JazzKats Coffee Bar Reopens--YESSSS!!

One of my favorite coffee bars in Portland Oregon, JazzKats, has now reopened for business and it looks to be better than ever!

I stopped by on Thursday and met the new owners Natasha (who is also the owner of the food cart Da-Pressed) and her partner Adam. They are vegans and plan on having only veg*n food, plus their own coffee roast, in the coffee bar.

For all you Portland locals and visitors to the vegan capital of world, JazzKats is located in the Hollywood District of Portland at 1925 N.E. 42nd Ave.

Go check them out.

Cinco de Mayo Recipes

Cinco de Mayo celebrates Mexican heritage with a wealth of color, flavor and flair, and there are lots of ways to celebrate May 5 vegan-style! 


 Cinco de Mayo Vegan Recipes

 Vegan Cinco de Mayo Recipes

Sizzling Cinco de Mayo Recipes

Violence, Nudity, Profanity, ANIMALS..that is BOLD NATIVE

Here's a bold, thought-provoking animal film to watch over the weekend--or any day.

Synopsis

"Charlie Cranehill, an animal liberator wanted by the United States government for domestic terrorism, emerges from the underground to coordinate a nationwide action as his estranged CEO father tries to find him before the FBI does. The film simultaneously follows a young woman who works for an animal welfare organization fighting within the system to establish more humane treatment of farmed animals. Bringing their critically-acclaimed documentary style to a fiction narrative, Gather Films weaves a timely story about those who risk their freedom for the lives of others."

WARNING: This film contains graphic violence, nudity and profanity.

This "movie film" about animal rights is the most thorough, thought-provoking animal film I have ever seen and I've seen them all in my years of being an animal rights person since 1982. Bold Native covers all different types of activists in all lines of work, interests, with different ways of showing their passion for animals. Character Sonja is my favorite.



The acting is well done, and the cinematography is terrific. You'll laugh, cry, get angry, raise your fists...show all kinds of emotion as you watch Bold Native. Even though it's a "movie" it tells the facts. It's a very moving, thought-provoking film, that needs to be shown in theatres again. I'd love to watch this in a theatre and take in people's reactions.

Bold Native needs to be redistributed to theatres again because the message is still fresh today and needs to be told over again to the general public. 

I loved the film from beginning to end.

See Bold Native (2010) in its entirety (1 hour, 45 minutes) at the link below:

BOLD NATIVE

Muslims: Turning Away From a Meat Diet

Muslims can be vegans according to their faith. Islamic scholars such as the late Egyptian scholar Gamal al-Banna agree that Muslims who choose vegetarianism/veganism can do so for a number of reasons including a personal expression of faith or spirituality.

Read more about Muslims being veg*n at the article heading:

Vegetarian Muslim: Turning Away From a Meat-Based Diet

Animal Chaplain Program

More than 60 percent of households in the U.S. have a companion animal, and many of the people living with those animals attend church services regularly, but only a small percentage of churches serve animals and their caretakers. Ahwatukee Foothills residents Kris and Craig Haley had an idea.

Kris and Craig had spent years working with animal advocate groups. Over the years they both had an awakening to the thought that their animals and all animals they were meeting had a spirit. They became aware that people often have a very spiritual connection with their companion animals but that connection isn’t often officially recognized by churches. So they made a call to Emerson Theological Institute. The director of the school listened to their idea for a course about animals. In the course of studying for their own doctorate, the Haleys developed a Department of Humane Religious Studies for the school. The main department is the Animal Chaplain Program. Kris and Craig are both ordained animal chaplains and since the formation of the program more than 25 students have graduated.

The ministry is more geared toward supporting the people who take care of the animals than the animals. The animals are the teachers but the humans sometimes need support.

The program is a three-module program. The second module is the one Craig focuses on in his own ministry, bereavement. In addition to bereavement the Haleys take prayer requests, offer veterinary hospital and hospice support, conduct memorial, remembrance or life celebration ceremonies, conduct naming and adopting ceremonies, and do animal blessings. As chaplains, the Haleys serve various religious communities and churches and animal adoption events to provide prayer, grief circles, classes and workshops online.

The Haleys oversee the Department of Humane Religious Studies at Emerson Theological Institute. The Animal Chaplain program is completely online. For more information on the church, visit www.onevoiceministry.com.

Creative Living Fellowship Church in Phoenix decided to recognize two animal chaplains as members of the church’s ecclesiastical team. There chaplains are available for members of the church looking for help with issues dealing with their companion animals. For more information on the church, visit creativelivingfellowship.com.

Two Cats Just Hangin' Out

I took a photo inside our family mini-van of these two cats (so sorry about the window glare). Rarely do you see cats outside like this in Portland, as most are strictly indoor cats.

Here kitties-kitties....

The Smiths' Meat is Murder Live

 

 

Meat is Murder 

(as the lyrics are from the album: Meat is Murder) by The Smiths

 

Heifer whines could be human cries
Closer comes the screaming knife
This beautiful creature must die
This beautiful creature must die
A death for no reason
And death for no reason is murder

And the flesh you so fancifully fry
Is not succulent, tasty or kind
It's death for no reason
And death for no reason is murder

And the calf that you carve with a smile
Is murder
And the turkey you festively slice
Is murder
Do you know how animals die?

Kitchen aromas aren't very homely
It's not "comforting", cheery or kind
It's sizzling blood and the unholy stench
Of murder

It's not "natural", "normal" or kind
The flesh you so fancifully fry
The meat in your mouth
As you savour the flavour
Of murder

NO, NO, NO, IT'S MURDER. NO, NO, NO, IT'S MURDER
Oh...and who hears when animals cry?