Mark Bittman in NYT: 'No Meat, No Dairy, No Problem'

Bittman, a food and opinion columnist for the New York Times, advocates
eating better by choosing less meat and dairy in 2012.

Link: nytimes.com/2012/01/01/magazine/mark-bittman-going-semi-vegan.html

Pigeons Found to Be Able to Learn Abstract Rules About Numbers

Remarkable new research from New Zealand published in the journal Science shows that pigeons, like primates, are capable of using abstract counting rules.  The study results suggest that either pigeons and primates had a common ancestor dating back 300 million years ago, or that the species developed these skills independently.

Source:  http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/23/science/pigeons-can-learn-higher-math-as-well-as-monkeys-study-suggests.html

Animal Rights Activism ≠ Terrorism

Peaceful animal rights activists are contesting the provisions of the 2006 Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act, arguing in court that the law's provisions conflate terrorism and nonviolent animal rights activism.  Several individuals have already been charged under the law, although other types of protesters have received no special targeting.  One prime example are pro-life activists who have been found to be responsible to a number of murders, kidnappings, bombings, assaults, as well as arson.

Source: http://motherjones.com/environment/2011/12/are-animal-rights-activists-terrorists

Indian Universities to Phase Out Dissection

This is great news for frogs, pigs, worms, and many other animals who go under the scalpel in their millions for the sake of knowledge which is already freely available in other forms. The body that administers the budgets for public universities in India has drawn up a phase out to the practice of classroom dissection, and is requiring that they switch to online or plastic models of animals in order to study anatomy.  The new policy will affect about 2.5 million students, and while there is no set deadline for the implementation of the new policy, it is assumed that it will go into effect without being contested by the universities themselves.

Source: http://www.nature.com/news/india-to-cut-out-animal-dissection-1.9680

U.S. Suspends New Research on Chimps, Will Allow Only Necessary Research in Future

The National Institutes of Health has suspended all new funding for research projects involving Chimpanzees pending a thorough vetting of new requirements including that the research be 'necessary' for the protection of human health.  Primate lovers and those involved in animal rights can consider this a huge victory and a big step in the right direction.

Link:  http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/16/science/chimps-in-medical-research.html

Mercy For Animals Named Top Nonprofit for 2011 by VegNews, and Other Successes

From Vegan.com

An inspiring three-minute video covering the group’s top accomplishments in 2011. This is what the work of creating social change looks like. Donate here.

Facts on Veganism and Climate Change

It is difficult for me to understand why more environmentalists don't talk more positively about veganism, especially with regard to climate change.   The facts in support of reducing meat and dairy use are overwhelming.  A UN report from way back in 2006 found that livestock produces 18 percent more greenhouse gas emissions from CO2 than from from transport (source).  A new study from the World Preservation Foundation was recently discussed on the Freakonomics.com website.  Some of the findings from WPF include:

• Eating vegan more beneficial than driving a hybrid. In 2006, a University of Chicago, US, report concluded a person adopting a vegetarian diet for a year would reduce more emissions than someone swapping their regular car for a Toyota Prius. 
• Livestock emissions higher than transport emissions. In 2006, the Livestock group within the UN‟s Food and Agriculture Organization released Livestock’s Long Shadow, estimating livestock to be responsible for 18 percent of global emissions: more than all transportation combined. 
• A vegan diet reduces emissions 7 times more than local eating. In 2008, Carnegie Mellon University compared the emissions from consuming a diet of 100% locally grown food to one of 100% plant-foods, concluding a vegan diet led to a reduction of seven times the emissions of a locally-grown diet because most dietary emissions are in operations, not transportation. 
• An organic vegan diet reduces 94% of dietary emissions vs. 8% for sustainable meat & dairy. In 2008, Germany's Foodwatch Institute estimated shifting from a conventional diet, including meat and dairy, to a conventionally-raised vegan diet would reduce emissions by 87 percent, while shifting to an organic diet including meat and dairy would only reduce emissions by 8 percent. By contrast, a 100% organic vegan diet would reduce emissions by 94 percent. 

Read the entire report here:  http://www.worldpreservationfoundation.org/Downloads/ReducingShorterLivedClimateForcersThroughDietaryChange.pdf

New Research Shows Rats Exhibit Empathy

Although some people still refuse to believe that animals experience empathy (one of the main traits of homo sapiens), researchers at Mason University and the University of Chicago have found evidence that rats will try to rescue other rats even when there is no reward involved.  As a side note, the University of Wisconsin-Madison uses over 40,000 rats per year in research projects.

Wauyawega (Wisc.) Man Sentenced for Deer Thrill Kill

Rory Kuenzi sentenced for deer thrill kill:

More information, and a call for action regarding Kuenzi's partners who are awaiting trial here: http://www.allanimals.org/thrillkill.html

Everyone Loves A Carriage Ride

From Vegansaurus:

"Another carriage horse collapsed in New York City. The text that accompanies the youtube vid:

On December 4th 2011 a NYC carriage horse collapsed on 59th Street and Central Park South. The horses had been working very hard today as the drivers were trying to extract as much money from them as possible. This is their busiest season and the care of the horses must take a back seat to profits. We saw horses foaming at the mouth, stumbling horses and finally this poor horse collapsed most likely due to exhaustion. We can only hope he was returned to his stable and will receive a proper veterinary examination. His carriage was 1102."

Please help. This is the fourth incident in the past six weeks since a carriage horse another horse collapsed and died.