*The information
that follows is from PETA's website.*
The following product is made from animal:
"Aliphatic Alcohol
(See Lanolin and Vitamin A)
Laneth
(See Lanolin)
Lanogene
(See Lanolin)
Lanolin. Lanolin Acids. Wool Fat. Wool Wax
A product of the oil glands of sheep, extracted from their wool.
Used as an emollient in many skin care products and cosmetics
and in medicines. An allergen with no proven effectiveness. (See
Wool for cruelty to sheep.) Derivatives: Aliphatic Alcohols, Cholesterin,
Isopropyl Lanolate, Laneth, Lanogene, Lanolin Alcohols, Lanosterols,
Sterols, Triterpene Alcohols. Alternatives: plant and vegetable
oils.
Vitamin A
Can come from fish liver oil (e.g., shark liver oil), egg yolk,
butter, lemongrass, wheat germ oil, carotene in carrots, and synthetics.
It is an aliphatic alcohol. In cosmetics, creams, perfumes, hair
dyes, etc. In vitamins, supplements. Alternatives: carrots, other
vegetables, synthetics."
According to PETA, this is an animal-friendly company. "Those marked with a dot (·) meet the Corporate Standard of Compassion for Animals (CSCA). Those marked with an asterisk (*) manufacture strictly vegan products:
"*Abra Therapeutics, 10365 Hwy. 116, Forestville, CA 95436; 707-869-0761"
As you know, the
IPS is dedicated to bringing attention to charitable organizations
everywhere.
This Month's:
Physician's Committee
for Responsible Medicine
P.O. Box 96736
Washington, D.C. 20077-7541
With the technology we have today, animal tests are obsolete. They are neither accurate, nor humane, but companies continue to do it to save their own asses from law suits. Anyway, PCRM works to let people know about the superior alternatives of animal testing.
*This article is from one of the newsletters that The Nature Conservancy sends out to inform potential members about what they're doing. NH-LT-UMB-3*
"...Home for [the baby black-crowned night heron] is the Virginia Coast Reserve, the last intact fully functioning, barrier island ecosystem on the Atlantic coast. We are rescuing this, one of America's Last Great Places, through a coordinated plan of purchases and agreements...
"...In addition to black-crowned night herons in [VA,] we help provide homes for free-ranging bison in the Tallgrass Prairie. Black spectacled bears in Ecuador Chinook salmon in [CA]. Uakari monkeys in the Amazon basin. Sandhill cranes in [FL]. Marfays in Central America. And many, many more than I can I list here...
"...Each year, the U.S. loses 290,000 acres of wetlands--an area larger than half of our national parks...Those wetlands absorb contaminants and sediments from the water we drink, make a buffer against coastal flooding, and give safe haven to 600 wildlife species and nearly 7.000 plant species..."
If you would like to learn more, contact the Nature Conservancy:
The Nature Conservancy
4245 North Fairfax Drive
Suite 100
Arlington, VA 22203
http://www.NatureConservancy.org
Information is taken directly from the ICT website, which you should visit, if possible (http://www.savetibet.org).
"...Since 1997, the European Union has abandoned support for a China resolution at the Commission in favor...of a constructive dialogue on human rights. But the approach of dialogue alone has proved futile in stopping rights violations, let alone in fostering fundamental human rights progress.
"The Chinese government is currently conducting the most ruthless repression of dissent since the 1989 crackdown...Thus we are seriously questioning the substitution of quiet diplomacy for multilateral pressure as a way to effectively improve the human rights situation in the People's Republic of China.
"...Dialogue without pressure in the face of persistent gross violations of human rights is simply appeasement and degrades the authority of international human rights standards.
"The United States has already announced that it would support a resolution on China this year...it is of the utmost importance that the issue of human rights in China be taken up as a multilateral effort, and not be reduced to a topic of U.S.-China politics in accordance with its own aims in relation to Common Foreign and Security Policy, namely to develop and strengthen democracy and rule of law as well as human rights and fundamental freedoms (art. II EU Treaty), the European Union has a significant role to play.
"Although the main impetus for change will come from within China, we believe the international, multilateral pressure provides crucial leverage to those forces inside China that favor progress towards more respect for human rights. The European Union has asserted that the possibility of tabling a resolution would be re-examined every year, depending on the progress of the human rights situation in China. We firmly believe that there is sufficient indication that China has taken a radical step backwards in the realm of human rights. Thus we urge the European Union to support a China resolution at the 56th session of the U.N. Commission on Human Rights...
The following episode of a t.v. show is worth taping:
Saturday Night Live, hosted by Alan Cumming (aired originally on 2/5/00.) Alan Cumming, chameleon that he is, did a good job the whole show and looked really hot, but the best part was his monologue. They did all of these Broadway spoofs and ended with him singing a bit from Cabaret. Ooh, what that boy's voice does to me...It also had Jennifer Lopez as the musical guest if any of you like her, which I don't, but you know. Anyway, I figured that since Alan Cumming is Scottish, and that's close to Ireland, that this show would go w/our St. Paddy's theme. Plus, I just really like him.
Last month's quote was from David Letterman, The Late Show with David Letterman. First one to guess the source of this month's line wins a prize!
"I'm like a phoenix rising from Arizona!"
It's poetry time baby--pronounced a la Conan O'Brien, babeh. So sit back and enjoy some solid vibes. *Sound of fingers snapping*
"Oversleep"
This laboratory
heart
can pump my liquid heaven
But what will manufacture
my dreams: so suspended
--Sally
In Fight Club, directed by David Fincher, the three cops at the end are named 'Andrew', 'Kevin', and 'Walker'. Andrew Kevin Walker wrote the screenplay for Se7en, Fincher's best known film to date.
The following article
is a paraphrase of:
A firsthand report to the Editors. "Three Men On a Train".
Mysteries of the Unexplained. Pleasantville, New Yok: The
Reader's Digest Associated, Incorporated, 1982.
Now then, imagine some ominous mystery music in the background.
As usual, believe or don't folks.
"Three Englishmen traveling by rail in Peru, one day in the 1920's, found themselves to be the only occupants of their passenger car. Introducing themselves, they discovered that the first man's surname was Bingham, and the second man's, Powell; the third man was Bingham-Powell."
"Johnny Quest Thinks We're Sellouts" from Less Than Jake's Losing Streak. It's my favorite song, beside "Jen Doesn't Like Me Anymore" from the only LTJ album I have. Back in January, Scotty D. said the Song of the Month should either be "Sheep Go to Heaven" or something from Less Than Jake. I told him most of the songs have some sort of significance at the moment that I write the letters, so that was why "Never There" was the song. Then today,(it's Jan. 5) I was IMing him and he said bye so I signed off, then he wrote another message that I couldn't reply to because I was signing off of AOL so I feel really bad and this is my feeble attempt to make up for it. Please forgive me Scotty D. I don't know what I'd do if you quit bringing Jason over here during school holidays just so that you can make fun of my computer! :D
The Object of
Beauty
Directed by Michael Lindsay-Hogg
Starring Andie MacDowell and John Malkovich
I've figured something out. I've figured out that, if you wanna talk elemental similarities (and I KNOW you do!), cinema is like liquid: it must expand to fill its container. Well sometimes that container is just too damn big, and there's just enough to cover the surface, but it's a mighty thin layer. And sometimes it can be something extremely detestable, like castor oil or Diet Sprite, in which case this extends into an area known as "pushing the metaphor."
But my basic point is this: film-makers of the world, unite in opposition of making feature-length movies with thirty-minute sitcom plots. Object of Beauty looked promising because it has Andie MacDowell, who is just as cute and talented as a backflipping poodle, and John Malkovich, who always manages to make any role he's playing seem like the be-all, end-all of artistic expression. But the promise ended there. The plot is about a jet-setting couple in dire financial straights (I never really figured out what Malk's character was supposed to *be*). They decide to collect money for their pricey Henry Moore statuette, by either a) selling it or b) pretending to steal it and collecting the insurance. Well guess what? No really-get this-the statue actually GETS stolen. Didn't see that one coming, did you? You'd expect madcap hijinks to follow, one of those "they're on a collision course with wackiness!" deals, but this is a classy cast and it's a classy script, so therefore the premise falls really, really, unbelievably flat.
To its credit, as I mentioned before, it's the cinematic equivalent of Shakespeare in a shopping mall. And as we all know, Kevin Spacey has done that before, so hey, what's not to love? On the one hand we have John Malkovich who, once he looks back at this movie (if he wants to), will realize that the performance seems to be an exercise in self-mockery (there is one particularly ironic moment in which he remarks "how many times can they remake Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde?" The man made Mary Reilly during the 90's, as said fictional character(s)) (not that I'm putting Malk beyond self-mockery. Street date for BJM rental is May 2nd. Reserve your copy now.) And on the other hand we have Andie MacDowell, who could not really resemble a jet-setting high-class broad if she tried (I found it cute that her character was born in Pensacola, Florida, meaning I might have a chance at living in fancy hotels my entire life doing nothing but taking walks, ordering room service, and getting laid, after all. No really...that's about all that happens). Yet she pulls off the role with panache, at one point exclaiming in the *cutest* southern accent "Don't you yell at me!" She sounds like 'Alice' from The Critic.
For a 'comedy' it's insufferably bland. Or perhaps we've just been conditioned to accept Adam Sandler and Jim Carrey as the benchmark of 'funny', and therefore subtlety has been lost. I say who cares? The movie needs more monkey jokes. And even Dangerous Liaisons had a pratfall.
I couldn't finish watching, partly because I didn't care what happened and partly because Angela will kill me if she doesn't get this newsletter out soon. So if anyone has the stamina needed to watch this whole damn thing, tell me how it ends!
Usually, I'm bursting with ideas, so much so that I use one of the ideas on the current newsletter and start to write future articles months in advance because I am bursting full of ideas. Not this month. I have no idea what to write about here. Infatuation sucks because it blocks your already useless brain from receiving creative vibes to be channeled into IPS newsletters. Argh! Ooh, I know what rules! Those mini beany Sesame Street characters in Kellogg's cereals. I hate that they're made in China though. They're cute. So far, I have Grover (my favorite), Ernie, and Big Bird. Boy, I bet that little tidbit really excited you. Does the fun ever start?!
BPM did not send in his advice, so we don't have it this month. Sorry!
*New Column*
Dude and Chick of the Month:
Dude: Art Alexakis (Everclear.) He's pretty good man. He wears really cool clothes. What makes him really cool is that he used to be a druggie, but cleaned himself up and now speaks against substance abuse. He's also a loving father and husband so, he's just an overall great person. He's also good.
Chick: Mira Furlan. (Noel nominated her.) She was a Yugoslavian actress who was forced to come to America because of problems in her country. Her film/TV stuff includes Babylon 5 (Ambassador Delenn,) My Antonia (foreign mother.) She just finished a play last year, and also played Antigone and Ophelia. Though her US stuff is limited, her Yugoslavian filmography is lengthy.
Pisces (2/19-3/20) - So there's storm clouds
in your picnic basket and you're pulling sandwiches from a hole.
Reevaluate the situation before you declare yourself insane.
Famous Fish - Kurt Cobain (2/20/67), Anais Nin (2/21/03), Albert
Einstein (3/14/1879), & Michelangelo (3/6/1475)
Aries (3/21-4/19) - Chill, the lizard under your skin is nothing but your own humanity. Swill trickles down the royal cape.
Taurus (4/20-5/20) - Your once fractured bricks are healed. Remove the bandages and let them breathe.
Gemini (5/21-6/20) - A narcissist nips nectar while nibbling at nub and napping on narrow nerves.
Cancer (6/21-7/22) - Become accustomed to the saddening volume of your hell so white.
Leo (7/23-8/22) - Helen Keller makes it with Hollywood; the wacky mime makes it with a parking meter.
Virgo (8/23-9/22) - A lanky man wearing a plaid suit haunts your apple orchard.
Libra (9/23-10/22) - Don't scorch the tongue of the giving cow; you never know when a toaster might pop out of his butt.
Scorpio (1023-11/21) - This mo's castle has its flaws but the walls are rock solid and the alligators occupying the moat are quite friendly.
Sagittarius (11/22-12/21) - Though your winsome duck is closer to zenith than hell, you'll go the distance to make her laugh. Hint: She swoons over cherry sherbert and cucumbers.
Capricorn (12/22-1/19) - The key is finally in the eye of the beholder. Take a gander inside dude; this could be good.
Aquarius (1/20-2/18) - Your shockingly witty yellow pony escapes your purple yacht.
email:
Leave us comments, suggestions, and replies to contests. Let us know if you'd like a monthly column of some sort. We love member involvement at the IPS!
Thank you so very much Stephanie. She has once again donated much-needed trivia to our collection.
If you have your newsletter mailed to you, remember to send in your yearly fee of $1 to lighten the burden of printing and shipping. I swear I would never try to milk you for money, but all of this stuff comes out of my own pocket, so be a sport and send in your fee ASAP!
Don't forget that if you know somebody worthy of joining the IPS, let us know and we'll set them up with an application and stuff.
I hope you enjoyed this month's St. Patrick's Day version of the newsletter. Quick fact, St. Paddy's Day is my second favorite holiday. Bet you guys didn't know that. Bet you didn't care :P
FYI: According to my Kevin Spacey calendar, the Oscars are on the 26th.
I don't tend to make a big deal out of birthdays in the newsletters because for the internet members, I send out reminders, and only 3 members get these on paper, but On March 19, 2000, our CoFounder, CoPresident, Olga, will turn 19. Yea! Happy Birthday Olga Polga! Yea! Also, on March 20, 2000, Kristin, a print member, turns 19! Yea! Happy Birthday Kerlifrew! Yea! Whew, I don't know about you guys, but after that celebration, I'm too pooped to poop. Did I just say too much?
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