Welcome to the 61st Edition of the Mad Cowboy Newsletter!

We've a special holiday message from Howard as well as a significant
change to the Vegan Mind-Poser Contest. There's also two great recipes
from Robin Robertson's fine new vegan cookbook, "Quick-Fix Vegetarian,"
new studies about the impact of grains and beans on heart disease, the
issues regarding too much sodium in the average diet, and a clear
relationship between food additives and hyperactivity in children.

Further down, there's research linking red meat and dairy to a specific
cancers, beans lowering cholesterol, and a new report about McDonalds
and children's dietary habits. You can also peruse our "Mad Cow
Round-up" and "Bird Flu News" collections, read an excellent essay by
Bruce Friedrich on Veganism and the Environment, learn just what's under
your feet, why it's getting difficult to seperate other species from us,
about a "Compassion Over Killing" winning campaign, and then take a
break in our "Vegan Digital Theater Showcase."

... and, as always, a tip of the hat to our new subscribers. Y'all can
read past issues of the newsletter at:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Mad_Cowboy/

Best Wishes to All for a Happy New Year!

Mark, MC editor/webmaster

[personal vegan blog:
http://www.soulveggie.com


***********************************************
TABLE OF CONTENTS:

00: Quote(s) from Howard
01: A Holiday Letter from Howard
02: The Vegan Mind-Bender Contest Winner/Challenge!
03: Recipes from a New Vegan Cookbook
04: Mad Cow Info Round-up
05: Bird Flu News
06: Too Much Salt, Americans Fatter, Kids/Additives & McMktg.
07: Grains & Beans vs. Heart Disease, Dairy/Red Meat=Cancer
08: Vegan Digital Theater Showcase
09: Under Feet, Bird Declines, Gulf Dead Zone, Toxicity Hypocrisy
10: Censored Stories, Hummers/Nuggets, Activist Win, Chimp Wits
11: Howard's Schedule
12: Quick Bytes
13: Closing Thoughts


************************************************
*00: Quote(s) from Howard
************************************************
"Let me be clear: there are plenty of lousy vegetarian and vegan diets
out there. Any diet high in refined sugar, salt, or oil, is a lousy
diet, whether vegan or not... Too many vegetarians and vegans pat
themselves on the back for what they're not eating, and pay too little
attention to what they do eat."

--- Howard Lyman, in "No More Bull!" p. 81

[To order "No More Bull!" online:
http://www.madcowboy.com/02_VVFprods.002.html


************************************************
*01: A Holiday Message from Howard
************************************************
12/31/07

"Season greetings to all of my friends as we come to the end of another
year. We have seen the destruction of planet earth reach new levels,
which is being ignored by many politicians at the highest circles in our
government.

I'm convinced that the solution to our problem starts with our diet and
we are winning on that front ever so slowly. It is not "will we change
our bad habits?" but "will we change them before it is too late to save
our environment?"

I continue to travel and spread the word, and this allows me to see and
spend time with many of my friends. I'm amazed at all the great work
being done at the grassroots and it is starting to be reflected in the
awareness of the press, and our food establishments.

When I reflect on the changes in our country in the last ten years I
realize just how affective your contributions have been. There is no
doubt I have the pleasure of working with the best group of folks that
have ever graced our world.

My new years message to my friends is to keep doing what you are doing
and do it with joy in your soul, knowing the future of our children and
grandchildren are hanging in the balance."

Your humble friend, Howard


************************************************
*02: The Vegan Mind-Bender Contest Winner/Challenge!
************************************************
LAST WEEK'S MAD COWBOY VEGAN MIND-BENDER:
"The average life span of an American in 2004 was 42nd compared to the
rest of the world. Twenty years ago, US life span was ranked what, when
compared to the rest of the world?"

(a) 2nd (b) 5th (c) 11th (d) 23rd

Congratulations to Susan Eakins of New Dawn Montana Sanctuary,
Stevensville, Montana, for guessing the correct answer (c) and winning
the luck of the draw!

["A baby born in the United States in 2004 will live an average of 77.9
years. That life expectancy ranks 42nd, down from 11th two decades
earlier...":
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/huff-wires/20070811/life-expectancy/

********* SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT **********

We're just so pleased to announce a new gift that will be given to the
two winners of our Vegan Mind-Bender Contest! Fran Horvath, of Ethical
Planet, is offering to send a FREE shopping bag to the "2nd place"
winner each issue. "The shopping bag is made from 100% organic cotton
with a long handle. It is a natural color and measures roughly 15" x
16." It has the Ethical Planet logo in color on it. They are
manufactured in an environmentally and socially conscious manner."

Our deep thanks to Fran. Be sure to visit her website at:
http://www.ethicalplanet.com


THIS WEEK'S VEGAN MIND-BENDER:
"What is the percentage lifetime risk of developing high blood pressure
or hypertension for an individual in the Western World?"

(a) 30% (b) 50% (c) 75% (d) 90%


Please e-mail guesses to: webmaster@... with the word
"contest" in your subject line by NLT Jan. 22nd, 2008, and include your
complete address (note: VegNews cannot offer free subscriptions to
non-U.S. locations).

[Many thanks to Joe Connelly, Editor, VegNews, who has offered a FREE
one-year subscription to a winner chosen at random those submitting the
correct answer to each MC Newsletter's Contest. Our thanks to Joe, and
you can learn more about VegNews at:

http://www.vegnews.com or e-mail: editor@... or call
1.415.665.6397]


************************************************
*03: Recipes from a New Vegan Cookbook
************************************************
"Quick-Fix Vegetarian" by Robin Robertson:
http://www.robinrobertson.com/

BARLEY PILAF WITH WHITE BEANS AND BROCCOLI
(serves 4)

"Barley is a delicious, nutty, and often overlooked grain. Be sure to
get quick-cooking pearl barley for this recipe, since regular barley
takes much longer to cook.

2 T extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 C. chopped onions
1 1/2 C. vegetable broth (or water)
3/4 C quick-cooking pearl barley
Salt.
2 C. small broccoli florets
1 (16-ounce) can Great Northern beans or other white beans, drained and
rinsed

Heat the oil [or a little water] in a large skillet over medium heat.
Add the onions, cover, and cook until softened, about 5 miknutes. Add
the broth and barley and bring to a boil. Decrease the heat to low and
add salt to taste. (You will need more salt if using water instead of
broth.) Cover and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the broccoli, cover, and
continue cooking until the broccoli is cooked and the barley is tender,
about 5 minutes more. Stir in the beans and heat until hot. Variation:
Chopped tomato and dill make good additions. p. 105


BLACK BEAN SAUCE WITH SHERRY
(makes about 1 1/2 cups)

"This quick and easy sauce adds flavor to grain dishes and is great as a
topping for vegetables.

1 T. extra-virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 (16-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
2 T. tamari
2 T. dry sherry
2 T. water, plus additional as needed
1 T. freshly squeezed lemon or lime juice
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1/2 t. hot pepper sauce (optional)
2 T. chopped fresh cilantro

Heat the olive oil [or a little water] in a saucepan over medium heat.
Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the
beans, cumin, tamari, sherry, and water and simmer for about 5 minutes
to blend the flavors. Transfer the mixture to a blender or food
processor, add the lemon juice, and blend until smooth. Return to the
saucepan and season to taste with salt and pepper and the hot sauce.
Stir in the cilantro and add more water if the sauce is too thick.
Simmer, stirring, until hot. p. 180


************************************************
*04: Mad Cow Info Round-up
************************************************
CATTLEMEN WELCOME NEWS OF U.S. BORDER REOPENING: (11/30/07): "After
more than four years of restricted trade following a mad-cow disease
scare and an estimated loss of more than $1.7 billion, Canadian
producers are welcoming this month's reopening of the U.S. border to
older live Canadian cattle and their meat products. The move comes
after the U.S. Department of Agriculture ruled that the risk of bovine
spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) in Canadian cattle is "negligible.""

[Edited from:
http://www.businessedge.ca/article.cfm/newsID/16802.cfm


CANADA FINDS 11TH BSE CASE: (12/18/07): "Canada confirmed a new case
of mad cow disease on Tuesday, its 11th since 2003, and said the animal
in question was a 13-year-old beef cow from Alberta born before a feed
ban designed to prevent the disease. The Canadian Food Inspection
Agency said no part of the animal's carcass had entered the human or
animal food supply. Canada has now also banned the risk material from
all types of livestock feed in an effort to eliminate BSE from Canada's
herd within 10 years. Until then, the CFIA said it expected to find a
few cases of BSE.... Montana-based activist rancher group R-CALF United
Stockgrowers of America pointed to the latest finding as supporting its
argument that the U.S. Agriculture Department should continue to ban
imports of older Canadian cattle. "It is exposing the U.S. to an
unnecessary and avoidable risk of mad cow disease," said Bill Bullard of
R-CALF, which has asked a federal judge to block the imports".

[Edited from:
http://www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSN1849172620071218


TAIWAN SUSPENDS GREELEY BEEF SHIPMENTS: (11/30/07): "Beef shipments
from the JBS-Swift plant in Greeley have been suspended by the
government in Taiwan. The ban, said Cheryl Kamenski, spokeswoman for
the U.S. Meat Export Federation in Denver, was effective Nov. 27 and
will remain in effect while the USDA works with Taiwan to iron out the
problem. Taiwan reported it found bone chips in a beef shipment from
the Greeley plant Nov. 25 and officially notified the USDA about the
imposed the ban two days later. About a week earlier, the Taiwanese
health department also banned shipments from a Cargill Meat Solutions
plant in Schulyer, Neb. for the same reason."

[Edited from:
http://www.greeleytrib.com/article/20071130/NEWS/71130007


FROM MAD COW TO CASH COW: (12/03/07): "Russia's appetite for beef
products has grown substantially and gone sharply upscale since it
banned U.S. exports four years ago. Before Russia banned U.S. beef in
reaction to the discovery of a case of bovine spongiform encephalopathy,
or mad-cow disease, it was the fifth-largest market for U.S. exports.
But where citizens bought mostly cheaper meat products like livers,
hearts and kidneys, they are now moving up the food chain to cuts like
tenderloin. Now the U.S. and Russia have nearly finished a new deal
that domestic producers are counting on to generate millions of dollars
in sales..."

[Edited from:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB119663850296011107.html?mod=googlenews_wsj


QATAR BAN ON IMPORT OF US BEEF IS LIFTED: (12/07/07): "Qatar has
lifted a ban on import of US beef, a senior US embassy official in Doha
said yesterday. "We received an official notice from the National Health
Authority (NHA) today that cleared the US beef or beef variety meat
(BVM) of any harmful content," the official of the Commercial Service
Office at the US embassy told Gulf Times. The ban has been in effect
since the first outbreak of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) or
mad cow disease in December 2003... with more hypermarkets and US food
franchises being set up in the Gulf, demand for US beef has been
increasing."

[Edited from:
http://www.gulf-times.com/site/topics/article.asp?cu_no=2&item_no=188783&version\
=1&template_id=57&parent_id=56


28TH CZECH BSE CASE: (12/20/07): "The 28th Czech BSE case is a nearly
10-year-old dead cow that originally came from Karlovarsky region in the
west of Bohemia. Experts say that foreign meat and bone meal is
probably the source of the infection dating back to a time when animals
were not examined for BSE and strict veterinary measures were not in
force in the country, said Duben... The first BSE-infected cow in the
Czech Republic was detected in 2001. SVS then ordered tests on all
slaughtered animals older than 30 months. Since the start of 2001 until
the end of November this year 1,194,743 heads of cattle had been
examined, 27 of them being found positive. Last year, there were 3 BSE
cases confirmed in the country, and 8 cases were detected in 2005, the
highest amount."

[Edited from:
http://www.ceskenoviny.cz/news/index_view.php?id=287817


BEEF'S WAKE-UP RECALL: (12/21/07): "For beef lovers, 2007 will go down
as another year of eating dangerously. Since the spring, meat suppliers
have recalled more than 30 million pounds of ground beef contaminated
with the potentially lethal bacteria E. coli O157:H7, including the 21.7
million pounds recalled by New Jersey-based Topps Meat in September...
Topps Meat's 21.7 million-pound recall led some safety advocates to
question the USDA inspection system, which relies heavily on industry
reporting. After three relatively quiet years, the 20 recalls this year
have raised new doubts about whether the beef industry's attempts to
keep the pathogen out of ground beef, and the government's oversight of
those efforts, are working... In several instances this year, however,
USDA officials missed red flags and were slow to correct longstanding
deficiencies in the way they monitor beef processors' efforts to contain
the pathogen... By the time Americans fired up their grills for the
Fourth of July, cases of human illness had prompted five beef recalls.
"We began to believe we may have a problem, but we weren't sure,"
Richard Raymond, undersecretary of agriculture for food safety, said in
an interview last week. At that point, however, the agency "wasn't ready
to make sweeping changes."

[Very edited from:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/12/20/AR2007122002409.\
html


************************************************
*05: Bird Flu News
************************************************
CHINA REPORTS 17TH BIRD FLU DEATH: (12/04/07): "A 24-year-old man in
China has died from bird flu, bringing that country's death toll from
the H5N1 avian influenza virus to 17, the World Health Organization
reported Tuesday... China has reported 26 confirmed cases of bird flu
since 2003, when the disease re-emerged. Worldwide, there have been 336
cases, 207 of which have been fatal. The majority of cases reported -
113 - have been in Indonesia, where 91 people have died."

[Edited from:
http://www.disasternews.net/news/article.php?articleid=3545


BIRD FLU PANDEMIC COST COULD REACH $2 TRILLION: (12/04/07): ""...the
possible bird flu pandemic could cost countries around the world some $2
trillion... acting Vice President of the World Bank... Harrold made the
statement during an international conference on the bird flu virus in
New Delhi, which was attended by some 600 delegate in 105 countries. He
added that some $2.3-billion have been pledged by international donors
to aid countries in the campaign against avian flu, and another $1
billion more to groups helping in fighting the threat... Margaret Chan,
director general of the World Health Organization, said, "About 20
percent of the global population will be affected during the next
pandemic."

[Edited from:
http://www.allheadlinenews.com/articles/7009356022


H5N1 MUTATION TOWARDS A PANDEMIC STRAIN GATHERS PACE: (12/06/07):
"H5N1 mutation towards a pandemic strain gathers pace. American
researchers have discovered that a key step has been reached in the
mutation of the H5N1 virus which could allow it to transform into a
human flu virus, thus opening the door to a pandemic. Dr Yoshihiro
Kawaoka of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, explains that mutation
on one of the H5N1 viral proteins has been identified in samples taken
from sick birds from Europe and Africa. This transformation could allow
the avian virus to tolerate our 37°C body temperature (the body
temperature of birds is about 41°C) and therefore to develop in our
upper respiratory tract..."

[Edited from:
http://www.afriquechos.ch/spip.php?article2719


RUSSIA CUTS DOWN ON POLISH POULTRY DUE TO BIRD FLU REPORTS: (12/07/07):
"Russia slapped additional limits on imports of live poultry, eggs and
other products from Poland following reports of a bird flu outbreak in
the country, Russia's veterinary control service said... The highly
pathogenic avian strain H5N1, commonly known as bird flu, was detected
on two turkey farms in central Poland on Dec 1. Bird flu was found last
year in the country, but in wild birds."

[Edited from:
http://www.forbes.com/afxnewslimited/feeds/afx/2007/12/07/afx4415331.html


CHINA BIRD FLU PATIENT RECOVERING: (12/09/07): "China bird flu
patient recovering: report A 52-year-old Chinese man whose son died
recently from bird flu and who himself has been infected with the highly
dangerous virus is gradually recovering, state media reported Sunday...
His son died last Sunday from the H5N1 avian flu strain, which has
killed more than 200 people worldwide since 2003... The new case brings
to at least 27 the number of infections in China, where 17 people have
died from bird flu."

[Edited from:
http://www.physorg.com/news116401522.html


POLAND UNCOVERS FOURTH CASE OF BIRD FLU: (12/10/07): "Poland has
uncovered a fourth case of the most virulent strain of bird flu, known
as H5N1, at a poultry farm in central Poland, the ministry of
agriculture said today. ll four cases reported since the first outbreak
at the start of December have related to the same area of the country,
which is well-known for poultry production... Poland has reported the
highly pathogenic avian strain H5N1, commonly known as bird flu, in wild
birds in recent years, but this year's are the first cases of commercial
farms being hit."

[Edited from:
http://www.forbes.com/markets/feeds/afx/2007/12/10/afx4421933.html


INDONESIA REPORTS 115TH HUMAN H5N1 CASE: (12/12/07): "Indonesia has
reported its 115th human case of H5N1 avian influenza, in a 47-year-old
man from Tangerang, according to news services. The man is in critical
condition in a Jakarta hospital, according to a Xinhua report today...
Ninety-two of Indonesia's 115 H5N1 cases have been fatal. The WHO's
global H5N1 count, which does not yet include the Tangerang man, stands
at 338 cases with 208 deaths."

[Edited from:
http://www.cidrap.umn.edu/cidrap/content/influenza/avianflu/news/dec1207indo.htm\
l


BIRD FLU KILLS 35,000 POULTRY IN SOUTHERN RUSSIA: (12/12/07): "Some
35,000 birds have died from bird flu since the epidemic broke out at a
poultry farm in southern Russia's Rostov region late November, a
spokesperson for the local emergencies ministry has said. "We have
received the preliminary results of analysis," spokesperson Marina
Abramchenko was quoted by Ria Novosti news agency, adding that the
results showed traces of the H5N1 virus..."

[Edited from:
http://mathaba.net/news/?x=574298


61,000 BIRDS INFECTED WITH H5N1 BIRD FLU STRAIN SLAUGHTERED:
(12/13/07): "61,000 birds were slaughtered at Gulyai-Borisovo battery
farm (Zernogradsky District, Rostov Region, southern Russia), where the
H5N1 bird flu strain was registered. 54,800 of them were burnt...
Overall, 450,000 birds are to be annihilated because of the avian flu
outbreak in the area..."

[Edited from:
http://www.regnum.ru/english/931679.html


HONG KONG CLOSES NATURE RESERVE AFTER FLU VIRUS FOUND IN HERON:
(12/14/07): "A Hong Kong nature reserve was on Friday closed to the
public after a sick wild bird tested positive for the deadly avian flu
virus. Government officials said the Mai Po Reserve in the New
Territories would be closed for 21 days from Friday as a precautionary
measure to curb any outbreak of the H5N1 virus... Hong Kong has stayed
free of any human cases of H5N1 since 1997 when the virus jumped the
species barrier and infected 18 people, killing six."

[Edited from:
http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/158591.htm


AVIAN INFLUENZA CONTINUES SPREADING, BUT GLOBAL RESPONSE IMPROVES:
(12/15/07): "Europe could join Asia and Africa as a continent where
highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza is endemic, warns the United
Nations Food and Agriculture Organization. Earlier this year, though,
the FAO and World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) stated that
global response to H5N1 avian influenza has improved and that countries
reported fewer outbreaks in early 2007 than in early 2006-when the virus
reached many European countries in wild birds. The recent FAO warning
followed Germany's detection of H5N1 avian influenza in young domestic
ducks that did not have clinical signs of infection..."

[Very edited from:
http://www.avma.org/onlnews/javma/dec07/071215m.asp


WHO ANNOUNCES FIRST HUMAN CASE OF BIRD FLU IN BURMA: (12/15/07): "The
World Health Organization (WHO) announced on Friday the first case of
human infection with the H5N1 avian influenza virus in Burma. The case
is a seven year-old girl from Burma's northeastern state of Shan, who
was hospitalized on Nov. 27 and now has recovered, WHO said in a
statement... Since 2003, 13 countries have reported 340 human cases of
H5N1 avian influenza, with 208 deaths, according to latest WHO figures."

[Edited from:
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2007-12/15/content_7252710.htm


SAUDI CULLS 13,500 OSTRICHES AMID NEW BIRD FLU OUTBREAK: (12/15/07):
"Saudi Arabia's agriculture ministry has ordered 13,500 ostriches to be
destroyed following a new outbreak of bird flu in the kingdom, the
Al-Watan newspaper reported on Saturday. The outbreak of the H5N1
strain of the disease that is dangerous to humans was reported on
Thursday evening at a farm in the Al-Kharj region, 80 kilometres (50
miles) south of Riyadh, the Arabic language daily said. Last month, the
Saudi authorities ordered nearly four million birds culled in the face
of at least 14 separate outbreaks of avian influenza...

Pakistan on Saturday confirmed its first death from the bird flu virus.

[Edited from:
http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5jMlFqVTTAs9vmz0cL2CmBCXkOk7A


NEW CASE OF BIRD FLU IN GERMANY CONFIRMED: (12/16/07): "Two local
chickens in a farm in the Oberhavel region, northwest of Berlin tested
positive for the deadly H5N1 strain of the bird flu virus, German
authorities confirmed Saturday... he remaining birds were slaughtered to
prevent the bird flu from spreading... In August, a bird flu outbreak
affected the German state of Bavaria, prompting authorities to order the
slaughter more than 160,000 birds. Several cases have resurfaced this
year due to the influx of migratory birds. The epidemic even infected
three cats and a marten in Germany in 2006.'

[Edited from:
http://www.allheadlinenews.com/articles/7009469729


BIRD FLU FLARES FURTHER IN ASIA: (12/16/07): "Bird flu has resurfaced
in different parts of Asia, with human deaths reported in Indonesia,
Burma, Pakistan and China and fresh outbreaks plaguing other countries
during the winter months when the virus typically flares, officials and
scientists say. Pakistan confirmed the country's first death from the
bird flu virus on Saturday, the health ministry says in a press
statement... Indonesia, the nation hardest hit by the H5N1 virus,
announced its 93rd death on Friday..."

[Very edited from:
http://www.allheadlinenews.com/articles/7009468554


H5N1 BIRD FLU HITS BENIN, HOME OF VOODOO: (12/17/07): "Benin, the home
of ritual Voodoo sacrifice, became the latest in a string of West
African states to report cases of H5N1 bird flu after laboratory tests
confirmed the deadly virus on two poultry farms... Benin's immediate
neighbours, Nigeria, Togo, Niger and Burkina Faso, have all reported
H5N1 cases. Other regional states hit include Ghana, Ivory Coast and
Cameroon. Eastern neighbour Nigeria is one of the regional nations
worst affected by bird flu. It reported sub-Saharan Africa's first
confirmed human death from the disease early this year. Health experts
have said they fear Benin's Voodoo priests could be particularly at risk
because of their practice of tearing out the throats of live chickens in
ritual sacrifices... epidemiologists fear the continent's widespread
poverty, lack of proper veterinary and medical facilities and huge
informal farming sector could allow outbreaks to go unnoticed for
longer, increasing the risk of the virus mutating."

[Edited from:
http://africa.reuters.com/top/news/usnBAN739840.html


US STILL UNPREPARED FOR DISASTER: (12/18/07): "The United States
remains unprepared for disasters ranging from biological attacks to a
flu pandemic, and funding for preparedness is falling, according to a
report released on Tuesday. Many states still lack a stockpile of
drugs, masks, gloves and other equipment needed to battle a pandemic of
diseases, despite five years of constant and detailed warning, the Trust
for America's Health said in its report... World Health Organization
experts are now investigating a cluster of human H5N1 cases in Pakistan
where it is possible there has been human to human transmission of the
virus, usually passed rarely from birds to people. It has infected 340
people and killed 209 globally since 2003..."

[Very edited from:
http://www.reuters.com/article/latestCrisis/idUSN18512918


NEW SWINE FLU VIRUS SUPPORTS 'MIXING VESSEL' THEORY: (12/20/07): "A
new influenza virus discovered in Missouri pigs has a combination of
genes from avian and swine flu viruses, supporting the theory that pigs
can serve as a mixing vessel for flu viruses and a potential source for
a human pandemic strain, according to a report published yesterday...
"Our results provide further evidence for the potential of swine to
promote reassortment between different influenza viruses, and the
genetic and biologic properties of the H2N3 viruses described suggest
that it would be prudent to establish vigilant surveillance in pigs and
in workers who have occupational exposure," states the PNAS report..."

[Very edited from:
http://www.cidrap.umn.edu/cidrap/content/influenza/avianflu/news/dec2007swine.ht\
ml


BIRD FLU OUTBREAK IN SOUTH RUSSIA SPREADS: (12/25/07): "A fifth case
of bird flu has been confirmed at a farm in the Rostov Region, south
Russia, close to the site of previous outbreaks, the regional
emergencies ministry said... The Rostov Region is particularly
vulnerable to bird flu as part of the Krasnodar Territory, which is on a
route taken by migrating birds in winter. In September, the region was
hit by the H5N1 strain and 230,000 birds were culled... Although the
virus has been restricted to birds, many scientists fear that it could
mutate into a form transmissible between humans, unleashing a
catastrophic global pandemic similar to the Spanish flu outbreak of 1918
that killed millions around the world.

[Edited from:
ttp://en.rian.ru/russia/20071225/94041552.html


BIRD FLU REAPPEARS IN GERMAN: (12/26/07): "A third outbreak of the
H5N1 strain of avian flu, which is potentially lethal to humans, was
confirmed this month in Germany's Brandenburg region outside Berlin, a
veterinarian official said Wednesday. Fifteen chickens kept in a coop
in Heiligengrabe-Blumenthal tested positive and were slaughtered,
Matthias Rott said..."

[Edited from:
http://www.forbes.com/afxnewslimited/feeds/afx/2007/12/26/afx4473887.html


HOW BIRD FLU HAS SPREAD (INTERACTIVE MAP):
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/spl/hi/world/05/bird_flu_map/html/1.stm


************************************************
*06: Too Much Salt, Americans Fatter, Kids/Additives & McMktg.
************************************************
FOOD MAKERS ARE PRESSURED TO CUT SODIUM: (11/19/07): "Americans eat
nearly two teaspoons of salt daily, more than double what they need for
good health - and it's not because of the table salt-shaker... "This is
truly urgent," adds Dr. Stephen Havas of the American Medical
Association. "We need to act." The AMA says cutting in half the sodium
in processed and restaurant foods within 10 years could wind up saving
150,000 lives annually... One in three U.S. adults has high blood
pressure, and almost 1 billion people worldwide. Hypertension in turn is
a leading cause of heart attacks, strokes and kidney failure. And while
being overweight and inactive raises blood pressure, too much salt is a
big culprit as well... Finland places a "high-salt" label on foods that
are, and has seen sodium intake decrease by 40 percent in three decades
- along with a big drop in strokes."

[Very edited from:
http://talkingpointsmemo.com/mochila.php?articleId=10522666&channelId=76&buyerId\
=talkingpointsmemo_com400732&buid=866

[See also: "[Global] Blood pressure cases 'to top 1bn'":
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/health/6949526.stm


WHY AMERICANS KEEP GETTING FATTER: (06/22/07): "For the 30 years that
the U.S. Department of Agriculture has been issuing dietary guidelines,
there has been a stark inconsistency between the federal government's
advice and its food funding... most funding supports just a few crops,
and those lay the foundation of the standard American diet: high in
sugars and empty-calorie, refined grains; high in fats; low in whole
grains and fiber; and low in fruits and vegetables. Take corn, the most
highly subsidized crop, which received $9.4 billion in 2005 -- nearly as
much as all other crops combined. Corn production has more than doubled
since the 1970s, and all this artificially cheapened corn is unloaded on
the public, largely in the form of tasty but empty-calorie junk foods.
Refined corn is the chief source of carbohydrates and calories in most
processed foods, particularly snack foods. High-fructose corn syrup is
the most widely used caloric sweetener in the United States. And corn
meal is widely used as cheap animal feed to fatten factory-raised
livestock.

... At its peak, the "Five-a-day" campaign budget was just $3 million
annually -- compared with the $11 billion spent yearly in the United
States for fast food and junk food advertising. McDonald's spent $500
million just promoting its "We Love To See You Smile" campaign...."

[Very edited from:
http://www.alternet.org/healthwellness/53792/

[See also: "75 percent of Americans overweight by 2015:"
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19845784/

[Also, note: over 168,000 people evaluated: "Obesity 'epidemic' turns
global:"
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7057951.stm


MCDONALD'S MARKETING FOCUSED ON CHILDREN, NEW REPORT STATES:
(12/07/07): "A new report released by Corporations and Health Watch,
earlier this month, exposes the marketing tactics of McDonald's...
entitled "McDonald's and Children's Health: The Production of New
Customers..." Some highlights:

- ... low income 3 to 5 year old children preferred the taste of
hamburgers, chicken, French fries, carrots or low fat milk if they
thought the products were from McDonald's, whether or not they actually
were.

- According to its 2006 Annual Report, McDonald's is the leading global
food service retailer with more than 30,000 local restaurants serving 52
million people in more than 100 countries each day. Its 2006 revenues
were $21.6 billion, up 16% from 2004. In 2006, McDonald's spent almost
$2.5 million a day on traditional advertising in the United States.
About 40% of McDonald's total advertising budget is directed at
children.

- In 2003, 20% of McDonald's meals sold were Happy Meals and they
accounted for $3.5 billion in revenues. The fast food giant stands as
one of the United State's largest distributors of toys.

- McDonald's operates more than 8,000 playgrounds around the United
States, more than any other private American corporation and far more
than any municipality.

[Very edited from the disturbing and comprehensive article/report at:
http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_8876.cfm


FOOD ADDITIVES MAY CAUSE HYPERACTIVITY: STUDY: (12/06/07): "A study of
almost 300 children in England found that artificial food additives such
as colorings and preservatives -- which are common in candies and soft
drinks consumed by kids -- increase their energy levels, which increases
their hyperactivity and diminishes their learning ability. The
children,... were given purple drinks, however, some either contained or
didn't contain one of two types of food coloring, along with sodium
benzoate (which is a general food preservative).... The results found
that of the children that completed the study the ones that drank the
artificial-coloring-laced purple drink had elevated hyperactivity scores
on only those weeks in which they drank the concoction. On the weeks
they drink the purple drink without artificial coloring they had normal
scores. Also, the children that drink the purple drink without the
artificial coloring also had normal scores."

[Results of the study are in Lancet (Volume 370, Issue 9598, Pages
1560-1567)."

[Edited from:
http://www.itwire.com.au/content/view/15683/1075/


************************************************
*07: Grains & Beans vs. Heart Disease, Dairy/Red Meat=Cancer
************************************************
WHOLE GRAINS MAY CUT HEART FAILURE RISK STUDY SHOWS: (10/22/087): "A
new study shows men who eat whole-grain breakfast cereal regularly are
less likely to develop heart failure than those who eat it rarely or
never... Other studies have suggested that a diet rich in whole grains,
such as nonrefined breakfast cereals, can provide a variety of health
benefits. But researchers say it's the first study to look at the
relationship between breakfast cereal and the risk of heart failure in a
large group... The study compared cereal intake and the risk of heart
failure among more than 21,000 doctors... The results appear in the
Archives of Internal Medicine... results showed that the risk of heart
failure decreased as cereal consumption increased. For example, the risk
of heart failure among those who ate breakfast cereal at least seven
times a week was 29 percent lower than that the risk among those who
never ate cereal, after adjusting for other heart disease risk factors.
When researchers further analyzed the results they found this healthy
effect was associated with whole-grain cereals only, not with refined
breakfast cereals...."

[Edited from:
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/10/22/health/webmd/main3394212.shtml


EATING BEANS HELPS LOWER CHOLESTEROL: (11/28/07): "Consuming as little
as one-half cup of cooked dry beans every day helped volunteers lower
their total cholesterol levels in an Agricultural Research Service (ARS)
study in North Dakota. These results, published in the November issue of
the Journal of Nutrition by the ARS scientists and their colleagues, add
to a growing-and convincing-body of evidence that beans are a heart
healthy food choice..."

[Edited from:
http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/pr/2007/071128.htm


RED MEAT LINKED TO SPECIFIC CANCERS: (12/11/07): "... a new warning
that has been issued by the National Cancer Institute that states that
those that consume a large mount of red meat have a high likelihood of
receiving colon and lung cancer. This is stated to be of a huge
breakthrough, as there are now medical doctors as well as scientists
that have come to believe that they may be able to help save their
patients curb the possibility of receiving these cancers by cutting back
on their red meat intake. The study lasted from 12 years, from 1995 to
this year. There were over 500,000 men and women that had their diets
studied, and were also frequently checked for any cancers that may arise
from the large consumption of the meat... It was found that those that
ate large quantities of red meat had a 25 percent advantage of receiving
cancer over those that do not eat nearly as much red meat. It is also
known now that scientists are stating that those that eat such a large
amount of red meat have a 1 in 10 chance of receiving the cancers
through these means..."

[Edited from:
http://www.dbtechno.com/health/2007/12/11/red-meat-linked-to-specific-cancers/


HIGH-DAIRY IN CHILDHOOD LINKED WITH CANCER RISK : (12/19/07):
"Children who consume high levels of diary products may have a greater
risk of developing colorectal cancer in adulthood, study findings
suggest. Among nearly 5,000 individuals followed for an average of 65
years, those who grew up in families reporting the highest levels of
dairy consumption -- nearly 2 cups per day -- had close to three-times
the risk of colorectal cancer compared with those from families
reporting the lowest intake, Dr. Jolieke C. van der Pols and colleagues
report... Links between colorectal cancer risk and childhood exposure to
dairy products have not been previously evaluated, the researchers
said...."

SOURCE: The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, December 2007.

[Very edited from:
http://www.caring4cancer.com/go/cancer/news?NewsItemId=20071219elin004.xml


************************************************
*08: Vegan Digital Theater Showcase
************************************************
FLASH: SEASON'S GREETINGS FROM MOOPHEUS
http://www.sustainabletable.org/holiday/

VIDEO: "CHEW ON THIS!" 30 REASONS TO BE VEGAN"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bMhRkZha4LU&

AUDIO: ERIC MARCUS INTERVIEWING DR. T. COLIN CAMPBELL, AUTHOR OF, "THE
CHINA STUDY:"
http://www.vegan.com/diner/2007/diner-2007-11-29.mp3

CARTOON: ALIEN PERSPECTIVE:
http://www.happycow.net/humor_images/species.jpg

INTERACTIVE MAP: FACTORY FARMING IN THE USA:
http://www.factoryfarmmap.org/


************************************************
*09: Under Feet, Bird Declines, Gulf Dead Zone, Toxicity Hypocrisy
************************************************
THE CIRCLE OF LIFE, SQUARELY UNDERFOOT: (12/20/07): "[James B.] Nardi,
a scientist at the University of Illinois, writes in his newly published
book, "Life in the Soil," that a square meter [actually, a cubic meter]
of healthy garden soil is home to 10 trillion bacteria, 10 billion
protozoa, 5 million nematodes, 100,000 mites, 50,000 springtails, 10,000
creatures called rotifers and tardigrades, 5,000 insects and arachnids,
3,000 worms and 100 snails and slugs. .."

[Very edited from:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/12/19/AR2007121900556.\
html


COMMON BIRD SPECIES IN DRAMATIC DECLINE: (06/15/07): "New data show
the populations of some of America's well-known birds in a tailspin,
thanks to the one-two punch of habitat fragmentation and, increasingly,
global warming. From the heartland's whippoorwills and meadowlarks to
the Northern bobwhite and common terns of the nation's coasts, 20 common
bird species tracked by the National Audubon Society have seen their
numbers fall 54 percent overall since 1967, with some down about 80
percent, the group reported Thursday... "Habitat loss is still the major
concern," says Greg Butcher, Audubon's bird conservation director in an
interview. "But we're also seeing increasing impact from large-scale
problems like global warming..."

[Very edited from:
http://www.csmonitor.com/2007/0615/p02s03-usgn.htm


GULF DEAD ZONE TO BE BIGGEST EVER: (07/18/07): "This year could see
the biggest "dead zone" since records began form in the waters of the
Gulf of Mexico. Scientists say conditions are right for the zone to
exceed last summer's 6,662 sq miles (17,255 sq km). The dead zone is an
area of water virtually devoid of oxygen which cannot support marine
life. It is caused by nutrients such as fertilisers flowing into the
Gulf, stimulating the growth of algae which absorbs the available
oxygen. The volume of nutrients flowing down rivers such as the
Mississippi into the Gulf has tripled over the last 50 years... The
nitrate load is so high that the dead zone may attain a size of 8,500 sq
miles (22,015 sq km), almost double the average since 1990."

[Edited from:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/6904249.stm


THE TOXIC CHEMISTRY OF EVERYDAY PRODUCTS: (08/15/07): "Investigative
journalist Mark Schapiro discusses why companies that manufacture
hazard-free products for the European Union often produce toxin-filled
versions of the same items for America and developing countries....
American industry would have you believe that taking potentially
hazardous and toxic chemicals out of everyday consumer products --
removing phthalates from children's toys and cancer-causing coal tar
from hair dye -- would damage our economy and result in a loss of
American jobs. In his latest book, Exposed: The Toxic Chemistry of
Everyday Products, Mark Schapiro busts this myth and reveals the grim
fact that some companies, whether American or international, often have
two production lines: one that manufactures hazard-free products for the
European Union and another that produces toxin-filled versions of the
same items for America and developing countries..."

[Very edited from the interesting interview at:
http://www.alternet.org/healthwellness/59714/


************************************************
*10: Censored Stories, Hummers/Nuggets, Activist Win, Chimp Wits
************************************************
TOP 25 CENSORED STORIES OF 2008: [Here's two of note edited from the
excellent and well-documented/written list]:

(15) Toxic Exposure Can Be Transmitted to Future Generations on a
"Second Genetic Code":...Research suggests that, contrary to previous
belief, our behavior and our environmental conditions may program
sections of our children's DNA...

(22) Terror Act Against Animal Activists:... The term "terrorism" has
been dangerously expanded to include acts that interfere, or promote
interference, with the operations of animal enterprises. The Animal
Enterprise Terrorism Act (AETA), signed into law on November 27, 2006,
broadens punishment present under the Animal Enterprises Protection Act
(AEPA) of 1992... The broad definition of an "animal enterprise," for
example, may encompass most US businesses..."

[Very edited from:
http://www.projectcensored.org/censored_2008/index.htm


NUGGETS AND HUMMERS AND FISH STICKS, OH MY!: (09/22/07): "... Think
about the extra stages of production that are required to get dead
chickens, pigs, or other animals from the farm to the table:

1. Grow more than 10 times as much corn, grain, and soy (with all the
required tilling, irrigation, crop dusters, and so on), as would be
required if we ate the plants directly. 2. Transport - in gas-guzzling,
pollution-spewing 18-wheelers - all that grain and soy to feed
manufacturers. 3. Operate the feed mill (again, using massive amounts of
resources). 4. Truck the feed to the factory farms. 5. Operate the
factory farms. 6. Truck the animals many miles to slaughterhouses. 7.
Operate the slaughterhouses. 8. Truck the meat to processing plants. 9.
Operate the meat processing plants. 10. Truck the meat to grocery stores
(in refrigerated trucks). 11. Keep the meat in refrigerators or freezers
at the stores...

[Very edited from the excellent and comprehensive essay by Bruce
Friedrich at:
http://www.commondreams.org/archive/2007/09/22/4022/


MORNINGSTAR FARMS RESPONDS TO DEMAND FOR EGG-FREE FOODS: (12/12/07):
"Morningstar Farms, a Kellogg subsidiary that has been making vegetarian
products for more than 25 years, has stated it will use one million
fewer eggs in 2008 while also offering more egg-free products.
According to company spokeswoman Kathleen Eckler, in 2008 "Kellogg is
reducing the amount of eggs we use in our Morningstar products by a
minimum of one million eggs. We are committed to announcing even more
new vegan products for our customers."

After months of discussion on the topic with the Michigan-based company,
Compassion Over Killing (COK) and Vegan Outreach, two nonprofit animal
protection organizations, wholeheartedly applaud Morningstar Farms for
implementing this policy. By reducing Kellogg's egg usage by more than a
million eggs per year, nearly 4,000 fewer laying hens will suffer in
factory farms each year..."

[Edited from:
http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/news_press_release,241040.shtml


ANIMALS DO THE CLEVEREST THINGS: (12/08/07): "The chimp who outwits
humans; the dolphin who says it with seaweed; the existential dog -- the
more we learn about other animals the harder it is to say we're the
smartest species. An elephant that never forgets its extended family, a
chimp that can outperform humans in a sophisticated test of visual
memory and an amorous male dolphin that likes to say it with flowers --
well, a clump of river weeds to be more precise. These are just some of
the recent observations from the field of animal behaviour. They appear
to show that there is no limit to the intelligence of animals, but what
do we really know about the true cognitive powers of the non-human
brain?... The latest studies into the unusual behaviour of a range of
species suggest that we should no longer assume that animals are just
the dumb creatures that we've been led to believe ..."

[Very edited from the very long, well-documented, thought-proving, and
comprehensive article at:
http://www.alternet.org/environment/69933/


************************************************
*11: Howard's Schedule
************************************************
JAN 10 > Quincy, WA - noon

MAR 20-21 > Toronto

APR 12-13 > NYC
APR 18-19-20 > Ohio
APR 25-26-27 > Central, IL

MAY 17-18 > Chicago, IL

JUN 26-29 > Johnstown, PA

AUG 14- 17th > Washington DC - AR 2008

[More information/embedded links for contact information at:
http://www.madcowboy.com/01_SchedCA.000.html


************************************************
*12: Quick Bytes
************************************************
AGRICULTURE:

[SUPERB CSA (community supported agriculture) interactive resource:"
http://www.nal.usda.gov/afsic/csa/

BLOGS/PODCASTS:

[Compassionate Cooking Podcast:
http://feeds.feedburner.com/VegetarianFoodForThought

["Organic Consumers: Read, Blog & Meet-up!:"
http://organicconsumers.org/chat/index.php

[The Mad Cowboy Newsletter Editor's Vegan Blog:
http://www.soulveggie.com

[Podcasts, radio:
http://www.veganradio.com/

["The FatFreeVegan Blog:"
http://blog.fatfreevegan.com/

["The Vegan Lunch Box Blog (PETA & Bloggy Award-winning:"
http://veganlunchbox.blogspot.com

[Bryanna Clark Grogan's Blog:
http://veganfeastkitchen.blogspot.com/

["Raw Vegan Blog and Podcasts:"
http://www.rawveganradio.blogspot.com/

["Recommended Blogs & Websites for Food & Farming Information:"
http://www.organicconsumers.org/2006/article_563.cfm

NEWSLETTERS/GROUPS/LISTS/FORUMS:

[Farmed Animal Net:
http://www.farmedanimal.net/

[VegNews Monthly Newsletter:
http://www.vegnews.com

[FARMUSA's MeatOut Monday Newsletter:
http://meatoutmondays.org

[PCRM Membership News and Info:
Send e-mail to: membership@...

[Vegetarians In Paradise Newsletter:
http://www.vegparadise.com

[International Vegetarian Union Newsletter:
http://www.ivu.org/news/index.html

["In a Vegetarian Kitchen: (Nava Atlas):"
http://www.vegkitchen.com

["International Organization for Animal Protection:"
http://www.oipa.org/

["VeggieBoards:"
http://www.veggieboards.com

["South Florida Vegans:"
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SoFlaVegans/

RECIPES:

[Over 10,000 veg'n recipe links:
http://www.madcowboy.com/02_VegRecipes.html

["Over 1,000 International (regional) Vegetarian Recipes:"
http://www.ivu.org/recipes/regions.html

[PCRM Recipe Archives:
http://www.pcrm.org/health/recipes/recipe_archive.html

[Almost 2,000 searchable fat-free veg'n recipes:
http://www.fatfree.com

[Awardwinning searchable veg'n recipe database:
http://vegweb.com/

[Constantly wonderful site of vegan recipes:
http://www.fatfreevegan.com/

VEGAN
[Nana's Vegan Cookies online!:
http://www.healthycrowd.com/


************************************************
*13: Closing Thoughts
************************************************
"Vegetarians and vegans are not morally superior to everyone else.
We're simply healthier, and a h*** of a lot better for the environment
around us.

Of course, just because we're not morally superior doesn't mean we're
not on the side of the angels. I believe we are. After all, we're
practitioner's of a diet that's better for people, better for animals,
and better for the environment."

--- Howard (in "No More Bull!" p. 78)


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