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If you live in the EU, you might be interested in signing this petition (please note you can do so anonymously).
The Government wish to further regulate Herbalists by bringing them under state control, protecting both the function and title of a Herbalist. Alongside this regulation they wish to change the Herbal Medicine laws again to prevent anyone, other than a state regulated herbalist (or possibly other health professional), from prescribing herbs.

This, coupled with a previous change to our herbal medicine laws, will take Herbal Medicine away from the people, with state regulated Herbalists and pharmaceutical companies claiming Herbal Medicine as their own.
http://www.gopetition.co.uk/online/26781.html
Please pass this link and information onto as many people in the EU (patients, family, friends, practioners, MP’s, MEP’s, media) as possible.

Thank you, Chris.

I’m not sure if you’ve heard, but there’s a movement of citizens inspired by the presidential campaign who are now submitting ideas for how they think the Obama Administration should change America.  It’s called “Ideas for Change in America.”

The Ideas for Change in America competition was created in response to Barack Obama’s call for increased citizen involvement in government. The final round of voting began on January 5 and is comprised of the top 3 rated ideas from each of the 30 issues in the first round of the competition, which collectively received more than 250,000 votes.

One idea is titled: Vegan school lunch options. I thought you might be interested in getting involved and recommend you check it out.  You can read more and vote for the idea by clicking the following link:

http://www.change.org/ideas/view/vegan_school_lunch_options

This idea is currently in 16th Place and needs 1082 more votes to be part of the final 10 ideas presented at our event in Washington, DC

The top 10 rated ideas from the final round will be presented to the Obama administration on January 16th at an event at the National Press Club in Washington, DC, co-hosted by the Case Foundation. At the event we will also announce the launch of a national advocacy campaign behind each idea in collaboration with our nonprofit partners to turn each idea into actual policy.

The top 10 ideas will be supported by a national lobbying campaign run by Change.org, MySpace, and more than a dozen leading nonprofits after the Inauguration.  So each idea has a real chance at becoming policy.

Good thing the Organic Consumers Association is on this stuff…

Obama plans to nominate Tom Vilsack as Secretary of Agriculture.  Vilsack is known for supporting Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs) or factory farms and for promoting genetically engineered crops and animal cloning.
The Organic Consumers Association has organized a petition for all concerned citizens to join their call to action and block Vilsack’s confirmation as the next Secretary of Agriculture. Please help them reach their goal of 100,000 petition signatures against Vilsack’ nomination.
Sign today!

http://www.organicconsumers.org/vilsack.cfm

While it may not really change things until the year 2015 when it goes into effect (an eternity away for those animals who suffer), Prop 2 in California is a major step in working towards improving the lives of the most unhappy animals.

Thanks to all of you who worked hard to get the proposition on the ballot. Thank you also to the big contributors, like Farm Sanctuary & The Humane Society, and of course, thanks to all of you in California who voted!

Below is a statement from the hard-working group behind this initiative.

California voters say YES! on Prop 2
(Nov. 4, 2008) – Voters in California approved an historic ballot measure to halt the inhumane confinement of animals on factory farms by an overwhelming margin. As of 11 PM PST, Prop 2 was leading 62% to 38%.

“California voters have taken a stand for decency and compassion and said that the systemic mistreatment of animals on factory farms cannot continue,” said Wayne Pacelle, president and CEO of The Humane Society of the United States, the primary back of the YES! on Prop 2 campaign. “All animals deserve humane treatment, including animals raised for food.”

Proposition 2 ends the practice of confining certain animals raised for food in crates and cages so small the animals can barely move. Prop 2 requires that factory farms provide enough space for animals to stand up, turn around and extend their limbs. It applies to breeding pigs, egg laying hens and veal calves. Prop 2 goes into effect in January of 2015, giving factory farms six years to shift to different housing systems.

The YES! on Prop 2 campaign received donations from 25,000 individual contributors across the country. Thousands of volunteers worked to collect signatures, distribute campaign literature, and rallied to get out the vote for Prop 2.

Prop 2 attracted support from a broad coalition of organizations and leaders, including the California Veterinary Medical Association, United Farm Workers, State Humane Association of California, the Center for Food Safety, and the Consumer Federation of America, to name a few.

The opponents of Proposition 2 – agribusiness companies from throughout the nation – spent $9 million to try to defeat the ballot initiative.

Source: http://www.yesonprop2.com

Listen to this wonderfully informative audio clip of Nader’s position on factory farming  and animal abuse: You won’t hear it from the bias ed media so it takes research to find out info of this type:

On Sep17, a video of an exchange made between a presidential candidate and an animal  was posted online and shown on widespread news programs.

The video features Ralph Nader and Cardozo, the parrot.  Mr Nader’s tone towads Cordozo is refreshingly very respectful in nature containing no hints whatsoever of  condescention.

You can check out Brooklyn Parrots.com favorable review of the video  at :
http://www.brooklynparrots.com/2008/09/parrots-and-politics-ralph-nader-speaks.html