So you're a pescatarian?

So you're a pescatarian... Do you ever consider the impact that your meat-free, yet fish-filled diet has on the planet? Terry Gross on Fresh Air has a great 2 part expose on the fishing industry, how it is killing our planet and the not-so-romantic image of the swarthy fisherman.

I stopped eating fish as soon as I left the nest. Too many early mornings visiting lobster traps with my father before school marred the romantic image of fishing. But at least it was one man (and a girl) against the sea. I spent too many days witnessing the brutal harpooning and watching fish flap themselves lifeless to ever really enjoy a seafood meal, and for that I'm thankful. I'm thankful also that I was forced to watch my dad kill my pet chickens and force me to pluck it, because little did he know that there was a young vegan in the making. I have so many friends who have said, "I only eat fish" And I say to them, "well pretty soon you'll start feeling guilt about the over-fishing problem and you'll stop eating fish too."
In this interview the facts are indisputable. Gone is the image of the swarthy fisherman with a crew of 2, trying to eek out a living. Instead we have floating factories with underpaid workers in less-than-desirable conditions fishing our oceans dry. 80% of the fish consumed in the US are from foreign countries. We use technology originally used in wartime to locate submarines to find schools of fish. Trawlers, huge nets that boats tow behind them, are sometimes large enough to accommodate 6 jumbo jets. This is factory farming people! We are literally ripping ecosystems directly out of the ocean. We are eating fish faster than they can reproduce and giving nice-sounding names to things that really sound inedible. Oh and the jellyfish. Jellyfish will soon run the world if we don't watch it.

If you are interested in the environment, overfishing, vegan issues or simply curious about what the science says, take a listen. Hey, it might just change what you eat.

Larry King grills the Burger industry

Last night on Larry King Live (LKL), the suspender-wearing journalist probed deep into the burger industry. Read the transcript here. Deaths from e-coli, especially in children, are on the rise and it's big beef's fault! Nearly everyone on the panel said that they don't eat burgers, with the exception of one woman who was obviously paid big bucks by big beef to extoll the virtues of an animal protein diet. In a nut shell, her argument went something like this: "It's so much easier to gulp down a burger than to actually think about eating sensibly"
Even Anthony Bourdain, self-professed carnivore, looks unfavorbaly on factory farming. I have a new-found love for Bourdain after a recent episode where he swore he would not take part in the slaughtering of animals for his tv show since he's been dating a vegetarian!

So what's the final word? Everyone, except for the paid-lobby lady, agrees that there needs to be a major overhaul in the meat industry in the US. that means more testing. 90% of our meat comes from factory farms, so if you think you are safe, read the label. Lucky for me, as a raw vegan, there are no worries, except for the run-off from factory farms infecting crops like spinach. Eat organic, know where your food comes from. If you must eat meat, raise a cow at a local farm, but please think twice about our beautiful cow-eyed friends before eating them!

Discovery News : Earth: It's The End of the World! It's an Alien Invasion! No, It's a Cloud.

Discovery News : Earth: It's The End of the World! It's an Alien Invasion! No, It's a Cloud.

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end animal cruelty in Cananda

I was contacted over on my blog, For the Love of Raw, by a fellow animal rights activist and advocate. Please visit this sight to sign a petition to end animal testing and seal blugdeoning in the otherwise awesome country of Canada. Let's get some action and see the end of unnecessary animal cruelty.

Sign the petition here.

Ride me, I'm Irish?

I saw this Harley on the way to work a few weeks ago and have been waiting for it to reappear so I can share it. Look at the atrocious shamrock detail work on an otherwise beautiful bike. It's painful, but, hey it's not mine.

TOMS Shoes

I'm loving these vegan-friendly fall boots from TOMS! Check out their site for other vegan options. Look sharp, live vegan.

TOMS Shoes

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kanye

If I were to propose to boycott Kanye West after his incredibly stupid outburst on the VMA's the other evening, it would not affect my life at all. Kanye has always been a no-talent hack with songs for school kids. I always think of him as the new Diddy, someone who rips off samples and makes millions off of other peoples' talent. I also partially credit him with the demise of hip-hop, and I vow to spend part of my day listening to old Nas albums just to relish in decent hip hop that doesn't infect the airwaves. Besides being a major jerk, Kanye wears clown clothes and starts ridiculous trends, acts like an ass 9 out of ten times and oh yeah, he makes pretty young girls cry.
If I had kids, I would not let my children listen to his junky music and they would be much better off because of it. Lots of us tuned in to award shows in the late 80's and 90's looking for bad outfits and off-color remarks during acceptance speeches, but this was taking it a little too far. Perhaps he was trying to out-shine Lady Gaga, and in some respects he did, but not in a good way. Kanye, stay off the airwaves, stop making music and go hide in a cave until you learn to act like a man, because all you've proved over the last 5 years is you are nothing but a big, ugly baby.

Beyonce deserves major props for being such a classy lady, passing the torch to a new young person who is deserving of the awards that the people voted for.