Spay Day USA 2008 Pet Photo Contest

You must go see the winners of this photo contest. The pictures will make you smile and the stories will make your eyes tear!

Link

Etsy Treasury: Meatout

To celebrate Meatout, Molly of Emma's K-9 Kitchen and also the leader of Vegan Etsy, created an Etsy Treasury featuring some items from Vegan Etsy members. My "What a Pig Necklace" (the sale of which benefits the Farm Sanctuary) was included!

At the time, I didn't realize what a huge deal this was, but it's very hard to even create a treasury much less be featured in one. So thanks, Molly! Thanks Vegan Etsy!

Don't Forget: Visit my jewelry store for special meatout promo!

The Three Trillion Dollar War

Today is the fifth anniversary of our invasion of Iraq. Don't blame me. I lobbied against this war five years ago. Bush insists that he made the right decision, but his recent poll numbers suggest that most of the country disagrees.

Linda Bilmes on Our 'Three Trillion Dollar War' from NPR
Joseph Stiglitz on Our 'Three Trillion Dollar War' from NPR

A Message from Defenders of Wildlife

The news for polar bears is bleak -- polar bears could disappear entirely from Alaska within 50 short years due to a drastic decline in Arctic sea ice. But Big Oil and their allies in Congress are willing to sell out our vanishing polar bears for a few barrels of oil. Well, I'm doing something to protect Arctic wildlife and our polar bear's last stand -- and I hope you will, too.

It's easy to get involved -- Just take action online at the website below:

http://action.defenders.org/arcticwilderness

Polar bears and other Arctic wildlife are facing a double-barreled threat from Congress and the Bush/Cheney Administration. President Bush is calling for Arctic National Wildlife Refuge drilling in his budget. And Sens. Ted Stevens and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska have introduced legislation to link drilling plans to gas prices -- despite federal estimates that such drilling would do next to nothing to reduce gas prices.

Drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge would, however, threaten the most important land-based habitat that America's vanishing polar bears have left.

Please urge your Senators to reject the latest Arctic Refuge drilling plans and permanently safeguard this special place by designating portions of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge as federally protected wilderness -- take action online now at:

http://action.defenders.org/arcticwilderness

My Name in Print

My recent updates in the Chicago Alumni Association magazine.

Poor Bees!

Yesterday, a trailer en route to Oregon carrying millions of bees in almost 450 colonies overturned near Sacramento. Media coverage (links below) have focused on the dollar loss of the bees who are prized due to their shrinking population and ability to pollenate Northern California crops like almonds. The number of bee stings endured by "rescuers" was also a favorite topic. Of course, the rescuers were there to reclaim the bees--not for their own sake but for their value. The bees are treated like commodities, like goods, the same as if a trailer filled with tshirts overturned. The bees just wanted to get back to their own hive, with their queen bee, but because of the number of colonies and disorientation from the crash, many couldn't find their way home and became aggressive. As an afterthought, NPR reported that hundreds of thousands of bees were killed. This is why vegans don't eat honey.

NPR story
Sacramento Bee Story
Who is Killing Nature's Precious Bees (about bees, not crash)

Great American Meatout Promotion

In celebration of the Great American Meatout, I am donating 20% of sales made in my jewelry shop, Aimee Dars Designs, to the Farm Sanctuary. This promotion runs from today, Monday, March 17, through Friday, March 21.

Thanks, Vegan Flower!

I was featured on The Vegan Flower blog today!

Quote of the Day

Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.--Martin Luther King, Jr.