Written by PETA
Spoiler alert: If you haven't watched the series finale of Battlestar Galactica, do not read any further. Simply look at the photos below, then leave a comment telling us which public service announcement is your fave, Tricia "Six" Helfer's or Jamie "Lee Adama" Bamber's.
So the greatest show in the history of the universe, Battlestar Galatica, has come to an end, and now I have no idea what the frak I'm going to do with my Friday nights. (Wait, did someone just whisper Dollhouse into my ear?)
I loved that an underlying theme of the series was mankind's failure to learn from our mistakes and that it was our worst traits that led directly to our unraveling again and again. That leads me to lovely Tricia Helfer's character, Six, and the character everyone loves to hate, Gaius. Isn't it ironic that a version of the Six Cylon and Gaius would end up being angels (naughty, naughty angels) who would start the cataclysmic events that would end humankind? I think someone here at PETA anticipated that Tricia's character would turn out to be an angel; after all, we did ask her to star in our first-ever "Angel for Animals" ad in behalf of felines long before the finale was in sight.
The finale, while amazing, left me with mixed feelings. I was so excited to watch it, but at the same time, I was sad that the show had come to an end. I admit that I expected more … um … well, more carnage. I was positive that all the humans were actually Cylons, and I was convinced that more of the prominent cast members would die. And I kept thinking that the Cylons had one last sinister plot up their sleeve. Or that they were going to blow up the Galactica and kill everyone. I'm so glad I was wrong!
I would have been devastated if they had killed off my favorite characters, like Helo (did someone mention Dollhouse again?) and Lee "Apollo" Adama (aka Jamie Bamber), who, by the way, looked amazing in the last few episodes (and is by far the cuter of the two Adama boys), but not as good, of course, as when he took it all off to speak up for bears who are killed for their fur in the super-hot "Bare Skin, Not Bear Skin" ad. Oh, Jamie. And I love that, like every episode before, they kept us guessing. Well done, BSG writers!
As pretty as Tricia's ad is, Jamie's is still my favorite. Sigh. Check out their ads below and then tell us which one is your favorite. The reader with the most convincing response will win a copy of the ad of their choice.
You can enter the contest by posting a comment before April 13, 2009. We'll contact the winner on April 14, 2009. By commenting, you are agreeing to the contest terms and conditions and our privacy policy.
Thanks for some awesome television, BSG. I miss you already.
Written by Patricia Trostle
P.S. I have to say that I think the high point of the finale for me was when Chief strangled Tory for shooting Cally out the airlock. I actually yelled out, "Yes! Finally!" It made my night.
Whether they're for humans or Cylons, one thing that Battlestar Galactica fans can agree on is that Jamie Bamber (aka Lee "Apollo" Adama) is frakkin' hot! (Also that he made a better commander than president—or maybe that's just me …) And as luck would have it, Jamie's beauty isn't only skin deep, as he recently proved by showing some of said skin to help bears keep theirs. When he learned about the cruelty behind those furry hats worn by the Queen's guards, he was quick to step up and pose for our sexy new "Bare Skin, Not Bearskin" ad. There's just something about a man who's not afraid to expose cruelty (and a little skin) to the public.
Whether he's fighting for justice on TV or in the real world, one thing's for sure: Jamie Bamber is a hottie with a heart! Can't get enough of Apollo? We're giving away a Battlestar Galactica DVD to one lucky commenter! To enter the contest, post a comment below and let us know what you hate most about fur.
You can enter the contest by posting a comment before March 11, 2009. We'll contact the winner on March 12, 2009. By commenting, you are agreeing to the contest terms and conditions and our privacy policy.
Oh, and speaking of sexy Battlestar Galactica cast members … let's not forget the gorgeous "Angel for Animals" ad that Tricia Helfer—or Six, to BSG fans—did on behalf of her feline friends. She's the hottest "toaster" in any universe.
Written by Lianne Turner
Happy Win It Wednesday, everyone! All winter long, I've been relying on my handy PETA lip balm kit to fight the drying effects of cold air. This week, you get a chance to win a set of lip balms of your very own.
They come in five fun flavors, so you can choose between "Viva Las Vegans" Vanilla Bean, "Cut Out Animal Experimints" Peppermint, "Go Faux Fabulous" Fruit Smoothie, "Animals Out of the Act" Tangerine, and "PETA Compassion" Fruit, depending on your mood. Or you could just do what I do and throw one in the purse, one in the car, one in the desk drawer, and so on.
How do you win? Post a comment with your idea for a new PETA lip balm flavor—and don't forget to give it a fun animal rights-themed name. The three most creative suggestions will take home the prize.
The contest ends on March 11, 2009, and we'll choose the three best comments as the winners on March 12, 2009. Be sure to read our privacy policy and terms and conditions, as you're agreeing to both by commenting. Check back every Wednesday for new prizes. Good luck!
After hearing about the death of Travis, the captive chimpanzee who was shot after mauling a woman in Connecticut, Oscar winner Anjelica Huston—who has long been an advocate for the compassionate treatment of great apes—issued the following statement:
I was saddened to hear about the incident involving the chimpanzee, Travis, and my heart goes out to the woman who is now lying in a hospital bed as a result of this horrific attack. Recently, I narrated a video for PETA about the abuse that chimpanzees and other great apes endure when they are ripped away from their mothers when only days old to be used in commercials (as Travis was) and movies. Although I was sick when I heard about this most recent incident, I wasn't surprised. I sincerely hope that this tragedy will make people realize that great apes should never be kept as pets or exploited for films, television, or advertising. Their lives are miserable from the day that they are taken from their mothers: They endure abusive training—usually beatings—until they are cast off to roadside zoos or meet a violent end, as Travis did in this tragic case.
If you haven't watched Anjelica's video yet, you can view it here:
You can help prevent future tragedies like this one by urging Connecticut Governor M. Jodi Rell to ban the private ownership of chimpanzees.
Written by Alisa Mullins
Last Friday, an 11-year-old Wampum, Pennsylvania, boy allegedly picked up his youth-model 20-gauge shotgun and shot his father's pregnant girlfriend as she slept. The boy, Jordan Brown, had received the gun as a Christmas gift from his father, who was reportedly teaching the child to hunt in the woods surrounding their rural home.
This wouldn't be the first time that a kid who had been schooled in the ways of snuffing out wildlife turned his gun on another human being—and it almost certainly won't be the last. Remember 13-year-old Mitchell Johnson and 11-year-old Andrew Golden of Jonesboro, Arkansas? In 1998, they took the hunting guns belonging to Andrew's grandfather—who had taught Andrew to hunt—and used them to ambush their fellow students, killing four girls and one teacher. In her book, Rampage: The Social Roots of School Shootings, Katherine Newman writes that the young killers "dressed in camouflage clothing, exactly as Andrew did when he went hunting. … From across the field, their classmates and teachers seemed less like the human beings they went to school with than like quarry to be killed."
In 2006, the Pennsylvania Game Commission announced the creation of the Mentored Youth Hunting Program, "to encourage more young people to take up hunting to increase hunter numbers." In the wake of last week's tragic shooting, we've written to the governor of Pennsylvania, urging him to ban all hunting by children under the age of 18. You can read our letter here.
Not everyone who stalks and kills animals will stalk and kill a human. But every time a person picks up a gun, aims it at another living being, and fires, it must deaden a piece of his or her heart. Children have a natural affinity for animals, yet we hand them guns and teach them to be killers. Can we be surprised, then, when these children direct that violence at others?
Written by Paula Moore
It seems that menfolk in Montana have the highest rate of prostate cancer in the country. We suspect that this may be due in part to the link between chowing down on animal products and the increased risk of developing this deadly disease. According to a recent study, some smarties at Oxford University think so too.
Since hearing about Montana's prostate problem, PETA has sprung into action with this snazzy new billboard:
In addition to prostate cancer, slurpin' dairy products has been linked to a whole lotta no good, like an increased risk of heart disease and obesity in adults as well as allergies, ear infections, and juvenile-onset diabetes in children. Equally disturbing is the trauma that cows endure on dairy farms—and the fate of their babies (i.e., veal) is nothing short of horrific.
Now that I've depressed you all with the horrors of dairy, you can brighten your day by reading here about how easy it is to ditch dairy and meat. Then, once you're all pumped up, click here to explore the deliciousness of vegan cooking.
Come on, Montana—dump the dairy. You have nothing to lose but scary doctor's appointments.
Written by Missy Lane
When I was a kid and was really, really bored, I amused myself by holding a thermometer up to the heater in the bathroom (before you judge me, understand that I was living in a tiny town in Oklahoma with very few entertainment options).
After watching the temperature go up and down several times, I decided to see what would happen if I just held it there until it went all the way up. The result was that the end of the thermometer broke and the mercury spilled onto the floor. While it might sound like I wasn't very bright, I at least had enough sense not to touch the mercury when cleaning it up. And a good thing, too, since mercury exposure is bad news, as it leads to an increased risk of severe health problems and neurological symptoms, including memory loss, personality change, tremors, spontaneous abortion, and damage to a developing fetus. Fun stuff, huh?
Of course, broken thermometers aren't the main cause of mercury poisoning. Any guesses? That's right: Eating fish is. A writer for Salon.com memorably called fish "the pathway of mercury to our bloodstreams." Long story short: Burning coal releases mercury into the air. The mercury then cools and falls into the water, where it is transformed by bacteria into even-more-toxic methylmercury, which works its way up the aquatic food chain to the "Captain's Platter" at your local seafood restaurant.
The good news? The Obama administration has announced its intention to take action to cut mercury pollution. The not-so-good news? That's only half the battle.
That's why we're letting people know that they can block mercury poisoning right now by cutting out fish. Our new "Got Drain Bamage?" billboard, shown here, has just gone up in Madison, Wisconsin, because of concerns about mercury in fish from local waters. But even if you don't live in Wisconsin, don't think you're off the hook: The fish you buy in the supermarket can come from anywhere, including waters teeming with mercury, DDT, PCBs, and other toxins.
I'm just glad I learned to stay away from fish—and thermometers—so Mensa won't come and take away my membership card.
Written by Jeff Mackey
As the Midwest's snowy winter drags on, PETA beauties have been heating things up. They recently flocked to a KFC in Champaign, Illinois, to tell customers the "naked" truth about how cold-hearted KFC abuses chickens. After hearing the gruesome details, I think it's safe to say that many would-be customers were seriously thinking about flying north to one of the KFCs in Canada that sell the delicious faux chicken sandwich.
Check out these pictures of the demonstration and tell us what you think:
Written by Liz Graffeo
Judging by the response to our "Sexiest Vegetarian Next Door" contest, neighborhoods across North America are practically infested with nubile young herbivores (I'm sure my neighbors think the same thing every morning when they see me pop out the front door in my footie jammies to grab the paper). Out of hundreds of entries, we've narrowed the field down to 32 finalists—16 lovely young ladies and 16 hunks of (veggie) beefcake.
Just to whet your appetite, here are a couple of sample showdowns between some of the finalists:
The evil geniuses behind Skinny Bitch have yet another convert in Chicago resident Sheena. Since switching to a vegan diet, Sheena reports that she has lost weight and gained energy and stamina. Maybe it's just us, but even her smile looks energetic.
A Minnesota resident who was apparently photographed during warmer months, Amber is a professional photographer who volunteers with a local boxer rescue group. She says she loves knowing that, in addition to making her feel stronger both mentally and physically, her vegetarian diet shrinks her carbon footprint.
Nathan is an avid weekend warrior who credits his vegetarian diet with improving his performance when skiing and playing tennis, beach volleyball, and soccer. The Toronto resident switched to a vegetarian diet while volunteering to help build a school in Ghana, West Africa (awwww), because he couldn't bring himself to even think about eating the farmed animals who lived side-by-side with villagers.
A loan-modification specialist, Chris is a hero not only to animals but also to struggling homeowners. What's not to love? The Oregon native went vegetarian six years ago after reading Diet for a New America by John Robbins and has noticed a marked improvement in his health, including increased stamina, high energy levels, and clear skin.
Post a comment below to let us know who gets your vote—and don't forget to check out the other contestants here.
While most of us would never dream of bashing in a helpless baby seal's skull, there are people out there who don't even think twice about it. More than 205,000 seals were killed last year in Canada's annual seal massacre, which is why we sent a "baby seal" to Ottawa, Ontario, to ask the locals for hugs instead of clubs. Check out these photos to see PETA's baby seal in action:
Want to help stop the Canadian seal slaughter? Let the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Organizing Committee know how you feel here and ask your friends to do the same.
If you have a general question for PETA and would like a response, please e-mail Info@peta.org. If you need to report cruelty to an animal, please click here. If you are reporting an animal in imminent danger and know where to find the animal and if the abuse is taking place right now, please call your local police department. If the police are unresponsive, please call PETA immediately at 757-622-7382 and press 2.
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