Thursday, March 29, 2012

Green Drinks Invercargill March 2012

I had a great time at Green Drinks Invercargill tonight, with fellow vegan friends Dan and Katharine :-)

Green Drinks is a great meeting place for conversations about our environment, be it through talking about Animal Rights, Energy Efficiency, Alternative Fuels or through informal meetings with other people at cafes :-)

Green Drinks happens globally, its great to be part of a movement here in little old Invercargill, New Zealand :-)

Schedule for next Invercargill Green Drinks




Wednesday, March 28, 2012

Hare Krishna meeting Invercargill March 2012


Tonight I decided to visit a meeting of Hare Krisha after seeing their card at our local Countdown supermarket, I'd walked to Countdown (playing Zombies, Run as I went!) to take photos of Vegan products for the INVSOC website, and I just happened to spot this on my way out!







Well, at the suggestion of "Veg Food", I wanted to visit to learn more, were they Vegan?  Did they promote Veganism?  Were they interested in bolstering Invercargill Vegan Society membership by joining???

My dear friend Dan, the first other Vegan I'd ever met attended with me.  The Veg Food is Vegetarian, but not Vegan (yet! theres always hope!), it included mothers milk from cows, so Dan and myself politely declined.  We'd brought some Banana Bread and cake in the hopes of supporting the group in giving away Free Veg(an) Food, but as it was not properly blessed as it was made, it was left to us.

Group organiser Jana (pictured below) was very kind and gracious, as we sat with the group and chanted prayer, danced and discussed Krishna together.

International Society for Krishna Consciousness

Over twenty people attended, and it was really nice to be around friendly, inviting and welcoming people.

While I really cannot see myself moving away from an Atheist position on life, that I do not believe in any supernatural world or beings, that we have one life and our destinies are our own to shape (with a little help from our friends!), I really appreciate the upbeat and friendly welcoming we received from Jana and all the Hare Krishna here in Invercargill, bottom of New Zealand :-)

Jana was kind enough to let me ask him a few questions, which I've recorded and will include in my next podcast episode.  I asked about Veganism and being a Hare Krishna, if there was a connection and if it made sense to include Veganism (without taking milk from cows) as a tennet of respect and peace, and Jana was also gracious enough to chant the Hare Krishna mantra for me :-)

Its always lovely to learn about new things, and to see the perspective of another!










Similar religious groups linked to Veganism/Vegetarianism:
Having met a local Hare Krishna group who offer "Free Veg Food" and our Seventh Day Adventist friends who demonstrate great healthy Vegan recipes, why not meet the Quakers too? :-)

Sunday, March 18, 2012

Music video recorded in Invercargill, street where I work

Stan Walker is an Australian musician, his style is sort of like RnB mode Chris Brown, or Bruno Mars.

Recently, a new single "Music Wont Break Your Heart" was recorded in New Zealand, presumably because we're cheap, and desperate to have EVERYTHING recorded here!

The video was actually shot here in Invercargill, home of the Invercargill Vegan Society funnily enough, and includes main scenes on Crinan Street, where I work :-)

The first scenes start off with A Typical Invercargill Dance Off, with Orphans Raised On The Mean Streets Of Invercargill decked out in the branded clothing of the Oakland Raiders (America), New York Yankees (America) and a "Samoa" t shirt, for the nation of Samoa.

Because, when you're wanting to record scenes of a grimy, run down city in New Zealand, your first thoughts are....INVERCARGILL!

Two Little Boys is a movie soon to be released, featuring Brett from Flight of the Conchords and some Australian guy, again, they wanted a bashed up, hell hole of a place...so they shot in Invercargill, blocks from where I live, gee, doesnt that make me feel great? :-)



The story about "the little girl who wanted to ride a whale" refers to Whale Rider

Trailer for Whale Rider

Not to forget that other great movie about Invercargill world speed record holder Burt Munro, as played by Hannibal Lecter

The Worlds Fastest Indian, also filmed sort of around the suburb of Glengarry

Trailer for The Worlds Fastest Indian

Back to the music video, such dance offs are quite common on the streets of Invercargill < / sarcasm >

Really, you would have thought these punk kids would have learnt by now :

"You better run, you better do what you can 
Don't wanna see no blood, don't be a macho man 
You wanna be tough, better do what you can 
So beat it, but you wanna be bad 

Just beat it, beat it, beat it, beat it 
No one wants to be defeated 
Showin' how funky and strong is your fight 
It doesn't matter who's wrong or right 
Just beat it, beat it 
Just beat it, beat it 
Just beat it, beat it 
Just beat it, beat it "





The "Music Wont Break Your Heart" video starts off in the North Invercargill suburb of Glengarry, well known for its affluent mansions and Lamborghini dealerships < / sarcasm >

The dance off begins, where he's soon hassled by the local American/Samoan branded hoodlums.

Google Maps, Glengarry Mall from start of video

By 36 seconds through the video though, the shamed kid has somehow teleported to Crinan Street, the diagonally opposite side of Invercargill, the suburb of Appleby, a good few kilometres away.

My work is on Crinan Street, actually just a block from the scenes shown.


The kid further goes on to dance and generally spazz out, as though he were having a seizure, kicking over our Yellow lidded, once a fortnight Recycling bins, and even our weekly Red Rubbish bins!  He indeed listened to Mr Jackson, he runs off, like a little scaredy cat coward.

Google Maps, corner of Connon, Crinan Streets

The flats (apartments) and house with the odd window

Stan Walker himself materialized in the middle of a closed-off-to-the-public-during-music-video-recording Crinan Street, where he gazes into infinity, singing a tale about publicly "krumped off" kids, you know, on The Mean Streets Of Invercargill



From there, the running, flipping, stumbling, bumbling no doubt mumbling kid somehow ends up on the Kingston Flyer, a train some ~140KM away from the thuggish Invercargill suburbs of Glengarry or Appleby.

The train is known for throwing off sparks, and starting fires alongside the track

You know, this kid may not have a career in Street Dance-ery, apparently paralyzed by the diegetic presence of others, but as soon as he's in the middle of nowhere, freed from The Mean Streets Of Invercargill, he can slow motion prance and spin and churn with the best of them!  (as long as nobody else, music video camera crew aside, are around)

The video finishes off with Generic New Zealand Scenes, as you'll see in The Hobbit.  Sadly, no Water Horses Summoned By Elves ran him down :-(

Here in its entirety of the Invercargill street dancing version of 8 Mile music video: "Music Wont Break Your Heart" by Stan Walker




And just in case the official video has been helpfully made "unavailable in your region", heres a backup I've uploaded :-)



As one sign at the entrance to Invercargill city proclaims "Invercargill, where dreams are possible", although apparently only once you're beaten up by local "youth gang" members, causing you to run away to Queenstown! :-)





Blogs promoting Southland coverage
========================

Day One on Set
http://www.southlandnz.com/Home/Blog/ID/359/On-Set-with-Stan-Walker-Day-One.aspx

Day Two on Set
http://www.southlandnz.com/Home/Blog/ID/361/On-set-with-Stan-Walker-Day-two.aspx

Local Newspaper The Southland Times coverage of the music video
===================================================

http://www.stuff.co.nz/southland-times/culture/6445622/Idol-winner-connects-with-local-children

"Invercargill might not seem like the most obvious place to shoot a music video, but for Stan Walker it was perfect.
The Kiwi-born musician, who won Australian Idol in 2009, was in town yesterday to film his latest video for the song Music Won't Break Your Heart alongside about 20 Invercargill children at the Glengarry shopping centre.
On a break from the shoot, Walker said Invercargill was one of several South Island locations used during the five-day video shoot, including Kingston and Queenstown.
"We just wanted to show the real parts of New Zealand, the mountains, the journey, everything," he said."
http://www.stuff.co.nz/southland-times/culture/6576916/Walker-raves-about-southern-hospitality-on-video-shoot

Listener Survey

I would love to know what you think about Coexisting With Nonhuman Animals, to make the show more enjoyable to listen to.

This survey should take a couple minutes to fill out, it would be much appreciated if you would :-)

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/389MGLJ




Photo of Black Chick added in hopes it will encourage you to come out of the wilderness and show your lovely feathered thoughts and opinions about the show

Friday, March 16, 2012

Episode 79 Martys Flying Vegan Review

Episode 79 Martys Flying Vegan Review

This episode we are joined by Marty, of Martys Flying Vegan Review, where the Vegan pilot shares his wonderful adventures in aviation and herbivorous culinary delights with us poor, poor jerks who live without convenient Vegan Restaurants, send us a "doggy bag", ok Marty? :-)


Listen now by downloading directly from here or, better yet, subscribe in iTunes to get each episode automagically!
Coexisting With Nonhuman Animals iTunes link



Thank you for listening to Coexisting With Nonhuman Animals.

You can find the script for this episode, as well as downloads for every episode of Coexisting With Nonhuman Animals at  www.coexisting.co.nz



If you want to contact me, I'd really love to hear from YOU, please send me an email to info@invsoc.org.nz

I'm also on Facebook and Twitter, Jordan Wyatt, W Y A T T

Thank you for listening.

Sources
======

Marty McFly, Back to the Future

Pure Imagination, a major theme from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory


"Ticket to Ride" The Beatles

"Lift Off" Watch the Throne (Kanye West and Jay Z)

Springbok Tour Flour Power

Plane clip used

Monday, March 12, 2012

March 2012 INVSOC Potluck

Another month, another fantastic Vegan potluck in Invercargill, New Zealand!



Russell, Natalie, Dan, Steve and Kerri attended, along with their son Jessie.  Special invited guests were Dave and Vicky Kennedy, the soon to be Green Party prime minister and first lady of New Zealand!  Such an honour to meet the Kennedys now, while we have a chance to influence them with Lasagne and Banana Bread, before we have to grovel and scrape along with the rest of their subjects :-)







I brought along Banana Bread with "Zucchini and Corn Party Quiches"





A fine time was had by all, as heard here in this on the spot interview  :-)

(May need permission to play in your web browser)

Wednesday, March 7, 2012

Episode 78 Interview With A Pro Tester

Episode 78  Interview with a Pro Tester

Interview with Animal Experimentation campaigner Tom, of Pro Test and Speaking Of Research, two groups which promote medical experimentation on Other Animals.

Also featuring The Animals Film and BBC "One Planet: Animals and Us" by Victor Schonfeld, Women's "Suffrage", Geocaching, Scary English Women and Michael Jackson!



Listen now by downloading directly from here or, better yet, subscribe in iTunes to get each episode automagically!
Coexisting With Nonhuman Animals iTunes link


Hello and welcome to another interesting episode of Coexisting With Nonhuman Animals.

Today, I'm joined by Tom from Speaking Of Research, a group promoting Animal Experimentation, as in, the group is *for*, not against Animal Experimentation.  When I first came across Tom's first group, Pro Test based in the United Kingdom, I actually didn't know if it were serious, or a contrarian prank.  A few years ago, I made up some pamphlets calling for an "End to Womens Suffrage in New Zealand", which I left at our local public library.

Veganism and Technology are my two main interests, promoting Animal Rights, spending time with Hen Friends, and organizing Vegan Potlucks, and never shutting up about how wonderful Apple is, how great Steve Jobs was, seeing text on the greater than 300 dots per Freedom Unit inch Retina Display on my iPhone 4 for the first time was like seeing, as Michael Jackson would say, "divinity in motion".


I'm interested in geocaching, where you use American military satellites in space to find plastic lunchbox containers, hiding in public parks around the planet.  Theres over 100 geocaches hidden around my city of Invercargill, New Zealand, at the bottom of the world.  You use a GPS device, such as a glorious iPhone, you select the geocache you'd like to find, and its shown using Google Maps, where it is on the map, satellite view works well so you can see buildings, trees etc, and then how far away you are from the geocache's location, 328m, 327m, 326m…..and so on.

My first geocache that I ever placed, that I ever hid for other geocachers to find is called Ms Ogyny.  Its a cache asking for the repeal of "Womens Suffrage" in New Zealand.  Heres the geocaches description, which people can read before they find the small plastic container hidden inside a natural little "cave" among a trees roots, covered over with bark and leaves. 

(I wanted something which might throw people off to the meaning of the term "suffrage")





"Fear is the path to the dark side. Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering." Master Yoda, Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace

Friday, March 2, 2012

"Cat did it!" Someone knocked over a water bowl!

This is the nonsense I have to put up with! :-)

Thursday, March 1, 2012

Episode 77 Black Chick and Good Feelings

Episode 77 Black Chick and Good Feelings


Black Chick, colour changing feathers, comets, fireworks and "all of the lights", Meatfree McCartney, ABC="Factory Farming", 2012 Surf to City Funrun, Team Vegan, the Happiest of Meats, Pretty Lights, Avicii, Flo Rida, Etta James, Tupac and Bruce Hornsby, Veganism and Black Presidents: "Thats Just The Way It Is"



Listen now by downloading directly from here or, better yet, subscribe in iTunes to get each episode automagically!
Coexisting With Nonhuman Animals iTunes link


Hello and welcome to another fine episode of Coexisting With Nonhuman Animals.


I've been so busy with other endeavors, I've fallen behind on the show.  I currently have two other interview episodes recorded, waiting to be produced, an interview with a PRO animal experimentation advocate, as in, someone who starts groups that march with banners ENCOURAGING animal experimentation, and another interview with my friend Marty, of Martys Flying Vegan Review .com, a pilot who visits as many Vegan restaurants as possible, and shares his wonderful adventures with all his loyal readers, myself included.




Recently I saw a stock truck, a large two trailer unit, the size of say, two buses joined together, which usually carry sheep to slaughter, quite possibly bulls and cows too.  Just as upsettingly, I saw a very small truck, labelled "ABC Foods".



A truck from ABC foods, the same exact "factory egg farm", with "battery cages" where my Rescued Hen friends were saved from, legally by my friends who get them when they are due to be killed, they ask the farmer for Hens.  ABC Foods is an innocent sounding name, when its whats labelled "factory farming" of female birds..  The sides of the truck have this whimsically "cute" looking mother hen, gazing down with big dumb eyes at her chicks, who are looking up at her….the image of a "chook".  I really do hate that word, "chook", its mostly an Australian term used for a Hen, but it has sort of "silly" connotations, you might use it to be "oh stop being a silly choke", or that if your children are sick, home from school, "I've got a couple of sick chooks to look after".  I think of the term "chook" as being like "mongrel", like how it used to be fairly common for dogs to be called "mutts", and cats were "moggies", its not a dignified sounding term, like I think Hen and Rooster are, Chickens has no such baggage.  I would never call my Hen Friends "chooks".

Think about the image on the side of the ABC truck, a Hen sitting on a straw nest, with chicks, her babies, her children, she is their mother.  Of course this could NEVER happen at the farm, the Hens will never see a Rooster, the baby roosters are killed as soon as possible at the breeding facilities, since they will never have a female cycle, to pass eggs through their bottoms, they are KILLED, so the Hens will never have their eggs fertilized by a male Chicken, a Rooster, they will live as lonely spinsters trapped in wire mesh cages, no straw in sight, no sex, no reproduction, no children, no whimsical cartoon of motherhood, like depicted on the "factory farm"'s trucks.  Its blatantly false advertising, if nothing else, that we can feel good about the company, "awww, cute mother hens!".  And how often do we think about what REALLY goes into the Non Vegan foods we buy?  That we may be continually "shocked!" by the "amazing new footage of animal welfare cruelty on tv!", we may actually smile at the logo on the farms trucks, dropping off cardboard trays of eggs all over the city, but we wont put the two together, that the products we buy *are* from those places where other animals are seen as things, be it on "factory farms", or "free range farms".  The idea that someone could watch "shocking expose footage" on television, aimed at changing an Animal Welfare law, and then smiling as they go to the supermarket and buy "barn raised" eggs, with a silly looking cartoon of a proud mother sitting on a straw nest with no doubt peeping chicks underneath her is ridiculous, these eggs could well be from the same exact "farm" shown on television.


Social Conditioning, where we "just know" that Hens equal eggs which equal chicks, we know where their babies come from, from inside the eggs (we often seem to be a little less clear that a male Rooster is involved, the Hen gets all the credit for Chicken Parenting), and we are still ok with EATING those eggs, the effective wombs for unfertilized eggs inside, the potential children of a female bird, kept in a cage, never to see daylight, much less Pina Coladas, a romantic walk on the beach, even in the rain, flowers and a phone call in the morning.


I don't want to sound negative for this episode though, complaining bitterly about logos on the sides of trucks and the word "chook" wont help anyone!


Recently, I ran in the 2012 Surf to City funrun, from Oreti Beach to Queens Park, in the middle of Invercargill.  Its 12km in length, and to be fair, I jogged the first four kilometres or so, then alternated jogging with "power walking", I wasn't setting any world records :-)