Paul Watson FOREVER

• Obama poster artist Shepard Fairey immortalized Sea Shepherd Captain Paul Watson with a print of his very own. Posters measure 18 x 24", are signed by Watson, and cost $55 each. Buy 'em at Obey Giant. PAUL WATSON CAN NEVER DIE.
• The California-based Animal Legal Defense Fund released its 2009 State Animal Protection Laws Rankings. (Old news? Yeah, sort of. Still worth reading? Totally.) ALDF ranked New York in the middle tier -- not laying down the law with the best or permitting certain atrocities with the worst. Illinois ranked highest and Kentucky lowest. Read the full report here (PDF).
• In other ranking news, the Humane Society gave the Obama administration a B- for animal protection. Full report right here (PDF).
• Ingrid Newkirk reminds us via Huffington Post why it's awesome to be vegan, and then she rhymes with food.
• Vegan Twinkies are BACK. No Whey! Kitchen is going to fill the hole left in your heart by the closing of Vegan Honey Bake Shop. No Whey! sells to restaurants and is taking private orders for a limited time.
• Karen Davis, president of United Poultry Concerns, will deliver her lecture "The Social and Secret Life of Chickens" at the New York Public Library's Mid-Manhattan branch on December 30. That's 40th Street and Fifth Avenue, 6th floor, 6:30 p.m. this Wednesday. BE THERE.
• Your average dog eats a LOT of meat, VegNews reminds us: "research teams found that a medium-sized dog consumes approximately 360 pounds of meat and more than 200 pounds of grain each year. The agriculture needed to sustain this kind of companion-animal diet emits twice the greenhouse gas emissions that come from driving an SUV 6,200 miles per year."
• MEANWHILE, Annalisa Lazzaro of NYC asks The Ethicist whether it's cool to feed her cat a vegetarian diet. Duh! And you've got to be resilient! If one vegetarian -- or better, vegan -- kitty food doesn't work out, try another one. Then try cooking for Mr. Pus. Why support animal cruelty or slaughter in any way if you can avoid it, right?
• Don't know what to do with your sad, leftover shepherd sticks candy canes? Vegan Cookies brings us this recipe for peppermint candy cane chocolate chip cookies AND shows us how to crush candy canes. Holiday anger issues: resolved.
• Cafe Blossom's UES location opened, so go there and eat everything.

• Farm Sanctuary isn't the only AR group seeking (matched!) donations by the end of the year. A Mercy for Animals supporter will match your gift, up to $25,000. MFA is fairly new to NYC; you can get familiar by checking out their awesome undercover work here (carefully, now--the footage is horrifying).
• We despise you, lobster-killing capitalist.
• Who doesn't love an end-of-year list? OK, some people shake and spit at the mere thought. But I like them! VegNews has compiled a list of the top veg stories of the decade. Kathy Freston posted a similar, top-10 list on The Huffington Post. What do you think? What are they missing?
• The New York Times posted an op-ed claiming plants are as deserving of consideration as animals. Sooooo smart, guys.
• Finally, get your bum over to Whole Foods next week and get $50 back when you spend $100 or more.

Ms. Moskowitz's recipes don't cause nausea.

[Out to Pasture has] a ton of animals to take care of this winter, including horses, cows, pigs and llamas, and could really use the cash right now!

I'll sign the books to whomever you like! And I will include a lipstick kiss for 10 bucks extra. Kidding. Sort of.

To get your signed book, send a PayPal to ppkshop@gmail.com and include the book(s) that you would like. If it's a gift, remember to include the recipient's address! And please let me know who to sign it to.

100% of the proceeds go to Out To Pasture and directly to the animals so order a book for everyone you know!

Shipping included, prices are:
Vegan With A Vengeance - 28
Vegan Cupcakes Take Over The World - 28
Vegan Cookies Invade Your Cookie Jar - 28
Vegan Brunch - 32
Veganomicon - 42

Image via VegNews

• Did somebody say VEGAN CHALLAH?  Oh yes, VegNews just did! It's going to be a good Hanukkah this year, Jews! (Is eggless challah possible?) Psst...I think I also heard them say "vegan gingerbread cookies." Who's up for a vegan gingerbread house bake-off? Hmmm?
• Farm Sanctuary reminded us to sign their Petition for the Pigs, a letter that asks President Obama to demand that the USDA extend legal protection to downed pigs. Yeah, um, did we all just assume that pigs were covered like certain other large mammals?
• Terry Hope Romero's vegan Latin cookbook Viva Vegan is available for pre-order on Amazon. See how dangerous—and hot—that knife makes her look?
• Metromix declared Dirt Candy's Amanda Cohen Chef of the Year. Amanda Cohen sounds like Samantha Cohen, which means THAT COULD TOTALLY BE ME ONE DAY.
• USA Today reported on school lunch standards: somehow less stringent than fast-food standards! Even KFC won't buy the chickens kiddies are eating as chicken plywood nuggets.

• Jonathan Safran Foer and food critic Frank Bruni talked food and sex at the JCC. Yowza!
• Babycakes founder (but y'all knew that) Erin McKenna shared baking tips and (probably delicious) samples at the 92Y. Did you go? What'd you think?
• CNN did a segment on this Humane Society (visually and aurally graphic!) video of downer pigs.
• New restaurant reviews on Blockheads (Midtown East), Angelica Kitchen, and Willie's Dawgs.
• Slate's Prudence advised a vegan on hosting her family for holiday meals. (Yeah, go with your gut, Boston! DO NOT CAVE.)
• Finally, we showed you how to make meatballs your grammy would approve of.