Written by PETA
Still looking for that perfect swimsuit but don't want your hard-earned bucks going to a company that hurts animals in the name of fashion? Meet Ashley Paige: bikini designer, animal rescuer, and founder of Ruff Houzen Rescue.
This down-to-Earth designer is taking the swimsuit world by storm with her creations. Her designs are highly sought after by celebrities and have graced the cover of the much coveted Sports Illustrated swimsuit edition. Ashley also has her own reality show, Bikini or Bust, which airs Saturdays at 11 a.m. Eastern Time on TLC and gives fashion fans an intoxicating glimpse into her world of design, business, family, and, you guessed it, her love for animals! To ensure that Bikini or Bust gets picked up for a second season, you can e-mail the network at viewer_relations@discovery.com or fill out their Web form here.
See for yourself just how fab Ashley is. Check out the interview that she just did with PETA. Here she is in her own words.
As a fur-free fashion designer, what do you think of designers who continue to work with fur—sometimes even on bikinis?They truly disgust me. What has been the best part about running Ruff Houzen, your animal rescue group? Has there been a particularly memorable rescue?When people who have adopted animals from me and bring them by to visit, it's so adorable that I can't help but think back to when I first rescued them. Sometimes it makes me cry. I'm "sensitive," I'm year of the dog. I have so many memorable stories, here's two:Memorable story 1One day my boyfriend was coming down hard on me for bringing too many strays home. Later that same day he called and said, "I just spent the last hour chasing a little 'mangy' mutt all over Sunset Blvd." I laughed and said, "Well, did you catch him?" and he said, "Yes, he's sitting in my lap!" Funny how passion persuades!!! Memorable story 2So I eventually got a new boyfriend, who was much more supportive of my love for rescuing animals. He also happens to be year of the dog, like me. One morning, a little stray dog decided to play chase with us in the center divider line during rush hour morning traffic. I was in a bikini and Alek was wearing only his underwear. After we managed to catch the little "wild" dog, we slowly let traffic continue and thanked everyone for stopping. One woman rolled her window down and commented, "How cute!" I couldn't help but wonder if she was talking about the dog or my new boyfriend.
You say your favorite breed of dog is the mutt. Why is that?I'm against breeding and selling animals, and puppy mills break my heart. People who showcase their purebreds to better their image are such sad, delusional people. The Mutt is humble, and I believe the world could use more humble people!
Your mom seems like such a sweet, caring woman. Did she influence your love for animals? Did your family have companion animals when you were growing up?When I was a little girl, my mom would always bring home strays, but we lived in an abusive home where she could never keep them for long. It angered me for many reasons, and I would always tell myself, when I grow up, I'm going to have a house full of animals that need a loving home. And I did!
What animals do you share your home with now?I have 8 dogs and 2 cats, but it fluctuates, between successful adoptions and "rescued newbies." My permanent guests include a Pit/Wiener dog mix named Petunia, a Senior Shepherd named Cali, a Wiener dog named "The Flying Peeing Weiner," and a feral cat that lives under my bed named Crazy Eyes!
What advice would you give to somebody who's looking to adopt a dog?Adopt two! Haha, no really, it's usually much easier for both you and your rescues. Remember, dogs like to be in a pack and they get lonely when you're not around. Just make sure you're the pack leader!
Do you frequent any of the vegetarian restaurants in L.A.? Have any favorites?There's a great little Thai vegan restaurant right by my shop named the Vegan House on Wilcox. They even make vegan sushi, one of my favorites. And my boyfriend likes Real Food Daily on La Cienega, which specializes in raw.
We love Bikini or Bust. Can you tell us what's coming up on the show? The final episode is me having to choose between a corporate apparel job or sticking it out at "my little company that could." I announce my decision during pet adoptions in my store. You guys probably could guess the answer … but make sure to tune in.
What are your ideas for next season?I am praying for a second season, but the new president has not given us a green light yet. I know how important it is to stay on the "boob tube" as long as possible, for the animals. If we do get it, you bet there will be a great anti-fur demonstration in NYC during Fashion Week, lots of dramatic animal rescue, and probably some friendly fashion thrown in there somewhere. Oh—and as for mom, she's planning a cross country road trip with Spring Louisee to pick up maw and paw paw to bring them out to California. So let's do the math, 5 people, 8-10 dogs, 2-5 cats, and hopefully a camera crew of about 30.
Ashley often uses the spotlight to draw attention to animal rescue. In fact, this Saturday's episode of Bikini or Bust is all about the canines! We'll definitely be tuning in for some puppy love—and you should too! Don't forget to catch the show and let TLC know that this compassionate show deserves a spot on television.
Written by Jennifer Cierlitsky
You know what it's like—you get started with something, thinking you'll have just this one or do it just this once, and then you think, "One more wouldn't hurt, right?" And before you know it, it's all out of hand.
Of course, when I do it, I end up eating half a package of Newman-Os, not egging 400 people's houses and cars.
That's right—a couple in Pennsylvania have recently been charged with perpetrating an 18-month "egging spree" that resulted in $7,000 worth of damage.
This news article explains that the couple started egging because they "wanted to retaliate against friends for damages they said were inflicted upon them" but moved on to other targets to avoid suspicion.
Hate to break it to you (geddit?), but 400 targets might arouse a little suspicion, don't you think?
Now, the county's district attorney is urging the victims of the spree to come forward, saying, "We have an obligation under the law to seek to make them whole and to get restitution for them."
Sure, the people who had to wash their cars and hose down their driveways deserve "restitution." But let's take this further: What is washing your car compared to being crammed into battery cages and having your beak cut off with a hot wire?
When you think about it that way, aren't the hens the number one victims here?
We think that all the victims of this crime deserve restitution. For this reason, we've written a letter to the DA with a logical suggestion: It takes up to 34 hours for a hen to produce a single egg, and during that time, she isn't watching TV—she's crammed into a cage that doesn't allow her to take a step or stretch one wing, and she has to balance on wire and do her business on the backs of other birds. If the DA has an "obligation" to "get restitution" for the victims of this crime, wouldn't justice best be served by sentencing the perpetrators to 34 hours of community service in a vegan soup kitchen or doing bird rescues for each egg wasted? We think so!
Check out our letter to the DA:
Wonder how Gonzalez has such a knack for saving lives? Well, the 247 lb., 6'5", nine-time Pro Bowl selection eats a diet rich with foods that also spare the animals’ lives—to stay strong he adheres to a mostly vegan diet! How ironic that out of a restaurant full of animal eaters, it was Gonzalez who stepped in and did the "save," huh? If anyone knows where Mr. Hunter is, let's send him a "Vegetarian Starter Kit" so he can learn about some other foods that are less likely to kill him.
The ever-lovely Pamela Anderson is back on television, and to the delight of all her fans—including those of us right here at PETA—this time, she'll be playing the person that she knows best: herself! Her documentary series, Pam: Girl On the Loose, premiers August 3 on E!, and it's sure to satiate the needs of gossip queens everywhere.
Pam says, "Aside from keeping up with my kids, I don't exercise much, so I credit my veggie diet for my good health. Los Angeles is the easiest place in the world to eat vegan."
So while you're anxiously waiting for a hugely fun dose of Anderson reality, check out some of Pam's favorite places to eat at in Los Angeles. And if you don't live in the City of Angels, well, don't fret! It doesn't mean your future is full of boring green salads. Just visit HappyCow.net, and search for vegetarian restaurants in your city. Here's the list from Pam herself:
Update: Some more Oprah-related news for you – if you didn’t get a chance to see Oprah’s puppy mill exposé last month, she’s running it again tonight. More on that here.
Author Kathy Freston's fantastic new book, Quantum Wellness, has been getting a ton of buzz lately, not least because it inspired Oprah Winfrey herself to try veganism for three weeks. Kathy also appeared on Ellen yesterday, and a lot of people have been asking about the book, so by way of an introduction, here's PETA President Ingrid E. Newkirk with a quick review:
No matter where on the "wellness continuum" you may be, Kathy Freston's new book, Quantum Wellness, is an absolute must-read. The concept is simple: You just have to make one small change, and before you know it, you're on the road to getting your spiritual, mental, and physical act—or "wellness," as Kathy likes to call it—together. This may sound like a tall order, but that's the point of the book—tall orders turn into small orders when you break them down into achievable goals. What could be easier? My favorite parts of the book are the two chapters that Kathy devotes to "conscious eating." I challenge anyone to read these chapters and look at a package of ground beef or drumsticks the same way again. Chapter Five, in which she talks about the now-famous "21-day cleanse" that Oprah has embarked on, also deserves an honorable mention. Who knew that casein, an ingredient in dairy products, is also used to make industrial-strength glue? Try digesting that!Best of all, Kathy devotes 55 pages to putting conscious eating into practice with mouthwatering recipes such as seared "chicken" strips with shitake mushrooms, stir-fried veggies, and teriyaki sauce over brown rice. Yum!
No matter where on the "wellness continuum" you may be, Kathy Freston's new book, Quantum Wellness, is an absolute must-read.
The concept is simple: You just have to make one small change, and before you know it, you're on the road to getting your spiritual, mental, and physical act—or "wellness," as Kathy likes to call it—together. This may sound like a tall order, but that's the point of the book—tall orders turn into small orders when you break them down into achievable goals. What could be easier?
My favorite parts of the book are the two chapters that Kathy devotes to "conscious eating." I challenge anyone to read these chapters and look at a package of ground beef or drumsticks the same way again. Chapter Five, in which she talks about the now-famous "21-day cleanse" that Oprah has embarked on, also deserves an honorable mention. Who knew that casein, an ingredient in dairy products, is also used to make industrial-strength glue? Try digesting that!
Best of all, Kathy devotes 55 pages to putting conscious eating into practice with mouthwatering recipes such as seared "chicken" strips with shitake mushrooms, stir-fried veggies, and teriyaki sauce over brown rice. Yum!
And in other important news, here's Oprah on Week 2 of the new diet.
-Jack
From the incomparable Dan Piraro.
More on horse-drawn carriages in NYC.
… But, as our friend Moby shows in this sketch, sometimes you also need to be, like, interesting. This one’s just for fun.
This is the second time in recent months that Tobey has been in the news standing up for animals: In a recent interview, the Spidey star told Parade magazine:
“I’ve never had any desire to eat meat. In fact, when I was a kid I would have a really difficult time eating meat at all. It had to be the perfect bite, with no fat or gristle or bone or anything like that…. I don’t judge people who eat meat—that’s not for me to say—but the whole thing just sort of bums me out.”
Yeah, it kind of bums me out too, honestly. Anyway, thanks, Tobey, for sticking up for your beliefs.
1. The dude speaks, like, five languages. 2. That actually was him and his drummer Tommy Larkins doing the musical interludes in There’s Something About Mary.3. Jonathan Richman is a vegan. I confirmed this indirectly when I ran into him at the amazing vegetarian restaurant The Grit (yet another reason why Athens is the greatest town in the country) and mumbled incoherently at him. Here’s what he says in a 2004 interview:
Do you identify yourself as a vegetarian? JR: It’s a great question. Right now I identify as vegan. I’m not strict, 100%. Every once in a while in some country, someone’s mother will make somethin’ and I’m not gonna ask grandma...you know like she’s there, she’s got her apron on and she spent four hours and I’m a guest at her house. I’m not gonna say, “Excuse me is there oleo Margarine and is there hydrogenated this-and-that. Nah, I eat somethin’. You know, I do the best I can. Left to my own devices I’m mostly a vegan.
Right on, Jonathan. No need to get vegan police-y with the grandmas. Anyway, here he is, doing his thing. Enjoy.
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