Don't Support Murderboro, Krool, etc!!!

Did you know that smoking cigarettes is not only extremely bad for your own health, but its cruel and horrific to animals? Here are a few experiments that are being done (qtd from Smokinganimals.com):

• Cutting holes in beagles' throats through which the dogs are forced to breathe concentrated cigarette smoke for a year.
• Inserting electrodes into dogs' penises to measure the effect of cigarette smoke on sexual performance.
• Strapping masks to the faces of rats and monkeys and permanently restraining them to force them to breathe cigarette smoke constantly.
• Forcing dogs to be on mechanical ventilators and chronically exposed to cigarette smoke.
• Restraining Rhesus monkeys in chairs with head devices and exposing them to nicotine and caffeine to determine how caffeine and nicotine affect breathing.

Smoking is unvegan (because of animal testing) if you smoke any brand of cigarettes other than American Spirit (which stopped testing). I'm not suggesting you smoke at all though, if you do so you are contributing to the approximately 3,400 lung cancer deaths of non-smokers!!!!!
However, if you do wish to continue the dirty habit, please switch to American Spirits, as they are considered the only "cruelty-free" brand, even though for years previous they have used animal testing.

SOURCES:
http://www.smokinganimals.com/index.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natural_American_Spirit
http://www.cancer.org/docroot/PED/content/PED_10_2X_Secondhand_Smoke-Clean_Indoor_Air.asp

Mum's Amazing Chili

This is the recipe my Mum has been using since before I was born, and it's probably my favorite food.

Ingredients:

2 large onions, sliced

2 large bell peppers, sliced (1 red and 1 green)

1 can of whole tomatoes, broken in pieces, along with the juice

5-10 jalapenos, sliced (depending on taste)

1-2 cans of kidney beans (depending on how much you like)

1 can garbanzo beans

4 TBS chili powder

1 tsp salt

1 TBS vegetable oil

OPTIONALS:

1 package (12-16 oz) of soy ground meat (personally, I prefer it without)

Cayenne

Other hot peppers

1. In a very large, deep frying pan OR 4-quart saucepan, heat oil.
2. Saute onions and peppers (and soy meat if using) for 10 mins in oil.
3. Add other ingredients and simmer for 45 mins.

This should make around 8 servings.

That's it! This picture was taken just after the ingredients were added. It's in a small pan because tonight my mum is making a batch with meat in it.

Ideas for A Contest?

I'm thinking about doing a new contest. The only snitch is that I don't know what it should be. But I know the prize(s) already, they would be BlogExplosion credits (between 25 and 250).

For those of you who dont know, BlogExplosion is a traffic exchange site that helps you get more traffic to your blog. Besides being easy to transfer, I also want to help support the online vegan blog community. So I guess the contest would only be open to bloggers (if you wanted the prize, and it could be any type of blog, not just vegan), but that means you could always make your own blog!

Maybe it could be a best blog contest? Or essay to be submitted to a newspaper? Or best vegan tutorial? Best vegan art? I'm still not exactly sure yet, so leave me some ideas!

Sweet Sixteen Coming Soon

In almost a month and a half it will be my sweet sixteen! (3/3)
I havent actually had a real birthday party since I was 10, so I dont know exactly what to do. I'm thinking about having some friends over, maybe go to a movie and the mall, and going home to my house for some vegan cake. If you have any suggestions please tell me because I need ideas!

Clicks To Help Animals!

Helping animals (besides being vegan) doesn't always have to take a lot of time or effort, or cost money. Here are some easy ways to help them without even leaving your computer chair, or even having to really think!

I'll be adding more sites whenever I find them!

1. PETA: Get Your FREE Vegetarian Starter Kit from PETA
   If you aren't already a vegan/vegetarian, this booklet gives you easy recipes and interesting information on the subject.
   
2. PETA: Join P!nk in Signing petition to ban Horse-Drawn carriages in NYC
   
3. The Animal Rescue Site: Click to Give
   When you click the button once per day, advertising sponsers donate .6 bowls of food to hungry animals in shelters
   
4. Care2.com: Race for Pets in Need
   Each click helps vaccinate one animal. "100% of the donations generated go to The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) Rural Area Veterinary Services"
   
5. Care2.com: Race for the Big Cats
   Each click provides habitat for Jaguars, Tigers, and Snow Leopards!
   
6. Care 2.com: Race for the Primates
   Each click provides an apple to a hungry primate!
   
7. Care2.com: Race to Save Baby Seals
   Each click helps provide funding for a Public Service Announcement protesting the Canadian Seal Hunt!
   
8. Goodsearch.com: Use this Search Engine
   Choose the charity you wish to donate to (PETA, In Defense of Animals, ASPCA, WSPA and Mercy For Animals are all good choices, maybe your local shelter will be on there!)
   
9. PETA: Send an E-card!
   PETA E-cards send more than just a written message, and are so easy to send!