Apr 20, 2011

Ecovores, mind your cook-print

"Somewhere along the line, the annual media chatter surrounding Earth Day turned partly into a conversation about what we eat and how we cook it...." Denise O'Toole Kelly writes in the Daytona News-Journal. Read on here.

New video exposing horrid cruelty to calves

Why livestock/milk industry lobbying to outlaw reporting on factory farms: NEW Video - No Mercy - Farm Cruelty Exposed. Do you think this treatment is OK? http://t.co/UaWNKoI 

Different Views of God May Influence Academic Cheating

Belief in God doesn't deter a person from cheating on a test, unless that God is seen as a mean, punishing one, researchers say. On the flip side, undergraduates who believe in a caring, forgiving God did cheat. (This makes me think of politics.) Read all about it: Different Views of God May Influence Academic Cheating

Apr 19, 2011

5 myths about Vegans - busted

Here in the Washington Post Outlook section: http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/five-myths-about-vegans/2011/03/31/AF1wbw0D_story.html

Apr 18, 2011

Big Oil keeping billions of land-lease dollars owed to taxpayers

Big break for big oil, larger burden for taxpayers. Even as leaders grapple with the nation’s fiscal troubles and urge expanded drilling for natural resources, their failure to remedy the decades-old systemic shortcomings at the Interior Department may have allowed billions of dollars in royalties to slip away, increasing the burden on taxpayers. Center for Public Integrity 
http://www.iwatchnews.org/2011/04/15/4155/big-break-big-oil-larger-burden-taxpayers

Apr 17, 2011

Oil, gas companies injecting tons of toxins into public water

Whether you're for or against hydrofracturing (AKA fracking), you owe it to yourself to learn what's really going on. New York Times investigative report here.

Yellowstone turning into Ghost Park

Yellowstone turning into Ghost Park: Men’s Journal reports on loss of trout, pines, other species due to human-caused pollution #climatechange http://bit.ly/ftUivz

Potent rat poisons killing wildlife

Potent rat poisons causing owls, bobcats, birds, other animals to die grisly deaths. Read the Sacramento Bee article here

Get rid of tax breaks to fix economy

Click link above for NYTimes article. And here's a separate AP report from today:
The super rich pay a lot less taxes than they did a couple of decades ago, and nearly half of U.S. households pay no income taxes at all.The Internal Revenue Service tracks the tax returns with the 400 highest adjusted gross incomes each year.... Their average federal income tax rate was 17 percent, down from 26 percent in 1992.
Over the same period, the average federal income tax rate for all taxpayers declined to 9.3 percent from 9.9 percent.
The top income tax rate is 35 percent, so how can people who make so much pay so little in taxes? The nation's tax laws are packed with breaks for people at every income level. There are breaks for having children, paying a mortgage, going to college, and even for paying other taxes. Plus, the top rate on capital gains is only 15 percent.
There are so many breaks that 45 percent of U.S. households will pay no federal income tax for 2010, according to estimates by the Tax Policy Center, a Washington think tank.

What's the best exercise?

The answer will surprise you.

Damage done by too little sleep

Apr 15, 2011

Orlando: Veggin' out along I-Drive

Veg dining at Orlando convention-central, along I-Drive. Hopping trolleys, climbing ropes, catching shows and more. Read on - click http://prime.peta.org/2011/04/orlando

Apr 14, 2011

Algae Could Replace 17% of U.S. Oil Imports


new study shows that being smart about where we grow algae can drastically reduce how much water is needed for algal biofuel. Growing algae for biofuel, while being water-wise, could also help meet congressionally mandated renewable fuel targets by replacing 17 percent of the nation's imported oil for transportation, according to a paper published in the journal Water Resources Research..... water use is much less if algae are grown in the U.S. regions that have the sunniest and most humid climates: the Gulf Coast, the Southeastern Seaboard and the Great Lakes. "Algae has been a hot topic of biofuel discussions recently... click here: Algae Could Replace 17% of U.S. Oil Imports

Apr 12, 2011

Focus on Ideal Body Shape Can Boost Women's Body Satisfaction - For A While

Focus on Ideal Body Shape Can Boost Women's Body Satisfaction - For A While Hmmm...what do you think?

Popular Diets: Do They Prevent Cancer?

Popular Diets: Do They Prevent Cancer? Some do! You can lose weight and reduce risk of most cancers through doable diets - click and read about the evidence.

Antarctic Penguin Population Declines with Krill - IPS ipsnews.net

Antarctic Penguin Population Declines with Krill - IPS ipsnews.net

Pot growing is eco-hostile

Pot growers eco-friendly? NOT! Pollution generated by pot growers...who knew? NYTimes report http://nyti.ms/gjK7Mw

Apr 11, 2011

Gulf oil spill effects on animals, plants, water - short and long term

Insightful article rounds up best-case scenarios, as projected by oil industry-funded studies, and more sober studies looking at wider/deeper locations and to the long-term. In the NY Times...click here

Taste for cheap food is killing Brazil's wildlands

New article here

Authors Explain Why Certain Foods Can Be Addictive

“These modern foods are deliberately designed to stimulate and excite our taste buds and brains. They all contain refined carbohydrates which, after becoming nutritionally neutered via processing, are often produced with refined sweeteners—both real and artificial, fats and problematic trans-fats, unnaturally high amounts of dietary omega-6 fatty acids from vegetable and manufactured oils, salt, a cornucopia of artificial chemicals, dyes and additives that make these packaged items lethal to our health and addictive to many.”

“Processed food manufacturers know this and create their formulas and recipes with this in mind. They hope you will become addicted to their product. Packaged food items are the highest-profit items in a grocery store; consequently, they are allotted the most space. It is profits, not health, that drive these products, advertising and sales..." Authors Explain Why Certain Foods Can Be Addictive

Apr 5, 2011

How So-Called Healthy Foods Can Fool You

How So-Called Healthy Foods Can Fool You Let the eater beware.

Zoos - would you visit a zoo with lower standards of care?

How can you tell if a zoo takes good care of its animals? - good article in The Washington Post http://t.co/70QGUHE

Apr 4, 2011

Human impacts on animal behavior, migration - NYTimes

Key part of article: Humans add even more complexity to the forecast. Cities and farms now block the path for many species that might otherwise be able to spread to more suitable habitats, for example. Dr. Parmesan thinks much more research should go into the interactions of global warming and other human impacts. Scientists in Australia have found that coral reefs are more resilient against global warming, for example, if they’re protected from overfishing. The warming oceans stimulate the growth of deadly algae on the reefs. But grazing fish can keep the algae in check.
Such research will become the basis for decisions about which species to help, and how. Dr. Mace believes that some especially vulnerable species may need to be moved to new habitats in order to survive. Dr. Parmesan thinks that reducing other pressures, like overfishing, will make species more resilient to climate change. “We know that climate change wouldn’t be such a big problem if systems weren’t already stressed,” Dr. Parmesan said. “We really need to focus on reducing these other stressors.”
Dr. Pearson, on the other hand, argues for setting aside more land in parks and reserves. More space will help keep species ranges large even if those ranges shift. “We need to give nature the opportunity to respond,” he said.

Mar 31, 2011

Fly Girl: Xtreme BASE jumping

You can practice your moves at iFLY indoor skydiving in Orlando. Lodge nearby at The Peabody Hotel.

Mar 30, 2011

Ideal diet for health and weight loss

Study/info here. Free to reprint.http://perfectformuladiet.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/Vegan-from-the-Inside-rept.pdf

Nightline: dairy cow brutality; life of hell

Mar 28, 2011

New flavor lust spots in Cambridge, Mass.


Flavor Lust: the tastiest new places to bike to in Cambridge, Mass. From MIT's cool museum to new eateries (veg places crazy-packed with omnivores), pure-food food trucks, clubs and retro shops. New in Prime at http://bit.ly/ek9RBn

Mar 23, 2011

CTIA: Mobile tech more amazing by the minute

As national media was abuzz with talk of AT&T's possible acquisition of T-Mobile, dozens of new tech products and apps were introduced at CTIA 2011 in Orlando. The huge Orange County Convention Center hosted the main event, with satellite shows at nearby venues such as the newly renovated and expanded Peabody.

The vastness of the Cellular Telecommunications Industry Association show is no surprise given such estimates as 211 million smartphone users by 2015, and the increasing reliance on wireless technology to make fields from transportation to medical care more efficient and cost-effective.

This being the year of the tablet, several companies unveiling new iPad competitors. The 4G LG G-Slate will be available within weeks. Summer's more likely for the HTC EVO View, a Sprint 4G touchscreen with 3D view/capture ability and what I call a smart-stylus that lets you draw and conjure like a magician.

Smartphones are getting smarter. HTC will soon ship its EVO 4G smartphone, also with 3D. And the new rubberized hard-shell EVO case integrates a bottle opener. Kyocera's new ECHO smartphone has a dual screen that you can combine to view full web page or multitask and a finger-friendly upsized onscreen keyboard.

So what to do with the gadgets you replace? In addition to electronics recycling centers, there's Gazelle, which helps you get bids on the device, provides you with a postage-paid shpping label to get it to their center, and wipes your personl data for your security. If they can't rehome it, they'll dispose it in an eco-appropriate manner. If it sells, you get the money via PayPal or an Amazon gift card, or you can have the funds donated to charity.

Gaining traction fast: mHealth, meaning the use of mobile technology to improve health and health care. One CTIA panel focused on Lake Nona Medical City in Orlando, which has become a model tech-connected community of 25,000 residents, two new hospitals, a new medical school, research institutes, medical offices and retailers.

To help families and caregivers protect cognitively impaired people prone to wandering off (Alzheimers patients, children with autism), there's EmFinders. It employs the E-9-1-1 network to locate and recover wanderers 24/7 and isn't subject to GPS range limits.

Recharging solutions continue to evolve. Qi Wireless Power Consortium has 80 members committed to a standardized inductive charging technology, and that cool name and logo. It's a more energy-efficient way to charge, and it stops the charge when the battery is fully charged. Energizer has jumped on that with its Inductive Charger that using a smart pad instead of wires.

Radio Shack's got game in the form of $29.99 and $49.99 chargers for iPhones and iPods. Mophie Juice Packs integrate acrechargeable lithium polymer battery and pass-through USB into a protective case, can can virtually double the power.

Then there's the award-winning Scosche FlipSync charge and sync cable for mobile devices that folds into a compact key fob. Placed on a your keyring, you'd always have it on hand.

The connected universe is still ape over apps. New ones debuted at the show include Boingo's free WiFinder for Android, Apple, etc. to locate open wifi signals, including Boingo's own 325,000 worldwide. Company folk think the app will show mobile websurfers how many strong, certain Boingo hotspots they'll find on the road.

Combining fun with function, Case Mate debut their $24.99 Monsta line of phone/device cases. For $39.99, its “I Make My Case” makes a cute gift for creative types.

And for voyeuristic types, there's the Viewdle, a face recognition cinematic tool. Use a mobile phone's camera to pick out faces, tag them and post to your social network on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and the like.

Mar 19, 2011

Ocean garbage: Floating landmines

Ocean garbage: Floating landmines. Islands of garbage small and large increasingly floating toward shore. Trash strangling and poisoning marine mammals, birds, turtles and other animals. And it's getting worse because factories and individual people are using Earth's waters as dumpsters.

Mar 10, 2011

Agro-ecology, simple farming could double world farming output

Agro-ecology and adopting lost, simple farming practices could double world food output, beating factory farm output without factory farm eco-destruction. Examples: using ducks to weed rice paddies and plants instead of insecticides. New UN report in the Guardian newspaper: http://gu.com/p/2ntgm

MATCH gourmet mock meats expanding

Veg-meat alternatives embraced by carne gourmets as well as vegans; expanding sales beyond its St. Louis homebase http://prime.peta.org/2011/03/match

Mar 7, 2011

Mar 4, 2011

Boston: The Vegans are Coming! Some with their dogs.

A new article on vegan dining, dog-friendly lodging, bike tours and cultural finds in Boston.

Feb 26, 2011

Bodybuilder busts vegan myths - benefits, nutritional levels +++

14 minutes, not a professional speaker, but interesting and packed with guidance for athletes and anyone seeking better health. 

Meat: Ask your doctor...Rx for eater unawareness disorder

Feb 25, 2011

Tracking Turtles through Pacific garbage patch, rethink packaging - TED talk

Vegan dining on the road: "What do you eat?"


"You're vegan? What do you eat when traveling" Too much, but it's all so good! Good article, lots of tips and food for thought here.

Feb 24, 2011

Chili pepper wine, spicy jokes, gorgeous mountain winery

 Chili pepper wine, spicy jokes and a spectacular  orchard setting in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia. Read about a hilarious wine tasting at Peaks of Otter Winery in this new Washington Post travel article here

Feb 20, 2011

Animal abusers commit other crimes - baltimoresun.com

Great article on link between animal torture, family violence, crime and degradation of society ... in aftermath of mistrial of dog-burning suspects. Read it here in the Baltimore Sun. Animal abusers commit other crimes - baltimoresun.com

Feb 19, 2011

Dirty horrendous poultry mega-farms exposé

German newspaper exposes dirty, unhealthy, cheap and egregiously cruel practices in industrial poultry "mega-farms" in multi-part series. http://www.spiegel.de/international/business/0,1518,746081,00.html

Feb 18, 2011

Albuquerque loves dogs and bikes

Albuquerque rocks with great biking, food, views...and dog-friendly attitudes! Read the article at http://bit.ly/i7nJsr

Feb 17, 2011

HBO HORSE SLAUGHTER PRT. 2

Feb 16, 2011

Rise of the Hegans

Rise of the "hegans" - muscle men and power dudes going vegan and mainly veg...Charleston newspaper report here: http://www.postandcourier.com/news/2011/feb/15/rise-of-the-hegans/

Feb 15, 2011

Deer spay - kudos to Baltimore

Deer sterilization program - kudos Baltimore on effective nonviolent solution  

Feb 11, 2011

Palm Springs: Modernist and Canyon Oasis

Palm Springs: Veg delish dishes, desert oasis, Modernist houses & art! A great escape - read the article in Prime at http://bit.ly/g8jZ3v

Feb 4, 2011

Simple life freer, happier, cheaper - USAToday

Oregon couple downsizes, lives ultrasimple life - USATODAY.com Good report from a simple living / small house cohort. How much money do you think you need to make live happily?

New USDA guidelines praise vegetarian/vegan diets for health

New USDA Guidelines Praise Vegetarian Diets for healthy, fitter living : 

Feb 3, 2011

Heroic & vid gamer pigs - so smart!

SEEtheWILD new ecotour venture

Check out SEEtheWILD.org, a new non-profit that helps you vacation with wildlife in spectacular places http://bit.ly/eWsfbc . Image by Greg Shea via SEEtheWILD and SEETurtles.

Jan 22, 2011

Vacation in a movie set..in Newport Beach

Story and photo by Robin Tierney...in the Examiner print and online newpapers

Jan 15, 2011

Jan 8, 2011

Vacation like an Olympian in Utah

Utah Olympic Park and Park City featured in the Jan. 9 Worth the Trip feature first appearing in the Washington Examiner. One edition here.  
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Jan 1, 2011

Treasure-hunting paradise in Grandin Village, Va.


This week's Worth the Trip feature first appearing in the Washington Examiner, all print and online editions. E-dition here.

Dec 31, 2010

Dec 25, 2010

Sleeping Giant reawakens to thrill snowboarders and skiers

Check out this Worth the Trip feature first published in print and online editions of the Washington Examiner on Sunday, Dec. 26. Click here.

Dec 19, 2010

Cookie's First Video After She was Burned Inside an Abandoned House Fire...

So thankful for the good people helping the innocents. Please act with kindness and support kindness in the year ahead.

Dec 18, 2010

Georgia's Snow Mountain


Robin's Worth the Trip feature about Stone Mountain, reinvented as Georgia's Snow Mountain in the winter. Appearing first in the Washington Examiner newspapers Sunday Dec. 19. One edition here.

Dec 11, 2010

Portland handcrafted spirits: every day a holiday

See the "Worth the Trip" feature on Portland Ore. handcrafted beverages starting in the Dec. 12 editions of the Washington Examiner newspaper. One edition here.

Dec 8, 2010

Vegan CEOs include food ethics in biz strategy

Good article here in Business Week, but the writer is wrong to suggest plant-based eating is more expensive. Veganized meals cost less than comparable-quality carne meals (and note that meat production is heavily subsidized by our tax dollars).

Dec 5, 2010

Paris winter fun


Robin's Dec. 5 Worth the Trip feature, appearing first in the Washington Examiner newspapers. Click here for one edition.

Nov 27, 2010

Triple Waterfalls, SculptureWalk in Sioux Falls


In the Nov. 28 edition of the Washington Examiner newspapers. Note: the photos are by Robin Tierney. Click here.

Nov 20, 2010

Spruce Pine NC sparkles


Spruce Pine, N.C. - Sparkling holiday or anyday trip in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Robin's Worth the Trip feature, first appearing Sunday Nov 21 in the Washington Examiner newspaper. One edition here.

Nov 19, 2010

What was the first rock 'n' roll song?

Click here and find out

Nov 17, 2010

Can veg sushi save the planet?


Check out veg eating in New Haven here.

Nov 13, 2010

Ghent: Norfolk's cosmopolitan seaside village


Robin's Nov. 14 "Worth the Trip" feature first appearing in the Washington Examiner newspapers. Click here.

Nov 10, 2010

Forks Over Knives - Movie Trailer

Examines undeniable evidence that degenerative diseases can be controlled, or even reversed, by rejecting "traditional" diet of animal-based and processed foods. Features Dr. Colin T. Campbell (The China Study) and Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn, who both grew up on dairy and cattle farms but now advocate for a plant-based vegan diet.

Nov 8, 2010

2 minutes of grateful rescued dogs on vid

Click, watch and smile.

Nov 6, 2010

Free thrills in Beverly Hills

Robin's Nov. 7 Worth the Trip feature, first published in the Washington Examiner newspapers. One edition here.

Nov 4, 2010

Oct 28, 2010

Machu Picchu and My Quinoa Adventure


Native grains, abandoned mountaintop village in the Andes of Peru. Read it here.

Oct 23, 2010

Gleaming, walkable Dallas Arts District


Robin's latest Worth the Trip feature, first appearing in the Oct. 24 editions of the Washington Examiner Newspapers. One edition here.

Oct 16, 2010

Get a Yale education tuition-free


Robin's latest Worth the Trip feature, appearing first in all editions of the Washington Examiner newspaper - in print and online. One edition here.

Oct 9, 2010

Orange County Wild and On the Rocks


Robin's latest Worth the Trip feature, which first appeared in the Examiner Newspapers on Oct. 10...here's one edition.

Oct 2, 2010

Peru's sanctuaries ancient and modern


Robin's Oct. 3 Worth the Trip feature in the Examiner newspapers here.

Sep 27, 2010

Open your mind, get facts during World Farm Animal Day

You'll help yourself and your family, in addition to helping reduce animal suffering.

Sep 18, 2010

Playing in Aruba


Robin's latest Worth the Trip feature, first appearing in the print and online editions of the Washington Examiner newspaper on Sept. 19. Click here.

Sep 14, 2010

Paragliders in Lima

 

IMG_2393

Sep 4, 2010

Hike Hovenweep's mystery mountain towers


Robin's Sept 5 "Worth the Trip" column appearing in the Washington, MD and VA Examiner newspapers and elsewere online.