Win The Used's New CD "Artwork" ... Signed! September 1, 2009

Posted by Shannon Phillips at September 1, 2009 9:46 AM | Permalink | Comments ( 101 ) | TrackBack

Some say that the third time's a charm, but it seems like it's the fourth for our friends The Used! With their fourth studio album Artwork generating buzz and positive reviews in just about every alternative music magazine, the band has just released what many are saying is the best album of their career thus far. After seeing the video for the first single "Blood On My Hands," I'm inclined to agree!

Freschwill / CC

While we here at peta2 are all loving the new album, we also love that The Used have never shyed away from speaking up for animals. Whether it's Bert, Jeph, and Quinn signing a letter to the CEO of Wet Seal about their use of fur (we won that campaign, thank you very much!) or Jeph giving the low-down on KFC, members of The Used are always ready to speak up for those who can't speak themselves.

To celebrate the release of The Used's new album, we want to give you the chance to win a copy of Artwork signed by the entire band. You heard me ... signed! For your chance to win a copy of Artwork signed by the band, please comment with your favorite memory of The Used. It can be a concert memory, a memory you have involving a song ... anything! Five winners will be chosen at random. Entries must be received by September 15, and winner will be notified by September 29.

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

Travie McCoy Reppin' peta2! July 13, 2009

Posted by Shannon Phillips at July 13, 2009 1:12 PM | Permalink | Comments ( 1 ) | TrackBack

Despite my love for hardcore and pop-punk, I can't help but give love to the Gym Class Heroes for putting out infectiously awesome tracks that make me want to shake it! Recently I came across a video and some photos of vocalist Travis McCoy being silly and reppin' peta2 at the same time. What's better than that? Check it out ...

Video from The Unbeaten Track

While Travis is typically a silly guy who's always cracking a joke, his "Unbeaten Track" project is anything but silly. For this project, Travis is embarking on multiple trips this summer to South Africa, the Philippines, and India to meet with young people who are running grassroots HIV and AIDS awareness projects. We love ya, Travie. Thanks for putting out good music, and having a big heart for both humans and animals alike.



P.S.: If you haven't already, check out our anti-fur PSA with Travis by clicking here!

Say Hello To Anna! May 21, 2009

Posted by Pulin Modi at May 21, 2009 9:14 AM | Permalink | Comments ( 2 ) | TrackBack

I was pretty excited when Anna, a Pleasant Valley High School student, sent us a link to her school newspaper article about a PETA demonstration against the use of animals for their skins.

She did a great job of getting quotes and conveying the message that animals should not be fashion victims.

Here is a quick interview I did with Anna so you can get to know her a bit better ...

How has the response been to your article?
For the most part it has been positive. Our Entertainment Editor is vegetarian so I have had support from her and other friends that are vegetarian. Some of the people that I know think that the PETA campaign against the use of animal fur in the fashion industry is pointless because of the few amount of people who wear fur. But for the most part people think that it's an interesting campaign that PETA has for advocating against the fur industry and found the article insightful.

Why are you interested in animal rights issues?
Before I began research for my article on PETA, I was indifferent about the subject of animal rights. I was never aware of the horrible treatment that still occurred in today's advanced societies. After I wrote my article I realized that there is still a large amount of work people must do, and I feel that we must begin focusing part of our attention on the silent victims that are the animals.

What's your favorite way to educate people about this topic?
I educate people about animal abuse in the fashion industry and the abuses in general by not laughing at their stupid jokes about PETA and the people who advocate against animal abuse. Instead I let them know that there is still a problem. I enjoyed researching my article so whenever I can I throw a fact or statistic about animal abuse there way to let them know it's not a small issue they are usually shocked to learn that something new about the topic.

How did you hear about peta2?
When I was a freshman my first locker had a peta2 sticker stuck on it that read, "I am not a nugget." I didn't think too much about peta2 until this year when I went to the protest against furs and skins and the fashion campaigner, Jena Hunt, suggested I visit the website to learn more about PETA and how high schoolers can become active.

Any advice for other students who want to write about animal rights for their school newspaper?
I would suggest that they attend a protest rally that focuses on what they want to write their article about. When I attended the protest everyone was so nice and welcoming. I didn't know a lot about the animal abuse in the fashion industry until I met the protesters and it truly inspired me to write my article. They were so willing to share with me their experiences and their knowledge about the subject. Also supporting an article with statistics and facts about the topic you write about always makes an article stronger and it makes the reader more aware of the problem.

Thanks again, Anna! If you're looking to write a story about animal rights or otherwise get active for animals, check out the Street Team today!

Seal Fur Ban Victory! May 5, 2009

Posted by Pulin Modi at May 5, 2009 11:18 AM | Permalink | Comments ( 23 ) | TrackBack

Here's a guest blog from Sarah over at peta2 UK. Very exciting news!
-Pulin

Today the European Parliament has taken a positive vote that will end the sale of seal products across the European Union!

Thousands of you emailed the EU Parliament asking them to vote in favour of the ban—because of you, the EU Parliament has recognised that this slaughter can never, ever be humane.

The ban will undoubtedly deal a strong blow to the profits of those who kill seals, and that will in turn result in less blood on the ice.

Britannica / CC

This ban stops the sale of all seal products in the EU and should stop products of the commercial Canadian and Namibian slaughters reaching the market.

There is no excuse to massacre our cute friends, the seals, so let's work on putting an end to the Canadian seal slaughter. Sign peta2's petition if you haven't already!

On behalf of animals everywhere—thank you!

Peaches Thinks Canada's Club Scene Sucks May 5, 2009

Posted by Shannon Phillips at May 5, 2009 10:30 AM | Permalink | Comments ( 2 ) | TrackBack

Sometimes you just have to shake it. There are days when I have to put my usual hardcore albums aside and give my ears a break. On days like this, it's not unusual to find me having a dance party at my desk to the likes of MGMT, The Faint, Ladytron, or Peaches.

Today is an especially good day for a dance party because Peaches' new album drops! I Feel Cream is Peaches' fourth studio album, and from what I've already heard, it's amazing. While I can't help but love Peaches for her fun dance music, I love her even more for being a Canadian who isn't afraid to speak out against the brutal seal slaughter that takes place every year—resulting in one of my favorite print ads for PETA! Check it out ...

See what I mean? Peaches is right—Canada's club scene does suck. Every year, thousands of baby harp seals are shot or brutally clubbed to death, all in the name of vanity and greed. Thanks to celebrities like Peaches, the disturbing details of this annual slaughter get a lot of attention, putting more and more pressure on Canada to stop it once and for all. We love you, Peaches!

So if you're feeling like an animal-friendly dance party, make sure you pick Peaches' new album, I Feel Cream, available everywhere today!



P.S. You can take action against the seal hunt by signing our letter urging the Vancouver Olympic Organzing Committee to use their clout to help end the seal slaughter once and for all. Check it out here.

Go and Intern at PETA Europe! April 10, 2009

Posted by Marta at April 10, 2009 11:13 AM | Permalink | Comments ( 1 ) | TrackBack

Sarah from peta2 UK wanted to tell you about PETA Europe's brand-new internship program, since Matt just told you about our intern program over here in the states earlier this week. Take it away, Sar ...
- Marta

Before joining PETA Europe almost a year ago I was an intern over at PETA US where I got to work alongside all the peta2 people. Interning was such a rewarding experience, knowing that everyday I was helping the plight of animals with every action I did. This is me with my fellow interns when I was in the US.

Now you can come and help spread the word about animal rights here in London at PETA Europe! As an intern you'll be helping with grassroots outreach activities—including stunts, demonstrations and tabling events. Woweee! Interns also do office work, prepare mailings, write letters and work on special projects. You can read more about the internship duties here.

To apply, download PETA Europe's intern applicant form. Need to know more? All you need to know is listed on the FAQ section!

Check out some recent demo photos from here in London that some of our volunteers got to help out with:




Hope to see some of you soon!

The Women of Bluewater Comics Would Rather Go Naked Than Wear Fur March 9, 2009

Posted by Marta at March 9, 2009 12:09 PM | Permalink | Comments ( 10 ) | TrackBack

With Watchmen hitting theaters recently, comics are having yet another moment in the pop-culture sun. And if you're a fan of the indies, you probably know Bluewater Comics. You may have read their "sequels" to some of your fave Hollywood mythology films—like The Seventh Voyage of Sinbad, Clash of the Titans, and Jason and the Argonauts—or you might be more familiar with their monthly books, such as 10th Muse. But I bet you didn't know that the people behind Bluewater are huge PETA supporters. Although, based on how awesome they are, I'm sure it's not exactly a shock.

Our friends at Bluewater have just created the latest ad in PETA's "Rather Go Naked Than Wear Fur" series, featuring four of their biggest stars—Emma Sonnet from 10th Muse, Diana Moore of JudoGirl, Scarlet of VSS: Nemesis Rising, and Isis from the Legend of Isis—posing au naturel to protest the cruel fur industry. Check out the ad below:

Why are the lovely ladies of Bluewater taking it up (er, off?) with the fur industry? Animals on fur farms spend their entire lives in cramped, filthy cages and are killed by neck-breaking, head-stomping, or anal or vaginal electrocution.

Who's the next comic book character you want to see in an ad for PETA? Let me know by posting a comment below. Personally, I'm voting for my man Hellboy (I just finished Darkness Calls and it was great!).

MySpace Layouts For You March 2, 2009

Posted by Pulin Modi at March 2, 2009 9:24 AM | Permalink | Comments ( 4 ) | TrackBack

After being flooded with requests to make MySpace layouts and then rolling a few of them out for campaigns including Fur Is Dead and Woof, we've now built a whole page of different layouts for you to put up on your MySpace.

It's simple to use. Just copy and paste into your About Me section and be sure you're using the regular layout design for your MySpace and not the Layout 2.0.

Here's a quick example of how it looks on my page.

Fancy, right? Grab one for your own page here.

So which are you going to put on your page? Meat's Not Green? Fur Is Dead? Not A Nugget? Evil. Col. Sanders? Meat Is Murder? Woof?

Let us know which you like so we can consider making more, and remember there are plenty of ways to get active online.

Caption This Photo February 19, 2009

Posted by Marta at February 19, 2009 3:41 PM | Permalink | Comments ( 22 ) | TrackBack

What caption would you use to go along with this photo? Comment with it below.

Don't forget to write to Armani to urge him to keep the promise that he made by permanently removing all fur from his collections.

Help Stop the Seal Slaughter February 18, 2009

Posted by Marta at February 18, 2009 1:11 PM | Permalink | Comments ( 3 ) | TrackBack

We always like it when people come up with unique ways to get a message across. A few years back, we posted the claymation video below about Canada's annual seal slaughter. It's so well done that we had to share it again:

Intense, right? Now of course, we never condone violence toward anyone—but this video is a great way to get people thinking about the seal slaughter that takes place every year in Canada.

Last year, more than 205,000 seals were killed during Canada's annual seal slaughter. The way these animals are killed is truly horrifying: Seals have their skulls smashed in or are shot and then skinned for their fur. Many seals are skinned alive on the ice while still conscious.

What can you do to help? Click here to write to the Olympic Organizing Committee and the Canadian Prime Minister and demand that they help bring an immediate end to the seal slaughter. All eyes are on Canada as it prepares to host the 2010 Winter Olympics. Let's hope they set a positive example for the rest of the world and stop the seal slaughter!



P.S. Canadians, we're going to have a special contest for you soon that involves hanging out with a band. Stay tuned for more info.