Ever since The New York Times reminded Americans of the devastating effects of meatborne illnesses, the topic has been at the center of discussion around many a dinner table. It was also the hot topic on Monday night's episode of Larry King Live, in which panelists debated: Should Americans be eating meat?

The answer: No, unless you don't mind that your hamburger patty may contain bacteria-laden meat not just from multiple cows, but from multiple factory farms around the world. Barf.

If you missed the show, we've got the full segment for you right here:

If even infamous foie gras–loving chef Anthony Bourdain is against factory farming, then you know it must be bad. Next time you're at the grocery store looking for some patties to throw on the grill, opt for the veggie burgers.

Posted by Liz Graffeo

Ladies and gentlemen, it's show time. We have a new video to add to our list of hard hitters—our "To Animals, It's Not Entertainment" video, which takes you behind the razzle-dazzle of the entertainment industry to let you witness the routine abuses that animals suffer in circuses and on film sets—abuses such as frequent beatings and solitary confinement in cages that are too small to allow the prisoners to turn around or take a single step in any direction.

After you've checked that out, take a minute to tune in to "Meet Your Meat" and learn about the mechanized madness that animals endure before they are killed and ground up for hamburgers, hot dogs, and chicken nuggets; "Testing … One, Two, Three," which shows the ways that cruel and dangerous animal experiments hurt animals and people; and "Whose Skin Are You In?" which exposes the cruelty involved in the leather, wool, fur, and exotic-skins industries.

These videos pack punches. After you've watched them all, leave a comment letting us know which one inspired you to take action.

Posted by Karin Bennett

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It looks like the Hamburglar might have moved on to a more serious crime.

Not only is eating meat unhealthy, it also might make you homicidal. Just ask Terrence J. Jones of Washington, D.C., who has been imprisoned for allegedly killing a woman after she refused to cook him a hamburger.

That's right—he allegedly killed a stranger for not making him a burger! Unbelievable!

PETA has written a letter to Jones' prison warden and asked him to provide Jones with only vegetarian meals (and even offered to help create meatless meal plans). We believe that it's the only way to stop more senseless killings for the sake of Terrence J. Jones' taste buds.

Not only will this stop the needless and cruel murder of animals, evidence from prisons that have switched inmates to vegetarian diets indicates that doing so might reduce violence among inmates too. Feeding inmates bean burritos instead of beef burgers could go a long way toward ending the cycle of violence. Plus vegetarian meals are cost-efficient and easy to prepare (for everyone, regardless of whether they're in prison).

So let's recap: A vegetarian diet saves humans, animals, time, and money. Sounds like a no-brainer to me!

Posted by Carrie Ann Harris