MEAT'S NOT GREEN!! August 29, 2008

Posted by Ryan | Permalink | Comments ( 12 ) | TrackBack

Oh boy, have I got a fun update for you today...

That's right, we're hitting the ground running this fall by launching our exciting new campaign, called "Meat's Not Green"!

All of the politicians and people on TV talk about "going green", but are you as tired as we are of so-called "environmentalists" who say they care about protecting the planet while they chomp on pieces of animals' flesh? Did they not hear that meat is the #1 cause of global warming? Well, it's time to clear things up for them!

Click here to sign our petition to add a warning label to meat packaging, so that people know that when they are buying meat, they are not only contributing to the torture of animals, but the destruction of the environment too!

After signing the petition, make sure to create your own fun label! And there are all kinds of other fun things on the site too, such as as a calculator to find out how green your diet is and a badge for posting on your MySpace or Facebook, so go wild!



Pretty awesome, right? Mine's going to say "Warning: Meat is murder for animals and the planet!"

So what is your warning label going to say?

- Ryan!

Free Stuff Friday: I Hate Meat Eaters! August 29, 2008

Posted by Ashleigh | Permalink | Comments ( 224 ) | TrackBack

The title of this Free Stuff Friday is a bit misleading. I do not, in fact, hate meat eaters. I believe that all meat eaters have the ability to become vegetarians with the right guidance. I mean, I used to eat meat too!

I can, however, understand why a chicken would hate meat eaters. Wouldn't you hate someone who wanted to kill you and eat you? To show the world what chickens hate, enter to win this adorable canvas tote bag:

This bag (complete with mini coin purse and secret side pocket) is made by Angry Little Girls and comes from the best online boutique: Micio Mambo. Micio Mambo is based in Oakland (but anyone can shop the online store!) and sells leather-free, cruelty-free, and environmentally friendly shoes, accessories, jewelry, and cosmetics.

To be the lucky winner, comment below!

This contest ends September 12, 2008 and the winner will be chosen and notified by September 19, 2008!

Just so you know...by commenting here, 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.

Good luck!

-Ashleigh

Shopping Cruelty-Free Made Even Easier! August 28, 2008

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

It really bothers me when people buy products that are tested on animals when there are SO many cruelty-free options available these days. Seriously, buying cruelty-free products is ridiculously easy. An animal should never be tested on for a person's vanity. It's just plain wrong.

Luckily, everywhere you shop these days, cruelty-free products are popping up more and more, and we want to make it even easier for you to find cruelty-free products. Cue our brand-new Cruelty-Free Companies database! Use our search engine to find everything from shaving gel and makeup remover to shampoo and mouthwash. Seriously, check it out! You'll love it. Pulin loves it, too! He was finally able to find something to treat that gross thing on his head. Oh wait...that's just his face (Oooooh MAJOR BURN).

All joking aside, if you haven't already, take our cruelty-free quiz, and have all of your friends take it, too. Then you can pass the database along to them as a helpful way to find cruelty-free products from now on. You're so thoughtful!

Have you gotten friends and family to start shopping cruelty-free? What did you do? I like to give people cruelty-free products so they get addicted to them and buy those products instead of animal-tested crap. Give it a try!

♥ Marta

Truth on Earth August 27, 2008

Posted by Marta | Permalink | Comments ( 7 ) | TrackBack

I absolutely love to see young people changing the world for the better, which is one of the many reasons I love working for peta2. Seeing everything you all are doing never ceases to amaze me. Young people are most definitely making a huge effort to change the world around us. It's awesome!

I wanted to tell you all about an all-girl band made up of three sisters, called Truth on Earth. Serena, Kiley, and Tess are all vegan and do all they can to help animals. Check out what their band Web site says:

We write original songs about major issues in the world that need attention and sustainable solutions brought to them. We try to make great sounding songs that pull you in and make you want to hear more in the hopes that our lyrics inspire you to take action as you learn that there is a lot that can be done. We believe in the power that music has to reach and connect people around the world.

Sweet, right? Their song, "Factory Farm" is all about—you guessed it—animals on factory farms. Here's a portion of the lyrics:

Is it normal I wonder - to live in fear and pain? Never loved for a minute - just tormenting my brain. What kind of a person - slaughters helpless all day long? If a child kills animals - then humans, is it wrong?

Have a look inside my jail - You eat my suffering. I'll stand in one place all my life while you're - digesting my misery. And when your end is near - you'll feel our agony. Our lives are a holocaust - not just the cow you eat.

When you were a child - you knew the difference. You loved my petting zoo cousin - in the safe little four wall fence. That burger's disguised - you're blinded by apathy. You forget as you eat - the bad karma is me?

Come join my nightmare now You'll be sad you did. Hope you like my body parts, after they slice me into bits. Welcome to our death camp here on the factory farm. The Nazis would be proud - Where the hell's our mom?

Go here to check out the music video for yourself.

Music is definitely a great way to spread a message, so keep doing what you're doing, Truth on Earth!

♥ Marta

Cute Animal Videos! August 27, 2008

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

Have you seen our new videos featuring the cutest animals ever? Check them out:

I really don't understand how people can use these animals for clothing and/or food. Subscribe to us on YouTube to stay on top of all our new videos!

Comment below with which one you like better! (I can't decide!)

-Ashleigh

Vote for Your Favorite Dumb Comment! August 26, 2008

Posted by Marta | Permalink | Comments ( 68 ) | TrackBack

As someone who cares about animal rights, I'm sure you're very used to people making absolutely ridiculous comments to you. With that in mind, you might guess that we get quite a few ridiculous comments on a daily basis here at peta2. It's even better when people say things to us as if they are so original and clever.

"Hey—I'm a member of PETA! People Eating Tasty Animals!"

I hate to break it to you, buddy, but whatever it is you're gonna say to us, trust us, we've heard it before. You aren't unique. And the comments meant to hurt our feelings? They just make us laugh.

I wanted to share a little bit of the ridiculousness we receive, so vote for your favorite dumb comment below, and be glad that you're smarter than these people. Seriously, people actually did write this stuff to us (Note: Names removed to protect the idiotic parties, and I'm using asterisks since some of the comments are fairly inappropriate).

1) haha you are all stupid. i worked at a FOOD place to make REAL FOOD. that has REAL ANIMALS that DIED. because THEY TASTE GOOD and i ATE LIKE 2 BURGERS. and CHICKEN NUGGETS. Hahahahhaha i bet you are all like omgz. FOOD IS GOOD YOU ARE ALL JUST douches AND SHOULD ALL DIE PETA IS F***ING HOMO AND SHOULD DIE. WOO KILLING ANIMALS! especially the endangered ones. so i can eat and wear their skin. haha

2) hi my name is yo mama i added yall so i could annoy yall but i figured yall approve yalls commonts befor putting them on ur myspace profile could yall just deleat me because i cant figure out how to do it thank you. GO MEAT

3) i just wanted to let you know that i am in the FFA organization and to earn my geenhand degree, i get to raise a pig. After i grow it i will sell it at the count fair, to go off to a slaughter house. i just wanted to let you know, that peta2 does not affect the world at all. you will never stop people from eating meat, and you are dumb for trying.

4) i just ran over a baby deer and pissed on a kitten blaaat what now

5) hey b**** your a gay and i have a question if u eat more vegeatables to save cows arent you eating their food and therfore their are hunger which makes them taste like s*** when i eat them? answer the question B****

So which comment is your favorite? Vote by commenting below!

♥ Marta

Human Life v. Animal Life August 26, 2008

Posted by Pulin Modi | Permalink | Comments ( 7 ) | TrackBack

When it comes to the suffering of humans and non-human animals, we all deserve to live out our lives in peace. It's all connected, so when any individual or group is oppressed, we all are. Animals in slaughterhouses, laboratories, and elsewhere around the world need your voice to defend their lives. Will you take action?

PETA's President, Ingrid Newkirk, explains this all a bit more in this video, so take a look.

-Pulin

Nugget: Boy or Girl? August 25, 2008

Posted by Shannon Phillips | Permalink | Comments ( 39 ) | TrackBack

Nugget has been popping up in just about every place imaginable. Remember when Nugget lost an e-mail about Warped Tour, leaving Lara and Marta to deal with it? Well, now I can say that I've officially had my own encounter with Nugget.

So imagine this scenario: You're in the bathroom at PETA's headquarters, and you think you're alone. You then emerge from your stall only to find Nugget in the women's bathroom attempting to squeeze her (his?!) large self into the stall next to you.

Your first thought is, "Wait, why is Nugget even attempting this?"
Your second thought is "Wait, is Nugget a girl?"
Your third thought is "Wait, is Nugget a boy?"

With these three thoughts going through my head simultaneously, it's really no wonder that I had such a confused look on my face.

So we can point Nugget to the appropriate bathroom in the future, what do you think? Is Nugget male or female?

<3,
shan

It's Taco Time! August 25, 2008

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

By now, I'm sure you're well aware that those of us here in peta2 love to eat. A few of us got together to have Taco Night recently, and I thought I'd let you guys in on the deliciousness.

For a Taco Night of your own, you'll need:

• Taco shells (we used both hard and soft)
• Vegetarian refried beans
• Burger crumble (we used Boca)
• Taco seasoning
• Spanish or Mexican rice
• Olive oil
• Jalapenos
• Tomatoes
• Vegan chicken strips (we used Morningstar Farms)
• Vegan cheese (we used Follow Your Heart)
• Lettuce
• Guacamole
• Salsa
• Chopped black olives

Prepare all ingredients and put on the table in separate dishes. You'll need to heat the fake meat on the stove with the olive oil and taco seasoning, and cook the rice according to directions. And you'll definitely need to warm up the beans. Shan and Rachel were lovely enough to show all the ingredients you'll need:


Now of course Taco Night wouldn't be complete without friends—so make sure you have some of those on hand, too. At this point, everyone can assemble the tacos to their heart's content, and devour them with glee, as pictured below:


Me, Sarah, and Ashleigh, stuffing our faces


Rachel and Shan, also stuffing their faces
Let me tell you, dinner was delicious! I highly recommend having a night like this with your friends. It's a great way to show your non-veg friends how fun, easy, and delicious vegan food can be.

Have any of you had an all-vegan dinner like this before?

♥ Marta

PS - We also played Guitar Hero and Shan kicked everyone's butt!

Free Stuff Friday: Tofu the Vegan Zombie! August 22, 2008

Posted by Ashleigh | Permalink | Comments ( 179 ) | TrackBack

Tofu the Vegan Zombie is a friendly zombie created from one of Professor Vost's botched laboratory experiments. One of the lab animals, Monkey #5, accidentally lost the zombie's brain — so he stuffed a block of tofu into the zombie boy's open skull! Because of his tofu brain, "Tofu" has no taste for human flesh and only eats veggies and grains. BUT if he ever loses his tofu brain, he turns into a dangerous human flesh-craving zombie!

Professor Vost is trying to find a cure for the zombie epidemic. He thinks it is caused by the genetic manipulation of meat products. His research is in jeopardy of being shut down by Mallestros, owner of the largest meat packing company in the world because meat sales are beginning to suffer as a result of Professor Vost's research. Professor Vost believes that "Tofu" is the key to solving this epidemic, but will Mallestros succeed in shutting him down before he finds a cure? Let's hope not!

(You can read more about the history and story of Tofu the Vegan Zombie here.)

What's not to love about a zombie who wants to eat grains (and not brains)?!? At peta2 we know that flesh is for zombies and we all are huge fans of the Vegan Zombie Tofu!

Comment below with why flesh is for zombies to win one of four Tofu the Vegan Zombie vinyl toys! You read that right, four of you will win!

This contest ends September 5, 2008 and the winner will be chosen and notified by September 12, 2008!

Just so you know...by commenting here, 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.

-Ashleigh

The Canadians: Killing Seals Tour 2008 August 21, 2008

Posted by Shannon Phillips | Permalink | Comments ( 20 ) | TrackBack

So how absolutely badass are our friends over at peta2.de? (That's Germany, folks!) Answer? Completely badass. peta2.de have an amazing campaign that I want to show everyone - It's called "The Canadians" and it depicts a skeletal Canadian hunter that looks... well, strangely like a popular heavy metal icon. I'll give out awesome points to anyone who can name the icon I'm referring to!

So what's this Canada stuff all about? Well, every year in Canada, thousands of baby seals are killed by a method called "clubbing" (It's as awful as it sounds) for their fur. During the hunt, some seals are clubbed and skinned alive, even in front of their families. Even worse? The Canadian government approves of the hunt. Is this really necessary for vanity?

We don't think so, and neither do these guys:

Here's Pat and Chris of Anti-Flag modeling their Canadians shirts.

Rise Against were down as usual to support animal rights!

Roger Miret of Agnostic Front and The Disasters knows that killing seals for their fur is wrong.
So how can you help? You can help out by signing the petition against the brutal seal hunt in Canada, adding the MySpace page, wearing the shirt (they look just like band shirts!), and telling all your friends!

xoxo,
Shan

The peta2 Advice Blog! August 21, 2008

Posted by Marta | Permalink | Comments ( 7 ) | TrackBack

Got some friends who like to give you a hard time? Check this out!

My friends make fun of me ALL THE TIME for being a vegetarian. Usually I can deal with it just fine, but it really gets to me sometimes! What can I do to get them to back off (at least a little) without alienating myself? - Feeling Helpless

I used to have friends like this—that is, until they became vegetarians too. :) Anybody who would make fun of a friend for speaking out against cruelty to animals clearly doesn't understand what happens behind closed doors. Next time you go to your friend's house, pull Meat.org up on the computer screen. Even if they don't go vegetarian immediately (though, of course, that'd be swell), they will at least be more informed and begin to understand that vegetarianism is a statement against cruelty, and something you can be proud of! - Ryan

When I first went vegetarian, I had no idea how many people around me would feel offended. Before you knew it, I was badgering them all and making myself look crazy. It wasn't until I calmed down and just acted like my compassionate and calm self, that people around me started to open up. Slowly, every single one of my good friends went vegetarian, and are now mostly vegan—just because they knew I was, and started to ask questions. The sad fact is, most people never think about why they shouldn't eat corpses. Inform them, but make sure you stay positive and confident. You know you're doing the right thing but some people will want you to question your decision—don't! You don't have to do anything other than stay positive, and answer their questions politely, and you'll see a huge difference, I promise! - Rachel

I know exactly what you're going through—I dealt with this too, and still do! Tell them that if they want to harass you about it, then they should get their facts straight first—once you show them a video or a leaflet, then they might better understand where you're coming from. Sometimes, people come around later, even if they don't seem interested right away. That's why it's important to be patient with your friends and try to answer any questions they may have. Just remember not to force anyone to see things your way—you'll end up pushing them further away! Trust me, the older you get, the less other peoples' opinions will matter. If you're feeling alone, you can always join the peta2 boards and connect with other people that feel the same way you do! Don't forget that here at peta2, we're always here to help and support you; no matter how many times you get teased, we will always think you're rad for caring about animals! Love, Liz <3

Have a relationship question (that relates to animal rights, of course!) that you're dying for us to answer? E-mail peta2@peta2.com with the subject line "Help me peta2! I need advice!" and your question just may be answered by us in our next advice blog!

Comment with your own advice for Feeling Helpless! And to read past installments of the advice blog, click here.

Top 10 Ways to Start a Buzz About Animal Rights (and a FUN Video!) August 20, 2008

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

We've all been in that situation. You look around and see hundreds of people walking by you in the school hallway. You remember that out of 100 of them, the majority are probably meat-eaters, many of whom are completely ignorant about what animals face when killed for food, clothing, or other industries. What a downer!

Well, it's time to change things! Why not make it so that EVERYWHERE students look around the school or college campus, they get "hit" by animal rights messages! A "Boycott KFC" stencil on your binder (pow!). An "I'm Not a Nugget" t-shirt in math class (bam!). A "Vegetarian Starter Kit" in the library (zing!). All those small "hits" add up, so even just walking between classes, people will immediately think "Wow, a lot of people here must be vegetarians. I wonder why somebody would want to stop eating meat?" That's the first step. :)

Ready to get people talking at your school? Check out this video to get started!



Pretty cool, right? Drop us a line to get started educating people at your school!

- Ryan!

P.S. - Don't forget to comment below, complimenting Rachel on her spectacular job acting in this video!

Totally Michael Dropped In To Say... August 19, 2008

Posted by Shannon Phillips | Permalink | Comments ( 0 ) | TrackBack

Hi everyone! Totally Michael dropped by again to talk about his new car, his new album (make sure you preorder!), and even better? Delicious vegan food! Check it out! - Shan

Yooooo!

Holy moley. So I've been in L.A. for a week partying hard and playing shows. It's been amazing. The weather is awesome. The people are awesome. The food is awesome. I'm sad to be leaving. I just ordered some sweet food from an amazing vegan restaurant here called Green Leaves. It's by far my favorite restaurant in the area. It's competely random, but they have a TV set up with Guitar Hero running. So while waiting on your food you can totally rock out. It's awesome. I got what seems to be a weird combo, but is actually the best thing EVER. Chicken & Pancakes. It's perfect! I had planned on taking a picture of it, but my friend's camera like just now broke. It looks and tastes delicious and you'll just have to believe me.

Good news! I got a car! Well, in a couple days I'll have it. It's a 91 Nissan Stanza. And get this. It has AC!! Holy crap. I've honestly never owned a car with AC and I'm almost more pumped about that than the fact that I'm going to be able to drive now. It has a bumpin' sound system which I've also never had in a car. I'm really excited to finally get off my ass and start touring. Here's what my car probably looks like.

We've got the promos for my new album! They look sweet. Check it out.


It's so crazy awesome that all of this is finally coming together. I feel like it's been forever. I'm really excited and nervous at the same time. The release date is October 14th. Preorders actually just went up if you're interested! You can get it here.

So I might be coming back to L.A. in a couple weeks to play the F Yeah Fest. There are a lot of amazing bands playing it. Everybody should go. It'll be amazing. But as always I'll keep you updated on my myspace. And I guess I'll close this with a photo of some sweet people I've been hanging out with. This was from Travis' birthday party.


See ya!

Michael

Texas Officer's Poor Behavior Contributes To Dog's Death August 19, 2008

Posted by Marta | Permalink | Comments ( 13 ) | TrackBack

I'm usually pretty good at keeping myself from getting really worked up over situations, but I was filled with sadness and anger when I saw this video. A San Marcos, Texas, police officer stopped a man who was driving nearly 100 miles per hour down the interstate with his girlfriend because their teacup poodle, Missy, was choking. Michael Gonzalez was trying to get Missy to the emergency vet, but Officer Paul Stephens detained them for at least 15 minutes, and as this ABC News story states, 3-year-old Missy died as Gonzalez waited for the officer to issue a citation.

The video of the incident is absolutely unbelievable. Stephens seemed to show no sympathy for the situation—he even said, "It's a dog. It's OK. You can get another one. Relax."

A dog is a member of the family. I think anyone would be outraged to see how Stephens acted in this situation. I can't believe someone could be so callous when Gonzalez and his girlfriend were clearly in a state of panic to get Missy to the vet. If I were in Gonzalez's situation, I would have been flipping out, too. Wouldn't you?

Please write to San Marcos Police Chief Howard Williams, asking him to ensure that his officers are trained, and that departmental policies are amended or enacted, so that the community and its animals are afforded the very best quality of consideration in the future.

Seriously—I can't believe some people are this insensitive.

♥ Marta

Well, Well. Look What We Have Here. August 19, 2008

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

Here are some things that have come across my computer screen this week which I am thrilled to share with you:

• A slaughterhouse worker suffered "moderate but not life-threatening injuries..." when a cow fell on him. Unfortunately, the cow did sustain a life-threatening injury from that dim-wit.
• This letter to the editor against the rodeo by Cassandra. (You should all write more letters to the editor).
• The Pop Sensation's song against animal testing.
• Californians For Humane Farms website. If you're in Cali, check it out please and add them on MySpace, too!

Click some links and see what you're interested in. As always, take charge of your world and make it a better place in whatever way you feel is most effective whether it's DIY or with a group.
-Pulin

Meat Spaghetti? August 18, 2008

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

You know how some parents resort to tricking their kids into eating certain foods when they're little? Try not to gag: "Meat scientists" have come up with a way to make meat into spaghetti to trick kids into eating meat. I thought seeing this picture was gross enough, but the video is definitely more disgusting.

Since many kids don't like eating meat, this product is being thought of as a "convenient yet healthy" food for families. Are you kidding me? This sounds like a product from that crazy Atkins diet craze a few years back. And wouldn't you love to know your parents tricked you into eating spaghetti made of cows and/or sheep?

We're all for "fake" products here at peta2—fakin' bacon and veggie burgers, for example. These products save animals' lives. Meat spaghetti, on the other hand, will not only cost more animals' lives—it's just downright revolting. Seriously, if you didn't check out the video yet, do so now.

Here's a radical concept: Why don't parents find other sources to give their kids protein? Hummus, bean burritos, and peanut butter sandwiches are all nutritious, delicious, and kid-friendly, so there's no need to sneak dead animals into kids' food.

Do you agree that "meat spaghetti" is disgusting?

♥ Marta

Ingrid Wants You To Work Here August 18, 2008

Posted by Pulin Modi | Permalink | Comments ( 6 ) | TrackBack

What's better than getting free stuff and helping animals through the Street Team?

PETA's president, Ingrid Newkirk will tell you:

Check out peta2.com/jobs for more info on animal rights internships and jobs.

-Pulin

Meet Ashley Paige August 15, 2008

Posted by Patricia | Permalink | Comments ( 4 ) | TrackBack

I love all of the fashiony-type shows on TLC—particularly the ones in which the fashion-challenged are helped. Those are my faves, or were until I caught the first episode of Ashley Paige: Bikini or Bust that is.

Ashley's making some of the hottiest bikinis you'll ever see—I'm talking so hot they've been on the cover of Sports Illustrated's swimsuit edition. She's also helping animals at the same time by promoting animal rescue through her own org, RuffHouZen Rescue, and PETA, too!

In that first episode, Ashley and her staff were sporting PETA tees as they prepared for her LA Fashion Week show. And when she took her celebratory runway walk, she had Georgie with her—he's that handsome little guy in the photo and was adopted shortly after his catwalk stroll. Ashley said she always takes a dog on the runway with her to promote animal rights. Good girl! Check out what Ashley told us below.

As a fur-free fashion designer, what do you think of designers who continue to work with fur—sometimes even on bikinis?
They truly disgust me.

What has been the best part about running RuffHouZen, your animal rescue group? Has there been a particularly memorable rescue?
When people who have adopted animals from me and bring them by to visit, it's so adorable that I can't help but think back to when I first rescued them. Sometimes it makes me cry. I'm "sensitive," I'm year of the dog. I have so many memorable stories, here's two:
Memorable story 1
One day my boyfriend was coming down hard on me for bringing too many strays home. Later that same day he called and said, "I just spent the last hour chasing a little 'mangy' mutt all over Sunset Blvd." I laughed and said, "Well, did you catch him?" and he said, "Yes, he's sitting in my lap!" Funny how passion persuades!!!

Memorable story 2
So I eventually got a new boyfriend, who was much more supportive of my love for rescuing animals. He also happens to be year of the dog, like me. One morning, a little stray dog decided to play chase with us in the center divider line during rush hour morning traffic. I was in a bikini and Alek was wearing only his underwear. After we managed to catch the little "wild" dog, we slowly let traffic continue and thanked everyone for stopping. One woman rolled her window down and commented, "How cute!" I couldn't help but wonder if she was talking about the dog or my new boyfriend.

You say your favorite breed of dog is the mutt. Why is that?
I'm against breeding and selling animals, and puppy mills break my heart. People who showcase their purebreads to better their image are such sad, delusional people. The Mutt is humble, and I believe the world could use more humble people!

Your mom seems like such a sweet, caring woman. Did she influence your love for animals? Did your family have companion animals when you were growing up?
When I was a little girl, my mom would always bring home strays, but we lived in an abusive home where she could never keep them for long. It angered me for many reasons, and I would always tell myself, when I grow up, I'm going to have a house full of animals that need a loving home. And I did!

What animals do you share your home with now?
I have 8 dogs and 2 cats, but it fluctuates, between successful adoptions and "rescued newbies." My permanent guests include a Pit/Wiener dog mix named Petunia, a Senior Shepherd named Cali, a Wiener dog named "The Flying Peeing Weiner," and a feral cat that lives under my bed named Crazy Eyes!

What advice would you give to somebody who's looking to adopt a dog?
Adopt two! Haha, no really, it's usually much easier for both you and your rescues. Remember, dogs like to be in a pack and they get lonely when you're not around. Just make sure you're the pack leader!

Do you frequent any of the vegetarian restaurants in L.A.? Have any favorites?
There's a great little Thai vegan restaurant right by my shop named the Vegan House on Wilcox. They even make vegan sushi, one of my favorites. And my boyfriend likes Real Food Daily on La Cienega, which specializes in raw.

We love Bikini or Bust. Can you tell us what's coming up on the show?
The final episode is me having to choose between a corporate apparel job or sticking it out at "my little company that could." I announce my decision during pet adoptions in my store. You guys probably could guess the answer ... but make sure to tune in.

What are your ideas for next season?
I am praying for a second season, but the new president has not given us a green light yet. I know how important it is to stay on the "boob tube" as long as possible, for the animals. If we do get it, you bet there will be a great anti-fur demonstration in NYC during Fashion Week, lots of dramatic animal rescue, and probably some friendly fashion thrown in there somewhere. Oh—and as for mom, she's planning a cross country road trip with Spring Louisee to pick up maw and paw paw to bring them out to California. So let's do the math, 5 people, 8-10 dogs, 2-5 cats, and hopefully a camera crew of about 30.

You can catch Ashley Paige: Bikini or Bust every Saturday morning at 11 Eastern Time on TLC. Tune in and let the network know how much you love the show and want a second season. E-mail them at viewer_relations@discovery.com or fill out their Web form here.

xox
Patricia

Free Stuff Friday: Question Authority Bumper Stickers! August 15, 2008

Posted by Lara Sanders | Permalink | Comments ( 84 ) | TrackBack

Have you been itching to find a way to quickly and easily get the word out about peta2? Then this Free Stuff Friday blog is perfect for you!

To win a huge stack of peta2 Question Authority bumper stickers, comment below with why you love peta2! Five of you will be able to leave a trail of bumper stickers everywhere you go, thus spreading the word about peta2 and animal rights (if it's not your car, though, remember to get permission first!) Check out peta2's own Sarah with the sticker!

Comment now because this contest ends August 29, 2008 and the winners will be chosen and notified by September 5, 2008!

Just so you know...by commenting here, 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.

Good Luck!

-Ashleigh

Alkaline Trio Speaks Up For Pigs August 15, 2008

Posted by Pulin Modi | Permalink | Comments ( 7 ) | TrackBack

Our friends in Alkaline Trio are touring the world promoting their new album, Agony and Irony. So when they came to town, we were all excited to check out the new songs live, give the band some of our new hoodies and shirts, and drop off a soy cheese pizza!

While we were chatting with Matt, Derek, and Dan (who all signed the Woof campaign petition), we discussed the ways in which people are thankfully so willing to help dogs, but unfortunately rarely consider pigs' emotions and suffering. It's not that people want to see animals suffering, they just need a friendly reminder about being compassionate once in a while, right?

For example, did you know that as piglets, these animals are taken away from their mothers; their tails are cut off, some of their teeth are cut off, and the males have their testicles ripped out of their scrotums, all without any pain relief? They spend their entire lives in overcrowded pens on a tiny slab of filthy concrete. It's horrible, and we all know that clearly this causes them to suffer. So we want to stop this cruelty!

Check out what the Alkaline Trio guys had to say about the campaign:

If you're inspired by what Alkaline Trio supports with being kinder to animals, check out the Woof campaign page to learn more about what you can do to help pigs.

Thanks!

-Pulin

Olympic Judo Medalist Declares She's Going Vegan! August 14, 2008

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usjudo/CreativeCommons.org
Typically when athletes are asked what they're doing next after winning a big game or a medal they reply, "I'm going to Disney World!" This wasn't the case when Ronda Rousey became the first U.S. woman to win an Olympic medal in Judo. Nope, her response went like this...

"What am I gonna do?" she replied, "As of right now I am a vegan." Nice.

The 21 year-old bronze medal winner has also sworn off of leather and credits Earthlings for opening her eyes to the hideous ways animals are treated. (If only she had known about Mac Danzig then, she could have ditched meat and dairy much earlier!)

Training for the Olympics must be so intense, but luckily Ronda has a lot of support from her mom AnnMaria, who's a former U.S. world champion judoka. When asked about how a vegan lifestyle would mesh with the world of mixed martial arts her mother replied, "I mean, we're tough but we don't kill our opponents and eat them." I love this family.

Ronda actually has a list of things she wants to do next which include driving a "clean car," trying her hand at college, and teaching herself to surf. "I made up this long list of stuff that I couldn't do while I was training that normal people do. It's kind of too late to go to prom, but you know. I'll find something to make up for it."

I think an Olympic medal trumps prom.

Read her blog, she's awesome.

Congratulations, Ronda!

xox
Patricia

Introducing... BMX Rider, Russell Barone! August 14, 2008

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Who is Russell Barone? He's a 20 year old sponsored BMX rider, and even better? He's vegan! Check out what he has to say below about his vegan diet, cruelty to animals, and riding BMX. For more information, you can check him out on his blog. Enjoy! - Shan

Name: Russell Barone
Age: 20
Sponsors: Fit Bike Co, Fox Clothing Flow, Vans Flow, Long Island Bike Shop

1. How long have you been into riding? What got you started?
I've been riding for 13 years. What got me started was I used to play soccer and baseball but I didn't like all the rules. One day my next door neighbor did a jump on his bike and I fell in love with it. My mom brought me to a local racetrack and I raced for a few years, and then started to ride trails and skate parks. I built some jumps and ramps in my backyard and I would ride with my friends everyday.

2. Do you ride a lot, or do you keep yourself and your tricks confined to the tour?
I ride whenever I can. It is a meditation for me. It cleans my mind and refreshes me. Riding is a wonderful thing. Any type of riding, long distance, mountain biking, they're all fun. You get to see more of what's around rather than being in a car all the time. BMX is good for the kids growing up too because it gives them something to do and to work at getting better. I try to do tricks once in a while so I don't forget how to do it. I do what comes naturally to me and try not to push myself if I don't feel good about a certain trick.

3. How long have you been vegan? What got you started?
I stopped eating meat when I was 16 and started to embrace Rastafari and living more naturally. What got me started on being vegan was I didn't feel good after eating meals with meat or cheese. I felt tired and didn't have a lot of energy, like I was being weighed down. I also learned about all the hormones and antibiotics the animals are given thanks to the peta2 literature and documentaries. I just loved the idea of a plant based diet, getting all my food from the soil of the earth. It made me feel closer to nature, and I gained a whole new appreciation for eating and living.

4. What kind of feedback do you get from others about your vegan lifestyle?
"So... where do you get your protein from?" Ha, I always get that question. Sometimes people will ask about my health as If I'm doing something wrong, but obviously they don't know much about the food they're eating. I don't blame them though because a lot of people are stuck on thinking meat and milk is the best thing for you, and if you're not consuming it, then you're not healthy. Some people are curious, some are ignorant. I get a mix of responses.


5. What do you think about the way animals are treated on factory farms? Is that part of why you're vegan?
Yeah, it is part of why I'm vegan. Any animal that is kept in those little cages all their life can't possibly be healthy; therefore the meat or milk they produce can't be good for you. Another part of why I'm vegan is the feeling of living off a plant based diet. Why sacrifice the life of an animal when you can plant a seed and give new life.

6. Do you find it easy to be vegan, with the clothes and equipment you need to ride or be comfortable?
Well luckily I got hooked up with good sponsors like Fit bikes, Fox clothing, and Vans shoes and they all make really nice stuff that's animal free. Vans have a line of vegan shoes that are really good for riding. But being comfortable is definitely important.

7. You and Colonel Sanders, mano-a-mano. What happens?
I would stick him in the deep fryer. Ha j/k. I would reason with him about what he's feeding people and what he's doing to those poor chickens.


All photos courtesy of BMX Photographer, Keith Romanowski.

Special Back-to-School Offer from MooShoes! August 14, 2008

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As much as you don't want to think about it, it's back-to-school time. I myself could not wait for back-to-school time because to me that meant only one thing...back-to-school shopping!!

If you're nothing like me and dread the thought of shopping, seek professional help immediately. the wonderful folks at MooShoes.com want to help make this task easier by giving you 10% off your entire online purchase. Pretty cool, huh?

Kaboodle//Creative Commons

MooShoes has a wide variety of non-leather, all vegan shoes, belts, and wallets for girls and guys, and the most adorable bags!

So shop til your heart's content knowing that no animals were harmed! Don't forget to enter the code "veganstyle" at checkout, and hurry because this offer ends on September 30!

xox
Patricia

10% Wool August 14, 2008

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Check out this week's brilliant installment of 10% Wool. I love it!

Click for a larger version

To check out past installments of the strips, click here.

♥ Marta

Hair Dye: The Cruelty-Free Way! August 13, 2008

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So you want to dye your hair green? Pink? Blue? In a leopard print pattern? I'm here to help! My hair has been a variety of colors, and I've experimented with everything from permanent dyes to hair extensions to change my appearance for fun. The one thing I love about changing my hair is that hair is something that will always grow back, and hair dye will always fade. It's a good way to experiment with a different look with less permanence than piercings or tattoos.

Don't know where to start? Here is what you will need:

1. Your parent's permission. Seriously. If you still live under your parent's roof, the smartest thing you can do in this situation is get permission from your parents. After all, you'll likely be using their bathroom to do this, and permission will help you avoid the dreaded "look of death" from your Mom. Trust me, I know all about the look of death, so heed my warning.
2. Plastic gloves. These can be picked up at your local beauty supply store like Sally's.
3. Small plastic container or a bowl that you don't mind putting strange chemical mixtures in. If I'm using a bleach kit, which contains both powder bleach and developer, this is where I mix it.
4. Tint brush. These can also be purchased at a beauty supply store. This is what you use to apply the dye or bleach mixture to your head.
5. If you're doing streaks or highlights, be sure to have squares of foil to fold around your colored strands, so you don't end up with a polka-dotted head. Unless of course, you want that! Also, the foil becomes warm and helps process the color.
6. An old dark (preferably black) towel. This way, the dye doesn't show up on the towel, and it's one less towel ruined!
7. Your favorite cruelty-free lotion to apply around your hairline. This is for the times that you accidentally dye your forehead. When this happens, you just rub away the lotion with a wet cloth, and the dye goes with it. I don't know about you, but I can live without a purple forehead.
8. A really, really good cleaner to scrub down your bathroom when you're finished. My personal choice is Method's Le Scrub (pictured below) which you can purchase locally at Target. It's cruelty-free, and it smells like eucalyptus mint! When Rachel and I dyed her hair purple in my shower, this scrubbed away every last purple smudge!
9. Last but not least, your choice of hair dye and a bleach kit (if you need it!)

So you have everything you need, but you're still not sure of what dye to purchase? Here are a few cruelty-free suggestions:

• Manic Panic. It comes in every color of the rainbow, is readily available in beauty supply stores, and it's cruelty-free.
• Raw Hair Dye. This hair dye is available at your local Hot Topic, and like Manic Panic, it comes in a variety of great colors.
• Want something more natural? Check out Revlon's hair color. You can likely find Revlon shades at your local grocery store!
• Another natural choice is from one of my favorite companies, Lush. They have a full line of henna hair dyes which are cruelty-free, all natural, and recommended for those of you who might have allergies.

So you've got the tools, you've got the dye, and you're ready to go! If you've never done this before, and you're a little unsure of the process, be sure to check out Manic Panic's hair dye tutorial. They give great step-by-step instructions on how to dye your hair like a pro.

Oh, and guys? Try not to dye your shower curtain like Rachel and I did, okay? Be careful, or you'll have a purple shower curtain for life. Good luck, and happy coloring! - <3, shan.



I'm anxious to see what you guys come up with. If you have ever dyed your hair with these types of hair dyes, post a link to a picture of it!

Brand New I Am Not a Nugget Video! August 13, 2008

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What does the "I Am Not a Nugget" chick do all day at the peta2 office? Find out here!



How'd you like the cameos by Marta and myself?

Comment if you liked the video, and look for more Nugget videos to come in the next few weeks!

xoxo- Lara

The Beginning of the End August 13, 2008

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Warped Tour is starting to come to an end and we're still out here making friends and saving pigs in factory farms. You haven't seen this yet!?

Pigs are still trapped in gestation crates where they can't even turn around or be near their young, who they've been known to sing to. You can still help pigs by signing our petition against these cruelties.

This week I got to speak with BOTH vegan Tims from Ludo, who signed against these heinous abuses. Soooo badass.

And The Pinker Tones, Manso and Nino, signed against cruelty to pigs.




I'd also like to give props to our friends at TA DA! Catering, who have provided us with amazing meals all summer long, including rad treats like apple pie and homemade vegan apple crisp. I know, I know, it's hard to comprehend all at once, but imagine it heated up with some vanilla soy ice cream and then try to function!




More to come after our last week out here in WT land.

Stay Brutal,

Paige

My First Animal Rights Protest (and Fun Pictures Too!) August 12, 2008

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You know, people often ask me "How did you get started in all of this?" and "What was the first step?"

Well, for me it began with a circus protest. Since I had signed up for the peta2 Street Team a few months earlier, I received an email in the fall of 2004 stating that the UniverSoul Circus was coming to town, and bringing their horrific record of animal abuse with them. I promptly emailed peta2, and requested posters and leaflets to hand out to attendees. I also gathered a few of my friends together, to hopefully show people the seedy underside of "The Big Top".

It wasn't the most highly attended demonstration in history (in fact, it might have been one of the lowest), but from that point forward I knew that organizing a demonstration really was as simple as can be. Needless to say, once I had one protest under my belt, I searched for opportunities to speak out again.

Since I had recently started a student group at my school, and I knew that those notorious uber-douches Ringling Bros. were coming to town, I got on Facebook and started organizing.


The feeling of success that comes with organizing these events really is incredible. Like a bus with no brakes, there was no stopping my friends and me. It didn't matter which animal abuser we were targeting:

KFC...


Dogfighters...


Heck, we even had a little fun when speaking out against the fur industry (yes, that's me on the far left)...


The point is that protesting industries that abuse animals is not only super-easy, but it can also be really fun! All you have to do is take that first step. Trust me, you'll never look back.

- Ryan!

Your Yearbook Photo Can Help Animals August 12, 2008

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If you're anything like me and the majority of people I grew up with, you've obsessed about what to wear on yearbook picture day. It's the photo that will live on in the pages of your yearbook forever. So why not incorporate animal rights into that picture? Think about it: Your message that animals should be treated better will be there for people to see over and over. What could be better than that?

Here's all you gotta do:

1) Grab an animal rights shirt, sticker, or button.
2) Wear one of the previously mentioned items on school picture day.
3) Smile! After all, you're an extremely pleasant person right?
4) E-mail StreetTeam@peta2.com letting us know how you spread the animal rights message in your school picture.

Once you e-mail us, we'll:

1) Give you 1,000 Street Team points.
2) Smile. It makes us happy when you help animals.

Don't have an animal rights shirt? Get a little inspiration and make your own!

I wish I were in high school again, just so I could do this!

♥ Marta

Baby Pig Learns to Sit! August 11, 2008

Posted by Lara Sanders | Permalink | Comments ( 9 ) | TrackBack

Warning: If you object to cuteness, please do not watch the following video.



See, pigs are just as smart as dogs! They can even learn how to sit. So, if you haven't already signed the petition to get pigs the same protection as dogs, do it now!

Woof! - Lara

P.S. Check out these equally as cute photos that have been uploaded by Woof fans!







P.P.S. We don't recommend adopting a pig as a companion animal. Pigs like to be with other pigs, and they can get HUGE!

Bloody KFC Buckets August 11, 2008

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Lucy, who lives in the UK, dropped me a line on MySpace to let me know about an artistic project she did to represent KFC's buckets of chickens' flesh.

I don't think there's much more to say so I'll just show you the photos she sent me.

If you've got photos of an art project or anything else creative you've done to take on the horrors of KFC, definitely let us know. If you're on the Street Team and send us what you've done, we'll even give you lots of points. Check out more details here.

Hope to hear from you soon!

-Pulin

Jenna Jameson Says Too Much Sex Can Be a Bad Thing August 8, 2008

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Got your attention? I thought so. Jenna Jameson has been known to do that! Don't believe me? Take a look...

Jenna posed for PETA's latest ABC ad to raise the very important issue of birth control—animal birth control that is.

Every year, nearly 7 million dogs and cats are abandoned at animal shelters in the U.S. because there are simply not enough good homes. The good news is, like Jenna, you can help—and you don't even have to take your clothes off to do so! It's as easy as ABC (animal birth control).

What does animal birth control mean? It means always spaying and neutering your companion animals and never buying from a breeder or pet store. If every animal lover took these small steps we could all help put an end to the companion animal overpopulation crisis!

Comment below on which ABC ad you like better: Jenna's or Rob and Big's?

xoxo- Lara

Free Stuff Friday: Yummy Popcorn! August 8, 2008

Posted by Pulin Modi | Permalink | Comments ( 402 ) | TrackBack
Do you want free popcorn? Well then, read on my hungry buddies.

The contest details are at the bottom, and I swear this isn't that microwaveable crap—this is quality stuff.

What's better than a Street Teamer like Jason Levy getting out there to help animals by getting KFC banned from campus and interning with peta2? How about if his mom is all about animal rights, too?! Yea that's right. Jason's mom, Karen, has been vegan for over three years as a result of her son's involvement with peta2.

Mrs. Levy has always been supportive of Jason's veganism and has been know to attend KFC protests which he organizes. Pretty cool, huh?

We know many of your moms are supportive and appreciate all that you do for animals, so we just wanted to highlight one example.

Now for the part about FREE STUFF!

Jason and his mom run a place called Long Grove Popcorn Shoppe. Imagine a place filled with vegan popcorn goodness!

We want to give you a bunch of it. All you have to do to enter to win a two gallon tin of popcorn is to comment below with what flavor (or flavors) you'd want to win! The choices include: apple, caramel, chocolate, banana, and butter. And yes, they are all vegan.

FYI, this contest ends August 22, 2008 and the winner will be chosen and notified by August 29, 2008.

Just so you know, by commenting here, 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.

Good luck! Now comment and try to get yourself some popcorn!

-Pulin

Totally Michael Checking In... August 7, 2008

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Totally Michael is checking in again to talk about Noodles the cat, getting active for animals, and amazing vegan food. Check it out! Also, if you happen to be in Encino, CA tomorrow, go see him at his show! - Shan

Hello again!

For those of you keeping up with my blog, Noodles is doing amazing. She was very shy when my roommates first introduced her to her new home. But within the past few days she's started showing her true side. And she's insane! It's awesome. She seriously runs from room to room, back and forth, pouncing on every piece of furniture in the house. We got a laser pointer for her to play with too. The laser pointer is any cat's best friend. She never gets tired of it.

In other news I made some badass pancakes earlier. I used this recipe and they turned out amazing. I didn't think to take a picture until I was almost done eating them. But here you are:

Mmmmm. Half-eaten pancakes. Hell yes. No, but seriously. They were delicious. I would suggest making them for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Everyday.

Hey! Check out this picture I found from a KFC protest years ago. I think I was 19ish. Media is a demonstration's best friend.


And here's a random baby picture I found of me!


Holy crap. I was bummed about something. I probably couldn't reach that toy behind me or something. Man, I wish I was still this cool.

So I fly out to L.A. in a few hours. I'm going to be playing a show in Encino on August 8th. If any of you want to hang out and party hard you should come out! You can get all the info on my myspace. I'll be in town until the 15th. I'm pumped to get a nice change of scenery. Everything's coming together smoothly with my new album and I'm really pumped. October 14th. Mark your calendars! Or something. Alright. I'm out of here!



Au Revoir!!

Michael

Pigs, Metal, Hardcore, Punk, and peta2 August 7, 2008

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In the world of Warped Tour, EVERYONE is coming together to help stop cruelty to pigs in factory farms. Phil from All that Remains, and Jason our vegan friend of Evergreen Terrace signed the peta2 petition to end horrible treatment like pigs having their throats slit while FULLY conscious.

Nick and Jake—the Brit boys from TAT—also signed to end tortures to pigs. Look for them in the fall with our old friends MXPX and Only Crime.




Haven't had the chance to sign yet? Not to worry. You can be hip and with it here. And in case you have a keen fashion sense like our pal Tim of Ludo you can get our exclusive Woof shirt online.


We also had some rad Street Teamers in Chicago come rock it out with us for one of our most successful days on tour! Check out Nikki, Jessica, and Sylvia:


Brutally Yours,

Paige

The peta2 Advice Blog August 7, 2008

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Have a mom who's having trouble accepting your new eating habits? Read on.

My mom seems to be considering me going vegan as a personal attack on her because I don't eat a lot of the food she made me when I was younger. What should I do? - Wants to Reassure Mom

I would suggest cooking a vegan meal for your Mom. That way you can let her know that you still love and appreciate her and show her the deliciousness of vegan cooking! After the meal, tell her all of the reasons why you decided to go vegan, and make it clear that it’s nothing personal. - Lara

I think the best thing to do is explain all the health benefits of a vegan diet so your mom knows your choice helps keep her child healthy! And make it clear that you don't think her food tastes bad, it's just that there's so much cruelty involved in meat, eggs, and dairy. There's a simple solution and that's to help your family veganize some of their favorite meals. If you're especially inspired, you can even check out VegCooking.com for more recipes! - Pulin

Put yourself in your mom's shoes: You're not eating her homemade Sloppy Joes and Lasagna you used to devour as a kid. In her mind, she might feel like you're rejecting her because you're "rejecting" her cooking. I suggest you 1) Sit down with your mom and explain that your choice to go vegan isn't because you hate her or her cooking. Tell her you'd love to veganize her old family recipes with her, and 2) Actually make time to cook with your mom! For instance, with the lasagna recipe, use tofu instead of Ricotta cheese and burger crumble instead of ground beef. You'll get to educate your mom about veganism, spend some quality time bonding together, and hey—maybe you'll even stumble upon a new family favorite! - Marta

Have a relationship question (that relates to animal rights, of course!) that you're dying for us to answer? E-mail peta2@peta2.com with the subject line "Help me peta2! I need advice!" and your question just may be answered by us in our next advice blog!

Comment with your own advice for Wants to Reassure Mom!

Definitely Click On This August 6, 2008

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OK, thanks for clicking the link that lead to this blog. Now take a second to read on and see what other cool things can happen when you interact with peta2.com by clicking links, reading blogs, and doing other fun computer things like that. :)

First things first, you can win two tickets to the Mayhem Festival and get a chance to see Slipknot, Disturbed, Underoath, and Five Finger Death Punch, not to mention plenty of others (check the full lineup here!). Just by hanging out with peta2 online you could find yourself at the Mayhem date of your choice with a friend, for free! How's that sound? Just check out Sarah Sparks and her friend, who recently stopped by the peta2 booth to tell us they had won tickets online and were excited to be at such a great show for free, and we were excited to meet them!

We also just had the chance to meet one of our Cutest Vegetarian Alive winners this year, Kelly Anderson, who entered our contest online and was announced as the winner way back in April—congratulations! The cutest thing about Kelly is her desire to work so hard to help animals on factory farms. Here she is at the Mayhem Festival collecting signatures for our woof petition. Thank you Kelly for working so hard for animals.


You see, just by keeping regular contact with peta2 you can end up attending free concerts or getting the opportunity to help us help animals one day, if you haven't signed up for our e-news yet you should get on that, or else how will you know what awesome things are coming your way? Thanks a lot and we hope to hear from you soon!

-The peta2 Mayhem Crew

Foie Gras at Selfridges August 6, 2008

Posted by Pulin Modi | Permalink | Comments ( 1 ) | TrackBack

Hey. Martin in the UK wanted to make sure you all know about a campaign to help ducks and geese killed for foie gras. Check it out.
-Pulin

Now I like to shop probably more than most people. I can think of nothing better on a weekend than going to the west end in London and spending all my hard earned money. I mean there are shops like Topman, H&M, and the Howies store on Carnaby Street.

Unfortunately there are also some stores that don't list company ethics too high on the shops' priorities, and Selfridges is a prime example.

I was almost in shock when I found out that they were selling foie gras in their delicatessen on the ground floor of their food hall—go check it out for yourself.

If you are as amazed as me then you should let them know. Have a look at this recent campaign to try to get them to stop. Foie gras is cruel and illegal to produce in the UK so help out the animals and ask Selfridges to stop selling foie gras.

Thanks for helping,
Martin

Olympian Amanda Beard Bares All for PETA! August 6, 2008

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They say that timing is everything, especially in the wide world of sports, just ask two-time Olympic gold medalist Amanda Beard. So we were beyond thrilled when she agreed to unveil her new naked anti-fur ad in Beijing just days before the start of the 2008 Olympic Summer Games!

Yes, you read that correctly. The captain of the U.S. women's Olympic swim team unveiled her naked anti-fur ad today...in China...days before the Olympics begin. This is amazing, you know, because most of the world's fur comes from China where dogs, cats, and other animals are kept in disgusting conditions and many are skinned alive. Take that fur industry!

Amanda, who incidentally was on People Magazine's "100 Most Beautiful People" list this year, had no problems stripping for her sexy new ad. "I'd much rather go naked than ever put a dead animal on my body," she told us during her photo shoot. Check out what she had to say in this behind-the-scenes video of her shoot.

We're sure you agree that there's nothing luxurious or beautiful about fur so please pledge to be fur-free today.

Good luck, Amanda!

xox
Patricia

The Return of "Giant Douche vs. Turd Sandwich"! August 5, 2008

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You cast your ballots in last month's "Giant Douche vs. Turd Sandwich" contest to determine the biggest jerk who abuses animals in laboratories, and the results are in! After Marta spent many a sleepless night counting the votes, we are proud to announce that Michael Weed (aka "Giant Douche") won the honor of being the biggest of the jerk of the month! As a reminder, he was the one who forces monkeys to ingest alcohol, cocaine, ecstacy, and other drugs, to test their responses. Well done, Mike! You earned it!

But now, it's time for this month's match-up. In this corner, hailing from New Haven, CT...

Nickname: "Giant Douche"
Real Name: Marina Picciotto
School: Yale University
Interests: Feeding or injecting monkeys, mice, and rats with nicotine, cocaine, morphine and alcohol to measure "behavioral assessments", sometimes stating that the goal of the test is to make the animals suffer. In one test, she gave monkeys a Kool-Aid drink mixed with nicotine as their sole source of fluid. One monkey ingested the equivalent of 17 packs of cigarettes per day. Umm, Truth Campaign, you want to get on this?

Visual approximation, compliments of looptvandfilm / CC



Nickname: "Turd Sandwich"
Real Name: Allyson Bennett
School: Wake Forest University
Interests: Taking baby monkeys away from their mothers and forcing them to live without parents. Always the busy bee, Bennett has also researched whether or not binge-drinking might be bad for monkeys (because clearly that's a huge issue in today's society), and in her spare time she dabbles in torturing rats and mice by depriving them of food for up to two days. My my, Allyson, you really should take a permanent vacation.



Visual approximation, compliments of looptvandfilm / CC

So there you have it, folks! Who do you think is the bigger jerk? The "Giant Douche" who forces animals to ingest the equivalent of 17 packs of cigarettes, or the "Turd Sandwich" who forces monkeys to live without parents and binge-drink?

I'm casting my ballot for "Giant Douche". How about you?

- Ryan!

Pamela Anderson Tries KFC's Classic Vegetarian Sandwich August 5, 2008

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Who else was glued to E! Sunday night for the premier episode of Pamela Anderson's new show, Pam: Girl on the Loose? I love that the show opens with her bleaching her own hair! And how cool was it that she was just chatting with the people at her yard sale (all the proceeds came to PETA, btw). I wouldn't expect to see too many celebs of her caliber doing that, which is just one of the many reasons that Pam's so cool. I can't wait to see what happens next!

Yesterday the blonde bombshell was in her home country of Canada where she and some local activists popped into a KFC to try their new faux-chicken Classic Vegetarian Sandwich.

In case you haven't heard, the United Purchasing Group of Canada entered into an agreement with PETA to reduce the suffering of chickens and dramatically improve animal welfare standards. And since these are the folks responsible for coordinating the purchasing of all chickens for KFCs in Canada this is HUGE. (Of course here in the U.S. and in other parts of the world we're still calling for a boycott of KFC until they make simple changes to reduce the suffering...you'd think this would be a no-brainer.)

Pam's been a driving force behind PETA's KFC campaign for the past five years. Thanks to her efforts we've been able to draw even more attention to the hideous acts of cruelty perpetrated by KFC suppliers. So I'm not even the slightest bit jealous that she got to try one of the amazing new sandwiches and I still haven't...OK, maybe I'm just a little bit jealous. Alright, I'm a lot jealous. Hey, Canadians! Ship some of them down here already, why don'tcha?!

xox
Patricia

P.S. If you're in Canada be sure to try the new Classic Vegetarian Sandwich— you can get a coupon here—but please don't rub it in our faces.

Animal Heroes! August 4, 2008

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

Looking for a little happiness to start of your week? You're in luck!

Did you guys catch this story about a bunny in Australia?

A couple's home caught on fire during the night and they were able to escape the blaze unharmed because their companion bunny scratched on their bedroom door, alerting them to the fact that there was a fire in a back room of their house. I bet that family feels extremely fortunate to have that bunny!

This is definitely not the first time an animal has saved a person. I hear about dogs saving lives all the time, but pigs do it, too. One of the most amazing stories is about LuLu, a Vietnamese pot-bellied pig, who saved her person's life. It's a wonderful story—you gotta read it for yourself.

I ♥ bunnies and pigs.

♥ Marta

Totally Michael Is Blogging Again! August 1, 2008

Posted by Shannon Phillips | Permalink | Comments ( 0 ) | TrackBack

Here's another guest blog from Totally Michael. Enjoy! - Shan.

Aloha!

So there hasn't been much going on since my last post other than the usual partying, swimming, and enjoying the heck out of summer. I'm still kind of waiting to get a car that works. Since I've been chillin' in Bloomington, IN, I figured I might just talk a little bit about this place. It's a small college town where Indiana University is located and it's where I live. There is actually a lot of rad local music here. And if you're down for vegan food then you definitely won't be disappointed. We have two pizza places, Greek's and Rockit's, that carry vegan cheese. Here's a picture!

This is at Rockit's, but they were out of the pepperoni so I settled for some black olives. But we also have a vegetarian restaurant called Roots that serves mostly vegan options. They make a mean country fried seitan dinner. The Jungle Room has some amazing vegan gyros. Cafe D'jango serves my favorite meal in town. Nutty noodles with tofu. It's seriously the best peanut sauce dish in the world. But yeah. I actually just realized while writing this that this list could probably go on forever. Bloomington's got some badass food! That's all I'm trying to say.

In other animal friendly news my roommates brought home a kitty cat they picked up from the animal shelter. Her name is Noodles. She's pretty awesome. She's totally full grown, but is the size of a big kitten. Here's a picture!


Awwwww.

Oh crap. I almost forgot. Somebody told me there's this new totally sweet vegan cheese called Teese. It's made by the fine midwestern folks at Chicago Soydairy who are famous for their Temptation vegan ice cream. I haven't tried it yet, but apparently it's way way good. Some say it's even better than Vegan Gourmet cheese which is totally my favorite right now. But if anyone's tried Teese you should let me know how it is! And if I try it I'll let you know. It'll be sweet.

I head to L.A. in a week to play a show or two and maybe film a music video. I'm pretty pumped. I'll be hanging out for a little over a week. All the info for the shows are on my MySpace. If you're into it you should come out! We'll dance so hard. And give so many high fives. Hell yes. Alllllllllright! See ya!

Michael

P.S. I'm learning French!

Free Stuff Friday: Toxic Avenger Shirts! August 1, 2008

Posted by Ashleigh | Permalink | Comments ( 158 ) | TrackBack

Are you a Troma fan? The new Poultrygeist flick looks amazing!

Let's take it back a few years to the Toxic Avenger. Here at peta2 we love the Toxic Avenger (and the Toxic Avenger loves us too). So much, in fact, that we have peta2 Toxic Avenger shirts to give away! Check out the logo below:

I have FIVE of these t-shirts to give away! They are all size Men's Large, but ladies should enter too: a bigger shirt means there is more to work with when you cut it up to make it fit!

To win, comment below with where you will wear it!

This contest ends August 15, 2008 and the winner will be chosen and notified by August 22, 2008!

Just so you know...by commenting here, 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.

Good Luck!

-Ashleigh