It looks like Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus isn't anxious for PETA to capture any more footage of its goons employees whacking elephants with bullhooks. How else would you explain the ugly incident that happened this past Tuesday in which a burly, 200-something-pound Ringling worker apparently shoved and almost knocked down PETA staffer Amanda Fortino—who stands 5 feet, 4 inches tall and weighs 120 pounds soaking wet—while she was videotaping elephants who were being led from a Ringling train to the Rose Garden arena prior to the circus's performance in Portland, Oregon.

His friends must have been worried that Mr. "Tact and Diplomacy" was in danger of being overpowered by the deceptively slight Amanda (she does have super-vegan powers, you know), Amanda reports that several of the thug's cohorts bounded to his assistance and surrounded her, effectively blocking her view of the elephants.

Not the smartest move, because another activist was holding the aforementioned video camera and caught the whole thing on tape. We promptly turned the tape over to Portland police, who have opened an investigation into the incident.

Posted by Alisa Mullins

We've told you about some of the best iPhone apps for animals, such as guides to cruelty-free shopping and vegetarian dining. Now there's an app for those times when you just don't feel like speaking "vegan-ese" to your nonvegan friends: the vegan soundboard from quarrygirl.com. And the bonus? It's free!

Some of these vegan sound bites are simultaneously hilarious and embarrassing—it's good to know, for example, that just by pushing a "button" I can let people know about my obsessions with the PPK and the vegan mecca that is Portland (there's a vegan mini-mall, for goodness' sake!). But I shudder to think that I've ever demanded, "Do you have a separate fryer for your French fries?" (Seriously. Don't be that guy.)

iPhone devotees can download the app for free. For those of you who still carry flip phones, no worries. You can still play with the soundboard here.

If you were going to create your own vegan soundboard, what would you put on it?

Posted by Amanda Schinke

A sign in the window of Schumacher Furs during a lawful protest against the cruelty of the fur industry
Greenisthenewred/Creative Commons

You may remember that the good people over at Schumacher Furs saw fit to sue PETA when their store in downtown Portland was closed following regular protests by local activists and concerned citizens. There were a number of good reasons why the Schumachers didn’t have a leg to stand on with their lawsuit, such as the fact that the protests against the furriers weren’t even PETA demonstrations (not to mention that whole first amendment thing).

Well, last week, the judge in the case ordered Schumacher Furs to pay PETA more than $40,000 as reimbursement for legal fees incurred fighting the lawsuit (which he called "an extraordinary abuse of the litigation process"), and his statement in the ruling just about says it all:

"I find that awarding fees in this case will properly serve to deter putative plaintiffs from filing multimillion-dollar suits against nonprofit groups and private citizens engaged in First Amendment activities ...."

So there you have it—a victory for animals and for free speech all in one go. The cash is a nice bonus, too.

Indymedia/Creative Commons

Yesterday, the U.S. District Court for the District of Oregon dismissed a bunch of claims against PETA in a lawsuit brought by some fur-pushers called Gregg and Linda Schumacher on behalf of their business in Portland.

In a fantastic victory for animals, Schumacher Furs suffered quite a blow last year when the downtown Portland store decided to close after years of protests by concerned Portland residents. But, much as I'd love to take credit for the great protests, PETA really didn't have an awful lot to do with them—a fact which had our lawyers more baffled than concerned when ol' Gregg and Linda filed suit against us for more than $2 million in damages. Fortunately for everyone (and as Mr. and Mrs. Schumacher learned the hard way this week), being really sad and grumpy because your unethical business got shut down isn't enough by itself to convince a court of law that someone owes you over $2 million. The claims against PETA were thrown out as being frivolous earlier this week, and Schumacher Furs will, more than likely, be paying PETA's legal fees. As PETA Counsel Bonnie Robson puts it:

“The court's decision is a victory for the First Amendment—and for animals, who must rely on human voices to protest their torture and slaughter for fur. The court did not give in to the fur industry's desire to keep the public in the dark about how animals are turned into fur coats and collars."

Well guys, now that you've failed at making your living through hurting animals and suing charities, what's next on the agenda? I'm not sure I even really want to know.