SAVE A SCREAM

SocialVibe

Wed, 09 Dec 2009 11:28:00 +0000

I’ve just joined SocialVibe.com. Heard of the site ages ago but never actually got around to checking it out - until today when Goldfinger posted a link about it. I clicked their link and saw that Goldfinger were supporting Action For Animals. Of course I then had to do the same! So I finally signed up.

If you’re on SocialVibe already, add http://www.socialvibe.com/blackvelvetmagazine as a friend. If you’re not on there, join and then add me/Black Velvet as a friend.

It’s a great site for helping various charities and causes. Doing small activities (such as answering a quick question) gives you points and the charity you support is donated to.

Not Extreme Just Honest I think it’s kinda crazy when animal...

Thu, 26 Nov 2009 11:20:00 +0000

Not Extreme Just Honest

I think it’s kinda crazy when animal rights organisations such as PETA are called ‘extreme’. They are not extreme at all – just honest. Why is it ok to show gory murders in horror movies and the like but when PETA wants to show some undercover footage from a slaughterhouse it’s ‘wrong’? Why aren’t newspapers like The Sun called ‘extreme’ for having a page 3 girl yet if PETA chooses to use a naked girl in an ad it IS extreme?

I see PETA’s thanksgiving grace ad got banned by NBC. I don’t understand. I just watched it this morning and don’t understand WHY. Nothing about it is ‘wrong’ to me. It is just honesty. What the girl is talking about is real life. It actually made me smile. Things like this SHOULD be on TV.

When did NBC turn into a kiddies channel where the only things it could show were fluffy teddies and fairytales? Unfortunately life’s not like that. As much as I wish it was. No, in real life things are dying on a daily basis. In today’s world PETA to me are the real heroes – the people we SHOULD be thanking. People who make you think and make you realise that life has faults that need changing – and actually inspire you to help make that change.

So today, Thanksgiving Day in the US, I would like to thank the amazing people at PETA and everyone else who cares about animals, who stands up against animal cruelty, who does something to try to stop abuse. Thank you for your undying passion and compassion, for knowing what’s right and what’s wrong and for thinking about those on the planet besides yourself. Thank you for educating everyone, for getting the word out and for never giving up.

I have faith that one day earth WILL be cruelty free. One day. I’ll probably be dead by then. But I do think it will happen. Especially with PETA around.

Happy thanksgiving.

And My Name's Not Even Mary

Wed, 25 Nov 2009 10:05:00 +0000

I got a message this morning from a random male on a website. In amongst some other things he wrote ‘You scare the livin sh*t out of blokes with all that animal rights stuff.’ Although he meant it in a light-hearted way (he added at the bottom that he hoped his email made me smile), it got me thinking. Why does a female into animal rights scare a guy? And in reality, us people into animal rights are the least scary people at all – because we are the most caring, compassionate people on earth. We wouldn’t even hurt a fly!

Is it the thought that we have a voice and might speak up if we desire that is scary? Is it the thought that we’re not one of those girls who will knit socks, cook for her man at the kitchen while he’s out making a living, will not argue back if he says something wrong that we don’t necessarily agree with, even possibly have a brain to think that something he says is not right?

I’m shy, I’m quiet, I’m sweet (ahem… ok, I can be… at times… providing you stay on my good side! ;-)). I’m possibly one of the least scary people ever. I would never do anything that’s ‘wrong’, I’m a good person who sticks to the rules, I don’t believe in violence, I’m against people that cause trouble, I don’t drink, I don’t smoke, I don’t take drugs, I’m not a party animal, I prefer staying in and writing than going to a club (ok, if there was a cute guy at the club, I might make an exception, lol)…

How can I be scary?

It’s crazy how two words – ‘animal rights’ – can terrify people. It’s like being scared by a spider. Something so small and innocent and fragile amazingly has the capability to turn someone 50 times its size into a trembling wreck.

Maybe genius is scary. Maybe brilliance is scary. Maybe amazingness is scary.

A famous quote – ‘Don’t judge a book by its cover’.

Listen and learn – were you ever told that at school? If there’s someone different to you, don’t get scared, don’t shut them off, don’t automatically assume you wouldn’t get on or they’re weird. Get to know them. Find out what makes them tick. It could ultimately make you tick too.

I’m not saying that getting to know me and why I am vegan will make you vegan – but at the end of the day, most of us people love animals to an extent – whether it be just the dog or cat that our aunty owns or that we had as a kid. Open the kaleidoscope. There are lots of colours there. It’s not just black and white. Animals are not just cats and dogs. Compassion shouldn’t just stop at the bottom of your garden.

Don’t be scared… of opening your heart. And thinking about the other living creatures that live on the earth that share the same emotions as us. The lambs that want to gambol in the field (but instead are then slaughtered and eaten). The pigs that can’t turn around in their crate because their future is the frozen department in Tesco. The fly that accidentally ends up in your house because he took a wrong turn from the bush outside. He didn’t mean to annoy you and he definitely wouldn’t have done it if he thought that death could be his fate.

If you were an animal would you want to be stamped on or squatted? Would you want to be mercilessly sliced alive? Or tortured on a daily basis?

I could go on and on. But I’ll end my 9am-on-a-Wednesday-morning ramblings here. My name’s not Mary. I’m not scary. Quite the contrary. Or maybe you’re just a fairy. ;-)

Horny

Sun, 22 Nov 2009 03:03:41 +0000

What’s this about a rhino’s horn being worth thousands - thus rhinos are being killed in South Africa? That begs my usual question; why is it ok to do this to an animal and not a human? A kilo of rhino horn is now apparently worth £36,300. So they kill a rhino to get that. I’m sure there are lots of wealthy celebs worth a lot more than £36,300. No-one kills them, do they?

If a celebrity was killed there’d be an uproar, the murderer would go to jail for a long time, if nothing else. But no-one cares when an animal is killed.

Why is an animal seen as just a product, something to make money, something to use to benefit yourself? It’s so insane, it’s so wrong. It’s time humans stopped thinking they’re the best thing on the planet and can use any other living creatures how they want.

I like free T-shirts

Tue, 20 Oct 2009 17:03:32 +0100

The awesome people at peta2 sent me a couple of free T-shirts the other day. I took a photo of me in one on Saturday. I actually like this pic. I usually take 100 photos and they all suck. Same happened this time as usual, but I liked this one.

Pulin of peta2 is actually featured in the next issue of Black Velvet - issue 62 - out next week. I got him to answer the questions in the ‘Me Me Me & My Rock CV’ section - all about working at peta2.

Speaking of PETA, I just saw the new advert that Kelly Osbourne has done. Kelly is standing up for seals and against the horrificness that is the seal slaughter and wearing fur. She speaks in this cool video below. Way to go, Kelly!

Celebrities Speak Out Against the Seal Slaughter. Learn More.

We Weren't Born To Follow

Sat, 10 Oct 2009 12:11:00 +0100

I’m liking the new video for Bon Jovi’s single ‘We Weren’t Born To Follow’. Although there’s no animal rights footage in it, as far as I can see, there are pix and bits of video footage interspersed between the band performance footage, of moments in history including a few protest pix. There’s a climate change protest photo and other stuff. The song is obviously about how we should stand up for what we believe in and how ‘we weren’t born to follow’. I think it’s an inspiring song for anyone who wants to make a difference and a change in the world, and make it a better place.

If you haven’t watched it, you can find it at http://www.bonjovi.com

The Veronicas

Thu, 08 Oct 2009 18:39:42 +0100

I’m happy to hear that The Veronicas just did a photoshoot with peta2 yesterday. Jessica and Lisa have in the past twittered about vegan food or places, and they twittered to let everyone know they were doing a photoshoot with peta2. Yesterday they posted a couple of pix from the photoshoot - although they didn’t give too much away. I look forward to seeing the end results. It’s awesome that The Veronicas don’t eat meat and support organisations such as PETA.

http://www.theveronicas.com/behind-scenes-peta-photoshoot

U.D.O.

Tue, 29 Sep 2009 16:24:00 +0100

German band U.D.O. have just released this official statement after announcing their cooperation with peta2.de:

Dear Fans of U.D.O.

The band always supported different organisations helping nature, animals and humans. We have been private about our beliefs and not done this publically because we never wanted to receive more promotion for the band just while helping the poorest creatures on this planet. F.e. only a few people know what Fitty did for some russian children…..!

Now we changed our mind and have decided to use our limited influence to generate more interest in the work of this wonderful organisations worldwide and to make sure they can continue with their work. We don´t care if the organisations support campaigns in Russia, Germany or South America. We´re all people of the ONE planet and we have to take care that this fragile planet has a chance to survive. It´s up to every single individual to save this
world. YES WE CAN!!!!!

The band travels a lot and we see many problems all over this planet and in nearly every country children, nature and animals get treated very badly, even our closest friends like dogs, cats and apes. It´s not just in the neighbourhood like Spain, Rumania, Russia, Italy but also in Germany. It is everywhere and animals have NO rights. Animals have NO lobbyism at all and get treated in the worst possible way. EU politicians f.e. discuss if a stupid banana has to be straight or how much it might be crooked to be allowed to be sold in the EU but they are not willing to create a european wide law to save the animals……???? How stupid is that? It´s just because of money and power.

Each cigarette you smoke cuts down your lungs. What can you do without your lungs? You die… but at the end of the day THIS is your personal decision (by the way a lot of animals have to die and suffer because of the damn cigarette industry…..)!

BUT each tree we cut down in South America (or anywhere else on this planet) will cut down our oxygen! Well you all know what will happen without oxygen! Right, we ALL gonna DIE!!!! So please help to save the lungs of the world, help to stop the criminals who are cutting off the lungs of the world!!!

Friends and fans, we want you to help this organisation to score all their goals. Support them (and support doesn´t just mean to spend money) of course they need money as well. They need YOUR help writing protest mails to politicians and responsible people, support them with your vote and your voice. Don´t buy any products just because they are cheap. “Cheap” most likely means that someone else has to pay the difference with deepest pain! Take care about the environment, help to avoid garbage and try to save water. Be fair to other humans and treat the animals like friends and not like shit! There are so many things we have to take care of…..

Don´t look away! The pain is everywhere and children, nature and animals can´t help themself against the exploitative business guys and politicians. They need our help!!!!!

Further activities will follow during the tour. Watch out!

You can also see a video at www.peta2.de/atbhbandvideo

U.D.O.’s official website is at www.udo-online.de

Just took a pic of a blue tit in the back garden, through the...

Thu, 17 Sep 2009 16:17:28 +0100

Just took a pic of a blue tit in the back garden, through the kitchen window. Probably the best blue tit pic I’ve got so far. They’re usually fluttering about too fast or too far down the garden.

Animal Aid have unveiled some undercover footage taken in three...

Tue, 08 Sep 2009 09:53:00 +0100

Animal Aid have unveiled some undercover footage taken in three different UK slaughterhouses. Here is a 10 minute video showing what happens before meat appears on your plate.

I really think every single person who eats meat ought to watch the video all the way through. I know no-one wants to see cruelty - but if you are contributing to animal deaths - ie. eating meat - then it ought to be compulsory to watch this video and other similar videos. Everyone wants to avoid it. People don’t want to see an animal being abused or hurt - but this is what happens. If you like to eat a beefburger, a sausage roll, a piece of lamb, steak, a pork pie, bacon… This is what an animal goes through before ending up in the packet in the supermarket, all for 99p or £1.59. Is it worth it? Especially when you can get veggie sausage rolls, veggie pork pies, veggie burgers, veggie bacon. Why do you need to buy the one that is the result of torture?

If you think you can’t watch it, why not try with the sound down? When you can’t hear the sheep baa-ing out in fright, it’s a bit easier. When you don’t hear the sound of the metal clamp being thrown about after the slaughterhouse worker has stunned a sheep, or a terrified squealing pig falling to the ground in the last few seconds of his life, it’s not quite so bad. Try it.

If you really, really, really can’t force yourself to watch the video, this is some of what is included:

Pigs and sheep going to the knife without adequate stunning
Pigs and sheep stunned and then allowed to come round again
Pigs, sheep and calves crying out and struggling to escape
Pigs being kicked in the face and sheep thrown to the floor
Pigs and sheep with illness or injury being slaughtered
A sheep too sick to stand – or possibly already dead – being brought to slaughter in a wheelbarrow
A ewe being stunned and killed while her young was suckling her
Ewes watching as their young are killed
Pigs falling from the slaughter line into the blood pit and being dragged out and re-shackled while other pigs look on
An inadequately stunned young calf lying kicking on the floor and the stun operator standing on him to keep him still

More info is at: http://www.animalaid.org.uk/h/n/NEWS/pr_factory//2188//

Propagandhi

Tue, 25 Aug 2009 16:16:16 +0100

The sun’s shining, there’s a spring in my step and my mouth is almost even curving slightly up into ‘smile’ mode. Oh and there’s a glint in my eye.

I love when someone inspires me.

But it’s not supposed to happen like this!

If I do an interview with you for SaveAScream.com, it’s not supposed to be THAT GOOD that I want to put it in Black Velvet!

SaveAScream interviews are meant for SaveAScream.

But I interviewed Propagandhi and their answers are soooooo good that it has made me want to print the interview in Black Velvet. I want Black Velvet readers to read this interview. So as much as I also want to put it on SaveAScream.com for everyone in internet-land to read, I want it in Black Velvet. ‘Cause the BEST interviews are always in Black Velvet.

Now I just need to convince everyone reading this to order issue 62 of Black Velvet, so they can read it… (Hey… YOU… Go to http://www.blackvelvetmagazine.com/nextissue.htm and order it, ok? Order it now already.)

If you don’t know much about Propagandhi check http://www.propagandhi.com. Not only are they vegan and stand up against animal cruelty (so much so that they’ve written songs like ‘Purina Hall Of Fame’ and ‘Apparently, I’m a “P.C. Fascist” (Because I Care About Both Human And Non-Human Animals)’) but they really know what’s right and what’s wrong in the world and do what they can to change the wrongs and make them right (even though there are so many evil people also in the world making it hard). They are against human rights violations, sexism, racism, homophobia and other bad stuff. Proceeds from the pre-release downloads of latest album ‘Supporting Caste’ went to PETA2, Sea Shepherd Society and Partners In Health. They have done sponsored races to raise money for organisations, they have volunteered for organisations and more. I particularly like a line in the interview where Todd Kowalski says “Anything you do to make someone else’s life better is worthwhile whether you’re helping your granny out, handing out leaflets or protesting”.

Read the Propagandhi interview in Black Velvet 62 and be inspired too.

No-one reminded me for an update on the tadpoles. I guess...

Mon, 24 Aug 2009 18:28:30 +0100

No-one reminded me for an update on the tadpoles. I guess they’ve all become frogs and gone into the wood now. So here’s a pic of a grasshopper I saw today instead.

Have you seen this video? - http://bit.ly/II9mu

Issue 61 of Black Velvet is out now and includes:Interviews with...

Sat, 01 Aug 2009 22:06:00 +0100

Issue 61 of Black Velvet is out now and includes:

Interviews with We The Kings, Duff McKagan (Duff McKagan’s Loaded), Black Stone Cherry, Madina Lake, Billy Talent, Ashbury, Damone & The Mission District.

Heaps of concert reviews including Go:Audio, Hundred Reasons, Papa Roach, Nickelback/Black Stone Cherry, Madina Lake, The Rasmus/Backyard Babies & Bon Jovi/Soraia @ Summerfest

A Download Festival 2009 report

A Warped Tour festival report

Tons of album, single and demo reviews including Billy Talent, The Audition, Green Day, Zombina And The Skeletones, Defueld, Sains Of Eden, Rachel Stamp, Ashbury, Eighth Wave, Jim Davies, Anti-Flag, Heavens Basement, Aiden, FACT, Mollygogo, Taking Back Sunday, Go:Audio, Eureka Machines, Young Guns and more.

‘Me, Me, Me & My Rock CV’ - If you have a job in the music industry you get to tell us what you do and why you do it. Answer the questions in the zine and we may feature YOU. This issue we feature Rob Spacey of Viva Hate store in Derby.

A new column by our new columnist in Japan. Wanna hear some rock news from Japan? Check Ando Terumi’s column.

All the usuals such as Fanzine Reviews, Books & DVD reviews & Supersonic Future Superstars (featuring The Jokers and Winch House).

And your chance to win some awesome free Organica vegan chocolate.

TO ORDER YOUR COPY:

Order from one of the following online stores and have it delivered to your
home:

www.atomicbooks.com USA
www.quimbys.com USA
www.fourdogsmusic.com UK
www.ethicalwares.com UK
www.punkrockshop.co.uk UK
www.beeunique.co.uk UK
www.waterfrontrecords.com Australia (Sydney).

All do mail order and can ship anywhere - so no matter where you live you
can read Black Velvet.

Or visit http://www.blackvelvetmagazine.com for other ways to get your copy.

Dear Jeremy...

Sat, 25 Jul 2009 17:12:00 +0100

Jeremy Clarkson who writes a column for The Sun does my head in. Every so often he added a piece which portrays how little he cares about animals. In today’s newspaper he brings up the new animal testing numbers - the 2008 figures have risen 14% since 2007. 3.7 million animal tests were conducted in the UK in 2008. An appalling number. A sad figure. A really disgusting fact. Jeremy is FOR these tests to continue.

How many new cures do you think we have found? How come people are still dying of cancer? How come with have no new miraculous drugs that save lives? It’s because no matter how many animals humans abuse or torture the fact is they’re not the same as humans so the drug result is not likely to be the same as on humans. Why don’t people like Clarkson understand this?

After reading Clarkson’s column and getting wound up as I usually do, I have just written him the following email (no doubt he won’t read it, or if he does, which I doubt, I would be surprised if his brain actually comprehended any of it).

Dear Mr Clarkson,

I was disappointed (as usual) to read your column - since you wrote AGAIN about how you don’t care about animals being tested up. You pointed out how Vioxx was tested on animals and then caused a mass number of heart attacks and strokes on humans. You also mentioned the drug that was tested on animals before making six human volunteers very ill. I think you don’t understand - surely that in itself tells you that the animal tests are pointless. The animal testing that they went through before moving onto humans showed that the drugs were ok - else they would not have gone on to people. You are saying that you agree with animal tests - yet if these animal tests continue more people are going to end up like those that tried Vioxx and these other drugs. Surely you can comprehend that? If animal tests were so trustworthy, why did these drugs get passed yet then fail on the humans? It just goes to show that animals and humans are completely different species and that when testing a drug on animals its result probably won’t be the same on a person.

There are organisations such as Dr Hadwen Trust (see http://www.drhadwentrust.org/) that fund non-animal research such as cell culture, micro organisms and computer models. A drug would NOT go directly to a person - yet it has more chance of working than via animal tests which are as efficient as flipping a coin. I hope you will read up on these humane research methods. You can also visit http://www.safermedicines.org/ which has further info on how useless animal tests are.

Also, I imagine people with unfortunate diseases or conditions would rather be a guinea pig and get to test a new drug rather than having to wait for it to go through all the animal tests anyway. While we’re waiting for these animal tests to work, people are dying. I guess you don’t care about that, huh?

Shari Black Velvet

PS. How many more years are we going to wait for a cure for cancer? How many years have they been testing on animals and what cure have they found? People like Farrah Fawcett went through three years or more of chemo and pain and trying drugs for nothing. Why? Because those animal tests are not working. And they will continue to not work, until the government puts money into humane research methods. We’re not living in the dinosaur age. We have the power to progress rather than continuing to tread water. Think about it!

Does that monkey look happy to you?

Tue, 14 Jul 2009 11:22:00 +0100

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/2534231/Brain-power-moves-robotic-arm.html

Click the link and check all 3 photos in the slideshow.

This makes me fume. I can literally feel the blood inside of me bubbling with annoyance and anger and sadness at seeing this poor defenseless monkey that is trapped in a laboratory, having been put in this horrid plastic confinement, after someone having put a microchip in his brain - and then being made to do tests to see if he can ‘will the food’ to come reach him. It’s disgusting. They say it will advance human paralysis - but seriously - why can’t you just put these chips in the paralysed people’s head and let them advance the studies? Don’t use a poor monkey that has nothing wrong with him and make him live a life of abuse and torture. I’m sure all the paralysed people in the world would be happy to undergo tests to help them and their condition - and if I was paralysed (yes, I’m grateful I’m not and have sympathy for anyone who is) I would much rather be the guinea pig in trials than have some animal, a completely different species to me, having things put in his head and being kept in a cruel laboratory where he had no life, no freedom, no anything.

I am horrified and disgusted and these pictures just make me realise what a screwed up world we live in and why I have to speak out about the subject and continue to do what I can to support the anti-vivisection campaign. If you do nothing else, please the support organisations that are involved in: http://www.makeanimaltestinghistory.org/ We will only move forward and cure diseases and help less fortunate humans when the nightmare of animal testing is stopped.

Please read and support http://www.buav.org, http://www.navs.org.uk and http://www.drhadwentrust.org

Give Bulls A Break

Sat, 11 Jul 2009 18:47:29 +0100

A bull killed a person during the Running of the Bulls in Pamplona, Spain yesterday and apparently gored another today. Isn’t it time Spain just stopped bullfighting and stopped using bulls for entertainment and got a little bit more up-to-date with cruelty free entertainment? Sheesh. Poor bull, that’s all I can say - for being exploited and mistreated. It’s no wonder they end up goring people when people are bothering and tormenting them. Give bulls a break. Thank God we in England don’t do anything like bullfighting and the running of the bulls. Mind you, horse racing, greyhound racing and other cruel ’sports’ are enough to contend with. I do think bullfighting is worse though - getting a bull to go in a ring and tackle a human for warped entertainment purposes while brainless people sit and watch and cheer. Bullfighting should be banned. Can’t they just use humans without the animals? Two humans in a ring is much better. At least they are both consenting.

Is that how it works?

Tue, 30 Jun 2009 23:35:00 +0100

Ahh. Is that how it works? Bribery? I’m watching ‘True Stories: Pig Business’ on More 4. It’s about the factory farming of pigs. Apparently Smithfield gives money to politians. It makes sense now. In the UK the government always seems on the side of the animal testing labs… Is it all down to money? Whoever pays you the most money you do what they want and support? If the pig farms give you wads of cash, you do what they want, let them treat the animals as cruelly as they want? Interesting.

The world needs justice. The world needs compassion. Are you or I or anyone that is honest and real and caring ever gonna get anywhere (whether it be to change the world or just become a success in our chosen field) when we don’t have bags of cash to ‘bribe’ others with?

http://www.pigbusiness.co.uk/

My dad’s got heaps of tadpoles in his pond. I’m...

Tue, 30 Jun 2009 17:21:00 +0100

My dad’s got heaps of tadpoles in his pond. I’m thinking I should document their metamorphosis into frogs… although I should have had the idea when they were just frog spawn.

Here’s a pic of the awesome Herbivore vegan restaurant I went to in San Francisco for Warped Tour a few days ago. Great food. I recommend everyone go there when you visit San Fran.

This pic made me chuckle. Of course anyone with a brain avoids...

Tue, 23 Jun 2009 16:36:28 +0100

This pic made me chuckle. Of course anyone with a brain avoids going to zoos…

I’m excited that the next Black Velvet will have a...

Mon, 22 Jun 2009 15:15:53 +0100

I’m excited that the next Black Velvet will have a giveaway/comp for some free vegan chocolate bars. I got sent some free samples to try too. :D