extraVEGANza! tag:www.g-rad.org,2013:/vegan/72 2013-03-12T14:58:46Z Movable Type 4.24-en If Fast Food Could Talk... tag:www.g-rad.org,2013:/vegan//72.9286 2013-03-12T14:39:14Z 2013-03-12T14:58:46Z ...Would Anyone Still Eat Meat? Mercy For Animals is at it again, this time putting footage from their undercover investigations toward the end of truth in advertising. Your tax-deductable donation of just $20 can help this powerful commercial reach... The Vegucator http://www.g-rad.org/vegan/
...Would Anyone Still Eat Meat?
Mercy For Animals is at it again, this time putting footage from their undercover investigations toward the end of truth in advertising. Your tax-deductable donation of just $20 can help this powerful commercial reach 4,000 viewers! And if you've got a grand laying around, you can take the credit for bringing this life-saving information to 200,000 people! With your help, this mad sausage could send millions running for their lives into the loving arms of Tofurky, Field Roast, Upton's Naturals, and other healthier, more enlightened, more delicious alternatives to dead meat!

]]> Ron Finley on Guerilla Gardening tag:www.g-rad.org,2013:/vegan//72.9285 2013-03-12T13:44:23Z 2013-03-12T14:22:22Z Growing food autonomy one vacant lot at a time! The growing season is right around the corner, and this video is one of my favorites of 2013 for getting fired up about food justice! If fashion-designer-turned-green-thumbed guru Ron Finley... The Vegucator http://www.g-rad.org/vegan/
Growing food autonomy one vacant lot at a time!
The growing season is right around the corner, and this video is one of my favorites of 2013 for getting fired up about food justice! If fashion-designer-turned-green-thumbed guru Ron Finley doesn't motivate you to turn your yard into a forest of nutrient-dense beans and greens, no one will. Check out his Los Angeles-based non-profit LAGREENGROUNDS, and friend it up on Facebook, too! Inspired to learn how to do guerilla gardening right here in Grand Rapids? Get to know the good folks at Our Kitchen Table and you'll have some powerful friends in the business.

]]> Bring it On Down to Veganville! tag:www.g-rad.org,2013:/vegan//72.9284 2013-03-10T14:07:49Z 2013-03-10T14:29:45Z Justin Timberlake - Bring It On Down 2... by IdolxMuzic Justin Timberlake Veganizes the Mainstream on Saturday Night Live! The Veganville sketch on last night's Saturday Night Live is cause for great celebration, not just because it was hilarious or... The Vegucator http://www.g-rad.org/vegan/
Justin Timberlake - Bring It On Down 2... by IdolxMuzic
Justin Timberlake Veganizes the Mainstream on Saturday Night Live!
The Veganville sketch on last night's Saturday Night Live is cause for great celebration, not just because it was hilarious or because it was performed by one of the hottest young entertainers in America, but because of what the iconography and the coding of the sketch tells us about the evolution of mainstream attitudes toward meat-eating and veg-eating. Notice that the guy selling meat is portrayed as old, frumpy, humorless, unhealthful, constipated, uncoordinated, unimaginative, emotionally confused, and a victim of cognitive dissonance on account of his death-dealing diet. By contrast, the guy in the tofu suit is portrayed as young, vigorous, beautiful, athletic, funny, articulate, talented, creative, appreciative of a wide variety of tastes and cultures, and most importantly--COMPASSIONATE! The fact that Tofu Man is able to bring Super Mario around in the end by helping him to get honest with himself and that the two end up dancing together with a multi-racial, intergenerational cast of townspeople is the icing on the cake. This is probably the most positive mainstream portrayal of veganism that I've ever seen!

]]> Celebrating Bartertown tag:www.g-rad.org,2012:/vegan//72.9283 2012-10-02T05:28:20Z 2012-10-02T06:07:33Z A Photo Log of Farm Fresh Food from Michigan's Most Radical Restaurant After reading this excellent article on Ryan Cappelletti's departure from Bartertown to focus full time attention on the opening of Cult Pizza, I was inspired to cull... The Vegucator http://www.g-rad.org/vegan/
A Photo Log of Farm Fresh Food from Michigan's Most Radical Restaurant
After reading this excellent article on Ryan Cappelletti's departure from Bartertown to focus full time attention on the opening of Cult Pizza, I was inspired to cull back through over a year of photos I've taken of the amazing cuisine we've enjoyed at Bartertown. Feast your eyes on THESE...
























]]> Local Vegan Entrepreneur is Big News! tag:www.g-rad.org,2012:/vegan//72.9282 2012-10-02T01:53:27Z 2012-10-02T02:40:44Z Bartertown's Ryan Cappelletti Featured in MiBiz Anyone who loves vegan culture in Grand Rapids owes a serious debt of gratitude to our good friend Ryan Cappelletti. It's nice to see that the rest of the state is paying attention... The Vegucator http://www.g-rad.org/vegan/
Bartertown's Ryan Cappelletti Featured in MiBiz
Anyone who loves vegan culture in Grand Rapids owes a serious debt of gratitude to our good friend Ryan Cappelletti. It's nice to see that the rest of the state is paying attention too, as evidenced by this terrific article in MiBiz on his groundbreaking work at Bartertown and elsewhere. Congratulations, Ryan, and thanks for bringing the revolution to our city!

]]> 2012 Walk for Farm Animals! tag:www.g-rad.org,2012:/vegan//72.9281 2012-09-17T01:54:41Z 2012-09-17T02:09:26Z Don your Comfy Shoes and Walk for Justice on Sunday, Sep. 23, 2012! I had intended to get this post up a bit earlier in the game, but there is still time to join in the fun at this... The Vegucator http://www.g-rad.org/vegan/
Don your Comfy Shoes and Walk for Justice on Sunday, Sep. 23, 2012!
I had intended to get this post up a bit earlier in the game, but there is still time to join in the fun at this year's Grand Rapids Walk for Animals. Get inspired by learning about the history and the vision behind this long-standing Farm Sanctuary tradition, and then visit the Facebook pages of Grand Rapids Walk for Animals and VegWestMichigan for details on how to get involved. Even if you can't commit to fundraising as a registered walker, you can always make a pledge of support to any of the people in our community who have already signed up to carry the banner for Grand Rapids!

]]> BURRITOTOWN BUZZ! tag:www.g-rad.org,2012:/vegan//72.9280 2012-06-21T16:32:44Z 2012-06-21T20:40:31Z Local media outlets greet Burritotown with a well-deserved hero's welcome! The early reviews are in, and all indications point to massive success for Burritotown--Grand Rapids' brand-spankin' new vegan-diner-within-a-vegan-diner that, beginning on July 6, will be slinging tacos and burritos... The Vegucator http://www.g-rad.org/vegan/
Local media outlets greet Burritotown with a well-deserved hero's welcome!
The early reviews are in, and all indications point to massive success for Burritotown--Grand Rapids' brand-spankin' new vegan-diner-within-a-vegan-diner that, beginning on July 6, will be slinging tacos and burritos to hungry night-owls from 10pm to 3am (Wednesday to Sunday) after Bartertown closes its doors for the day. If you haven't tapped into the buzz yet, make sure to check out what The Rapidian, Rapid Growth Media, and Vegan Grand Rapids have to say about the hardest-core soft-opening our fair city has seen since Bartertown blew it up over a year ago.

Best ingredients money can't buy: real food, radical ideas, dynamite creativity.
The genius of Burritotown is that it takes everything we love about Bartertown--fresh, responsibly-sourced food, an empowering environment, and inspirational people-- and wraps it all up into an irresistible package that is available to everyone at a time of day when demand for food is high, but ready access to beautiful, sustainable, healthful options is virtually non-existent. Thanks to Burritotown, Grand Rapidians will soon enjoy regular opportunities to dine out late without killing ourselves in the process.

The big difference: being the change they want to see in Grand Rapids!
And the feel-good factor in supporting Burritotown is as much about social and spiritual sustenance as it is about physical sustenance. Do a little research on the people behind the food (Brandon Hill, Dallas McCulloch, and Ryan Cappelletti), and you'll discover individual and collective contributions to life in West Michigan that are transforming our region into the hub of progressive midwestern culture that we are grand rapidly becoming. We have one or more of them to thank, for instance, for documenting what it's like to live in the best beer state in the union, unleashing some of the world's most ferocious conscience-core, initiating a bomber craft-brewing co-op, founding a blistering punk scene, keeping the dubstep party on, growing one of the most radical farm-to-table enterprises in America, and--of course--revolutionizing vegan culture in West Michigan again, and again, and again, and yet again. Spread the good word, like 'em up on Facebook, and let's set this new jewel into the GR crown for keeps!

]]> Burritotown Diner tag:www.g-rad.org,2012:/vegan//72.9279 2012-06-12T20:09:52Z 2012-06-12T20:27:43Z Just when you thought this town couldn't get any swankier... Looking for something to do after T-Rex Fest on Saturday night? How about vegan burritos until 3 am at a new restaurant opening inside our beloved Bartertown Diner. A... The Vegucator http://www.g-rad.org/vegan/
Just when you thought this town couldn't get any swankier...
Looking for something to do after T-Rex Fest on Saturday night? How about vegan burritos until 3 am at a new restaurant opening inside our beloved Bartertown Diner. A vegan restaurant within a vegan restaurant--ONLY in Grand Rapids, MI.

]]> Help Bring A Vegan Grocery Store to GR! tag:www.g-rad.org,2012:/vegan//72.9278 2012-05-17T13:47:56Z 2012-05-17T13:55:53Z Support this revolutionary partnership and get some terrific perks for your effort! Just ten days left to throw our support behind this terrific collaboration between Tree Huggers and Bartertown to bring a package-free vegan grocery store to Grand Rapids!... The Vegucator http://www.g-rad.org/vegan/
Support this revolutionary partnership and get some terrific perks for your effort!
Just ten days left to throw our support behind this terrific collaboration between Tree Huggers and Bartertown to bring a package-free vegan grocery store to Grand Rapids! Visit their Kickstarter Page and donate now!

]]> Jonathan Balcombe in Grand Rapids! tag:www.g-rad.org,2012:/vegan//72.9276 2012-02-07T02:12:08Z 2012-02-07T03:09:10Z Leading cognitive ethologist and author to visit Calvin and Grand Valley State I'll never forget the day I first became familiar with Jonathan Balcombe's work. It was March 16, 2010, and I was in the car listening to this... The Vegucator http://www.g-rad.org/vegan/
Leading cognitive ethologist and author to visit Calvin and Grand Valley State
I'll never forget the day I first became familiar with Jonathan Balcombe's work. It was March 16, 2010, and I was in the car listening to this interview with Jonathan on the Diane Rehm Show. I joined the interview already in progress and after a few minutes of hearing him speak, I distinctly recall being on pins and needles to learn the name of the man whom I had already decided, in just 180 seconds, was the most warm, inviting, knowledgeable and articulate animal advocate I had ever heard. After arriving at my destination, I sat in the car for a full half hour, unable to tear myself away, and then made a beeline to the nearest computer to order Second Nature: The Inner Lives of Animals, his newest book at the time. Since then, I have added Pleasure Kingdom: Animals and the Nature of Feeling Good and The Exultant Ark: A Pictorial Tour of Animal Pleasure to my collection, listened to every interview I can find, and dreamed of the day that he would bring his formidable talents to Grand Rapids. That day is February 20! And don't miss his talk on February 21st at GVSU! Book-signings follow both events!

]]> Breaking News: New HSUS Investigation! tag:www.g-rad.org,2012:/vegan//72.9275 2012-01-31T19:51:09Z 2012-01-31T20:46:20Z Paul Shapiro and HSUS investigators expose Walmart's Pork Supplier Pigs are at least as intelligent and emotionally and socially engaged as dogs. And yet, as Paul Shapiro explains in the above video, Seaboard Foods (the third largest pork producer... The Vegucator http://www.g-rad.org/vegan/
Paul Shapiro and HSUS investigators expose Walmart's Pork Supplier
Pigs are at least as intelligent and emotionally and socially engaged as dogs. And yet, as Paul Shapiro explains in the above video, Seaboard Foods (the third largest pork producer in the U.S.) and Prestage Farms (the fifth largest pork producer in the U.S.) keep their pigs in conditions that no dog-lover could ever condone. Tell Seaboard and Prestage to abandon the use of gestation crates, and tell Walmart you want to see a swift and just termination of their relationship with these suppliers. Unless of course you find the industry defense of these practices compelling. Need some inspiration to move you to action? Watch Paul Shapiro's recent presentation at Calvin College titled Blessed Are the Meek: Showing Mercy to All Creation.

]]> WAKEUPWEEKEND.COM! tag:www.g-rad.org,2012:/vegan//72.9273 2012-01-09T07:27:51Z 2012-01-09T07:59:03Z Big Update at WakeUpWeekend.Com! If you haven't checked out the new website yet, now's the time! You'll find an updated schedule with abstracts and dozens of links pertaining to lectures, workshops, and other events, as well as new posts... The Vegucator http://www.g-rad.org/vegan/
Big Update at WakeUpWeekend.Com!
If you haven't checked out the new website yet, now's the time! You'll find an updated schedule with abstracts and dozens of links pertaining to lectures, workshops, and other events, as well as new posts on 3 terrific sponsorships and a grant and veg eats in Grand Rapids. Stay tuned for further updates on the KINSHIP Exhibition, the Sixth Annual Vegan Chili Cook-Off, and the Adoption Benefit Show! Also, please consider liking us on Facebook and sharing our new website in your status to help us generate buzz and boost attendance. Thanks in advance for your help! We can't do it without you!

]]> Wake Up Weekend 2012 Schedule and Website! tag:www.g-rad.org,2012:/vegan//72.9272 2012-01-04T05:45:41Z 2012-01-04T06:47:56Z Posters Hot Off the Press and a New Online Home! With just over two weeks until blast-off, posters are going up and we've got a brand-new dedicated website up at wakeupweekend.com! By entering your email address and clicking the... The Vegucator http://www.g-rad.org/vegan/
Posters Hot Off the Press and a New Online Home!
With just over two weeks until blast-off, posters are going up and we've got a brand-new dedicated website up at wakeupweekend.com! By entering your email address and clicking the "Follow" button on the bottom of the sidebar at the right, you'll enroll for email updates that will keep you apprised of all new developments. Look for short abstracts of the above listed events (along with links to venue maps) later this week, as well as an invitation to sharpen up your vegan chili chops for this year's CHILI-TIME SHOWDOWN. In the meanwhile, please direct all ideas, feedback, kind offers to be a clean-up crew volunteer, and early-admissions chili intentions to wakeupweekend@gmail.com.

]]> Bryant Terry Returns! tag:www.g-rad.org,2012:/vegan//72.9271 2012-01-02T23:00:18Z 2012-01-02T23:06:34Z The Vegucator http://www.g-rad.org/vegan/

]]> Wake Up Weekend 2012 tag:www.g-rad.org,2011:/vegan//72.9270 2011-12-22T08:30:00Z 2011-12-28T21:55:37Z Mark your calendars for January 19-21, 2012 in Grand Rapids, MI The 2012 Wake Up Weekend Vegan Chili Cook-off is just a month away! And what better time to heighten the anticipation than to give you a taste of... The Vegucator http://www.g-rad.org/vegan/
Mark your calendars for January 19-21, 2012 in Grand Rapids, MI
The 2012 Wake Up Weekend Vegan Chili Cook-off is just a month away! And what better time to heighten the anticipation than to give you a taste of what's in store for the biggest Wake Up Weekend ever! What do I mean by big? Allow me to explain.

Wayne Pacelle, "The Bond: Our Kinship with Animals, Our Call to Defend Them"
Thursday, January 19, 7:30 pm, Calvin College Chapel
Wayne Pacelle, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Humane Society of the United States, will kick things off with a public lecture on his new book, The Bond: Our Kinship with Animals, Our Call to Defend Them. Called The Barnyard Strategist by the New York Times, Pacelle's journey as the leader of the largest animal protection organization in the United States has taken him everywhere from animal rescue operations, to demonstrations on Capitol Hill, to the sets of The Oprah Winfrey Show and The Ellen Degeneres Show. Learn more about his motivation for writing the The Bond here, and then join us on the 19th to get your autographed copy at the reception and book-signing following his lecture.

Bryant Terry, 5th Annual Animals and the Kingdom of God Lecture
"Out of the Factories and Into the Fields: Cooking as Inspiration for Liberation"
Friday, January 20, 3:30 pm, Covenant Fine Arts Center Recital Hall
Whether he's urban farming in his home city of Oakland, articulating a new politics of food activism, or dishing up greens with Martha Stewart, Bryant Terry is all about re-envisioning cooking as a powerful tool for exposing interconnected forms of human and animal oppression, and inspiring our liberation into more redemptive ways of eating and of being together around the table, around the neighborhood, and around the world. In this, his second Wake Up Weekend appearance, Bryant will bestow upon us the honor of pre-releasing his brand new book, The Inspired Vegan, due out for the rest of the world on January 24. Meet Bryant and get your signed copy hot off the press at a reception following the address that will also feature catered appetizers from the book.

Nathan Runkle, "Inspiring Compassion: Putting Our Ethics on the Table"
Saturday, January 21, 3:00 pm, 106 Gallery, 106 South Division, Grand Rapids
When I was 15, I was mostly chewing gum, lifting weights, and listening to hair metal. When Nathan Runkle was 15, he founded Mercy For Animals, thereby laying the groundwork for what has become, a decade later, the premiere boots-on-the-ground animal advocacy organization in America. When it comes to exposing the injustices that animals undergo in modern food systems, Mercy For Animals is in a league of its own. Heard about that Norco Ranch investigation that helped to seal a landslide victory for Proposition 2 in California? MFA. How about the investigation of Sparbo Farms that recently resulted in McDonald's and Target dropping their main egg suppliers? Also MFA. When he's not appearing on CNN, Nathan and his organization are behind the scenes investigating cruelty and mobilizing the resulting footage into award-winning documentary films such as Fowl Play and Farm to Fridge that are changing the way the next generation thinks about, buys, and eats food.

A Weekend With All the Fixins'
And of course, we'll set off all of the above with the usual array of Wake Up Weekend fineries: a vegan potluck on Friday night, a vegan brunch on Saturday morning, an amazing art exhibition (titled KINSHIP curated by Brett Colley and featuring work by Adam Wolpa) and the VEGAN CHILI COOK-OFF on Saturday evening, and benefit show on Saturday night! Stay tuned for the official poster and schedule detailing the whole nine yards COMING SOON! As ever, all of these terrific community events--with the exception of the Saturday brunch ($12)--are free and open to the public! See you at Wake Up Weekend 2012!

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