+EV Elaine Vigneault - read my mind

Who Threatened Who?

noreply@blogger.com (Elaine Vigneault) — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 10:47:41 -0500

There is a running theme among the stories of police who kill dogs. They often claim to kill the dogs because "they feel threatened." Yet the evidence often shows that one or more of the dogs killed were running away. The dog was the one who felt threatened.

Recently:

"As the police came in, Calvo said, they shot his 7-year-old black Labrador retriever, Payton, near the front door and then his 4-year-old dog, Chase, also a black Lab, as the dog ran into a back room."

Emphasis added. Source: Washington Post

Regarding The Term "Moral Schizophrenia"

noreply@blogger.com (Elaine Vigneault) — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 11:22:44 -0500

One flaw with this defense of the term "moral schizophrenia" is the assumption that schizophrenia is "an organic disease."

I object to the use of the term "moral schizophrenia" partially because of that assumption. Schizophrenia is not "an organic disease." Schizophrenia is a psychiatric diagnosis, that is, a label. It's a label applied to people who think differently. This label is sometimes also claimed by the person assigned the label, but not always.

The pejorative use of the word "schizophrenia" comes from the "disease" assumption. Psychology and psychiatry are young sciences that shouldn't have the power they have to label, confine, forcefully medicate, stigmatize, and otherwise oppress persons who see the world differently than the majority. Schizophrenia is a label, a negative label, not necessarily a disease.

Though the word does indeed have multiple meanings, the use of the word in a negative context - specifically a violent one - referring to humans' private states of minds nonetheless marginalizes and supports the oppression of people classified as "mentally ill." Already, the public has a very strong FALSE belief that people who are labeled schizophrenic are violent. These people deserve better than to have well-meaning pro-animal people using a term that further marginalizes them and enforces the WRONG stereotype that schizophrenics are violent.

For more info, google "Psychiatric Survivors" and "schizophrenia." You might also want to google "anti-psychiarty" and "big pharma."

Added later:
The fact that the word "schizophrenia" has multiple definitions doesn't matter. The word "gay" has multiple definitions, too. It's still inappropriate for people who don't identify themselves as gay to use the word in a negative context because of the social meaning of the word "gay" and implications that using the word have on real people's lives.

Another example: "whore." While it may be true that one definition of whore is "a venal or unscrupulous person" the use of the word is not appropriate for academic and serious theoretical papers and books regarding truly unscrupulous people: those in charge of animal agriculture in the United States. The word has a strong negative connotation that hasn't yet been reclaimed by those hurt most by it (women) and so it should not be used seriously by anyone who doesn't claim the label themselves.

Moreover, there are perfectly adequate alternative terms to capture the concept of "moral schizophrenia," for example:

moral hypocrisy
ethical confusion
two-faced morality
moral inconsistency
ethical incongruency

So Wrong

noreply@blogger.com (Elaine Vigneault) — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 13:44:00 -0500

Dapple lies on the dining room table, Ed poses in the background.

BTW, that table and the fridge were purchased used. They're great! I love them.
The stools are from Ikea. The microwave, stove, and dishwasher came with the house. The granite is a bit ostentatious, but you know what? I'm learning to love it. The tiles are not my favorite and two are damaged, but they do help keep the rooms cool, which is nice for Vegas. The yellow walls are not my first choice either, but like the granite, they're growing on me.

Privilege and Veganism

noreply@blogger.com (Elaine Vigneault) — Sun, 03 Aug 2008 20:32:02 -0500

"The majority of the vegan/vegetarian community seems to be white and privileged."

Sigh. This shit is getting old.

Listen folks, it's called white privilege for a reason. When white people do shit, others notice it more than when people of color do the same shit. Rich, white vegans get book deals and TV coverage. Poor, black vegans don't get the same treatment. That's due to white privilege, not veganism.

Just because you see a bunch of whites doing something doesn't mean people of color aren't doing it too.

Let's unpack the fucking napsack already, OK? Starting with this: I'm white so I'm privileged. That privilege seeps into all that I do, including my veganism. So, yeah, I'm a privileged white vegan.

But veganism itself is not a privilege. That is, living a life that "seeks to exclude the use of animals for food, clothing, or any other purpose" does not necessitate privilege. The vegan philsoophy is to cause as little harm as possible. It's not about abstaining entirely from all harm. Living as a human in a community with other humans causes some harm to some animals. Veganism is not about being pure and clean. It's about refraining from harming animals as much as you can, given your abilities.

So, if you're not me, your veganism will probably look different than mine. If I can afford to shop at Whole Foods (aka "Whole Paycheck") my veganism will differ from a vegan who can only afford to shop at WalMart. If I live in a community with year-round farmer's markets, my veganism will differ from a vegan whose food must be imported. If I have Internet access and the ability to read, my veganism will differ from a vegan who doesn't have those things. In fact, my experience may be entirely different.

Someone else may not even use the word "vegan" because to them it connotes privilege. But they may behave in similar manners to me. They may read ingredient lists. They may browse cookbooks. They may make similar consumption choices. They may live a life based on the ethics of causing the least harm possible to animals, including humans. They may share the basic, vegan principle that animals deserve inclusion into the moral community.

There is little privilege involved in the decision to live an ethical life. If one is capable of including humans into their moral considerations, they are capable of including animals as well.

Update On The Move

noreply@blogger.com (Elaine Vigneault) — Sun, 03 Aug 2008 13:11:24 -0500

About half of the unpacking is done. We still have boxes everywhere. And we still haven't bought all the furniture and other stuff that we need. For example, we bought a washer and dryer, but...

Consumer Reports says most people keep their washer and dryer for 11 years or more. Since I've never owned a washer and dryer I don't have serious preference about them. I know I want something that's energy efficient and I don't want to spend too much money. I also don't want a really ugly appliance that's bright yellow or purple or something. Other than that, I don't care too much.

So I decided to use Craigslist and try to get a used washer and dryer. I figure I can save a few hundred dollars and I can upgrade a little later when I have a better idea of what I really want. So I found a nice, three-year-old Maytag pair for only $300. Yes, both appliances for only $300.

The ad says the dryer is gas. I asked the woman on the phone if it's gas, she says yes. When I go to see them and decided to buy them I asked again if the dryer was gas. I didn't look at the back of the machine since it was in the back corner of her storage unit. So, STUPIDLY, I made the deal and handed over the cash.

Before I go any further, let me say I've spent way more than $300 on Craigslist deals and ALL the others were just fine. MOST people really are good and honest.

We load up the washer and dryer. We get the pair home and even load them into the laundry room. It wasn't until I tried to hook them up that I noticed the dryer was electric. Ahhh! Not only does electric use more energy and cost more to run, but my laundry room isn't wired for an electric dryer!

So... we haven't even hooked up either and we haven't decided what to do. Our options:

Resell the pair - honestly (recover most or all of our costs, spend more on new set)
Donate the pair (recover a small part of our costs through tax deduction, spend more on new set)
Sell or donate the dryer (recover most or all of our costs, spend more on new dryer)
Call an electrician to wire up the laundry room (recover no costs, spend a little to make dryer work)

Basically, we've just decided to procrastinate.

And by the way, we've taken the same route for the car. We've been in Vegas about a month and we still haven't bought a car. We've been renting and borrowing cars/trucks/SUVs. The car we want is a little hard to find and our last experience with a dealer made us not want to go back to a dealership for a while - we made a deal and he promised us the car (with options and color we want) within the week. But he didn't keep his promise. Ugh!

Unrelated: Why Vegan Is The New Atkins

The Foreclosure Dog's Letter To His Person

noreply@blogger.com (Elaine Vigneault) — Sat, 02 Aug 2008 19:17:03 -0500

I've modified a popular classic letter to suit the times:

You bought a house! You finally had a yard so you decided it was time for a dog. You chose me out of all the other dogs. As a puppy, I entertained you with my antics and I made you laugh. You called me your baby and carried me closely. Despite some chewed boxer shorts and a few broken mini-blinds, I became your best friend. Whenever I was “bad,” you’d shake your finger at me and ask “How could you?” but then you’d relent, and roll me over for a bellyrub.

My housebreaking took a little longer than expected, because you were terribly busy, but we worked on that together. I remember those nights of nuzzling you in bed and listening to your secret dreams. I remember running in your new, big backyard. I believed that life could not be any more perfect. We went for long walks and runs in the park, car rides, and BBQs. I took long naps in the backyard sun waiting for you to come home at the end of the day.

Gradually, you began spending more time at work to get paid for overtime. I waited for you patiently, comforted you through the bill-paying frustrations and the debt collector's calls. I never chided you about bad decisions, I never cared about your FICA score, and I never threatened to garnish your wages or repossess your car.

The letters kept coming. The phone kept ringing. Your employer froze wages and stopped giving overtime. Your new second job helped, but is wasn't enough. You stroked me kindly when they took away the car. You told me you'd buy us a new one and that everything would be OK.
Then the bank took the house.
There had been a time, when others asked you if you had a dog, that you produced a photo of me from your wallet and told them stories about me. These past few months, you just answered “yes” and changed the subject. I had gone from being “your dog” to “just a dog,” and you resented every expenditure on my behalf.

Now you will be moving to an apartment that does not allow pets. You’ve made the right decision for your financial future and your family, but there was a time when I was your family too. There was a time when I wasn't just a backyard accessory, I was your "baby."
I was excited about the car ride until we arrived at the animal shelter. It smelled of dogs and cats, of fear, of hopelessness. You filled out the paperwork and said “I know you will find a good home for him.” They shrugged and gave you a pained look. They understand the realities facing a middle-aged dog, even one with “papers.”
You had to pry your son’s fingers loose from my collar as he screamed “No, Daddy! Please don’t let them take my dog!” And I worried for him, and what lessons you had just taught him about friendship and loyalty, about love and responsibility, and about respect for all life. You gave me a goodbye pat on the head, avoided my eyes, and politely refused to take my collar and leash with you. You had a deadline to meet and now I have one, too.

After you left, the two nice ladies said you probably got in over your head. They shook their heads and asked “How could you?”

They are as attentive to us here in the shelter as their busy schedules allow. They feed us, of course, but I lost my appetite days ago. At first, whenever anyone passed my pen, I rushed to the front, hoping it was you that you had changed your mind that this was all a bad dream…or I hoped it would at least be someone who cared, anyone who might save me. When I realized I could not compete with the frolicking, happy puppies, I retreated to a far corner and waited.

I heard her footsteps as she came for me at the end of the day and I padded along the aisle after her to a separate room. A blissfully quiet room. She placed me on the table and rubbed my ears. She told me not to worry. My heart pounded in anticipation of what was to come, but there was also a sense of relief. The prisoner of love had run out of days. As is my nature, I was more concerned about her. The burden which she bears weighs heavily on her, and I know that, the same way I knew your every mood.

She gently placed a tourniquet around my foreleg as a tear ran down her cheek. She said she never got used to this. I licked her hand in the same way I used to comfort you so many years ago. She slid the hypodermic needle into my vein. As I felt the sting and the cool liquid coursing through my body, I lay down sleepily, looked into her kind eyes and murmured “How could you?”

Perhaps because she understood me, she said “I’m so sorry.” She hugged me, and hurriedly explained it was her job to make sure I went to a better place, where I wouldn’t be ignored or abused or abandoned or have to fend for myself. A place of love and light so very different from this earthly place. And with my last bit of energy, I tried to convey to her with a thump of my tail that my “How could you?” was not directed at her. It was you, My Beloved Person, I was thinking of. I will think of you and wait for you forever.

May everyone in your life continue to show you so much loyalty.

Veggie Awards Survey

noreply@blogger.com (Elaine Vigneault) — Sat, 02 Aug 2008 18:22:30 -0500

You should take the VegNews annual survey for the Veggie Awards!

You don't even have to be veg :)

Go here to take the survey >>

Ed and Joey

noreply@blogger.com (Elaine Vigneault) — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 19:41:28 -0500

Joey plays Ed's guitar. Tries to play, I should say.

I Heart My Kitchen

noreply@blogger.com (Elaine Vigneault) — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 13:09:00 -0500

I am loving my new kitchen! Wow, all this space to cook and prepare food. Room for all the appliances and dishes. Room for two or more people to prepare foods at one time. I just love it!

The other night my nephew Joey helped me prepare a curry dish (from Vegetarian Times, recipe below). There was plenty of room for us. We weren't bumping into each other. And there was plenty of room for when Ed and Mary finished work and came to the kitchen to eat.

We ate at our new dining room table and finished off with some non-dairy dessert sandwiches. It was fantastic!

Curried Potatoes

1-1/2 Tbsp veg oil
2 medium onions, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced (1 Tbsp)
4 large yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
3 carrots, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces (1 c)
3 Tbsp Madras curry powder
1 15-oz can black beans
3 medium tomatoes, coarsely chopped (1-1/2 c)
1 c low-sodium vegetable broth
2 jalapeno chilies, seeded
1 tsp balsamic vinegar

Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add onions and garlic, and
cook 5 to 7 minutes, or until onions are soft and translucent. Stir in
potatoes, carrots, and curry powder, and cook four minutes.

Add beans and their liquid, tomatoes, broth, jalapeno chilies,
vinegar, and 1 c water; season with salt and pepper. Cover and simmer
45 minutes or until potatoes are flaky and carrots are cooked through,
stirring occasionally.

I modified the recipe based on what I had available. I used red potatoes instead of yukon. And I added peas and bell pepper since I didn't have carrots. I've made it with carrots before and it's really tasty. The carrots give it a nice sweet flavor so a better substitute would be red or orange bell peppers, but the recipe is more about the potatoes and the curry than the carrots, hence the name "Curried Potatoes" not "Curried Carrots and Potatoes" :)

PS - I thought the curried potatoes might be too spicy for Joey so I had a back-up plan of rice and soy sauce with faux chicken strips, since the kiddo loves rice. But here's something I learned yesterday that many parents probably already know: kids are more likely to eat "adult" or "unusual" foods when they are involved in preparing them. Kids are like adults that way and they take pride in their work and appreciate things more when they understand the effort involved. Joey loved the potatoes and ate it all right up.

We did remove the jalapenos from his portion when he wasn't looking just in case. And I knew better than to suggest an alternative. Kids are more likely to eat what's in front of them when they don't know they have other options and when everyone else is eating the same thing, raving about how tasty it is.

Big Food Makes Big Americans

noreply@blogger.com (Elaine Vigneault) — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 10:58:12 -0500

It's not shocking that Americans eat too much. I just didn't know how much.

"We’re eating 3,747 calories/day on average when the recommended average is somewhere around 2,000?!?!?!!!!" (source)

I'll put that into perspective. I'm 5'10", which is about 4 inches taller than the average American woman. I weigh around 170 pounds, which is about 10 pounds heavier than the average American woman. I eat about 1600 to 2600 calories a day depending on my activity, my weight loss goals, the food available, my mood, etc. I am right at the cusp of "healthy weight" and "overweight" according to US governmental guidelines.

The average American eats over 1000 more calories a day than I do and I'm sure they don't burn it off at the gym or on the farm.

Since it's the average, that means it's a social problem. Certainly some people do manual labor and require 3000+ calories. Some people are athletes and require 3000+ calories. Some people have medical conditions that require 3000+ calories a day. But on average, 3747 calories a day is too many. On average, it's wasteful, it's unhealthy, and worse, it's not being dealt with properly.

While the mainstream media is talking about "The Obesity Epidemic" and making individuals feel guilty, few are seriously tackling the root causes of this problem:

School Cafeterias: unhealthy school lunches that are packed with meat, dairy, and junk food and light on fresh fruits and veggies, (read more regarding cafeteria lunches here)
The Government: inadequate guidelines for nutrition and nutritional data for processed and fast foods,
Big Food: misinformation and propaganda regarding nutrition in schools, on TV, and elsewhere.

Moving into our new place slowly but surely

noreply@blogger.com (Elaine Vigneault) — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 10:59:06 -0500

The movers came yesterday so we finally have our stuff. Now we just have a ton of boxes to unpack...

I hate moving. Its so stressful.

Idiots

noreply@blogger.com (Elaine Vigneault) — Sun, 27 Jul 2008 14:07:24 -0500

Maybe it's just me, but I think people who claim that humans are so much smarter than any other animal that all other living beings are merely resources for human use rather than individuals should learn how to copy and paste.

Babysitter: "I'll starve the child because I can't be bothered to feed him healthy fruits and vegetables."

noreply@blogger.com (Elaine Vigneault) — Sun, 27 Jul 2008 16:28:59 -0500

I think the most difficult things about veganism and vegetarianism is when the vegan or vegetarian can't prepare his or her own foods and must rely on omnivores, some of whom are not at all accommodating. For example, when the veg*n is a child, hospital patient, or prison inmate and the care-giver or guardian is an omnivore who doesn't understand or doesn't respect vegetarianism or veganism.

Having been a vegetarian child and also a vegetarian "hospital" patient I know first-hand about some of these difficulties: having to constantly defend your habits, and having to ask for or demand fair treatment. Now that I'm vegan, some of these things are even more difficult, though luckily for me, I'm no longer a child or patient. But now I'm also seeing veg*n life from another angle: my vegetarian sister and her vegetarian son experience some of the frustration.

Today, my nephew's babysitter complained that she didn't want to watch him because he "doesn't eat anything." She complained that he doesn't eat chicken and so she couldn't feed him.

Ugh, I just wish it were easier for people like my nephew. And I hope experiences like this don't mean he'll grow to share my resentment of omnivores.

SLO Dream Town

noreply@blogger.com (Elaine Vigneault) — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 13:14:46 -0500

My mom likes to remind me why she won't move to Las Vegas (yet):

"The current issue of Sunset magazine shows San Luis Obispo a lot of love this month, featuring the city as one of its top 10 Dream Towns - or, as the editors say, places to go 'for the perfect vacation, or the perfect rest of your life.'" (source)

Craigslist Finds

noreply@blogger.com (Elaine Vigneault) — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 21:31:00 -0500

Only in Vegas... (not really).

Marketing 101

noreply@blogger.com (Elaine Vigneault) — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 11:01:32 -0500

If you're still talking about it years later, it's a marketing success.

"People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals constantly sets back its cause with boneheaded moves, like the ad it ran juxtaposing photos of penned-up animals with starving Jews in concentration camps." (source)

Offensive? Perhaps.
Successful in getting attention to the cause of animal rights? Absolutely.

Argue that PETA ads like that one are offensive, but don't claim they don't work. Clearly, the public's consistently loud reaction to offense makes offense a successful publicity stunt.

And by the way, the movement is growing, either because of or despite PETA's "boneheaded moves."

My Blog Archives

noreply@blogger.com (Elaine Vigneault) — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 10:49:46 -0500

If you're wondering why you can't find some of my old blog posts, it's because they're on the old server and I haven't moved things over yet.

I do plan to resurrect my old blog. I just need some help to do it. Ed can help me, but not right now. With the move and related expenses my blog is pretty low on the priority list. So, please stay tuned. Eventually I'll get those archives back up and running.

How To Write A Classified Ad

noreply@blogger.com (Elaine Vigneault) — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 19:56:48 -0500

I've been shopping a lot on Craigslist lately for our new home. Classifieds are great to save some money, be less wasteful, and help people out, but I don't even waste my time with 80% of the ads because they don't do the following:

Put the price in the title. And use a descriptive title. "CHEAP STEREO" will grab attention, but it's not very helpful. In fact, if I'm looking for a high quality stereo, I'm likely to pass on the add that's titled "cheap." A title like "HIGH QUALITY BOSS STEREO - ONLY $100" will probably work better.
List the item's key features. Don't write a novel about your stuff, just list the main points so readers can quickly scan the info. For example, "Gently used ceramic clown stands 3 feet high. His blue, green, yellow, and red paint match virtually any decor," is better than "Clown statue was given to me by my mother-in-law. It doesn't match my new carpet."
Add a picture. A picture really is worth a thousand words. Try to move all extraneous items out of the way and take the photo during daylight. A dark or cluttered photo is almost as bad as no photo at all. If you can't take a picture of your item, try to find something similar online and use that picture (with a note in the ad that the picture isn't the actual item, but looks similar.)
Be honest. There's nothing worse than answering a classified ad and finding out the person who wrote the ad was lying. A little positive spin is fine, but don't cross the line into dishonesty. For example, "1965 Mustang runs great, but has cosmetic blemishes" is better than "Classic Mustang in perfect condition."
Be realistic. You're not going to get more than half what you originally paid for the item (unless you're really really crafty) so don't bother. Even if I like your stuff I'm not going to bother contacting you if your price is way too high. Do your research and see what price other people are selling similar items for. And take into account the context - you can't sell expensive rare artwork on Craigslist for the same price you could garner from an art auction. People who shop classified ads usually want a good deal, not your grandmother's arts and crafts.

So, there you have it: my thoughts on how to write a classified ad.
:)

Hammering Lautner Into Fashion

noreply@blogger.com (Elaine Vigneault) — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 11:38:47 -0500

By the way, my grandfather's architecture is currently featured at the Hammer Museum in Los Angeles. Here are some links:

Online Videos by Veoh.com

New House Smell

noreply@blogger.com (Elaine Vigneault) — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 12:31:33 -0500

Our new home smells like a foreclosure. This is NOT my dream home...
At least, not yet.

Update July 15th: I wrote that on my iphone and just wanted to send a short message suggesting my ambivalence about this move and our decision to return to Vegas. Here's the longer version...

There's something about the movie theater that makes films better. Renting the DVD just isn't the same. It's community: the shared experience aspect of being a part of the audience makes movie-watching better, in my opinion. The same holds true for some other events, like buying a home. Having purchased our modest home in the Las Vegan falling market is tinged with more sadness than excitement. Our gain came at another's loss. And there are many, many more losses still to come. I would have felt differently had we bought our home when it was more in fashion to buy.

While purchasing a new garbage disposal at Lowes yesterday, the cashier, perhaps because I was a stranger, unloaded her troubles on me. She told me all about her recent break-up with her husband, her father's decision to rent his home to her ex rather than her, their recent burglary wherin the culprits stole her car keys and came back later for her car, her mother's stroke, and other personal misfortunes that aren't really all that personal given that an economic depression increases property theft crime, divorce, and stress/diet-induced sickness. I felt sick to my stomach and cried on my drive back to my "new" home.

I thought about how these foreclosures mean that...

...undocumented workers are giving up on "America" and they're going back to their countries of origin. When those who've risked their lives to live The American Dream (TM) decide the dream is an illusion and they're better off in their native lands, we've got some pretty big problems...

...cats and dogs are being abandonded in empty houses or animal shelters because their people can no longer care for them. And so the annual 3 to 4 million cats and dogs killed because no one will adopt them will rise and more and more animals will die...

...people who can't afford health insurance will get sick and many will die...

...crime will increase and the gap between the rich and the poor will widen...

Being a depressive sort, I'm likely to see the world through a realistic pessimism. But I try to consciously change my thought patterns and make myself more optimistic. I hope for a better future and I work to try to create a better future for myself, my heirs, and everyone. This is where some of my (vegan, feminist, etc) activist-leanings come from - a conscious effort to turn negatives into positives, both in my own mind and in the outside world. So I thought about the positives of our new home:

- We'll be near Joey and we can help him with his homework everyday,
- We'll be closer to our moms and can visit often,
- We'll have the homelife stability that I desperately crave and that's so very important for children and pets,
- We'll have room for a real garden so we can grow our own fruits and veggies,
- We'll be better financially prepared for the future,
- I'll get my daily dose of sunlight needed to stave off depression and vitamin D deficiency,
- The house location and layout is well-suited to our needs and desires,
- My sister, Mary, who lives nearby, is our built-in pet-sitter,
- It's not a fixer-upper; it just has a few issues like former tenants who didn't know how to paint,
- Otis likes the new sinks:

Sorry

noreply@blogger.com (Elaine Vigneault) — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 23:31:24 -0500

Sorry I haven't been blogging lately. I've been on the road. We left
Manhattan a few days ago. Soon we'll be living in Vegas again. I'll
have more updates for you tomorrow, along with some vegan travel
advice :)

- Elaine

Things I Find Odd About Manhattan

noreply@blogger.com (Elaine Vigneault) — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 14:22:00 -0500

Coffee to-go comes in a bag. A bag.
"Regular coffee" comes with milk and sugar. If you order it black, sometimes they'll jokingly ask for your ID.
Grocers and other vendors often put paper bags inside of plastic bags.
The taxicab shift change happens at right about rush hour.
Dog parks have gravel. (In Vegas, the dog parks have grass.)
Doormen. They're everywhere!

Chew On This

noreply@blogger.com (Elaine Vigneault) — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 11:05:17 -0500

From the US Carbon Savings Table from Meat The Truth:

"If all Americans did not eat meat for one day a week, they would save 99.6 megatons of greenhouse gas emissions. This would save 46 million return flights from New York to Los Angeles and back from Los Angeles to New York."

"If all Americans did not eat meat for three days a week, they would save almost 300 megatons of greenhouse gas emissions. This would have a
greater impact on the climate than replacing all US cars with Toyota Prius models."

"If all Americans abstained from eat meat for five days a week, they would save 498 megatons of greenhouse gas emissions. This would result
in carbon savings equivalent to planting 13 billion trees in your garden and letting them grow for ten years. That is 43 trees per American!"

"If everyone in the United States ate a vegetarian diet for seven days, they would save around seven hundred megatons of greenhouse gas emissions. That would be just the same removing all of the cars in the USA off the roads."

Veg*ns, Help Me?

noreply@blogger.com (Elaine Vigneault) — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 17:01:18 -0500

I'll be on the road soon driving across the country. If you know of any vegan or vegetarian restaurants close to Interstates 70 or 80, please let me know by emailing me at elaine @ elainevigneault.com. Thanks :)

I'll check HappyCow, too of course :)

Who Doesn't Like This?

noreply@blogger.com (Elaine Vigneault) — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 11:10:00 -0500