HERE

A maddening example of discrimination against vegans

Sat, 31 Dec 2011 16:11:55 -0500

A maddening example of discrimination against vegans:

One of the great and incredibly misinformed aspects of conventional living is the belief that adhering to the status quo renders one ideologically neutral. For some of these (by loose definition, very average) people, that fallacious premise rationalizes the tyranny of “personal choices,” in which a convoluted principle against spreading one’s principles – usually amounting to the advancement of a “freedom to oppress” – emerges. For other status quo adherents, this faux neutrality rationalizes a conceit in which anyone who bucks the status quo in a way that threatens convention is seen as a threat – not just to the status quo, but to the practitioners of that status quo. (The response is not then “Am I correct?” as it should be, but instead: “Am I offended?”) Anyway, I don’t know which response is worse, but here’s a maddening example of the latter, made worse because it is perpetrated by those who have made careers out of using their brains.

The intellectual bankruptcy of corporatism (Kevin O’Leary)...

Mon, 17 Oct 2011 13:34:09 -0400

The intellectual bankruptcy of corporatism (Kevin O’Leary) goes up against the intellectual richness of basic realism (Christopher Hedges). Spoiler alert: Corporatism gets destroyed.

I’m just now catching Van Jones’ speech at Occupy...

Wed, 12 Oct 2011 21:50:00 -0400

I’m just now catching Van Jones’ speech at Occupy Wall Street a few days ago, and it’s pretty darn good. I don’t know if it’s the first use of the term, but in the video he calls bankers “banksters,” which, insofar as it calls to mind the word “gangsters,” is far more accurate. By the way, if you haven’t witnessed the “human mic” concept that is a central functional element of the movement (because protesters can’t use amplification devices in the park where they/we are hunkered down), this is a great opportunity.

"What do you get when you mix utter ignorance and a mind able to ask, ‘Why’?"

Wed, 22 Jun 2011 08:16:00 -0400

“What do you get when you mix utter ignorance and a mind able to ask, ‘Why’?”

- David Brin, Earth

The Reagan Admin's response to AIDS in 1982, years before it stopped ignoring the epidemic

Mon, 07 Feb 2011 17:14:06 -0500

Q: Larry, does the President have any reaction to the announcement -- the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta, that AIDS is now an epidemic and have over 600 cases?

Mr. Speakes: What's AIDS?

Q: Over a third of them have died. It's known as "gay plague." (Laughter.) No, it is. I mean it's a pretty serious thing that one in every three people that get this have died. And I wondered if the President is aware of it?

Mr. Speakes: I don't have it. Do you? (Laughter.)

Q: No, I don't.

Mr. Speakes: You didn't answer my question.

Q: Well, I just wondered, does the President ...

Mr. Speakes: How do you know? (Laughter.)

Q: In other words, the White House looks on this as a great joke?

Mr. Speakes: No, I don't know anything about it, Lester.

Q: Does the President, does anyone in the White House know about this epidemic, Larry?

Mr. Speakes: I don't think so. I don't think there's been any ...

Q: Nobody knows?

Mr. Speakes: There has been no personal experience here, Lester.

Q: No, I mean, I thought you were keeping ...

Mr. Speakes: I checked thoroughly with Dr. Ruge this morning and he's had no -- (laughter) -- no patients suffering from AIDS or whatever it is.

Q: The President doesn't have gay plague, is that what you're saying or what?

Mr. Speakes: No, I didn't say that.

Q: Didn't say that?

Mr. Speakes: I thought I heard you on the State Department over there. Why didn't you stay there? (Laughter.)

Q: Because I love you Larry, that's why. (Laughter.)

Mr. Speakes: Oh I see. Just don't put it in those terms, Lester. (Laughter.)

Q: Oh, I retract that.

Mr. Speakes: I hope so.

Q: It's too late.

Acknowledgement: This transcript was quoted at the beginning of Jon Cohen's book, Shots in the Dark: The Wayward Search for an AIDS Vaccine, 2001. http://www.amazon.com/Shots-Dark-Wayward-Search-Vaccine/dp/0393050270

T.E.M. STYLE: Win a prize package from The Ethical Man

Mon, 03 Jan 2011 19:29:09 -0500

T.E.M. STYLE: Win a prize package from The Ethical Man:

Via The Ethical Man:

A great organization called Vegan Mainstream wants to increase their FB page by 1,000 followers in the next 36 hours. Ambitious to be sure, but I think they can do it. For one thing, it’s tied in to a compelling theme that resonates with the vegan movement’s fashion insurgence — “Veganism: The New Black.” For another, we at The Ethical Man are providing a… modest… and thematically appropriate gift package to the person who manages to recruit the most likes for VM:

Okay, maybe “modest” is the wrong word!

If you’d like a shot at winning this great collection, check out VM’s run-down of the way this thing will work. Good luck!

New band photos for HERE, in advance of our debut record. Can...

Tue, 28 Dec 2010 13:10:00 -0500

New band photos for HERE, in advance of our debut record. Can you see the story they tell? Photographed by Jasmine Wilson - www.JasmineMaika.com

100 shows for Haiti: Lights Resolve, Sainthood Reps, and HERE

Mon, 27 Dec 2010 13:25:00 -0500

Folks, we’ve got an amazing show coming up on January 6th. Not only will there be three great bands (including Derrick Sherman of Brand New), but it will be for the worthy cause of helping Haiti get back on its feet after last January’s devastating earthquake. With 100 shows happening around the country, we have a chance to make a big difference together.

Here are the details:

What: 100 Shows for Haiti, LI edition
Bands: Lights Resolve, Sainthood Reps (w/ Derrick Sherman of Brand New!), and HERE
Where: The Ethical Humanist Society of Long Island, NY / 38 Old Country Rd / Garden City, NY (map)
When: Thursday, January 6th, 6-10pm
Cost: $10, with all proceeds going to Haiti
Mass Transit: LIRR to Mineola station (30 mins from NYC)

A big thanks to Andy at Sparrow Media for making it happen. See you there!

I’m hesitant to bring a side argument of the vegan...

Thu, 09 Dec 2010 02:32:00 -0500

I’m hesitant to bring a side argument of the vegan movement (so-called “welfarism” vs. so-called “abolitionism”) to the fore, but this is just too good not to post. Enjoy.

Nell for Full Time Fabulous

Tue, 07 Dec 2010 19:18:00 -0500

Nell for Full Time Fabulous:

Via theethicalman:

Remember when I asked you to vote to support my friend Nell’s pursuit of a fashion blogging position with Sunglass Hut? Well, it paid off. Nell was selected as one of ten finalists to compete in a grueling, hardcore, winner-take-all, month-long blog-off. And deservedly so. Her experience, sophisticated aesthetic sense, and inimitable drive make her uniquely qualified. My only reservation is that she will take the position so seriously that it becomes even harder to make a date with her.

But friends forgive. Check out Nell’s finalist blog, and remember to comment, rate, and otherwise interact as much as you’d like. Engagement is one of the key metrics they’re using to pick the final winner, so every positive thing you do will help Nell finally earn a well paid position doing what she’s been tirelessly doing for years as an under-appreciated contributor to Paper, Interview, NBC, OurStage, and so many more.

Thanks,
Dan

Nell is a great supporter of HERE (see that quote up there on the sidebar, for example!). Please help her out. Thanks guys.

This is just some of the cruelty you’re supporting when...

Wed, 24 Nov 2010 13:18:00 -0500

This is just some of the cruelty you’re supporting when you eat a turkey on Thanksgiving. After the initial mutilations and indignities featured in this video, those birds that survive are subjected to daily terrors right up through the slaughter.

It’s easy to go vegetarian, if not vegan, on Thanksgiving. Think about it, and take a look at these mouthwatering cruelty-free holiday recipes collected by the New York Times. (Read the paper’s entire vegetarian Thanksgiving blog series here.)

Urgent: Vote for Nell!

Tue, 16 Nov 2010 13:13:00 -0500

Urgent: Vote for Nell!:

Our great friend Nell is in a position to win an amazing fashion blogger position with Sunglass Hut. She’s near the top of the pack, but she needs our votes to bring it home. Voting ends tomorrow, so please — take a minute (literally 60 seconds) to vote right now. Once you’ve voted, you’ll receive an email requiring a single-click confirmation of your vote. And that’s it — you’re done.

Nell deserves this. She’s been busting it for years in the toughest town in the world (ahem, New York City!), trying to make it as a journalist. She’s relentlessly covered fashion, music, film premieres, underground events, and general nightlife for Interview, NBC, Fabric, Time Out New York, OurStage, and at least 10 other publishers. Nobody deserves this more than her. Nobody! (Read a profile of her at Pomp & Circumstance, which she also writes for.)

Fortunately for the world, Nell has ethics. She’s vegan-friendly and passionately anti-fur. She’ll be a stronger voice for animals than just about any other mainstream fashion commentators. She’s also a total cutie:

So, let’s get her there! All you have to do is take a minute (probably less) and vote. You can vote multiple times using each of your various email addresses once, so feel free to double, triple, or quadruple your impact. Vote, vote, vote!

Thanks guys,
Dan

(via The Ethical Man)

Bipartisanship is for suckers

Mon, 15 Nov 2010 13:20:00 -0500

Obama spoke yesterday, doing his best to self-destructively misinterpret the recent election results:

I neglected some things that matter a lot to people, and rightly so [such as] maintaining a bipartisan tone in Washington…

No. No. No. Nobody cares about bipartisanship. Nobody. They care about results. The only reason you think otherwise is because Republicans have learned they can cow you with it.

Obama also said he should have “[made] sure that the policy decisions that I made were fully debated with the American people.” If you think people care about bipartisanship, here’s a good start: Make the argument that bipartisanship is a two-way street — and since Republicans just won’t obey traffic lights, it’s our moral obligation to get them off the road.

Honestly, does he think the media or the public want a policy debate? Does he think they’re even mentally equipped for one? More than enough people to make up the margin between victory and defeat on election day don’t know anything about policy. They just know a leader when they see one.

In the absence of leadership, the media will amplify the loudest voices, and the mindless middle will vote for them. Be strong and you’ll attract the center, because the center is ruled by social and psychological cues, not policy calculation.

Obama’s apologies for not being even more reasonable in the face of Republican obstructionism are laughably weak. The irony is doubled, given that he thinks doing so will somehow improve Democratic electoral prospects.

"Proposition B is very similar to Obamacare. They’re expecting all the breeders to sit there and pay..."

Sun, 14 Nov 2010 14:34:00 -0500

“Proposition B is very similar to Obamacare. They’re expecting all the breeders to sit there and pay for exorbitant amounts of care that are not needed. Like adequate food, adequate water, adequate space…”

- Anita Andrews, director of the so-called Alliance for Truth, who wouldn’t know truth if it was staring her in her stupid, stupid face. Prop B recently passed with only 52% of the vote (a shamefully thin but good-enough margin) in Missouri, establishing basic minimum care standards in large pet breeding facilities in Missouri. (h/t Green Is The New Red)

Mix is DONE.

Fri, 05 Nov 2010 16:26:11 -0400

MIX. IS. DONE!

"Will either side draw the right lessons from this midterm election? Mr. Obama, and his party, have..."

Wed, 03 Nov 2010 10:35:00 -0400

“Will either side draw the right lessons from this midterm election? Mr. Obama, and his party, have to do a far better job of explaining their vision and their policies. Mr. Obama needs to break his habits of neglecting his base voters and of sitting on the sidelines and allowing others to shape the debate. He needs to do a much better job of stiffening the spines of his own party’s leaders.”

- NY Times Editorial Board, today (link). The key piece of this passage is the part about neglecting the base. We’re the ones who donate, who talk to friends, who create grassroots media, who blog, who write letters to editors, who comment on articles — in short, who are influential. We’re also the ones who vote — when we aren’t being shat upon. If the NY Times editorial team gets it, the enlightenment of Democratic politicians is past due.

Dear President Obama & other "bipartisan" Democrats:

Wed, 03 Nov 2010 02:11:00 -0400

This is addressed to those of you who compromised. Who “threw bones.” Who fawned. Who laughed. Who shook hands. Who capitulated.

Over and over, you got one Republican senator to vote for priority legislation in committee only, at the expense of more effective policy.

You did all of this to look moderate. To win votes come election season. How’d that work out for you?

Do you really think things could have been any worse? You lost an election, in the grandest terms of the modern era, even though the victorious party is more hated than you are. You lost to a corporate-funded “movement” that is morally and intellectually bankrupt in the most obvious terms.

The alternative was to stand strong, together. To fight back. Perhaps it’s at least conceivable that your electoral prospects might have been similarly poor had you stood strong; but it’s inconceivable that things could have been worse. Republicans, for all their stupidity and malice, should have taught you that.

Stand strong. No matter what.

If you’d made Republican senators literally filibuster; if you hadn’t tabled priorities at the mere threat of a Republican filibuster; this country would understand that Republicans are to blame for the lack of strong solutions to all the problems we face. Instead, you never made the assholes follow through on their threats. You never gave them the delightfully horrible PR situation of filibustering politically, mathematically, and morally righteous health insurance reform. Investment banking and housing reform. Civil rights reform.

Republicans voted against health care money for 9/11 responders, and still you couldn’t make them pay politically! They started a trillion-dollar war on false pretenses in the name of 9/11, and you couldn’t make them pay — politically and legislatively — for 9 billion dollars of health care for those who were there? Back then, you caved to the hysterical opinions of red-state soccer moms who quite insanely believed they were under threat on 9/11; but you couldn’t make Republicans pay for failing to honor the health needs of those who risked everything, without promise of reward?

Speaking of health, you could have pushed a health care bill that reflected ours and your principles — a single-payer bill set to initiate in 2010, instead of a compromised bill that couldn’t even muster the inclusion of a 70%-supported public option, set to fully initiate 2.5 election cycles later, in 2014. If you had, things could not have been worse for you politically. But at least you’d have enacted a policy that works, a policy that would have given you a chance in this election.

Will you learn? Will you understand? Or are you like Republican voters — easily manipulated, psychologically disturbed, reality-disconnected?

Yes, the average American is an ignoramus. But what is politics except the art of communication? And you know what communicates better than anything? Courage. Followed closely by real-world policy.

In this election, reality stares you in the face. You were weak. You lost. If you want to win: stand strong, together. And you must win.

A set of rules to live by:

1. The media need you (not the other way around).
2. Progressive policies — because they take into account reason, science, and history — work.
3. Republicans are bad-faith negotiators. They will never meet you halfway. Their promises are empty, their intentions malicious.
4. You are held to a different, stricter set of rules and standards regarding your intelligence and your conduct. Embrace and exceed them.

I send you a cry in the night. A plea for sanity and duty, upheld. If you heed it, you will succeed. Ignore it, and you lose. We all lose, even those of us who don’t realize it.

This is your wake-up call. You’re already late. Now it’s time to make up for it.

"Ask the experimenters why they experiment on animals, and the answer is: “Because the animals..."

Tue, 02 Nov 2010 16:25:00 -0400

“Ask the experimenters why they experiment on animals, and the answer is: “Because the animals are like us.” Ask the experimenters why it is morally okay to experiment on animals, and the answer is: “Because the animals are not like us.””

- Charles R. Magel, highlighting one of the many contradictions animal exploiters embrace to rationalize their cruelty.

REMEMBER. Vote. But don’t vote Republican. REMEMBER.

Tue, 02 Nov 2010 14:05:49 -0400

REMEMBER. Vote. But don’t vote Republican.

REMEMBER.

I steal something of yours. You accidentally retaliate in the...

Sun, 31 Oct 2010 16:00:00 -0400

I steal something of yours. You accidentally retaliate in the smallest of ways. I torture and kill you in response.

Does that sound right to you on any level?

As the above video depicts, a village in India surrounded, tortured, and killed a terrified baby elephant. See, these village people don’t like elephants, because elephants trample their crops — you know, the crops those people planted in the same place where they destroyed the elephants’ home.

Events like these, in which humans assume the right to treat other animals however we please without respect to the interests of those animals, happen everyday around the world. It’s happening right now to more than 50 billion animals globally on factory farms. To millions of animals in horror-film testing labs. To millions of wild animals being netted, sport-hunted, or poached. To thousands of animals forced into circuses, rodeos, fights, and races they don’t understand and would never elect to engage in, if left alone.

There may be no greater irony than the fact that we humans use “animal” as a slur against the members of our own species whom we deem too violent or barbaric. Fact is, animals (of the non-human variety) haven’t got anything on us when it comes to committing senseless acts of brutality. They’re the victims of a pack of thieves called homo sapiens which steals homes, bodies, and lives, and which destroys families, livelihoods, and psyches, as a matter of perceived right.

It’s morally irrelevant that the victims of these crimes are not human. A baby elephant feels as much pain as you do when it is stabbed by a spear. It fears aggression as much as you do. It feels as safe with its family as you do. It strives to live a happy and healthy life as much as you do.

You can end your participation in all of this. Go vegan.