Update, 9/30/09: And the VeganMoFo madness multiplies! Check out Vegan MoFo Headquarters International (The Blog!) and follow VeganMoFo carnival queen Kittee on Twitter (@VeganMoFo) for details as they unfold. Also, all participating bloggers should shoot her an email with the following: email addy, URL and location, even if you’re already on the “official” blogroll.

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The third annual VeganMoFo is almost upon us! For the entire month of October, vegan bloggers (315 and counting!) will storm the internets with all manner of yummy, cruelty-free foodie goodness.

If you haven’t yet signed up to participate, fear not! The deadline for “registration” is October 2; hit up Cake Maker to the Stars, who is hosting the event, for details. (Scare quotes because, theoretically, you can jump in at any time. Nor should the spirit of VeganMoFo be limited to October; VeganMoFo lives in our hearts, yo!)

You can find a master list of participating blogs here, with public feed info here.

This year’s VeganMoFo is shaping up to be the grandest one yet. On Monday, Kittee Cake Maker and Carnival Queen promised that

There are big plans in the works at Vegan MoFo Headquarters International, where you’ll be able to check in everyday to read a daily MoFo Roundup, see a map of MoFoers form around the globe (sorta like Hands Across the Vegan Blogo-Galaxy), see if there are any mini Mofo events taking place, and other fancy stuff like that.

Additionally, ameyfm @ the PPK put together a nifty press release; participating MoFoers and MoFo groupies can customize the doc and send it off to their local media outlets in order to score some media coverage for the month’s events (as well as their own humble blogs and/or favorite local vegan bloggers).

But wait – there’s more! Fellow Flickerites can share their gratuitous vegan food pics in the VeganMoFo Flickr group, and should you tweet your VeganMoFo-ing, join the VeganMoFo twibe and use the hashtage #veganmofo or #vmofo. Total tubal domination is be ours!

If you’re in need of some inspiration, the PPK’s VeganMoFo forum is a great place to start. Since I know I’ll be short on time clear through October, I’ve already mapped out some of the month’s posts. Mondays will feature a vegan food p0rn mashup – read: a mosaic of vegan photos on Flickr – which should provide a nice respite from the otherwise frenetic blogging on what’s usually one of my most busiest weekdays. Or so I thought: I started playing around with the mosaic maker widget tool thingie this morning, and was sucked in for hours. Photo mashups aren’t much of a shortcut when you’ve shades of ocd and hungry eyes, I tell you what.

Anyhow, I created the above mashup in honor of VeganMoFo founder and Vegan Goddess Isa Chandra Moskowitz. All sixteen of the vegan yumyums pictured were born in her 2006 masterpiece, Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World. So magnum is this opus that there’s even an entire Flickr group dedicated to its offspring (which numbered 5,312 at last count). Vegan Cupcakes: they rule, you drool.

On that note, see y’all on October 1st!

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Robert Melia & Heather Lewis:
accused child (read: cow/calf and human/girl) rapists.

I, Bonobo: There’s plenty more where this came from

veganprimate points to the case of Robert Melia – a former police officer who, along with his girlfriend, was arrested for sexually assaulting three girls – as a demonstration of the link between the exploitation of women and that of nonhuman animals. Melia’s misogyny only came to light because Melia was under investigation for engaging in “oral sex” (read: rape) with calves. Though the animal cruelty charges were dismissed by a judge – according to whom, a grand jury had no way of knowing whether the animals were “tormented” by the assault – police found

videos on his computer of a girl being “subjected to sexual activity” in addition to taped encounters between Melia and the calves.

While I’m glad the assistant prosecutor seems to be taking animal abuse seriously, the cynic in me can’t help but think he’s simply latching onto this “lesser” offense for leverage. Either way, it’s doubtful that Melia and girlfriend Heather Lewis will serve much time, as rape is too often minimized and excused in our kyriarchal society.

On that note, methinks New Jersey Judge James J. Morley needs to be schooled on animal abuse, interpersonal violence and intersectionality.

Judge James J. Morley
Burlington County Cts. Facility
49 Rancocas Road
Mt. Holly, New Jersey 08060
609-518-2965
Fax: 609-518-2551

Be firm but polite!

Lisa @ Sociological Images: A Summary Visual Of Women’s Objectification

In a could-be-vegan spin on the ever-popular women-as-meat meme, I bring you: women-as-cake! Sure, there’s a dudely version of the photo too, but as Lisa points out, it’s sans copy – and probably wasn’t plastered on the magazine’s cover, as were the woman’s sliced and dismembered buttocks.

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Yikes! It’s been way too long since my last intersectionality link roundup and, as a result, I’ve managed to stockpile a ridiculous number of links – all without keeping current, naturally. Here’s the first batch; look for the second (or ninth, rather) installment later this week.

Making Hay: Animal Rights Is a Universal Issue

Farm Sanctuary’s Jasmin Singer recently traveled to Johannesburg, South Africa, in order to attend the South African Law Review Consultation Workshop, organized by Animal Rights Africa (ARA) “for the purpose of initiating a transparent public process of South African animal protection legislation review.” Here, she shares her experiences and offers a little background on ARA.

You can find out more about Animal Rights Africa’s work – and what you can do to help – on their website at www.animalrightsafrica.org.

VegNews: Backstage Pass: Erykah Badu

Via BlackVegan, a short-but-sweet interview with vegan singer/songwriter Erykah Badu, my favorite exchange of which is this:

VN: Is vegan food the new soul food?

EB: Vegan food is soul food in its truest form. Soul food means to feed the soul. And, to me, your soul is your intent. If your intent is pure, you are pure.

Racialicious: An Interview with Bryant Terry on Race, Class, Food, and Culture – Part 1

Speaking of soul food, Racialicious recently featured a lengthy interview with Bryant Terry, author of Vegan Soul Kitchen.

A snippet:

One of the biggest things I uncovered in my work, especially working with young people in New York City through the organization I founded called B-healthy, is that a lot of people living in low income areas and urban areas are living in what are known as food deserts. They have very little access to fresh food – healthy, local, sustainable, all that – and have an overabundance of the worst foods, the fried things, the packaged fast food that has a negative impact on their overall health. Lack of access to healthy food is a huge issue, and it’s only one indicator of material deprivation these people are living with. In these neighborhoods, I visited, it wasn’t as if they just lacked access to healthy food and everything else was great. Usually it would be failing infrastructure, dilapidated schools, high levels of illiteracy, low income. So I think it is one issue that has to be addressed of many among these people living in these historically excluded communities are dealing with.

“Part 1″ seems to imply that there’s a “Part 2″ in the works – indeed, the interview ends with a promise of more to come – but a Google search has yet to reveal a follow-up.

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Below you will find the second of two action alerts from Kinship Circle, detailing disaster relief needs in the Southeastern U.S., which is currently drying out from recent flooding (and preparing for another bout of heavy rains, to boot). This particular alert focuses on Cobb County Animal Control in Marietta, Georgia, which is inundated with animals. Even if you cannot foster or adopt a dog – or make a monetary donation to help with rescue expenses – please spread the word.

———- Forwarded message ———-
From: Kinship Circle – info [at] kinshipcircle.org
Date: Fri, Sep 25, 2009 at 1:16 PM
Subject: Soaked SE – Cobb County Dogs Need Rescue

KINSHIP CIRCLE ANIMAL DISASTER AID NETWORK

www.kinshipcircle.org/disasters/

9/25/09: Soaked Southeast – Cobb County Dogs Need Rescue
Below is more information regarding COBB COUNTY ANIMAL CONTROL in flood-hit Marietta, Georgia. Did you get yesterday’s (9/24/09) overview of animal needs in Tennessee, Georgia, Alabama and Mississippi?

ASK FOR 9/24/09 FLOOD ALERT: info [at] kinshipcircle.org
9/24/09: Animal Flood Recovery In Soaked Southeast

[Kelly's note: The alert is also available on easyVegan.info, here.]

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

GEORGIA: Cobb County Animal Control
1060 Al Bishop Drive / Marietta, Georgia 30008
ph: 770-499-4136; fax: 770-590-5620
Cpt. Jeff Patellis, Dept of Public Safety: 770-590-5602

animalcontrol.cobbcountyga.gov/

SUMMARY 9/24/09: From Janice Riccio, Quietzsch [at] aol.com –
Due to the massive flooding in the Atlanta area, and specifically Cobb County, many people displaced by floodwaters left their pets with Cobb County Animal Control. The shelter was slammed before the floods, so they had no room to house newcomers. They were desperate to find rescue for dogs already housed there or face euthanasia…

I’ve taken in 9 dogs and have no place to house them, other then boarding at two vet offices. This is very temporary, and although the vets have generously boarded the dogs at a discount, this will add up quickly — not to mention the other costs for rabies vaccines, altering, etc.

SEND MONETARY DONATIONS TO:
Call vet offices directly to make donations for flood-affected dogs (shown below).
* Averill Animal Hospital / 415 Villa Rica Way / Marietta, GA 30064 / 770-422-2402
* Etowah Veterinary Hospital / 4953 Canton Road / Marietta, GA 30066 / 770-926-8888

IF YOU CAN FOSTER – ADOPT – RESCUE, CONTACT:
Janice Riccio, Quietzsch [at] aol.com

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This is the first of two Kinship Circle alerts outlining animal-related rescue needs in the recently-flooded Southeastern U.S. In addition to the organizations listed below, CNN has a list of resources on its Impact Your World page; naturally, all of these focus on human needs, and many are religious in nature. If you’d like to suggest any animal rescue and/or secular groups, please do so in the comments!

———- Forwarded message ———-
From: Kinship Circle – info [at] kinshipcircle.org
Date: Thu, Sep 24, 2009 at 2:58 PM
Subject: Animal Flood Recovery In Soaked Southeast

KINSHIP CIRCLE ANIMAL DISASTER AID NETWORK

www.kinshipcircle.org/disasters/

9/24/09: Animal Flood Recovery In Soaked Southeast

1. TENNESSEE: East Ridge Animal Services – DOGS NEED HELP NOW
2. GEORGIA: Georgia SPCA, GEMA, Barrow, Cobb County AC
3. ALABAMA: Various shelters in affected areas
4. MISSISSIPPI: Various shelters in affected areas

As of Monday, 9/21/09, Kinship Circle has monitored floods across the Southeast U.S., in Georgia, Tennessee, Alabama, North Carolina, Kentucky and Mississippi. Our small volunteer staff has contacted various agencies on the ground to offer support from our network of independently trained responders. There has been no direct call (as of 9/24/09) for out-of-state volunteers, but rescuers are needed to pull from flood-overcrowded shelters.

Rivers crested above flood levels in stricken areas, but most waters are receding. Below is a brief report. We’ll update you if circumstances change.

Fran Alexay of West Creek Stables in Austell moves a Welsh Pony to a trailer. She helped move 15 horses to Conyers Horse Park. Photo: John Spink.

projects.ajc.com.coxnewsweb.com/gallery/view/metro/ajc-photo-stories092209/

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Action Alerts: Animal & Environmental Advocacy

Animal Rights @ Change .org: A Chance to Help Midwestern Waterfowl

ASPCA: USA: Help Make Pet Care More Affordable–Support the HAPPY Act! [H.R. 3501—Humanity and Pets Partnered Through the Years (“HAPPY”) Act]

Audubon: Defend the Clean Air Act

Center for Biological Diversity: Save the Clean Air Act, Curb Global Warming

Center for Biological Diversity: Leopold’s Legacy Threatened by Off-road Vehicles

Center for Biological Diversity: Support a New National Monument in California

CREDO Action: Tell the Senate: Hands off the EPA

DawnWatch: Rescue Ink tonight on the National Geographic Channel! 9/25/09

DawnWatch: Undercover farm investigation and dogfighting both on NPR 9/22- 9/24/09

DawnWatch: Animal Friendly bills supported by LA Times and San Diego Union Tribune — week ending 9/19/09

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Last November, the kind folks at Gentle Barn animal sanctuary rescued a group of cows – along with many “Thanksgiving” turkeys – from abusive living conditions on a “local ranch” (one of those small family farms of lore, perhaps?). Unbeknown to Gentle Barn, one of their newest bovine residents had recently given birth to a calf – a baby – who was not ferried to safety with his mother.

Though the “rancher” neglected to inform Gentle Barn of the situation, the estranged mother did not:

While we were rescuing Thanksgiving turkeys from a local ranch in 2008, we couldn’t help but notice the horrific conditions in which the other animals were living. Unable to stomach what we were witnessing, we came home with two of the ten cows who were in the worst shape and were pregnant.

When they got home to The Gentle Barn, one of the cows seemed inconsolably distraught. She was trying to get out of the pen, pacing, sweating, and mooing as though screaming for someone. Throughout the first night, she kept crying out, barely pausing to take a breath.

At first, we thought her stress was from missing all of the animals she had left behind, or from feeling unsure of her new surroundings. But by morning, when her cries had not stopped, we realized something more serious was going on. We also noticed that her utter was full now and she was expressing milk. When we called back to the place we rescued her from, our fears were confirmed. She had been separated from her calf, and we were informed that her baby was being sold that day to someone else for slaughter. We demanded that they release the baby to us, knowing that this cow would die of heartbreak otherwise, and they agreed, especially because their truck had broken down and they couldn’t deliver the calf to the other people and we had a trailer…small miracles!

When we arrived at The Gentle Barn with the calf, his mom heard his voice, she jumped up and practically broke through the pasture fencing to get to her calf. When we lead her tiny baby to reunite with her, the calf collapsed on the ground in front of her. As she licked him and nuzzled him with the gentlest touch, he got up. As the baby nursed, for the first time in twelve hours, the mom let out a long moo, like the biggest sigh of relief. Now that her baby is with her, she has not made a single sound. She is happy and at peace, and the two will never be separated again.

Once they were reunited, we went back and rescued the rest of the cows. So now, all ten cows are safe and sound at The Gentle Barn.

The reunion of mother Karma and baby Mr. Rojas is documented in Karma’s Reunion. Embedding is disabled, so please head on over to YouTube and watch the video. It clocks in at just under five minutes, and is a real tear-jerker. While the images are moving enough on their own, Gentle Barn further emphasizes the themes of nonhuman intelligence, family and love through the addition of captions.

Karma’s story is beautiful and moving – but it doesn’t end with the birth of Mr. Rojas. In a recent newsletter, Gentle Barn updates us on “Karma’s Surprise”:

———- Forwarded message ———-
From: The Gentle Barn – info [at] gentlebarn.org
Date: Fri, Aug 21, 2009 at 1:57 PM
Subject: Karma and Her Big Surprise!

Karma’s Surprise

As you might remember, we rescued a cow named Karma last year. The man we rescued her from did not let us know she had a baby, until she cried for 12 hours straight. We then realized that the only thing that could cause her so much distress is being separated from a baby. So, we went back to the cruelty site we rescued her from and sure enough there was her baby about to be sent to slaughter. We rescued her tiny baby boy and brought him home to the safety of The Gentle Barn. Karma and her son, Mr. Rojas, have been together ever since.

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Now I can look at you in peace.
I don’t eat you any more.
- Franz Kafka, to a fish

an annual observance of global non-violence and ceasefire. Every year, people in all parts of the world honour peace in various ways on 21 September.

Naturally – given that the observance was established by an anthropocentric organization – nonhuman animals are almost always excluded from celebrants’ circles of compassion. For example, the day’s “ceasefire” most certainly does not include the millions of cows, pigs, chickens, turkeys, horses, dogs, rats, seals, foxes and other domestic and wild-living nonhuman animals who will be slaughtered for food, clothing, vivisection, entertainment and the like. Quite the contrary: humans’ exploitation of nonhumans will continue, unabated, throughout the day and across the globe.

Even so, that shouldn’t discourage animal advocates from observing the day with an emphasis on our nonhuman brothers and sisters. Indeed, it’s all the more reason to stress a truly inclusive and nonviolent day of peace. If not us, who?

When I think of “peace,” the first thought to come to mind is the above quote from Franz Kafka, a Jewish writer and vegetarian whose three younger sisters (and only surviving siblings) all perished in the Holocaust. Now I can look at you in peace. I don’t eat you any more. So simple, so beautiful, so true.

Peace in actions brings peace of mind. And what more fundamental actions do humans engage in than eating, feasting, consuming? Peace begins (but does not end!) on your plate.

Through its Roots & Shoots program, the Jane Goodall Institute has been celebrating its own Day of Peace since 2004. The idea began when the UN appointed Jane Goodall a Messenger of Peace in 2002:

Another action of the U.N. was to designate Messengers of Peace. People who are selected as Messengers of Peace are widely recognized for their achievements in music, literature, sports and the arts. Dr. Jane was appointed a Messenger of Peace on April 16, 2002 by U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan. To commemorate Dr. Jane’s appointment, Roots & Shoots members at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point first conceived of and created the Giant Peace Dove puppets through Puppet Farm Arts. Since then, Roots & Shoots members and friends have flown doves in more than 40 countries around the world.

Dr. Jane created Roots & Shoots Day of Peace in 2004 in honor of U.N. International Day of Peace; each year, Roots & Shoots Day of Peace is observed in late September. Roots & Shoots groups around the world fly Giant Peace Dove Puppets to celebrate Roots & Shoots Day of Peace for its symbolic meaning. They also plan and implement peace project initiatives to help make the world a better place for animals, the environment and the human community.

This year, the Roots & Shoots Day of Peace falls on September 20th; next year, it will be celebrated on September 18th. Though it’s too late to plan or attend an event, you can see what others are doing on the campaign’s events page. 2007’s activities are captured in a colorful ebook, available for download here. (‘twould be awesome if the JGI encouraged more specific and practical anti-speciesist actions, such as a vegan or even vegetarian diet, but I suppose merely mentioning nonhuman animal in the day’s festivities is a good start. Certainly, it’s a step beyond what the UN has done for our nonhuman kin.)

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joked CNN HLN correspondent Jennifer Westhoven, while discussing Chinese/American “trade wars” on yesterday’s edition of Morning Express with Robin Meade.*

The so-called “trash”? Chicken feet:

China is threatening to cut off imports of American chicken, but poultry experts have at least one reason to suspect it may be an empty threat: Many Chinese consumers would miss the scrumptious chicken feet they get from this country.

“We have these jumbo, juicy paws the Chinese really love,” said Paul W. Aho, a poultry economist and consultant, “so I don’t think they are going to cut us off.”

Chicken exports were thrust to the forefront of American-Chinese trade tensions on Sunday when China took steps to retaliate for President Obama’s decision to levy tariffs on Chinese tires. The Chinese announced that they were considering import taxes on automotive products and chicken meat, a development that some trade experts feared could escalate.

I’m pretty sure the ten billion chickens slaughtered annually view their feet as anything but “trash.”

Wordplay FAIL.

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Action Alerts: Animal & Environmental Advocacy

Audubon: Protect Polar Bears and Other Marine Wildlife – Oppose Dangerous Offshore Oil and Gas Development in Alaska

Born Free USA: Tell Max Mara to Go Fur Free

Center for Biological Diversity: Help Protect Polar Bears From Oil Drilling

Compassion Over Killing (COK): Dunkin’ Donuts’ Egg Supplier Exposed!

DawnWatch: Terrific Washington Post column on antibiotic use in factory farming 9/16/09

Defenders of Wildlife: Help Save America’s Endangered Jaguars

Defenders of Wildlife: Tell Your Representative to Watch Out for Wildlife

Earth Day Network: A Billion Acts of Green™ [Please make yours an animal-friendly initiative!]

Earthjustice: Keep it Clean! Help Protect Our Waters from Pollution

Environmental Defense Fund: Support New Pollution Standards for Autos

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