Please go to Red and Black tonight at 7pm for a prisoner letter writing party. Bring some paper and stamps. They have envelopes. It's the least you can do for our friends behind bars.

Online registration is closed, you can sign up tonight at the opener or on Saturday, but get there early, it's gonna fill up.

"With Let Live Conference in full force, these demos are sure to be big!!"

"In what is thought to be the first time a national legislature has granted rights to non-humans, Spain's environmental committee approved resolutions committing Spain to complying with the Great Apes Project, designed by scientists and philosophers who say that the closest biological relatives to human beings also deserve rights."

From Isa PPK's blog...

"Come get some amazing yummy vegan treats at People's Food Co-op Farmers Market on Wednesday! The money will be donated to 2 local animal rights groups, The Sea Lion Defense Brigade and Portland Animal Defense League."

If you're more into the whole "brevity" thing, you can see the bare-bones schedule here.

Wanna get excited? Download the full Let Live schedule with descriptions here. Pretty great if we do say so ourselves. No need to print it if you don't want to, it'll be included in your registration packet. We'll be posting a slimmed down schedule without descriptions very soon.

"So, everyone tied to meat and poultry production has a stake in the California initiative, and everyone needs to ask whether it's right to let California egg, pork and veal producers fall on the sword or if it's time to mount an agriculture-wide, nationwide defense of the food production system.

California is like a dam that the activists want to breach to flood feedlots, chicken houses and hog barns across the country, and everyone has a responsibility to protect the dam.

The initiative is five months away, so there is little time to get this done, but the time is now."

Please save the emails calling us "welfarists" or whatever. We are well versed in the arguements. This really seems worthwhile to us and (if nothing else) could cost the factory farm industries a ton of money.

"The Prevention of Farm Animal Cruelty Act is an initiative that will appear on the November 2008 ballot in California. This measure would ban the cruel and inhumane confinement of veal calves, egg-laying hens, and breeding pigs in cages and crates so small they can't even turn around or extend their limbs. Check out our website at: www.HumaneCalifornia.org

Californians for Humane Farms (CHF) is a coalition of animal protection organizations, veterinarians, environmentalists, food safety organizations, and concerned citizens who joined efforts to launch a statewide initiative for the November 2008 ballot--one that will improve the lives of millions of farm animals in California. CHF is sponsored by The Humane Society of the United States, Farm Sanctuary and other animal protection groups, veterinarians and public health professionals."

We still need volunteer(s) to staff the soft serve machine at Let Live. All the ice cream you can eat while you run it.

We need folks to cover shifts Saturday 3-4pm and 4pm-5:30.
On Sunday we need 3:30-4:30 covered.

First people to email letlive@foodfightgrocery.com will get signed up. Thanks.

Where: The Artistery, 4315 SE Division
When: July 13th, 8pm
How Much: $3
Why: to Support Jonathan Paul

We're sure you heard, but George Carlin died yesterday. We are sad.

Hey everybody. If you feel like you'd like to help out at all for next weekend's Let Live AR Conference (www.letliveconference.org), please show up Monday (6/23)night at 8pm at Food Fight (1217 SE Stark) and get involved. Any little bit will help.

Thanks.
Food Fight + Let Live

"Greenpeace activists in Japan have been arrested for exposing a stolen whale meat scandal involving the Japanese government-sponsored Southern Ocean whaling programme."

Got some really good, really gross looking vegan bacon in the freezer section. Jason from SuperVegan.com says it is "the most convincingest bacon" ever!

"There's going to be a free vegan potluck and film screening of I Am An Animal  at Portland State University on June 30th.

It's brought to you by Vegans for Animal Advocacy and peta2.

Here are the details:

Location: Smith Memorial Union # 294 on the Portland State University campus.

When: Monday June 30th.

6:00pm: Vegan Potluck! Always wanted to try some vegan fare? Bring a vegan dish or snack (email us for help) and meet people with a common interest in saving animals!

7:00pm: Movie Begins! Bring your own snacks :)

8:15pm: Discussion with peta2's Pulin Modi. Have activism questions? Questions about the movie? Feel free to bring 'em!

Contact:
Vegans For Animal Advocacy
pdxvaa@pdx.edu
vegansforanimaladvocacy.com

Or Pulin at www.myspace.com/pulin

Thanks!"

"Eagle Assets is now Huntingdon Life Sciences largest investor with over 14 million dollars in shares in the company also known as Life Sciences Research, ticker symbol LSR. Activists are beginning to launch a full-scale protest campaign against Eagle Assets and their parent company Raymond James, which has offices all over the United States."

A day late in saying this, but thanks so f'ing much to Lisa from Sweetpea for donating her kitchen for the awesome Let Live Benefit Dinner Wednesday night. Isa Moskowitz and everybody turned out some crazy good food from the kitchen. Thanks a ton to Isa for sorting all that out. And thanks to everybody who coughed up all that money, that helped too.

We got a batch of white tote bags (made of recycled plastic bottles) with the Let Live design on 'em. $15 gets you a nice bag and the warm feeling that you helped fund something good.

"REMEDIAL RIDE: FRENCH FRIES/MILKSHAKES EDITION!
Col. Summers Park, SE 20th Ave and Belmont St (meet by
the bleachers)
6:00pm - 7:00pm, be punctual!
Come with us as we support two of Portland’s newest
(and delicious) food carts in inner SE.
We will meet at Col Summers park and head to Potato
Champion (SE 12th and Hawthorne), where we will pick
up our fries and then head to Sip (SE 21st and
Tibbetts) for our milkshakes.

BOTH LOCATIONS ARE EXTREMELY VEGAN FRIENDLY!

http://stumptownvegans.com/2008/06/14/sip/

http://stumptownvegans.com/2008/05/22/potato-champion/

This remedial ride clocks in at just over a mile (with
a break at the halfway point). It will be EASY, flat,
slow, fun, and full of junk food.

*WHAT TO BRING: reusable container to carry your fries
in (if you want to dip them in the milkshakes!). 3 - 5
bucks for each cart.

*Riding with helmets and lights is always encouraged.
Riding with headphones or yapping on your cellphone is not."

"House and Senate leaders have agreed to a new compromise surveillance bill that would effectively shield from potentially costly civil lawsuits telecommunications companies that helped the government wiretap citizens' phone and computer lines after the September 11 terrorist attacks without court permission."

"An idea being propagated by the animal-using industry and some animal protection organizations that it is possible to use and kill animals in a manner that can be fairly described as respectful or compassionate or humane."

" A Massachusetts inmate had his civil rights violated by prison officials who denied him a vegan diet, a U.S. federal judge has ruled."

"Thanks to an investigation, it has been discovered that Adam has lied. In an attempt to trick local animal rights activists into sparing his business from their attention, Adam has secretly placed the diseased liver back on the menu."

Check out this party on the 28th. It'll be fun to unwind after a day of talking serious stuff.

Thanks to Raw Revolution bars who are donating a pile to give folks at the Let Live Conference. Much obliged.

An article to send your anti-veg jock friends.

"Author Event at The Herbivore Store in Portland's Vegan Mini-Mall!

Hannah Kaminsky, author of My Sweet Vegan, will be signing books and talking vegan desserts at Herbivore on June 29, 12pm.
1211 SE Stark Street
Portland, OR 97214
503.281.TOFU

Kaminsky is the 19-year-old author and photographer of the decadent dessert book My Sweet Vegan. Each recipe includes a full-color photo to tease bakers-to-be into the kitchen.

Written and photographed during her senior year of high school, Kaminsky's book debut is an impressive and sophisticated addition to any cook's book collection, regardless of their inclination to veganism or not. Those with dairy allergies, a chocolate addiction or a desire to eat less cholesterol will be thrilled to check it out.

Recipes include: Triple Threat Chocolate Cheese Cake, Orange Dreamsicle Snack Cake, Brilliant Berry Parfaits, Pumpkin Toffee Trifle and Award-Winning Mocha Devastation Cake."

From GreenIsTheNewRed:

"So the SHAC 7 are in prison, as “terrorists,” for running a controversial animal rights website. Defense attorneys are appealing, and it could be a landmark First Amendment case. But apparently civil liberties are SO not entertaining… instead, according to the Hollywood Reporter, it’s fodder for a comedy:"

There will be a Let Live NW Animal Rights Conference volunteer meeting on Monday, the 23rd, at 8pm here at the store. If you are interested in volunteering, please show up and we'll assign some duties and talk over a few details. Much obliged.

ps. Volunteers get into the conference for free if you commit to working at least 2 hours.

Good.

"Horn did not answer questions from reporters but played with the small tigers, holding them for the cameras, kissing them and nibbling on one's small ear. The playful, 15-pound, 6-week old cubs were brought to Las Vegas three weeks ago to be part of the longtime duo's animal breeding program."

"People ask him to autograph rifles, but Eastwood is no Charlton Heston. A vegan, he was distressed to hear Hillary Rodham Clinton boast recently about bagging a bird. 'I was thinking: 'The poor duck, what the hell did she do that for?' I don't go for hunting. I just don't like killing creatures. Unless they're trying to kill me. Then that would be fine.'"

"So, what is behind all this? I think behind all this is the most fundamental attack on animal rights movement ever in the history of our movement worldwide. Let me explain. About 11 years ago, we embarked on a new type of campaigning in Austria. We used the classic grass roots campaign tactic with media work and civil disobedience actions for legal reforms. And we were very successful indeed. First, we banned fur farms, then wild animal circuses, then battery cages and vivisection on apes, and at last rabbit cage farming. Theses successes caused a lot of concern for powerful groups in society. After the hen battery cage ban was achieved in 2004, we started to feel an increasing amount of police repression. The anti-terrorist police department started to watch us and slander us by releasing statements how the suspect us of criminal activity. Also, police restricted our rights to protest ever more. Then the Minister of the Interior publicly called us a violent group. We tried to sue him for it, but he turned out to be immune to law suits as a minister. But he admitted in Parliament when questioned that his accusation was based on wrong assumptions. We publicly called him a liar, but, revealingly he did not react.

Or so we thought. At about the same time a special police squat was formed and started a major surveillance operation on us, i.e. on a number of different animal rights groups, NGOs and individuals. The rest you know already. "

More on Martin Balluch here.

Hey Californians, read this, take some time to contact your senator.

"“We’ve got to hold on, ready or not/ you live for the fight when it’s all that you’ve got!”

A nice update from Jake Conroy of the SHAC7. Just came across this, it's about a month old, but it really hit the spot this morning. A needed inspiration to get back to work. Thanks Jake.

Ok, we got these back in stock. And a bunch to sample out. So come try them and buy them. Seriously good cookies, but you HAVE to try them before you like them, see?

Details coming soon, but if you're interested, we'd love to have your help during the Let Live Conference. As much or little as you want. Pick up a speaker from the airport? Hang out for an hour at the registration/info table? Be the person to let a speaker panel know they have 5 minutes left and then help kick people out of a room? The possibilities are endless. If you know you're down to help, feel free to email letlive@foodfightgrocery.com and give us your contact info.

xoxo
The Corporate Overlords at Food Fight Headquarters aka the Let Live Shitworkers

"i mean, i'm not anti-meat, ya know? I love sea food. i just think people eat too much meat. I mean, like, if people would take a whole steak, and shred it and put it over rice or something, it would feed a lot more people, ya know?"

Just added a grip of new pictures. Comment away you bored fools.

"So here's the deal. People are in jail, and jail gets lonely and boring. Prisoners love to get mail. Have a prisoner that you're in correspondence with? Do you want to start corresponding with someone? It can be anyone you want as long as it's someone. So come on by and show some solidarity.

What will be provided: a list of prisoners, pens, paper, and envelopes. It would be a good idea to bring stamps and specific things you may want to send, like postcards. There will be some guidelines about what NOT to write, although some of it is probably common sense. Nevertheless, it will be in writing for people who are unaware.

Let's make this successful and do it the last Monday of every month!"

"What started as a trickle of small protests against a beef deal with the U.S. has swelled into a torrent of anti-government street rallies — sometimes violent — invoking the memory of pro-democracy movements in the 1980s that brought down the then-military dictatorship."

We're out of grocery bags! The bigger ones. If you got any to donate, and we know you do, please drop some off. Please please please!

"Seattle, Washington - Seven chimpanzees who have spent most of their lives as medical testing subjects are on their way to new lives at Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest (CSNW) in Cle Elum, WA. The group, known as “the Buckshire Seven,” is expected to arrive on Friday, June 13, 2008.

Annie, Burrito, Foxie, Jamie, Jody, Missy and Negra, ages 25-35, are coming to CSNW from the Buckshire Corporation of Perkasie, PA. The Buckshire Seven will be the first chimpanzee residents of CSNW, a private non-profit organization founded in 2003.

The chimpanzees are making the trip across the country in an air-conditioned truck designed for this type of transport. They will spend the remainder of their lives living as a group at CSNW’s specially-designed chimpanzee house which features spacious accommodations, windows, catwalks and an outdoor area – things they never had as research subjects.

When learning about the Bucksire Seven’s release to a better life, world-renowned primatologist Dr. Jane Goodall said, “I am very pleased to hear that these seven chimpanzees' time in the laboratory is coming to an end.”

The Buckshire Seven are the last remaining chimpanzees at Buckshire and represent the turn away from using chimpanzees in invasive medical research. Chimpanzees are very expensive to care for, and research into human diseases using chimpanzees has not yielded the results once thought possible. Not only is chimpanzee research impractical, it also raises significant ethical issues. Chimpanzees are highly intelligent, long-lived animals who differ genetically from humans by only a few degrees. Many companies, and even countries, have banned or significantly curtailed the use of chimpanzees for invasive medical research. A recent bill introduced to the U.S. Congress would ban the practice in the United States.

"This day has been a long time coming and a dream come true for everyone involved with making CSNW a reality," said Keith LaChappelle, Founding Director of CSNW. “Providing sanctuary for these individuals is just the first step in our mission to protect chimpanzees from abuse and misuse in the medical testing and entertainment industries.”


Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest provides lifetime quality care for formerly abused or exploited chimpanzees, while advocating for great apes through education and collaboration. For more information, please visit www.chimpsanctuarynw.org.

To learn more about Dr. Goodall and the Jane Goodall Institute, please visit www.janegoodall.org."

"The next VEGAN POTLUCK at People's will be Friday June 13th, 6-9pm. It is open to all!! Please bring a 100% vegan dish and an ingredients list. This potluck is during "Try Vegan Week," and we will have a short presentation called "veganize your habits" - good for beginners and "seasoned vegans" alike! If the weather is nice enough, maybe we could play frisbee at Powell Park afterwards?? "

""Basically 20 years ago, there were about 20 full-service fur salons," said Tim Fox, an Animal Defense League spokesman. "Now downtown Portland only has one left. As the public learns the truth about the cruelty of the fur industry, I think most people will want them out, too."

So, the Saturday night of the Let Live Conference, there will be a party/fundraiser at Bye and Bye. Tons of folks from the conference going, and we want to make sure everybody is safe. If anybody can volunteer to be designated drivers, or if anybody has a van or something, we'd love your help. Please email letlive@foodfightgrocery.com and let us know. Thanks.

Don't forget...
Every Saturday 11am-1pm Demos at Ungar Furs 12th & Yamhill

Geeeeez. Check this out on GreenIsTheNewRed.com. Just crazy.

"Join us Friday, June 6th, for a demo against foie gras at Blue Hour restaurant in the Pearl! If you can't make it please call them anyway and ask them to take foie gras off the menu! A pre-demo uniformity and solidarity meeting is at 6:30 pm at NW 10th and Davis right near Blossoming Lotus. Then, at 7pm we will demo Blue Hour."

"Meet @ 11:00 AM in the field Across from the Vegan mini-mall(12th and stark). We will ride around town together stopping briefly to rally (and pass out information) at few visible locations. Think of it as Critical mass for the animals!"

Ok, we're back open for the rest of the night. Tomorrow morning we may or may not be open, but I think we will. Maybe call first, ok? The afternoon looks promising. Sorry for the stupidity.

Getting AC worked on again, all day I think. Hopefully getting it all sorted out before Summer actually arrives. Bear with us, we're sorry.

You go Taiwan!

Added these to the online store.

We just got a grip of new vitaminy kinda things in stock from DEVA. Glucosamine, B12s, Multivitamin, Calcium, and an Omega3. Yay.

Hey everybody. Don't forget all the Try Vegan Week events next week. Even if you're already vegan, there are plenty of chances to learn more and participate and hang out. So get involved, ok?

So... if this isn't too corporate/capitalist for you folks out there, we are messing around with this new fangled Flickr account. You can look and browse and comment and crap like that. We also set up a Flickr Group were you can (please) add your own pics from the store and our events and stuff. We'd REALLY like some pics from that Let Live SHAC7 Art Auction back in the day if you have some.

"I am freegan, not vegan, and in following with my beliefs have boycotted the 'vegan strip mall'. Any reasonable anti-capitalist sees this marketing strategy for just what it is, a continuation of taking what could be revolutionary and making it main stream. Just like the organic movement being marginalized in the 60's and 70's and slowly being coming what it is today, veganism is no longer the mark of a free thinker."

At the last count we'd sold about 30 or the 40 available tickets for the Let Live Benefit dinner. If you want in, better sign up quick.