Discovery Communications Inc. has issued a statement on an earlier incident involving  James Jay Lee taking employees hostage before releasing them and being killed by police. Lee was upset with the network’s programming, saying that while it claimed to promote environment issues, shows displayed exactly the opposite.

“First and foremost, Discovery Communications wants to express how relieved and grateful we are that all employees and the children from the Discovery Kids Place daycare center are safe. Employees in Silver Spring demonstrated courage, compassion and cooperation throughout the situation, which aided law enforcement efforts — for which we are thankful and proud.”

Lee was found to have explosives on his body, which detonated when police shot him.

Discovery Communications includes U.S. cable and satellite networks such as The Discovery Channel, TLC and Animal Planet.

Lee was no stranger to animosity towards Discovery. In 2008, he staged a protest outside the corporate headquarters and took out an ad in a Washington newspaper to promote the event.

“The Discovery Channel produces many so-called ‘Environmental Programs’ supposedly there to save the planet,” the ad read. “But the truth is things are getting WORSE! Their programs are causing more harm than good.”

Lee was especially concerned with human overpopulation.

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Michael Bay, producer of Transformers, is reported to have offered $50,000 for information leading to the arrest of a young woman who was videotaped throwing live puppies into a river.

The video has been spreading like a virus since it was discovered, as well as contempt for the woman.

A statement was placed on Bay’s official website, but was since taken down. However, screen shots of the statement are still available.

“Michael Bay has informed me that he is offering a $50,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and successful prosecution of the woman in the red sweatshirt and the person who shot this act of cruelty,” the statement, written by Bay’s webmaster, reads.

According to The First Post, the suspected woman, who’s name was reported as Katja Puschnik, loaded a video containing an apology.

However, that video too has been taken down. When it was up, the woman reportedly said the puppies were sick and was ordered to euthanize them by her grandmother.

“My name is Katja Puschnik and I would like to appologize [sic] for my behavior. The puppies belong to my grandma and she told me to get rid off [sic] them because they were only three days and they were ill. They had parasites from their mother. I didn’t knew [sic] exactly what to do so I thrown [sic] them in the river because it was a short death. I did not want to make them suffer. I am really sorry for this ”

A Sarajevo based animal rights group told the AFP the incident is under investigation by authorities.

A video of the incident (warning: it’s not easy to watch), can be viewed here.

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Lea Michele "Glamour"

Lea Michele is Glamour magazine’s cover girl for the October 2010 issue where she shares that her other great skill in addition to singing and acting is Italian vegan chef extraordinaire. Michele revealed she prefers to stay in versus a night on the town and suggested cooking for the interviewer.

LEA MICHELE: I could cook for you. Homemade baked ziti.
GLAMOUR: I love baked ziti!
LEA MICHELE: I make a vegan baked ziti. And even though that doesn’t sound enjoyable, it really is.

In Vegan Bites: Recipes for Singles, author Beverly Lynn Bennett created a recipe for vegan baked ziti that gets approval from those with Italian heritage like Michele. “My Italian husband says this veganized version tastes a lot like the baked ziti that his great-grandmother used to make.”

Bennett says penne or a similar shaped pasta may be substituted when ziti is not available.

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Roger Ebert is proving no disability will stop his passion for critique and advice. Although complications from oral cancer robbed him of the ability to speak, he’s turned this hardship into a motivator. After writing a cookbook on rice cookers, The Pot and How To Use It, Ebert continues to guide people’s decisions in the kitchen through a recent New York Times column where he answers questions readers have left for him about cooking and life in general.

One reader was looking to replace boxed Zatarain’s beans and rice with a slow cooked, homemade version, but was unsure of what goes best in The Pot.

“I love a rice cooker meal of Zatarain’s rice with vermicelli, black beans and frozen vegetables (and turmeric)! I have unsuccessfully tried to duplicate the texture of the rice mix with rice and broken vermicelli. I am wondering if you have experimented with this. I am considering using orzo.Thanks Roger!”

Ebert’s recommended a mix of legumes, grains and seeds called Soo Foo.

Soo Foo contains Barley, Black Lentils, Brown Lentils, Buckwheat, Green Lentils, Long Grain Brown Rice, Oats, Rye Berries and Wheat Berries. Soo Foo was created by veteran food developer Maurice Kanbar, who also invented a distillation process for vodka that reduces impurities in the cocktails.

“I’m think it would work well with black beans and veggies,” Ebert wrote. “Maybe sauté some onion and garlic in The Pot first. Put in onion with a little oil and watch it like a hawk before adding grains and water. Garam masala never does harm.”

Mmm…Advice like this must be the reason vegetarian cookbook author Anna Thomas gave The Pot a thumbs up by writing a forward for the book.

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To keep up with the Kardashians, you’re going to have to stop wearing fur.

Sisters Kim, Kourtney, Khloe and mom Kris Jenner have partnered with Ginny Hilfiger to create K-Dash by Kardashian, a line of clothing featuring belts, handbags, faux fur trimmed vests and more.

K-Dash by Kardashian is set to debut on QVC as part of Fashion’s Night Out, live from New York’s Rockefeller Center on Friday, September 10th 9PM EST.

K-Dash isn’t expensive, with prices ranging from $20-$240. Cheaper, ethical fashions are always a plus, and with the Truth in Fur Labeling Act making its way through Congress, we hope to one day be able to purchase anything faux off the rack with confidence no animal has died for it.

Although the Fur Products Labeling Act created in 1951 required garments made, imported or sold in the United States to disclose whether the product contained real fur, a loophole allows for items at $150 or less to bypass this rule. That means technically, as of now, you may never know if that little trim was more than just a shave for some raccoon or other animal.

The Humane Society has conveniently drafted a chart listing how many animals go into clothing priced at $150 or less. A fur item of $50, for example, may contain up to 3  Arctic, grey, or red foxes and a $150 item may take an entire bear.

The bill to close this loophole, introduced by Jim Moran (D-VA) and Mary Bono Mack (R-CA) in 2009, has cleared the House and is up for debate in the Senate.

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Michael Bolton may be filling on up whole wheat pasta and wheatballs in preparation for each performance on Dancing with the Stars.

The singer who released the album “One World One Love” earlier this year is one of the competitors on the reality TV dancing show.

Bolton is dancing for his charity named after himself, The Michael Bolton Charities, Inc., which aims to curtail domestic violence and protect woman and children in at-risk situations either directly, such as funding for abuse hotlines or by raising social awareness of the issue through education and providing opportunities for youth.

MBC extended a hand during the hurricane Katrina and Rita situation in 2005 by donating $100,000 to the The Louisiana Coalition Against Domestic Violence-Hurricane Katrina Fund.

Future projects include establishing a Domestic Violence Legal Advocacy Fellowship that will train law students in being advocates to domestic violence survivors.

Since its inception in 1993, the charity has dispersed more than 5 million dollars to several organizations, including The National Domestic Violence Hotline (TX); Prevent Child Abuse America (IL); MENTOR-The National Mentoring Partnership (VA); The New York City Family Justice Center; UNCF (CT); Yale Child Study Center (CT); The Domestic Violence Crisis Center (CT); Mt. Sinai Sexual Assault Victims Intervention Program (NY); and The Children’s Advocacy Center (NY).

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“Had a really good breakfast this morning. And a vegan beet muffin. Lots of interesting food here in Nashville lol.”

–David Archuleta, Tweeting the latest good grub from Nashville, TN. Sure would love to know where he got the beet pastries, but whether you live in Nashville or not, you can try beet muffins in your own kitchen with this simple recipe. For that extra Idol wow factor, jazz things up a bit with apples and cranberries in the mix.

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Amy’s Kitchen has kept vegetarians and vegans on a full stomach for over 20 years, and now one of the biggest restaurant chains in America is adding its veggie burger to the menu. As part of both Denny’s “Hand-Helds” and “Better for you options,” customers can order the meatless patty either with Pepper Jack cheese, fresh spinach, tomato and grilled mushrooms on a wheat bun or anyway they’d like.

The veggie burgers debuted on Denny’s menu nationally on August 24, 2010.

“Denny’s is excited to partner with Amy’s to offer a delicious, better-for-you veggie burger in over 1,500 restaurants any time of the day,” says Minh Huynh, Denny’s Product Marketing Manager. “We value our strategic partnerships to give consumers what they want and expect from Denny’s: value and choice, in a welcoming environment.”

Amy’s is a family owned business based in California that is a leader in frozen vegetarian, natural and organic foods such as veggie burgers, burritos, pizzas, pasta bowls, breakfast food, desserts and more.

“We are extremely excited to see Amy’s expand from your local grocery store to the plate at America’s beloved restaurant,” says Craig Forrest, Business Development Manager, Amy’s Foodservice Division. “We’d love to see Amy’s achieve as much success in the restaurant world as it has at the supermarket.”

Vegetarian Star seconds that motion.

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