Happy Halloween, peoples. Shane and will be spending the day watching horror movies, good and bad (think Black Sheep and Poultrygeist), and chowing down on all manner of vegan junk food. (I’ll post the food porn in all its sugary goodness tomorrow, in my final VeganMoFo post.)

I spent a few hours last week harassing the dogs with Halloween costumes and such (any excuse to dress up the furkids, right?); and, since I wouldn’t want their suffering to be for naught, here are the requisite festive holiday photos.

Last year, I dressed everyone up as pirates and pumpkins. Not wanting to reuse the old costumes (oh no, that would be embarrassing, right?), I mixed it up a little this year.

I only had one new Halloween outfit – a witch’s hat with black and orange pigtails – so everyone took a spin in the witch’s costume:

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We spent the day outside, playing with the chainsaw, so we wanted a quick, easy meal idea. Spaghetti squash with tomatoes and herbs – does it get any simpler than this? Seriously, the hardest part of this dish was slicing the spaghetti squash in half. After five minutes, I was starting to think I’d need the jaws of life to crack the sucker open!

Spaghetti Squash with Tomatoes and Herbs

Ingredients

1 spaghetti squash
2 tablespoons minced garlic (or two cloves minced garlic)
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 can diced tomatoes, drained
1 can mushrooms (optional)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil (we used dried basil)
1/8 teaspoon dried oregano
Vegan Parmesan cheese (optional)

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About

The easyVegan Link Sanctuary is a near-daily roundup of animal and environmental advocacy news, action alerts, carnivals, events and resources. This link roundup is meant as a jumping-off point for you, the reader, to take further action and learn more about the issues presented here. I link, you decide!

If you have a link you’d like included, please drop me a line at easyvegan [at] gmail.com – or leave it in the comments! Feedback is also appreciated, particularly as it relates to the links included below. I’ve tried my best to identify and name any speciesism, sexism, racism, classism, homophobia, sizeism, etc. which may appear in the resources below; if, however, I’ve overlooked something, please leave a note in the comments. It’s not my desire to fight one form of oppression by engaging in another.

Action Alerts

Amnesty International: Sign up for the 2008 Global Write-a-thon, December 5 – 14, 2008
In the days surrounding International Human Rights Day on December 10, tens of thousands of caring people around the world will take part in the world’s largest letter writing event. Please join this worldwide effort. Be a part of the Global Write-a-thon. During last year’s Global Write-a-thon, people in more than 30 countries sent over 150,000 letters, postcards and emails on behalf of prisoners of conscience, human rights defenders, and others at risk. At least three of the prisoners were freed because of your support.

Forest Ethics: Keep the promise to protect the Great Bear Rainforest!
That’s what you need to tell British Columbia Premier Gordon Campbell. It’s the world’s largest temperate rainforest and home to the ‘Spirit Bear,’ the rarely seen white form of the black bear, as well as the forest-nesting marbled murrelet sea bird and salmon-eating coastal wolves. A couple of years ago, Premier Campbell made a very specific commitment to preserve this precious rainforest. The final countdown is on for the BC government to make their promise a reality by the March 31, 2009 deadline. Premier Campbell needs to hear from you.

Organic Consumers Association: Alert of the Week: EPA Considers Weakening Fumigant Regulations
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is under pressure to weaken proposed regulations that protect farm workers and rural communities from fumigant exposure. A public comment period is open until October 30. Please take action now, and let the EPA know these regulations should not be weakened. Fumigants are among the most toxic pesticides in use today, drifting into schools and homes in rural communities and threatening the health of farm workers.

True Food Now: Take Action: NOSB Committee Proposes Misleading and Damaging Standards for “Organic” Fish Farms
The National Organic Standards Board had proposed “organic standards for net pens and fish feed” for farm-raised fish, and is accepting comments on these two proposals until Monday, November 3rd. The development of U.S. organic standards for aquaculture could potentially help alleviate and reverse the environmental and human health impacts associated with currently used harmful industrial aquaculture methods. In order to realize these benefits, however, any organic aquaculture standards must be stringent, and reflect a primary commitment to developing low impact and sustainable production methods.

Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS): We Don’t Need More Dirty Coal!
Coal-fired power plants are the largest U.S. source of carbon dioxide (CO2)—the primary cause of global warming—yet our country is poised to increase these emissions by building many new coal plants. Virtually all of these proposed plants lack carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology, which would capture a plant’s CO2 and store it underground so that it can’t contribute to global warming. However, the technology still needs testing.

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Tonight, I wanted to make a drink with all the watermelon chunks I sliced up the other day. I found a recipe for Watermelon Juice from Recipe Zaar and gave it a whirl, with some minor changes. I also changed the name, since “Watermelon Juice” isn’t especially descriptive!

Spicy Watermelon Smoothie

Ingredients

4 cups chopped watermelon, with or without seeds
2 cups ice, crushed or cubed
4 teaspoons agave nectar (you can also substitute sugar if you don’t have any agave nectar on hand)
1/2 to 1 teaspoon black pepper, to taste
fresh mint (optional garnish)

This recipe requires a blender.

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Shane picked up some Kalamata olives from Wild Oats’ salad bar yesterday, so I asked him (demanded is more like it!) to make me some olive bread this afternoon. Which was really a double bonus – yummy olive bread for me, plus a day’s rest from veganmofo recipes!

Shane adapted the “Classic French Bread” recipe in our Sunbeam Breadmaker manual to create this Kalamata Olive loaf. The original recipe lists a bunch of machine-specific steps, which I’ll skip; after all, if you already have a bread machine, chances are you know how to use it! And if you don’t have one, check out your local Goodwill or a family member’s attic – it’s a kitchen gadget no carb-loading vegan should be without.

Shane’s Kalamata Olive Bread

Ingredients

1 cup + 2 tablespoons water (75-85 degrees)
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 1/4 cups bread flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 1/2 teaspoons bread machine yeast
3/4 cup chopped Kalamata olives

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———- Forwarded message ———-
From: Kinship Circle – kinshipcircle [at] accessus.net
Date: Tue, Oct 28, 2008 at 5:52 PM
Subject: Ginger’s Story: Two-Time Hurricane Survivor

www.kinshipcircle.org/disasters

KINSHIP CIRCLE ANIMAL DISASTER AID NETWORK

KINSHIP CIRCLE NEEDS YOUR SUPPORT.
DONATE ONLINE: www.kinshipcircle.org/donation/

GULF COAST
10/28/08: Ginger’s Story – Two Time Hurricane Survivor Illuminates Flaws In Evacuation System

Courtney Chandel with Ginger, rescued after Hurricane Katrina, 2005. Lower Plaquemines Parish, Louisiana.

SOURCE / REPLY TO:
Courtney Chandel, akameridians [at] yahoo.com
Nanette Martin, nantucketred [at] earthlink.net

2005: LIFE AMID RUINS IN POST-KATRINA PLAQUEMINES PARISH

Katrina left Louisiana’s Lower Plaquemines Parish post-apocalyptic. The deserted area stretched for miles, with sprawling shrimp trawlers parked on highways, a truck in a tree, debris strewn fields. Former homes were stripped to concrete foundation blocks. It felt as desolate as the moon.

The Parish had finally let animal rescuers in — when Nanette Martin and I drove from New Orleans with dog/cat food, carriers, catchpoles… It was hard to digest what we saw. Neither of us spoke until we spotted a cluster of remarkably intact mobile homes by a roadside sign that said “Ironton.”

“First stop, Ironton,” Nanette said as I turned the bumpy corner into the debris-strewn neighborhood. We hoped we’d find something alive here… Then we saw her — a gorgeous Golden Retriever with expectant eyes, wagging away. A sparkling oasis of life amid destruction and decay. She sat by her little dogloo, near her boarded-up person’s home, tied to a tree.

We ran to her. Her tongue dropped out and she smiled… “Good dog! Good girl!” She was so thin. We could feel her bones easily, yet bowls of fresh food and water sat beside her. We saw the house was deserted, so we headed to the street where a woman greeted us. “You met Ginger!” And so we learned how a neighbor was caring for Ginger after her disabled person evacuated. People weren’t allowed to take pets with them, even the disabled. We tried to imagine what Ginger had seen and felt during the storm…the sounds, wind, darkness… It was hard not to feel fiercely protective toward her.

Each day we made the two-hour drive from New Orleans to Plaquemines Parish, we checked on Ginger. We thought about bringing Ginger to ARNO until her “mom” came home. The idea was cinched when we saw three German Shepherds, who’d also survived, bullying her. We obtained mom’s phone number… There is no other call like the one after a disaster to tell someone their animal is alive. And, yes, she sure would like it if Ginger got out of there…

Ginger’s odyssey didn’t end with ARNO. She was routed through Best Friends and then to a foster home in Southern California…until her mom returned after living in a FEMA trailer. We advised her to never leave Ginger again.

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———- Forwarded message ———-
From: Kinship Circle – kinshipcircle [at] accessus.net
Date: Mon, Oct 27, 2008 at 3:35 PM
Subject: Few Ike Reunions, Dog Survives Surge, Animal Relief…

www.kinshipcircle.org/disasters

KINSHIP CIRCLE ANIMAL DISASTER AID NETWORK

PLEASE SUPPORT KINSHIP CIRCLE:
ONLINE: www.kinshipcircle.org/donation/
BY MAIL: Kinship Circle / 7380 Kingsbury Blvd. / St. Louis, MO 63130

GULF COAST
10/27/08: Few Ike Reunions, Dog Survives Surge, Continuing Animal Relief

IN THIS ALERT:

1. A 10-Day Limit Meant Few Reunions After Ike
2. Hope Is A Mutt Named Ranger
3. Ike, Gustav & Katrina Continuing Animal Relief

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———- Forwarded message ———-
From: Kinship Circle – kinshipcircle [at] accessus.net
Date: Sun, Oct 26, 2008 at 5:59 PM
Subject: Update/Act: Penalize Pig Abusers

KINSHIP CIRCLE PRIMARY, www.KinshipCircle.org

PLEASE SUPPORT KINSHIP CIRCLE:
ONLINE: www.kinshipcircle.org/donation/
BY MAIL: Kinship Circle / 7380 Kingsbury Blvd. / St. Louis, MO 63130

10/26/08: Penalize Pig Torturers At Iowa Farm
FOR A FORMATTED LETTER (WORD DOC), EMAIL: kinshipcircle [at] accessus.net
Easily modify letter. Copy/paste it into an email or print letter to fax or mail.

==========================

UPDATE: PIG TORTURERS FACE 22 COUNTS OF ANIMAL ABUSE

==========================

ORIGINAL ALERT & PHOTOS FROM UNDERCOVER VIDEO:
9/17/08: Hormel’s Pigs: Slammed, Cut, Spray-Painted

www.kinshipcircle.org/letter_library/letter_new.asp?LetterID=1759&seriesfirst=true

We asked food giant Hormel to terminate employees implicated in abuse and install video surveillance cameras at its contracted hog farms…after PETA’s undercover tapes exposed an Iowa farm battering pigs with metal rods, crushing piglets, and more. Since then, Greene County officials have charged some abusers seen in PETA’s video. EVERY TIME charges are filed in “livestock” abuse, this is a mini-victory in itself — since these animals are seen as commodities, not living creatures. Please thank officials for their action and urge them to follow through with arrest and prosecution.

THOSE CHARGED ARE (Source – Green County Sheriff’s Office):

– Jordan M. Anderson, 26, of Audubon, a former on-site manager: aiding and abetting livestock abuse-two counts, aggravated misdemeanor; and Livestock Neglect, one count, simple misdemeanor.

– Greg W. Hackler, 18, of Jefferson, a former employee: Livestock abuse, two counts, aggravated misdemeanor.

– Shawn M. Lyons, 35, of Bayard, still employed: Livestock neglect, one count, simple misdemeanor.

– Shelly A. Mauch, 34, of Scranton, still employed: Livestock neglect, one count, simple misdemeanor.

– Richard M. Ralston, 27, of Bayard, a former employee: Livestock abuse, five counts, aggravated misdemeanor.

– Alan B. Rettig, 60, of Scranton, a former employee: Livestock abuse, five counts, aggravated misdemeanor

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———- Forwarded message ———-
From: Kinship Circle – kinshipcircle [at] accessus.net
Date: Fri, Oct 24, 2008 at 1:26 PM
Subject: Update/Act: No Deal For Cat Killer

KINSHIP CIRCLE PRIMARY, www.KinshipCircle.org

PLEASE HELP: www.kinshipcircle.org/donation/
DONATE BY MAIL: Kinship Circle / 7380 Kingsbury Blvd. / St. Louis, MO 63130

10/24/08: No Deal For Ruthless Cat Killer
FOR A FORMATTED VERSION OF THIS LETTER (WORD DOC): kinshipcircle [at] accessus.net
Easily modify letter. Copy/paste it into an email or print letter to fax or mail.

=====================

FULL CONTACT INFORMATION. Sample letter follows.

=====================

The Honorable Leila Kermani, Assistant District Attorney
Office of the Manhattan District Attorney
One Hogan Place
NY, NY 10013
ph: 212-335-3630 (or 9400); fax: 212-335-9288
www.manhattanda.org

The Honorable Michael J. Obus
Manhattan Criminal Court
100 Centre Street
NY, NY 10013
ph: 646-386-4500; fax: 212-374-5293

**NO EMAIL ADDRESSES FOUND FOR EITHER CONTACT**

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About

The easyVegan Link Sanctuary is a near-daily roundup of animal and environmental advocacy news, action alerts, carnivals, events and resources. This link roundup is meant as a jumping-off point for you, the reader, to take further action and learn more about the issues presented here. I link, you decide!

If you have a link you’d like included, please drop me a line at easyvegan [at] gmail.com – or leave it in the comments! Feedback is also appreciated, particularly as it relates to the links included below. I’ve tried my best to identify and name any speciesism, sexism, racism, classism, homophobia, sizeism, etc. which may appear in the resources below; if, however, I’ve overlooked something, please leave a note in the comments. It’s not my desire to fight one form of oppression by engaging in another.

Action Alerts

Center for Biological Diversity: Protect Ice Seals From Global Warming
In response to the Center’s petition, the National Marine Fisheries Service is conducting a status review to determine whether three ice-dependent seals that inhabit Alaskan waters warrant protection under the Endangered Species Act. This is the first important step toward protection for ringed, bearded, and spotted seals — all of which are threatened with extinction by the rapid loss of their Arctic sea-ice habitat due to global warming. Please let the Bush administration know that you support the protection of these seals, and that we must reduce greenhouse gas pollution immediately to slow global warming and save them from extinction.

Consumer Watchdog: ASK GOOGLE TO PROTECT YOUR PRIVACY
Your computer may be having a conversation about you with Google and you don’t even know it. That’s why we made this video: to show how Google tracks your every key stroke, and to ask the company to stop. If you believe Google needs to better protect our privacy, please send a free message to the company’s board of directors through this link.

CREDO Action: Tell Mukasey: Don’t use the Department of Justice to suppress Ohio voters.
This year, there are over 600,000 newly registered Ohio voters, but President Bush has asked Attorney General Mukasey to investigate as many as 200,000 of them. Why? Because Ohio Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner has refused to use an “exact match” standard before adding these voters to the rolls.

DawnWatch: “Blinders,” about horse drawn carriages, airs on TV starting Monday, 10/27/08
We have great news from documentary producer Donny Moss: “BLINDERS has its TV premier on The Documentary Channel this Monday.” The Coalition to Ban Horse-Drawn Carriages (www.banhdc.org ) tells us that Blinders “premieres on the Documentary Channel on October 27th at 10:30 p.m. and will be aired eight times in 2008. To see the full schedule, please visit www.documentarychannel.com. The Documentary Channel is available on the DISH network.”

DawnWatch: Major NY Times coverage of Prop 2 and of Wayne Pacelle and HSUS — 10/24- 10/26/08
Over the last few days the New York Times has paid some much needed attention to the plight of animals used for food. The Friday October 24 edition included a lengthy piece headed, “A California Ballot Measure Offers Rights for Farm Animals.” And today’s October 26 New York Times Magazine section includes a feature about the work of HSUS’s Wayne Pacelle and others on California’s Proposition 2, and about farm animal advocacy in general, headed “The Barnyard Strategist.”

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