Very minor spoilers ahead.

I’m a few months late on this – for some inexplicable reason, my DVR “forgot” to record this Very Special episode of CSI, and for an even more inexplicable reason, it took the Mr. and I months to notice – but in the interest of closure, I just have to mention it anyway.

Early on in Season 9 of CSI, vegetarian and animal advocate Jorja Fox left the show; a few weeks after her departure, the writers dropped a subtle hint that her character, Sarah Sidle, had joined up with Paul Watson and his band of sometimes-merry eco-terrorist pirates at the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society (if you’re not a regular visitor to Sea Shepherd’s website, you probably would have missed the URL).

Fast-forward a few months, to the Season 9 episode “One to Go” (9×10). Sarah’s on-again, off-again, is-he-her-fiance-or-isn’t-he? love interest, Gil Grissom (William Petersen) is quitting CSI as well. Most of the episode focuses on Grissom’s last case with Las Vegas CSI, and also serves to introduce Gil’s replacement, Dr. Langston (Laurence Fishburne!?).

However, in the last few minutes, we see Grissom

walk the halls smiling to himself as he looks in each room at the lab and sees Brass, Hodges and Wendy, other CSIs, Robbins and Riley, Stokes and Greg. He catches Catherine’s eye in one room and she winks at him. He smiles broadly and turns and walks away. The screen blurs, fades to white and cuts to Grissom wandering a jungle, dressed in a hat and sweaty gear examining a GPS marked Costa Rica. His eyes light on a bug for a moment. He walks into a clearing where a woman, whose back is to the camera, is taking a picture of a monkey in a tree. The woman turns and it’s Sara (Jorja Fox). They take each other in for a moment and then embrace and kiss, passionately.

As Cindy pointed out in the comments to a previous post, Sarah mentioned in an earlier episode that she planned to travel to the Galapagos; and indeed, Sea Shepherd’s activities include an effort to save the Galapagos, so that’s probably where she was (or was heading) when we saw her email Grissom. So why on earth are the two now in Costa Rica, hmmmm?

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Being a good lil’ greenie, I try to throw as little waste in the garbage as possible. When it comes to plant-based waste, I usually compost it. Well, not “compost” so much as recycle: instead of a compost bin, I scatter my plant waste in a field at the back of my property, and let the critters have their way with it.

Scraps are dealt with pretty swiftly this way, actually; for example, I had to discard many wheelbarrows full of rotten and half-nibbled apples and pears last summer. I dumped it all in the pasture nearest my house, because that wheelbarrow was just too heavy to cart any further. The bees, butterflies and (I assume) deer got to work on the heaps fairly quickly, and six months later, there’s barely a trace of the fruit piles.

(Click through to embiggen and see all the little buggers.*)

During the spring, summer and fall, I’ll usually gather banana peels, potato skins, watermelon rinds and the like in a garbage bin in the garage, and empty it out as needed. It starts to smell if I leave it out too long, but it rarely sits for more than a day or two; leaves and sticks fill it quickly. Or if I’ve got a few minutes to spare, I’ll walk to the perimeter of the property and toss my waste as soon as I’ve made it, while the evening’s dinner is cooking or whatever.

Naturally, in the coldest months of the year, I’ve no inclination to go for a stroll – not even out to the barn. And storing food waste in the attached garage isn’t really an appealing prospect. So sometimes I find myself getting lazy and (*gasp*) tossing orange peels in the garbage. Bad Kelly, bad! Since I’ve been doing more and more cooking lately, I wanted to make it as pain-free as possible to recycle my plant waste, so I won’t find myself tempted to send it to the landfill.

Here’s what I came up with: when I generate plant waste, I toss it in a designated Tupperware container, which I then store in the fridge or freezer (whichever has some extra space). When the weather’s sufficiently agreeable, I’ll go recycle whatever I’ve gathered, and start the process anew. Of course, the freezer is the safer choice, but I haven’t yet had anything go moldy or goo up in the fridge (*fingers crossed*). I suppose our wacky Midwestern 75 degrees one day, wind chill of zero degrees the next day, winters help; so far I’ve been able to discard of my waste once every 7 to 10 days.

If you find yourself getting lazy about your composting in the winter months, give it a try. What works for you?

* Can you tell that I’m totally jazzed for spring?!

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After January’s “fur hag” post, I’d like follow up with several examples of anti-fur ads that I like – albeit, with a few caveats.*

While I’m rather ambivalent when it comes to PETA’s nude “I’d Rather Go Naked Than Wear Fur,” “Turn Your Back on Fur,” (and similar) campaigns, I quite like anti-fur ads which depict fur as the bloody, murderous mess that it is. (In theory, anyway…hence the forthcoming caveats.)

For example, this recent series from IndyAct:

Each ad features a thin, white, conventionally attractive, stylishly dressed woman, decked out in a fur coat which once belonged to various animals. The knife-wielding women are covered in blood spatters – bright red blood, everywhere. The woman in the first ad is, inexplicably, rubbing the knife along her chin, as if in contemplation of fellatio (?). Needless to say, I prefer the other two ads in the series.

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———- Forwarded message ———-
From: Release Chimps – releasechimps [at] neavs.org
Date: Wed, Mar 11, 2009 at 4:16 PM
Subject: Great Ape Protection Act Update 3/11/2009

Release and Restitution for Chimpanzees in U.S. Laboratories: Legislative Update 3/11/2009

Great Ape Protection Act Continues to Gain Bipartisan Support

Three things YOU can do right now to help!

The Great Ape Protection Act (H.R. 1326) is currently in the House Committee on Energy and Commerce. As of today, the bill has the support of 28 cosponsors including all the original sponsors. It is vital we continue to work hard to add even more cosponsors to ensure the bill’s success.

1. If you have not already done so in 2009, contact your legislator and ask them to sign onto the Great Ape Protection Act (H.R. 1326) as a cosponsor, or, if they already have in 2009, please thank them. Then ask at least three of your friends or family to contact their legislators too! Email us for legislator postcards to help make contacting them fast and easy (releasechimps [at] neavs.org).

2. Please contact the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and let them know that you no longer want your tax dollars going towards research on great apes. Tell them you want funding allocated to:

* Retire chimpanzees currently in U.S. labs to sanctuary.
* Alternatives which are not only more humane but are safer and better science.

3. Recently there has been important media coverage (ABC’s Nightline) on primates in research. As a result, thousands of comments are being posted on social networking sites such as Twitter, blogs, Facebook, etc. Please add your voice to this debate with positive, informative and reasonable comments to help educate the public.

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Action Alerts

Corporate Accountability International: Call on Fast Food Giants to Value [the] Meal
“Corporate Accountability International is building a movement challenging the fast food industry to stop interfering in the political process, preventing the public from knowing the health risks of fast food and bombarding our children with manipulative marketing. We believe everyone needs access to enough affordable, healthy food and the fast food industry’s abuses are a roadblock that, once removed, can ensure a healthier future for generations to come.”

Council for a Livable World (CLW): First Step Toward Nuclear Disarmament
“Last Friday, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton took the first critical steps toward the Obama Administration’s goal of a world free of nuclear weapons. Secretary Clinton met with Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov to discuss many issues. Following their meeting, Clinton and Lavrov promised to move forward quickly with negotiations on a successor to the START nuclear arms reduction treaty, a key pact for reducing U.S. and Russian nuclear stockpiles that expires this December. Council for a Livable World applauds this enormous step forward in our efforts to move toward a nuclear weapons free world, and urges the President to stay committed to a short-term goal of no more than 1,000 nuclear weapons each for the U.S. and Russia.”

Farm Sanctuary: This Bill Really Stinks
“A bill introduced by Sens. Charles Thune (R-ND) and Charles Schumer (D-NY) aims to exempt factory farms from the Clean Air Act and prevent the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) from enacting a “cow tax” on the methane emissions generated by animal agriculture. [...] Don’t let livestock producers shirk their responsibility! Contact your U.S. senators today to let them know this bill stinks. Send a quick and easy e-mail telling them to vote NO on S. 527.”

Farm Sanctuary: Dismantling the Factory Farm: One State, One Step at a Time
“While the weather shifts from winter to spring, legislators around the country are running hot or cold on measures impacting the lives of farm animals. These bills, if enacted into law, would have a profound impact on industrial animal agriculture. It’s time to dismantle the factory farm, one step and one state at a time. Throughout the country, legislation is being introduced for farm animal protection, or, in some cases, to codify the cruel status quo. It’s up to you — the constituents — to see that our laws reflect our values of compassion, kindness and respect.”

PETA: Video Exposes Military’s Stabbing of Dogs
“PETA has received horrific torture videos that show live dogs who scream in pain while being stabbed and killed during combat-training exercises conducted by soldiers in the Bolivian military. The soldiers state that their instructors received training from the U.S. military in how to conduct these exercises, and the training partnership is corroborated by a written agreement signed by the two countries. [...] Read the letter that we sent to Bolivia’s president, Evo Morales. Then take action against these horrific practices. Please send a polite e-mail to Bolivia’s government urging it to end the military’s use of animals.”

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Today is Miss O-Ren’s birthday! She’s five years young today. (OK, who am I kidding?! My lil’ babies are all getting old!)

Not-so-coincidentally, today also marks the four-year anniversary of the day we adopted her from Animal Haven. All our girls are strays, so we’ve no clue when their true birthdays fall. Hence, we celebrate their birthdays and adoption days together; if you think about it, the day we adopted each of the dogs was the first day of the rest of their lives, a sort of rebirth, into a new home and better life, if you will. So it’s not very far off base, really.

On the flip side, Ralphie and Peedee were both owner surrenders; we know their dates of birth, so they get to celebrate two special days every year. As usual, the ladies get screwed. To add insult to injury, Kaylee and Jayne share their special day with one another, since they came as a package deal.

Which is why I try to pamper the girls and give them an extra-super-special day of celebration. It’s too cold to take Rennie walking today, but rest assured that she’s getting plenty of belly rubs and lots of playtime.

I also made her a batch of Pizzas for the Pupperonis (recipe via Yummy for Dogs).

These treats smell wonderful while baking – so much so that I was tempted to try one myself. I wouldn’t cheat Rennie like that, though.

Happy birthday, my sweet little piglet! I don’t care how old you are, you’ll always be my little lady.

(Crossposted to.)

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Action Alerts

American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU): Help protect women’s health.
“In the waning days of his presidency, George W. Bush moved to undermine the ability of American women to get basic reproductive health services, including birth control and information about abortion. Late last week, President Obama acted to rescind Bush’s Heath Care Denial Rule. The 30-day public comment period on the Obama proposal starts on March 10. Now, the ACLU needs your help again to mobilize people all across the nation for a dramatic show of support. Send your public comments to the Department of Health and Human Services in support of rescinding the Health Care Denial Rule.”

Consumers Union: Don’t wait to clean up food safety!
“You’re fed up with our nation’s lax food safety, and your recent actions have made a difference! A good bill has just been introduced in the Senate that will begin reforming our outdated food safety system. Now we need your help to make it even stronger, and get it moving ASAP. [...] With your help, let’s make sure the bill is as effective as possible. FDA needs to be inspecting food production facilities at least once a year, and processors should be required to test their products for contaminants and report the results to the FDA. These changes will help prevent deadly outbreaks like we’ve just seen in peanut butter.”

Consumers Union: Did you experience an illness related to something you ate? Share your Story.
“Have you or a loved one become ill with food poisoning? We would like to hear your story. You are not alone — approximately one in four Americans acquire a food borne illness every year! For some people food poisoning has drastic consequences – each year some 325,000 are hospitalized and 5,000 people die.”

CREDO Action: Tell the Senate: Don’t cave to the banking industry.
“Congress has already given billions of dollars to the banking industry. But it has not yet passed relief for the millions of Americans who are losing their homes. Experts predict that one in six homeowners with a mortgage will be foreclosed on over the next four years. The way to help these Americans is to give bankruptcy judges the power to restructure mortgage loans. The banking industry has spent an exorbitant amount of money lobbying Congress to keep judges from getting that power.”

Farm Sanctuary: Is that a clone in the food supply?
“Animal cloning is ethically and morally unsound, and once cloned products have entered the market place, there is no turning back. The FDA has revealed little about the tremendous animal welfare implications of cloning, but according to studies, only five percent of cloning attempts are “successful” (even in the most optimistic scenario, no more than 20-30 percent of cloning attempts will succeed), and those animals who do survive commonly suffer from deformities, as well as heart, kidney and liver disorders. The surrogate mothers used in cloning research also suffer from fetal overgrowth, repeated surgeries and pregnancy complications that often result in death. Despite all of these facts and fierce opposition from consumers, animal protection, food safety and consumer advocacy groups, environmental organizations, and members of Congress, the FDA approved cloned animals and their products for the U.S. food supply in January 2008.”

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Last month, the Pretenders (in conjunction with PETA) challenged their fans to create original music videos – featuring plastic boots, natch – for the Pretenders’ latest release, “Boots of Chinese Plastic.”

The Pretenders have gotten together with PETA and YouTube to put together a contest with a purpose.

We want Pretenders fans and animal lovers to create videos via YouTube and lipsync to the song “Boots of Chinese Plastic”! (And here’s the lyrics)

We also need you to show off your boots or shoes of plastic somewhere in the performance (this is key).

So fire up your YouTube account, click HERE to watch the video and show us what you got. Once you are done make sure you tag your video “bootsaudition” and you could win a fly away to Los Angeles to be in our Official Fan Video which will include some celebrity friends of PETA.

Chrissie Hynde announced the winner (as well as some notable runners-up) in the March ’09 Pretenders newsletter.

Hey John,

Congrats for being our choice. I love a man who is willing to drag an armchair behind him whilst dressed as a rabbit. And I loved your sensitive depiction of what P E T A is about and why we do what we do. Look forward to meeting up in L A.

We had a blast watching all the entrys. At least one guitar player I know is keen to hook up with the Vegan Goddess. I am thinking about learning to sing underwater. Glad to see some other broads my age are playing toy guitars and looking rough. Loved revisiting the English tube system for three minutes – felt right at home. Sorry to see that anyone is compelled to dress like me – always a fashion faux pas but made me laugh. Loved seeing my voice coming out of the mouth of a man – which probably is how it should have been in the first place. All in all it cheered me up to see so many takes and interpretations of the meaning of “Boots of Chinese Plastic”, but mostly glad to see so much support for the pride of my generation, The People For The Ethical Treatment of Animals.

Thank you all and I hope we get to meet up somewhere down the road.

Until then, Yours as always, Chrissie

If you could use a few minutes of mindless lolz, check out some of the videos after the jump (starting with the official Pretenders video). Or hop on over to You Tube – there are 19 videos currently tagged Boots of Chinese Plastic.

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———- Forwarded message ———-
From: – SledDogAC [at] aol.com
Date: Sat, Mar 7, 2009 at 11:12 AM
Subject: ALERT: Save Iditarod dogs from brutality – WRITE
To: SledDogAC [at] aol.com

Please send protest emails and forward this alert widely.

From the Sled Dog Action Coalition, www.helpsleddogs.org

Imagine the cruelties these cute sled dog pups will eventually experience in the Iditarod.

Contact information, email blocks and sample letter are below.

Please help end the barbaric treatment of dogs by sending protest emails to organizations that support the Iditarod. What happens to the dogs during the Iditarod includes death, paralysis, frostbite (where it hurts the most!), bleeding ulcers, bloody diarrhea, lung damage, pneumonia, ruptured discs, viral diseases, broken bones, torn muscles and tendons and sprains.

Dog beatings and whippings are common. During the 2007 Iditarod, eyewitnesses reported that musher Ramy Brooks kicked, punched and beat his dogs with a ski pole and a chain. Jim Welch says in his book Speed Mushing Manual, “A training device such as a whip is not cruel at all but is effective.” “It is a common training device in use among dog mushers…”

Iditarod dog kennels are puppy mills. Mushers breed large numbers of dogs and routinely kill unwanted ones, including puppies. Many dogs who are permanently disabled in the Iditarod, or who are unwanted for any reason are killed with a shot to the head, dragged, drowned or clubbed to death.

When they’re not hauling people, most Iditarod dogs are forced to live at the end of a chain. It has been reported that dogs who don’t make the main team are never taken off-chain. Chained dogs have been attacked by wolves, bears and other animals. Old and arthritic dogs suffer terrible pain in the blistering cold.

Most Internet service providers allow people to send up to 40 email addresses at a time. For your convenience, the addresses have been divided into groups of 40. Please email the first group first. Individual email addresses are given under the sample letter. The groups contain addresses for the Iditarod sponsors, promoters, and the sponsors of the 73 mushers who signed up for the 2009 Iditarod. Email blocks with semicolons are on
www.helpsleddogsorg/sponsors.htm .

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———- Forwarded message ———-
From: Irreplaceable Wild – info [at] irreplaceablewild.org
Date: Mon, Mar 9, 2009 at 4:43 PM
Subject: Send us your photo

Irreplaceable Alert: YOU can be part of the exhibit!

Take Part in a Photo Petition to Congress

Looking for a new way to get involved and help support wildlife at risk from global warming? Join the Irreplaceable Photo Petition!

We will be turning photos of YOU (caring members of the public) into a collective mosaic of a polar bear, the iconic image of wildlife struggling in a warming world, and presenting it to Congress to bring attention to this important cause.

Your photo can help support at-risk wildlife and be part of the Irreplaceable exhibit!

* Want to participate? Send (email) us your photo here: photomosaic [at] irreplaceablewild.org! (Make sure to include your name and state in the email).

The Irreplaceable: Wildlife in a Warming World campaign is dedicated to educating policymakers and the public about the impacts of global warming on wildlife through the beauty and power of images, combined with the inspiration and knowledge from science, religion, and conservation law.

Over the last year, the exhibit has traveled all over the country, and thousands of you have been inspired by these stunning photographs to take action and get involved.

Now it’s your turn to become part of the exhibit! We need thousands of people to donate their personal photographs to a unique “photo petition,” which will be delivered to our policymakers asking them to take steps to protect wildlife imperiled by global warming. The finished mosaic will be presented in May to Congress in Washington, DC, and displayed on the Irreplaceable website.

Thanks for your support, and your photos!

-Irreplaceable: Wildlife in a Warming World
www.irreplaceablewild.org

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