Do You Practice Your ABCs? November 30, 2007

Posted by Marta | Permalink | Comments ( 1 ) | TrackBack

Growing up, I was used to seeing tons of cats wandering the streets all the time and dogs running loose in my neighborhood—and sadly, I never really thought a whole lot about it. These animals were in dire need of homes, and my heart always went out to them, but it just kind of struck me as the way things had to be. That's not true though. People just need to learn to practice their ABCs—Animal Birth Control.

Sixteen percent of the approximately 90 million cats with homes in the U.S., and 30 percent of the approximately 73 million dogs with homes, remain unsterilized—and that's not even counting those homeless animals like I saw growing up! Think about it: Each time a cat or dog gets pregnant, they have many kittens and puppies—and how many people do you know that keep an entire litter? Hardly anybody at all. That adds up to lots and lots of animals that need homes.

There are already millions of animals in shelters that need good homes, and we need to do all we can not to contribute to that number. The fact that people breed animals for profit—when there are so many wonderful animals our there in need of a loving family to adopt them—absolutely breaks my heart. Every animal bred and born—on purpose or by accident—and every animal purchased from a breeder or pet store occupies a home that could have taken in a dog or cat dying for a home at an animal shelter.

What better way to spread the importance of practicing your ABCs then with some edgy new videos? Check 'em out below, and then send them to everyone you know!

Amazing, right? I can't get enough of them!

Please, please, practice your ABCs and encourage your friends and family to get their animals spayed and neutered and never to buy an animal from a breeder. You really will be saving lives.

♥ Marta

Posted by Marta

Facebook, Anyone? November 29, 2007

Posted by Pulin Modi | Permalink | Comments ( 14 ) | TrackBack

With Facebook more popular than ever, we wanted to get you all excited about promoting animal rights on this cool site. Don't worry, we still love MySpace as much as the next person, but we're all about sharing the love as far and wide as possible! Since there are new fan pages and whatnot, the time is now to keep animal rights issues front and center of all your friends' News Feeds!

So here's what we'd love you to do:

1) Log in to Facebook and then add our peta2 fan page!

2) Post a comment on our page's wall about how much you love being vegetarian, hate KFC and its cruel ways, or talk about your favorite peta2 celebrity or band. Whatever floats your boat.

3) Once you're all set with that, there's one more really great way to raise awareness and that is through the power of videos! You can check out videos to download from peta2 TV and then go here to upload them. Whether it's your favorite band interview or the Meet Your Meat footage, the more people who watch the footage, the better. So get to typing and downloading and all that other good stuff that you do on Facebook.

And of course you'll get something out of it. Sign up for the Street Team and submit a report about how you love to use Facebook and we'll give you a bunch of points. Actually, you know what? I'm in a good mood and am feeling pretty giving considering it's the holiday season. I have some copies of the DVD Something To Stand For featuring Emery, Strike Anywhere, Lifetime, Anti-Flag, Darkest Hour, and more which I would like to send to clear off my desk! How about I send a free copy to the first ten people who report that they do this Facebook mission? I'll keep the offer open until December 31 and will notify winners by January 1 (although I guarantee the DVDs will be gone within a matter of days)!

So get to it, you crazy kids.

-Pulin

PS - Our lawyers want you to know that by entering to win a copy of the DVD, we're taking that as acknowledgment that you've read and agreed to our privacy policy and you are agreeing to the following terms and conditions.

Posted by Pulin

Who Is Princess Superstar And Why Is She Naked? November 28, 2007

Posted by Pulin Modi | Permalink | Comments ( 0 ) | TrackBack

So Princess Superstar isn't a punk rock, emo, or metal artist. But she's a talented electro artist, compassionate individual, and frankly I think she's pretty hot. When she expressed some interest in working with peta2 and our international affiliates, I jumped at the chance. And when we came out with this provocative ad featuring Princess Superstar (on a pleather couch and faux fur rug), I knew it would definitely turn some heads!

Here's a quick interview we did with Princess Superstar, too! What do you think? I think she's gonna be one of my favorite new musicians!

peta2- How long have you been vegan?
Princess Supertar- I've been vegetarian for 4 years, but vegan for about 4 months!

peta2- Why? Was there something specific that made you take this step?
Princess Superstar- I recently got certified as a Jivamukti yoga teacher—and it was impressed upon me how horrible the factory farming system is and how it is our duty to be kind and compassionate to all beings—humans AND animals. Also, factory farming is pretty much the number one contributor to global warming, so we all should consider how important our actions are to saving this planet.

peta2- What are your favorite foods?
Princess Superstar- Blueberries, almonds, coconut water, sauteed spinach, and soy cheese pizza from Viva Herbal Pizzaria in NYC.

peta2- Do you find it hard to find non-leather apparel?
Princess Superstar- No, I live around the corner from "Moo Shoes" and am pretty spoiled here in the East Village with all the vegan friendly shops.

peta2- Who are your favorite musicians?
Princess Superstar- David Bowie, Missy Elliot, The Beatles, Vitalic, The Clash, Can, Stevie Wonder, Tomboy, Justice, Outkast, The Cure, Salt N Pepa

peta2- Does being a strong ("explicit") woman in the music biz make you an "outcast" already? I suppose becoming vegan didn't make this much better...
Princess Superstar- I've always done whatever I've wanted to do. Actually I don't really have a choice. I follow my heart even if I am considered strange. It makes me happy and I think people should step out of their comfort zone and be brave in this life

peta2- What inspires you? Musically, ethically...
Princess Superstar- All the music I mentioned before inspires me. Ethically I am inspired by Gandhi, Patanjali, Albert Einstein, Julia Butterfly, Sharon Gannon and David Life- and then all the members of PETA of course!

peta2- What are the next steps in your carreer?
Princess Superstar- I am working on a new album, and I am very excited about it—it's all very hush hush though at this point!

peta2- Do you have a message to the peta2 audience?
Princess Superstar- Total respect to all people who have an interest in animal rights—it has always been the duty of the strong to speak for those who don't have a voice!

See, isn't Princess Superstar so cool? Like I said, she's talented, compassionate, and attractive. I like the quirky ad, too. It's fun, and I'm all about having fun while doing some activism!

-Pulin

Posted by Pulin

Chicken Fat on the Highway? November 27, 2007

Posted by Marta | Permalink | Comments ( 6 ) | TrackBack

How sick is this:

According to The Virginian Pilot, "A Perdue truck spilled chicken fat along a 20-mile stretch of U.S. 13 this morning causing several crashes and a big, smelly mess."

Just imagining what a stench like that must be like makes me want to gag.

Apparently the driver didn't properly secure his load and leaked on the highway for 20 miles. The article states:

"One car hit a utility pole and the driver had to be taken to a hospital, Bunting said. At least three other vehicles crashed, but no one involved suffered life-threatening injuries. Other drivers probably skidded or went spinning on the slippery fat, then went on their way, he added."

So basically now not only is the chicken industry bad for chickens, bad for the environment, and bad for your health, it can be dangerous to your morning commute.

Ugh. I just had vegan chicken salad for lunch and am so much more glad it wasn’t the real thing, or I think my co-workers would have had to deal with some real gags from me.

Who is as happy as I am that they don't eat chickens?

♥ Marta

Posted by Marta

Taste of Chaos and Silverstein UK Tours November 27, 2007

Posted by Marta | Permalink | Comments ( 1 ) | TrackBack

Here's a special guest blog from Martin with peta2 UK!

I'm out on the road at the moment and I thought I would drop by and let you guys know how it's going tabling against Burberry. We are getting a great response at all the shows and I would like to say hi to all the people I have met over the past few days and a big thank you to all the Street Teamers who have helped me so far.

I got to try vegan haggis, neeps and tatties (to all you non-Scottish people, that's haggis, turnips and potatoes) in Glasgow and I have to say that I am completely sold on it. Yeah I know it sounds nasty, but if you ever get the chance, make sure you try it.


If any of you are out for any of the coming UK Silverstein dates make sure you pop by the stall and say hey.

Peace

Martin

PS - Oh one more thing: Make sure you check out this mission—The Anti-KFC Bulletin Bonanza.

Posted by Marta

R.I.P. Casey Calvert - Our Friend and Friend to Animals November 26, 2007

Posted by Lara Sanders | Permalink | Comments ( 31 ) | TrackBack

As many of you have probably already heard, our good friend Casey Calvert of Hawthorne Heights passed away over the weekend. He will be missed by all...

I have been on many tours with Casey over the last couple of years. Casey was one of the nicest people I have met in all my years on the road. I used to give him a hard time about leaving a venue before he needed to be on stage to go watch 'A Nightmare before Christmas' or some other similar type movie. He was always so nice to everyone he met, and willing to take the time to say hello to his fans. He also cared about animals and was always willing to be a voice for them. I really do not know what to say, but Casey will be deeply missed. My heart goes out to his family and band mates. -Jason Bayless

I met Casey on Warped Tour this past summer. Although he generally steered clear of the spotlight, he was always willing work with peta2 to be a voice for animals. Every encounter I had with Casey, he would always tell me that he was willing to do whatever for the animals, and to let him know about any upcoming projects with peta2. He will truly be missed. -Lara Sanders

If I would have randomly met Casey on the street, I would have had no idea that he was a professional rock star. He was so shy and sweet. I remember one time running into him at the local mall when Hawthorne Heights was in town. He was all by himself, and we asked him what he was up to. He said that he had just finished playing, and he had dashed out right away to make it in time to see the brand new Harry Potter movie- and to this day, I don't think I have ever seen anyone more excited to watch a Harry Potter film. Casey was a sweetheart and will be remembered forever. -Mylie Thompson

Casey was always interested in updates to peta2 campaigns over the years, tried to make it a point to stop by our booth at festivals and tours just to say hello, and was one of the most consistent supporters of all that we do to help animals. He's inspired many Street Teamers to get more active for animals and has helped to educate thousands of music fans about cruelty to animals for campaigns such as the one we have against KFC. -Pulin Modi

I remember Casey coming to our table at Warped Tour signing the petition, asking about the shirts, and looking at the stickers and leaflets. He actually stopped by the table a couple of times during Hawthorne Heights' time on Warped Tour and said hello and what not. Really one of the nicest band members that I have spoken with. -Cody Ammerman

At Bamboozle, I gave Casey a vegan chocolate chip cookie bar made by the lovely people at Trustkill Records. Casey got the biggest grin on his face I've ever seen. It was absolutely adorable! -Nicole Nuss

Casey would email me out of the blue with all these ideas about things that he could do with us to help animals. He was always thinking about new ways that he could get involved to help animals. -Dan Shannon

Casey was one of the sweetest people I've ever worked with at peta2- so down to earth and friendly. He was a true friend of the animals, and will be missed by many. -Violet Owens

Do you have a memory of Casey you'd like to share? Or maybe you'd like to express your condolences to his family and friends? Please do so by commenting below

We'll miss you, Casey.

-Lara

Posted by Lara

Meet Darla the Turkey November 21, 2007

Posted by Lara Sanders | Permalink | Comments ( 12 ) | TrackBack

In the summer of 2002, I worked at a farmed animal sanctuary near my hometown in Western Pennsylvania. My day consisted of feeding the animals in the morning, and working on a larger project in the afternoon such as painting the barn a new coat of red, or mending a broken fence.

During my lunch break, one of my own decided duties was to hang out with the rescued turkeys. There was one turkey in particular with whom I took a special liking to. Her name was Darla. Darla had come to the sanctuary after falling off a truck bound for the slaughterhouse. She was quite the lucky turkey indeed.

Darla loved to bask in the sun, search for bugs, investigate what the rabbits were doing in the next enclosure, and eat her favorite treat—grapes. She also loved to be pet. Every time I stroked under her beak, she would fall asleep—sometimes even standing up!

Throughout the summer, I noticed Darla starting to change. She would wheeze when she breathed, and would spend more of her days lying down in the barn.

Darla got worse as the weeks wore on. She was becoming crippled under the weight of her genetically manipulated and drugged body. She was not intended to have lived beyond her date with the slaughterhouse. Her legs were giving out, and her lungs were being crushed by her ever-growing body.

One morning, I came into work and heard that Darla had to be euthanized the night before. I wasn't surprised at the news, because I saw the amount of pain that she was in, and knew her time had come. I was still sad though, and remember her especially during this time of year.

Even if you haven't had the great opportunity to be-friend a turkey, it is clear that they are smart, gentle, and feeling beings that deserve not to be used as a holiday dinner!

So for Darla and all turkeys, go cold turkey this Thanksgiving, and opt for some Tofurky instead!

xoxo-Lara

Posted by Lara

Rob Zombie's Holiday Recording and Giveaway November 21, 2007

Posted by Patricia | Permalink | Comments ( 17 ) | TrackBack

umusic/Creative Commons

Rob Zombie's a cool dude. I've always been into his music, and being the horror-movie fanatic that I am, I dig his films, too. Although I have to say horror movies never scare me, not even a little, and not even when I watch them alone in the middle of the night. With the exception of the original Halloween, which still gets me, and I'm sure it's that damn music.

So when I found out Zombie was doing a remake of Halloween I was thrilled. But I was even more excited when he agreed to speak up for turkeys and record peta2's Thanksgiving hotline message.

Zombie actually stopped eating meat when in high school after seeing a documentary about slaughterhouses. "It freaked me out, and I found it so disgusting that I stopped eating meat," he says.

People stop eating animals for various reasons, and like Mr. Zombie, it was animal footage that got to me. I had already stopped eating pigs and cows, then saw footage of chickens being raised for food and I immediately went vegan because I was just horrified by what I was seeing.

What was it that made you go veg or get involved in animal rights? Leave me a comment below by November 26 and one of you will win a shirt signed by the master of the macabre himself. If you're the winner, we'll notify you by November 30.

xox

Patricia

P.S. Just so you know...by commenting here, we're taking that as acknowledgment that you've read and agreed to our privacy policy.

P.P.S. Also by commenting, you are agreeing to the following terms and conditions.

Posted by Patricia

Metal, Pirates, and Ringling! November 21, 2007

Posted by Marta | Permalink | Comments ( 3 ) | TrackBack

We have been on tour with The Agonist and let me tell you, if you like metal and haven't seen these guys (and gal) play live, you really need to check them out. The black-hearted singer, Alissa, is not only vegan, she speaks out for animals every chance she can get. She asked peta2 to come out on tour with her to get people to sign our petition to help improve the conditions for chickens in slaughterhouses.

The Agonist's video "Business Suits and Combat Boots" has also been nominated for the best music video of 2007 on Head Bangers Ball. Make sure you help them out and vote for them.

While on tour we stopped by Chicago and met up with Jason and Loyd who have been following Ringling Bros. Circus, letting people know how they beat their animals to make them perform stupid tricks.


Most of you don't know this, but I'm pretty much obsessed with pirates and while in Portland, OR, we came across the best place I've ever seen by far.


Pirate's Tavern is an all-vegan pirate tavern. They have everything from fake fish sandwiches to vegan chili cheese fries.




So, make sure you check out The Agonist and if you can, please come out to a show and say Ahoy!

-Paul

Posted by Marta

Help Animals By Shopping! November 20, 2007

Posted by Lara Sanders | Permalink | Comments ( 1 ) | TrackBack

Black Friday (a.k.a. the busiest shopping day of the year) is fast approaching. If you are like me and get shivers just thinking about going into a mall during the holiday season, then you are in luck!

This year, peta2 is making it easy for you to give the perfect gift from the safety of your home (away from the crowds, lines, and screaming children)! What is the perfect gift you say? The gift that helps animals of course!

Give a special gift to peta2 in the name of the person of your choice, to help peta2 get more oh-so-cute stickers into more people's hands! When you buy this gift, you get a peta2 holiday card (pictured below) to present to the lucky giftee, along with a peta2 sticker sheet to show them what their gift really is.

Even though it is fun to give, we also know that sometimes it is just fun to get too! So ask your family and friends to give a gift in you honor too!

There are several gifts to choose from including:

The "Go Vegetarian Gift", the "Peace for Animals Gift", the "Happy Dog or Happy Cat Gift", and the "Fur-Free Gift".



Happy shopping!

xoxo-Lara

Posted by Lara

Silverstein's UK Visit! November 20, 2007

Posted by Nicole | Permalink | Comments ( 31 ) | TrackBack

For all you crazy Brits out there, I have some exciting, exciting news! Now is the time to throw on your winter coat and break out the dancin' shoes because 21st November marks the start of Silverstein's 13 date UK tour. Check it out because the guys are coming to a town near you!

21st Nov 2007 - Portsmouth, U.K. @ Wedgewood Rooms
22nd Nov 2007 - Oxford, U.K. @ Carling Academy
23rd Nov 2007 - Yeovil, U.K. @ The Orange Box
24th Nov 2007 - London, U.K. @ Islington Academy
26th Nov 2007 - Manchester, U.K. @ Academy 3
27th Nov 2007 - Wrexham, U.K. @ Central Station
28th Nov 2007 - Glasgow, U.K. @ King Tuts
29th Nov 2007 - Sheffield, U.K. @ Leadmill
1st Dec 2007 - Leeds, U.K. @ Cockpit
3rd Dec 2007 - Stoke, U.K. @ Sugarmill
4th Dec 2007 - Leicester, U.K. @ Charlotte
5th Dec 2007 - Birmingham, U.K. @ Academy 2
6th Dec 2007 - Nottingham, U.K. @ Rock City

In celebration of Silverstein returning to UK shores, our dear friends at Victory Records have donated three Silverstein goodie bags for you guys to win. Inside these wonderful little bags of goodness, you'll find a Silverstein t-shirt, a signed copy of their latest album, Arrivals & Departures, and an etched 7-inch of the single 'If You Could See Into My Soul.' Just leave a comment below for a chance to win. The contest ends December 4th, and the three winners will be notified by December 10th.

And just so you know, by commenting below, we're taking that as acknowledgment that you've read and agreed to our privacy policy.

Also by commenting, you are agreeing to the following terms and conditions.

Oh and I have one last, very important thing to mention. Martin will be out on the last half of the tour, so if you're heading out to any of those shows, make sure you stop by and say hi!

Hope all is lovely.
nicole

Posted by Nicole

Who Watched "I Am an Animal" Last Night? November 20, 2007

Posted by Marta | Permalink | Comments ( 8 ) | TrackBack

I certainly did! I'd been looking forward to watching HBO's I Am an Animal: The Story of Ingrid Newkirk and PETA since I first saw cameras around the office back when I was interning. Lara had a viewing party at her apartment, so a bunch of us got together with snacks and drinks in hand to tune in. You can imagine that there were certainly a lot of "Hey, there's Jason!" types of comments floating around.

Anyway, the documentary did not disappoint. Anyone who watched was able to catch a glimpse of what it's like to be Ingrid and what she goes through on a daily basis. I don't want to give anything away for those of you who haven't seen it yet, but the movie definitely gave me an extra dose of inspiration—I hope it caused those of you who saw it to feel the same way. We've already heard from many of you, and the resounding response is that your respect has only increased for Ingrid and PETA, and we're really happy to hear that!

One of the parts of the film I found to be really heart-wrenching was our undercover investigation into a Butterball Turkey Plant. I'd seen the investigation footage before, but it's always horrifying to watch and hear about what's happening to these animals. Not only that, I could never imagine having the courage and strength it takes to be an undercover investigator. People who conduct our undercover investigations have to mask any empathy they have for animals in order to get footage to show people what is really happening to animals. In honor of the 50,000 birds killed daily at the turkey plant investigated and the brave folks who went undercover to expose the cruelty, please watch our Butterball investigation and pass it along to your family and friends before Thanksgiving.

If you watched the documentary, what did you think of it? And if not, are you planning on checking it out? Hint: The correct answer is yes.

♥ Marta

Posted by Marta

Happy Birthday, Davey Havok, You Sexy Vegan, You November 20, 2007

Posted by Patricia | Permalink | Comments ( 10 ) | TrackBack

Evan Agostini,Getty Images/Creative Commons

Today is a very important day in history. In case you didn't know, 32 years ago today Davey Havok, Mr. World's Sexiest Vegetarian for 2007, graced the world with his presence. If you ask me, he's the sexiest vegetarian in the universe every year, no contest.

Those big brown eyes, his cool sense of style, all that ink, the makeup—I blame Duran Duran for my undying attraction to boys in makeup, especially eyeliner. Roxy Music and Bowie started it really...oh, those UK boys...

And on this auspicious occasion I'd like to extend very warm birthday wishes to you, Davey, in case you're reading the peta2 blog. If I could I'd sing a very sexy, breathy Marilyn Monroe-esque version of "Happy Birthday" to you but alas, you'll have to settle for this blog since I don't have your number.

Of course you could always call me so I could sing it to you but that would be kind of sad really, you having to call me so I could sing "Happy Birthday" to you...I would though.

xox

Patricia

Posted by Patricia

KFC Is Not Going To Like This At All November 19, 2007

Posted by Pulin Modi | Permalink | Comments ( 5 ) | TrackBack

Check it out! This is awesome! We just unveiled our brand-new headquarters for the international Kentucky Fried Cruelty campaign on Saturday in Louisville—directly across the street from a noted KFC flagship or "vision" store. For those of you who don't know, KFC is actually based in Louisville, Kentucky, and our Senior Campaigner, Lindsay moved there to take the campaign to the corporation's doorstep!

Photo by PJ Chmiel

Photo by PJ Chmiel

Attendees at the grand opening of our new office received free samples of delicious faux fried chicken served by bikini-clad beauties who also lead a protest at the KFC across the street afterward. The 78-square-foot storefront window of the new headquarters features a graphic banner decrying KFC's abuses as well as an around-the-clock loop of factory-farming and slaughterhouse video footage taken inside KFC's suppliers. Also on display will be samples of the many celebrity letters and advertisements in support of PETA's campaign and photos of protests against KFC's abusive farming and slaughter practices from around the world.

Photo by PJ Chmiel
I love this quote from Lindsay. "They say, 'Keep your friends close and your enemies closer.' KFC's blatant disregard for animal welfare is a stain on Louisville's reputation, and there's no better place to try to change that than in KFC's own back yard."

Make sure you join the peta2 Street Team for updates on how you can help with this exciting campaign and many others around the world!

-Pulin

Posted by Pulin

New peta2 Stickers! November 19, 2007

Posted by Lara Sanders | Permalink | Comments ( 18 ) | TrackBack

Yay! We finally got some new peta2 bumper stickers! As soon as they came in, I immediately put one on my car. I think it makes my VW Bug look even cuter (if that is even possible). What do you think?



My co-worker Dan also shared the same sticker excitement...



So I know it is a tough decision, but which one do you like better?



Or



Let me know by commenting below!

xoxo-Lara

P.S. Order your very own stickers here!

P.P.S. Make sure you watch PETA on HBO tonight!

Posted by Lara

Ruff Ryders: Not So Tuff November 16, 2007

Posted by Cassandra | Permalink | Comments ( 10 ) | TrackBack

OK, y'all it's time for a little game I like to call "Get the Picture."

This is DMX:

Photo Credit: rafe baron/Creative Commons
He's the Ruff Ryder who's been under investigation since police raided his house and reportedly found 12 starving and severely neglected pit bulls, along with the bodies of 3 others who allegedly had injuries consistent with dogfighting. He portrays himself as a tough guy and raps lyrics like these:

"Place your bets
You can imagine what the bloodline is like
Since I love mine to fight...
All my pups is crazy, cause off the leash
They can eat, stand a match for 3 hours at least"
Typically, dogfighters "toughen up" pit bulls by beating them, taunting them, and leaving them outside in extreme heat and cold, alone at the end of a heavy chain. This abuse begins when they are just puppies, like this little guy:


Photo Credit: sparktography/Creative Commons
Now, rather than avoid the appearance of being ruthlessly cruel to little animals, the rest of the Ruff Ryder crew has made the brilliant move to release a line of fugly-ass fur coats. This means they're charging suckers a couple grand to sport the skins of animals like these:


Photo Credit: oboole/Creative Commons


Photo Credit: Ph!L!s/Creative Commons


Photo Credit: Madeline/Creative Commons
Seriously, as if fake beef for marketing purposes wasn't wimpy enough, now rappers gotta get mixed up with fur farmers to confine tiny critters in crusty cages and then skin them alive so that they can pimp coats that make people look like a Sasquatch with shaved legs.


Photo Credit: Aaron Edwards/Creative Commons
Get the picture?


Photo Credit: jrive
Be a real badass and stand up for something. Pledge to be fur free and don't grow old disgracefully like fake gangsters and fur hags.


Photo Credit: benidormone/Creative Commons

Peace!
Cassandra