that personal reason be cowardice? Probably not but zing!

Mickaboo Companion Bird Rescue is having a free bird care class in SF on Sunday! Go forth! Care for birds! Maybe they will finally teach us the secret of flight!

Over at SuperVegan.com you can read a review of the movie Chow Down that I’m actually going to see tomorrow night. Does it sound a bit boring? Maybe I’m just immediately bored when I hear about middle-aged males. The world kind of revolves around middle-aged males, that’s why the world is so boring. Mystery solved! But I’m excited anyway—there’s a panel! And panels are nothing if not nonstop excitement!

Lastly, I want you to read all about Pinnacle over at HuffPo! Very soon, I am going to write all about it so you might as well read up and get ready! OMG also! I was at Lula’s last night and guess who was there: Pinnacle founder Joshua Katcher! I said hi because I’m totally a confident and outgoing individual. He was super-handsome! And nice, which is less important but a definite plus.

On a final note: don’t forget to remind your pals on Sunday about Meatless Monday! And don’t forget to read Laura’s SFist post and the Week in Vegan! Be well and TGIF, motherfuckers!

[Picture of model with lady-dog from Pinnacle; adorable picture of pigeon in cast from the New York City Pigeon Rescue Central FB page]

Bolivia’s ban on circus animals leads to rescue and rehoming of 25 lions!  »

In November of last year, Animals Lebanon rescued a chimpanzee from his life as a literal roadside attraction in Lebanon, and rehomed him at a sanctuary in Brazil. This month, Animal Defenders International celebrates a similar victory, as 24 former circus lions were rescued from Bolivia and rehomed at the Wild Animal Sanctuary in “the open plains of Colorado, just 30 miles northeast of Denver.” And soon, they’ll have a 25th rescued lions! Hooray!

These lions came from different circuses all over the country, and all their stories are so sad. One had been kept in the same metal box she was came in when she was purchased as a cub. One is completely freaked out by brooms and other cleaning implements, as though he had had experienced some cleaning-equipment-related trauma before. You don’t mean to imply that people might have beaten him with brooms, do you? YES, YES WE DO. Some of them have trouble eating, behaving as though they are “convinced that the food is going to be taken away again.”

Obviously, circus animal abuse is not endemic to Bolivia—in fact, since 2009 Bolivia is the first and only country in the world “to put in place a national ban on the use of any and all animals in circuses.” FIRST and ONLY. Don’t you love comparing other countries to the U.S. and seeing how terrible we make it for animals here?

ADI reports that all of the rescued lions are adapting relatively well to their great big new living areas. Congratulations to the efforts of everyone involved in Operation Lion Ark: this is beautiful, heartening news.

UPDATE: A couple of you noted that China passed a similar law, which Laura posted about last week! Bolivia remains the only country to have outright banned using animals—domestic and wild!—in circuses; China no longer allows animal-exclusive circuses, and its protections for performing animals look quite strong. U.S. circuses, however, remain the devil’s work.

[photos via thanks to care2.org for the tip!}