Not only does Gore still eat meat, but I just heard that his electric bill last month was very high. Plus doesn't he still fly around the country?

It's great that he promoted the work of many scientists and put it out there for the world to see, but is he really making the necessary changes to combat global warming?

So many people gush over him, but I can see right through him.

Al it's time to put your money where your mouth is and "be the change" instead always talking about it.

EAS

"be the change" from a quote by Ghandi

Posted by: EAS | October 12, 2007 11:24 AM

Congrats to Al Gore - my personal Nobel Prize Winner is Ingrid Newkirk!

Posted by: chief seattle's legacy | October 12, 2007 11:32 AM

One only has to go by a factory farm be it pigs, chicken, cows ect. I stubbled across a pig farm recently and let me tell you besides my obvious sadness, I felt ill, my nose burned, my eyes itched and I was very dizzy! Do I need to say more?

Posted by: Carla | October 12, 2007 12:08 PM

my god. al gore is so fat! he seriously needs to go vegetarian. that picture scares me. he looks hungry....like, 'rawr! imma eat choo!'

Posted by: jess | October 12, 2007 12:26 PM

EAS and Carla

I agree; good comments.

Posted by: Ana | October 12, 2007 12:52 PM

Hope he donates some money from that $1.5 million prize money to PETA & add "Go Veg" as the 8th point!
Hey, Jack please keep us posted on this issue!
Love u PETA!

Posted by: Niran | October 12, 2007 01:02 PM

Carla, it's perfectly okay to be fat, provided it's good scrumptious vegan fat:)Vegan food is so good for your taste buds, the animals and the planet, it would be a pity not to indulge:D.
I really hope Al Gore will include veganism in his campaign. It is SO easy to go vegan in the US, you can have ice cream and all, I actually find it very shoking that he omitted it in his movie! I think his family might be linked to the meat industry but they were into tobacco at a point too, and don't think the best of it now.

Posted by: Laura | October 12, 2007 02:23 PM

to whom it may concern:
first of all my congrats to al gore!

second i would like to come back to a text which i posted in answer to mars who wanted to make us believe that there were more people in noah's ark than animals (of every species respectively)! as a sign of gods permission of dominion over the other species! i didn't have much time to give an appropriate answer and i think stepping in here is ok because many readers shall be on this blog and hopefully mars - so here it is now: in the second bible text it's written that there were seven couples of every species going inside the ark - not as i mentioned before seven individual animals of every species - this means that the situation for our animal friends looks even better - they were 14 animals of every species to enter the ark - seven males and seven females! noah entered the ark with his family: his wife, his three sons and their wifes and his doughter! this means they were 9 humans - hence the smallest number of a species!

but now there is coming the interesting part of the story: the number 7 is a symbol for eternity and endlessness - so GOD opened the ark for ALL ANIMALS, but just for 9 humans (9 being a symbol for selection)! mars - you got it? before you contest here you should study the secret science of numbers in the bible and other holy scriptures and the oeuvres of meyrink and papus and the holy kabbalah!!! vae victis!!!

Posted by: animalfriend | October 12, 2007 02:33 PM

Okay, dudes. Here's the thing. Cars can run on ethanol and there's no problem. Recycling. Knock yourself out. Go veg? No fornicating way.

Wolves don't drive cars or make aluminum cans, but they do sink their teeth into an animal and don't bother to consider its feeling or the cruelty they've. But you know what? That's part of the food chain.

It seems that vegetarians are completely oblivious—no, denying of the fact that real meat is the only delicious way to eat meat. There's a reason we feed all the soy to the cows: because people won't eat it.

Besides, if eating meat were a danger to the planet, Gore would let the polar bears rot in the bottom of the Arctic.

Sorry, dudes, but soy's not the way to save the planet. I know hy00mans treat it like crap, but lions and bears and wolves eat meat, too. Are they screwing up Planet Earth?

Posted by: Ray-O | October 12, 2007 03:49 PM

Carla: That is completely obnoxious.

Ray-O: You're obviously not helping the planet.

Congrats to Al Gore!!

Posted by: Kara | October 12, 2007 05:21 PM

To Ray-O

Have you ever seen a pride of lions factory-farming gazelles?
Or perhaps it was bears operating a fish farm?

Posted by: Carol | October 12, 2007 05:56 PM

ray-o:
you really really need a lighter for your brains or shall i come to help you with a candle?

Posted by: oreos | October 12, 2007 07:14 PM

Dudes?!?! What is up with that!?!? Try to lay of the slang! anyway...

Animals eating other animals is the circle of life. Not all people need to eat animals to survive. Also, you seem to be a strong supporter of Al Gore, but not his concepts. As you said, "Cars can run on ethanol and there's no problem. Recycling. Knock yourself out." this implied you could care less about the enviroment, but at the end you supported Al Gore by saying, "if eating meat were a danger to the planet, Gore would let the polar bears rot in the bottom of the Arctic." !!! Make up your mind and if you do not support this website why make rude remarks about people`s beliefs?!

Posted by: A mad Person | October 12, 2007 09:05 PM

GO AL! Congradulations. If you're 'really' serious about the environment (like me) try weaning yourself off of meats. Think about it. There are SO many tasty soy meats to replace animal flesh. You'll feel and look much better.

Posted by: Katherine | October 12, 2007 10:52 PM

1. Lions and bears don't get their meat from a factory farm, which is where all the greenhouse gases are produced.
2. Meat is not a natural part of the human food chain.
3. According to scientists we have this genetic immunity against a virus that you can only get by eating human brains. So are you saying we should go out on the street and cut up some delicious humans for dinner?

Posted by: GeorgeMB | October 12, 2007 11:32 PM

Ray-O, you ask, "lions and bears and wolves eat meat, too. Are they screwing up Planet Earth?".

Unless they start acting more like human animals and take their "meat" and stuff it side by side in a building, deprive it of fresh air, water, good food, murder it in the cruelest way possible, then waste enormous amounts of resources to cut it up, ship it, and plop it on a dinner plate...
then you're right those lions, bears and wolves you speak of are NOT "screwing up Planet Earth".

Oh, Ray-O did you happen to go outside today and run barefoot after your meat, then sink your teeth into it and have dinner the natural-not-destroy-the-planet-way? You did that of course, right Ray-O?
Oh and people don't eat soy? That's funny it's been in our food for years, but guess you'd have to read a label to notice.

Posted by: Bobo | October 13, 2007 05:14 AM

Felicitations - Al Gore - you are a winner!

My lovely proposition for PETA: create your special prize for the meanest anti-blogger: the GOLDEN ASSHOLE!

We got three major candidates:

Cocky - the Vivisectioner
Steve - the Force-Feeder
Mars - the Trapper

let the public decide!!!

Posted by: ANACONDA | October 13, 2007 08:59 AM

OH! MY! GOD!
Wolves and bears and lions do not raise animals....

Esther, from Germany

Posted by: Esther | October 13, 2007 10:58 AM

"It seems that vegetarians are completely oblivious"?
Okay, dudes. Here's the REAL thing.
Seems to me no denying the fact that
eating meat is a highly condusive cause for medical diagnoses ranging from arteriosclerosis, all the way through to having the need for cardiac bypass surgery. (I have yet to hear of soy being a contributing factor)
If "all" the soy is fed to cows because people won't eat it, then, I wonder, what is the reason for all the soy-based foods and drinks that are marketed and sold for human consumption? (rhetorical)
Since animals follow the laws of nature, they can't screw up Planet Earth. And since carnivorous animals eat prey (meat) according to the laws of nature, that doesn't justify a reason for human animals to eat meat. If anything, it would prove (human) meat-eaters are oblivious to meat-related illnesses. But they're not really oblivious to that. They just try to make justifications (although illogical).

Posted by: Ariel | October 13, 2007 01:02 PM

EAS: You can see right through him? Spend a few years going from city to city, college to college, giving speeches to stop global warming - walk in Al Gore's shoes for a few days, even, and then say that he should put his nmoney where his mouth is.
My only "beef" with Gore is that I'd like to see him put VEGGIES where his mouth is, or at least make vegetarianism/veganism the 8th piece of the program to help global warming. But that doesn't mean that he hasn't done more than ANY single public figure to bring this issue to the attention of the voting public. I say "go, Gore" and TO Al Gore I would say: GoVeg! Please!

Posted by: Susannah S | October 13, 2007 03:22 PM

I don't think you understand the whole concept of vegetarianism and environmentalism. Do lions and wolves confine and breed billions of cattle? Last time I checked... no. It's not the act of eating meat that is bad for the environment. It is the mass production of animals for food and it's wastes/biproducts.

Animals that are carnivores are that way because of what their bodies can and cannot digest. I agree that killing and death is part of this world's food chain. But human beings can definitely live without eating meat. And even if your pathetic excuse of willpower cannot handle giving up being a carnivore, it is still possible to support more cruelty-free ways of ingesting flesh than what you find in the mainstream.

Posted by: christina | October 13, 2007 04:15 PM

Gore has relatives in the Angus Beef raising "field". Remember, he is still a politician in nature which is why despite his nobel he refuses to address the top reason for global warming.If Peta keeps at him forcefully I think the issue will be grasped by the public if a clever campaign can be launched.

Posted by: Gerry Ardigliano | October 13, 2007 04:36 PM

Ray-O, of course carnivorous animals eat meat, and of course it's part of the food chain. This planet does indeed have a balance that is maintained by plant, prey, and predator. However, breeding, enslaving, and torturing animals in a factory setting where they are a constant danger to all lifeforms on this planet is not part of that balance. We have reached a point in human accomplishment where explotation of animals only harms our society and our home.

It's sad to me that the entire premise of your arguement is based on meat being "tasty" while refusing to look at the bigger picture. Also, next time you go grocery shopping, stop for a moment to see how many products you buy actually contain soy, you'll probably be suprised.

As for me, I feel it's probably an unrealistic goal at this point in time to think we can get a majority of the world to pledge veganism/vegetarianism, as much as I would love to see that happen. I would recommend Mr. Gore advocate vegetarianism, or if one chooses to eat meat, to support the creation of sustainable, more ethical farms that are not so detrimental to the life on this planet. Although I do not believe in the idea of "humane killing", it would be a move in the right direction for humans, animals, and the planet.

Posted by: Mr. Black | October 13, 2007 04:37 PM

I do commend Al Gore for his work on getting the publics attention to climate change. But I've also heard that his house is not at all "green" and that actually George Bush lives in a more environmentally friendly house. Plus as PETA points out he needs to address the harmful effects of the meat industry as well as living by example. Seems like no politician is brave enough to call out the meat/dairy industry.

Posted by: Charles Waltermyer | October 13, 2007 04:53 PM

give it a rest people. hunting' trapping, fishing are all noble and necessary to the health and self sustaining populations of species. have you ever seen an animal; starve due to overpopulation . i have its ugly so before you push this point to far you may want to do some reserch ..

Posted by: tom | October 13, 2007 09:09 PM

"the situation for our animal friends looks even better -"

Until Noah set foot on dry ground and sacrificed the "clean" animals that's why he needed more of them but only 2 of the unclean animals because they would not be sacrificed.

"so GOD opened the ark for ALL ANIMALS, but just for 9 humans "

The Ark was open for all human believers.Of course at that time there was but 8 not 9.Noahs daughter was not on the Ark.

"7And Noah went in, and his sons, and his wife, and his sons' wives with him, into the ark, because of the waters of the flood. "

"13In the selfsame day entered Noah, and Shem, and Ham, and Japheth, the sons of Noah, and Noah's wife, and the three wives of his sons with them, into the ark; "

Posted by: Mars | October 13, 2007 09:33 PM

To Ray-O: Wow. Where does one begin to answer this? I'll give it a shot. First, Ray-O, read this website. Start at the beginning. Second, consider that humans, unlike animals, can make the conscious decision to become vegetarian. We don't need to eat meat to survive, plain and simple. We have evolved beyond this need, just as we have evolved beyond the need to use fur to keep us warm and leather to protect our feet. Vegetarians are, in essence, the latest generation of the human evolutionary process. We now have the intellegence and the capability to protect the earth, not rape it. Whether we use that intelligence for stewardship or destruction remains to be seen. Education, compassion and a bit of evolution may be the key.

Posted by: Denise | October 13, 2007 11:06 PM

Eating meat IS a natural part of the food chain. Heard of the term omnivore?!
It is possible to harvest and consume meat without the abuse and health problems. All it takes is science, control, a BRAIN (PETA definently not included), some snipage and pwnage of some people and TLC to others, excercize, medicine, and a hammer and sickle (Well no but hey, it worked for Russia).
Eating meat is not the top contributor to global warning, it's the production of electricity to power your f**king houses.

Posted by: halo snipe | October 14, 2007 01:03 AM

mars:
talking here about clean and unclean animals is leading us too far - for this i didn't mention it. of course the ark was open for all people but they didn't go in! do you go in??????? i was in a hurry so i have to correct myself again: noah's doughter didn't go in or there was no daughter at all - so this makes 8! this number is even worse from nine because it's not selective but in some way unfortunate because it indicates man's restless life on earth! and this is exactly what happened when they let the arch when god said to noah that from now on they shall be a horror for the other living beings and then man started to sacrifice and eat meat! but this is not the end! the bible is also going through her own evolution! instead of pointing out always the same things (like the pastors) the people should move on to iob, daniel, the ecclesiastes and above all isaiah where meat-eating is clearly rejected! but anyhow if you are taking these text word by word you are making a big mistake! the bible is talking in symbol-language but unfortunately many texts were taken out - from people like you i presume and the so-called flood was mentioned before it appeared in the bible in the gilgamesh epic which is far older than the bible! also it's appearing in the vedic scriptures which are even older than the gilgamesh epic! if god saved all animals and people i hope that he finally shall enlighten your brains because it's not good to read such books just with the view on the pentateuch but on the whole scriptures including the history of the apostles which today you can find in the apocryphs and of course the life of the principal saints! old testament - the father; new testament - the son; the saints - the holy ghost! because many things which are not said in the OT and the NT are said by the Saints! Did not Jesus say: there are many things i didn't tell you because you are not ready to understand them! so it's absolutely necessary to study the lifes of the major Saints like St. Francis, St. Therese from Lisieux, St. Bernard from Clairvaux, St. Thomas Morus; St. Anthony of Padua; St. John of the Cross, St. Don Bosco etc. you have to check out yourself but this is a must if you are living with the gospels!

So peace for today! and sorry to the others here - i know this is not a religious blog but here i think it was necessary!!!

Posted by: animalfriend | October 14, 2007 08:41 AM

post scriptum to my exposee to mars:
as far as i read from your last line '13 in the selsame.......into the ark' i would like to inform you that Shem, Ham and Japheth are Noahs sons - Shem being the forefather of the Semits, Ham being the forefather of the Hamits (Africans and Arabs) and Japhet being the forefather of the others, mainly Eurasians i presume!

Posted by: animalfriend | October 14, 2007 08:50 AM

george,
1, don't forget cars and fossil fueled electricity also produce Greenhouse gases, in fact at least 82% of all GHG's are NOT produced by factory farms, according to the UN.

2, consumption of meat and fat by our ancestors provided the excess energy required for the human brain to evolve to it's current level.

3, check out CJD and kuru. Wouldn't rush out to knock off humans.

Posted by: rojo | October 14, 2007 11:11 AM

So, Tom, do you only seek out the starving, old and sick animals? If hunters are such great conservationists that would help out a species a lot more than killing the meatier, healthier, reproductive-age animals. How did all the species on Earth ever survive before hunters came along to "manage" them?

Posted by: Mike Quinoa | October 14, 2007 11:36 AM

Meat does not cause atherosclerosis. Obesity and over eating does. If you eat too much meat, you will get fat and you may get DM2, HTN, or atherosclerosis. If you eat too much soy, the same will happen. The human body has evolved to be omnivorous. The vermiform appendix (the offender during appendicitis) is a remnant from ancestors (forest dwelling apes) that ate almost entirely plants. Humans are not able to produce B12, some fats and some AA's. Evolutionarily humans relied on animal products to supply these nutrients. Now vegans rely on science and industry to produce dietary supplements so that they can complete their nutrition. Ironically, these dietary supplements were usually tested on animals during development. Humans are most certainly not carnivores, they are obligate omnivores. In the absence of dietary supplements, we must eat plant and animal foods.

Vegan or vegetarian diets are very healthy, however, as long as the patient is very careful to supplement with nutrients found in low or absent amounts in plants.

There are some obscure diseases that humans do contract from eating neural tissues of animals. CJD is the main example as the human form of BSE/mad cow. Keep in mind, in the US more people will die from diseases contracted from their house cat than CJD. At one point Mr. Quinoa pointed out that CJD is not possible to diagnose in vivo. True, no readily available definitive tests exist. However, the brain images of a patient with CJD is very distinctive. Also, the clinical course of CJD is very accelerated compared to Alzheimer's (SDAT). I can not say that no one with CJD has ever been misdiagnosed with SDAT, but the relative obscurity of CJD makes studies almost impossible.

Now an editorial comment...
When you say things like, "meat causes this" or "milk causes that" you must have a lot of good data to back that up. I must warn you, if you rely on the PCRM, you will fall into the same trap they do. The AMA, and the American College of Physicians do not recognize the PCRM as a medical group at all. Most of this is because they do release unsupported statements, but also because they are not a physicians group. A tiny minority of their membership is physicians. Be careful when you rely on them for medical advice.

Posted by: Christopher Cochran MD | October 14, 2007 12:40 PM

tom:
About the whole overpopulation thing... You seem to believe that us humans have a right to act as God, controlling the population levels of every other creature on this planet. Did you ever think of what happened when humans weren't around? Well, there are other ways of population control. There are natural cycles that govern this planet's different populations. For example, have you heard of the Kluane cycle? Obviously not if you seem to think the only way of controlling populations is by killing off it's members.

The main reason why there are some major issues of overpopulation on this planet is because of us! Red tide is an example of an overpopulation due to humans. The bacteria/algae that cause this phenomena are able to thrive in the polluted environments that humans create and in turn create mass amounts of harmful toxins. Also another cause for overpopulation created by human-beings is the killing off (whether it be direct or indirect) of a certain species' predator or competition.

So it looks like I've done my research, how about you? :)

Posted by: christina | October 14, 2007 12:51 PM

All right, I guess it's time for comebacks.

Yes, I'm happy to say that meat is tasty. I'm sure Leo and Knut agrre with me. Soy meat isn't.

That Bible mumbo-jumbo about Noah works for a lot of people and I respect that... but not me. I'm a skeptic.

Oh, by the way, don't go telling me humans shouldn't eat meat, either. I whole-heartedly agree that the human body isn't made to eat meat, but I gave up humanity a long time ago. That's right. I'm a furry. A jaguar furry, who eats and enjoys meat and know that cruelty to ungulates is part of the natural cycle of life. Yes, some cruelty is unnecessary. Killing little foxes for fur is totally trivial; it's pure vanity. Faux-fur is the only choice for insulation in my book. But meat, on the other hand... Sorry, but trying to look like an animal product is not the same as trying to taste like an animal product. Taste is a huge priority for me and for most people. Soy meat sucks, period.

You guys asking, "why do make so many remarks if you don't support us..." Well, sometimes people need to give their sincere opinion. I'm a cynic. Like a dog. Who eats meat.

I'm totally sapient, but hell if I'm gonna give up my delicious steak for some yucky soy knock-off. I despise my humanity to begin with. My reduced ability to eat ignites my self-denial and self-loathing even more.

It really makes me wish I had teeth and claws to really tear through that porterhouse... rrrreeooowww!!!

Posted by: Ray-O | October 14, 2007 01:16 PM

"hunting' trapping, fishing are all noble to the health and self sustaining populations of species."

"noble"? to go out of one's way to kill and inflict pain on non-threatening animals, who have a natural instinctive desire to survive and want to live?
"noble" to shoot or trap animals, not kill them immediately, and then they linger in excruciating pain?
"noble" to see fish toss in agony before they die?
"noble" for (some of) mankind to interfere by challenging nature and deciding what is best for the direction and health of the wild animal kingdom?
And wouldn't "hunting' trapping, and fishing" contradict "self sustaining populations of species."?
This type of "noble" concept gives me the impression that it would be more consistent with a lame excuse to fill a need to have dominating superiority in order to ignore dealing with having an inferiority complex.

Posted by: Ariel | October 14, 2007 03:20 PM

"But human beings can definitely live without eating meat. "

You can also live without eating plants from factory farm raised veggies.

". We now have the intellegence and the capability to protect the earth,"

Yep, and that means using renewable resources like fur and leather instead of stripping the enviroment of non-renewable resources used to make your fake fur.HHHMMM, fake fur, fake meat products, seems everything vegg heads condone is fake and unnatural.

Posted by: Mars | October 14, 2007 05:05 PM

"How did all the species on Earth ever survive before hunters came along to "manage" them?"

They did realitivly well but many species died out in the process and they didn't even have to cope with human incroachment on their habitat that is the main reason for extinction today.

Posted by: Mars | October 15, 2007 08:14 AM

animalfriend:
thanks for your excellent spiritual insight! furthermore i would like to add the following thing:

it's very interesting that the three 'hunters' appearing in the bible, namely 'nimrod', 'esau' and 'ismael' are not accepted in the line of gods heritage! these facts have not to be ignored! but your pointing out of biblical numerology is excellent and there is also an affinity to the spelling of the names; i just could recommend you the books of 'the golden dawn', 'annie besant' and of course 'the lord of the rings'!

Posted by: dolphin boy | October 15, 2007 08:58 AM

Susannah S,

I'm not discounting his other achievements. I think he's done a great job bringing the issue of global warming to forefront.

However, if you were the one to come up with a list of things to do to solve a problem, I would think that you would do everything on that list yourself. I don't expect everyone to follow the list to a T, but I do expect it from the administrator.

On the other hand, I understand what you're saying. I guess it's hard to travel around spreading the message without having to break some of your rules, given the fact that environmentally planes have not been built yet.

Certainly, he needs to put his money where his mouth is when it comes to the one thing that is the main cause of global warming. As you say "Go Veg, Gore!."

Thanks for your comments.

EAS

Posted by: EAS | October 15, 2007 09:45 AM

Christopher said, "Keep in mind, in the US more people will die from diseases contracted from their house cat than CJD."

From the net:

"In 1989, a Yale University team performed autopsies on the brains of patients diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease and found that 13 percent had CJD. A similar investigation found three of 12 patients diagnosed with Alzheimer's to actually have a TSE disease. A larger University of Pittsburg study "found a misdiagnosis rate of 5 percent, and estimated there may be 200,000 cases of CJD in the U.S. each year which are misdiagnosed as Alzheimer's."

Maybe a case of don't look, don't find...

"Humans are most certainly not carnivores, they are obligate omnivores."

Christopher, how do you then explain the success of some athletes who follow a strictly vegan diet?

Mars said, "They did realitivly well but many species died out in the process."

What "process" was that?

Posted by: Mike Quinoa | October 15, 2007 12:09 PM

If we don't eat the animals, it will still require the same amount of water, still do the same amount of polution. We shouldn't mix evironnement with veggitarian goals, and thats why Al-Gore didnt mention it. Well unless PETA does with cows what they did with the dogs.. google it up peoples, they were on trial.

Why would PETA have a huge walk-in refrigerator usually used for meat, go figure!

For my part, i dont mind if anyone is veggitarian but PETA is not an organism i support.

Also, the 7 steps list Al Gore presented was easy steps for everyone, whereas turning fully veggitarian is quite alot more complicated
im writting here because one of my friend had to go to the hospital. She saw all the graphic violence that PETA shows. She turned veagan, basicly she wasnt eating anything after beeing shocked of the propagandic material we find here to show impressionable children. She is 15, and alot younger kids gets told what to do by PETA. One cannot dictate someone to defy dictature.

And by the way,
those who criticize Al gore of poluting to prevent it should also critisize PETA for showing graphicly animal cruelty in order to prevent it.

Thank you for reading and i hope i could enlight you to question yourself before seeing stuff.

Posted by: marc | October 15, 2007 12:48 PM

ok first off humans are animals so enough of this doing things the animalistic way because humans=animals enough said, next point seeing how we're stuck on lions when a new lion takes over a pride he kills all of the offspring of the former lion so i guess if we're all supposed to be like "natural" animals single mothers beware now i have no problem with vegans vegatarians and so forth what i have a problem with is al gore is doing something productive and he gets bashed i really took offense to the fat comment because honestly you ever see an anorexic cow???? how about an elephant that needed to put on a few pounds??

Posted by: Stephen Mansley | October 15, 2007 01:19 PM

For saving the earth, reducing meat consumption is good, but it needs to be combined with other things like birth control. If we stop eating meat so 9x the crops are available for human consumption, but then people previously starving have large families, we'll be worse off. I'm for animal rights, but do not agree with 'extreme veganism'. Even Jains, who will literally not step on bugs and refuse honey, have milk. I'd be more for a great reduction in meat consumption, combined with an insistence for 'free range' animals slaughtered humanely. In addition, more research needs to be done on nutrition and meat extenders and alternatives.

Posted by: Ben | October 15, 2007 01:23 PM

A comment on ethanol: It takes more energy to produce the corn and then refine it to produce the fuel than it does to use gas. The real reason it is being pushed comes from government subsidies already in place for large scale farmers. It also leads to increases in funding for genetically modified crops. By the way, you can tell whether produce is gm by the sticker: those starting with the number 9 are always organic, those starting with 4 are conventionally produced, and those with 3 have been modified. Good to know!

Go PETA and all you supporters! Let's stop the cruelty.

Posted by: Heather | October 15, 2007 01:35 PM

(I'll just make this short - enough will be said)
My post: 10-13-07,1:02pm
"...eating meat is A highly condusive cause for arteriosclerois, all the way through to having the need for cardiac bypass surgery." (per med. science or per ANY one who has been dx'd with any dx or diagnoses with meat/animal fats being the main contributing factor as told to them by their physicians.)

Post from "Christoper Cochran,MD" 10-14-07,12:40pm.
"Meat does not cause atherosclerosis. Obesity and over eating does. If you eat too much meat, you will get fat and you may get DM2, HTN, and artherosclerois."
Questions:
1. then what accounts for average weight or thin people - who eat meat - to be dx'd with cardiac-related dx, providing that they do not either smoke, or have diabetes, or have any reason to have a high blood pressure?
2. how much is considered "too much meat" for each individual?
(is "arteriosclerosis" and "arthersclerosis" related conditions?)

The last I heard, a colo-rectal surgeon is not a specialist in cardiology or radiology or pathology or neurosurgery or med. nutrition or vet. med. So let's move down to the "editorial comment" to address the milk issue and the PCRM.

Medical staff at Harvard U. conducted a lengthy study - and in conjunction with worldwide studies - proving that milk actually promotes ill-health, with such dx as: osteoporosis, cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes, Vit D toxicity, and lactose intolerance (although initial mild symptoms) can lead to other illnesses and ailments.
Next: "The AMA and the American College of Physicians do not recognize the PCRM at all. Most of this is because they do release unsupported statements, but also because they are not a physicians group."
(well no kidding the AMA and ACP wouldn't recognize the PCRM to be a physicians' group)
"Physicians groups" are doctors or surgeons who form teams to conduct their practices with patients.
The PCRM is a separate type of org. that is focused on veg. nutrition and banning vivisection done for med. research in med. colleges and universities because of it being highly known for inaccuracies. (and they have been very successful at banning) The PCRM panel of physicians are recognized by the AMA. Non-medically related volunteers are members as well.
The highly prominent Neal Barnard, MD, - pres. of the PCRM - IS recognized by the AMA as a physician, clinical reasearcher, and is an adjunct professor of medicine at the Georgetown U. School of Medicine.

So with all of his approved credentials, why would Dr. Barnard release unsupported claims, as well as allow his panel of physicians to release any from his PCRM org?

Posted by: Ariel | October 15, 2007 04:22 PM

Dr. Cochran, you are so right about overeating being the main cause of obesity.

If meat indeed were the problem, the US wouldn't be the fattest country; Argentina would. Those guys eat a lot of beef, and they're proud of it.

Posted by: Ray-O | October 15, 2007 06:23 PM

I agree with all of this about how eating flesh is a natural and "needed" part of our diet, and how fur and leather are natural and effective ways of keeping one warm and protected. But not the way in which they are being produced in this day and age.

Yes, death is a natural part of life, but torture is not. I do not support the way these animals are born in to this world, or how they are confined for their entire lives in such horrible conditions, or how their lives are ended in such a disgusting way. That is not natural.

Posted by: christina | October 15, 2007 11:57 PM

Dear Animal Friend,

You are not a friend to animals. The animals you listed in your post are carnivores. The lion number one. Humans on the other hand have a choice as to what to eat. They are also meant to be vegetarians. We process plant-based products more efficiently than meat. MEAT just rots in your colon, causes cancer and is cruel to most animals that are being produced to eat. Just go to FACTORYFARMING.COM. Do some research? YOU CANNOT BE A TRUE ENVIORNMENTAL IST OR ANIMAL LOVER AND EAT MEAT OR USE ANIMAL PRODUCTS.

Posted by: Renee | October 16, 2007 08:58 AM

Christina:

Torture is not a natural part of life? Yeah, I've seen "Meet your Meat" and know how much these animals suffer. You know what else hurts? Getting strangled by a lion's claws! Watch Animal Planet sometime.

And don't tell me that story, "If you wouldn't eat a cat, then why would you eat a chicken?" There is a huge flaw in your thinking, and it's that the cat WOULD eat the chicken.

I eat meat for two reasons: because it is much tasty and savory than that soy B.S., and because, even being an animal lover, I realize that even animals themselves eat other animals. I don't eat dogs because they are lovable and they are at the top of the food chain. Chickens, on the other hand, are meant to be eaten, be it by a lion, a wolf, a human being, or a panther like me!

I realize humans are meant to be vegetarians. When I saw that fact, I immediately thought, "Put that in the list of reasons I hate the human body." Yes, hy00mans are meant to be vegetarian. I, however, am not meant to be human.

You guys think about my reasons to eat meat. The truth is, this is the first time somebody's said, "So humans shouldn't eat meat? Well, I'm done with humanity! I'm a bipedal carnivore!"

You say you're tolerant of meat eaters, but in reality, you will not rest until every proud meat eater is force fed bland, tasteless tofu.

Posted by: Ray-O | October 16, 2007 01:51 PM

You guys are seriously weird. Be a vegetarian to prevent global warming? Might as well go live under the sea then. Get real! It's silly to be a vegetarian in the first place but I tolerate it because your personal choice is your own - but forcing it onto others is cruelty. Save your misery to yourselves, you arrogant ingrates!

Posted by: Just Someone | October 16, 2007 01:52 PM

Ariel,
That was keeping it short? I am not a colorectal surgeon, I never said I was. I am happy to go over my credentials again, but you seem to always claim it is an ego trip...perhaps that is because you have no credentials to make educated comments on this or any other biologically oriented subject matter. You are speaking from your heart only. I also never said there were no credentialed physicians in the PCRM. The PCRM is a biased animal rights organization not unlike PETA, so I simply point out that any medical information obtained from the PCRM should be taken with a large grain of salt. I also never said dairy products were good for you. I do feel so sorry for you that you never get to eat real mozzarella di buffalo or authentic parmigiana reggiano. The vegan equivalent, I expect, is palatable and tastes like cheese, but it isn't the real thing.

In the English language many words have subtly different meanings. A bunch of doctors pheasant hunting = physician group. A bunch of doctors in practice together = physician group. A bunch of doctors combined to advance medicine and oversee policies related to medicine = physician group. You are so smart. How do you find your way to work every morning?

Renee,
If any foodstuffs "rot" in your colon it is plant based foods. Why do you think cabbage and beans cause flatulence? Because the bacteria that are breaking down the food give off gas.

Going to factoryfarming.com is as much doing research as watching American Idol is watching reality.

Mike,
In the absence of dietary supplements, we are obligate omnivores. Those athletes must supplement their diets. Otherwise there is no reason they shouldn't be successful athletes.

Posted by: Christopher Cochran MD | October 16, 2007 02:43 PM

renee:
i'm sorry but i think your answer was meant for 'halo snipe'! me i'm a vegetarian!

Posted by: animalfriend | October 16, 2007 03:32 PM

Two of the consistent problems with the anti-a/r's comments are:
1. they make no sense
2. and they make outbursts without validation.
For example, posted by marc, 10-15-07, 12:48pm SOME highlights that I'm just not getting:
1.what the heck does PeTA having a walk-in fridge that is used for meat have to do with anything? Better yet, how would marc even know PeTA has one or not?
2. marc strongly implies that a 15 y/o friend of his became a "veg," had to go to the hospital- because she wasn't eating anything - because of seeing PeTA's graphic so-called "propaganda" info about animal abuse. If that was the reason, then:
a) why aren't impressionable teens (and younger) being massively hospitalized for being CONSTANTLY and BLATANTLY inundated with the VERY GRAPHIC HORRORS they see in the movies and on tv shows, which a lot of it is derived from reality?
b) applying the same question to VERY REAL life horrors that are broadcasted on the news?
c) and what about those VERY VIOLENT computer games, etc.,for which teens are the specific target? And they share with their friends?
3. aren't teens taught about the WWII holocaust in school anymore, or is that too graphic, or is it considered "propaganda"?
So how does marc come to the sole conclusion that PeTA's FACTS are the SOLE cause of a 15 y/o girl being (alledgedly) hospitalized, while there could be MANY unrelated underlying reasons -including being bullied in school- that cause eating disorders, and sometimes the need for hospitalization?
(and I sincerely hope that marc doesn't support peta as an "organism." It's an "organization.")
marc prefers to stay in a state of denial, and by do so, is not able to deal with reality, and hopes others will behave the same. So I will ENLIGHTEN him, whether he likes it or not: graphic animal abuse is VERY, VERY, VERY REAL! Combining all, how a person reponds to "graphic" is subjective.
BTW, people younger than 15 are a/r's activists, and they make a lot more sense and rationalizations than marc.

Posted by: Ariel | October 16, 2007 04:46 PM

Renee
Why do you think we have both molars and incisors? Because we are OMNIVORES!
Also, PETA talks about doing everything natural, but is fake fur natural? How about polymers?
Yeah, and why can't I get get the pesticide off my greens even when I've scrubbed the plant with force? At least cooking meat destroys almost all of the bacteria (Oh what will some bacteria do to you? I'm healthy, and I'm an omnivore.)
And don't come to me with any Bible crap. I don't believe in religion, just science.

Posted by: halo snipe | October 16, 2007 05:30 PM

Christopher,

I believe the only supplement those vegan athletes utilize is B-12 (since vegetables are so squeaky-clean nowadays and contain no residual B-12).

I have no flatulence problems whatsoever with cabbage and beans (have them both everyday). New vegetarians can take Beano or some such if they are initially over-suffering from that malady.

I would say of course PCRM is biased towards animal rights and vegetarianism. You will find the site, though, is well-referenced and footnoted. Most of the claims they make you can verify yourself by referring to the original study or paper. So, you can't shoot the messenger.

Meat and dairy boards are obviously also biased, and while sites like activistcash proclaim to uncover hidden agendas and conspiracies, they themselves are the biggest hypocrites of all.

Posted by: Mike Quinoa | October 16, 2007 08:13 PM

Mike,

According to recent literature (much more current than 1989) the incidence of CJD is 1-1.5 per million people. That would mean in the US there are about 300-450 cases per year. I can't find your Yale article in PubMed, but I haven't looked as far back as 1989. Nonetheless, prion diseases are not exactly hot topics in neurology this year. I could see why evangelical vegans would grasp at this, though as it would be fairly damning to omnivores. I would love to read the original article. The incidence of pasturella multocida infection in cat bites is near one hundred percent. Understand SDAT and CJE have very different clinical pictures. Also, the CT or MRI of the brains of CJE patients are very distinctive.

Posted by: Christopher Cochran MD | October 16, 2007 09:31 PM

Sometimes I miss the taste of cheese, but that is because I was raised as an omnivore and that is what I was used to.

However, I now would much rather eat soy cheese than be responsible for supporting the dairy industry (which in turn supports the veal industry) and the resultant animal torture. I do not think of it as a sacrifice - it is a choice that will help to save animals, and frankly it is not hard to do. People who cannot take just a few minutes to read a label or come up with 3 new (or modified), simple recipes are not trying very hard. For those of you who think that a vegan diet is bland: that is just a convenient truism, as a way of avoiding actually having to make an effort to do and learn something different. I am eating a much more interesting, flavourful diet as a vegan than I ever did as an omnivore.

For those of you who do not want vegetarianism to be "forced" upon you, stop reading this blog, and take up a (non-violent) hobby or something. Honestly, are you really that immature?

Posted by: Michele | October 17, 2007 12:14 AM

How cruel to give the nobelprize to Al Gore, an American who lives in a society where big fat cars, pick up trucks with big engines rule the streets, a country where social security is only for the rich people, a country that create wars because of one terroristic attempt, throws clusterboms, for what?? Just to have more power in the oil industry, power they can be used to spoil more oil for the big cars, who drives a little car??? It is also not done, to talk or judge about people who eat meat, eating meat or not eating meat is a choice that every individual decides, As a vegetarian, i read here stuff from people who claim to have the monopoly of the truth! First step for a better environment is to get along with every human on this planet! you want to save animals but people are still starving in Africa, 854 million humans go to sleep every night with a empty stomac so also no vegi burgers for them! They should give the money in the first place to them! I am getting really sick about all the Vegi crap and meat is murder, respect every ones choice about it, the problems YOU want to solve are little bit bigger then eating or not eating meat!

Posted by: Tommy the Cat | October 17, 2007 04:28 AM

How cruel to give the nobelprize to Al Gore, an American who lives in a society where big fat cars, pick up trucks with big engines rule the streets, a country where social security is only for the rich people, a country that create wars because of one terroristic attempt, throws clusterboms, for what?? Just to have more power in the oil industry, power they can be used to spoil more oil for the big cars, who drives a little car??? It is also not done, to talk or judge about people who eat meat, eating meat or not eating meat is a choice that every individual decides, As a vegetarian, i read here stuff from people who claim to have the monopoly of the truth! First step for a better environment is to get along with every human on this planet! you want to save animals but people are still starving in Africa, 854 million humans go to sleep every night with a empty stomac so also no vegi burgers for them! They should give the money in the first place to them! I am getting really sick about all the Vegi crap and meat is murder, respect every ones choice about it, the problems YOU want to solve are little bit bigger then eating or not eating meat!

Posted by: Tommy the Cat | October 17, 2007 04:34 AM

Mike Q asks;

"Mars said, "They did realitivly well but many species died out in the process."

What "process" was that?"

The process of life which is 100% fatal from the start.More animals became extint due to natural starvation, climate changes and other "failures" to adapt then humans even know about let alone caused.See any woolly mammoths around? Global warming killed them off millenia ago.

Posted by: Mars | October 17, 2007 07:54 AM

Ray-0

Torture is not a natural part of life, and I am concerned that you think so. Torture is something man made not animal made, and when humans abuse animals for the own entertainment or for lack of compassion what ever the case may be it is very unnatural..and says a lot about a persons character. I am not sure where watching the animal planet would justify your theory of torture by a lions claw....I don’t know if you are making reference to other animals being strangled by lions claws or humans? By comparing the habits of creatures in the wild and humans torturing animals still alive, kicking them to death, stomping on their heads I think you are way off base!! Even if you have lack of concern as to how your meat is killed you should have great concern as to the conditions your meat comes from the process it goes through before reaching your plate. I heard that someone in congress is trying to pass a law that if the USDA finds conditions unsuitable in a slaughter house they have the right to shut it down makes you wonder should that not have already been a law? Just goes to further prove who has control in the slaughterhouses the MEAT INDUSTRY!!!

As for your comments on if you would not eat your cat, but the cat would eat the chicken...have you read anything anyone on here has posted at all? Animals are carnivores humans are NOT!

As for calling Soy tasteless you apparently have not even attempted to try it before you knock it. I do not miss meat I eat tofu, and soy based meals, I drink soy milk...and I eat well!!!! I think the problem you have with soy is this when I first became a vegetarian of course I had eaten meat for 30 years so it was a little different for me at first I come from a southern family that believes heavy in southern cooking so switching to the out of the normal diet was a little odd at first, but within the first week my taste buds started to change along with my new diet I now eat things I would have NEVER eaten while consuming meat...I must say that there have been times I will catch a smell of chick filet which I loved when I ate meat, and it smells good, but you take me by the meat counter at the grocery store, and the smell of raw meat is extremely foul.

As for you comments of any of us not stopping until everyone is force fed tofu...that is not the case for me...eat your meat, but keep in the back of your mind that you can not hide from the facts..the fact is that meat recalls are on an all time high..Ecoli is a major problem in the US your chances are greater than ever of getting deathly sick from consuming meat. CJD is in the United State this disease will make aids look like the flu one day soon. So my comment to you is to keep eating meat if that is your choice, but do so with great caution that one day you may become the victim of an unregulated industry based off greed, neglect, and torture.

As for Al Gore he is just a hypocrite he runs around trying to raise awareness on global warning as if it is his cause, but only continues with his life style to add to the problem. You can not stand for a cause and be part of the problem in stead of working, and trying to become part of the solution. He is a great example of people that recognize a problem, but expect the rest of the world to change so that he does not have to. He is also another great example of greed over humanity.

As for Dr. Cochran...Arial and Mike have done an excellent job at discrediting your comments! I would think by now you would have gotten the message, and moved onto a subject somewhere you actually know something about!!!

Posted by: Dana | October 17, 2007 09:23 AM

RE: post "Christopher Cochran, MD" 10-16-07, 2:43pm
Once again, the above mentioned has gone out of his way to prove his lack of reading comprehension, as well as not being able to fully support his claims due to not answering my questions in post 10-15-07, 4:22pm, as well as proving he has a convenient short memory, as well as not understanding that "I'll keep this short - enough will be said": meant I could have had a lot more to say.
I never wrote that he was a colo-rectal surgeon, however, he claims he is a doctor who does colonoscopies every a.m. - and in a post several weeks ago, he specifically claimed to be a surgeon. (and no, not the post about vivisection)
With a repetitious type of comment, I will say once again: no one has to have medical credentials when they know they have been told to have a cardiac-related condition, which their doctor or cardiologist told them the major contributing factor was from most likely eating meat/animal fats/cheeses: "arterial blockage." (I feel sorry for any "smart" doctor who can't get that through his/her head, while supposedly knowing patients are dx'd as such) As well as no one has to have credentials who is a family member or close friend of someone dx'd as such and can relay that info, yet while respecting the dx'd person's confidentiality.
Well no kiddng the PCRM is "biased...not unlike PeTA." Focused orgs., especially the most dynamic, are solely committed to their causes -with documented proof-instead of being split down the middle like hypocrits. According to Doc Coc's logic(?), the org. MADD (Mother's Against Drunk Drivers) should think: 'well it's ok if some people are drunk.'
Amazing that Doc Coc has an issue about Neal Barnard, M.D.'s PCRM, despite ALL of Dr. Barnard's credentials. Perhaps Doc Coc should take up his issue with Dr. Barnard. (no, Doc Coc would be blown out of the water with a drop) On second thought, I highly doubt Doc Coc would even consider challenging Dr. Barnard.
Anyway, once again I question the "smart" doc: is "arteriosclerosis" and "antherosclerois" related conditions, OR is it the same thing with a "subtly different meaning"?

I could NOT care less if Doc Coc (or anyone else believes me or not), but...
sorry to upset Doc Coc, but I do have credentials (nothing great), but LOTS of experience. In fact, because of my decades of experience working on the medical floors as medical staff and personal experiences, I don't have to find my way to work at all: once again, Doc Coc doesn't recall me telling him that I am permanently physically disabled (work-related, plus), so therefore, I am not able to be a "harvestolgist" even if I wanted to. And too bad that Doc Coc seems to have a problem with me speaking from my heart. It's better to have sympathy/empathy, than to not have it while having all the knowledge in the world.
Btw, since Doc Coc claims to be a doctor, he is giving biased medical opinion to Renee, same post. (careful, doc!) So that leaves me with one more question regarding his opinion: why do doctors suggest to their patients to eat roughage (fruits, veggies, grains, etc)?

Posted by: Ariel | October 17, 2007 09:25 AM

to get vitamin D toxicity from milk one would have to drink 400 glasses a day.

I haven't seen a study that suggests milk causes osteoperosis, only that it doesn't fix the problem. Which is a tough call because most bone mass is laid down by age 30 and osteoperosis is usually symptomatic in older people. High intakes of animal protein can leach calcium from the bones, so moderation is best. Caffeine and a sedentary lifestyle don't help.

Lactose intolerance is just that intolerance. It is not an allergy, only that some people lack the enzyme lactase. In the absence of lactase other microbes take over causing digetion problems. If you suffer, best not to drink milk.

Milk has been linked to diabetes in susceptible infants (breast milk is best) but may be beneficial in later life against diabetes. http://care.diabetesjournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/29/7/1579.
http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/abstract/287/16/2081

cardiovascular disease lowered with milk consumtion: http://care.diabetesjournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/29/7/1579

http://jech.bmj.com/cgi/content/abstract/59/6/502

From memory, and I'm sure someone will correct me if I'm wrong, the Harvard study demonstrated health problems with people drinking 6 glasses of milk a day (roughly twice the recommended intake of total calcium). This is something like two and a half gallons of milk per week.The study concluded that moderate consumption had no significant effect on disease risk.

Posted by: rojo | October 17, 2007 10:10 AM

Well, Mars has managed to argue himself in a circle!

Mike Q. had originally been responding to someone claiming that hunters are the ones who have managed to preserve numerous animal species, and Mike was basically pointing out the flaws of that statement by questioning how animals could therefore have managed to live on this earth long before humans ever arrived (like MILLIONS of years) if what the hunter said was true.

Mars then responded by saying that most animals did relatively well, but then manages to help Mike to prove his point (inadvertently I'm sure) by saying that it was humans who were responsible for DESTROYING animal habitats.

Then Mars manages to get his whole argument in a twist, by attributing extinction of species to "natural starvation, climate changes and other "failures" to adapt", as well as GLOBAL WARMING! - so how exactly would humans be so invaluable as to be able to help the animal species combat these hardships with hunting and a meat-based diet? Hello?? Animals managed to live for hundreds of millions of years without the "beneficial" intervention of humans. And if global warming is a potential cause of extinction, then humans are certainly not helping. Someone please explain (with factual information) just how exactly hunting and meat consumption are going to help combat global warming when meat consumption has been found to be a major factor in global warming (whether or not you believe the UN report that identifies the meat industry as the number ONE cause).

And please, do not insult us with statements that bears and lions eat meat so they must be destroying the earth too. Carnivorous animals have not created poison-spewing factories. They have not created massive factory farms that produce billions of tons of waste that pollute our rivers and cause health problems for humans. They have not systematically been artificially breeding animals for human consumption, clearing vast amounts of land for these factory farms.

Gore has certainly gotten the world's attention regarding global warming, now he has to take the next step and go veg!

Posted by: Michele | October 17, 2007 10:47 AM

Cochran,

I know you are part of the American public that thinks that we run with every little bit of information we obtain to make people stop eating meat. The truth in this is at one point the USDA tried to convince people that their was NO mad cow cases at all in the US....but the fact is there are cases of it does not matter how small the cases are it matters that it is in fact in the US..the USDA has worked hard to make sure that people continue to eat meat by saying “meat is absolutely safe to eat” Is this not the same department that said years ago that Mad Cow could not even cross over into humans? Is this not the same department that recently said on an interview that pretty much we are on top of things, because we issued a recall of 20 million pounds of ground beef....hmm if you were on top of things the meat would have never gone to market, and cases of E Coli would have never results to cause a recall....The USDA may have good intentions, but when the meat industry that makes billions off of the sale of meat controls the market the outcome is not good when it comes to food safety.

The meat industry has went as far as to say that vegetarians are hoping and praying for an outbreak of mad cow’s disease, and that you should look out for animal activist groups that use diseases to support their cause....well let me tell you this now I am not hoping for an outbreak of mad cow’s disease, because for one most of the members of my family would be subject to it. I also don’t think that saying oh there are only a few cases so we should not worry is a cop out why is this country all about not worrying about a problem until it is way out of control, and no one can fix it. I guess most of you meat eaters think that we made up E coli, and the mothers that have lost their children to it are just as lame and crazy as we are??? Why do people look for anything to justify their bad eating habits? There is no safe meat anymore!!! So maybe you will not come in contact with mad cows disease, or if you are lucky you will escape a child or older loved one dying of E Coli.. And if so I am glad not hoping and praying that you do...see vegetarians are very compassionate people they care about animals, humans, the environment..we do not wish bad things upon people, because they eat meat...I only want people to realize that the meat and dairy industry is made up of lies upon lies...I want their to be the same warning labels on meat as cigarettes, and if people decide to still eat meat or consume dairy I think it is their right to do so it is their bodies....but I think they should all know the truth...I think mothers need to know that some baby foods contain ground up maggots..that chicken is no better than red meat in fact when you look at it its worse. I want people to know that Cows are not meant to be grain eaters, cannibals, or milk machines...I want people to know that there is a little bit of puss and blood in every glass of milk. I want people to know that humans are causing unnatural things to take place in animals, because they are no longer animals they are money machines!! I want the “Happy Cows come from California” ads removed from TV, because they are misleading people..the same goes for the “milk does a body good “commercials. Would I like to see a world full of vegetarians yes of course I would, but I don’t ask that it be mandatory I just ask that people know the truth about what goes on, and then make the choice of to consume or not based off of the knowledge of what is really going on. I want people such as Al Gore to put their money where their mouth is!!!! I want people to really think about meat, and look at it when they purchase it in the grocery store then think to themselves would I eat this raw? Could I feel safe eating this raw? Should I have to run around washing my hands every 5 seconds after touching meat, or washing my counter ever time I have meat on it so my I or my family do not get sick? Should I see something wrong with consuming something that I have to quarantine my kitchen after bringing in to it, and then cook until its almost burned for it to be safe? Should I worry that mad cows disease is out there, and the reality is there is no amount of cooking at high temp’s that will kill it? There is not amount of cleaning or disinfectant that will kill it..... America is the home of the free....I think you should be given the whole truth, and not be tricked by dirty business practices into thinking that things that are in fact bad for you are good, and safe!! You should be free make choices based on facts...The following article describes just how far the meat industry will go....

New "agricultural product disparagement laws," however, are being placed on the books precisely for the purpose of "abridging freedom of speech." The new laws give the food industry unprecedented powers to sue people who criticize their products, using standards of evidence which dramatically shift the "burden of proof" in favor of the industry. "In them, American agribusiness has its mightiest tool yet against food-safety activists and environmentalists, whose campaigns can cost industry millions if they affect consumers' buying habits,"

Posted by: Dana | October 17, 2007 11:12 AM

our cocky seems to have soon something in his bag: the peta organization - cocky baggins!!!

Posted by: tom bombadil | October 17, 2007 12:33 PM

you people (oh no! i'm politically incorrect!) are completely and utterly ridiculous. being vegetarian, or vegan, or tree hugging is fine and all, but that's your deal. like the world really needs another lobbyist group, especially one composed of animal loving, way-too-liberal, anti-fur fanatics to dictate what's "good" for us. wake up and smell the bacon frying downstairs already.

Posted by: jess | October 17, 2007 12:42 PM

Mars,

Here's a statement from the International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (aka The World Conservation Union) who have released the 2007 Red List of Threatened Species. The IUCN is considered to provide the world's most authoritative assessment of the status of the Earth's plants and animals.

"People, either directly or indirectly, are the main reason for most species’ decline. Habitat destruction and degradation continues to be the main cause of species’ decline, along with the all too familiar threats of introduced invasive species, unsustainable harvesting, over-hunting, pollution and disease. Climate change is increasingly recognized as a serious threat, which can magnify these dangers."

Posted by: Mike Quinoa | October 17, 2007 01:02 PM

Christopher,

The incidence of subsequent pasturella multocida infection from cat bites and the actual number of cases are two different things.

Unless we start autopsying every dementia patient, we'll never have totally accurate figures.

"Prion disease expert Gajdusek, for example, estimates that 1% of people showing up in Alzheimer clinics actually have CJD. At Yale, out of a series of 46 patients clinically diagnosed with Alzheimer's, six were proven to have CJD at autopsy. In another study of brain biopsies, out of a dozen patients diagnosed with Alzheimer's according to established criteria, three of them were actually dying from CJD. An informal survey of neuropathologists registered a suspicion that CJD accounts for 2-12% of all dementias in general. Two autopsy studies showed a CJD rate among dementia deaths of about 3%. A third study, at the University of Pennsylvania, showed that 5% of patients diagnosed with dementia had CJD. Although only a few hundred cases of sporadic CJD are officially reported in the U.S. annually, hundreds of thousands of Americans die with dementia every year. Thousands of these deaths may actually be from CJD caused by eating infected meat."

Posted by: Mike Quinoa | October 17, 2007 01:36 PM

We are products of nature. Therefore, everything we do is necessarily natural. To claim that anything we do is unnatural is senseless, even if it is counterproductive or destructive.

Posted by: Chatham | October 17, 2007 02:32 PM

The middle ground is being under-played here. I am an athlete who can directly feel the quality of fuel I've consumed. I eat vegetables, soy, beef, and most anything that crosses my path. Meat burns best. Balance is vital, my veg. friends as careful as they are with their diet, run out of fuel too easily. An accupuncturist here has read that only one blood type can effectively operate as a vegetarian without supplements. Providing for gluttony is our real problem. Not burning our last meal to obtain the next one seems to be the evolutionary flaw we are experiencing now. Evolutionary balance is the destruction of our atmosphere that will decrease the number of gluttonous animals currently using the planet. Even primates kill and eat meat occasionally, that is why they (like us) have canine teeth.

Posted by: Thomas | October 17, 2007 03:23 PM

Ray-O:

Please do not try to label me. It does nothing to further your arguement. If you would take the time to read my post more carefully as well as the other 2 posts I've written on this blog topic you might be able to get a more clear view of where I am coming from.

Yes, being torn apart by a lion must be terrible, I have the entire Planet Earth collection (which is way better than Animal Planet by the way). But these animals have a chance to live their lives naturally and their death comes in a natural way. Living in a tiny box, being abused your entire life is not natural. I wouldn't even say these animals really have a life.

You seem to love bringing up lions in all of your arguements but it really does nothing to demonstrate what you are trying to say. Lions are not humans. Lions do not live like humans. Lions do not have the same effect on this planet as humans do. Lions do not treat their surroundings the same way that humans do.

Posted by: christina | October 17, 2007 03:52 PM

Hi everyone,

I personally am happy that Al Gore won the Nobel Peace Prize. It is a step in the right direction because it gets people talking.

My only main qualm with PETA and some of the more vocal members is this "all or nothing" attitude. I mean try telling a Texan they're a murderer because they BBQ... but for many people this is tradition and they don't even realize what they are doing. It's not fair to just be mean without considering that this has been a way of life for generations.

With that said, way of life can be wrong. What about appealing to the middle ground? What if there as a campaign to go meatless one day a week... it's something that people may not be terrified of, they'll feel like they are helping (and they are), and who knows... maybe it'll be the catalyst to get them to do more.

The US has done it in the past with Meatless Mondays (I think it was Mondays) for the war effort. People grew victory gardens and really pitched in. I believe America can rally behind a cause, but they won't if we have horrible PR.

You catch more flies with agave nectar ;)

Posted by: just me | October 17, 2007 05:52 PM

Michele
You didn't have to unwisely become vegetarian (Or soft as how I like to call it!). Heard of the rural area, where there are organic and "toture" free farms. I guess city slickers don't know.
I thought blogs were for debate, but according to you, blogs are for idiots to say how they like or support something, which is pointless!
Save the animals huh? When you free them, we won't be around to save them from the wolves. It is possible to have tradition without abuse(SCIENCE!!!, not ethics!)

Posted by: halo snipe | October 18, 2007 12:18 AM

I haven't seen any woolly mammoths as is, but I have seen elephants that evolved from them. And so have other animals evolved into different appearances that we only recognize today as is.

Posted by: Ariel | October 18, 2007 07:45 AM

I'm curious, since you say humans are not designed to eat meat because of some differing physical traits. Then how do you explain the Venus Fly Trap and Pitcher Plant that also eat meat since they to lack what you think is the physical traits of a carnivore?

Posted by: Mars | October 18, 2007 09:05 AM

I would like to give a great BIG "THANK YOU" to: Dana, Michele, Mike Q., (the a/r's activists with whom I am more familiar)

THANK YOU for your exceptionally well-educated comments! I thoroughly enjoyed reading and learning from them!
With so much insane, off-the wall, hate-filled, nonsensical comments from the anti's - which I only skim over - I SINCERELY appreciate your REALITY and HONESTY on this forum.
I don't consider this forum to be a "debate" forum because I don't believe that the rights of animals is a debatable issue. So I consider it an educational forum, which is more productive and positive, and it enhances our very deep, irreversible convictions for the animals.
And I also SINCERELY thank you for being such compassionate, self-less people for the animals. Reading comments from people like you who have those virtues and attributes, is a rare pleasure in this vicious world. THANK YOU!

Posted by: Ariel | October 18, 2007 12:40 PM

" Carnivorous animals have not created poison-spewing factories"

You mean those poison spewing factories that use chemicals to make fake fur and or the ones that make and package vegetables?

Mike Q, thanks for proving my point that in todays world, animals are impacted and controlled by humans.Yep, global warming is a fact. A fact that it has been going on for a few millenia and long, long before humans where into factory farming.

Posted by: Mars | October 18, 2007 02:07 PM

Thomas,

I think the canines in primates are used more for a defense mechanism. Jessica the Hippo (in another blog) has monstrous canines, and she's a vegetarian. Canine teeth don't always equate to a carnivorous diet.

Besides, a common house cat would laugh at our puny canines.

Posted by: Mike Quinoa | October 18, 2007 02:36 PM

I just can't believe that there are people that still use stupid arguments such as "lions do eat meat", "what about our canines?", "the bible says we have the right to exploit animals".
First, the same people comparing them to lions when defending the consumption of meat, are always the first to say that humans are "much better" than non-humans. Sounds a bit contradictory.
Second, the fact that we have canine teeth, or that we are used to eat meat, blablablah does not prevent us from using our brains, learn that we do not need meat and choose not to eat death.
Third, the Bible is accepted by some and have many interpretations. I personally don't believe in the bible or religion. By the way, many muslims believe that it is written in the Koran that they have to kill those who are not muslims. There are many ways to interprete.
What I find must disturbing is to see how people learn and know that we don't have to kill and eat non-humans to live, but are always looking for some stupid argument to keep doing so. Arguments to defend animal exploitation will be always selfish nonsense. This is absolutelly one response to questions like "why there's so much violence, hate and suffering in this World?"

By the way, you PETA supporters should be reading more Gary Francione. "The animal rights organization", come on, "The animal walfare organization" fits better.

Ray-O, you're so f**king disturbed...

Posted by: Filipe | October 18, 2007 05:09 PM

Mars needs to start his/her own w/s that would be appropriately called:
hate-filled,ignorant& stupid.com

Then he/she could be the head writer and main contributor on his/her blog site called: venom files.

He/she could have "educational" topic headings like:
1. how to spew out hatred
2. how to be the most ignorant thing alive
3. how to be obnoxious ad nauseum

He/she could also occasionally have his/her followers cast votes on which blogger says the most stupid things - and which blogger expresses the most hate - and which blogger comes closest to being like the all-encompassing venomous Mars.
LOL

Posted by: Ariel | October 18, 2007 06:28 PM

Mars,

The quote you posted was NOT written by me.

In other news, you said, "thanks for proving my point that in todays world, animals are impacted and controlled by humans."
Agreed.

"Yep, global warming is a fact. A fact that it has been going on for a few millenia and long, long before humans where into factory farming."

A millennium is a 1000 years, so "a few millennia" is at least 2000 years. What about the Little Ice Age of 1500-1700?

Factory farming contributes to global warming, but it is not, of course, the sole cause.

Posted by: Mike Quinoa | October 18, 2007 07:29 PM

Dana, E coli is not exclusive to meat.

With 153 cases of variant CJD worldwide(from eating infected meat), of which 143 were in the UK, I would say your worry should be incredibly small. Just be careful crossing the street.

Now that animal by products are no longer permitted in the cattle food chain, the incidence will be much lower still.

Posted by: rojo | October 18, 2007 07:31 PM

NATURAL ANIMAL BEHAVIOR

ANIMALS EAT MEAT
ANIMALS FIGHT TO THE DEATH
ANIMALS EAT EACH OTHER (cannibalism)
ANIMALS RAPE EACH OTHER
ANIMALS EAT THEIR YOUNG

SHOULD WE DO ALL THAT TOO SINCE IT'S NATURAL???

Posted by: April | October 18, 2007 10:49 PM

fuck this propaganda. if we used the methane produced from pigs as energy, we could power entire states off of only a few farms. so what if you want to be a vegetarian, just don't push this bullshit onto other people. people aren't cruel if they eat a burger, and they aren't less healthy, they're just being humans. humans, by the way, are omnivores which means they eat both meat and vegetables, hence the canine teeth. i'm all for animal rights, and protecting abused animals, but this left wing propaganda offends me as much as anne coulter does, and as far as i'm concerned, peta is just as ridiculous and just as ignorant as anne coulter.

Posted by: john pickering | October 18, 2007 11:15 PM

Lions, tigers, bears, wolves, cougars, etc, are not the ones who are destroying the earth and its inhabitants.

Humans are the ones who are destroying the earth with their greed and gluttony.

Lions, tigers, bears, wolves, cougars, etc, are not capable of fixing this messed-up world.

Humans are the only ones who are capable of fixing the mess, but this will not happen as long as people continue to be ignorant and arrogant.

Fortunately, most youths are not psychopathic snipers, and are capable of recognizing what changes are needed before this earth is completely destroyed.

Imagine, dinosaurs managed to live for hundreds of millions of years, and the only reason they are extinct is because of something completely out of their control. Fish have been around for more than 500 million years and birds have been here for more than 100 million years. Humans have only managed to be around for a couple of million years, and just look at how much damage we have done in that relatively short time. Pathetic! And humans think that they are a superior species?

Posted by: Michele | October 19, 2007 12:40 AM

most of the "debate" going on here seems filled with great anger from both sides. i understand feeling hurt and upset that others dont share your view on this issue or any other for that matter. but i must say, shoving opinions down others throats will never work, especially when coupled with snide personal comments (that fat comment was just plain mean). everyone can justify their actions. everyone. the stock you put in morals, ethics, biology, etc with always be slanted in the direction of your opinions. its just the way humans seem to function. advocating for a cause is admirable, but the dogmatic slant surrounding these debates perplexes me. and as far as al gore is concerned, stating that because he flies in planes or uses electricty negates the great strides he has made for evironmental awareness is just plain ludicris. if someone knocked on your door to examine how environmentally concious your actions were, i am sure there would be a few issues to bring up. lighten up and fight the peaceful fight. loving animals and hating humans doesnt make sense. p.s i was a vegan for eight years and now dable in organic and biodynamic dairy. so sue me.

Posted by: noah | October 19, 2007 02:26 AM

some people just see the bacon. others can see the suffering of the living creature which produced it. a question of conscience probably... yes, everybody is free. of course. including pigs... what some of you call "lobyists" are just conscious people who try and act before it's too late, whether we're talking about climate change, humanity or animal cruelty.

Posted by: phisou | October 19, 2007 10:15 AM

Mars,

The quote you posted was NOT written by me.

In other news, you said, "thanks for proving my point that in todays world, animals are impacted and controlled by humans."
Agreed.

"Yep, global warming is a fact. A fact that it has been going on for a few millenia and long, long before humans where into factory farming."

A millennium is a 1000 years, so "a few millennia" is at least 2000 years. What about the Little Ice Age of 1500-1700?

Factory farming contributes to global warming, but it is not, of course, the sole cause.

Posted by: Mike Quinoa | October 19, 2007 01:48 PM

She sent a letter to gore because she wants the money to build a bigger headquarters. hahahaha

You people that believe this organization is out to get freedom for animals are completely ignorant to the fact that this is an organization, playing on peoples emotions towards animals to gain money for themselves.

Next thing you know there will be an organization for the ethical treatment of apple trees because we use fertilizers to promote more growth. I don't really know if they do use fertilizers to do that. But that is controlling the environment that they grow in. I believe trees are living things.

Ah and one step closer to a dinner that consists of pills.

Posted by: salty | October 20, 2007 03:20 AM

Mars,

The quote you posted was not written by me.

In other news, you said, "thanks for proving my point that in todays world, animals are impacted and controlled by humans."
Agreed.

"Yep, global warming is a fact. A fact that it has been going on for a few millenia and long, long before humans where into factory farming."

A millennium is a 1000 years, so "a few millennia" is at least 2000 years. What about the Little Ice Age of 1500-1700?

Factory farming contributes to global warming, but it is not, of course, the sole cause.

Posted by: Mike Quinoa | October 21, 2007 12:09 AM

hi its
better to veg then killing animals and eating .

go veg and the earth abetter place to live

Posted by: jeet | October 21, 2007 01:52 AM

Ariel
THIS STORY HAS NOTHING TO WITH ANIMAL RIGHTS ! A blog site IS a place for debate. Us anti's are just as sane (If not more) as you bunch of human hating, tree hugging softies.
Your campaigns for the banning of meat and other traditions has hate and BS in it too.
It's hypocrites like you that are promoting such a dangerous world (With your ALF terrorist buddies over there).

Plus, I AM immune to religion.

Posted by: halo snipe | October 21, 2007 04:00 PM

When one of you folks at PETA receives a Nobel Prize, then send me e-mail so I can dump on you, too, just like the Republicans and now PETA (For God's sake) is doing! Get a life dudes. Gore did his bit, now you do YOURS. Make a difference instead of making fools of yourselves, and the rest of us.

Posted by: David | October 21, 2007 06:24 PM

Anyone who comes on here and critizes vegans needs to think about how they would feel if they were a calf who is taken off their mother from day one and put in a crate where it cant turn around for sixteen weeks. If you critize vegans whatever you do dont call yourself a nice person call yourself a nice person to other humans but not to the enviroment or animals.

Posted by: Kim | October 22, 2007 06:57 AM

Ariel,

I have not been on in few days, and deeply thank you for your nice comments. I see more on a daily bases that compassionate people are few and far between especially when it comes to animals. Most people I encounter still do not understand why we as people should not use animals to benefit our taste buds, or entertainment. I really get upset with people who insist that they love their animals be it dogs, cats, horses, or any small animal, but do not find one thing wrong with eating and torture of cows, pigs or chickens. How can you look at your own animals and the thought of eating them never cross your mind, but continue to make other animals flesh a part of your daily meals? I also still can not believe that even though there are now more vegetarians/vegans than any other time in history people still lack any knowledge of the lifestyles, and lash out at us just because they don’t understand us. I honestly believe that one day the world will be forced to eat a vegetarian lifestyle regardless of if they want to or not this will have nothing to do with the existing vegetarians or vegans it will have to do with meat being a luxury item like it is in so many other countries.

I come on the peta website to join other people who care for the well being of all animals, because that is what this website is suppose to be all about. Unfortunately people who share extreme lack of compassion for animals find there way here as well only to name call, and show hate. I have no problem with a meat eater coming here with an open mind willing to learn something they never knew before for in fact that is vegetarians/vegans main goal to show people why we are who we are, and give them the opportunity to learn instead of judging us with very little knowledge of what we all stand for. I am glad however to know that there are a few good people in this world that post on this forum it shows me that there is hope that one day compassion, and values may again become the main part of society again. For anyone reading this that is considering ditching meat on their plates I know sometimes the facts get a little overwhelming, and sometimes you just need to see examples. I did not become a vegetarian for any health benefits I did so because of extreme compassion toward animals only after my husband and I stop eating meat did I see the health benefits staring us right in the face. My husband has been overweight for many years now we have tried all the diets you can ever imagine nothing has worked as quickly and easily as dropping all meat & most dairy. He will soon be back to the size he was 10 years ago!! I have never slept as well as I do now...as odd is it may sound my husband actually has dreams again...IBS was a problem for my husband that is not even an issue anymore. My husband is on 2 types of blood pressure med’s never once before becoming a vegetarian did we ever check his blood pressure and it be PERFECT...now it is perfect each time it is checked, and the doctor has said if this keeps up for a few more months he will drop the blood pressure med’s....this will safe us more money than we will know what do with even with insurance. To me results speak volumes!!!

I as well will say thanks to everyone on here who stands behind their beliefs, and is not afraid to show it!!!!

Posted by: Dana | October 22, 2007 08:50 AM

HUMANS EVOLVED FROM APES THAT WERE HERBIVORES!!! Our digestive system is 98% the same as them. We DO NOT have meat eating teeth. It is totally unnatural that humans eat meat. Note that the populations with the highest cancer rates are those that eat meat! Beyond that. It's bad for the environment because of the completely UNNATURAL amount of cows that are excessively produced because we plan to eat them, and that is what is causing global warming! Can anyone see how incredibly logical it is to be a vegetarian?? We are killing animals and killing ourselves at the same time. However, most of the world is vegetarian. I'm only speaking to the "western dieters" who think the whole world eats meat-- so uneducated.

Posted by: miro | October 25, 2007 12:44 AM

I was vegetarian for 2 years and just recently went vegan because i've done my research and seen its not only better for me but for everyone. Now, if everyone else would just try that instead of making excuses for stuffing their faces with meat and ruining the planet maybe this wouldn't be an issue.
Ha, anyway congrats to Gore and he needs to go vegan... or at least vegetarian if he really wants to do something good for the enviorment. To the people making stupid comments on here: Go f*** yourself.

Carmen. [:

Posted by: Carmen | October 25, 2007 02:51 PM

Hi, I´m from Argentina, South America. I think that this veg life shouldn´t become something radical, for ages humans have been eating animals and using fur as coat. Because they were hungry and cold. I think in time we´ll all learn that animals have feelings, but for example a lot of people that works in meat business they don´t have any other job. For example I eat meat really often and I love my dog, I would´t kill my dog unless I was starving, but I think that this takes time and we cannot obligate people to go veg, it´s somethins that each person will learn in time... or never. But let´s not turn this in a matter of life and death, something that could put people agains each other. I prefer loving people more than animals, because a dog can´t be my wife, my father, my brother, my son, if i was left only with my dog i would say... i´m alone! I how many ways I can love my dog? The thing is that "people" are dying around the world in so many ways... for example in my country young and poor kids dies by smoking something calles "paco", a drug made with cocaine trash, and we cannot do anything about it. First we must save ourselves and then, maybe save animals. Besides, many times this veg thing sounds like fashion, I think that I will keep eating meat until I find in myself the true of all this. Have a good day, love and peace for everybody

Posted by: Javier | October 25, 2007 06:52 PM

Gore is an idiot. He has "people" who write his book, research his material and get it together. Big Deal. His biggest tip is to change lightbulbs to more efficient. duhhhh, like we didn't know this. He is a hypocrite and enjoys his meat. Look at him. What a shister, just like the rest of the "public servants"....servants, ha. They care nothing for animals so quit handling him with such a soft touch. He is out of touch with whats going on and needs to be informed!

Posted by: Zonah | October 25, 2007 09:30 PM

I am very proud of Al Gore for winning the Nobel Peace Prize. He has done so much to teach others about global warming. But it is entirely Mr. Gore's decision, not ours, to decide what to eat. I don't eat red meat, but I am not a vegetarian. It's my decision to make, not everyone elses. Maybe one day I will decide not to eat any meat, but that's my own decision. Please let Mr. Gore be recognized for what he has done so far in such a great way, and perhaps one day he will become a vegetarian.

Posted by: carolbrigid | October 25, 2007 11:33 PM

"raising animals for food generates almost 40 percent more greenhouse gases than all the cars, trucks, planes, and ships in the world combined."

So the world goes veggie. We still have the cows, chickens, pigs, etc. So that means we still have greenhouse gases! I'm not getting it. We can't kill off all these animals! They have to live somewhere! They have to eat! So how does going veggie help the environment so much??

Posted by: Jake | October 26, 2007 02:08 AM

Hmmm... curious as to why the 15 year old vegan supposedly landed herself in the hospital? I realize many young girls 'choose' to be veggie in order to facilitate an eating disorder... wondering if that was her diagnosis. I've been veggie for 10 years and had 3 children in the past 5 years. I have never been hospitalized due to my diet. On the contrary, I gave birth at home, the natural way. No interventions, no medications, the way all life does, barring humans.
I won't even begin to debate simply because persons who aren't evolved to the point of vegetarianism, will not be open to pursuing it. Interesting that a few months ago, MSN had an article correlating an above average IQ with becoming a veg by the time a person reaches 30 years of age. Most vegetarians I have met are highly analytical, conscientious persons. I know that as a child, I was told I was gifted many times, I always felt somewhat removed from my peers. In preschool I informed my mother that it was not enjoyable because the children were extremely noisy and hyperactive.
It is possible to obtain (or retain) only a level of intellience of worldy knowledge. However in my opinion, it is that of morality which is of utmost importance.

Posted by: RNVeggieMom | October 26, 2007 10:54 AM

As long as Al Gore (Gory!) continues to stuff his mouth with chicken thighs and other equally disgusting body parts of animals murdered for his palate, how can anyone take this self-proclaimed environmentalist seriously? Mr. Gore completely ignores the fact that raising, slaughtering, and consuming animals (the annual toll is currently 55 billion worldwide for land animals alone, and perhaps 3 times that number for aquatic animals) is a major factor in environmental degradation, resulting in global warming. In the off chance that this sweetheart of the so-called environmental movement does decide to run for U.S. President, I just might vote for him, but only if he takes both the chicken leg and his foot out of his oral cavity.

Posted by: Maryanne Appel | October 26, 2007 11:36 AM

This is the Al-Gore blog isn't it? Any way, Yippie for him. I was hoping Serj Tankian or that guitarist from Rage Against the Machine would have gotten it.
Check out "Veganisim in a Nutshell" and "Earthlings"
Bye, and Peace out.

Posted by: SOADfan | October 26, 2007 05:51 PM

Ariel and Michele

When you assume shit, you make an ass out of you and me!

Posted by: Mr. Chief | October 26, 2007 06:42 PM

1. Al Gore is a fraud. Start living your beliefs, Al.

2. Some animals are obligate carnivores. Humans are not.

3. Go veg--for the welfare of animals and your own.

Posted by: Jean | October 27, 2007 01:18 PM

CONGRATULATIONS!
great job.

Posted by: Sarah McNally | October 29, 2007 07:12 PM

"Stiff in opinions, always in the wrong,
Was everything by starts, and nothing long" —John Dryden

Posted by: (anonymous) | October 29, 2007 07:23 PM

this comment is for ray-o.

first of all "dude" you are probably one of the most ignorant people. you say that wolves and lions and bears "sink their teeth" into other animals and dont think about if theyre hurting them and if theyre destroying our planet too, but if you had any type of common sense or knowledge you wouldnt be asking stupid questions like that. first of all, animals eating other animals is a natural instinct for them its what they do to survive. when a lion or wolf can start planting seeds and growing crops then let me know okay? and we dont have to eat meat its not our natural instinct. there are plenty other types of foods that we can eat to stay satisfied. and you idiot if you dont want to be strangled by a lion's claw then dont go into the jungle. and you talk about why you love meat so much, so im assuming you must be a fat lonely person, or even obese person, who has no life and does nothing but eat. and chickens are not "meant" to be eaten. ok, you say dogs are at the top of the food chain but who said you cant eat a dog? (and i cant believe i just wrote that because i absolutely love dogs) and also that dogs are lovable, any type of animal is lovable. a person can become attached to any animal, once you take your head out the clouds and realize that animals can feel pain and love just as well as we do then maybe youll change your mind. how could you sit there and watch a video where a pig or cow's throat is being slit and having it suffer in such a painful and beyond terrible way? okay you eat meat and think theres nothing wrong with it at all but how can you keep talking about how its okay and its nots such a big deal, when these poor animals are being tortured and slaughtered for you? they are born into this world just like people and DESERVE chances to live. it really gets me how people can look into an innocent animal's eyes and not see the terrified look they give you, and then still go ahead and beat or abuse them. ANIMALS CAN FEEL PAIN. and another reason why youre an idiot is because one of the main reasons why humans eating meat is destroying the planet is because we have cleared out so many areas to make factories to raise cattle and other animals that will be brought up to slaughtered for someone's taste buds. what is the matter with you? these animals dont deserve in anyway to be harmed, and you obviously dont care about others.

Posted by: michele | October 30, 2007 05:56 AM

I've been skimming through everything that is being said here, so I thought I may add a point that no one may have mentioned yet:

PETA supporters say that Al Gore should make an 8th point to be Veggie. The thing is, it would then be a conflict against human rights which people are still working on. There are people who highly believe that there is more then one way to help then going vegitarian, like finding the family owned farms that don't cage their animals and take proper care.
But I would like to propose a substitute. You can't force people of the nations to go vegan and such, but why not put forth an introduction program for vegetarism/vegan in schools and the like? Some people just don't believe they can go (mind the expression) 'cold turkey' on meat and dairies. The idea of an introduction program is that it slowly eases people into it that are interested but never had the means or had too much ignorance to come about becoming vegan on their own. The idea, more or less, would to slowly cut down the portions of dairy and meat to at least what is recommended to have based on the food pyramid (1-2 portions of meat, 2-3 of dairy) before completely cutting them off and supplementing what meats and dairy do provide with supplements.
I only thought of this because I am an omnivore but most of my meal choices are depicted by my parents because living with them I do eat their food to keep surviving. As a result I grew up eating meat without a problem. The most I've done is cut down on my meat proportion (so don't shoot me) but I have some interest in the idea of vegan.
Back to my point though, some people, like myself, are interested but lack the driving force mostly because they lack any support. If a program was set up to slowly bring people into the veggie habit, I think that would be better to deploy then making it into an 8th point for Al Gore. If he made it necessary for Vegan Awareness in schools and other areas to be deployed he could at least save future generations in another way by showing them this aspect of environment as well. But even then, if Al Gore doesn't do it, at least make a petition to the Health boards to make it necessary.

That is just my opinion at least. You may discuss it among yourselves since this is a one time thing for me. I just wanted to throw the idea out there. I'm sure somebody may get my point in expand on it, but either way, just something to be thrown out there.

Posted by: K | November 1, 2007 11:21 PM

Al gore is totaly great already.

Adding vegan or vegetarian to the menu would be pure greatness.

Posted by: Rave Girl | November 2, 2007 06:46 PM

gore is not great and becoming a vegetarian is not gonna stop global warming. now im not saying global warming doesent exist but science has already proven that the earth has gone through periods of warming and cooloing in the past. so who is to say that the problem at hand now is not due partly to natural causes. also how can we all really believe gore and all the supposed facts he has presented about global warming to be true. now remember this is the same man that invented the internet if you all remember that.

Posted by: claude | November 6, 2007 03:02 PM

I'm fine with people being vegetarian/vegan and all, it's just that PETA, in my opinion, is too extreme in some ways. I mean, look at the "Milk Suckers" page; if milk REALLY made you lactose-intolerant and get pimples, I'd be Ms. Lactose-intolerant Pizzaface here! And I'm not. Some of PETA's statements are pretty ridiculous, and that really lowers the reputation of some of their causes I do support (like no real fur and spay & neutering your pets).

Posted by: Meg | November 19, 2007 04:42 PM

First of all i want to apologize on my english, it's not my main language.

i must say that as a vegan i don't really care for about Al Gore. PETA ppl can't support someone who is eating meat and at the same time say that the meat industry is one of the (if not the biggest) cause of global warming. it's seems like some of you are searching for acceptance so much that you are willing to "slide" the main thing you are fighting against.

It looks like Gore is taking a ride on PETA and others who are fighting against global warming. I believe he got hidden motives anyway. Do you think he is making less polution than the average man? If the meat industry is a huge cause for the polution and he needs other ppl to tell him to give it up, he is NOT a true environmentalist. In the US (i'm not from the US) you got tons of subsitutes for vegetarians/vegans so it's not such a problem.

In conclusion, I believe you must raise the scale for acceptance and not be like a 15yo who is doing you know what for acceptace.

P.S.
I believe if you could make the vegetarians/vegans food subsitutes cheaper than the meat and show ppl they can "survive" on it, it will be the best thing for what, at least most of the ppl here, wants to be in the future. And simultanisly The poor will have more food. It will be a start.

I'd like to hear responses.

Posted by: Proud Vegan | November 20, 2007 12:56 AM

Al Gore deserves his prize. He is an extremely intelligent human being who is even now transcending current limitations (we are all limited)and continues his path of growth.

It is inevitable that he come to a humane and conscientious decision about what to eat and how often, and that there will be fewer tortured animals he will have consumed.

Since the world population cannot all be above average (are the residents of Lake Wobegone vegetarians?) it seems that the answer is not necessarily who eats meat and who doesn't, but how we treat animals.

Posted by: ajam | November 22, 2007 01:24 PM

Dear Mr. Gore,

Congratulations on your Nobel Prize and on the wonderful work you have been doing. It is nothing short of miraculous! Nevertheless, there is one extremely big oversight, one that may not be too popular, but that desperately needs to be addressed. That issue is the overwhelming amount of greenhouse gases caused by the raising of animals for food and the producing of those food products.

You are a truly wonderful man! Please, can you find it in your heart to further aid our planet by going vegan or vegetarian and urging others to follow? Your influence is paramount, and going veg is the single most important thing that anyone can do on a personal basis to save this earth!

Yours truly,
Andra Muhoberac
Sydney, Australia

Posted by: Andra Muhoberac | November 23, 2007 10:39 PM

Al Gore, Thanks for your awareness!!! Now add being a vegetarian to your 7-point pledge. It's Healthy, economical, its compassionate, it saves energy and creates a positive collective consciousness to change the world one person at a time.

Posted by: Anonymous | December 13, 2007 10:42 AM

I saw a comment about new vegetarians taking Beano. I find that many vegan foods--cabbage, beans, carrots, peanuts, and broccoli, to name a few--give me gas, but Beano and other brands of gas-reducing agents seem to have gelatin and other non-vegan ingredients. Is there a vegan equivalent to Beano?

Posted by: Ted Ellicott | February 24, 2008 04:39 PM