We visited the Cruelty Free Shop on the weekend. They had a few things I had not seen before, like vegan marshmallow mix, vegan lube? and vegan spray-cream in a can. I suppose it was worth the trek through Freo just to see their range of Cheezly products, just once. We have tried Toffuti in sliced form before, it doesn't hold its form too well so the slices are a bit creepy, more like a paste but it is great for burgers. I was excited to try this new "roll" of cheese, something I could grate or slice, and guaranteed to melt and be great on pizzas according to the shop man. It seems vegans rave about the Cheezly products, I've read forums where people are happy they have found this wonderfully vegan cheese and their search is over thanks to Cheezly.

I disagree with the Cheezly fans. After giving it a really big chance, I have decided that I can't stand cheezly, in any form. In fact, it's really yukky. I think there is a reason why cheese is made from the yukky animal stuff: nothing else can be the same or even close when it comes to making vegan cheese. I would rather live a cheeseless life than eat this cheezly gunk. Yes I admit, the Edam style Cheezly does melt better than other cheesly cheeses and it makes pizzas look great, but it tastes even pongier when heated. So, there it is, my Cheezly review. Don't bother with cheesly. Yuck. Eww yuck.

We also found ourselves searching through the Chinese shop. I had woken up that morning with yellow curry on the brain and bought all of my spices there in bulk and dirt cheap. I have been living off curry lately and thought it was best I try and make my own. Yes, my first ever curry was a success! Photo proof is below:

The find of the day was definitely a can of Vegetarian Mock Duck. I had heard of this product, but never thought I'd ever buy any! It took me a couple of days to be brave enough to actually open the can, but I researched my mock duck and realised that it wasn't as scary as I first thought. I have learnt lots about my mock duck, also known as wheat gluten, seitan or my personal favourite: wheat-meat. More information on seitan can be found here.

The possibilities are endless with seitan! The photo below shows the amount of duck from my can, more than enough for a couple of dishes of whatever. Don't forget to rinse your duck first.

Meanwhile, wasn't the moon was strange the other night?

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We were raised to think of cow’s milk as a perfect food. The National Dairy Council advertises that “milk is natural” and if you don’t drink milk, the council will tell you that your bones will become brittle and your strength will fade due to a lack of calcium. Many people out of fear make dairy products a staple of their diets. Knowledge is a killer of fear. The more you know the less you fear. Drinking milk will not make you big and strong, nor will it prevent osteoporosis.

Cows do not drink cow’s milk. Calves stop drinking cow’s milk between the ages of six to eight months. Humans are the only species that drink the milk of another animal. You will never see a kitten drink milk from a goat, or a doe drink milk from a bear. However, we have been conditioned to think that we must drink milk from cows and we are told to drink milk from cows. We are told that we must drink cow’s milk for the rest of our lives.


No adult animal continues to drink milk after they are weaned. We, as humans, drink milk from an adult animal that do not drink their own milk after they reach 7 months of age. Would you drink milk from lactating women? When asked this question, many people frown in disgust. Human milk is made for human consumption for a specific period of time. It has the appropriate nutrients dedicated to building and maintaining our bodies.

After 22-24 months, humans no longer need their mother’s milk. So why are we still drinking cow’s milk as adults? Not to mention giving it to our children. Cow’s milk is meant to turn a 200-pound calf in to a 2,000-pound cow.

The biggest problem with cow’s milk is that the protein in the cow’s milk damages the human immune system. Amino acids, the units that make up proteins, are building blocks for all living cells. When amino acids in our food are properly broken down by the digestive system into protein, it does no harm to the immune system. Protein from milk, however, is absorbed into the blood fully indigested, provoking an immune response. Repeated exposure to these proteins disrupts normal immune functions and may eventually lead to diseases.


Dr. Akilah El, Ph.D., N.D.

Thanks to Celestial Healing for this information.

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"When you look at the comparison between herbivores and humans, we compare much more closely to herbivores than meat eating animals. Humans are clearly not designed to digest and ingest meat.

Meat-eaters: have claws
Herbivores: no claws
Humans: no claws

Meat-eaters: have no skin pores and perspire through the tongue
Herbivores: perspire through skin pores
Humans: perspire through skin pores

Meat-eaters: have sharp front teeth for tearing, with no flat molar teeth for grinding
Herbivores: no sharp front teeth, but flat rear molars for grinding
Humans: no sharp front teeth, but flat rear molars for grinding

Meat-eaters: have intestinal tract that is only 3 times their body length so that rapidly decaying meat can pass through quickly
Herbivores: have intestinal tract 10-12 times their body length.
Humans: have intestinal tract 10-12 times their body length.

Meat-eaters: have strong hydrochloric acid in stomach to digest meat
Herbivores: have stomach acid that is 20 times weaker than that of a meat-eater
Humans: have stomach acid that is 20 times weaker than that of a meat-eater

Meat-eaters: salivary glands in mouth not needed to pre-digest grains and fruits.
Herbivores: well-developed salivary glands which are necessary to pre-digest grains and fruits
Humans: well-developed salivary glands, which are necessary to pre-digest, grains and fruits

Meat-eaters: have acid saliva with no enzyme ptyalin to pre-digest grains
Herbivores: have alkaline saliva with ptyalin to pre-digest grains
Humans: have alkaline saliva with ptyalin to pre-digest grains

(A.D. Andrews, American Hygiene Society, 1970)


Clearly if humans were meant to eat meat we wouldn't have so many crucial ingestive/digestive similarities with animals that are herbivores.

"I wonder by what accident and in what state of mind the first man touched his mouth to gore and brought his lips to the flesh of a dead creature, set forth tables of dead, stale bodies, and ventured to call food and nourishment the parts that had little before bellowed and cried, moved and lived. How could eyes endure the slaughter when throats were slit and hides flayed and limbs torn from limb? How could his nose endure the stench? For the sake of a little flesh we deprive them of sun, of light, of the duration of life to which they are entitled by birth and being."

Plutarch, Roman Author

We weren't meant to eat meat. Meat and seafood putrefies within 4 hours after consumption and the remnants cling to the walls of the stomach and intestines for 3-4 days. Furthermore, the reaction of saliva in humans is more alkaline, whereas in the case of flesh-eating or preying animals, it is clearly acidic. The alkaline saliva does not act properly on meat.

All omnivorous and carnivorous animals eat their meat raw. When a lion kills an herbivore for food, it tears right into the stomach area to eat the organs that are filled with blood (nutrients). While eating the stomach, liver, intestine, etc., the lion laps the blood in the process of eating the dead animals flesh. However, eating raw or bloody meat is disgusting to us as humans. Therefore, we must cook it and season it to buffer the taste of flesh.

If a deer is burned in a forest fire, a carnivorous animal will NOT eat its flesh. Even circus lions have to be feed raw meat so that they will not starve to death. If humans were truly meant to eat meat, then we would eat all of our meat raw and bloody. The thought of eating such meat makes one’s stomach turn. We as humans are conditioned to believe that animal flesh is good for us and that we were meant to consume it for survival and health purposes. If we are true carnivores or omnivores, cooking our meat and seasoning it with salt, ketchup sauce etc, would disguise it and we as humans would refuse to eat our meat in this form.

Meat is not good for you as it clogs your thinking. Excessive intake of fats into your body can result in having a high level of cholesterol. If you think that not eating meat is going to make you look scrawny or unhealthy think again. Just imagine that cows, goats, gorillas, elephants, rhinoceroses and so on are all vegetarians but look at how tough these animals are, not to mention their life span which is longer compared to the meat eating animals.

There are a lot of misconceptions about being a vegetarian; protein is one of the main topics of debate as a lot of people think that you can only get protein from meat. Vegetarians get a lot of protein, from a variety of fruits, vegetables, grains and legumes. What vegetarians don't get is the excess protein of traditional American diet, excess that leads to kidney overload and mineral deficiency diseases.

“You are what you eat”, is a slogan that I love to use to show the mental aspect of vegetarianism. When animals are slaughtered, fear and aggression enzymes are shot into their cells from their glands and other organs, just as in humans, and are part of the dead carcass that goes on to the food store. They remain in the meat until the consumer ingests those same enzymes, which are molecularly very similar to those found in humans. Fruits and vegetables do not release any emotions cells prior to digestion. The enzymes within fruits and vegetables supply the body with sufficient nutrients that will always uphold a healthy state of mind.

Colon cancer is rampant! This is caused by the slow evacuation and the putrefaction in the colon of the remains of meat. Lifelong vegetarians never suffer from such an illness. Many meat eaters believe that meat is the sole source of protein. However, the quality of this protein is so poor that little of it can ever be utilized by humans because it is incomplete and lacks the correct combination of amino acids, the building blocks of protein. Studies show that the average American gets five times the amount of protein needed. It is a common medical fact that excess protein is dangerous, the prime danger being that uric acid attacks the kidneys, breaking down the kidney cells called nephrons. More usable protein is found in one tablespoon of tofu or soybeans than the average serving of meat!

Meats are frozen for a long period of times. Some meat (especially poultry) is frozen up to two years. Cold temperatures do not kill all species of bacteria. Worse than this, as it is shipped and stored, most frozen meat is thawed and refrozen many times. This is almost unavoidable.

A meat eater not only takes in the animal cells and fats, etc. but also the waste products, e.g. chemical food stuff fed to the animals, drugs injected into the animal in the slaughter house, and the intoxicants, coloring and tenderizers sprayed on the dead animal by the market suppliers.

Hamburgers are made from Cow with the four D’s: Dead, Dying, Disabled, or Diseased.

Meat eaters suffer more frequently from various types of food poisoning than vegetarian eaters, so much so that statistics show that every American has had food poisoning on at least one occasion. When you've felt ill, had diarrhea, or were just a little sick to your stomach, no doubt you had not the slightest idea that you had been poisoned by scavengers living off the dead carcass you just ate.

There are far more benefits to becoming a vegetarian then there are becoming or staying a meat eater. As a meat eater, I was constantly sick, tired, and overweight. As a vegetarian, I am healthy, full of energy, and maintaining a perfect weight. I love being a vegetarian and it shows. From my past experience and research, going vegetarian is the best thing anyone can do for their mind, body and spirit."


Just some of the fantastic information I found at Celestial Healing.

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Boy am I full! I had the most delicious lunch today! We were so excited to find yesterday that a One World Cuisine restaurant was opening up in our area, we couldn't wait for lunch time. Frankie was doing her happy dance all day.


One World Cuisine is a fully vegan restaurant which operates with the 'pay what you feel' concept. Apart from the many health benefits, eating far less meat and dairy or eating none and adopting a full vegetarian or vegan diet is one of the cheapest and most effective ways of mitigating climate change. (Livestock emissions account for 51% of greenhouse gasses!)

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This kind of stuff shits me. During the weekend I was so tired of seeing this advertisement on television I have decided to dob on Kellogg's and send it on to Sociological Images.

Nutri-Grain ads have been around for years, and have always been aimed at boys growing into big strong iron men. This advertisement states, "Boys need Nutri-Grain for growth and muscle development."

I guess eating Nutri-Grain wouldn't be beneficial to me as I am a girl - and this is clearly a boys only breakfast cereal.

Could you ever imagine a cereal advertisement promoting muscle growth for women? I think we all know the Special-K commercials: they are all about 30 day challenges to slim your waist-line. No mention of "growth" or "muscle development" to be found there.

Nutri-Grain is not a healthy breakfast, anyone with a brain would realise that. This cereal is so full of sugar that their claims of "growth and muscle development" are entirely false. How is it that big brands are allowed to get away with misleading and sexist advertising stunts like this?

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One of my hobbies is tracing my family history. I have been tracking all sides of my family for many years now and have a tree almost the length of my driveway of my mother's side. My father's side had always been a difficult project. My grandfather was never very helpful, he couldn't remember any details or dates. My father avoided the subject, probably not wanting to remember the part of the tree he had created as it was a mess of tangled branches.

Today was one of those lucky days. I had a breakthrough. I discovered my father's great-great-grandmother died after committing suicide. She hung herself from the clothesline in the outside toilet.

I was also surprised to discover my father's grandmother (my nanna's mum) was diagnosed with schizophrenia in her early thirties. I was always told my grandmother was an orphan, not quite. Instead her mother spent the last 40 years of her life in Graylands mental hospital.


Everything makes so much sense to me now.


The following article written on Wednesday Jan 14, 1891 is an excerpt from “The Free Press” and chronicles the suicide and subsequent inquest into the events, of Jane mother of 8 and wife of Patrick, on the morning of Saturday Jan 10, 1891. Surnames and places have been changed or removed.

Many residents were horrified, and for a time excitement reigned supreme and a little or no business was done. People were anxious to find out all possible particulars of the sad occurrence, and any person thought likely to be in possession of information was besieged with questions. The news proved to be alas, too true, as inquiries were found that a woman named Jane, wife of Mr Patrick, had committed suicide in a most deliberate and determined manner, by hanging herself in a water closet.

The events surrounding this tragic event are peculiarly painful. Jane was a hale and hearty woman, in full possession of health, strength, and vigour. A woman, who although was 49 years of age, was certainly in the prime of life, and who had she allowed nature to take its course, might have lived for many years to come. By her ruthless act, however, she has deprived her family of maternal support at an age when the advice and guidance of a mother is most needed, and has plunged them suddenly into sorrow and affliction of the direst description.

The unfortunate woman appears to have been indulging rather to freely in drink during the Christmas holidays, and had apparently been drinking on Friday last, as when one of her daughters visited her on that evening she was not quite in her right senses. On being remonstrated with by her daughter, she became angry, and while in that state said "I will not be a trouble to anybody much longer." Unfortunately no thought was entertained that she would soon put her thought into execution. On Saturday morning Jane arose as usual, but was suffering from a bad head, and to use her own words "felt sick all over." A woman named Mrs Emma who had been assisting the deceased to do some washing and ironing, made her a cup of tea, and after partaking of it, the deceased seemed better. Both women commenced ironing, and continued at this work until about ten o’clock. At about this time Mrs Emma had occasion to leave the room at which they were working, and during her absence the deceased went out of the house, evidently for the purpose of taking her own life.

On returning Mrs Emma missed the deceased, and asked her son, William, a boy of about 18 years of age, where his mother was. He replied he did not know, and Mrs Emma told him to see if she was in the closet. The boy went, and there found his mother hanging by a clothes-line from one of the rafters. He then went and told Mrs Emma that his mother had hung herself and that she was dead. Mrs Emma went to the place at once and saw the deceased hanging by the neck. She states that she sent the boy to bring a knife to cut the rope. This, however, the boy did not do, and states that he did not hear Mrs Emma say to do so. Instead of returning the boy began screaming, and ran down the street to tell his father and sisters.

Strange to say, Mrs Emma made no further effort to save the unfortunate woman’s life, but returned to the house and waited there till the deceased’s husband arrived, and that’s in face of the fact that assistance could have been procured within a short distance of the place. Mrs Emma states, and it can readily be believed, that she lost her presence of mind, but she did not carry out her first intention of cutting the rope is strange indeed.

The rope with which the deed was committed was a new clothes-line and the deceased fastened it securely to one of the rafters. There was a running noose at the end, and the unfortunate woman must have stood on the seat to fasten it round her neck, and then jumped off. When found her feet were just touching the floor, but no doubt the rope stretched a little as she was a heavy woman. When cut down by the Constable and others life was quite extinct, and although everything possible was done to restore animation it was without avail. The deceased leaves a widower and eight children, and unfortunately they are in anything but affluent circumstances.

During the day large numbers of persons visited the scene of the tragic occurrence, and sincere sympathy was felt and expressed for the deceased’s daughters, who are respectable and industrious girls, at present in service in the town.




An inquest on the body of the deceased, Jane was held on Saturday afternoon, before the district coroner . The following evidence was addressed:-

Patrick, a labourer, deposed that the deceased was his wife, she was 49 years old; he last saw her alive at a quarter to six that morning; she was then in bed and in her usual state of health; deceased used to take a glass of beer now and again and when she did a days hard work; she never took too much to drink; he was told about half past ten by his son that his wife had hanged herself in the water closet; witness went home at once, and found her in the water closet with a rope around her neck, hanging to the rafters; the rope was a new clothes-line, like the one produced; witness assisted to cut deceased down; she was then dead; deceased has left 8 children; she never drank to excess; witness had heard her say she would take her life; she said she would do so on several occasions; she said so on the previous night; witness thought she was only joking; he had told her to keep quiet and not have any rows with the children.

To the Police: The only reason witness could assign for the deceased committing suicide was the incidence, and disobedience of one of her daughters.

To the Foreman: Witness had no dispute with his wife on the previous night, she did not tell him she was going to commit suicide; he only heard her say it to one of the girls.

Mrs Emma: deposed that she was a widow; she was washing with Jane on the previous day at deceased’s house, she was also ironing with her in the morning; about ten o’clock witness noticed Jane out of the house, and asked Jane's little boy where his mother was; he replied “over in the little house” he said “Mother’s hands are getting cold” witness went over to the closet and noticed Jane hanging to one of the rafters by a clothes-line like the one produced; witness sent the boy for a knife to cut her down; the boy did not return but ran for his father; witness then went inside, and stopped there until Mr Patrick came; witness had not the presence of mind to cut deceased down; witness thought deceased alive when she saw her first; only Jane’s hands were that cold; witness saw deceased the previous night, she was then slightly under the influence of drink; deceased had no drink in witness’ presence; deceased had no drink that morning; deceased sent her son for some drink that morning but he did not get it; witness had never seen deceased under the influence of liquor until the previous night; witness made deceased a cup of tea that morning and told her it was better than drink; deceased was always a jolly woman; witness never heard her threaten to commit suicide; deceased was angry with one of her daughters on the previous night, it was not a serious quarrel; deceased was going to beat her daughter for giving her insolence, but witness did not let her do so.

William, a boy of 12 years old, son of deceased; deposed that he resided with his parents ; that morning Mrs Emma told him at about 10 o’clock to go and see where his mother was; witness than went and looked in the water closet; he saw his mother there; she was hanging against the wall; she was hanging by a rope like that produced; he felt her hands and they were cold, and he thought she was dead, witness then went and told Mrs Emma that his mother was dead; witness did not hear Mrs Emma tell him to go for a knife; witness then went for his sister Mary, and to the for his sister Jane and then for his sister Hannah; witnesses’ father was at home when he returned; witness slept in the same bed as his mother on the previous night, but was not awakened by his mother, nor did he notice anything wrong with her; witnesses’ father slept in another room; he generally did so; witness heard a row between his sister Hannah and his mother; witness went to the closet to look for his mother because Mrs Emma told him to do so.

Mrs Emma recalled: Witness heard deceased say she would commit suicide and that lead her to watch deceased; witness told her not to do so; deceased said her head was not right; deceased had been drinking beer; she only had sixpence worth as far as the witness knew, but she might have had more; deceased was very ill that morning, and wanted more to drink, but she would not get it.

Richard, a boy about nine years old said his mother sent him for 1/- (one shilling) worth of pale brandy that morning; he went to Mr Rice’s for it, but did not get it; he had not the money; he got 6d (six pence) worth of beer on the previous day, and paid for it; that was all he got; he did not go for drink very often.

Hannah, daughter of the deceased, deposed that she resided with her parents; witness went home about half past nine on the previous night; her mother was then at home; her mother was not drunk, but was not in her usual senses; she had a bottle of hop beer which she had bought at Mr Smalls; witness thought that she had been drinking and told her so; her mother then got angry and had some words with witness; during the altercation deceased said she would not be “a trouble much longer to anybody;” witness did not believe she would commit suicide and did not take any notice of the threat; witness had heard her say the same thing once or twice before; witness saw her mother in bed about a quarter past six that morning, but did not speak to her; her mother was sick all night, and was sick that morning; witness did not notice anything particularly wrong with her; witness did not see her mother again until she was dead; deceased had been drinking at Christmas time, and had also been drinking during the last three or four days.

To a juror: It was only when her mother had some drink in that she threatened to do away with herself.

Constable Noble deposed that about half past ten that morning he heard that Mrs Emma had hung herself; he went at once to her residence; he there found deceased hanging in the closet by the rope now produced; with the assistance of two others he cut the rope and let the body down; deceased appeared to be quite dead at the time; they carried the body into the house and tried to restore life by artificial means, but without avail; Drs Fisher and Wilson then came and examined deceased and pronounced life extinct; witness knew nothing of the deceased previous habits.

The jury found the following verdict:-

“That the said Jane, on the 10th day of January, 1891 died from suffocation caused by hanging and that her hanging was her own act.”

The deceased was interred on Sunday, the body being taken for internment.




On Saturday morning last when it became known that the unfortunate woman, Mrs Jane, had hung herself, and that her family were in destitute circumstances, Mr Nelson, who is at present on a visit to the town, started a subscription list to assist the family and bury the deceased.

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Today we made an impromptu visit to the BEACH in an attempt to cross some things off my 101 in 1001 list. We have been to the beach only once in the last decade and that visit involved alcohol... and night time. It wasn't as painful as expected, the beach hasn't changed much! At first the water was really cold, but once we were in the water was the warmest place to be. We had fun collecting shells and building sand castles. At one point a dry Frankie told me I could push her in the water, so of course I did. I thought the beach was a squishy place, soft sand and all that, but as I pushed her in, she managed to find the only rock on in the water.. and fell on it. She scraped her knee and dropped the biggest shell of the day in the process, poor crumpet.

We chose a nice spot to dump our bag, near a sign so we could find it later. Then I read the sign and realised that the nice little spot I had chosen was right next to a big scary stormwater drain pipe. I don't remember signs like these last time I was at the beach. So there are warnings for us not to go swimming while the drain is in operation. What about the fish???? They are telling us this water will make us sick, yet we pump it into the ocean!

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