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I found this little entrepreneur on Craigslist advertising for children around her own age to contribute book reviews on children's books. Unlike a lot of the writing jobs for adults that are non paying, this little girl is actually paying per post. The following review made me laugh, but I love the spirit of this project. Kudos to the one who started this and to the children who are writing for her! "I enjoyed reading this book a lot …. The only thing that was wrong with the book is it is sort of hard to understand where and what is going on. It is really confusing, but this is defininetally a page turner. Its an awesome mystery. With an ending that is a SHOCKER!! enjoy"  click to go to website Here's the original ad posted in Auckland, New Zealand on January 7, 2011. The reply address, should any children be interested, is: http://auckland.craigslist.org/wri/2146607925.html 
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Sometimes I have to make myself get out for some exercise. Yesterday was one of those times. Winter seems to be when I especially need more urging. But after I get out there, I'm always glad I pushed myself. It was warm for a January day and not the least bit windy -- just the way I like it. Going for a walk is one of my favorite ways to exercise. I use the time to get away from life's stressors and just be present. I'm not focused on the exercise; I'm focused on the nature around me. Exercise just happens to be a terrific byproduct.  When the ducks and geese flew in for a landing on the ice some of them approached with enough speed to send them skating across the surface. They looked like they were truly enjoying their day ....
Known to some as jewels that grant all your wishes (Tibetan interpretation), the yaks pictured here live in the Himalayan region on the Nepal side and can trek as high as 20,000 feet; higher than almost any other animal on earth. Click image to read about these gorgeous yaks and to see more pictures of trekking through the Himalayas. Yak pictures are for sale at my online art gallery or directly through me.  The world feels crazier than ever, doesn't it? Maybe it's no more or no less than any other time, but it's enough to make me sigh deeply and leave me shaking my head. At times like this, I find a measure of relief immersing myself in nature. Nature is one thing that has never failed in bringing me a sense of calm and a feeling of inner peace. The few photos below are from yesterday's stroll.  by Betsy Seeton  by Betsy Seeton  by Betsy Seeton  photography and design by Betsy Seeton "We must fight against the spirit of unconscious cruelty with which we treat the animals. Animals suffer as much as we do. True humanity does not allow us to impose such sufferings on them. It is our duty to make the whole world recognize it. Until we extend our circle of compassion to all living things, humanity will not find peace." ~Albert Schweitzer  photos by Betsy Seeton All my little wild pets are in hibernation at 10,000 feet (over 3000 meters) up in the Colorado Rocky mountains. I was just going through some of my summer's photos today and nostalgia set in. I miss warm, summer days with these guys. Chippy is the matriarch of the family at five years old. Last May, on my first day at my cabin after a long winter, I got out of my car and called to her. I hadn't seen her for five months, but she heard me and came running the way a dog would. She remembers me from year to year! It's an amazing feeling.
"Having passion feels equally as important, in a life saving way, as having fresh air to breath and clean water to drink. Passion is what drives me and guides me and keeps me both steadily grounded and flying high. My recent goal, and my major focus now, is developing ways to combine my passion with enough income to support my very down sized and simple life." by Betsy Seeton  JOIN BETSY & JASPER ON FACEBOOK AND ON THEIR BLOGS
AS THEY PEACEFULLY CRUSADE FOR ANIMAL/HUMAN RIGHTS & WELFARE ~ Life can be seen through your eyes but it is not fully appreciated until it is seen through your heart. ~ Mary Xavier 
Get your badge for your website after you sign the Animal Bill of Rights at the Animal Legal Defense Fund.  FROM THE ANIMAL LEGAL DEFENSE FUND I, the undersigned American citizen, believe that animals, like all sentient beings, are entitled to basic legal rights in our society. Deprived of legal protection, animals are defenseless against exploitation and abuse by humans. As no such rights now exist, I urge you to pass legislation in support of the following basic rights for animals: The Right of animals to be free from exploitation, cruelty, neglect, and abuse. The Right of laboratory animals not to be used in cruel or unnecessary experiments. The Right of farm animals to an environment that satisfies their basic physical and psychological needs. The Right of companion animals to a healthy diet, protective shelter, and adequate medical care. The Right of wildlife to a natural habitat, ecologically sufficient to a normal existence and self-sustaining species population. The Right of animals to have their interests represented in court and safeguarded by the law of the land. CLICK THE IMAGE BELOW TO READ MORE ABOUT THE ISSUE FROM THE ANIMAL LEGAL DEFENSE FUND  GIANT PANDA RESERVE The Wolong Nature Preserve in China is trying to bring the Panda population back from the verge of extinction. Learn how they are doing it. FROM WWF: The giant panda is the rarest member of the bear family and among the world’s most threatened animals. It is universally loved, and has a special significance for WWF as it has been the organization's logo since 1961, the year WWF was founded. Today, the giant panda's future remains uncertain. As China's economy continues rapidly developing, this bamboo-eating member of the bear family faces a number of threats. Its forest habitat, in the mountainous areas of southwest China, is increasingly fragmented by roads and railroads. Habitat loss continues to occur outside of protected areas, while poaching remains an ever-present threat. Giant Panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) in a tree. Wolong Panda Reserve, Sichuan Province, China. © Bernard DE WETTER / WWF-Canon Great strides have been made in recent years to conserve the giant pandas. By 2005, the Chinese government had established over 50 panda reserves, protecting more than 2.5 million acres - over 45 percent of remaining giant panda habitat – protecting more than 60 percent of the population. In 1984, the giant panda was transferred from Appendix III to Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) . Trade in the species or its products are subject to strict regulation by the ratifying parties, and trade for primarily commercial purposes is banned. Why is this species important? READ MORE This is one of the most appalling stories of grand scale inhumanity in recent times. It's an outdoor slaughterhouse event where over 200,000 animals are brutally sacrificed in Nepal to a Hindu Goddess in exchange for answering the prayers of devoted Hindus. I came across this story months ago, but had not seen this video until today. I looked away several times and wound up sobbing before it was over. It leaves one much less a fan of human beings .... THE FOLLOWING ARTICLE IS FROM THE HUFFINGTON POST WRITTEN BEFORE THE EVENT: The Gadhimai festival, celebrated every five years, is attended by many Hindus from India as well as Nepal. More than 200,000 buffaloes, pigs, goats, chickens and pigeons are expected to be slaughtered this year (2010) on Nov. 24 and 25. Organizers said they will not bow to "interference" from animal rights and religious groups that have held protests in Katmandu and in the festival area in Bara district, about 100 miles (160 kilometers) south of the capital. "We will not stop this centuries-old tradition now. This is our religion, belief and tradition and we will continue with it no matter what," said Motilal Kushwa of the organizing committee. Kushwa said thousands of people have already arrived at the site with animals meant for sacrifice next week. Participants believe that animal sacrifices for the Hindu goddess Gadhimai will end evil and bring prosperity. Many join the festival from the state of Bihar in India, where animal sacrifices have been banned in some areas. Critics say the killings are barbaric and conducted in a cruel manner. Government administrator Taranath Gauram said hundreds of extra policemen have been sent to the area to maintain security and officials do not expect trouble during the festival. Ram Bahadur Bamjan, a Nepalese teenager revered by many as a reincarnation of Buddha, has joined the campaign against the animal slaughter and plans to visit the festival area to appeal directly to participants to stop the sacrifices. I'm an unlikely person to be posting anything to do with shoes. I'm one of those rare souls who buys comfortable shoes over style. I'm also the owner of maybe five pairs of shoes/boots/sandals. But as an artist, I have a great appreciation for the art in shoes. I also love the history of nearly anything, so this website caught my eye. Kristine Byrnes, Graphic Designer & Shoe Enthusiast created this website about the history of shoes. It's fun, informative, and worth browsing! The rise of high-heeled shoes during the Middle Ages was associated with power. It was seen as the desire to look larger than life. The barefoot became known as a symbol of poverty. Bare feet were also seen as a sign of humility and respect. Many religions worship or mourn barefoot, or remove their shoes as a sign of respect towards someone of higher standing.  Under The Funky Shoe Gallery I came across a picture of a photograph titled: STINE HEILMANN 1996 The perfect way to combine the love of gardening with footwear. I googled more about Stine Heilman and discovered more garden shoes. I put made this collage to showcase them. Stine's website is another fun one to browse through.   Photo: Nancy Palus/IRIN micro-garden in Dakar DAKAR, 13 December 2010 (IRIN) - Mame Penda Diouf talks over car horns and city bus engines as she shows off potted lettuce, mint and potato plants at a traffic circle in the Senegal capital, Dakar. A trader and horticulture trainer, she says micro-gardening creates jobs and allows people to better feed their families.
The UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and many other international and local institutions are pushing just that message – that micro-gardening and other forms of urban horticulture can go a long way to boosting city dwellers’ food security and improving living conditions. “It is urgent to mainstream urban and peri-urban horticulture, and to recognize its role as a motor in food security and nutrition strategies,” Modibo Traoré, FAO assistant director general, told an international symposium in Dakar organized by FAO and the Senegalese government. Two hundred people from 39 countries met from 6 to 9 December to talk about building an international network to promote and implement urban horticulture, incorporating the practice into urban planning, and developing alternatives to pesticides. Urban and peri-urban horticulture is the cultivation of a wide range of crops – including fruits, vegetables, roots, tubers and ornamental plants – in cities and towns and the surrounding areas. FAO says an estimated 130 million urban residents in Africa and 230 million in Latin America engage in agriculture, mainly horticulture, to provide food for their families and/or earn an income. “While the urban poor, particularly those arriving from rural areas, have long practised horticulture as a livelihood and survival strategy, in many countries the sector is still largely informal, usually precarious, and sometimes illegal,” according to FAO. People often farm idle urban land, but with no legal standing they can be kicked off when the land is wanted for development. FAO says urban policies should acknowledge the role of urban and peri-urban agriculture in development. About half the world population lives in urban areas, according to the UN Population Fund; the number is expected to reach some five billion by 2030. Neveen Metwally, a researcher at the Central Laboratory for Agriculture Climate in Cairo, Egypt, said city dwellers must be convinced of the benefits of urban horticulture, and scientific data translated into messages that speak to the needs of ordinary people so as to broaden the practice. In Egypt the numerous benefits of rooftop gardens are well-documented, she told IRIN – they can decrease air pollution; absorb heat and act as insulators, reducing the energy needed for cooling or heating; and provide low-cost food and often also a source of revenue. “But I can say to someone, ‘A rooftop garden will help the environment’, and they’ll say, ‘No, thank you – I just want to feed my family’. So I must identify and communicate benefits that are of interest to that person.” |
 Betsy Seeton
I'm an artist, writer, photographer, private investigator and an activist in small ways.
"Turning indifference into making a difference."
MY PHOTO BOOK
GETTING IN TOUCH WITH NATURE is my new website devoted to my photography, books, and art.
  My LADYBUG book is filled with beautiful images & inspiring quotes. Click here for more info.
 All photos are for sale at Betsy's Art Gallery  Email Betsy   Amely-James KOH BELA is fighting child trafficking in Africa and throughout several continents. Read my interview with her.  CLICK FOR BEE PHOTOGRAPHY  Mahoot Elephant training in Thailand with Kaew,  Adorable French girl growing up in Africa with wildlife photography parents - more pictures of Tippi Degre  I visited the Tiger Temple in Thailand & later found out it is under investigation for tiger trafficking and animal abuse. Read full story. In 2015 it was raided. More than 100 tigers and protected bird species in Wat Pa Luang Ta Bua, popularly known as the Tiger Temple in Kanchanaburi province were impounded by authorities following complaints that the temple was alleged to engage in illegal wildlife trading.    photos for sale as greeting cards and framed prints or posters. Click to go to my online Art Gallery  "The moment one gives close attention to anything,
even a blade of grass, it becomes a mysterious, awesome, indescribably magnificent world in itself." ~ Henry Miller  FREETHEBEARS.ORG - Learn about bear farming and bear paw soup. This torture must end! DOCTORS WITHOUT BORDERS helps people worldwide where the need is greatest, delivering emergency medical aid to people affected by conflict, epidemics, disasters or exclusion from healthcare.
 Connect with Jasper, The World Ambassador of Animal Rights & Welfare on Facebook! Read about life in the woods with Chippy & the crew...
What greater atrocity is there on this planet than to sell a human life and brutally force him or her into a life in the sex trade or endless labor? And how dare we abuse, kill and traffic animals in the name of profit... in the name of anything for any reason!
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