Fail: Vegan diet leads to lower bone density

Oh noes! Vegans have lower bone densities than omnivores! (which, ignoring the title, is one of the better news articles on this issue).

Or do they?

Well, if you've read the 70+ news articles covering this story, you would think vegans were going to fall apart at the seams, their bones snapping like twigs.

The articles are reporting about this study in the American Journal of Nutrition called "Effect of vegetarian diets on bone mineral density: a Bayesian meta-analysis". I am always fond of Bayesian meta-analysis because it sounds fun and scientificky.

Anyway, the news agencies love to report scientificky stuff in the most unscientific ways, like by saying "vegans have lower bone densities" when, in fact, the actual study showed there wasn't a clinically significant difference and that vegans were not treated more frequently for bone fractures. This means being a vegan does not mean being brittle-boned any more than being omnivorous means being able to leap tall buildings in a single bound.

Contrast that with the findings on bone fractures in the elderly, where 70% of fractures occurred in elderly female. That merited like a line. There are a lot more elderly females who could benefit from further research on this matter than there are vegans who would benefit (because we are not brittle-boned, darnit!)

In any event, my favorite quote is from Nutritionist Dr. Rosemary Stanton:

The push to have everyone eat massive amounts of dairy products is invalid

Invalid! Take that, eat massive amounts of dairy products promoters!

My conclusion is that you should eat well and healthy. In fact, take the advice of the American Dietetic Association (which is not a Vegan Group by any means) and what they say in their most recent issue of Journal of the American Dietetic Association

It is the position of the American Dietetic Association that appropriately planned vegetarian diets, including total vegetarian or vegan diets, are healthful, nutritionally adequate and may provide health benefits in the prevention and treatment of certain diseases. Well-planned vegetarian diets are appropriate for individuals during all stages of the life-cycle including pregnancy, lactation, infancy, childhood and adolescence and for athletes.

Healthful. Nutritionally adequate. Yummy (well, they don't mention this but they should).

California Governor mocks animal cruelty

California is once-again facing a budget crisis of epic proportions. Well, certainly epic to those of us who have never owed 23,000,000,000 to anyone. *raises hand*

Is our Governor concerned about finding ways to mitigate this serious problem? Well, of course he is. But he is also interested in using diversionary tactics to mock the legislature for doing one of its jobs - you know, passing laws and stuff.

Specifically, Governor Schwarzenegger tweeted the following about SB 135, which would ban the painful amputation of cattle tails:

Instead of working on budget, the Legislature is about to debate whether cows can keep their tails while we're in a fiscal crisis

He even had staff stop working on Governor related issues, traipse down to the hearing room where the bill was being heard and film the hearing in order to post a video on youtube. He also took some time to mention the bill at his press conference. I'm almost positive gubernatorial staff have more important things to worry about.

This tweet of the Governator might have merit if the following conditions were met:
- SB 135 cost taxpayers 23,000,000,000 annually.
- Discussion of SB 135 cost legislators so much time and headache they could not possibly focus on the budget.

According to the analysis, SB 135 will not cost the state much of anything, certainly not anything that is going to put our state any deeper into the red zone. The bill flew through the Senate quickly and is marching on through the Assembly side at a quick pace too, so it isn't as if our legislature is losing sleep or time over SB 135.

Senator Florez, who introduced the bill, says:“stop tweeting his obsession with cow tails and start tweaking the Budget to move us toward a solution.”

Do people still say "Oh, snap!"? If they do, then have at it.

July Birthdays!!

Yo! It's me Copper, your favorite Birthday Celebrating hen. Okay, so I've been a little loosie-goosie (bird reference, people) since my last entry which was, well, it was awhile ago.

There was a near riot by fellow sanctuary denizens who felt slighted by the fact that I was busy. Yes, it's true. I was busy. Nesting and pecking at the grass and also falling in love. His name is Arturo, he's very sweet and saves grapes for me. So you can understand that I had to spend time with him and my nest and the grass.

But now the grass is dead, I am so over the whole broody nesting business and Arturo is still the love of my life but not so overbearing I can't take some time to update you on the birthdays!

On to the July birthdays! Remember, you can click on the small pictures to see the animals up close and personal (sometimes TOO personal, in my chick-pinion).

This is Olivia and she turns five. She's a potbellied pig with Personality, some may even say she has bigger Personality than me but that's crazy. Olivia has been at the sanctuary since she was my size, which is to say perfectly well-proportioned. Someone was selling her at a flea market, which is just as ridiculous as it sounds.

Iris is what I consider a very pretty rabbit. This is because she has spots and I have spots, so we're practically best friends forever. Iris will be turning four! Now, this will shock you but she was actually stuck in a wire cage for goodness knows how long with a bunch of other rabbits - she could barely turn around! I cannot even imagine. According to the bunny-vine, she's real popular and hasn't let the past get in the way of the present, which is why we're practically best friends forever because this is how I feel too.

Unfortunately, I have to share the chicken enclosure with turkeys. This is a great injustice perpetrated against us chickens by those well-meaning bipeds who do not even realize the great injustice. ANYWAY, I don't want to detract from the birthday celebrations - this is Zarriah. Along with Serena (who looks just like Zarriah) they are turning 9. These two were found wandering the streets of Napa as wee lasses, probably escapees from a "free-range" farm.

Whoa, another turkey? This is Evil Willow. The bipeds just call her Willow. She is turning three and is a grouchy turkey. She puts on a good front with the bipeds, making them think she's all nice and sweet. Wrong! Sometimes she pecks us hens on the head! Rude, I think. But Happy Birthday anyways.

Worldwide Vegan Bake Sale - SUCCESS!

We've heard lots of awesome, wonderful things about this past weekend's Worldwide Vegan Bake Sale, but none could make us more happy than hearing that the San Francisco vegan bake sale made a whopping $3,000!!! Three thousand!! And some of that gets to go to the animals at the sanctuary - Howie says that might be enough cash to make a bath of money big enough for his robust girth! East Bay Animal Advocates, another awesome group, will also receive a portion of the proceeds. Yeah.

We want to thank The Urban Housewife and Vegansaurus for organizing the event and also to the folks who donated their time and baked goods! You made many a vegan and non-vegan happy!! You also made the animals at the sanctuary very happy, even though they tell us Happy to them is Cupcakes + Peppermint Patties + Cookies all in their bellahs.

Read about the success and see some mouth-watering photos (seriously, I nearly licked the screen...Frank the potbellied pig says that's gross) here at The Urban Housewife. Please leave a nice comment letting them know they rock for organizing the event and that all the bakers and volunteers are full of vegan-love for donating their time and products for this event.

Calgary Stampede v. Vancouver Humane Society

The Vancouver Humane Society attempted to submit an ad that offered an alternative view to the popular Calgary Stampede and Rodeo. The Calgary Herald and the Calgary Sun both refused to publish the ad.

You can see the Vancouver Humane Society's ad here. In it, a "cowboy" takes down a 3-mos old calf in the "tie-down" roping event in which a frightened calf is released into an arena, followed by a "cowboy" on a horse. The calf is roped by the neck and three of his legs are tied. Now I don't know about you, but when I'm running full force away from something scary (which I try and avoid), I think it would be quite painful to have a rope flung around my neck (or any part of my body) and yanked forcefully back. I could be a secret masochist and really like that sort of thing, but doubtful.

According to the Vancouver Humane Society, one of the newspapers refused because, in their opinion, they did not agree with the ad. Huh? Since when do you have to agree with an ad that, for all intents and purposes is hardly extreme or over the top, to publish it in your newspaper? Why bother with an opinion section or letters to the editor if dissenting opinion isn't a viable option? The ad in question doesn't show gory images. It doesn't mention the Calgary Stampede specifically. It does not do much but offer a dissenting opinion, that maybe there is something wrong with rodeos and hey! here's an example.

The Calgary Sun has posted this editorial on why they chose not to run the ad. Poor taste. That's their reason. Wait, that's their second reason. Their primary reason is that the Vancouver Humane Society is located in, well, British Columbia which, while in Canada, is not in Alberta. It's apparently a West Coast versus Midwest feud that us, being in California, totally understand. I mean, hello, we feud with ourselves (Southern Californians remain baffled as to why us Northern Californians refuse to add "the" before Highway 80 or Highway 5). So we can get the "whole outsider" thing (we even shun insiders!). That isn't a valid reason to offer a dissenting opinion, even if that dissenting opinion comes from fellow Canadians next door or Fresno, in our case. Yes, perhaps 85% of Calgarians love the Stampede but the Stampede is an international affair and maybe, if people knew how cruel some events in the Stampede are by their very nature, they would be less inclined to spend their money in Calgary.

And that, I think, is the REAL issue - economics. The Calgary Stampede is huge. When I say huge, I mean huge. It's considered an integral aspect of Calgary tourism revenue. Over the course of ten days, more than a million people will visit from dozens of countries. That's big tourist bucks for Calgary. Or it could be that this event is heralded as The Most Important Cultural Event for Calgary Ever. I don't know whether to be embarrassed or bemused on behalf of Canadians everywhere that culture is being defined as 2 million dollars in overall prize money (thanks to the federal government), strapping belts onto genitals of wild horses, bringing down 3-mos-old calves or big belts and wranglers. Perhaps that is unfair - after all, we view cattle and horses as animals worthy of respect, compassion and the right to exhibit their natural behaviors in a natural setting. No rodeo can offer that. We have a fundamentally different view on animals than rodeos.

For the farmed animals, that is a good thing. We commend the Vancouver Humane Society for doing what shelters within Alberta refused to do - speak up for the animals.

The Calgary Sun and Herald both accept letters to the editor. Accept probably being defined differently by the two newspapers.

But if you're a brave soul (and I know you are), then write a letter questioning the ethics of denying an ad based on "economics" and "fear of the outside"...

Calgary Sun: cal-letters@calgarysun.com
Calgary Herald

California: Stop the selling of animals in parking lots

In California, animals can legally be sold in parking lots and alongside the road. Animals are often exposed to the elements, left without proper shelter, food and water, and sold in unsanitary conditions. Animals are rarely vet-checked and may pose a health risk to both humans and other animals.

There is a bill, sponsored by the California Animal Association, that would ban the sale of animals in parking lots and alongside the road.

AB 1122, introduced by Assemblymember Lieu passed through the Assembly and is now in the Senate Public Safety committee. We need your help immediately to get this legislation passed!

What you can do:
Please contact members of the Senate Public Safety Committee and ask them to SUPPORT AB1122. This is especially vital for those of you who are members of the senators' districts. To find out who your legislator is, please go here.

Senate Public Safety Committee Members
Senator Mark Leno: senator.leno@senate.ca.gov
Senator John J. Benoit
Senator Gilbert Cedillo
Senator Loni Hancock
Senator Robert Huff
Senator Darrell Steinberg
Senator Roderick Wright

Talking Points:
- Animals sold in parking lots and along the road may have serious health problems that show up soon after purchase
- Animals pose a health risk due to unsanitary housing conditions
- Animals are not treated by veterinarians
- Animals may not be provided proper food and water

Please contact the Public Safety committee members as soon as possible - the animals thank you!

Daring calf photo....

That's right, Summer and Freedom, have decided to bare it all in this shocking new photo! We warn you, there are a couple of cute little calf tooshes in this photo - it may not be work or child safe!

All kidding aside, this photo shows the primary reasons Summer and Freedom were not bought by any of the farmers at the auction. Freedom doesn't have a tail and may have problems in the future because of it (he will definitely have many fly-woes). Summer (foreground) is very skinny and was very sickly when he first arrived. Because of his sickness, he lost a lot of hair that is - thankfully - growing back in wonderfully.

These two little guys are the dark underbelly of the dairy industry - the cruelty behind that glass of milk. Male dairy calves are absolutely worthless; farmers make no money off of them, even at auction. They are treated like trash.

But now they are happy and safe. It is a joy to watch them revel in being Calf Who Runs Free and Calf who Chews Hair. They prance and leap, exuding the carefree energy of the young. It will be fun watching them grow up, I'm sure you'll enjoy it too!