July 5, 2008
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It seems that time is not a healing balm for South Koreans where US beef is concerned. The latest rally drew 50,000 people, in yet another sign that South Korea’s current leadership may be toppled over this issue. None of this would be happening without the American beef industry’s massive influence on U.S. trade policy, and it’s yet another example of the industry screwing up the world while not being held accountable by the media. Link.
July 4, 2008
During my 21-day podcast series on how to go vegan, I mentioned the fact that Yelp.com is far and away the best place on the web to find vegan-friendly restaurants. The San Francisco Chronicle just published an article about Yelp’s efforts to keep its reviews honest, and this piece makes me happier than ever to rely on Yelp.
On the one hand, it’s disgusting that people who’ve been gaming Yelp’s review system are now threatening a lawsuit. On the other hand, it’s refreshing that Yelp is telling these parasites to pound sand.
If you haven’t used Yelp.com yet, give it a visit and do a quick search for restaurants in your area that have been tagged as vegan friendly. I bet you’ll be surprised to find some great places you never knew about.
July 3, 2008
As we head into the Fourth of July weekend, it seems like the ideal time to post barbecue photos. If you post any vegan barbecue photos to Flickr this weekend, please contact me.
Here’s the blog entry that accompanies this photo.
July 3, 2008
For those of us who’ve had omnivorous childhoods, there are certain non-vegan foods you get a craving for now and then. One such food my mom used to pack in my lunches were those totally junky but nevertheless delicious peanut butter sandwich crackers. It was a food that by all accounts should be vegan, but which all the big companies messed up by sticking in whey or some similarly useless animal-based adulterant.
But now Late July makes a vegan version of this product, ideal for packing with your kids’ lunches, or for your own personal bogarting. What’s more, they’re not junky at all: the flour is whole wheat, and all the ingredients are organic. It’s like being a kid again, but better. Available in both mini crackers, and full-sized. The price is oustanding — 35 percent off retail — and free shipping is available.
July 3, 2008
One thing I wish more vegans would do is read pro-meat articles, since reading stuff written by the other side can help us to stay sharp in choosing our own arguments.
On the other hand, it’s surprising how flimsy the pro-meat arguments often are. Check out this piece, written by a college senior majoring in animal science. She writes:
The fact is, mistreatment of the animals is strongly discouraged and only occurs in limited instances.
Limited? Like this set of abuses, announced by HSUS only last week? Or this Mercy For Animals investigation from May, that revealed systematic cruelty at a large egg farm? And let’s not forget the HSUS Chino investigation from January, which prompted the USA’s largest beef recall and forced the slaughterhouse out of business.
Mistreatment “only occurs in limited instances,” huh? Then why are horrifying cruelties exposed at factory farms seemingly every time an undercover investigation occurs? Link.
July 2, 2008
The trouble with the word “foodie” is it’s so new that everybody has their own definition. Here’s mine: a foodie is an irritating gourmet. Why irritating? I got to thinking about that and I’ve decided it comes down to communication ability, or lack thereof.
A real gourmet not only appreciates the nuances of top-quality food, s/he can express these nuances in precise, measured, beautifully written language — almost invariably with a sense of humor as well — whereas a foodie simply views food as another status symbol. Said foodie lacks the means to express exactly what makes a given food cross into gourmet territory.
Last week the Textism blog featured a magnificent short piece on making pizza at home. And not just any pizza — this is pizza for the gods, and is wonderfully compared to the stuff scarfed down by the rabble. Unfortunately, the Textism dude is a confirmed carnivore, and this otherwise stellar piece is sullied with a couple non-vegan food references.
This is nevertheless an article every vegan who appreciates gourmet cooking needs to read. I suddenly want a convection oven. Link.
July 1, 2008
Daniel Engber’s new article in Slate offers offers plenty of fresh muckraking about the horse racing industry. His piece concludes with a classic animal rights argument: the immorality of inflicting danger or suffering on beings unable to provide consent. It’s a powerful argument against meat eating, against vivisection, and, now, against doping thoroughbreds. Link.
July 1, 2008
Here’s another “this can’t possibly be vegan” dish that contains not one solitary speck of animal ingredients.
July 1, 2008
(Via Mark Hawthorne) I suppose there are hundreds of essays on why you should go vegan. This is one of the better ones, and it just came out in Common Ground magazine. Even if you’ve seen this kind of thing a dozen times before, the author tells some interesting personal stories related to his switching to a vegan diet. Link.
July 1, 2008
Hot dog eating contests appeal to the lowest common denominator, but damn if they don’t generate wheelbarrow loads of free publicity. With this in mind, if there are going to be hot dog eating contests, why not offer one with vegan hot dogs? Compassion Over Killing and Sticky Fingers Bakery are teaming up to host a contest in DC on July 26th. Link.
And in other Compassion Over Killing news, the organization just got Takoma Park, Maryland to condemn the production and consumption of foie gras. While these city council actions are largely symbolic, they demonstrate that cruelty in animal farming is becoming increasingly objectionable to the general public. Link.
