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18 Nov 2011 15:29

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Biz: McDonald’s drops egg supplier after gruesome video release

  • This is a warning that there is a systemic problem, not just at one barn or one location.
  • Former FDA food safety chief David Acheson • Discussing the situation at Sparboe Farms, the main producer of McDonald’s eggs — well, until now. See, thanks in large part to an undercover video shot by animal rights organization Mercy for Animals (which will air on ABC News’ “20/20” and “World News Tonight” Friday night), the company dropped the egg supplier. According to the company, “the behavior on tape is disturbing and completely unacceptable.” If you have the stomach for it, you can see the video over here, but it’s not for the faint of heart. It’s as bad as you’d expect, considering the buildup. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

27 Jun 2011 11:07

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U.S.: San Francisco wants to ban pet sales. Good idea or terrible one?

  • A case of local government overreach? In San Francisco, officials are pushing a bill that bans the sale of pets. Say whaaaaaaaaaaa? See, The Humane Pet Acquisition Proposal merely started out as a bill banning the sale of dogs and cats produced in puppy mills or kitten factories — as part of a push to improve adoption numbers. (Which is actually a pretty good idea, if you think about it.) But suddenly, the bill’s scope broadened dramatically, and now includes pretty much any type of pet you can buy in a store — from goldfish to gerbils, bunnies to birds. However, the bill has a pretty big loophole: If you plan to buy a live animal for the purposes of eating, a law already on the books allows that. So, just claim that it’s rabbit season and that you plan to eat Bugs Bunny, and you should be fine. (photo via flickr user blmurch) source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

30 Mar 2011 13:55

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U.S.: PETA wants to rename “The Tenderloin”

  • [San Francisco] deserves a neighborhood named after a delicious cruelty-free food instead of the flesh of an abused animal.
  • PETA’s Tracy Reiman • Regarding the city’s notorious Tenderloin district. The TL, as some call it, is a notoriously rough area near San Francisco’s financial district; according to local lore, it’s named after the preferred cut of meat for neighborhood cops overflowing with bribe money. PETA is offended at this carnivore-centric nomenclature, and wants to rename the neighborhood “The Tempeh,” after the soy product. Once again, PETA really ought to consider picking their battles more carefully. Besides, renaming it “The Tempeh” might imply that the corrupt cops preferred cruelty-free food. And we don’t want to glorify corrupt cops, do we? source
Posted by Seth Millstein • 0 Comments • Permalink

20 Apr 2010 20:03

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Politics: People like today’s Supreme Court ruling on dogfighting

  • The ruling struck down a law barring the distribution of animal cruelty videos. Today’s Supreme Court decision may be the strongest across-the-board decision they’ve made in a while, finding in favor of documentary producer Robert Stevens, who sold dogfighting videos that violated a 1999 law (and was jailed for the practice). In this case, free speech won, but by the way everyone’s talking, you’d think both sides won:
  • Free-speech fans A lawyer for the Cato Institute, which filed a brief in the case, said it was a win for free speech, no matter what kind: “The government’s effort to remove any area of public expression from the First Amendment’s protection would have been highly troubling.”
  • Animal Cruelty fighters The U.S. Humane Society saw silver lining in the court’s 8-1 decision: “The Supreme Court’s decision gives us a clear pathway to enact a narrower ban on the sale of videos depicting malicious acts of cruelty, including animal crush videos and dogfighting.” source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

19 Apr 2010 21:27

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Biz: Our latest AOL News article takes on the Egg McMuffin

  • Last week, McDonald’s told the Humane Society to shove it. They wanted the fast food titan to make a modest change to the living standards of egg-laying hens. But the company’s board said no. Why? Our latest AOL News article examines the issues behind a major animal rights fight. (Image courtesy Farm Sanctuary) source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 8 Comments • Permalink

25 Feb 2010 10:50

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Culture: PETA already regrets posting about this Tiger Woods billboard

  • PETA posted about this billboard and then, just a few hours later, took the post down. Wonder why. Doesn’t seem controversial on its face, does it? source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

21 Aug 2009 10:32

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Politics: PETA pisses off pretty much every fat woman on the planet

Overweight women, feminists, consumer groups, random bloggers, conservatives, liberals and nice guys and jerks think this message is mean. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink
 

27 Jul 2009 20:14

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Politics, Sports: PETA grabs onto Michael Vick’s collar, doesn’t plan to let go

  • He has served his reduced sentence, but no child should ever look up to Vick as a role model. And for the sake of all the young football fans and all the dogs he electrocuted, drowned, slammed to the ground, and hanged, we are going to watch him like a hawk.
  • A statement from PETA • Regarding the release and conditional reinstatement of Michael Vick, which we’re sure will mean weeks of additional entertainment from animal rights group. SEA KITTENS WHAT?! (Disclosure: When we were laid off, we considered applying for a job with PETA, as we’re longtime vegetarians and are such for animal rights reasons. Plus, PETA is located in our adopted hometown of Norfolk, Va. But just because we have some positive opinions of what they stand for doesn’t mean we’ll agree with their means.) • source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 4 Comments • Permalink

13 Jun 2009 19:57

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Offbeat: People for the Ethical Treatment of Drama have a problem with Seattle

  • Killing animals so you can toss their bodies around for amusement is just twisted.
  • PETA senior campaigner Ashley Byrne • On the famous, long-popular trend of throwing fish at Pike Place Fish Market. In response, Jeremy Ridgway, a manager at the market, notes: “I mean, the fish are dead. The thing is, we’re not laughing and making fun of them. . . . It’s just Point A to Point B. That’s why we do it.” We’re guessing if the workers started throwing tofu or possibly even falafel, it wouldn’t have the same level of popularity. • source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

05 Feb 2009 08:01

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Offbeat, U.S.: Animal rights group: We’ll give you the 411 on Sarah Palin

  • Sarah Palin isn’t fading into the background, so neither are we. Given her known political aspirations, the American public deserves to know what she’s doing in Alaska, and about her extreme anti-conservation policies.
  • Rodger Schlickeisen • Defenders Action Fund President, regarding her support of a predator-control program in Alaska that allows for aerial hunting, which involves – we’re not making this up – shooting wolves from helicopters. Defenders recently launched a site attacking and giving updates on the former Veep candidate and current Alaska governor. Palin says their campaign “perverts” the issue. • source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink
 
 
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