Vegan Punk Cooking

Two big stand outs I got for Christmas are:

DNA Ancestry kit (which I asked for, and Ancestry sent me an email recently saying they got my saliva sample but it takes 6-8 weeks to get the test results; very long wait-list I guess).

And the other, which I didn't know existed, is the vegan cookbook, "Bake and Destroy", subtitled, "Good Food for Bad Vegans". The forward is by a pro-wrestler champ named CM Punk.

The back cover says (in quotes) the author of the cookbook, Natalie Slater (she has her own website of the same name, Bake and Destroy) is said to "have been described as Martha Stewart meets Iron Maiden". In making the book, Slater was "influenced by slasher films, pro-wrestling, punk rock and heavy metal." She has lots of delicious recipes but "along the way, her off-color humor, irreverent rants and density of pop-culture references will make you laugh out loud."

I haven't really delved into the book yet, but I love to bake (I make phenomenal vegan banana nut bread), so I'm looking forward to reading it and preparing some terrific vegan dishes.

Fall 2015 Fashion Trends: Vegan Leather Picks

On-trend outfit obsession and adoration for all things eco-chic means vegan leather wins as a style staple, while hitting the mark in the sustainability category as well! Check out these great outfits:

Fall 2015 Fashion Trends: Vegan Leather Picks To Add To Your Closet

Vegan Fashion and Accessories, Vegan Bodycare and House Products

Since I have talked mostly about animal rights veganism here, I now want to also do blogposts on the often forgotten other cruelty-free items (products besides vegan food and vegan cosmetics).

Sadly, I rarely hear podcasts and bloggers post about vegan fashion and accessories, vegan bodycare and vegan household products; so look for more blogposts about these items.

Why I Will Not Support Any Stranger (famous or not) Who Says They Are "Vegan"

It's all over the vegan community how a celebrity (who never was vegan in the first place, in spite of many who said she was), now owns a line of leather and suede footwear.

Also, in the past, I have read how staff at restaurants talks of "vegan" celebrities who get a private room in back and orders steak or some other animal flesh unbeknown to the general public.

I believe this because it sounds true. All types of people lie and many, many celebrities lie more to further their image. It's all about image to most celebrities and if they were honest in the slightest, will probably tell you behind closed doors:

"So what if I am not vegan as I say in public. I am an entertainer, so when I'm out in public that's the focus: Being famous, a celebrity, an entertainer. And what do entertainers do? We act in public. Celebrities fake in public. We keep up with the trends to stay well-known. It's all an act you naive fool!"

Again, I'm sure not all celebrities are this way, but many are.

Genuine vegans: If you want to support people who you do NOT know personally, and cheer them for being "vegan", go ahead because that's your choice, but I will not be so naive as to assume just because some stranger--celebrity or not--tells me they are vegan, that they genuinely are vegan.

I'll admit, I have supported some people who say they are vegan, but I will no longer do so. Great!--if they are, but I won't support them publicly if I do not know them personally.

Instead, I'll always just say to myself, "Oh. If it's true, that's great." and then I forgot they even said it, and continue to stay busy in my activism.

Being Honest and Helping People to Become Vegan

Vegans who say becoming an ethical vegan is sooooooo easy for everyone is lying. Don't insult people's intelligence. How dare you tell someone who has been a vegan for years that it was actually easy but they just didn't know it. How eff'ed up is that?!

That's a problem I have with people who are in social justice movements--people lie. Just because it was easy for you and me, doesn't mean it's easy for every single person on this planet--DEAL WITH IT. Sorry but it's true. If they say it was or is difficult for them then it is--for them.

And just because it's difficult for them, doesn't mean it's not right for them. If someone wanted to lose weight and found it hard, it doesn't mean they should stop, because in the end, it would be beneficial and the right thing to do--same as becoming vegan.

Vegans, stop deluding yourselves, lying to people and yourselves by saying becoming vegan--and not just by diet mind you, but with getting cruelty-free products, clothing, footwear, everything , is soo easy. Hell, if it was that easy, everyone would be 100% vegan in everything--transportation we drive, we would never step on ants or any small creatures, etc. That in itself is hard to accomplish.

That's why we say being vegan is about doing the best we can, because as we live NO ONE can be 100% vegan. Why? because it would be too difficult. So vegans stop with the lies and just be honest with people. We will help a lot more people become vegan and save more animals' lives if we are honest with people and help them in any way we can to become vegan.

If you have not done so already, please read my previous blogpost, as it relates to this one.

Gary Francione and Others Just Don't Get It

Here are some quotes from Twitter and Facebook I made that I feel belongs permanently on my blog for my blog readers to see:

"Awesome Morrissey is now vegan!!Reasons about veganism he gave n interviews r incorrect, but main thing he's vegan! That should b the focus."

"I long realize @garylfrancione main thing is to criticize people who are not vegan or saying things wrong;that's all he's doing to Morrissey"

"I bet in @garylfrancione @GoVeganRadio podcast today he won't b happy Morrissey is vegan,but instead spend entire show berating what he said"

"Morrrissey should be criticized BRIEFLY,but then congratulated & talk about all positive things Morrissey is already doing now he's vegan."

"But no, @garylfrancione always love the negative more than positive, and will go on and on about how terrible Morrissey still is. So sad."

"I'm really tired of @garylfrancione love of criticizing--especially vegans. Call people out--great, but then mention their positives."

"I guess unless one thinks ,behaves, does EVERYTHING EXACTLY @garylfrancione way, he'll always put people down. His way or you're ALL wrong."

". @garylfrancione & others keep flippantly saying "Going vegan is easy. It's not hard." yeah, for us, but others think it is.Understand them"

"Ask them, 'Why is it hard for you?' Give them answers. Work with them and HELP them instead of saying, "it's easy"--that's counterproductive"

"I didn't mention this on @garylfrancione Facebook because if anyone disagrees with his way of doing things, you get blocked."


This is what I posted on Gary Francione's Facebook yesterday. I'm surprised it didn't get deleted like MANY of people's posts get when you disagree with Francione on Facebook:

Lorrie Paige: "There was a poll taken at my church where we asked, what concerns do you have about going vegan? Most said health issues. In this day and age with doctors saying veganism is safe there really shouldn't be a concern but I think many people still have a fear of major health issues and most people are more concerned about their health than any animals. This is one reason vegans should be healthy vegans. While I see many healthy vegans pics online, I see a lot of unhealthy vegans offline when I go to vegan meets. I believe these are more the plant only people (no vegan processed) which more and more vegans are doing as they feel this is the next "level" of veganism. But it's very important to not only be vegan but be and look a healthy vegan. I see so many that look anorexic and that scares people. Also when I became vegan I threw my expensive fur coats away immediately in the trash. Easy for me but maybe some people would find it hard to throw out thousands of dollars worth of clothing, shoes, and buy a whole new wardrobe. But that's something I feel one must do as it would be difficult talking animal rights while wearing animals. Saying, well I bought this prior to being vegan and waiting until it wears out or until I can afford to buy vegan is not a positive thing to say while promoting veganism. Also vegan body care and cosmetics are very expensive so it's not just about vegan food---food is the cheapest in transitioning. Veganism is a major life transition to many people, depending on how much animal cruelty one has done. Just because it was easy for most of us don't assume it's easy for each and every person on the planet. We need to understand instead of making flippant remarks because they may just give up and what does that accomplish? If someone you know is finding it hard financially to buy vegan items, buy them items, like a vegan coat, vegan body care, or whatever to get them started instead of getting angry at them. If they are sincere, help them in the beginning. But in wealthy Morrissey's case, he couldn't make that excuse."


Telling people something they feel is not the case is really stupid. If a person feels something is difficult, even though you feel it's easy to be vegan, they will not believe you because you are not them. So help them in any way you can to help them transition to veganism easy.

Responding to a Question

I'm a member of a group that emails a daily food-for-thought question. When you answer, your comment gets left in limbo for moderation...my response was approved and it got posted on the board.

Here is the question and my response follows:


Who or what has given you a clearer picture of some important view on the world?


In 1982, being enlightened by knowing I was contributing to animal abuse by eating them and using them for clothing, household products, bodycare, and the horrors that animals go through by using milk, eggs, honey…Any type of animal product.


So from then on, I have been an activist for animals, in educating people in telling them in this day and age, we know longer need animals to be and stay healthy or use them for anything; we as humans have evolved to being healthily cruelty-free. I and many others are proof of this.


So I help strip away the assumptions and animal prejudices (speciesism) people have toward animals to provide people with a clearer view of a more peaceful world.