Etsy for Animals Blog Feature

Thanks to the Etsy for Animals blog for featuring some of my earrings today!

Funky (in a good way) Earrings

New earrings in my jewelry shop...they are vintage lucite. Very big and bold, yet very light.

Bloggers Unite For Human Rights

Today, bloggers around the world have been asked to write about human rights. It seems fitting that there are advances today--the rejection of the same-sex marriage ban by the California Supreme Court--as well as set-backs--the natural disasters in China and Myanmar made tragedies by the difficulty getting food, water, and shelter to those affected. Listening to NPR, I heard that Obama volunteers, especially those in high school, are being subjected to overt racism, which is just maddening.

Many people believe that vegans or animal rights activists care only about animals, but the truth is that we aim for compassion and respect for all beings. Regardless of our political or religious beliefs, I believe this is the mindset to which we must all aspire.

Organizations with more information (taken from Bloggers Unite site):

• Amnesty International (http://www.amnesty.org/) is a worldwide movement of people who campaign for internationally recognized human rights for all. They work to improve human rights through campaigning and international solidarity.
• Human Right Watch (http://www.hrw.org/) is dedicated to protecting human rights of people around the world. They stand with victims and activists to prevent discrimination, uphold political freedom, protect people from inhumane conduct in wartime, and to bring offenders to justice.
• Youth For Human Rights (http://www.youthforhumanrights.org/) is an independent non-profit that educates people about the Universal Declaration of Human Rights so they become valuable advocates for tolerance and peace. [Shalya, one of my students last semester, loaned me a DVD with 30 public service announcements, each one focusing on one of the rights. Gut-wrenching, though a little funny when UN officers screech into a frame to rescue a man in danger of being executed. But maybe UN officers are more active than I give them credit for.]
• The Unitarian Universalist Service Committee [my addition (http://www.uusc.org/)] advances human rights and social justice across the world.

Adorable George

When Chris was visiting, she and George went to Kim's to see her menagerie--horses, dogs, goats, turtles, koi--and Chris took this picture of George. He usually doesn't look so happy. I wonder if it is because I stayed home...hmmm.....

In this picture, he is in Kim's backyard holding her two beloved chihuahuas and her new puppy (middle) who is just too cute! One of the chihuahuas has a pacemaker.

Ollie's Place Update

On April 15 (in the "Cat Shelter Needs Help" entry), I reported that Ollie's Place, a shelter for cats in New York City, was in danger of shutting its doors due to funding issues. I just learned that enough donations were raised to quell the imminent threat of closure. Hooray!

Ollie's Place Website

"Vegan Etsy Team" Treasury

Roni, from Daisy Wares, included a pair of my earrings in this treasury:



Roni is great--you can access her blog in the links on my sidebar. She makes vegan jewelry and vegan bath/body works, and a portion of her sales are donated to Animal Place, a farm animal sanctuary in Vacaville, CA.