I received this press release from Farm Sanctuary this morning:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:
Tricia Barry, Farm Sanctuary, 607-583-2225 ext. 233,
tricia@farmsanctuary.org

Farm Sanctuary Issues Statement on the Swine Flu Outbreak

Gene Baur: “Factory farms are…a prescription for disaster”

WATKINS GLEN, N.Y. – April 28, 2009 – Farm Sanctuary, the nation’s leading farm animal protection organization, today issued a statement from Gene Baur, president and co-founder, regarding the current global outbreak of swine flu originating in North America:

“For more than 23 years, Farm Sanctuary has warned that cramming thousands of animals into factory farms is not only bad for the animals. These stressful, filthy, disease-ridden confines are also bad for humans. Animals packed by the thousands in unnatural conditions suffer immensely and these unhealthy, overcrowded operations are a breeding ground for disease. For too long, agribusiness and the USDA have failed to adequately address animal and human health risks – swine flu, avian flu, MRSA, e-coli, salmonella, mad cow disease – the list goes on. Factory farms are nothing less than a prescription for disaster.”

Through its Anti-Confinement Campaign, Farm Sanctuary is urging the introduction and passage of legislation that would eliminate the use of some of the most common confinement systems in place on factory farms – gestation crates for breeding pigs, battery cages for egg laying hens and veal crates for calves. The organization is also urging passage of federal bills H.R. 1549 and S. 619 that would eliminate the use of sub-therapeutic antibiotics on factory farms. More information on pending legislation can be found at http://www.farmsanctuary.org/issues/legislation/.

Note: Photos and video b-roll footage of pig factory farms from Farm Sanctuary investigations are available by request. Please contact media@farmsanctuary.org.

About Farm Sanctuary

Farm Sanctuary is the nation’s leading farm animal protection organization. Since incorporating in 1986, Farm Sanctuary has worked to expose and stop cruel practices of the “food animal” industry through research and investigations, legal and institutional reforms, public awareness projects, youth education, and direct rescue and refuge efforts. Farm Sanctuary shelters in Watkins Glen, N.Y., and Orland, Calif., provide lifelong care for hundreds of rescued animals, who have become ambassadors for farm animals everywhere by educating visitors
about the realities of factory farming. Additional information can be found at farmsanctuary.org or by calling 607-583-2225.

This week, Shane, Jonathan, and Mike will welcome Joe Buchman back, to report on his time at the recent X-Conference. The conference was reported on by a wide range of media sources, but Joe’s inside look will be the most honest you’ll find. Also, Danielle Bays, the Farm Sanctuary Advocacy & Outreach Manager, will be on to talk about the recent swine flu cases, and the effects of factory farming.

Links for the show:

http://farmsanctuary.org/
http://www.paradigmresearchgroup.org/X-Conference2009/X-Conference2009.htm
http://thepeopleofearthapologize.com/

The live feed can be heard this Wednesday, 4/29 at 8:30 PM CDT at this link:

http://www.talkshoe.com/tc/20976

This week Shane and Jonathan, joined by Mike Fairman, had Michael Giuliani, Executive Director of Choose Responsibility, an organization promoting the lowering of the drinking age from 21 to 18. The topics ranged from prohibition, to federal coercion, to sensible solutions to allowing 18-21 year olds the right to consume alcohol. It was an interesting show about a movement that might just be gaining some momentum in an age where people are starting to resist federal interference in their lives.

Episode Links:

http://www.mevio.com/episode/152298/Choose+Responsibility
http://m.podshow.com/media/17755/episodes/152298/thelibertariandime-152298-04-26-2009.mp3

Show Links:

http://www.chooseresponsibility.org/
http://www.amethystinitiative.org/
http://www.kcfreecycle.org/2009/04/22/featured-adoptables-thelma-louise-the-parakeets/

One of the worse commentators on CNN has to be Roland Martin, and this week he did nothing to change my mind. I don’t want to rehash the whole Miss USA gay marriage answer debacle. If you’re against gay marriage, you might be thrilled at the answer Miss California gave, even if she sounded as inarticulate as she did. If you’re for gay marriage (or rather against state sponsored discrimination when it comes to marriage), you were probably appalled by both her answer and Perez Hilton’s douchey demeanor afterwards. Personally, I think beauty pageants are idiotic, and Perez Hilton is a lowlife purveyor of celebrity gossip trash.

However, it did indeed make news, so I’ve had to listen to a lot of gabbing about it on CNN. Today I noticed a commentary on how he appreciated the honesty of her answer (http://bit.ly/GWiQC). He defends her by comparing her position to Hillary Clinton, Bill Clinton, Barack Obama, and Joe Biden, calling them the four of the biggest liberals in the country.

Yeah, whatever, Roland. I’m sure if she had said “The Bible tells me the races shouldn’t mix, so I’m against interracial marriage” you would be smiling and celebrating her honesty. Please. You’d be calling her a small minded racist Republican emblematic of the continued race problems in the United States. Because of your own religious beliefs, however, you’re just smiling and thanking her.

Look as a libertarian, I don’t think the state should have anything to do with marriage, however, that pipedream isn’t going to happen. The state has been in the business of regulating marriage too long to go back, so gays should have the right to marry, period. I don’t care what anyone’s particular translation of a 2,000 year old arbitrarily chosen set of fictional books says, gays have the Constitutional right to be treated equally under the law. If you don’t like that, well, you have some soul searching to do, because it was just two generations ago that people used the Bible to argue against interracial marriage, and even just interracial dating. As repulsive as that sounds now, I hope opposition to gay marriage sounds as repulsive when I’m old and gray and long retired.

Reference:

http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/04/22/martin.miss.california/index.html

This week for the upcoming show, Shane and Jonathan will be speaking to Michael Giuliani, Executive Director of Choose Responsibility, an organization promoting the lowering of the drinking age from 21 to 18.

Update: Mike Fairman will be sitting in on third mic.

From their website:

Choose Responsibility is a non-profit organization founded in 2007. Following a 2004 op-ed in the New York Times titled “What Your College President Didn’t Tell You” President Emeritus John M. McCardell Jr. of Middlebury College was approached by the Robertson Foundation, a foundation interested in investigating the consequences of the 21 year-old drinking age. The Effects of the 21 Year-Old Drinking Age: A White Paper was completed in September 2006 after more than a year of writing and research by McCardell and a team of assistants. Upon the report’s positive review, McCardell received additional funds to start Choose Responsibility.

Michael Giuliani bio from the website:

Choose Responsibility is pleased to introduce Executive Director Michael Giuliani. Mike brings a career of experience in public policy and governmental affairs to the [CR] team and is a proven and effective leader. Prior to his appointment as Executive Director, Mike served as Chief of Staff to Congresswoman Sue Kelly, a position he held for six years. As Chief of Staff, he was key strategist and policy advisor as well as director of three offices and a $2.3 million campaign budget and $1.3 million Congressional budget. Mike also founded the Majority Accountability Project, a news website that offered original reporting and political commentary. Earlier in his career, he held leadership roles with the Health Insurance Association of America, the National Republican Senatorial Committee, and with former Senator Alfonse D’Amato’s office. Mike is a graduate of the University of Maryland, and currently resides in Annapolis, MD with his wife and two children.

Check out http://www.chooseresponsibility.org for more details.

Live show on 4/22 at 8:30 CDT:

http://www.talkshoe.com/tc/20976

This week Shane and Jonathan added Josh Brady on third mic to discuss taxes on both the day tax returns were due and while “Tea Parties” were being “celebrated” all over the country. While it’s clear that the Tea Parties had been co-opted by Republicans, the idea behind the rallies themselves came from libertarian minded people over a year ago. Mike Fairman reported live from the Atlanta Tea Party and was able to provide some insight as the mood and personalities of the rally. It was noted how shoddily CNN covered the rally as well.

Episode Links:

http://www.mevio.com/episode/151517/Tea+Party
http://m.podshow.com/media/17755/episodes/151517/thelibertariandime-151517-04-19-2009.mp3

Show Links:

http://www.atlantateaparty.net/
http://newsbusters.org/blogs/noel-sheppard/2009/04/16/what-cnn-didnt-show-roesgens-chicago-tea-party-interviews

This week Shane and Jonathan will be talking about the Tea Party movement sweeping across the nation this April 15th. There will be at least one report from a Tea Party, as Mike Fairman will be contributing live from the Atlanta Tea Party. Don’t miss a great show, this Wednesday at 8:30 PM CDT.

Live Feed:

http://www.talkshoe.com/tc/20976

This week Shane and Jonathan added show fan Mike Fairman as a third mic to sit in on this week’s news discussions. The discussions ended up focusing mainly on health care and ways to solve it in this country. A very deep discussion, in fact, on a very important topic.

Episode Links:

http://www.mevio.com/episode/150809/And+then+there+were+three
http://m.podshow.com/media/17755/episodes/150809/thelibertariandime-150809-04-12-2009.mp3

Show Links:

http://www.kcfreecycle.org/2009/04/08/featured-adoptables-abigail-the-white-calico-cat/

This week Shane and Jonathan add show fan Mike Fairman as a third mic to sit in on this week’s new discussions. One quarter of the year is already in the books, and there is lots to talk about.

Live Feed (8:30 PM CDT)

http://www.talkshoe.com/tc/20976

This week Shane and Jonathan once again had friend of the show, Dr. Joe Buchman, on to give us an update of what he’s been working on and what he will be working on in the near future. Since the last show he was on, Joe has started a new job, and is, at the time of this show, preparing for the X Conference in Washington, DC, which occurs this April 17th through the 19th. It was an interesting show as always, covering a wide swatch of topics from education to alien life to veganism.

Episode Links:

http://www.mevio.com/episode/149899/Joe+Buchman+returns!
http://m.podshow.com/media/17755/episodes/149899/thelibertariandime-149899-04-04-2009.mp3

Show Links:

http://www.wgu.edu/
http://www.paradigmresearchgroup.org/X-Conference2009/X-Conference2009.htm
http://thepeopleofearthapologize.com/