Vegan Arm Wrestlers, Recyclable Belts & Dudes Who Speak Up

1. Rob Bigwood is a professionl arm wrestler. That’s right, and he’s vegan. Rob is a 26 year old Brooklynite who has been winning titles and making a name for himself in the arm wrestling community. Watch out for this guy, and for my interview with him soon!

2. Owain Yeoman and Jamie Bamber are only two of the Discerning Brutes that PETA has featured in their recent campaigns. Jamie, who plays Lee “Apollo” Adama in Battlestar Galactica is calling attention to the use of bear-fur on the hats of the Royal Guards in the UK. Owian, star of The Mentalist, is featured in a vegetarian testimnial ad, and his video has an eloquent expression of why this dude is veg.

These two join the ranks of other awesome guys who have done PETAs classic campaigns like Casey Affleck,  Wilmer Valderrama, Joaquin Phoenix, Fred Willard, Carey Hart, Mickey Rourke, John Salley,AFI’s Davey Havok,  Ami James, Tito Ortiz, Black Sabbath’s Geezer Butler, Wu-tang’s Masta Killa, Bill Mahr, Kevin Nealon, David Cross, Trent Reznor, and others….

These guys rock, and you should check out their videos with PETA:

3. Custom Vegan Seaks? That’s right, artist Tony Price will make you a pair of custom-painted Vans at his Etsy shop!

4. Non-Silk Ascot from Jaanj. Don’t act like you never considered wearing an ascot. You can make it rock-n-roll, and you know it.

5. Tie-Ups makes recyclable belts. The color combos will make you trip, but the facts that you can stick these Italian-made accessories in the recycling bin, and that there’s no animal products is great! Tie-Ups won’t go off in a metal detector, they are weatherproof, hypoallergenic, and just really cool!  $89 at Nordstrom

6.  Check out FRESH: New Thinking About What We’re Eating

Ethical Star-Fucking & International Meat-Shunning

1. If you care about global warming, you should consider eating less meat. At least that’s what top UN climate scientist says.  Yesterday, the BBC released yet another article quoting the UN’s top climate scientist, Rajendra Pachauri, who chairs the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). Dr. Pachauri will make a speech tonight in London. “The UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has estimated that direct emissions from meat production account for about 18% of the world’s total greenhouse gas emissions,” he told BBC News, “So I want to highlight the fact that among options for mitigating climate change, changing diets is something one should consider.”

2. Ethical Star-Fucking: Want to have lunch with Alicia Silverstone? Girlie Girl Chloe Jo announces that on CharityBuzz from September 3-18^th, you can bid on unique celebrity experiences, rare memorabilia, and compelling special merchandise online to raise funds for the animals, to advocate for their protection, and to save lives. Support Farm Sanctuary and make a bid! You can shop for the most unusual and special items and gifts – everything from yoga classes to once-in-a-lifetime celebrity one-on-ones, all while giving to the animals!  And some things you were going to buy anyway, like yoga and dinner. Right?  May as well have your money supporting a wonderful cause! How about a private lunch with Kristen Bell on the lot of “Heroes” or a visit to the set of Forest Whitaker’s latest movie and lunch with the star himself, or a gourmet cooking class in Los Angeles with “Skinny Bitch” Rory Freedman and Spork Foods?  How about a shopping spree for the ladies in your life at Funky Lala Boutique, as your own celebrity stylist teaches you what styles look good on you, and what to be wearing this season or Joan Jett VIP Concert Tickets with Hotel & Airfare for Two? Need a laugh? Meet Fred Willard (Best in Show, Waiting for Guffman) or Paul Reubend (Pee Wee Herman!) Perhaps a Long Distance Reiki Animal Communication Session or a luxe, organic faux fur throw from Loyale? Over 70 items NOW available for the bidding, as you’ll see there is definitely something for everyone!

A Discerning Brute: Gene Baur

When I attended the NYC launch of Gene Baur’s national book tour, I didn’t expect to be fed amazing food from Candle 79, mingle with Moby and other smart celebs, and have fuel added to the fire of my passion for animal advocacy while listening to Gene read from his book.Farm Sanctuary continues to be this Discerning Brute’s favorite animal advocacy organization (especially since I make routine trips to their sanctuaries to hang with the animals!). I met Gene for the first time last fall in LA at their star-studded Gala.

Gene Baur, Coral Smith (MTV’s Real World), Billy McNamara, Joshua Katcher

Twenty years ago, Gene started Farm Sanctuary with meager resources, and today it is the nation’s leading farm animal protection organization. Farm Sanctuary has worked to expose and stop cruel practices of the “food animal” industry through research and investigations, legal and institutional reforms, public awareness projects, youth education, and direct rescue and refuge efforts. Farm Sanctuary shelters in Watkins Glen, N.Y., and Orland, Calif., provide lifelong care for hundreds of rescued animals, who have become ambassadors for farm animals everywhere by educating visitors about the realities of factory farming. Additional information can be found at www.farmsanctuary.org.

Attend the Book Tour:
Click HERE for a list of cities and dates. Gene Baur’s national book tour is scheduled to visit cities across the country to promote the book and share his experiences from more than 20 years on the front lines of the animal protection movement. He will explore the ethical questions involved in the production of beef, poultry, pork, milk, and eggs and address the systematic mistreatment of 10 billion farm animals who are exploited specifically for food every year in the U.S.

Buy the Book: 100 percent of author proceeds will be donated to Farm Sanctuary. Click .

Wine & Dine in NYC with Gene, Celebs, the Ethically Fabulous, and Yours Truly:
Farm Sanctuary will be hosting its next Gala for Farm Animals on Saturday, May 17, 2008 in New York at Cipriani Wall Street! For more information on this event, please visit the Gala website.

Are you an artist or crafts-person? Want to donate a farm-animal related item to the Auction?
At the past auctions, Fred Willard, Deborah Skelton, Emily Deschanel, Alicia Silverstone, Dennis Kucinich, Paul Reuben, Moby, and hordes of other amazing people bid on artwork from huge atists like Peter Max and Sue Coe, and artists just like you! Farm Sanctuary’s Gala auction raises over $50,000 for farm animals in need. This crucial fundraising effort is only possible thanks to the generosity of artists and other contributors. For information about contributing to the Gala auction click here, or contact Chloe Jo Berman at 212-989-8482 or cberman@farmsanctuary.org.

DB’s Etiquette Recommendation: Book parties are great places to meet people who have similar interests, so show up and look like you mean it! If you come to the NYC gala, and want to hang out with me, drop me a line! Don’t forget to get a nice eco-friendly suit from one of the many designers listed in the right (or just get one from your local thrift store)!