nyc pet stores -

We've put together the following list of NYC pet stores.


* Chelsea Pet Stores

* East Village Pet Stores

* Little Italy / China Town Pet Stores

* Midtown East Pet Stores

* Soho Pet Stores

* Tribeca Pet Stores

* Upper East Side Pet Stores

* Upper West Side Pet Stores

* West Village Pet Stores

Arnold Schwarzenegger (sound board) prank calls Gateway -

dog sees it's reflection for the first time -

pug vs. bubble bath -

yoga cat pose -

CRAZY CUSTOMERS vs. good ones

Almost every job I've been involved with has dealt with the public. Sometimes this has been face to face and other times over the phone but it has always been in high volumes.

I've grown to look at the population like this:


* 25 percent of the public is very detailed oriented, friendly and polite. When they raise a concern or problem with service they will do it respectfully and calmly. Their point is resolution and it's not an ego trip. If you return their respect and show concern and action to their problems everything will be ok.

* 50 percent of the public does not really keep track of the services and goods they are spending their money on. They do not check their online banking statements, do not know the rates of their products, etc.. The majority of this group are again friendly and very easy going. They will sometimes call you out the blue because they are so surprised by the their past bills but again, most of them just want a fair resolution.

* 15 percent of the population also does not keep track of their financial situations but once they decide to they will call you up and act as if you've been scamming them. This is the most dangerous group because if your billing practices are not sound you both will really get an earful but also might issue a refund purely based on an angry client and not factual information.

* 10 percent of the public are just crazy! They are overly neurotic about every last detail but on top of that are irrational in your dealings with them. I would tread lightly around this contingent of the population. Those who do not value your product, try and get you to change your business plan to suit them and are emotionally draining, will in the long run lose you money.

As you can see in my look of the population, the majority of people / clients out there are wonderful, respectful people. That 10-15% of the public who are irrational can be very taxing to the point where you think everyone sucks and everyone is crazy! But I would recommend looking at things in percentages. Having a maximum allowed percentage of acceptable loss, of turnover, of crazy clients, etc., will help you visually see and control the culture of your company experience.

POWER UP your iPod with your backpack?

Solar powered panels are showing up on bags now and this particular one can actually charge your iPod with natural, solar energy! It's made by voltaic systems and you can click the following link to view the voltaic systems website.

5 blogs from the past -

how about a hippo as a household pet?

doug smith of downtown pets

peanut butter and banana sandwich

a cat, mouse, bunny & dog together

a bulldog skateboarding

the meatrix III, fast food nation

con-edison offers green energy

Did you know you can request for your home energy sources to be green for only a few extra dollars a month? It's true and contact con-edison to find out more.

royal tenenbaums - raising some hell

the meatrix II, the revolt

humane society visa card -

The humane society is offering a visa card through bank of america. A percentage of every $100 you spend is donated to the humane society who does amazing work for all types of animals.

dog kissing a fireman -

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the meatrix - industrial farming (part 1)

baby pig image -

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paul mcCartney - animal activist

"If anyone wants to save the planet, all they have to do is just stop eating meat. That’s the single most important thing you could do. It’s staggering when you think about it. Vegetarianism takes care of so many things in one shot: ecology, famine, cruelty.”
--Sir Paul McCartney

Please click the following link to view more of paul mccartney's comments on animal welfare.

remembering 911 -

I can't speak for the country but new york city has definitely bounced back from 911 because of the amazing people who live here. The people who work and live in new york city are to me what makes it the greatest city in the world.

the nightwatchman - "no one left":

american dogs -

slaughtered lamb, "food network" chef jamie oliver

Food network chef jamie oliver slaughtered a lamb on his show recently creating an audience uproar. Some of the complaints have focused on the fact that he did not stun the lamb before slaughtering it but most people were plain and simply outraged by what they saw. I actually think this was a good thing in that it helps people make a connection with the food on their dinner plate and how it gets there. Look at jamie's face as he slaughters the lamb (found here) - he is freaking out & miserable. Animal slaughter is not a nice picture and the Jamie Oliver lamb slaughter was a walt disney version of what animals usually go through too.

I do give Jamie credit for practicing what you preach and if you're going to cook "200 lamb you should at least kill one." But I stray in thinking when it comes to his rationale for slaughter when he says, "...it's a beautiful creature but it is tasty and we are the top of the food chain." I go more with the mindset of, "he who has great power should use it lightly" (Lucius Annaeus Seneca) but unfortunately the meat industry does not agree.

PS - mentioning that we are on top of the food chain seems to hint that we as humans need animal flesh to survive but this is not true and you know who else does not need animal flesh in their diet to survive? Dogs (: (learn more)

KISSING CHIPMUNKS -

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SCHWARZENEGGER - who'd have thunk it?

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Arnold Schwarzenegger the animal rights protector? That's right and his record as Governor has been very strong when it comes to animal rights. He passed a law making it illegal to chain up dogs for more than three hours. He also won many hearts and minds when he banned the cruel production of foie gras in california.

puppies and kittens, image slideshow

central park carriage horses, not cared for -

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A New York Times article has documented that "monitoring by the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene and the Department of Consumer Affairs at the Central Park South carriage stands is inadequate, the audit found, and lax veterinary care in the field and infrequent inspections have created health hazards."

"In addition, horses are not provided with enough water, risk overheating on hot asphalt and are forced to stand in their own waste because of inadequate drainage, the report said."

I didn't need this report to know what I've seen in the Central Park horses eyes since I was a child.....they aren't happy.

FARM AID 2007, helping small farmers

Farm Aid 2007 takes place today out at Randall's Island. For many years Farm Aid has been trying to help the small farmers of the United States not disappear due to the industrial farming complex. The all-star lineup of performers includes: dave matthews, neil young, john mellencamp, neil young, the allman brothers, among others. You can click the following link to view the farm aid website.

the matrix -

FIXED LEGS - dog learns to walk again

NON-DAIRY WHIPPED CREAM - oh no they didn't!

Oh yes they did - non-dairy whipped cream and I had it last night....and it was goooood! It's made by sooyata and you can click the following link to view their non-dairy cream alternatives.

animal friendly products - paul mitchell

Paul Mitchell was the first hair-care company to publicly oppose vivisection (lab tests on animals). They are synonymous with fashion, style and you can click the following website to view the paul mitchell website.

presidential debate -

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Gentleman, how do you feel about the state of industrial farming in the united states? In how it effects the small farmer? How it effects the environment? And the barbaric situations animals are put into?......

animal friendly products - bath and body works

Bath and body works has a great assortment of moisturizers, scented oils and shampoos among other things. They are an animal friendly company to support! Please click the following link to purchase items from bath and body works.

HOW SMART are pigs?

Recent studies have spoken to the intelligence of pigs. Pigs intelligence have always been compared to that of dogs but a recent study has actually compared a pigs intellectual capacity to that of a 3rd grade human being. The pigs in this video though are young and puppy like.

NUMBER ONE cause of global warming is.....

The number one contributor to global warming? It might surprise you to learn it's not that SUV you're driving (although that's a big problem too) but the number one contributor to green house gases is actually what sits on your dinner plate. A united nations report and a prior university of chicago study have both concluded that industrial farming is the the main contributor to global warming. That might not shock an animal activist but to most it's probably a surprise.

You can read some of our past blog posts about:

eating organic

buying local produce

renewable energy

riding a bike

energy efficient light bulbs

environmentally friendly bags

adding vegan and vegetarian meals to your diet.

baby hedgehog -

animal friendly products - the body shop

The body shop carries everything from bath and body products to skin care, makeup and fragrances. They do not test their products on animals and also donate portions of certain projects to worthy causes. You can click the following link to view the the body shop website.

a bulldogs first bath (video)

animal friendly products - tom's of maine

I got worried when I heard Colgate had purchased the socially responsible Tom's of Maine for $100 million but it appears they will maintain their core values. None of the workers will be fired and cofounder Tom Chappell will continue to run the company. What I want to hear though is that they will continue "not" to test their products on animals. Please click the following link to purchase Tom's of Main products online.

animal friendly products - leather free shoes

animal friendly product: leather free shoes

animal welfare issue: industrial farming

comments: It's not always easy to connect the dots between the products you use and how it effects animal welfare. Why is there a need for leather free products? A staggering number of animals are skinned alive for their hides.

videos: abuses at Agriprocessors kosher plant (GRAPHIC)

animal friendly shoe sources:

1. moo shoes

2. zappos vegetarian shoes

3. pangea

SWIMMING PUG - she just doesn't stop!!!

vegan food images - vegan pancakes

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when cats attack -

nyc taxi strike - mai aih aih aih wuh

vegan snacks - potato leak soup

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How about a fried green tomato sandwich?