What Happened to Vegan Blogs and Podcasts?

I love listening to other vegan podcasts and reading other vegan website blogs but recently I've noticed about 90% of them, throughout the years, are now gone!

I go to vegan directory links, promising me a list of hundreds of vegan blogs and podcasts, but when I click on to these blog and podcast links, most are dead links or might as well be, as their site has not been updated in months or years!

What happened?? Have these vegans found another way to do their activism? Or, have these vegans become apathetic....maybe becoming a minimalist vegan--just living by example?

A good example of 'Where are they now?' is the activist Erin Red. I used to really like her podcast on iTunes, called Red Radio: Vegan Banter with a Bite. But one day she made this 7-minute "special announcement" on her show, saying she had to take a break from her podcast for personal reasons, that she didn't elaborate on; she said she would probably return in a month.

So far, she is a no-show.

Erin has since said time and time again (at her Twitter account) that she will be returning soon....By the way, her special announcement was made on September 16, 2013--almost a year ago.

I read some of her Tweets and she appear to be enjoying her time spent on Twitter, mixing in silliness with animal rights activism. Erin, at her website, has said she plans to update her vegan/animal rights website/blog but she has not really done that either, but instead she continually posts on her blog these absolutely asinine posts--many having nothing to do with veganism. It's an embarrassment; doesn't she realize this? I guess not.

Also, I have since noticed Erin Red has not been as staunch in her veganism as compared to her early days on the Internet. Something happened to her gravely. She has lost a lot of her activism spirit. Is it burn-out? I don't know, but Erin Red--like many, many vegans--seem to have, for the most part, given up fighting for the vegan cause. It's disheartening and disturbing. The animals--the planet--needs all the support they can get from people! Erin was a real fighter; now it's like she's turned over and is playing dead, like so many other activists.

Whatever these vegan activists are going through--personal tragedies, professional tragedies, apathy, burn-out, or have now become ex-vegans--I hope dramatic things change in their life to make them get back into being the gutsy, loud & proud vegan activists they were when they got into the movement.

We need everyone we can get--for the sake of the animals, for the sake of the people, for the sake of the planet.

Religious Publishers Get A Boost With Animal Books

Ever since author John Grogan scored a megahit with 2005’s “Marley & Me,” publishers of all stripes have been looking for the next chart-topping, boo-hooing, man-and-his-dog story. Nowhere has this been more true than in religion publishing, where books such as “Heavenly Humor for the Dog Lover’s Soul,” “The Dog That Talked to God” and “Four Paws From Heaven” have been good sellers for their various Christian publishers. These books look beyond the earthly relationships between people and their companion animals to the religious and spiritual lessons the four-footed can teach.

Now as booksellers look ahead to Christmas, they are adding cats, horses and birds to the animal spirituality roster.

Read more about it here:  Religious Publishers Get A Boost With Animal Books 

Charities: The Humane and the Inhumane

Here is a terrific list of charities that do not fund animal experiments, and charities that do, from the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine:

CHARITIES

The Mystical Cat

There are very few cats left in India. Narikauravas, a group of wandering gypsies, eat them in south India—as they eat squirrels and other small animals. In the North, cats are killed and passed off as chicken. While many Indians keep dogs, very few keep cats.

Cats are a mystical animals with a long and colorful history as a companion for humans. 

There is an entire branch of prediction called Ailuromancy (from the Greek ailouros), which is divination using cats' movements to predict future events. Cats are supposed to be able to see the human aura or life force that is invisible to human eyes and predict ill health or even death. Kittens born in May are supposed to have special supernatural powers.

Here are some unusual historical superstitions and omens pertaining to cats from all over the world.

Cat Predictions

A cat sleeping with all its paws tucked under its body foretells of rain on the way.

If the cat is curled up on the ground with its forehead touching the ground it means stormy weather is coming.

A cat sneezing once is said to indicate rain; a cat sneezing three times indicates that the humans of the household will catch a cold.

A cat washing its face on your front doorstep foretells of a visit from a member of the priesthood.

Finding a white hair on a black cat brings good luck.

A cat placed into the empty cradle of a newlywed couple will lead to conception--providing that the cat doesn't jump right back out.

Cats coming into the house foretell of birth and fertility.

If a tortoiseshell cat features in your dreams, you will be lucky in love.

If a cat washes its face in front of a gathering of people, the first person that the cat looks at afterwards will be the first to marry.

If you willfully kill a cat, you will automatically forfeit your soul to the devil. Whoever kills a cat will never have good luck.

If a cat is following you it means money is coming your way.

Carrying a cat over a stream or other body of running water is bad luck.

If you see a one-eyed cat, spit on your thumb before pressing it into the middle of your opposite palm while making a wish. Your wish should come true.

If you rub a cat's fur backwards, you'll soon get into a fight.

If the cat washes behind her ear, a stranger will appear. If a cat washes it's ear three times, you can expect a visitor from the direction that it's looking. 

If a cat is grooming itself and puts its paw around its right ear, it means a gentleman is coming; left ear, a lady is coming to visit.

If a man dreams of a cat and the cat scratches him, his sweetheart will be a spiteful termagant. If a woman dreams the same, she has a rival.

A cat following you means money is coming your way.

If you chase away a cat from your house, bad luck is sure to befall you.

If a cat sneezes the day before a wedding, the marriage will be happy.

Other Animals Observed for Predictions

Human beings are so anxious to know the future that they will use anything for prophecy. 

Alectryomancy means divination by means of a cock, encircled by grains of corn placed on the letters of the alphabet which are then put together in the order in which the grains were eaten .This was done by the Greeks. 

Hippomancy, which means prediction based on a horse's pace or neighing, was practiced by the Celts, who had a horse goddess named Epona. 

Myomancy is predicting events through the movements of rats--a practice in Egypt and Assyria. 

And finally, Orniscopy is telling the future through the movement and formation of birds in flight and was started by the Greeks who believed that birds were instruments of gods sent specially for this purpose.

(source: eKantipur.com)

Vegan-Friendly Fiction Only!

Quite some time ago, I've noticed myself naturally becoming more and more sickened by reading novels containing animal cruelty as if it's OK, like hunting (including the hunting of fish called "fishing"), eating animal flesh in restaurants, eating dairy and eggs, wearing leather, and the horrible list goes on.

Just today as I was reading a novel, there's a character who wears cashmere. I decided to skip the paragraph but then to read the character is now eating steak....I decided to stop reading this book and to now make a conscious decision to never, ever read a fiction book that promotes animal cruelty.

The reason I will still read non-fiction books with possible animal cruelty in it, is because true books are for serious study, education, reference and of historical knowledge. Whereas books of fiction are designed for the pure pleasure, enjoyment of reading. I do not find pro-cruelty pleasurable reading. But if the novel mentions animal cruelty in a negative way--great!--I'll read that.

I love reading fiction and as I researched online, looking for vegan-friendly novels, I was so disappointed to find not many exist. There are some books mentioning a token vegan, but rarely do I find an entire novel that's vegan-friendly.

Well, for now, I recently bought two vegan novels that I will read this summer--thank you Kim Barnouin! I just hope other authors publish more vegan-friendly novels, instead of publishing so many vegan cookbooks that are already on the market....

Medicine Comes with Four Legs and a Wagging Tail

I found this video showing how animals can make such a huge impact on people that are ill. Some of the best medicine comes with four legs and a wagging tail!

In this video, the dog Roscoe has the incredible ability to give voice to a man with Alzheimer's disease who has lost most of his verbal communication skills. When Roscoe is in the room, the man's ability to speak magically reappears.

According to The Alzheimer's Association, pet therapy dates back to the 1860s, though the positive impact of animals on their guardians wasn't studied in earnest until the 1980s.

In Defense of Insects

A bush cockroach (Ellipsidion australe)

Here are two awesome articles on sticking up for all animals--including insects. Insects are not only living sentient beings, but they also help the environment.

On Defending Cockroaches


Also, check out the other link inside that article, called:

The Insects Among Us

Become Vegan for the Right and Only Reason: For the Animals

I hear that how vegans should not push too hard in educating others about veganism, but I disagree and feel this is missing the point of why we become vegans in the first place. It's for the animals, not to please other vegans.

Look at it this way for example: I decide to continue being cruel towards animals--eating them--because some human was too hard on me in trying to get me to become vegan? What does the "pushy vegan" have to do with whether or not I would become a vegan? I would become vegan for the animals' sake not for the sake of pleasing some vegan.

People that use pushy vegans as an excuse not to become vegan really isn't becoming vegan for the right and ONLY reason anyway--for the animals. They are thinking of becoming vegan to please or get along in the vegan community, otherwise they wouldn't care how aggressive a vegan was. If they find that vegan too preachy/aggressive but they need support, then they should go to vegans that do a softer approach. 

I think how vegans educate others varies according to their style/personality. 

Gary Yourofsky said in an interview, during one of his lectures at a school that a person was complaining he was too preachy and aggressive with his approach. He said something like, "OK, how many people here feel I'm being too aggressive?" No else else raised their hand. He said to this person, "How can this be? They heard the same lecture as you, but yet they feel I gave the lecture fine." Gary then said in the interview that it doesn't matter how you talk to people about veganism; either people are ready to hear it now and become vegan or they are not at that time. 

It's about whether you want to hurt animals or not. Period. It's the facts in the message that changes one to being vegan--not any person. Tell it to a person strongly or softly, it's still the same news, the same facts.

So those vegans who turned omnivores again never were vegans for the animals anyway. They were just vegans probably for the sake of being social in the vegan community, like as if we are some kind of club, otherwise they would have said (If they felt the vegans were being pushy), "Screw you guys. I'm staying away from you all, but will stay vegan of course because I'm doing this for the animals."

It's all about the animals--and that's thee only way to stay a vegan for life. It has to be or otherwise that potential vegan, newbie vegan, or a vegan for years, will in time come up with some excuse to go back sooner or later to their omnivore ways.

So to those vegans who say, "I don't care how a person becomes vegan, as long as they do," should care. Because why a person becomes vegan is important to whether they stay vegan for life, or in a day, month, year or so to becoming an ex-vegan.

October 4th is World Animal Day

World Animal Day is tomorrow, but it dates back to October 4, 1931 when, at a convention in Florence, a group of ecologists sought to raise awareness for endangered and rare animal species. On this day, animal life, in all its forms is celebrated, and special events are planned in locations all over the globe. These 24 hours are the chance to give back and celebrate animal life in an especially special way (as every day is "world animal day") in all its shapes and sizes, from mice to elephants, and recognize the positive influence they have on our lives. Over the years, World Animal Day has evolved into a day to honor all animal life and appreciate the love and companionship of our companion animals.

October 4th was chosen as World Animal Day as it is the Feast Day of St. Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of animals. World Animal Day, however, has now gone beyond being the celebration of a Christian saint and is today observed by animal-lovers of all beliefs, nationalities and backgrounds. Animal blessings are held in churches, synagogues, and by independent animal chaplains in parks and fields. Animal recue shelters hold fundraising events and open days, wildlife groups organize information displays, schools undertake animal-related project work like organizing trips to shelters and farms. Individuals and groups of friends or co-workers donate to animal charities or pledge to sponsor a shelter animal. People donate food/money to cat and dog shelters or adopt an animal. You could even organize an animal related quiz night to raise money for animal charities.

World Animal Day is celebrated in different ways in every country, with no regard to nationality, religion, faith, or political ideology.

Other ways to honor World Animal Day

World Animal Day Official Website

What Are You Wearing?

As the big clothing season begins, full of shopping for school clothing, special clothes for religious holidays and festivals, buying clothing gifts for holidays like Christmas, or just your everyday clothing...What are you wearing (or buying)?

Veganism isn't just about food. Veganism is also about what we wear (and items we use in any way in our life, like body care, cosmetics, and household cleaning products). 

With clothing, it's about wearing apparel and accessories that are created without the use of any animal materials, which includes not wearing clothing made with animal fur (like angora), wool, leather, any animal skin (like snake, sheep, lamb, suede), or silk.

Even if the animals are not killed (to make items like leather or silk), there is still cruelty involved. With down materials, starting at 9 weeks old, baby geese are strung upside down and their feathers are ripped out. This happens every 6 weeks until they are sent to slaughter. With fur, it comes from anal electrocution, by sticking a metal rod in animals' rectums and electrocuting them from the inside, or by catching an animal in a steel-jaw leg-hold trap, which often leads to the animal trying to bite off their own limb to escape before the trapper finds him/her. With wool, weeks after birth, most lambs have their ears punched and tails chopped, and most males are castrated--all without anesthetics. When shearing, it's done with speed and often results in bloody slashing and mutilation. 

Vegan fashion is not all expensive. Actually, vegan clothing comes at many different price points, depending on the label that makes it. Whether you're in the market for a $30 vegan bag or a $1,000 vegan coat, you can and will find something on any budget. A small, independent label using cutting-edge fabrics will have higher costs per piece because they aren't spreading out a large production run. Also, vegan fashion isn't difficult to find. It's likely you've already came across vegan fashion items at your favorite stores. Target, Bakers, and Payless all sell vegan shoes for instance. If you seek it out--and even if you don't--you'll find it! From feminine pleated-skirt peacoats to beautiful bronze metallic T-strap pumps, vegan fashion isn't just animal and eco-friendly, it's also stylish, sexy and chic from head to toe!

According to a report from the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, animal agriculture (raising animals for production) is the number one cause of global warming. It's the largest contributor of greenhouse gases--more than all transportation combined. By opting for vegan fashions, you're doing your part to make a difference for the world beyond your clothing. 

You don't have to throw out all your clothes with animal materials all at once restarting your style from scratch; you can simply make more vegan choices moving forward, like from now on, avoiding anything with fur (even trim). In addition, next time you're out shopping at the department store or mall, look out for vegan bag and shoe options--they're everywhere. 

Read labels. The way one would read labels on food containers, always read the labels on clothing and accessories to make sure what you're buying is truly without animal materials. For example, sometimes labels plainly state, "all man-made materials" on the inside of shoes and bags. Many shoes have leather soles and were made overseas, so you also want for words that mean "leather" in other countries. This includes "cuero" (Spanish), "cuoio" (Italian) and "cuir" (French). 

To keep your budget well-balanced with all of these fashion temptations, invest in good quality vegan clothing items that you know you'll wear often. The goal is to create an edited closet rather than a pile of clothes, so think about the true price of clothing in terms of how often you will wear it.

Compassion for Animals

Awesome story....

http://www.speakingtree.in/spiritual-blogs/masters/science-of-spirituality/compassion-for-animals

Fierce Food and Fierce Animals

I went downtown today, having lunch at one of my favorite vegan restaurants, Veggie Grill. This was my "fierce food": Vegan cheesburger with yam fries and carrot cake. This is my favorite order at Veggie Grill. Drink is H20.

After having a fabulous fierce meal at Veggie Grill, I went to Portland Art Musuem. Since I hadn't been there in a few years, I wanted to go, so I chose this day for no special reason. As I was going to pay the $12.00 to get in, the lady at the desk said I can put my money back as it's a free day today! The museum was having a Free Family Community Day with music, merchandise, face painting and all sorts of other stuff going on outside. I had no idea about this special day, and apparently not many did as there was no line at all..no crowds. What a fierce day!

I spent several hours--as usual--there, but especially came to see the Fierce: Animal Life from the Collection exhibit.

FIERCE

Animal Life from the Collection

MAY 4 – AUG 25, 2013

Animals have held a significant place throughout the history of art, from the painted horses and cattle on the cave walls in Lascaux, France, to the Internet Cat Video Film Festival held at the Walker Art Center in 2012. FIERCE: Animal Life from the Collection, an installation of more than 70 photographs, celebrates the many distinguished animals—both domesticated and wild—that have enlivened the history of photography. From 19th-century documentary views to richly conceptual photographs created since the mid-20th century, the animals of FIERCE are presented as perceptive, spirited, dignified, and predatory beings existing in respectful but sometimes tenuous proximity to humans. Each photograph invites us to revel in the striking complexity of the furry and feathered beings that surround us, relate to us, and enhance our lives.

Here are my favorite photos from the Collection.

The following 4 works of art was not from the Fierce collection as the Fierce exhibit is only of photos, but I think it's apropos in adding them with my favorites from the exhibit (below is Owl Family).

By the way, today in general is a fierce day as it's Friendship Day, so I took this photo to honor this day.

Bold Native (full feature film)

As Americans and Canadians (and others who are free) celebrate Independence this week, everyone please remember those who are not free (animals and humans) and do what you can to save them.

This film, Bold Native can now always be seen on the right side of my blog. I will also now have a warning page shown before coming to my blog as Bold Native is rated R for nudity and scenes of animal abuse. Unlike most animal rights films being documentaries, this is a dramatic feature movie film about animal liberation and the best animal film ever to date.

I hope Bold Native inspires you to be bold in whatever positive activism you do.

For the animals....Here is BOLD NATIVE

 

The Girl Who Loved Animals

 

The Girl Who Loved Animals (and who is still alive and still loves animals!), is a 2013 documentary about a former homeless teen who educates people about veganism/animal rights.

"Once upon a time Kitty Jones dreamed of being a dairy farmer. However, after discovering the cruel reality of animal agriculture and job shadowing at a "local, organic, family" dairy farm, Kitty has realized that animals do not exist for humans to use and has dedicated her life to animal and environmental advocacy. A recent graduate of Shorecrest High School in Seattle, Kitty has been profiled on the blogs of Vegan Score, the ASPCA, Rainforest Action Network, and the Humane Society. She won the President's Volunteer Service Award for volunteering over 1,000 community service hours, and was the founder and president of her school's Animal Rights Club. Jones aims to teach people that animals are not ours to eat, wear, test on or abuse, and that in exploiting them, we are harming not only our own health but the environment. She is now studying Conservation and Resource Studies at UC Berkeley and will forever continue to promote a peaceful, cruelty-free, plant-based diet and vegan lifestyle.

In the fall of 2011, production went into this full length documentary film, The Girl Who Loved Animals: Kitty Jones and the Fight For Animal Rights which follows Kitty for almost a year as she advocates for animals at her high school, hands out leaflets at farmer's markets, volunteers at a cat neutering clinic, and spends time with all the different animals at the Precious Life Animal Sanctuary where abused and neglected animals have been given a safe haven to live out their lives. Additional footage for the film was also supplied by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals and The Humane Society of the United States."

Check the film out if it comes to a theatre near you.

Here is the trailer:

The Girl Who Loved Animals

4th Annual Vegan Spirituality Retreat

 

If you are a regular reader of my blog (thanks!), you know I am very against the spending of precious time, energy and/or money on "Veg Fests" and "Animal Rights Conferences", but the Fourth Annual Vegan Spirituality Retreat is more than just a place for vegans to gather and "educate" the already educated veg people about veganism that Veg Fests and Animal Rights Conferences do. This retreat does much more! Read on to discover what this super cool retreat is all about:

Vegan Spirituality and Public Eye: Artists for Animals present our 4th Annual Vegan Spirituality Retreat on the East Coast, Exploring Veganism as a Spiritual Practice. We welcome World Peace Diet author Dr. Will Tuttle as our featured speaker. Enjoy group discussions, guided meditations, yoga classes with vegan yogis Derek Goodwin and Ximena Milagros Savitch, a delicious vegan lunch catered by The Nile Café, a nature walk, and an Animal Blessing with percussionist Lonnie Davis. Childcare is provided. Friendly companion animals are welcome at the Retreat and Blessing Ceremony.

Honor your companion animals and animals around the world through drumming and dancing in nature. Bring companion animals, a photo, or your own animal spirit! Everyone is invited to drum and dance in the Ceremony, which offers opportunities to celebrate animal companions, honor those that have died, empathize with animals suffering around the world, and create a vision of harmony between humans and other animals. Please bring leashes or carriers for your animal companions.

You’re welcome to bring a vegan/synthetic drum. The Ceremony is free and open to the public.

Date: Saturday, June 1 (west coast)
 
Time: 10:00am to 4:00pm, Registration begins at 9:30am

3:00pm to 4:00pm, Animal Blessing Ceremony

Location: Wright Ranch Malibu, 24680 Piuma Road, Malibu, CA 

Cost (includes lunch): $70 online registration (5/1-31), $75 at the door (6/1), $50 students/seniors, $40 youth (12-17), $20 children (6-11), free for children under 6. Registration preferred by 5/25.

Date: Saturday, July 20, 2013 (east coast)

Time: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., registration begins at 9:30 a.m.

3 p.m. to 4 p.m., Animal Blessing Ceremony (free and open to the public)

Location: Saunders Woods, 1020 Waverly Road, Gladwyne, Pennsylvania

Cost (includes lunch): $50 online registration (starting 6/1), $60 at the door (7/20), $40 students/seniors, $30 youth (12-17), $20 children (6-11), free for children under 6. Registration preferred by 7/13.
 

Bring: Yoga mat, water bottle, walking shoes, companion animal photos.

To Register: www.veganspirituality.com or contact Lisa Levinson at veganspirituality@gmail.com, 215-620-2130

For even more information, check out Vegan Spirituality

People Who Can't Handle Opposing Views

 


As I continue with my animal ministry, I expect to see my share of people closing off when I give my opposing views regarding veganism/animal rights to non-vegans. But what I didn't expect at the start of my ministry (but later, saw examples of) were some people in my own community--animal rights people--closing off to me as well. Everyone will not always agree with others in any group--fine, understandable and even healthy--but to close off opposing views for no apparent good reason is not a wise way of relating to others.

Examples of what I mean by closing off is by blocking someone online (I got blocked yesterday on Twitter as I politely chatted with a person called, The Vegan List), censoring comments online, or by just walking away from someone, ignoring them. If you want to end a conversation, it should be done in a respectful manner, especially when the other person is being polite toward you.

Mind you, it doesn't bother me personally, but psychology is a huge interest of mine, so I find it very interesting as to why some people react in such childish behavior, which is especially sad in the vegan community because we need to listen to other views in order to effectively help animals. I wanted to write out my theories, but found the link below, by author Faceless39 (Kate) that perfectly describes what I am seeing how some people react towards me as well, even with what Faceless39 stated in the beginning of her article echoes my own experience almost perfectly when I commented on other people's blogs recently.

I totally agree with this article 100%. Please read:

Why Can't Some People Handle Opposing Viewpoints?

"And this movement is idiotic with its preaching-to-the-choir mentality."

 


Animal rights activist and vegan, Gary Yourofsky said the following in an interview last year, titled: In Conversation with Gary Yourofsky: “Educate Educate Educate!” 


"Besides my recent trip to Israel, I no longer do open-to-the-public lectures because I am faced with the problem of attracting an audience. The only people who show up for a vegan presentation are animal rights people. And this movement is idiotic with its preaching-to-the-choir mentality. Telling animal rights folks about veganism is pointless. Education IS the most effective form of activism and I will continue educating NON vegans about veganism."



Gary is absolutely right. Those are the same people who show up at Vegfests; it's great for meeting up with old vegan friends and making new ones, but for helping to educate people about veganism, it's a wasteful joke.

I really wish vegan activists would do as Gary and educate people about veganism in schools, and also in churches--to which I do, but for now just in my own local church. Start with your own school or church. To any vegan who reads my blog, THESE are the places to do tabling, handing out pamphlets, and talking to others about vegansim, not at some veg conference (what the heck is this annual Animal Rights Conference? Just a waste of time, money and resources.), vegfests or other animal rights/veg meet. Plus, I don't understand why many vegans only follow fellow vegans on their Twitter or other social network. Why do you want just fellow vegans hearing your vegan message??

There's A LOT of self-indulgence and strutting around in self-satisfaction, trying to impress other vegans in the vegan community that just wastes time and energy, but most importantly, it hurts the animals in the need of getting the vegan message out quicker to non-vegans. Veganism is NOT a social club, so vegans should stop treating it like it is. The vegan community should stop preaching to choirs of vegans at group meets and start preaching to the choir that's in the churches.

Vegans, you should not strive to be well known in the vegan community. You should strive to be well known in the non-vegan community.

Oh Please! ENOUGH Complaining about PETA!

I'd like to discuss one of my pet peeves within the vegan/animal rights community.

I have been a vegetarian-then-turned-vegan since 1982. At that time, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals--aka PETA--was about 2 years old. I can't remember when they started to add sex to their animal rights advertising or other controversial methods as their way of getting the message out about animal cruelty but for as long as I can remember, the animal rights community has always been complaining about them.

Of course we all know that any group, business, person, etc. that is number one in popularity in any field tends to get sticks and stones thrown at them most, just by being placed at the #1 spot because of jealousy, but more than that, the animals rights community has been bitching and moaning about PETA for decades as PETA has pretty much ignored them all and still do what PETA has always done.

Other animal rights groups

If you can't stand PETA's actions, wish they would change or wish they weren't so well-known or frankly would just wither away completely, pissing and moaning about them, insulting them, sticking pins in PETA voodoo dolls won't make them stop their actions or make them go away (well, OK maybe using the voodoo dolls will work, but you have to be very, very careful when using poppets--what the dolls are really originally called--as it is a very serious thing..but I digress). PETA will continue to go on being PETA with their ways so get used to it and live with it!

I find it interesting that some of these people who put down PETA that are "leaders" in the animal rights movement (you know who you are, and animal rights people know who they are) are virtually unknown in mainstream society. I know because I have asked people--even animal rights people of many years--if they have heard of these animal rights leaders--NOPE. The ONLY animal rights movement that is a well known name in mainstream society is PETA (I don't think the Humane Society and ASPCA consider themselves an "animal rights" group). And I would say probably almost every animal rights person knows something about PETA.

Instead of using so much time and energy bad-mouthing PETA (as if suffering animals in the world have time for the bickering!), these vegans/animal rights people who write articles, blog, do podcasts and other things should concentrate on becoming more vocal and present in the mainstream world by doing animal rights work in the way they feel is right, thereby educating more people about animal cruelty.

There's a saying in the psychology field that goes:

You can't change another person but you can change yourself.

In this case, you can't change PETA or make them do--or don't do--anything, but you can change your behavior and be more mature about this by being aggressively pro-active and doing high profile things, similar to what PETA does but without the sexual provocativeness. PETA doesn't have to be the only large, well known animal rights group in the world. There are other animal rights activists who are affluent that have the means to get another large, ethical vegan group going.

Don't sit around insulting PETA, pleading them to stop their tactics. Concentrate on your own group and be the best you can be. Form an absolutely phenomenal ethical, animal rights vegan group that will rival PETA because it's done in a way that doesn't offend any sex, and that's done in a serious, mature way if you feel PETA isn't doing this. It's not like PETA can stop people from being as good--or better--in public than they are. Find ways of charming people in an honest way, getting people to see how great your animal rights organization is and the rest will follow.

As Gandhi said:

"Be the change you want to see in the world."

Instead of wanting PETA to change, be that change.

6 Weird Superstitions Attached to Animals

This link came to me in my email box from the Online Psychology Degree Resource Guide:

6 Weird Superstitions Attached to Animals

Thanks for the email! I really appreciate it.

Actually, although this is a good, legitimate link, it was in my spam mail box. I very rarely check my spam box, so good thing I checked this time to see the above link!

The Blessing of the Animals at The Grotto (From: July 16, 2012)

The National Sanctuary of our Sorrowful Mother, popularly known as The Grotto is a beautiful 62-acre Catholic sanctuary on Sandy Boulevard at Northeast 85th Avenue, Portland, Oregon. The sanctuary sets both at the foot of and on top of a cliff. It is a non-profit organization supported solely by the proceeds of its gift shop and by donations. It is administered by the Order of Friars Servants of Mary, USA Province.









A large meditation hall whose main chamber is at clifftop level extends down to the foot of the cliff; a cross on the hall is visible many miles away. In addition to a church, there are several thousand feet of trails, including a trail of the Stations of the Cross, along which the faithful may pass in contemplation.





The Grotto is open daily throughout the year. (Closed on Thanksgiving and Christmas following the celebration of Mass.).

Yesterday, The Grotto had their 29th Annual Blessing of the Animals in the Grotto Plaza, which is always held on the third Sunday of July (rain or shine) and offers individuals with pets an opportunity to reflect upon the positive impact animals have on our emotional and physical well-being. This annual event attracts a wide variety of animals and their human friends. Individuals of all faiths are invited to bring their companion animals, properly restrained, to The Grotto for the Blessing of the Animals. All animals are welcome.

Jeffrey and I brought our Chihuahuas, Tico and Paquita, to be blessed. It was actually Tico's second blessing, as he was blessed last year when he was less than a year old (Paquita will be a year old later this year).