Vegetarian Star

Credit David Shankbone on Wikimedia Commons

So you love the taste of a well done steak or a ham and cheese sandwich.

You don’t give a flying saucer about animals and their pain and suffering.

Why should you make an effort to eat less meat, especially factory farmed meat?

Well, you don’t really want everyone in the office (not even the co-workers you don’t like) to come down with Swine Flu next year, do you?

Jonathan Safran Foer, author of his book on factory farming, Eating Animals, has interviewed with Vegetarian Times in the May/June 2010 issue where he gives this argument for those who aren’t interested one bit in “animal” welfare and rights.

“We known where the flu came from: it came from factory farms in North Carolina. The link between flu pandemics and animal agriculture is not an opinion. It’s a well documented fact by scientific organizations that have no interest whatsoever in promoting vegetarianism.”

Swine flu, of which cases were seen in humans over the past few years, has traditionally been confined to outbreaks among pigs.

Like other viruses, it sometimes develops an affinity for a different host.

According to Wired, in 1998, scientists found a strain of swine flu in U.S. factory farms that spread quickly, and experts warned then it could one day evolve the ability to infect humans, resulting in a pandemic.

Bob Martin, former executive director of the Pew Commission on Industrial Animal Farm Production and a critic of factory farms, called these environments, “super-incubators for viruses.”

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Chrissie Hynde and Welsh singer JP Jones have collaborated to form JP Chrissie & The Fairground Boys and the group is set to give a benefit concert for Woodstock Farm Sanctuary.

According to Ecorazzi,the show will take place Saturday, May 29, 2010 on the Woodstock Farm Sanctuary headquarters in Woodstock, NY and tickets are priced at $20 in advance, $25 day of show, with all proceeds going towards the sanctuary.

Hynde has been consistently vocal about animal issues from zoos to McDonald’s and opened  up a vegan Italian restaurant in her hometown of Akron, Ohio a few years ago that is quite successful.

The Vegiterranean uses Gardein faux meat products in many of its dishes, including the Linguini Carbonara and Spaghettini with vegan meatballs.

Update: The event will be held at Woodstock Farm Animal Sanctuary in Woodstock, NY. The previous version of this post placed the event at Farm Sanctuary, which has locations in Watkins Glen, NY and Orland, CA. Woodstock Farm Animal Sanctuary and Farm Sanctuary are two separate organizations and not affiliated with one another.

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“I’m not entirely sure who understands and who doesn’t understand what it is that we’re doing, but something I wanted to do with those pro-vegan shirts, was to create a very poppy, very palatable image that draws people in and that will appeal to people and then have it juxtaposed with a very serious message – to really drive that message home. Because if you’re drawn in with something pretty and then you’re met with something serious you’re already there. I think it would be difficult to not understand the message of those shirts but a lot of people are really obtuse, so there’s no saying.”

–AFI’s Davey Havok, on his line of t-shirts at Zu Boutique ,which convey information about veganism and eating animals through animated pictures, such as a hamburger with arms and legs with the caption “It’s alive,” above it.

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Gene Baur, co-founder of Farm Sanctuary in Watkins Glen, NY, was recently featured in the 50PlusPrime online news program for Baby Boomers.

50PlusPrime speaks with baby boomers making a difference in their communities as well as directs these 78 million individuals to useful resources.

Twenty four years ago Baur founded what is now the largest animal rescue and refuge in North America.

“About a year ago, when we began considering stories for our season premiere, I was introduced to the work of Gene Baur and Farm Sanctuary,” said Tony Fama, host of 50PlusPrime. “As I learned about Gene, in reading his book, in surfing Farm Sanctuary’s website, I knew we had to tell the story of Gene’s compassionate work on behalf of abused farm animals. 50PlusPrime will focus on baby boomers doing outstanding work. There is no question that Gene and Farm Sanctuary meet that description.”

“We are thrilled to be a part of the season premiere of 50PlusPrime,” said Baur. “Baby boomers have served as catalysts and helped bring needed and groundbreaking social change to our nation. The ideals underpinning the civil rights and environmental movements of the 1960s, which challenged the status quo, are helping to inspire a burgeoning food movement in our country today, along with a renewed interest in vegetarianism. Besides supporting environmental sustainability, eating fresh, whole plant foods instead of animal foods also helps lower the risk of heart disease, diabetes and other common ailments. Tony Fama’s commitment to inspiring and providing tools for conscientious living should be applauded.”

You may view the video segment of Baur and Farm Sanctuary’s story at 50PlusPrime.

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Prince William and Prince Harry were saddened by the loss of their pet polo pony, Drizzle, recently, when the horse suffered a heart attack and collapsed during a game of the sport.

According to the Daily Mail, Harry noticed the horse wasn’t running like it normally did, so he pulled it out of the game and it died shortly thereafter.

Although some estimate a horse’s life span to be 30-35 years of age, Drizzle was only 10.

According to PETA UK’s blog, Animal Writes, like horses and the American Kentucky Derby, the sport and the animals often don’t mix well and injuries to the ankles are common due to the fact horses are required to make numerous sharp turns and sudden stops.

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Is Paris Hilton to an animal rights activist as a prostitute is to recruiting nuns?

The hotel heiress was recently on a Dr. Phil episode about animals, sharing the story of two Cocker Spaniels who sadly are in need of a new home after their owner did not awake from surgery.

Although criticized by some activists for carrying too many hand bag breeds and in general, owning too many dogs, Hilton was honored by the Humane Society of the United States for her work with animal welfare.

And if she takes off those heels and trades the dress for spandex, she can throw a punch to that dog fighter Dr. Phil confronted.

“I kinda want to punch him in the face,” she says in the clip. “I think it’s disgusting and it’s wrong I don’t know how anyone can hurt an animal. I think people who do that are very sick in the head.”

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Fur is becoming so unpopular these days, why aren’t farmers and retailers taking the hint?

The People’s Court recently featured an episode where a judge ruled a consignment shop had to donate fur that wouldn’t sell to charity.

According to PETA’s blog, legal analyst for the show and celebrity gossip show TMZ host Harvey Levin said, “It’s just cruel. … The skin ought to stay on the animals.”

Now that’s some gossip worth passing on!

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According to a recent article in the Huffington Post, although Michelle Obama is gung ho about promoting her obesity campaign aimed at slimming America’s children down, it’s not all about whole grains and apples and she’s leaving room for some play time here and there.

The First Lady has agreed to let Twinkies get pass the security in the White House.

If you’re a health obsessed parent who’s decided to let your kids dig in on junk every once in awhile, congratulations.

It may very well save them from rebelling and stashing pounds of candy in the office drawers at work when they’re 35.

You can still take precautions during the wild ride on the sweet side and make healthier Twinkies without dairy, eggs or preservatives like the ones found at the grocery store.

Two recipes to get you started.

One, at Shmooed Food, involves barley malt powder mixed with vegan butter and sugar to get that cream filling.

The second calls for tofu, white chocolate and maple syrup to help form the gooey center.

Will your child be sharing Tofu Twinkies at the lunch table this week?

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