"Southland Seal Stoner", of men who throw rocks at seals

A recent uproar in my area has been about a group of men who threw stones at a seal resting on land, a "protected" animal.  The group had taken photos and video, which were on their Facebook page. 

The story can be seen here, the second link, to The Southland Times contains the video of the seal being hit with stones:



http://www.3news.co.nz/Default.aspx?TabId=423&articleID=186062&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3a+co%2fHCaY+%283News-+Latest+News%29&ce2637=1


http://www.stuff.co.nz/southland-times/news/4339620/Southland-man-guilty-of-seal-attack


Its interesting how Saturdays edition of The Southland Times led with the story,

"Judge Phillips said McKenzie's behaviour was atrocious and not the first time he had attacked an animal, which was the reason for his jail term and not a fine.
In August last year McKenzie was sentenced to 250 hours' community work for cutting the ears and tail off a stolen domestic pig with his friend before setting it free in a forest where he hunted.
The pig was later found with its wounds infested with maggots and it had to be treated with penicillin when returned to its owners.
McKenzie justified his actions by saying the pig had a better chance of surviving being hunted by pig dogs because it had no ears, Judge Phillips said."

"“This court is here to protect the defenceless, and that includes those types of animals.”"

http://www.stuff.co.nz/southland-times/news/4342305/Animal-abuser-jailed-other-killings-still-unsolved

Ah, so the "defenceless" are SOME "types of animals", but not others, just as deserving of our respect, such as Chickens, Sheep, Cows, Ducks, Pigs...

There is no ethical difference between throwing rocks at animals, cutting ears of other animals, or killing animals for our "food", the group are said to be Freezingworkers (slaughtermen), we shouldnt be harming animals, nonhuman or human.

As explained by Gary Francione, We're All Michael Vick:
http://www.philly.com/dailynews/opinion/20070822_Were_all_Michael_Vick.html

Another "sorta" Vegan caught out, Alicia Silverstone

As tweeted by Mylène

"Alicia Silverstone drools over BK veggie burger, then advocates using honey on her blog, now she admits to eating cheese: http://is.gd/gX2Pj "

What a wicked cult of celebrity we create by worshipping "Famous People who go (often sorta) Vegan", just another case of a PETA spokeswoman being "caught out"....

""Being flexible that way makes more people comfortable," she said. "If I'm rigid about it and I'm perfect, then no one is going to be able to be like me because I'll be this icey, rigid thing.""

I dont think anyone is "perfect", although I sure as hell try to be when it comes to avoiding harm towards others. And what a lame excuse it is, when you might point out something we do, and to have another person comment "oh, we cant ALL be PERFECT  you know...", similar to "you're just a DO-GOODER!"  I personally dont see any great efforts in being Vegan, in most cases, its a matter of picking Product X (Soymilk) instead of Product Y (the milk taken from Cows), often which are on the very same shelf!


"Even a proud vegan like [sic]Alicia Silverestone gives in to temptation once in a while."

I can assure you "Us Magazine", I'm never close to being "tempted" when it comes to so much as looking at dead flesh, and the byproducts we take from animals.  The thought of eating something nonvegan; the blood, the guts, their chopped off heads, their dead skin, a mothers milk, the "Hen's Periods" that are their eggs....UGH! 

For more on Veganism, please visit
http://www.abolitionistapproach.com/

"Kedgley's animal cruelty bill defeated in Parliament"

"The Greens' Sue Kedgley made a passionate appeal in Parliament tonight for an end to the suffering of factory-farmed animals but her member's bill was defeated 62-57.
The bill would have phased out sow crates and battery hens over five years and it had the backing of all parties except National and ACT.
"Parliament has the chance tonight to right a terrible wrong and end the suffering millions of factory-farmed animals suffer every day," Ms Kedgley said."


"Whatever weasel words are used, those who vote against my bill will be voting for animal cruelty to continue indefinitely."
...Ms Kedgley had wanted MPs to be allowed conscience votes on the bill, which would have removed party control, but Speaker Lockwood Smith refused on the grounds that it dealt with an issue that was primarily economic.
That reasoning was rejected by Ms Kedgley who said animal cruelty was a moral and ethical issue."


http://www.3news.co.nz/Kedgleys-animal-cruelty-bill-defeated-in-Parliament/tabid/419/articleID/185739/Default.aspx?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+co%2FHCaY+%283News-+Latest+News%29


Welfare reforms only make us, as consumers of animal flesh and byproducts feel better, we're not helping the pigs, chickens, cows.... by spending millions asking for Welfare reforms.  We should focus on promoting Veganism to consumers.

Hens like to dig! VIDEO

A broody hen, outside digging like...well....a hen possessed?  Look at her lovely feathers, and how long her neck is, I dont think we appreciate the "swanlike" qualities of Chickens, instead, we expect their lives to cost a couple dollars per kilogram.



As always, watch fullscreen, in as high a quality as you can!

Metal Gear Rooster VIDEO

Metal Gear Rooster, coming soon to a PSP near you!

Watch fullscreen, and 720! :)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metal_Gear_Solid

Episode 36 Mysterious Millionaires and multimillion dollar Welfare Campaigns

Episode 36 Mysterious Millionaires and multimillion dollar Welfare Campaigns
======================================



Hello and welcome to another fine episode of Coexisting With Nonhuman Animals, Mysterious Millionaires and Multimillion dollar Welfare Campaigns.  I had another new bumper, from my Canadian friend Lara, I always enjoy having Vegan voices from around the world on my show, if you're interested in recording an intro for me, please let me know, my email is jay wont dart @gmail.com , j a y, w o n t, d a r t @gmail.com, or you can find me on Facebook, Twitter…all with the name jay wont dart.

Listen here, direct download or subscribe to my show on iTunes :-)
http://itunes.apple.com/nz/podcast/coexisting-with-nonhuman-animals/id334206335

New Episode soon, SAFE Welfare "whistle blowers"

The television program "Sunday" once again covered SAFE and Welfare Reform, this time, with a very wealthy woman donating $2 Million NZD to SAFE, to be used in campaigning against "factory farms", including offering up to tens of thousands of dollars to farm workers who "dob in" their bosses, telling of "cruelty" on farms.

The videos are available to watch online here:

http://tvnz.co.nz/sunday-news/coming-up-sunday-dob-in-boss-3877205

A new episode of Coexisting With Nonhuman Animals will hopefully be out tomorrow, I hope to have some guests joining me to talk about this latest Welfare initiative!

Work Overalls, "I'm Vegan" badges

Its *VERY* masculine by NZ standards to wear little badges saying "I'm Vegan and I love you" on your work overalls, it really accentuates the "working class/bad ass/blue collar" image I strive for.

http://www.herbivoreclothing.com/products/I'm-Vegan-And-I-Love-You-2-Button-Set.html

For the rest of the photos, at full quality:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jaywontdart/sets/72157625196265409/

*SHOCK!* Robot Identifies Humans as made of "meat" too

"Let the robot holocaust commence: robots think we taste like bacon.
Researchers at NEC System technologies and Mie University have designed the cute little guy to the right: a metal man gastronomist, “an electromechanical sommelier”, capable of identifying wines, cheeses, meats and hors d’oeuvres. Upon being given a sample, he will speak up in a childlike voice and identify what he has just been fed. ...

But when some smart aleck reporter placed his hand in the robot’s omnivorous clanking jaw, he was identified as bacon. A cameraman then tried and was identified as prosciutto."


http://www.wired.com/table_of_malcontents/2006/11/robot_identifie/

Not surprising, although is it sad that artificial intelligence can recognise we too are animals, when our own "organic intelligence" often cannot?

Thanks Mylène!

SAFE's $2Million war on "factory farming"

Today I received an email from SAFE, a New Zealand Animal "Rights" group who focus on Welfare reforms:
"

$2M ANTI-FACTORY FARMING FUND REVEALED

Factory-farmed pigs and chickens will soon have a powerful and wealthy ally in the form of a mystery multi-millionaire who is joining forces with SAFE in an effort to prevent widespread animal suffering on factory farms.

Sunday will reveal SAFE now has a $2 million fund with its main purpose of freeing pigs and battery hens from cruelty. It’s a new offensive in the war against sow crates and battery farming and the millionaire has pledged to spend until the job is done.

SAFE director Hans Kriek says that the Sunday programme will announce an exciting new initiative that will be considered by pig, chicken and battery hen farmers as the single biggest threat that they have ever faced.

 

Missed the Sunday programme?

View online after 9pm, Sunday. Have your say on the Sunday's message board.

Make an instant $3 donation

Text PIGS to 4419

Vote with your heart and wallet! Don't buy factory-farmed pork. 

Take the pledge against pig cruelty.

Click here to join SAFE's facebook page.

Author Anna Sewell once wrote: "If we see cruelty or wrong that we have the power to stop, and do nothing, we make ourselves sharers in the guilt."""

 I'll be VERY interested to find out more, who the "mysterious millionaire" is (comedian Mike King from past "welfare exposés?"), and what footage of screaming pigs/chickens in cages will be used. 

 Continuing this Welfare Reform will ultimately will do NOTHING to help animals, I, like many other New Zealand Vegans wish SAFE would simply promote *veganism*!  Think of how well all the Vegan advocates in the world are spreading the message, through creative, and nonviolent education, of recognising we are *all* the "exploiters" of animals, not just some shadowy quote "factory farm" on the outskirts of town.  *WE* are responsible for how we treat others, please SAFE, promote Veganism!

I'll mention this on my next show.

*edit* further information
"Dob in the boss
Pigs and chickens have found a powerful and wealthy ally. A mystery multi-millionaire is promising rewards of thousands of dollars to farm workers who report their employers for cruelty to animals. There's a $2 million war chest aimed at freeing pigs, and chickens crowded into cages. It's a new offensive in the war against sow crates and battery farming and the millionaire has pledged to spend until the job is done." *edit*

**edit**
The show was released and can be viewed online here: http://tvnz.co.nz/sunday-news/coming-up-sunday-dob-in-boss-3877205 I'll be talking about it on my next episode **edit**

Clever Hen! VIDEO

Are Chickens "stupid"? NO!

Play fullscreen, HD quality is available

Chickens Run To Greet Me! VIDEO

This is the STAMPEDE that I come home to each day! (watch fullscreen!)



Watch as Mr Rooster "threatens the hens back in line", "git in behind!" "heel boy, heel!", THE RUNNING OF THE HENS!, he tries to quell the STAMPEDE , by "making a cape" from his wing. It doesnt work though, they're too excited to see ME!

The "ook ook ook" clucking noise is from the yellow hen with black spots on her tail feathers, shes broody at the moment, wanting to sit on a nest, her hormones are all out of whack, part of her odd behaviour includes that noise!

Happy World Vegan Day

In The Morning to you, on a wonderful World Vegan Day :)

The last video of Ms Hen, mentioned on Episode 35
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rdcdsNrIkBg

My other YouTube videos can be found here
http://www.youtube.com/jaywontdart

Flickr photos
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jaywontdart/

Episode 35 Ms Hen

Episode 35 Ms Hen


Like Michael, I couldn't say Goodbye, I've made too many great friends from having a show, PLUS, with the inevitable tidal wave of Vegan shows from around the world, I need to fight the good fight for New Zealand, we need to maintain our title as "Most Vegan Podcasters per capita", tourists come from around the world to visit historical sites of New Zealands Animal Rights podcasting history, the Microphone used for the first episode of NZ Vegan Podcast, which featured a sad Elizabeth, unsure if anyone would ever listen, beginning with a really enthusiastic intro:

New Episode Soon!

Uh, hello, is this thing on?

I should have more episodes coming soon :)

In the meantime, Chicken Friends are still lovely!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uWQ-N2dEVmk