Smile, it's Kyle!

lumiere-de-velours:

ღ click for soft vintage, retro glamour & rock n’ roll ღ

Best old movie…gotta love da Grantzzz

the-awesome-atheist:

What Stephen Colbert should have said to Gene Robinson…

moar atheism

stephhhanieeeee:

This is how I feel, most of my friends are my best friends. 

easytobearound:

my favorite Mindy Project quote

I hate hate hate the term “overweight”

MYLIFE

Source: toinfinity-1-beyond

daizednconfused:

themindyprojectstyle:

Mindy’s black v-neck sweater emblazoned with a gold sequined “No 9” is another cute-casual piece by Wildfox Couture.

Wildfox Sequin No. 9 Sweater - $199

Want

theveggiehatingvegan:

Meet Your Meat.

I had the displeasure of encountering this truck on my way home last night.  I was visiting my rental property, the home where I used to live, in Union County, North Carolina.  I used to encounter these trucks on more than a weekly basis, because I lived within two miles of two processing plants; Tyson Foods (chicken processing plant) and Pilgrim’s Pride (turkey processing plant).  I worked next door - literally right next door - to the Tyson Foods processing plant for almost three years.  I would sometimes see chickens that had fallen off the trucks - or, as I called them, escapees - on the side of the roads.  They were typically alive, but frozen still and shaking.

My first instinct was to speed past and get this truck out of my sight and out of my mind.  But I’ve learned that ignoring or turning a blind eye to the realities of factory farming doesn’t mean it goes away, so I decided to try to snap a few photos in order to share this experience with others.  I feel that, whatever our food choices are, we should be aware of where our food comes from.  

I was behind this truck for around an hour on a one-lane, back road highway.  Throughout this hour, my car was being showered by white feathers; most likely because the chickens were molting from the stress of the transport.  And I know their trip would be longer than an hour, because the truck turned off on another highway when we parted ways.

We were driving at least 60 miles per hour, and it was raining most of the time.  While that truck driver and I were safe and dry in our vehicles, those birds were being drenched by rain.  Have you ever been on a boat or motorcycle when it’s raining?  It doesn’t feel very good.  In fact, it feels as if you’re being pelted by tiny rocks.

These birds, these chickens, aren’t only exposed to harsh weather and high speeds.  I noticed that many of their feet were crammed between the metal grates they were being transported in.  They are so enormous- they’re genetically engineered to grow that large - that they cannot stand.  I was genuinely shocked and awed (and not in a good way) at the unnaturally monstrous size of these birds.  

This is only a mere glance into what takes place in factory farming but this, in and of itself, is alarming.  As I drove behind this truck, I felt a number of emotions; compassion, anger, and motivation among them.  I also felt a bit of shame.  How had I worked next door to this for almost three years, how had I seen this on a weekly basis, and been able to turn a blind eye to it for so long?  At most, I would refrain from eating chicken for a day, and eat beef instead, when I saw these trucks on my lunch hour.  How had I been so willfully ignorant?     

I used to think that vegetarians and vegans didn’t eat meat solely because the animals were killed for food.  Now I’ve learned that this lifestyle is about much more than the animals’ deaths; it’s about their lives.  It’s about our health and the environment as well.

Back then, this small glimpse was all I was aware of.  I didn’t know about cruel and inhumane ways the chickens were raised or slaughtered and, at the time, didn’t care to know.  Now I see this with new eyes, with an understanding of where these beings came from and where they are going; what their lives were like and how those lives will end.  I can’t un-know what I know now, and I wouldn’t want to.  I can no longer look at these living, breathing, sentient being as “things” and push what I see out of my mind.  

Some may see this awareness as a burden, but I find it empowering.  Ignoring these facts won’t affect change, awareness and action will.  Whether your action is to abstain from animal products all together, to push for legislation and regulation to ensure humane treatment of animals, or both… action is needed, and awareness is the first step.  

(via cinnamongrrl)

No, you can't call your baby Lucifer: New Zealand releases list of banned names

goodreasonnews:

New Zealand releases list of banned names

Pleased to meet you, hope you guess my name.

WTF

(via cinnamongrrl)