Sunday, August 29, 2010

      
2010: The time has come when Turkey must rejoin the rest of the world in its treatment of animals





A man approaches a stand in front of İstanbul’s prestigious Galatasaray High School located on İstiklal, the busiest no-traffic street in town walked by tens of thousands daily, and inquires what the people on the other side of the stand are doing.

They explain their purpose in opening up a stand on İstiklal speaking in lay terms, “We are gathering signatures to make animal rape a crime.” The man eyes them suspiciously. “You don’t get my signature ‘cuz I don’t believe in your cause!” he exclaims, and explains himself: “Why do you think it should be a crime? Sex with animals is normal in Anatolia. I did it myself in my own time. But look, now I am a school teacher.” He walks away from the stand leaving behind four or five animal-rights activists led by Turkish television and theater actor Tuna Arman completely aghast.

Arman and several volunteers who joined her after she announced her cause on Facebook and other social networking sites are organizing a 50-day sit-in, to begin on Aug. 15, to appeal to lawmakers to amend the penalties imposed for raping, torturing or maiming animals. They are also making an effort to announce to the country that this is not an animal rights issue, but a highly social one that concerns humans as well. The emphasis on safety of the society in defending justice for animals is more than apt in a country where people who teach your children at school can overtly brag about their past sexual escapades with donkeys, justify their own zoophilia as culturally normal and even customary and get away with it.

Currently injuring or killing in animal is not punishable under the Turkish Penal Code (TCK), but is treated as a misdemeanor, and is subject to penal laws under that category. If you murder an animal, if you are caught, you can walk away a free person and an unrecorded menace to society just by paying a fine (anywhere between TL 70 to TL 300, depending on if the animal had an owner). The word “unrecorded” is key here, as misdemeanors are not registered on one’s criminal record. In other words, a dog rapist could be your friend whom you invite to your house to hang around your kids, your employee (or employer) or an acquaintance and there is no way you could know. Arman and her supporters are trying to get legislators to change that, emphasizing the threat to society caused by people who harm animals.

In fact, there is an animal rights website that makes the point clearer for lay people and that has a quite morbid chart that lists well-known violent offenders and their known acts of cruelty against animals prior to harming humans. According to the list, Michael Cartier, the murderer of Kristin Lardner, an art student he dated for a while, pulled rabbits’ legs out of their sockets when he was just 4 years old and threw a kitten through a closed window. Henry Lee Lucas, who killed his mother, his wife and several others, killed animals and had sex with their corpses. Christine Falling -- who had killed five children and elderly man by the time she was 19 -- killed cats to see if they did have nine lives as a child. Ted Bundy is also on the long list too, as he grew up witnessing acts of animal cruelty by his grandfather.

Public reaction

As of Friday, the group had collected 35,000 signatures in less than two weeks of collecting signatures for four hours a day. Although the protestors get the occasional deviant who thinks and openly says it is “OK” to rape an animal, people overall have been supportive. “We get 2,500 signatures on the worst days,” says Arman. One of the volunteers says the number of daily signatures can be as high as 7,500.

Although certainly, they have not been as supportive as one would hope. “Some people approach the stand, and they turn around saying ‘I don’t care’ when they hear the word animals.” Arman says this is exactly why Turkey needs stricter laws punishing those who inflict pain on animals. Since a portion of society, although not a large section, doesn’t see animals as worthy of having rights, we need good laws to ensure justice for animals until every part of Turkish society is informed.

This is why, at least for now, emphasizing the risks posed by violent individuals feeding their urges through torturing animals is crucial. It is also a fact that study after study has shown an undeniable correlation between animal abuse and child abuse. Although overstated, it is a fact that most serial killers start their careers by butchering innocent animals.

Animal cruelty and violence

According to a classic study conducted by DeViney, Dickert, & Lockwood in 1983, frequently cited by animal rights groups, child abuse and animal cruelty are strongly correlated. The study surveyed pet-owning families with substantiated child abuse and neglect and found that animals were abused in 88 percent of homes where physical child abuse was present. Another study on women seeking shelter at a safe house showed that 71 percent of those having pets affirmed that their partner had threatened, hurt or killed their companion animals. Another study found that offenders incarcerated in maximum-security prisons were significantly more likely than nonviolent offenders to have committed childhood acts of cruelty toward pets (Merz-Perez, Heide, & Silverman, 2001). Scientifically speaking, society is taking a huge risk by letting acts of animal cruelty go unchecked.

State Minister Hayati Yazıcı, Arman informed us, also signed the petition, which will be sent to the Prime Ministry and the Justice Ministry at the end of the campaign. “We are also trying to schedule a meeting with the prime minister,” Arman said. Volunteers in 11 other provinces are also collecting signatures.

Arman’s stand will be in front of the Galatasaray High School until Oct. 4, known in Turkey as Animal Day. She and the other protestors collect signatures between 3 p.m. and 7 p.m.

29 August 2010, Sunday – Barış ALTINTAŞ, İstanbul
   

Tuesday, August 24, 2010

    
I'm Dyeing !!!

It all started with a surprise gift from Marie-Louise, a dear friend in Belgium, an out-of-print book on samplers accompanied with a few metres of hand-dyed silk floss.

 


I had long wanted to experiment dyeing fibre and this beautiful, shiny little string triggered the neglected appetite of mine :) I was lucky to find a few powder colour dyes and bought two ( Khaki and Jean Blue ) while in town and zoomed home for the very first and curious journey of dyeing! The result - in my opinion - was glorious :)



The second trial was with one of the powder dyes that I had since 30 years that I had used for my batik then. I chose colour red to go with the blue above but was not very happy with the combination and re-dyed the reds by pouring the same blue over and the result was rewarding :) I thought I would get a nice purple hue but to my surprise it was a beautiful shade of brown!


And a nice view of the three musketeers :)


With the uncontrollable speed of enthusiasm, I dyed the white muslin dress that I have been wearing all summer long ... I was very much impressed with the result and especially happy to see that my new dress went very well with the Indian scarf that I had bought years and years ago and had embroidered the edges with beads myself then :)




You see, I have been quite busy despite the unbearable heat here ... My dyeing adventure continues with one last project and that is dyeing with Tang though not much of colour choices/flavours here ... We do not have Kool Aid here and I was curious to see the result with edible dyes! Got cherry, peach and orange. Peach and orange turned out to be very close in colour. I used Pure by the Knit Box, a luxurious 100% pure blend of Turkish 80% merino and 20% mohair :)







By the way, the Knit Box will have a stand at the " I Knit Weekender " in London ... Figen dear, I would have loved to be there with you!
                   

Friday, August 13, 2010

   


Minia

Beginning of 2010, I had hopes to start a series of mini samplers. Minia is one of them ... One of the three that I had managed to finalize then ... My favourate of the three ... So, it gets the honour to be exposed, used and abused for a very good cause :)

Anyone who likes this design of mine and is willing to get a FREE copy, please SIGN the petition announced below. Then, get in touch with me to inform of the name used for the petition and the e-mail where you want the pattern to be sent.

The pattern will again be presented as a PDF file and as long as there is a demand, will be sent at the end of each day ( my day which is GMT +2 ).

Am looking forward to your contribution for this noble cause!

   

Wednesday, August 11, 2010

   
Bazılarınıza çok zahmet olacak ama, HAYDİ pamuk eller TIK TIKLAYIN bakalım!


TC 5199 sayılı

HAYVANLARI KORUMA YASASI

değişikliği için DİLEKÇE
    

Tuesday, August 10, 2010

   


...animals have not been as critical to the advancement of medicine as is typically claimed by proponents of animal experimentation.
Moreover, a great deal of animal experimentation has been misleading and resulted in either withholding of drugs, sometimes for years, that were subsequently found to be highly beneficial to humans, or to the release and use of drugs that, though harmless to animals, have actually contributed to human suffering and death.

Jane Goodall 'Reason for Hope', 1999


Once you look into the list of companies below by PETA, you will see that you are contributing to this crime with at least one product available at home now. I am HORRIFIED to see today that I have been sponsoring these criminals for years and years. About time we all look into what we're buying and from whom!


COMPANIES THAT DO TEST ON ANIMALS

Frequently Asked Questions

Why are these companies included on the 'Do Test' list?

The following companies manufacture products that ARE tested on animals. Those marked with a  are currently observing a moratorium (i.e., current suspension of) on animal testing. Please encourage them to announce a permanent ban. Listed in parentheses are examples of products manufactured by either the company listed or, if applicable, its parent company. For a complete listing of products manufactured by a company on this list, please visit the company's Web site or contact the company directly for more information. Companies on this list may manufacture individual lines of products without animal testing (e.g., Clairol claims that its Herbal Essences line is not animal-tested). They have not, however, eliminated animal testing from their entire line of cosmetics and household products.
Similarly, companies on this list may make some products, such as pharmaceuticals, that are required by law to be tested on animals. However, the reason for these companies' inclusion on the list is not the animal testing that they conduct that is required by law, but rather the animal testing (of personal-care and household products) that is not required by law.

What can be done about animal tests required by law?

Although animal testing of pharmaceuticals and certain chemicals is still mandated by law, the arguments against using animals in cosmetics testing are still valid when applied to the pharmaceutical and chemical industries. These industries are regulated by the Food and Drug Administration and the Environmental Protection Agency, respectively, and it is the responsibility of the companies that kill animals in order to bring their products to market to convince the regulatory agencies that there is a better way to determine product safety. PETA is actively working on this front by funding the development and validation of non-animal test methods and providing input through our involvement on government advisory committees at both the national and international levels. Companies often resist progress and, instead of using human-relevant non-animal tests, choose to use animal tests because their results can be manipulated. Let companies know how you feel about this.

Arm & Hammer (Church & Dwight), P.O. Box 1625, Horsham, PA 19044-6625; 609-683-5900; 800-524-1328; http://www.armhammer.com/

Bic Corporation, 1 Bic Way, Ste.1, Shelton, CT 06484; 203-783-2000; http://www.bicworld.com/

Church & Dwight (Aim, Arm & Hammer, Arrid, Brillo, Close-up, Kaboom, Lady's Choice, Mentadent, Nair, Orange Glo International, Oxi Clean, Pearl Drops), P.O. Box 1625, Horsham, PA 19044-6625; 609-683-5900; 800-524-1328; http://www.churchdwight.com/

Clairol (Aussie, Daily Defense, Herbal Essences, Infusium 23, Procter & Gamble), 1 Blachley Rd., Stamford, CT 06922; 800-252-4765; http://www.clairol.com/

Clorox (ArmorAll, Formula 409, Fresh Step, Glad, Liquid Plumber, Pine-Sol, Soft Scrub, S.O.S., Tilex), 1221 Broadway, Oakland, CA 94612; 510-271-7000; 800-227-1860; http://www.clorox.com/

Dial Corporation (Dry Idea, Purex, Renuzit, Right Guard, Soft & Dri), 15101 N. Scottsdale Rd., Ste. 5028, Scottsdale, AZ 85254-2199; 800-528-0849; http://www.dialcorp.com/

Johnson & Johnson (Aveeno, Clean & Clear, Listerine, Lubriderm, Neutrogena, Rembrandt, ROC), 1 Johnson & Johnson Plz., New Brunswick, NJ 08933; 732-524-0400; 800-526-3967; http://www.jnj.com/

L'Oréal (Biotherm, Cacharel, Garnier, Giorgio Armani, Helena Rubinstein, Lancôme, Matrix Essentials, Maybelline, Ralph Lauren Fragrances, Redken, Soft Sheen, Vichy), 575 Fifth Ave., New York, NY 10017; 212-818-1500; http://www.loreal.com/

Max Factor (Procter & Gamble), 1 Procter & Gamble Plz., Cincinnati, OH 45202; 513-983-1100; 800-543-1745; http://www.maxfactor.com/

Mead, 10 W. Second St., #1, Dayton, OH 45402; 937-495-6323; http://www.meadweb.com/

Melaleuca, 3910 S. Yellowstone Hwy., Idaho Falls, ID 83402-6003; 208-522-0700; http://www.melaleuca.com/

New Dana Perfumes, 470 Oakhill Rd., Crestwood Industrial Park, Mountaintop, PA 18707; 800-822-8547

Olay (Procter & Gamble), P.O. Box 599, Cincinnati, OH 45201; 800-543-1745; http://www.oilofolay.com/

Pantene (Procter & Gamble), 1 Procter & Gamble Plz., Cincinnati, OH 45202; 800-945-7768; http://www.pantene.com/

Physique (Procter & Gamble), 1 Procter & Gamble Plz., Cincinnati, OH 45202; 800-214-8957; http://www.physique.com/

Ponds (Unilever), 800 Sylvan Ave., Englewood Cliffs, NJ 07632; 800-909-9493; http://www.ponds.com/

Procter & Gamble Co. (Clairol, Crest, Gillette, Giorgio, Iams, Max Factor, Physique, Tide), 1 Procter & Gamble Plz., Cincinnati, OH 45202; 513-983-1100; 800-543-1745; http://www.pg.com/

Reckitt Benckiser (Easy Off, Lysol, Mop & Glo, Old English, Resolve, Spray 'N Wash, Veet, Woolite), 399 Interpace Pkwy., Parsippany, NJ 07054; 973-633-3600; 800-333-3899; http://www.reckittbenckiser.com/

Shiseido Cosmetics, 5-5, Ginza 7-chome, Chuo-k, Tokyo, 104-0061, Japan; 212-805-2300; http://www.shiseido.com/

Schering-Plough (Bain de Soleil, Coppertone, Dr. Scholl's), 2000 Galloping Hill Rd., Kenilworth, NJ 07033-0530; 800-842-4090; http://www.sch-plough.com/

S.C. Johnson (Drano, Edge, Fantastik, Glade, OFF!, Oust, Pledge, Scrubbing Bubbles, Shout, Skintimate, Windex, Ziploc), 1525 Howe St., Racine, WI 53403; 800-494-4855; http://www.scjohnson.com/

Suave (Unilever), 800 Sylvan Ave., Englewood Cliffs, NJ 07632; 212-888-1260; 800-782-8301; http://www.suave.com/

Unilever (Axe, Dove, Lever Bros., Suave, Sunsilk), 800 Sylvan Ave., Englewood Cliffs, NJ 07632; 212-888-1260; 800-598-1223; http://www.unilever.com/

Vicks (Procter & Gamble), 1 Procter & Gamble Plz., Cincinnati, OH 45202; 513-983-1100; 800-543-1745; http://www.pg.com/



LIST of companies that DO NOT TEST on animals ...