Vegetarians ‘avoid more cancers’

Via the Beeb:

Vegetarians ‘avoid more cancers’

Vegetarians are generally less likely than meat eaters to develop cancer but this does not apply to all forms of the disease, a major study has found.

The study involving 60,000 people found those who followed a vegetarian diet developed notably fewer cancers of the blood, bladder and stomach.

But the apparently protective effect of vegetarian did not seem to stretch to bowel cancer, a major killer.

The study is published in the British Journal of Cancer.

» Full article

ScouseVeg On The Radio

Just before the start of National Vegetarian Week (which ran from May 18th – 24th, 2009) the O’Leary clan [Ray, Jane and Niki, below in photo's taken by Matt] guested on Simon O’Brien’s radio show to promote the week and to cook him a vegan breakfast.

Why a vegan breakfast when it was vegetarian week ? Take a listen to the both segments of the show to find out:

» Part 1
(64k mono mp3 – 10min:36secs / 4.85MB)

» Part 2
(12min:35secs / 5.75MB)

Thanks, as always to Brian Rogers for the files.

This isn’t the first time an O’Leary has been on the radio, in fact I think it is the third 4th time for Niki ! – Previous appearances here.

AND… ! Ray and Jane went a bit upmarket a while ago when they appeared on BBC Radio Merseyside.

Give them their own show, that’s what I say.

Videos From Veggie Pride 2009

A couple of Saturday’s ago (May 16th to be precise) there was the very first Veggie Pride, which too place at Victoria Square in the Birmingham City Centre.

Noted veggie chef Jay Davé put on his roving reporter hat to record the events of that day for Veggie World.

- Spotted at the event which can be seen here* is a certain ravishing redhead.

*If that doesn’t work keep a watch on the clip below from about 5:15 onwards.

Part 1:

» Link to video 1

» Link to video 2

Today (May 25th) Is Towel Day

Towel Day is celebrated every May 25 as a tribute by fans of the late author Douglas Adams. The commemoration was first held in 2001, two weeks after his death on May 11, and since then has been extended to an annual event. On this day, fans carry a towel with them throughout the day. The towel is a reference to Adams’s popular science fiction comedy series The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy.

Do you know where yours is ?

More info: http://www.towelday.org

Pinky’s Tribute II

To mark National Vegetarian Week (18-24 May) vegan artist and lecturer Pinky Binks creates a delicate and emotional tribute to the thousands of animals that once died in a lonely and dilapidated slaughterhouse in the north east of England.

Tribute II is Pinky’s personal response to the building’s previous activity and the ‘terror and murder’ that took place there. British based Pinky says: “It is of course integral to the work that the space used was one that housed animals and enveloped their last breaths.”

Set within a field surrounded by beautiful countryside, the abattoir is small and derelict and consists of two spaces, one where the slaughter took place and the other where the bodies were hung.

Pinky describes his work: “The slaughter room will be carpeted with thousands of fresh pink roses and petals. What was once a river of blood will become a sea of flowers.

“The hanging room will be filled with hundreds of pink gladioli suspended on butchers hooks. This space has no roof so I expect the flowers to sway in the wind and even disperse their petals around the surrounding fields and village.

“We will also have a viola playing Abide With Me to add to the majesty of the tribute, this will be performed by Gayle Hutchinson

“We decided to use gladioli in honour of singer Morrissey’s 50th birthday this week (22 May). He’s been a tireless campaigner for animal rights and vegetarianism and I’m sure he’d appreciate the work. Meat is MURDER!”

The work is a continuation of the recent Tribute: an installation of funeral flowers in a recently closed butchers shop spelling out the phrase “Hold Your Breath”. Again this was Binks’ personal response to the butchers shop as when it was in use he used to hold his breath as he passed to avoid breathing in the smell of dead animals.
» News article.

The piece was so well received by the public and press alike that he decided to team up with The Vegetarian Society to extend the piece and raise awareness of National Vegetarian Week. Pinky says: “The work is not only a tribute and mark of respect to animal life but an exploration of how we as humans have developed relationships with animals to suit our own desires and needs.

“It’s not my intention to preach against anyone’s personal choice, simply juxtapose beauty where there was once terror, raise awareness of vegetarianism and get people thinking about the sanctity of all life, not just ours.”

Pinky Binks has exhibited his unique brand of work in spaces all over the country, including The South Bank Centre in London; he’s an art lecturer who splits his time between the UK and India.

» Facebook Profile

» MySpace Page

Ghent Goes Veggie

Via the Beeb:

Belgian city plans ‘veggie’ days

By Chris Mason
BBC News, Ghent

The Belgian city of Ghent is about to become the first in the world to go vegetarian at least once a week.

Starting this week there will be a regular weekly meatless day, in which civil servants and elected councillors will opt for vegetarian meals.

Ghent means to recognise the impact of livestock on the environment.

The UN says livestock is responsible for nearly one-fifth of global greenhouse gas emissions, hence Ghent’s declaration of a weekly “veggie day”.

Public officials and politicians will be the first to give up meat for a day.

Schoolchildren will follow suit with their own veggie day in September.

It is hoped the move will cut Ghent’s environmental footprint and help tackle obesity.

Around 90,000 so-called “veggie street maps” are now being printed to help people find the city’s vegetarian eateries.

» Full article

Now why can’t the same thing happen in Liverpool.
It must be done.

Get involved with the local National Vegetarian Week events

National Vegetarian Week will be from May 18th to 24th, 2009 (plus there will be a build up with the Veggie Pride march taking place on Saturday (16th) in Birmingham.

- Our friends over the water will be holding a picnic on Saturday May 24th and everyone is invited !

May 24th. Wirral Veggies Picnic.
Bring your own or bring to share. Family friendly., If you bring to share, please mark food veggie or vegan. More details on our website.
Venue: The Walled Garden, Royden Park, Frankby, Wirral. CH48 1NP. [MAP]
1pm. until 3.30pm. All welcome. Details: www.wirralveggies.org.uk

» View more local events

Bristol Vegan Fayre Reminder

A quick reminder about the BIG annual vegan festival taking place at the end of this month:

The entertainment will be provided by The Blockheads, The King Blues and headlining/closing the show on Sunday night – Horace Andy.

Tickets are still available and you can buy them on the gate if you decide to go last minute.

There will be a few ScouseVeggie’s there, including a certain Niki O’Leary…

Vegan Freak Radio

Get your (vegan) freak on the (online) radio:

Vegan Freak – The website.

Is run by…

Bob & Jenna Torres

“We’re Bob and Jenna Torres, two long-time vegans who like to use our skills and talents to provide vegans and aspiring vegans with support, community, and entertainment. We do this in a few ways:

- We wrote a book to help you go vegan, stay vegan, and deal with life around non-vegans.

- We host an online radio show that currently gets thousands of downloads each week at Vegan Freak Radio.

- We blog about living as a vegan in a world of omnivores at Vegan Freak Blog.

Vegan Freak Radio – The podcasts.

One of the Vegan Freak Radio Podcast shows is below:

: Download (48megs/1 & half hour long pod. Only available on here for a limited time. Longer on the original site.)

*Heads up* Lots of the use of the word beginning with F and ending with uck used in the podcast.

Paul McCartney Reaches Out To Pammy Anderson

Before you cringe at the thought – hear me out:
It looks like a scummy tabloid headline but Sir Paul recognises that Pamela Anderson is a (very visual !) campaigner for PETA and is a committed vegetarian herself.

- Found the article via Digital Spy Showbiz news, so far no other sources to back it up though.

————————————————————-

McCartney ‘begs Anderson for support’

“Sir Paul McCartney has penned an open letter to Pamela Anderson asking her to help promote vegetarianism.

McCartney wrote to the former Baywatch star in the hope of forming a partnership to help raise awareness of how bad meat-eating is on the environment:

“Dear Pamela. We are sending this letter because both of us share a concern for our planet’s welfare and hope you will find the following information of interest,” he wrote.

“The Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) stated that ‘changes in lifestyle and behaviour patterns can contribute to climate change mitigation across all sectors’.

“A significant reduction in emissions can be brought about through changes in diet. The single most effective act is to become vegetarian or reduce meat consumption.

“Unfortunately, with higher incomes, societies are turning to greater consumption of animal protein, which reduces the availability of food grains for direct consumption by impoverished human beings.

“We are, therefore, writing this letter not because vegetarianism is a fad or an emotional issue but because it is a very attractive option for reducing emissions of greenhouse gases and stabilising the earth’s climate and ensuring food security.”

Anderson previously wrote to Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin asking the politician to help her ban the slaughter of seals in Canada. Meanwhile, McCartney has called on the European Parliament to implement a ban on the sale of the animal meat.”
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» Full article

Update: Confirmation from her official site (Safe for work)