Alliance for Animals Milwaukee

2007 Newsletters

20 November 2007: AFA Update-Next Meeting, Great Events this Week, Orange-Cranberry Upside-down Cake

Alliance for Animals' Next Meeting

At our next meeting, we'll discuss important upcoming events, tabling, and social outings. We hope to see you there!

WHEN: Tuesday, November 27 at 7:30 p.m.
WHERE: UWM Union room 340

Fur-Free Friday Demonstration

The day after Thanksgiving is touted as the biggest shopping day of the year, but animal advocates know it as "Fur-Free Friday," a day to remind consumers to leave all fur and fur-trimmed products off their holiday shopping lists. We will get the message out loud and clear that the use of animals for fur is an unnecessary, inhumane practice that is and terror they are experiencing. The most commonly farmed fur-bearing animals are minks and Wisconsin has the embarrassing distinction of being the top producer in the U.S.

On November 23rd, CUFA will join with Alliance for Animals and other activists at a peaceful demonstration to protest the use of animals for their fur. We will assemble outside of A.J. Ugent Furs, 8333 West Capitol Drive at noon. Posters and leaflets will be provided, so just bring yourself and anyone you can recruit to join you! As always, animal companions are welcome and encouraged!!!

To learn more about the barbaric cruelty behind the fur trade, please visit www.furisdead.com and perhaps you will be inspired to reform a fur-wearer-or two or three-this holiday season.

WHEN: November 23, at 12:00 noon
WHERE: A.J. Ugent Furs, 8333 West Capitol Dr, Milwaukee

Pick of the Week: Orange-Cranberry Upside-Down Cake

Ingredients:

6 Tbsp. vegan margarine, plus more for greasing the pan
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. allspice
1 Tbsp. grated orange zest
1 3/4 cups fresh cranberries
Egg replacer equivalent to 1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Juice of 1 orange
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup soy milk

Preheat the oven to 350°F, making sure that a rack is in the center.
Grease an 8-inch round cake pan with margarine and set aside.
Whisk together 1/2 cup of the sugar with the cinnamon, allspice, and orange zest. Sprinkle evenly over the bottom of the pan. Arrange the cranberries in a single layer on top and set aside.
In a large bowl, cream the 6 Tbsp. of margarine and the remaining 1/2 cup of sugar for several minutes with an electric mixer until well blended. Add the egg replacer, vanilla, and orange juice. Beat again.
In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture to the margarine mixture in three batches, alternating with the soy milk and blending well after each addition.
Pour over the cranberries and smooth the top. Place on a baking sheet on a rack in the center of the oven and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, approximately 30 to 35 minutes.
Remove from the oven and let cool on a wire rack for 30 minutes. Run a knife around the edge of the cake and invert onto a plate.

Makes 6 to 8 servings

13 November 2007: Meeting Tonight, Upcoming Activism Opportunities, Faux vs. Real Fur

Meeting

Come to Alliance for Animals' meeting, tonight. We'll discuss upcoming events and tabling and plan our next social event. We hope to see you there!

WHEN: Tuesday, November 13 at 7:30 p.m.
WHERE: UWM Union room 340

Fur-Free Friday Demonstration

WHEN: November 23, at 12:00 noon
WHERE: A.J. Ugent Furs, 8333 West Capitol Dr, Milwaukee

Pick of the Week: Is That Fur Real or Fake?

With so many attractive and sensible alternatives, fur and fur trim is simply unnecessary. Even purchasing the tiniest bit of fur trim supports a cruel industry.

Every year, more than 50 million animals are violently killed in the name of "fashion." Some fall victim to barbaric traps. Others spend the entirety of their lives in grim conditions in fur farms across the globe before being slaughtered. Another source of fur is Canada's government-sanctioned seal slaughter, in which hundreds of thousands of seals, many just weeks old, are brutally killed. This is the reality that the fur industry wants so desperately to hide from the buying public.

Here's a quick "cheat sheet" to help you become an expert "fur or faux" detective:

The Feel Test: Feel the difference by rolling the hairs between the finger and thumb.

Genuine Fur: Feels smooth and soft, easily rolls between the fingers.
Fake Fur: Feels coarse.

The Look Test: Blow on the hairs so that they divide, and look at the base.

Genuine Fur: Often made up of several layers of thin, almost curly hairs that form a dense under-wool through which the longer hairs stick out. The hairs remain attached to the leather (skin).
Fake Fur: Simpler in structure, individual hairs are often the same length and are even in color.

The Pin Test: Drive a pin through the base where the fur is attached.

Genuine Fur: The leather resists; pin is hard to push through.
Fake Fur: Pin goes easily through the base.Carefully pull a few hairs from the fur and hold them to a flame.

The Burn Test:

Genuine Fur: Singes and smells like human hair.
Fake Fur: Melts and smells like burnt plastic and forms small plastic balls at the ends that feel hard between the finger and thumb.

4 November 2007: Movie Night Tuesday, Next Meeting, Upcoming Events, Chocolate Mousse Pie

Movie Night

Alliance for Animals will have a movie night. Come and watch Dealing Dogs an HBO documentary about Class B dog breeders.
WHEN: Tuesday, November 6th at 7:30 p.m.
WHERE: UWM Union room 143

Next Meeting

At our next Alliance for Animals' meeting, we'll discuss upcoming events. We hope to see you there!
WHEN: Tuesday, November 13th at 7:30 p.m.
WHERE: UWM Union room 347

Upcoming Events:

Leafleting Event

Please join CUFA for a vegan-leafleting event prior to the Buck's vs. Lakers basketball game. There will be a lot of people going in during this event, so it is a great place to hand out information about the benefits of a vegan diet and the plight of animals abused in factory farms. Leafleting at these events is always a lot of fun and we have received enormous positive feedback on our efforts.

No RSVP needed, JUST SHOW UP! Afterward, please join us for a casual meal at one of the many vegan friendly restaurants on the east side.

WHEN: November 21st, Wednesday, 6:15-7pm
WHERE: Corner of Kilbourn and 4th Street, Milwaukee

Fur-Free Friday Demonstration A.J. Ugent Furs

WHEN: November 23, at 12:00 noon
WHERE: A.J. Ugent Furs, located at 8333 West Capitol Dr, Milwaukee

To learn more about the barbaric cruelty behind the fur trade, please visit www.furisdead.com and perhaps you will be inspired to reform a fur-wearer-or two or three-this holiday season.

Pick of the Week: Tonya's Fabulous Chocolate Mousse Pie

This no bake pie is amazingly easy and amazingly elegant and yummy. It would be the perfect addition to you Thanksgiving meal!

Filling Ingredients:

1-10oz bag semi-sweet don-dairy chocolate chips (such as Ghiardelli's)
½ cup non-dairy milk
1 pkg Mori-Nu brand firm or extra firm tofu
¼ cup sugar of you choice (optional)
½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Filling Directions: Combine the chocolate and non-dairy milk in a microwave safe bowl or double boiler and melt, gently, stirring often.

Crumble tofu in a blender or food processor. Add melted chocolate, non-dairy milk, and vanilla. Process until completely smooth. Halfway through, scrape down sides and taste for sweetness. Add sugar if desired and continue processing.

Pour over cookie piecrust and chill for at least one hour.

Garnish with fresh or puréed berries.

Cookie Crust Ingredients:

1 cup Newman's Own mint cream sandwich cookie (or vegan sandwich cookie of choice), crumbled into fine pieces
½ cup non-hydrogenated vegan butter alternative, melted

Cookie Crust Directions:

Lightly oil a pie pan or spring form pan.
In a medium bowl, mix melted butter alternative and cookie crumbs until well blended.
Press into pan and add filling.

29 October 2007: AFA Update: Tuesday Meeting, Lunch Date, CUFA events, Pick of the Week

Important Meeting Tuesday, October 30th.

AFA will have our next meeting tomorrow, 10/30/07. We meet at 7:30 p.m. in the UWM Union room 340. We will discuss important upcoming events, including our two fall speakers. Come get involved in AFA!

Lunch Date: Wednesday, Oct. 31st.

Thanks to those who voted for the date of our lunch outing. We'll be meeting at 12:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 31 at Sharazad on Oakland Avenue (very near to campus, on Oakland south of Kenwood) for an AFA lunch date! Sharazad offers a reasonably priced veg-friendly lunch buffet. We hope to see you there!

Upcoming Events

Sponsored by Milwaukee's Citizens United For Animals and joined by AFA:

Leafleting Event

No RSVP needed, JUST SHOW UP! Afterward, please join us for a casual meal at one of the many vegan friendly restaurants on the east side.

WHEN: November 21st, Wednesday, 6:15-7pm
WHERE: Corner of Kilbourn and 4th Street, Milwaukee

Fur-Free Friday Demonstration A.J. Ugent Furs

WHEN: November 23, at 12:00 noon
WHERE: A.J. Ugent Furs, located at 8333 West Capitol Dr, Milwaukee

To learn more about the barbaric cruelty behind the fur trade, please visit www.furisdead.com and perhaps you will be inspired to reform a fur-wearer-or two or three-this holiday season.

Pick of the Week

Tell Journal Sentinel that Fur is not Fashionable!

The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel will once again publish its annual spread promoting fur fashionin on Sunday, November 18, in the Lifestyle section. This section will feature fur ads as well. Please write letters to the Journal telling them that animals trapped for fur suffer excruciating pain, often for days, before their chests are stomped on or their necks are broken by trappers. Beavers caught in underwater traps for their fur struggle frantically before drowning. On fur farms, animals spend their entire lives in tiny, filthy cages, where they suffer physical and psychological distress before they are killed by poisoning, gassing, anal electrocution, or neck breaking. More and more fashion designers are giving fur the boot. For example, Jay Carroll, the winner of the first winner of Project Runway, is anti-fur and has worked with HSUS to promote non-fur fashions and the humane treatment of fur-bearing mammals.

Here are some links in case you need more facts or inspiration:

If enough of us write thoughtful polite editorials, perhaps they will publish at least one of our letters.

Let's give these animals a voice and let the Journal know they have not been forgotten! Letters are generally limited to 200 words and are subject to editing. Please provide your name, street address and daytime phone number, even in e-mail submissions (only name and city will be published).

Please send letters to:

Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel P.O. Box 371 Milwaukee, WI 53201-0371

...or email your letter to .

22 October 2007: Update: Tuesday Potluck & Meeting, Vote for Lunch Date

Meeting and Potluck

Tomorrow, Tuesday Oct. 23rd, AFA will meet at 5:30 in Union room 347 for a potluck! Remember that out of respect to all members & non-human animals, all our potlucks are vegan. Ideas for easy vegan potluck food: bring pretzels, chips and hummus, guacamole, or salsa, or cut up veggies. For easy recipes, check out www.vegweb.com. We hope to see you there!

Vote for Lunch Date!

It's not too late to help us decide when to hold our lunch date next week! We will meet at 12:30 for the veg lunch buffet at Sharazad on Oakland Avenue. We will meet either Monday the 29th, Wednesday the 31st, or Thursday the 1st. Let us know by email which day you prefer, and we'll choose the most popular one!

Pick of the Week: Compassionate Trick-or-Treat!

Yes, everyone, it's that time of year again. CANDY TIME. Wondering if some of your favorite sweets are animal-friendly? No worries - check out the updated list below and satisfy your sweet tooth with these vegan treats: Airheads taffy, Atkins peanut butter bars, Blow Pops, Brach's Cinnamon Hard Candy, Charms lollipops, Chick-o-Sticks, Cracker Jack, Cry Babies, Dem Bones, Dots, Dum-Dums, Fireballs, Goldenberg's Peanut Chews, Hubba Bubba bubblegum, Jolly Ranchers (lollipops and hard candy), Jujubees, Jujyfruits, Lemonheads, Mambas, Mary Janes (regular and peanut butter kisses) , Now and Later, Pez, Ring Pop lollipops, Smarties (U.S. Brand), Sour Patch Kids, Super Bubble, Swedish Fish, Sweet Tarts, Tropical Source mini chocolate bags, Twizzlers, Zotz

Trick-or treating isn't the only way to spend Halloween, don't forget the parties! If you are attending a non-vegan Halloween party, find out what they're serving and try to suggest the vegan equivalent. Or better yet, bring your own snacks to share. Here is a list of great vegan snack foods that are perfect for parties: Bean dip (make sure it's lard-free), Cracker Jack, Fritos, Lance's Toasty Crackers, Lay's Stax, Lay's WOW! potato chips, Microwave popcorn (minus the real butter flavor), Munchos, Peanuts, sunflower seeds, almonds, cashews, and Pistachios, Pretzels, Salsa, Skittles' Mints, Tostitos, Trail mix, Triscuits, Wheat Thins

15 October 2007: Next Meeting, Tabling, Farmwalk, Pumpkin Cranberry Bread

AFA Meeting-tomorrow!

Alliance for Animals will meet tomorrow, Tuesday Oct. 16th, at 7:30 p.m. in the UWM Union room 340. We will discuss upcoming events, tabling, and plan our next outing. We hope to see you there!

AFA Tabling in the Union

If you can't make it to the meeting, you can still help out with our tabling efforts. This week we'll be tabling in the Union on Wednesday Oct. 17th. Let us know your availability by email if you want to help out.

2007 Farmwalk a Success!

AFA had a lot of fun participating in the 2007 Walk for Farm Animals on Saturday the 13th. For those of you who couldn't make it, be sure to help out with AFA's outreach efforts-tabling in the UWM Union and planned leafleting downtown, times and dates TBA.

Pick of The Week: Pumpkin Cranberry Quick Bread

1 1/2 C all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp ground cinnamin
1/2 each tsp ground nutmeg and ground ginger
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 C sugar
1/2 C vegan margarine
1 C pumpkin puree
Ener-G egg replacer for 2 eggs, mixed with water according to package directions.
2 Tbsp grated orange peel (the best part!)
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 C dried cranberries

Preheat oven to 350 F
Grease a 9X5 inch loaf pan.
Mix together flour, baking soda, ginger, nutmeg and sea salt.
Beat together sugar, Earth Balance, pumpkin puree, egg sub, orange peel and vanilla t medium speed until light and fluffy. At low speed, beat in flour mixture until lumpy batter forms. (Do not over mix) Stir in cranberries.
Spoon batter into prepared pan;smooth top.
Bake until bread is golden (about 1 hour) and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Transfer pan to a wire rack to cool for 5 minutes.
Turn bread out onto rack to cool completely.

To make muffins: Grease 12 standard size muffin pan cups or line with paper liners. Spoon batter into prepared pans, fill cups two-thirds full. Bake until golde

12 October 2007: AFA Meetup time for Farmwalk!

It's not too late to sign up to participate in the Walk for Farm Animals, tomorrow Oct. 13th starting at Bradford Beach at 10 a.m. Go to www.walkforfarmanimals.org to register!

AFA will be walking as a group. We will meet up at 9 a.m. in front of the UWM Union, get organized, and head down to the walk.

We hope to see you there!

7 October 2007: AFA Update-Sign-Making for Farmwalk, Last Meeting & Tabling

Tuesday: Sign-Making Meeting for Farmwalk

Those AFA members who are planning to participate in the Walk for Farm Animals on Saturday, October 13th are encouraged to meet up this Tuesday the 9th to make signs for the walk. We'll meet at 6:30 p.m. near the chairs outside the elevators on the third floor of the UWM Union. We're planning to go out for pizza afterwards. We hope to see you there! If you can't make it but still want to walk with the AFA group, email us and we'll let you know our meetup plans for that day.

Meeting Summary for Oct. 2

Our most recent meeting helped AFA organize our plan for participating in the Walk for Farm Animals next Saturday. We also discussed our tabling plans for this semester. We agreed to have Wednesdays be our regular tabling day, with extra days added depending on events. Anyone interested in tabling on Wednesdays is encouraged to email us or attend our next biweekly meeting, October 16th at 7:30 in Union 340.

Pick of the Week

Help End Horse Slaughter Permanently/ America's Dirty Little Secret In May, the state of Illinois enacted a ban on horse slaughter, shutting down Cavel International, the last operating horse slaughtering plant of three in the country. Prior to the closure of all three foreign-owned plants in the U.S., over 100,000 horses were being slaughtered in the United States and their flesh is shipped to Europe and Asia for human consumption. Their former owners are often unaware of the pain, fear, and suffering their horses endure before being slaughtered. Cavel International sought to delay its inevitable closure by obtaining a temporary restraining order. The 7th Circuit Court finally shut down the Cavel horse slaughter plant in Illinois just weeks ago. With all three horse slaughter plants in the U.S. now closed, passage of a permanent slaughter ban to prohibit American horses from being trucked over the border for slaughter is crucial. Horses are now flooding over the borders in record numbers & subjected to immense cruelty. They are being crowded into trucks, enduring hours without food, water and rest, and driven to Mexico and Canada for slaughter. The time is now for Congress to act--and only an act of Congress can halt this abhorrent practice!

The American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act (H.R. 503/S. 311) closes this loophole and prevents the exportation of American horses to slaughter plants in foreign countries. It also ensures that horse slaughter is permanently banned in the United States.

Please get active on the upcoming The National Call-In day is Tuesday, October 16th! Everyone, please click on this link where you can print out and distribute fliers: www.hsus.org/web-files/PDF/horse/Horse-Flier.pdf. the horses need YOUR HELP! We are encouraging folks. Just call the Capitol switchboard and ask for Senators Russell Feingold (202) 224-5323 and Herb Kohl (202) 224-5653 and request they co-sponsor H.R. 503 & S. 311, the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act. To find your US Representative please visit http://www.house.gov/writerep/ and urge them to "cosponsor H.R. 503 to stop the sale and transport of all horses to slaughter."

2 October 2007: AFA Update-Meeting Tonight!, Farm Walk

Intro

You may have noticed we skipped our AFA update last week. I apologize for getting this out so late but we had our big PETA 2 exploitation exhibit keeping us very busy this week. We had an overwhelmingly positive response from the UWM community and had some very good conversations with passersby about issues in animal exploitation. We’d like to thank everyone who helped make this event such a success-you know who you are! Also, check out our article in the UWM Post this week!

AFA Meeting

Our next meeting will be today, Tuesday, October 2nd at 7:30 p.m. in the Union room 340. We will get together an official list of who’s going to the Farmwalk as well as work on upcoming events. We hope to see you there! If you can’t make it, you can come on October 16th.

Walk for Farm Animals

The Milwaukee Walk for Farm Animals will take place on Saturday, October 13th. You can register yourself at http://www.walkforfarmanimals.org/locations/milwaukee.htm. AFA will be going as a group, so if you’d like to come as an AFA member, come to our Tuesday meeting so we can get you on our list! For questions on the Milwaukee walk, email .

Pick(s) of the Week

This feature is double this week since we missed last week!

Wearing Wool is Never Cool!!!

Now that our beautiful Wisconsin weather is beginning to turn cooler, let’s think about choosing compassionate clothing to keep ourselves warm. Many people naturally turn to wool as they choose their winter clothing. Sheep are gentle individuals who, like all animals, feel pain, fear, and loneliness. But because there is a market for their fleece and skins, they are treated as nothing more than wool-producing machines by the wool industry. Without human interference, sheep grow just enough wool to protect themselves from temperature extremes.

With approximately 100 million sheep, Australia produces 50 percent of the world’s wool. Flocks usually consist of thousands of sheep, making it impossible to give individual attention to their needs. In Australia, the most commonly raised sheep are merinos, who are specifically bred to have wrinkled skin, which means more wool per animal. This unnatural overload of wool causes animals to die of heat exhaustion during hot months, and the wrinkles also collect urine and moisture. Attracted to the moisture, flies lay eggs in the folds of skin, and the hatched maggots can eat the sheep alive. In order to prevent this condition, called "flystrike," Australian ranchers perform a barbaric operation - mulesing - by carving huge strips of skin and flesh off the backs of unanesthetized lambs’ legs and around their tails. This is done to cause smooth, scarred skin that won’t harbor fly eggs, yet the bloody wounds often get flystrike before they heal. Other Kinds of wool It may be called shearling, mohair, pashmina, shahtoosh, alpaca or cashmere. But no matter what it’s called, any kind of wool means suffering for animals.

What You Can Do: No amount of marketing can hide the fact that anyone who buys wool supports a cruel and bloody industry. There are plenty of durable, stylish, and warm fabrics available that aren’t made from animal skins and products. Use alternatives to wool, including cotton, cotton flannel, polyester fleece, synthetic shearling, and other cruelty-free fibers, as people with wool allergies have been doing for years. Please join the millions of people all over the world who know that compassion is the fashion. Save a sheep - don’t buy wool.

To learn more please visit www.SaveTheSheep.com

Savory Autumn Brown Stew

This stew appeals to those who new to the meat free lifestyle and still tastes great to the rest of us. Substitute all you like. The secret is in browning everything, which requires some time and attention, but then it just cooks itself and makes the house smell wonderful.

Ingredients

4 Boca-burger patties
4 Boca brats, cut up
4 medium potatoes (red or white, not bakers)
6 carrots
2 Cups Cauliflower
1 big onion
2 cloves garlic
2 cups frozen peas
8-10 oz. mushrooms
2 tablespoon tomato paste, or 1 small can sauce, or
half a small can stewed
2-4 pkts. brown gravy powder mix
Oil or vegan margarine
1 tspn each: fresh or dried parsley, sage, and thyme
½ tspn rosemary
salt and pepper to taste
Water
Flour

Directions

Note: Break the "burgers" into chunks, and brown in a little oil with the "brats". Set aside. Cut the carrots and cauliflower into chunks, coarsely chop the onion, brown in batches and set aside. Slice the mushrooms and brown them. Throw in the garlic, minced, for the last couple of minutes.

Now dump everything back into the pot (a heavy Dutch oven is just the thing) and cover with water. Bring to a boil, and while it is heating up, add the various gravy seasonings (do not overdo the tomato). Mix a thin paste with a little cold water and about 3 Tbsp. flour. Stir this into the hot liquid a little at a time until it is not-quite- thick-enough (it will cook down some). Add the potatoes, quartered, and the peas. Lower the heat and simmer for a half hour or so, until the potatoes are done. Thicken or thin the gravy and adjust the seasonings to your taste.

May be cooked in a crock-pot on high for at least 6-8 hours, stirring occasionally. The stew is ready when it is thick and brown.

Serve with biscuits and salad for a great fall dinner.

16 September 2007: AFA Update: Meeting Info, Useful Websites, Vegan Biscuits and Gravy

Announcement: AFA Regular Meeting Info

Alliance for Animals will hold regular meetings every other Tuesday, starting this Tuesday the 18th of September. Dates are as follows: Sept. 18; Oct. 2, 16, and 30; Nov. 13 and 27; and Dec. 11. Meetings will be held at 7:30 p.m. in the Union Room 340. Let me know if this time or day doesn’t work for you, we can work something out so you’ll still be involved!

Thursday Meeting Summary-What AFA is up to

I’d like to thank everyone who came to the meeting last night. We had 24 people attending-this is outstanding! I’m glad you’re interested in working with AFA-I think that we can do a lot of good things with this group!

For those of you who weren’t there, we discussed the following issues and ideas that AFA will be working on this semester:

Veg Lunch Outings: getting together for lunch a few times a month to help each other explore veg-friendly Milwaukee!
Cooking Classes: We hope to hold a few vegan/vegetarian cooking classes, for those who aren’t familiar with preparing veg food.
Dining Services: We’ll be working with Dining Services to make a list of veg options on campus and to have more options offered, and more vegetarian options made vegan.
Veg-Friendly Milwaukee Guide: We will be working on updating and expanding our old guide to veg-friendly restaurants in Milwaukee. We have many options for eating out that some might not know about and we’ll be working to get that list out to the community soon!
Tabling in the Union: AFA hopes to be very visible on campus this year. Tabling to hand out information and talk to fellow students in an important part of our group’s activities. We’ll be working out days & times that are good for everyone.
AFA Film Nights: AFA will be hosting screenings of various animal-rights related movies.
Volunteering: AFA will also be volunteering with animal shelters in Milwaukee.

Anyone who wasn’t at the meeting who is interested in any of the above issues should contact or come to our next meeting (Tuesday the 18th, 7:30 p.m. in Union 340)!

Websites to Check Out

We mentioned these websites at the meeting.

Vegan Meetups: Get together with veg people for lunch. Keep updated on plans for future meetups: http://vegan.meetup.com/401/ It’s free to join-this will allow you to check the calendar for upcoming events and RSVP for meetups.
Farm Sanctuary Walk: AFA will be getting a group together to participate in the Farmwalk on October 13. We’ll discuss details at the meeting on Tuesday. http://www.walkforfarmanimals.org/locations/milwaukee.htm You can register now if you want. Here is an example of a fundraising page for this: http://www.firstgiving.com/lindsaytimm
Useful Recipes: I mentioned this in the last email, but if you want to explore more veggie cooking options, check out www.vegweb.com for recipes from easy to gourmet.

Pick of the Week: Vegan Biscuits and Gravy

Serves 4

When it's cool outside and you're hankering for some soul food whip up these yummy vegan biscuits and gravy!!! If you’re in a hurry, Pillsbury makes an excellent vegan boxed homestyle gravy that you can get at any grocery store for under $1!!!

Biscuits

1 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3 tablespoons soy margarine
1/2 cup soy milk
1 1/2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar

Preheat oven to 450. Mix together dry ingredients in a large bowl.
Mix together liquid ingredients into a small bowl.
Cut margarine into the flour until you have pea sized pieces
Add liquid ingredients and mix with a fork until it just starts to come together.
Push into a ball, knead just once or twice and roll out to 1/2 thick slab.
Cut into circles or squares, place on cookie sheet and bake at 450 for 10-15 minutes.

Gravy

1 1/2 cups mushroom or vegetable broth
3 tablespoons flour
Soy sausage, veggie crumbles or broken up vegan burger
salt and pepper (to taste)
1 sprig fresh thyme or favorite garden herb
1 tablespoon soy margarine

Heat margarine and flour in a pan on med-low and blend together. Whisk in broth, salt, pepper and herbs a little at a time. Once it's incorporated, add the veggie sausage and stir over a low heat until it's heated through. Pour over the piping hot biscuits and watch for the smiles.

9 September 2007: AFA this Fall Semester-PETA Expo; Meeting this Thursday

Hello, Alliance for Animals!

This is Elena Pires, AFA's new leader. I am very excited to be working with you this year. We have some great projects in different stages of development and I hope you'll be interested in helping make them successful!

Here's what's happening in the near future:

AFA First Fall Semester Meeting & Potluck

Alliance for Animals will meet this Thursday, Sept. 13th at 7 p.m. in UWM Union room 147. We will discuss upcoming events, tabling, and what we want to accomplish this year. Non-students are welcome. This will be an informal potluck so bring a snack or simple dish to share. If you can't make it but want to get involved, send me an email at and we'll work something out!

WHEN: Thursday, Sept. 13th at 7 p.m.
WHERE:UWM Union room 147

PETA 2 Expo at UWM

AFA will co-host an animal exploitation exposition with a team from PETA 2 at UWM on Monday & Tuesday, September 24th & 25th. This exposition will seek to inform viewers of the realities of animal exploitation in our society. We will need extra people to help advertise for this event and also to help leaflet during the event. If you want to get involved, come to our meeting this Thursday or send me an email ().

WHEN: Monday & Tuesday, September 24th & 25th
WHERE:UWM, Location TBA

Tabling at UWM

In a few weeks, AFA will start tabling in the union with information on veganism & animal rights. Anyone interested in participating in this should come to our meeting this Thursday or let me know by email.

24 June 2007: Strawberry Festival Serves Veggie Burgers, Foie Gras Causes Disease, Meat Processors Demo

Strawberry Festival Offers Veggie Burgers (FWD from C.U.F.A.)

The Annual Strawberry Festival in Cedarburg will be the first festival in the area to offer a veggie burger for sale and they will be cooking them on a separate grill. If you have ever gone to local festivals, you know WI is all about the meat and cheese with little to no consideration given to vegans and vegetarians. Please try to make it to the festival and purchase one of the veggie burgers. This is a huge leap for Cedarburg as last year the festival committee didn't even know what the term vegan meant. If the veggie burgers don't sell this time around, they wont be back! The veggie burgers will only be sold at the north end of the festival, next to the winery/settlement in the parking lot near the Humane Socety booth.

For details about the festival please visit http://www.cedarburgfestivals.org/Strawberry.html. Please also thank them via the contact us tab whether you attend or not!

Andee Warren, local artist and vegan of seventeen years was instrumental in making this happen, so please drop her an email at http://www.cedarcreekpottery.com/ and say thanks! Better yet, please stop in her gallery in the settlement and say it in person!

Cheers and Happy Summer Festivals, CUFA

Foie Gras Accelerates Deadly Disease

You may have seen numerous reports in the electronic media world discussing how foie gras can cause a variation of mad cow disease. If you missed it, check out these sites to learn more:

Citizens United For Animals Hosting Peaceful Demo

Please join CUFA for a peaceful demonstration outside the Milwaukee Hilton City Center on 5th and Wisconsin to raise awareness and share information about the many benefits of adopting a compassionate plant-based diet.

Citizens United For Animals will be using a new approach to activism and focus on the positive aspects of a plant-based diet (which is VERY easy to do) and avoid the negativity associated with a meat-based diet (of which there is much). As a result, we will provide colorful, positive and happy pro-veggie signs and literature to distribute to the public.

Moreover, we are working to bring soy-based meat alternatives to distribute to show the public how delicious vegan foods are. In addition, these foods are free of the inherent cruelty associated with eating a meat centered diet.

To learn more about this event and CUFA, visit: http://www.cufa-wi.org/

WHEN: Thursday, July 12th 2007, 5pm-6pm
WHERE: Milwaukee Hilton City Center, 509 W Wisconsin Ave

17 June 2007: AFA Officers, Veg-Guide, Meet-Up

AFA's Future; This Summer

We hope you all are enjoying your summer; the people with Alliance for Animals are trying to do the same. It has been an awkward summer so far with what we have been trying to accomplish. First and foremost, Alliance for Animals will have a new president in the fall and we hope to be introducing her to all of you in the near future.

Now that AFA has found a new president, we could still use a few more faces to be officers at UW-Milwaukee. This seems to be a never ending struggle for Alliance for Animals. We are seeking individuals who have a higher level commitment to animal rights/animal welfare. In order to be an officer for Alliance for Animals at UW-Milwaukee you must be a student taking at least 3 credits (non-auditing). We would also like to find people who are willing to be a little more active with group politics and campus happenings. So... anyone interested in getting involved; let us know ASAP!

Alliance for Animals still has several projects in the work. Our summer priority is finishing our Veg-Friendly guide to Milwaukee. We still have a few areas of the city we have yet to investigate. Once we are down, we’ll release a list of all the places we have contacted. In the meantime... if you have any places you would like us to check out, do share.

July Vegan Meet-Up

Visit for more info: http://vegan.meetup.com/401/calendar/5845524/

Please join us for the July Vegan Meetup at Louise's Trattoria on Cathedral Square in downtown Milwaukee. Whether you are a long-time vegan who wants to try a new place or a new vegan, curious, or just willing to try, you will not want to miss this awesome dining experience.

One of the busiest restaurants east of the river, Louise's combines the traditions of Italian cooking and California innovation offering a variety of vegan-friendly appetizers, salads, and egg-free pasta dishes. They specialize in reasonably priced Italian food, all made fresh. We will be working closely with management and the kitchen staff to ensure their wonderful culinary creations are made-to-order vegan! The serene interior and patio overlooking Cathedral Square makes the restaurant popular for a memorable Saturday lunch.

You may view their menu at www.louiseswisconsin.com

Just across the street is a wonderful farmer's market in Cathedral Square every Saturday morning, so please join us at 11am in front of Louise's, if you would like to do a little pre-meetup produce shopping and vegan leafleting!

26 May 2007: Meet-Up, MARV Potluck, Victory for Chimps, Strawberry Shortcake

Milwaukee Vegan Meet-Up

Please join us for the June Vegan Meetup at La Fuente on Milwaukee's south side. Whether you are a long-time vegan who wants to try a new place, or a new vegan, curious, or just willing to try, you will not want to miss this awesome dining experience.

There's nothing like a Mexican meal to remind you that Wisconsin's summer is finally on its way! Spicy chili sauces, served with chips and cold beverages can warm your heart and your memories of mild weather. A fun atmosphere and great service make this a popular place for a group lunch. Chosen 'The Best for Mexican Food' for the past 8 years by Milwaukee Magazine, the modestly priced dishes keep this place full, with numerous vegan entrée choices and great chips and salsa. If the weather is right, perhaps we may enjoy dining surrounded by fountains on the Mexican tiled patio.

WHEN: Saturday, June 2nd, 12noon
WHERE: La Fuente, 625 S. 5th St, Milwaukee, WI 53204

M.A.R.V. Potluck, June 3rd

M.A.R.V. (Milwaukee Area Resources for Vegetarians) will be hosting its monthly potluck for June on 6-3-2007 in Riverwest. M.A.R.V. has been around for a long time with not nearly the recognition it deserves. The group has consistently held vegetarian potlucks in the Milwaukee area for many years. So come on out with a dish and learn more about what they have going on. Visit www.marveg.org for more info.

WHEN: Sunday, June 3rd, 5pm
WHERE: Friends' Meeting House, 3224 N. Gordon Pl. in Riverwest (from Humboldt Blvd., go east on Auer a few short blocks to the parking lot).

U.S. Stops Breeding Chimps for Research!

Taken from: http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070524/sc_nm/chimpanzees_research_usa_dc

The U.S. National Institutes of Health, which supports a variety of biomedical studies using animals, will stop breeding government-owned chimpanzees for research -- a step animal rights advocates lauded on Thursday.

The NIH's National Center for Research Resources cited financial reasons for its decision this week to permanently cease breeding of government-owned chimpanzees for research. A breeding moratorium on NCRR-owned and supported chimpanzees had been in place since 1995.

The Humane Society of the United States said it suspects that ethical reasons also were involved in the decision. The group, which opposes the use of these apes as lab animals, said the decision on ending breeding likely also means NIH no longer will be acquiring new chimpanzees through other means.

Because chimpanzees are physiologically and genetically similar to people, they have been used in medical research defended by many scientists but scorned by animals rights advocates on ethical grounds.

"This decision is a huge step towards a day when chimpanzees are no longer used in invasive biomedical research and testing," Kathleen Conlee of the Humane Society said in a statement.

MONUMENTAL DECISION

"This will spare some chimpanzees a life of up to 60 years in a laboratory. While it doesn't help chimpanzees already living in laboratories, it is a monumental decision," Conlee added. "Our ultimate goal is to put an end (to) the use of chimpanzees in research and retire those chimpanzees to permanent and appropriate sanctuary."

The Humane Society said the NCRR's chimpanzee population includes about 500 in laboratories and 90 more in a federal sanctuary for those deemed no longer needed for research.

In a statement on its Web site, NCRR said it acknowledges the continuing importance of chimpanzees to biomedical research, but cited "fiduciary responsibilities" to maintain the health and well-being of chimpanzees already in its care.

The center said chimpanzees can live at least 50 years in captivity, and that high-quality care for a single animal over its lifespan can cost up to $500,000. It said it also must meet budget responsibilities to other programs and resources.

"Therefore, after careful review of existing chimpanzee resources, NCRR has determined that it does not have the financial resources to support the breeding of chimpanzees that are owned or supported by NCRR," the center said.

"However, NCRR will continue to honor its commitments to the existing chimpanzee facilities, including the federal sanctuary for chimpanzees that are no longer needed in biomedical research," the center added.

The advocacy group Project R&R: Release and Restitution for Chimpanzees in U.S. Laboratories said about 1,300 chimpanzees are currently in U.S. laboratories. It said some were caught in the wild as babies in Africa while others were born in laboratories or sent from zoos, circuses and animal trainers.

Theodora Capaldo, the group's executive director, said that "not only U.S. but also world sentiment is growing in support of the day when no chimpanzees will be used in laboratory research."

Pick of the Week

Vegan Summer Strawberry Shortcake

4 cups strawberries, sliced
2 tbsp. granulated sugar, plus additional for
sprinkling
1-cup all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp. cream of tartar
1/4 tsp. baking soda
4 Tbsp. vegan margarine
1/2-cup soymilk mixed with 3/4 Tbsp. lemon juice (let
stand 5 min.)
1 1/2 cup nondairy whipped cream or nondairy
cream-cheese sauce (recipe at bottom)

Preheat the oven to 450ºF. Grease a baking sheet and set it aside. In a medium bowl, gently stir together the strawberries and 2 Tbsp. of sugar. Set aside. In a large bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, cream of tartar, and baking soda. Cut in the vegan margarine until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients, then pour in the soymilk mixture all at once. Using a fork, stir until just moistened.

Divide the dough into quarters and drop each quarter in a mound onto the prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle them with sugar and bake at 450°F for 10 to 12 minutes or until golden.

Split the shortcakes into 2 layers. Place the bottom layers into individual serving bowls. Spoon some of the strawberries and nondairy whipped cream or cream cheese sauce (see below) over the bottom layers. Add the top layers. Spoon more strawberries and the remaining nondairy whipped cream or cream cheese sauce over tops. Serve immediately.

Cream Cheese Sauce: In a small bowl, stir together 1/4-cup non-dairy sour cream and 4 tblsp non dairy cream cheese (try Toffuti brand) with 2 Tbls sugar until smooth.

6 May 2007: Puppy Mills in the Media, Lets Change Some Laws, Next Meeting

Local Puppy Mills Exposed By Local Media

Recently you may have seen on TMJ4 a report on a puppy mills. If not, here is the link:

http://www.todaystmj4.com/news/local/7191936.html

After many battles animal rights activists have had with the media in the Milwaukee area, this has been huge relief. If you get a chance, feel free to contact TMJ4 and thank them for the exposure to the issue.

Lets Change the Law

A friend to AFA and a champion to animals has decided to grasp the opportunity given by the media in regards to puppy mills. Back in 2002 a state funding bill was up for vote to effectively end the operation of puppy mills. It passed legislation, but was vetoed by then governor McCallum. Our good friend Matt Pietz is refusing to let that happen again.

Matt is in the early stages of organizing a campaign to seek legislation to ban puppy mills. This process will involve marches on the state capitol, letter writing campaigns, and lit drops (and much more). You can visit his website:

http://www.freewebs.com/savepuppys/index.htm

...or email him at:

Matt will also be headed up to Madison later this week to do some more planning for the march on the capitol. If interested in joining him, let him know.

Next Meeting, May 22nd 7pm

With school wrapping up soon and summer just around the corner, AFA will be focusing on off-campus activities. AFA is also in the process of transition to new leadership. We are uncertain what will be happening this summer as far as activities and overall level activity for AFA, but we would like to see things continue like past summers.

Our next meeting will be a good opportunity to learn how you can get active and possibly work on specific projects for AFA. There is a lot to do and we would be more then happy to see some new faces getting involved.

WHEN: Tuesday, May 22nd, 7pm
WHERE: Brewing Grounds - 2008 N. Farwell Ave. (just north of Brady St.)

29 April 2007: Vegan Meet-Up, MARV Potluck, Summer Ideas, Pick of the Week: Risotto

Vegan Meet-Up, May 5th

With our vegan Meet-Ups we recommend you visit: http://vegan.meetup.com/401/?gj=sj21 to see more about the Milwaukee Vegan Meet-Up Group.

Please join us for the May Vegan Meetup at Mama DeMarini's Pizza. Whether you are a long-time vegan who wants to try a new place, or a new vegan, curious, or just willing to try, you will not want to miss this awesome dining experience.

(Although vegan meetups are always a noontime lunch, this restaurant is so great we are making an exception and scheduling a late afternoon meal. We promise--it is well worth the change!!)

Head over the Hoan Bridge and you will find another of Milwaukee's hidden vegan dining gems. This family-owned business is actually little over a block away from another DeMarini's location, splintered off by another member of the family. The inside is typical supper club atmosphere in Wisconsin. The vegan pizzas here are hot, delicious and served in a large rectangular pan with thin crust. They are loaded with vegan cheese, tomatoes, onions, mushrooms and other fresh veggies. Vegan sausage is available for a small extra charge. Also available are baked vegan pasta dishes, salads and the yummiest garlic bread ever with vegan marinara for dipping!!

Hope to see you there!

WHEN: Saturday, May 5, 2007, 4:00 PM
WHERE: Mama DeMarini's, 2457 S. Wentworth Ave., Milwaukee, WI 53207

MARV Potluck

M.A.R.V. (Milwaukee Area Resources for Vegetarians) will be hosting its monthly potluck for May on 5-6-2007 in Riverwest. M.A.R.V. has been around for a long time with not nearly the recognition it deserves. The group has consistently held vegetarian potlucks in the Milwaukee area for many years. So come on out with a dish and learn more about what they have going on. Visit www.marveg.org for more info.

WHEN: Sunday, May 6th, 5pm
WHERE: Friends' Meeting House, 3224 N. Gordon Pl. in Riverwest (from Humboldt Blvd., go east on Auer a few short blocks to the parking lot).

Summer Time Activism Ideas

With summer being just around the corner and school wrapping up in the near future, AFA will be switching gears. We are hoping to use the summer to get caught up on some old projects...and maybe explore some new ideas.

If you have any ideas or issues you would like AFA to address, let us know. Once we have a grasp of what we will be capable to handle over the summer, we'll be holding a planning meeting. So submit those ideas and when we announce the meeting...SHOW ON UP!

Pick of the Week

Springtime Asparagus & Mushroom Risotto

Ingredients:

2 cups Arborio rice
3-5 cups veggie broth or water with 2 bullion cubes
2 Tbs. red wine or sherry
salt & pepper (to taste)
8 sun-dried tomatoes, preferably without oil
1/2 pound asparagus
1 cup mushrooms
1 cup hot water
1 onion
2-4 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbs. vegetable oil

Directions:

Coarsely chop the mushrooms, onion and asparagus into 1-inch pieces.
In a large pot, saut' onion in oil for two minutes; add mushrooms, garlic, diced sun-dried tomatoes and wine (or use 1/4 cup water). Cook for 5 minutes, until onion is soft.
Add rice, stir for about 1 minute, then add 1/2 cup broth.
When broth boils, bring to medium heat and stir constantly; when broth is absorbed, add the rest of the liquid and stir often.
After 10 mins, add asparagus and continue cooking/stirring until rice is tender (25-30 mins). Season with salt and pepper, and serve hot.

22 April 2007: End Of AFA?, Mod Demo, Meet-Up, Pick of the Week: Vivisection

Is This the End of Alliance for Animals?

Over the last month or so, the two current heads of Alliance for Animals have been facing difficult decisions. Both of us are moving out of the area this summer and we have yet to find our replacement(s). Without strong leadership for this group at UW-Milwaukee, this group cannot survive. Any student group is a challenge to keep going year after year, AFA was no exception... it has taken a lot of hard work.

I don’t think anyone would like to see this group go away. I don’t think anyone thinks AFA is anything except a great asset to animal rights in the Midwest. Sadly, with everything that is going on in the world, the United States, Wisconsin, and on UW-Milwaukee’s campus; it is difficult to keep attention on this group’s cause. The leader this group needs is out there, but will we find them by next Fall?

This is a plea for the group’s survival. What we need is at least one individual with a commitment to animal rights in Milwaukee... and is a student at UW-Milwaukee. Anyone that is interested in this role, we will ensure to provide all the training and contacts that could ever be needed to that person. We are not passing on a group that is headed for ruin, regardless who takes control. We have developed a group that can easily be run by anyone with enough time and self-confidence. We will do whatever we can to prepare anyone that is ready to secure the survival of this group...

March of Dimes Demonstration

Please join AFA and CUFA in a peaceful demonstration at The March of Dimes annual fund raising walk to educate the public about the unnecessary and barbaric practice of animal experimentation.

With the worthy goal of preventing birth defects, the March of Dimes collects millions of dollars in donations annually. But most donors who generously open their pocketbooks, are unaware that their gifts help to fund painful experiments on animals. The March of Dimes has funneled millions of dollars into laboratory studies on: primates, rats, mice, cats, dogs, rabbits, pigs, sheep, guinea pigs, opossums and members of other animal species.

Both animals and human babies are the losers, because every dollar spent to harm these animals is a dollar that could have -and should have been used to help people.

Signs and leaflets will be provided. For more information please visit www.marchofcrimes.com and for information on alternative caring charities, please visit www.humaneseal.org.

WHEN: Saturday, April 28, 2007 at 8:45am
WHERE: Meet at Alterra Coffee, 1701 N Lincoln Memorial Dr, Milwaukee

Vegan Meet-Up, May 5th

With our vegan Meet-Ups we recommend you visit: http://vegan.meetup.com/401/?gj=sj21 to see more about the Milwaukee Vegan Meet-Up Group.

(Although vegan meetups are always a noontime lunch, this restaurant is so great we are making an exception and scheduling a late afternoon meal. We promise--it is well worth the change!!)

Hope to see you there!

WHEN: Saturday, May 5, 2007, 4:00 PM
WHERE: Mama DeMarini's, 2457 S. Wentworth Ave., Milwaukee, WI 53207

Pick of the Week

Vivisection: Unscientific = Unsafe for Humans = Sadistically Cruel to Animals

If you wanted to know how your car works, would you take apart your air conditioner? This is the philosophy of vivisection. Just as dissection is to cut or operate on a deceased animal, vivisection is to cut or operate on a living animal for the purpose of ascertaining or demonstrating some fact in physiology relatable to humans. This practice is barbarically cruel to the animals, and has questionable scientific value since not all animal species react the same way to chemicals.

Every year, tens of millions of animals are dissected, infected, injected, gassed, burned and blinded in hidden laboratories on college campuses and research facilities throughout the U.S. Still more animals are used to test the safety of cosmetics, household cleansers and other consumer products. These innocent primates, dogs, cats, rabbits, rodents and other animals are used against their will as research subjects in experiments and procedures that would be considered sadistically cruel were they not conducted in the name of science.

One of the biggest preconceptions concerning animal research is that human illnesses can be studied in another species. In reality, diseases vary from species to species. The scientific director of Huntingdon Life Sciences, one of the biggest drug and product testing labs in the world has estimated that the accuracy of using animals to predict the human effect is "between 5%-25%". Investigating diseases that infect humans in any species other than human is useless since pathogens and immune responses to them are species specific.

There are more reliable methods to predict the safety and effectiveness of drugs for people. These include in vitro (test tube) tests using human cells and tissues and sophisticated computer simulations designed to mimic human metabolism. Screening new drugs in silico (on computer) is now replacing many animal tests.

For more information please visit www.speakcampaigns.org/badscience.php/, www.navs.org, and www.vivisectioninfo.org. Also visit www.aesop-project.org/Anti-Vivisection_Links.htm for even more links!

15 April 2007: DNR Vote, Will Potter, Dan Mathews, Mod Demo, Pick of the Week: Egg-Free Salad

DNR Spring Conservation Congress Vote

The Department of Natural Resources’ Spring Conservation Congress Vote is approaching fast, have you made plans to attend???

The Department of Natural Resources helps shape laws in regards to hunting, protecting wildlife, and just about anything that has to do with the outdoors. There is currently a champion of animals on the Conservation Congress and with help... we can have more. What will it take to make it happen? We need numbers to show up at the vote. Any Milwaukee County Resident on our list NEEDS to be there. Make plans!!!

We'll be handing out voting recomendations for those who haven't had time to read up on all the issues. If you would like a forward of those recomendations in advance, let us know.

WHEN: April 16th, 7pm
WHERE: Greenfield High School Auditorium, 4800 S 60th St, Greenfield

Will Potter and the AETA

Ever wonder exactly what the Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act says? Ever wonder what it means to everyday activists? Ever wonder how it came about and is there more to the AETA then meets the eye? Well, now you have the chance to find out...

On Thursday, April 19th; Will Potter, an award-winning reporter based in Washington, D.C., who focuses on how the War on Terrorism affects civil liberties will be speaking. He is a favorite of many activists throughout the U.S. and we are very happy to be hosting him. You can learn more and preview what Will has to say at: www.greenisthenewred.com and www.willpotter.com

WHEN: April 19th, 3pm
WHERE: UW-Milwaukee, Union Room 260, 2200 E Kenwood Blvd

PETA's VP - Dan Mathews at Schwartz Books on Downer

Dan Matthews worked as a dancing tree in the Disneyland Christmas parade, a burger flipper at McDonald's, and a model and actor in Italy before earning a history degree from American University. Upon graduating, he took a job as receptionist at PETA and worked his way up for more than twenty years to become the group's vice president, charged with increasing awareness of animal rights through a variety of provocative campaigns.

From a man who has really changed the world, Committed: A Rabble-Rouser's Memoir is the inspiring, irreverent story of Dan Mathews. The incomparable public face of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) shares his unorthodox coming-of-age and outrageous career.

WHEN: Friday, April 20th at 7pm
WHERE: Schwartz Books on Downer, 2559 N. Downer Ave, Milwaukee

March of Dimes Demonstration

Please join AFA and CUFA in a peaceful demonstration at The March of Dimes annual fund raising walk to educate the public about the unnecessary and barbaric practice of animal experimentation.

Both animals and human babies are the losers, because every dollar spent to harm these animals is a dollar that could have -and should have been used to help people.

Signs and leaflets will be provided. For more information please visit www.marchofcrimes.com and for information on alternative caring charities, please visit www.humaneseal.org.

WHEN:Saturday, April 28, 2007 at 8:45am
WHERE: Meet at Alterra Coffee, 1701 N Lincoln Memorial Dr, Milwaukee

Pick of the Week: Effortless Easter Egg-Free Salad

Ingredients:

1 lb. extra firm tofu
3/4 tsp. dried dill weed
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. onion powder
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
1/2 tsp. turmeric
1 Tbs. lemon juice
1/4 tsp. dry mustard
2 green onions, including tops, minced
1 Tbs. fresh parsley, minced
1 stalk celery, diced

Directions:

Drain and rinse tofu.
Break into chunks and put into a food processor (If you don't have a food processor, break tofu into smaller chunks and put into a 3-quart mixing bowl).
Add seasonings and process until well blended, or mash with a fork until well blended.
Cook over medium high heat on stove for 12 minutes, transfer mixture to a bowl.
Add the vegetables to the bowl and mix well to distribute evenly. Chill before serving.

8 April 2007: Dr. Greger, DNR Vote, Will Potter, Pick of the Week: Write To The Editor

Dr. Greger is Only One Week Away!!!

Everybody's favorite vegan doctor is coming to Milwaukee in one week. He'll be speaking on his new book Bird Flu, A Virus of Our Own Hatching. You can learn more at www.drgreger.com

The talk will begin at 5:30pm on Sunday, April 15th. It will be an intense couple hours with the good doctor. Dr. Greger is one of our favorite speakers and does a great job conveying the message of the importance of a vegan lifestyle. Plenty of promotion can still be done for this event. If you like doing press releases, leafleting, or just calling everyone you don't know... let us know, we'll put you to work!

WHEN: April 15th at 5:30pm
WHERE: UW-Milwaukee, Union Room 181 2200 E Kenwood Blvd

DNR Spring Conservation Congress Vote

The Department of Natural Resources' Spring Conservation Congress Vote is approaching fast, have you made plans to attend???

We'll be handing out voting recomendations for those who haven't had time to read up on all the issues. If you would like a forward of those recomendations in advance, let us know.

WHEN: April 16th, 7pm
WHERE: Greenfield High School Auditorium, 4800 S 60th St, Greenfield

Will Potter and the AETA

WHEN: April 19th, 3pm
WHERE: UW-Milwaukee, Union Room 260, 2200 E Kenwood Blvd

Pick of the Week: Write a Letter to the Editor!

When you write letters to the editors of local newspapers instead of writing to just one person, you reach thousands! And it's easier than you might think. Read local papers and magazines for fuel for letters. Watch for articles, ads, or letters that mention animals. Some examples are ads for rodeos, circuses, and fur stores, articles about medical experiments and features about local humane groups or companion animal care. Letters don't have to be rebuttals. Circus in town? Noticing a lot of strays? Or use the calendar for inspiration: At Easter, tell readers why they shouldn't buy bunnies. On Mother's Day, remind your community of the animals whose babies are taken from them on factory farms. Write on good news, as well as bad. Thank the paper for its coverage of an anti-fur protest or for running profiles of animals available for adoption at shelters. Be brief! Sometimes one short, pithy paragraph is enough - try to stay under 200 words.

Editors are less likely to print long letters and often have strict guidelines. Be sure to use correct grammar and spelling, and remember to have it proofread. Make sure you include your name, address, and telephone number in your letter. Some newspapers verify authorship before printing letters.

Look for opportunities to write op-ed pieces for local papers. These are longer articles of about 500 - 800 words that summarize an issue, develop an argument, and propose a solution. Send the article to the Editorial Page editor. You can also write (or call) television and radio stations to protest glorification of animal abuse or to compliment them on a program well done.

25 March 2007: Meeting, Trailer Prep, Marv Potluck, Cufa Presents, Dr. Greger, Mock Meatloaf

Spring into the Spring with AFA-Thursday

With everything AFA has going on and all the decision making that needs to be made, we can't go without a meeting much longer. Our next meet, this Thursday will take place at our favorite hometown coffee shop: Brewing Grounds for Change.

At this meeting we'll be discussing our upcoming speaking events with Dr. Greger and Will Potter. We'll also be opening the table for a ‘tagline' for AFA to start using on our banners and such. Finally, we'll be discussing the future of AFA. Anyone that is interested in becoming an officer of the on campus group or as an interest in getting more active should consider attending.

WHEN: March 29th, 8pm
WHERE: Brewing Grounds - 2008 N. Farwell Ave. (just north of Brady St.)

Trailer Prep Party

Last summer AFA introduced a neat little toy that it had added to it's arsenal...a video trailer. The last time we had it out was at Free Fur Friday in late November. It's about time that we pull it out again, but it may need some work. Alliance for Animals will be holding a day of prepping the trailer and training of how to leaflet with the use of the trailer.

This will take place on April 1st at 12noon. It will be a fun couple of hours where you will have the chance to meet the video trailer, termed Activision by some of our members. So whether you have electrical skills or just some good ideas for the trailer, we would appreciate your help.

After working on the trailer there are many options. We will have the opportunity that day to leaflet, contact restaurants for the veg-guide, and attend the MARV potluck(see next event listing). It's looking like a busy day!

WHEN: April 1st, 12noon
WHERE: 2362 N Booth St, Milwaukee (Riverwest, Just north of North Ave).

M.A.R.V. Potluck, April 1st

M.A.R.V. (Milwaukee Area Resources for Vegetarians) will be hosting its monthly potluck for April on 4-1-2007 in Riverwest. M.A.R.V. has been around for a long time with not nearly the recognition it deserves. The group has consistently held vegetarian potlucks in the Milwaukee area for many years. So come on out with a dish and learn more about what they have going on. Visit www.marveg.org for more info.

WHEN: Sunday, April 1st, 5pm
WHERE: Friends' Meeting House, 3224 N. Gordon Pl. in Riverwest (from Humboldt Blvd., go east on Auer a few short blocks to the parking lot).

CUFA Presents Film Screening

Please join CUFA for their monthly film screening at Bay View Library. The April Film will be the award winning HBO documentary DEALING DOGS. This event is free and open to the public. The purpose of the screening is to bring attention to the systematic abuse of animals, both globally and locally, and the alarming extent of the problem

DEALING DOGS exposes the abuses that took place at one of America's most notorious Class B dealers - Martin Creek Kennel in Arkansas. Each year, 42,000 dogs are sold to veterinary schools and research labs by Class B dealers, who are required by federal law to buy the animals from pounds, shelters and small breeders and to treat them humanely. However, many Class B dealers routinely violate the law. Wisconsin Medical College obtains it dogs from Class B dealers.

Light vegan snacks will be served.

WHERE: Bay View Library, 2566 S. Kinnickinnic Ave., Milwaukee, WI 53207
WHEN: April 14th 2-4:00 pm

Dr. Greger is Only Three Weeks Away!!!

Everybody's favorite vegan doctor is coming to Milwaukee in three weeks. He'll be speaking on his new book Bird Flu, A Virus of Our Own Hatching. You can learn more at www.drgreger.com

WHEN: April 15th at 5:30pm
WHERE: UW-Milwaukee, Union Room 181 2200 E Kenwood Blvd

Pick of the Week: Mama's Mock Meatloaf

1 medium onion, diced
1/2 green pepper, diced (optional)
1/2 cup mushrooms. chopped
3 Tbsp. vegetable oil
2 packages beef-flavor Gimme Lean Beef
1/4 cup oatmeal, dry
2 slices bread, crumbled
3 Tbsp. ketchup
2 tsp. garlic salt
1 tsp. pepper

Coating ingredients:

1/4 cup ketchup
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp. dry mustard
1/2 tsp. nutmeg

Sauté the onion, mushroom and green pepper in the oil over medium heat until soft. Combine in a bowl with the ground beef alternative, oatmeal, bread, ketchup, garlic salt, and pepper. Thoroughly mix with a spoon or your hands.
Press the mixture into an oiled loaf pan. Cover with foil and bake at 375 degrees F for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, mix the ingredients for the coating and set aside.
Remove the loaf from the oven and turn it out onto a baking sheet. Spread the coating over the entire loaf. Cook, uncovered, for another 15 minutes.

18 March 2007: Wine Dinner, Vegan Meet-Up, Will Potter, AFA Future, Pick of the Week: Einstein

Vegetarian Wine Dinner, March 21st

Balzac Wine Bar on the EastSide (just off Brady) is trying something new. They will be holding a vegetarian wine dinner on March 21st starting at 6:30PM. This dinner is done in cooperation with Milwaukee's Beans and Barley. With advanced reservations, the dinner can be made vegan. Learn more at:

http://www.balzacwinebar.com/events/vegetarian-wine-dinner/view

WHEN: March 21st, 6:30pm
WHERE: Balzac Wine Bar, 1716 N. Arlington, Milwaukee, WI

Vegan Meet-Up: Bombay Sweets, April 7th, Noon

Ever wonder who attends these vegan meet-ups? Now you can find out:

http://vegan.meetup.com/401/calendar/5516690/

We set our own vegan meet-up site on Meetup.com. This allows us to get a better idea of who will be attending these events. We try to help out the places we visit by calling them in advance to let them know how many hungry vegans will be invading their eatery. If you don't want to start up a meetup.com account, still let us know if you plan on attending and we'll forward the info on.

WHEN: April 7th, Noon
WHERE: Bombay Sweets, 3401 S. 13th St., Milwaukee , WI 53215

Will Potter During Earth Week

You know about Earth Day, right? Well, a group of students at UW-Milwaukee decided that the Earth is worth much more then one day of recognition. Beginning April 16th, there will be FOUR full days of events at UW-Milwaukee focusing on the health of the Earth.

WHEN: April 19th, time TBA
WHERE: UW-Milwaukee, 2200 E Kenwood Blvd

Will Alliance for Animals Survive?

As with any organization that is based from a college, students are the lifeblood of the group. No Students=No Group. Alliance for Animals, regardless how active off campus this group is, it is essential a student group based out of UW-Milwaukee

AFA receives an office, funding, and a long list of other benefits from UW-Milwaukee. The 'Why Vegan?' pamphlets we hand out, the veg-guide that we are putting together, the speakers we bring to town...ALL made possible by UW-Milwaukee. This may all be in jeopardy of ending after this semester.

AFA, in order to stay active as a student group, needs four UW-Milwaukee students signed on as officers. The issue we are about to run in as a group is that we may not have four students in the Fall of 07 to step up and take control of the group. A role of an officer requires knowledge of the forms to be filed, attending funding meetings, and the ability to stand up for the group when under attack by the Allocations Committee.

This may seem like a lot of pressure, but the current officers have enough know how and confidence to deal with all this without losing a wink of sleep. The current officers will be able to train anyone interested in taking over the group. So if you are interested in continuing the legacy that is Alliance for Animals, UW-Milwaukee...LET US KNOW!

Pick of the week: Einstein was a Vegetarian!!

Albert Einstein once said, "Nothing will benefit human health and increase chances for survival of life on Earth as much as the evolution to a vegetarian diet."

The facts show that the world's biggest problems - disease, hunger, and environmental destruction - are closely linked to the practice of raising animals for food. With obesity rates at an all-time high and our natural resources dwindling away, the arguments for plant-based eating are getting harder to ignore.

In the United States alone, 1.3 million people are killed each year by heart disease, stroke, cancer, diabetes, and other chronic diseases, all of which have been strongly linked to diets high in animal products.

Each year, 10 billion cows, pigs, chickens, sheep, and other innocent, sentient animals are caged, crowded, deprived, drugged, mutilated, and manhandled in US factory farms. They are then hauled to the slaughterhouse and killed under atrocious conditions. Nine percent (over 850 million) never make it to the slaughterhouse, dying from stress-induced diseases or injuries.

Animal agriculture is more devastating to our natural environment than all other human activities combined. This devastation impacts land, water, air, and wildlife.

Global malnutrition is largely the consequence of inequitable distribution and waste of food resources. Only 10% of hunger deaths are attributed to catastrophic events like famine or war. Hunger is a complex problem, but non-sustainable practices related to animal agriculture exacerbate the problem, depleting cultivable land, topsoil, water, energy, and minerals.

For further information on these topics and a free vegetarian starter kit please visit www.meatout.org.

11 March 2007: PETA Demo, Video Trailer, Dr. Greger, DNR Vote, Spring Ahead

PETA Demo, March 29th

Typically we let PETA promote themselves with their heart and soul with and not worry about helping them out. We are making a rare exception this time around... just because we think it will be pretty darn cool to see happen.

PETA is currently looking for volunteers to participate in an upcoming Meat Tray demo happening in Milwaukee on Thursday, March 29th, from noon to 1 pm.

This attention-grabbing demo will feature 1 or 2 people lying in giant meat trays, sending the message that flesh is flesh no matter how you package it! This demo is a great pro-veg message and we would love for you to participate. If you are interested, please reply to this message with all of your contact information. If you don't want to be in the meat tray, we would still love your help with holding posters and passing out leaflets.

If you are interested in helping out, contact Melissa Karpel (Campaign Coordinator I International Grassroots Campaigns) 757.962.8381 or at

Video Trailer Prep Day, April 1st

This will take place on April 1st at 12noon. It will be a fun couple of hours where you will have the chance to meet the video trailer, termed Activision by some of our members. So whether you have electrical skills or just some good ideas for the trailer, we would appreciate your help. The place is yet to be decided but will most likely take place in Riverwest/EastSide in one of the parks. If interested in helping out, let us know!

Dr. Greger

Everybody's favorite vegan doctor is coming to Milwaukee. He'll be speaking on his new book Bird Flu, A Virus of Our Own Hatching. You can learn more at www.drgreger.com

The talk will begin at 5:30pm, but we are still trying to decide what to do surrounding that time. Traditionally AFA has held potlucks at our speaking events. Traditionally AFA has gone out to eat with the speaker after the event. We are looking for some ideas of what to do this time around. Break tradition??? Keep doing the same ol??? Tell us what you think. And while you are at it, why not help promote this event. Tell your friends, tell your family, tell anybody that you may or may not know. Dr. Greger is one of our favorite speakers and does a great job conveying the message of the importance of a vegan lifestyle.

WHEN: April 15th at 5:30pm
WHERE: UW-Milwaukee, Union Room 181 2200 E Kenwood Blvd

DNR Spring Conservation Congress Vote

The Department of Natural Resources' Spring Conservation Congress Vote is approaching fast, have you made plans to attend???

WHEN: April 16th, 7pm
WHERE: Greenfield High School Auditorium, 4800 S 60th St, Greenfield

Pick of the week: Daylight Savings Comes Early This Year

Okay. So this week's pick of the week may not have much (if anything) to do with animals, but it's important to all activists.

Daylight savings came 3 weeks early this year. If you haven't done so, please set your clocks ahead one hour.

4 March 2007: Earthlings Screening, DNR Spring Vote, SHAC7, AFA Representation, Pick of Week: Chili Bean Burgers

Free Sceenings of Earthlings in BayView

Please join Citizens United for Animals for their monthly film screening at Bay View Library. These screenings are free and open to the public. In March they will be screening Earthlings, the powerful and Award Winning Documentary narrated by Joaquin Phoenix and with music by Moby.

The purpose of the screenings is to bring attention to the systematic abuse of animals, both globally and locally, and the alarming extent of the problem. It is CUFA's hope that those so enlightened will feel compelled to take a greater interest in the welfare of all creatures on this planet, work for improved lives for all species, and forgo those practices and possessions which necessitate the suffering and killing of defenseless animals.

Light vegan snacks will be served.

WHEN: March 10th 2-4:00 pm
WHERE: Bay View Library, 2566 S. Kinnickinnic Ave., Milwaukee, WI 53207

DNR Spring Conservation Congress Vote

The Department of Natural Resources' Spring Conservation Congress Vote is appraoching fast, have you made plans to attend???

WHEN: April 16th, 7pm
WHERE: Greenfield High School Auditorium, 4800 S 60th St, Greenfield

The SHAC 7

Taken from www.shac7.com...

The SHAC7 are 6 activists and a corporation, Stop Huntingdon Animal Cruelty USA Inc., that have been found guilty of multiple federal felonies for their alleged role in simply campaigning to close down the notorious animal testing lab, Huntingdon Life Sciences. They are not accused of actually smashing windows, liberating animals or even attending demonstrations, rather reporting on and encouraging others to engage in legal demonstrations and supporting the ideology of direct action.

After being found guilty, with defendants facing up to 13 years in prison, they are beginning their appeal. Unfortunately this appeal will be done from prison. During their stay they need your support! Finances, spreading the word about their case, books, letters or just a friendly 'hello'! It just takes a few minutes to brighten the lives of political prisoners!

To learn more please visit www.shac7.com

Interested in Representing AFA at Funding Meetings?

There are several dates in the coming weeks that Alliance for Animals will be up for approval for funds for a variety of grants from UWM. Due to work, classes, famliy situations, etc...It has been difficult for AFA to have representation at these grant meetings. If you are willing to help out, the next grant meeting is on March 13th at 8:30pm. Email us at and we will fill you in on the details and let you know what you will need to do.

Pick of the week: Awesome Chili Bean Burgers

1 cup chopped onions
4 cloves minced garlic
2 teaspoons olive oil
1/2 cup peeled and grated carrot
1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 15 oz. can pinto beans, drained
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons catsup
1 1/2 cups rolled oats
salt and pepper, to taste

Sauté the onion and garlic in the oil for about 5 minutes until onions begin to soften. Add carrots, chili powder and cumin and cook on low heat for 5 minutes. Set aside.
Mash the beans in a large bowl with a potato masher or back of a fork. Add the mustard, soy sauce, catsup and the sautéed vegetables. Mix in the oats, salt and pepper to taste.
Moisten your hands and form the burger mixture into six patties. Lightly spray a nonstick skillet and cook the burgers on medium-low heat for 5 to 8 minutes on each side.
Serve on burger buns with the standard fixings or on a plate with your favorite veggies. Makes 6 servings

25 February 2007: Demo At MCW, MARV Potluck, Foster Parent, Foie Gras Campaign, Pick of Week: Faux or Dog

PCRM Demo at MCW, FEB 26th

Sixty dogs are slated to be used and killed in a live animal lab at the Medical College of Wisconsin (MCW) in less than two weeks. Please join activists from the area lead by PCRM members and physicians for a demonstration to save these animals on Feb. 26 the day the lab is scheduled to begin.

Caring people like you have called MCW and demanded that this cruel lab be stopped. More than 1,000 e-mails asking that humane alternatives be immediately implemented have been sent to the school. It's crucial that we continue to let MCW know that there is no justification for killing animals in the name of medical education. Please forward this e-mail to your friends and family near Milwaukee and ask them to attend the demonstration as well Please visit www.SaveMCWanimals.org to learn more about how you can help. If you have any questions, please contact me at or 202-686-2210, ext. 336. Thank you so much for your support.

WHEN: Mon., Feb. 26, 8:15 a.m. The lab is scheduled to begin on this day.
WHERE: North 87th St. at MCW's main entrance (between Watertown Plank Rd. and Wisconsin Ave.), Milwaukee

Parking: Please use public parking on Watertown Plank Rd. or other adjacent streets. Please carpool when possible

Signs will be provided. Please make sure to dress warmly. No RSVP is required.

MARV Potluck

M.A.R.V. (Milwaukee Area Resources for Vegetarians) will be hosting its monthly potluck for March on 3-4-2007 in Riverwest. M.A.R.V. has been around for a long time with not nearly the recognition it deserves. The group has consistently held vegetarian potlucks in the Milwaukee area for many years. So come on out with a dish and learn more about what they have going on. Visit www.marveg.org for more info.

WHEN: Sunday, March 4th, 5pm
WHERE: Friends' Meeting House, 3224 N. Gordon Pl. in Riverwest (from Humboldt Blvd., go east on Auer a few short blocks to the parking lot).

Become a Foster Parent

The Wisconsin Humane Society is seeking volunteers to foster animals in need of short term care before they're adopted. Especially with kitten season coming up, foster parents will be greatly needed soon. This is a great way for students to be involved in making a difference in animals lives. Given the commitment of students' busy academic and social lives, it isn't usually the optimal time to share their lives with an animal, but foster care can be a wonderful way to be involved and make a difference in animals' lives. It's a win-win situation.

If you are interested in being a Wisconsin Humane Society volunteer foster parent, see below:

Volunteer as a Foster Parent for puppies, kittens, dogs or cats in your home! The animals may be too young for adoption, may be recovering from an illness or minor injury or they may need behavioral training. Whatever the case, Foster Parents provide necessary care to animals in need by allowing them time to recuperate. This position requires a desire to nurture and train the animals. Foster animals may need to come back to the shelter for occasional check-ups until the animal is ready for adoption. The commitment for foster placement is normally for 2-7 weeks at a time. A staff member or volunteer will set up a time to meet in your home to discuss the program and to answer questions prior to your first placement. You will then be contacted as animals become available for fostering. In addition, all personal companion animals must be current on vaccinations.

If you would like to become a volunteer Foster Parent, call The Wisconsin Humane Society at (414) 431-6103 with any questions.

Foie Gras Campaign

Chicago has done it. Other cities are working on it. Why don't we???

Alliance for Animals would like to see foie gras banned in our wonderful city. What will this take? Well, a lot of hard work...beginning with some simple arm chair activism. We are looking for people who are elegant on the keyboard that may be willing to compose a letter that politely discusses the cruelty of foie gras and asks local restaurants to end their sale of it.

Over the last several months we have asked people on our reflector to send us places that are currently serving foie gras in the city. We have yet to contact any of these places, cause we would like to compose a letter as an organization that invites responses and discussion. So if you think you are suave enough on the keyboard...why not help us out!

Pick of the week: Faux or Man's Best Friend?!

Some 'fake fur' includes dog hair!! Fur valued at less than $150 is not required to be labeled so you can't really know for sure... The Humane Society of the United States recently said it purchased coats from reputable outlets, such as upscale Nordstrom, with designer labels - Andrew Marc, Tommy Hilfiger, for example - and found them trimmed with fur from domestic dogs, even though the fur was advertised as fake.

HSUS bought coats from popular retailers and then had the coats tested by mass spectrometry, which measures the mass and sequence of proteins, to determine what species of animal the fur came from. Of the 25 coats tested, 24 were mislabeled or misadvertised as faux.

Most of the fur came from China.... Raccoon dogs, who look like oversized, fluffy raccoons. Importing their fur is not illegal, but activists argue they are still a type of dog. This is an animal that is routinely killed by stomping them, or beating them, or skinning them alive, Video produced by Swiss Animal Protection and posted on the Internet shows raccoon dogs clubbed or slammed on the ground and some writhing, gasping and blinking as they are skinned alive. Whereas for thelast year, the only associations the media has made with fur are glamorous models on catwalks, in the last few weeks we have been reminded that fur is from once living breathing animals who were tortured for the product.

Although as activists, we like to support companies that offer compassionate alternatives to animal based products, in light of this new information, PLEASE carefully inspect all faux fur products and read the labels. If it seems to be too authentic to be true, you may be right. If you are in doubt - don't buy it and contact the manufacturer with your concerns.

For more information on the gruesome fur trade please visit www.furisdead.com

18 February 2007: Circus Demo, MCW Demo, Veg-Guide, Earthlings Screening, Dr. Greger, Carrot Cake

Tripoli Shrine Circus Protest, Feb 24th

Once again the Tripoli Shrine Circus is paying a visit to the Milwaukee area. One thing that the Shrine Circus is famous for is the (mis)use of the animals in their acts. The Shrine Circus prides itself on the use of wild and exotic "creatures" in their show. It is also known to those who have done their homework the Shrine Circus uses very little of the money it brings in for the stated uses. Very little money cause to the children and could be used for the legal problems it has run into such as employees getting arrested for using a computer to facilitate sex crimes, damages caused by panicking animals, and blatant cover-ups of the amount of money the circus losses in the production.

Learn more at: http://www.circuses.com/feat/shrine/

WHEN: February 24th, 1:30pm
WHERE: U.S. Cellular Arena, 412 W Kilbourn Ave,

Signs may be limited, so feel free to design and bring your own.

PCRM Demo at MCW - Feb 26

Signs will be provided. Please make sure to dress warmly. No RSVP is required.

WHEN: Mon., Feb. 26, 8:15 a.m. The lab is scheduled to begin on this day.
WHERE: North 87th St. at MCW's main entrance (between Watertown Plank Rd. and Wisconsin Ave.), Milwaukee
PARKING: Please use public parking on Watertown Plank Rd. or other adjacent streets. Please carpool when possible

Veg-Guide Update

For those of you who were not able to attend our last meeting, we are still trudging along with the Veg-Guide to Milwaukee. This weekend a couple of our activists hit up Brady St and some of N Farwell Ave interviewing restaurants in attempt to find out just how vegan friendly some of these places. Most establishments are very interested in proving their vegan friendliness, even when there may only be one dish on the menu that can be made vegan (after subtracting the meat and dairy).

The interview process will take the longest in the process of updating our guide. If you are interested in hitting up an area of town, let us know. We can supply you with the details how we are handling it and hopefully find another activist so you won't have to go at it alone.

FYI: Ethiopian Cottage on N. Farwell Ave is now open. Our hard working activists stopped in for a meal there last night and had nothing but good to report back. Ethiopian Cottage has done such a successful job in since its opening it has had a hard time keeping the kitchen stocked. So you know this place is everything Milwaukee has been dreaming of...

CUFA Presents: Film Screenings

Please join Citizens United for Animals for their film screening at Bay View Library. These screenings are free and open to the public. They will provide a wide range of informative and/or entertaining film selections that deal with animals and how they are viewed and treated in our society.

The purpose of the screenings is to bring attention to the systematic abuse of animals, both globally and locally, and the alarming extent of the problem. It is CUFA's hope that those so enlightened will feel compelled to take a greater inertest in the welfare of all creatures on this planet, work for improved lives for all species, and forgo those practices and possessions which necessitate the suffering and killing of defenseless animals.

Undercover TV Episodes # 46 and 47: Two part coverage of Earthlings, the powerful and Award Winning Documentary narrated by Joaquin Phoenix Light vegan snacks will be served. We Hope to see you there!!!!

WHEN: March 10, 2-4:00 pm
WHERE: Bay View Library, 2566 S. Kinnickinnic Ave., Milwaukee, WI 53207

Confirmed Date for Dr. Michael Greger

This is far enough of an advanced notice, so you better mark your calendars! Dr. Michael Greger has been booked to speak at UW-Milwaukee on April 15th, 2007. He'll be covering his new book ‘Bird Flu, A Virus of Our Own Hatching' which examines how the bird flu, mad cow, and other diseases are products of our own doing. You can learn more about Dr. Greger at: http://www.drgreger.org/.

We are planning on starting the talk at 5pm and doing a potluck in AFA tradition. We'll feed you more info as time gets closer, but for now, free up your Sunday on April 15th!!!

WHEN: April 15, 5pm (tentative)
WHERE: UW-Milwaukee (more details in a later post)

Pick of the Week: Perfect Vegan Carrot Cake

Ingredients (use vegan versions):

3 cup grated carrots
1 cup water
1/2 cups vegetable oil
1 1/4 cups maple syrup
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons ground allspice
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1 cup rye flour (really needs the rye flour)
1 cup wheat flour (can use white instead)
1 cup white flour
1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons salt

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Oil and lightly flour a 9-inch square-baking pan.
Mix carrot, water, oil, vegan maple syrup, spices and salt.
In a separate bowl combine and mix dry ingredients.
Add dry ingredients to the carrot mixture.
Mix until well blended.
Pour batter into baking pan and bake for 45 minutes, or until an inserted knife comes out clean.
Let cool, then frost or glaze.

Vegan Cream Cheese Frosting

1 tub Vegan Cream Cheese
1 cup Soy Milk
2 tbsp Vegan Margarine
1 cup Powdered Sugar

Combine all ingredients in a food processor or blender. Blend until smooth.

11 February 2007: Meeting, Meatout 2007, MKE Veggie Playgroup, Letter Writing List, Pick of the Week

In our last email we mentioned the Shrine Circus Demo being in March, we apologize. The demo will take place on February 24th (not March 24th). We are still working on a time for the demo, however.

Next Meeting

At our last meeting we decided on a few things. With our logo design finally being finalized (watch for it soon!), we are ready to get back to what we do best... spread the good word of veganism in Milwaukee. Something that is essential to vegan outreach is letting people know where to get some vegan grub! This next meeting will primarily focus on the next several steps to be taken in the update of our Veg-Guide to Milwaukee.

Also, getting back to AFA tradition... we will be doing one of our famous vegan potlucks at this meeting. If you have any new dishes you have been itching to attempt... this would be the time to give it a try. Whatever you decide to make, it MUST be VEGAN!

WHEN: February 12th, 2007 at 7pm
WHERE: UW-Milwaukee Student Union, 2200 E Kenwood Blvd, Room 340 (Take the elevator to the 3rd floor and room 340 is straight ahead, once you exit the elevator).

MeatOut 2007

March 20th brings with it the Great American MeatOut. Alliance for Animals is trying to think of something unique to do for this day. In the past AFA has done a brat fry, bake sales, outreach, etc... This year, we are open to suggestions.

Regardless what we end up doing we will need some help. If you are interested in helping out with this, or (preferably) attend our next meeting on Monday, February 12th.

To learn more about the Great American MeatOut visit: www.meatout.org

Milwaukee Vegetarian Kids Playgroup

Are you vegetarian? Do you have kids that you are raising as vegetarians? Or do you know somebody who is raising their kids vegetarian? If so, you may be interested in a group that our good friend Mohan has put together. ‘Veggie Kids Milwaukee' is a non-commercial, informal, unstructured, parent-run, Milwaukee-area playgroup where vegetarian and vegan parents and children can play, interact and forge bonds together. At the moment, they're just getting off the ground and are looking forward to your input and involvement to make this group what you want it to be. We'll start by meeting informally and having the kids play together. Later, we can get fancier or more structured if that's what we want. Please visit http://www.veggiekids.info/ and tell your friends with children!!!

Letter Writing List

Do you ever come across anything in the local papers or on the news that deserves the attention of local animal rights activists? Do you know the value of armchair activism? Do you feel more comfortable with composing letters and contacting local/state/federal officials rather (or as much) than going to protests?

Alliance for Animals may have the thing for you! For a long while now we have had our Letter Writing List Reflector. It is a special list (separate from our regular weekly reflector) that goes out to those who pay a little more attention to the news and happenings in the animal rights world. Most of the emails are sent from other activists in the area that would like a more rapid response than our weekly email we send out. It is the perfect thing for those of you who know (and enjoy) the effectiveness of armchair activism.

To learn more or sign up, let us know at

Pick of the Week: Free to a Good Home!

Death Sentence.

This is how some people see your giveaway pet: Free bait to train fighting dogs. Free fish bait. Free snake food. Free money from a research lab (like UW-Madison or the Medical College of WI). Free sacrifice for satanic rituals. Free animal for malicious pranks. Free animal to set on fire. Now you know why rescue groups and shelters ALWAYS charge adoption fees for pets, and why screening carefully for good homes is so important.

"Free" is all too often seen as "worthless" in the eye of the beholder. Please, don't offer your pets FREE to a good home and urge anyone else you know of making such an offer to please reconsider!!

4 February 2007: DNR Spring Vote, Shrine Circus Protest, Be an Officer, P.O.W.: Kale And Potato Soup

DNR Spring Conservation Congress Vote

This may be a little early, but based on what we will be capable of... getting the word out about the Department of Natural Resources' Spring Conservation Congress Vote is essential.

WHEN: April 16th, 7pm
WHERE: Greenfield High School Auditorium, 4800 S 60th St, Greenfield

Tripoli Shrine Circus Protest

Once again the Tripoli Shrine Circus is paying a visit to the Milwaukee area. One thing that the Shrine Circus is famous for is the (mis)use of the animals in their acts. The Shrine Circus prides itself on the use of wild and exotic ‘creatures' in their show. It is also know to those who have done their homework the Shrine Circus uses very little of the money it brings in for the stated uses. Very little money cause to the children and could be used for the legal problems it has run into such as employees getting arrested for using a computer to facilitate sex crimes, damages caused by panicking animals, and blatant cover-ups of the amount of money the circus losses in the production.

Learn more at: http://www.circuses.com/feat/shrine/

WHEN: March 24th, 10am or 2:30pm
WHERE: U.S. Cellular Arena, 412 W Kilbourn Ave, Milwaukee

UW-Milwaukee Students: Be an Officer for AFA

We are still looking for one or two more people who might be interested in getting a little more active on campus. The role of an officer with Alliance for Animals on the UW-Milwaukee campus can vary. Primarily it involves administrative roles. At the same time, it will give anyone interested in the role the chance to make decisions ions for the groups that will positively affect the group for years to come. If you are interested, just email us back at:

Pick of the Week: Kale and Potato Soup (Vegan Caldo Verde)

This is based on the classic Portuguese soup, Caldo Verde, frequently served in New England, and it's super yummy! (You can find Soyrizo at Jewel-Osco on Capitol Drive in the produce section.)

8 cups packed kales, shredded thin
4 cups un-chicken or vegetable broth
1 lb red potatoes
1 package of soy chorizo
1 1/2 cups chopped onions
3/4 cup sliced carrots
2 large russet potatoes
1/4-cup olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced

In a large pot, sauté the garlic, onions and carrot in the oil over moderately low heat, until vegetables are softened.
Add the russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces, the broth and 4 cups water. Bring the liquid to boil and simmer the mixture, covered, for 10 - 15 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender.
While the potatoes are cooking, cook the chorizo in some oil over moderate heat until browned (it will probably completely fall apart, but that is ok). When browned, transfer to a paper towel to drain.
With a slotted spoon, transfer the potatoes to a processor, add 1 1/2 cups cooking liquid and puree until smooth.
Stir the puree back into the broth mixture, add the chorizo, the kale and the red potatoes, cut into 1 inch pieces, and salt and pepper to taste. Simmer covered for 10 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender.
Enjoy on a cold winter day with bread!!

28 January 2007: Vegan Meet-Up, MARV Potluck, Next Meeting, Free Movie, P.O.W.

Vegan Meet-Up

Please join AFA for the February Vegan Meet Up-Milwaukee at Jewel of India. Whether you are a long-time vegan who wants to try a new place or a new vegan, curious, or just willing to try, you will not want to miss this awesome dining experience.

The subtle lure of well-blended spices, the wide variety of fresh flatbreads and even the nutty flavor of basmati rice all combined to make this exotic restaurant an ideal destinations for vegan diners seeking adventurous fare. The menu also includes delicious baked mild curries, vegetable fritters, and wonderful samosas. The daily lunch buffet offers a great chance to sample a large spectrum of the menu and is a great value at $7.95 and includes tea.

Please contact Kim at by Friday, February 2nd to rsvp.

WHERE: Jewel of India, 1003 N. Old World Third St., Milwaukee, WI 53203
WHEN: February 3rd, noon

Please view Jewel of India's menu at http://www.milwaukeefood.com/jewelofindia

MARV Potluck

M.A.R.V. (Milwaukee Area Resources for Vegetarians) will be hosting its monthly potluck for February on 2-4-2007 in Riverwest. M.A.R.V. has been around for a long time with not nearly the recognition it deserves. The group has consistently held vegetarian potlucks in the Milwaukee area for many years. So come on out with a dish and learn more about what they have going on. Visit www.marveg.org for more info.

WHEN: Sunday, February 4th, 5pm
WHERE: Friends' Meeting House, 3224 N. Gordon Pl. in Riverwest (from Humboldt Blvd., go east on Auer a few short blocks to the parking lot).

Next Meeting

WHEN: February 12th, 2007 at 7pm
WHERE: UW-Milwaukee Student Union, 2200 E Kenwood Blvd, Room 340 (Take the elevator to the 3rd floor and room 340 is straight ahead, once you exit the elevator).

Free Screening of An Inconvenient Truth at The UWM Union Theatre

After sharing an office with the College Democrats at UW-Milwaukee, we have grown to annoy the heck out of each other... as well grown to be buddy organizations. After some arm twisting, we agreed to do them a favor and announce a movie screening they are holding tomorrow (1-29-2007) evening at UWM. We still maintain we do not hold an affiliation with any political party however. We support the canidates that do the most good for the animals...

Al Gore's critically-acclaimed new film An Inconvenient Truth offers the best opportunity we've ever had to capture the immediate attention of all Americans and move this country forward quickly to stop global warming. While the problem is urgent, the solutions are clear, and with American ingenuity and leadership, we can avert disaster and restore the world's confidence in our values. Let's work together to make this movie a success, and turn the audience interest into action.

WHEN: January 29, 2007 at 6:45PM
WHERE: UWM Union Theatre (UWM Student Union - 2nd Floor), 2200 E. Kenwood Blvd.

Pick of the Week: Write a Letter to MCW

Have you ever wondered how many animals suffer in labs? It's a good question. Because there are so many animals in laboratories and records are not kept for all animals, estimates of the number of animals tortured and killed annually in U.S. laboratories vary widely but are in the millions.

Fortunately, the majority of medical schools in the United States, including Harvard, Stanford, and Yale, have replaced their use of live animals in physiology, pharmacology, and/or surgical-training exercises with humane and effective non-animal teaching methods (e.g., observation of actual human cardiac bypass surgery, patient simulators, cadavers, sophisticated computer programs, etc.).

However, a number of less progressive institutions continue to cut into and kill dogs and other animals in what can only be described as glorified sessions of bloody and useless show and tell. The Medical College of WI is one of the last few schools in the nation still using barbaric teaching methods in the classroom. Please ask Dean Michael Dunn to eliminate live animal labs from their curricula:

Medical College of Wisconsin
Michael J. Dunn, Dean
8701 Watertown Plank Rd.
Milwaukee, WI 53226
414-456-8213
mdunn@mcw.edu

21 January 2007: Meeting, Demo At WCM, Tabling, POW: Curry, Apology

Next Meeting

The Spring Semester at UW-Milwaukee is about to begin. There are a few things that AFA needs to discuss to prepare for a productive semester. Whether you are new to animal rights or just want to get a little more involved... this would a good chance to see what we do as a group. Not a UWM student? No problem! Our meetings are open to everyone along with everything we do as a group.

WHEN: January 24th, 8pm
WHERE: Brewing Grounds - 2008 N. Farwell Ave. (just north of Brady St.)

PCRM Demo at Wisconsin College of Medicine

Please join members of Alliance for Animals, Citizens United for Animals, Wisconsin Humane Society as well as PCRM members and physicians for a demonstration to save the lives of 60 dogs slated to be used and killed in a live animal lab at the Medical College of Wisconsin (MCW) next month. Signs will be provided. Please make sure to dress warmly. No RSVP is required.

It's crucial that we let MCW know that there is no justification for killing animals in the name of medical education. Please visit www.SaveMCWanimals.org to learn more about how you can help.

WHEN: Thurs., Jan. 25, noon
WHERE: North 87th St. at MCW's main entrance, Milwaukee

Parking: Please use public parking on Watertown Plank Rd. or other adjacent streets. AFA will be setting up a carpool from the Eastside/Riverwest areas for anyone interested in going. Just email us back at

Tabling at UWM

Have some spare time on Tuesday and Thursday during the late morning/afternoon? Alliance for Animals has the solution to fill that spare time! Beginning January 30th every Tuesday and Thursday through the end of the semester AFA is scheduled to table in the Student Union of UW-Milwaukee. We'll be starting off with general group and event promotion, then make the rapid transition into the issues we decide as a group we need to focus on. So, swing on by the table (located on the 1st Floor in the Atrium for a couple hours and learn to be a little more social.

WHEN: Tuesdays and Thursdays (starting January 30th) from 10am-3pm
WHERE: 2200 E Kenwood Blvd, First Floor in the Union Atrium.

Pick of the Week: Winter Parsnip Curry

Although similar in size and shape to carrots, parsnips are unique from their brightly colored cousins. With a distinctively sweet, nutty flavor, parsnips are root vegetables with an off-white golden color. A great vegetable to add to your cooking repertoire, the parsnip is a source of fiber, potassium, iron, and vitamin C. This Parsnip Curry is perfect for a warm, winter meal.

Ingredients:

½ cup onion, chopped
1 Tbs. vegetable oil
½ tsp. cumin
1 tsp. chili powder
1 ½ tsp. turmeric
½ tsp. cayenne (add more for desired spice)
½ cup water
½ tsp. salt
1 lb. parsnips, peeled & cubed
½ cup red or green peppers, cut into thin strips
¼ cup chopped peanuts

Directions:

Sauté onion in oil 5 to 8 minutes until golden.
Add spices and cook, stirring, for 1 minute.
Add water, salt, and parsnips.
Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer over low heat for 20 to 30 minutes until parsnips are tender but not mushy (sauce will become quite thick).

Garnish with pepper strips and peanuts before serving.

Apology from AFA

Dear Current and/or Former AFA supporters:

For a good portion of last weekend members of Alliance for Animals were in contact with PCRM in regards to setting up the demonstration at the Wisconsin School of Medicine. Late Sunday evening (after our deadline to send out our weekly email) we finally had confirmation to the exact date and time this demonstration was going to happen.

We released the information about the demo through various other outlets other than our weekly e-newsletter. Then shortly thereafter you received an email from Theresa notifying you about that upcoming demonstration. Some among you may not know who Theresa is and are concerned that you received unsolicited mail from her. We at AFA share your concern and we apologize.

Theresa is an animal lover who briefly worked with AFA, helping with the weekly email reminders that some of you are still getting. Although we changed the password to the account prior to her departure from our group, she had apparently acquired and retained for her own use - against AFA policy--the information about your e-addresses. Again, we apologize that this happened and that she didn't even use the Blind Copy option in her email.

If you have complaints about this, please direct them to her email account and block further messages from her. If you appreciate having been notified by her, feel free to let her know and ask her to keep you on her notification list.

AFA makes an effort to not clutter your mailbox with notifications beyond our regular Sunday mailing, although we become aware of different events of interest on an on-going basis. This is one of the reasons why we didn't send out our own extra notice about the PCRM protest. However, we felt the breach in our privacy protocol was worth discussing with you.

Sincerely,

AFA

14 January 2007: Meeting, Vegan Meet-Up, MARV Potluck, Shrine Circus, POW: Elephants Deserve Better

Next Meeting

WHEN: January 24th, 8pm
WHERE: Brewing Grounds - 2008 N. Farwell Ave. (just north of Brady St.)

Vegan Meet-Up Milwaukee

Want to know what the fastest growing social event for vegans in the Milwaukee area is? Clear your calendar for February 3rd starting at noon for a couple hours, then head on out to Jewel of India...

The subtle lure of well-blended spices, the wide variety of fresh flatbreads and even the nutty flavor of basmati rice all combined to make this exotic restaurant is an ideal destinations for vegan diners seeking adventurous fare. The menu also includes delicious baked mild curries, vegetable fritters, and wonderful samosas. The daily lunch buffet offers a great chance to sample a large spectrum of the menu and is a great value at $7.95 and includes tea.

If you are interested in attending, please contact Kim at by February 2nd.

WHEN: Saturday, February 3rd, 12noon
WHERE: Jewel of India, 1003 N. Old World Third St., Milwaukee, WI 53203