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Vegan CEO hoping to influence employees with meat-free cafeteria
AP ^ | 10/31/4 | CHRIS KAHN

Posted on 10/31/2004 11:40:54 AM PST by SmithL

ROANOKE -- For telephone company CEO Norm Mason, a vegan and lifelong animal lover, there was never any doubt what he'd offer at his company cafeteria.

Soy steaks and soy sloppy joes, veggie burgers, nachos and other meatless, eggless, butter-free delicacies are cooked daily using heavy bags of texturized vegetable protein.

If that doesn't sound so great, consider this: It's all free.

Mason says he created the "Vegeteria" out of concern for the well-being of his 200 employees of Cat Communications International. So he's giving them all the fresh vegetables, meat substitutes, cakes and drinks they could ever want.

"This was a way to say: 'Look, we don't feel it's right to have the flesh of an animal, an animal killed for your benefit,"' Mason said. "I see it no different than smoking. People are asked to go outside and smoke."

It also will hopefully teach them respect for animals, he says, a value symbolized by Lucille, the paralyzed dog he adopted that follows workers around on a little wheeled contraption.

Bruce Friedrich, a spokesman for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, says Mason is part of a growing number of vegetarian and vegan CEOS, including Steve Jobs of Apple Computers Inc., Michael Eisner from Walt Disney Co., John Mackey of Whole Foods Market Inc. and Bill Ford of Ford Motor Co., who have made it easier for employees to eat meat-free.

(Excerpt) Read more at sfgate.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: animalsarepeopletoo; commies; freaks; granols; hippies; idiots; leftists; lunaticfringe; nuts; petapeople; vegan; whacko
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To: The Red Zone
(I assume this is low iodine food)

Phytoestrogens inhibit thyroid function.

61 posted on 10/31/2004 12:09:12 PM PST by Lil'freeper (You do not have the plug-in required to view this tagline.)
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To: kempster

yupper. poor old Euell.

I suppose if he was happy its all ok.

I'll stick to unprocessed natural food including meat and dairy, thanks


62 posted on 10/31/2004 12:09:16 PM PST by mylife (The roar of the masses could be farts)
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To: buffyt

hehehe, I almost went for ribs myself.


63 posted on 10/31/2004 12:10:04 PM PST by mylife (The roar of the masses could be farts)
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To: SmithL

Isn't this discrimination against meat eaters?

Check out this article:

http://www.startribune.com/stories/1557/5060157.html

Last update: October 29, 2004 at 11:30 PM
Somali workers picket Chanhassen cell phone firm
H.J. Cummins, Star Tribune
October 30, 2004 SOMALI1030

About 100 Somali workers set up a picket line Friday at the Teleplan Wireless Co. in Chanhassen, protesting conditions they said include ethnic slurs, religious insensitivity and hiring discrimination.

Almost twice that number reportedly walked off their jobs on Monday. Some have returned to work. The rest rejected a company offer to settle on Wednesday and said they will begin to consider contacting labor unions this weekend.

The company, which assembles and refurbishes cell phones, released a statement Friday saying "the door is still open" to workers who want to return. However, like any business serving customers, it continued, "we will have to begin to replace workers who choose not to come back."

The conflict is part of a growing trend as the numbers of Somali, Hmong, Latino and even Bosnian immigrants bring greater diversity to Minnesota workplaces. The state's Department of Human Rights has fielded complaints about Muslim prayer schedules and days-long Asian bereavement periods, for example. Employers have struggled with foreign-language translations of company handbooks and dietary restrictions at company functions, said Janice Downing, CEO of Fredrickson Human Resources Consulting in Minneapolis.

(snip)


64 posted on 10/31/2004 12:10:20 PM PST by maggief (... riots afterwards ... Liz Edwards, "...not if we win.")
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To: TXBubba

Corporate America is not a place to which I would ever return. It is has deteriorated into a refuge for sycophants and trolls. The United Way and alternative lifestyles are lovingly embraced, while the truth of Jesus Christ has become, not only ignored, but forbidden speech. I pity all those trapped in the corporate web.


65 posted on 10/31/2004 12:10:27 PM PST by O.C. - Old Cracker (When the cracker gets old, you wind up with Old Cracker. - O.C.)
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To: SmithL

Oh yeah? Well my employer wont serve cheese-steak sandwiches and I LOVE those. Oh, wait, my employer doesn't have a cafeteria. Would I complain about a free salad bar every day? Nope.


66 posted on 10/31/2004 12:10:33 PM PST by kdot
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To: xm177e2

Yeah, vegan means not eating anything that comes from a beast. That includes milk, cheese, eggs, you name it.

Actually, I would not mind working for the guy. Often just have salad for lunch. And could probably brown bag a salami sandwich if I wanted a change.

And the price seems right.

Love meat, including raw stuff such as oysters, clams, beef, and lamb (raw kibbe is excellent, but one of us will no longer let us go to Muslim run restaurants); have no compunctions about chowing down on critters at all.

My opinion is the guy runs the place and can dictate what he serves in the cafeteria.

And I can do what I want on my time.


67 posted on 10/31/2004 12:10:41 PM PST by auntdot
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To: SmithL
Vegan CEO hoping to influence employees with meat-free cafeteria

Wonderful opportunity for some hard core non-vegans with a tendency toward cannibalism...

68 posted on 10/31/2004 12:10:54 PM PST by Publius6961 (The most abundant things in the universe are hydrogen and stupidity.)
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To: sauropod

textured vegetable ping.


69 posted on 10/31/2004 12:11:06 PM PST by Lil'freeper (You do not have the plug-in required to view this tagline.)
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To: WideGlide

LOL !!!!!!!!!


70 posted on 10/31/2004 12:11:18 PM PST by investigateworld ((Looking for Viking Kitty sew on patch))
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To: WideGlide

LOL !!!!!!!!!


71 posted on 10/31/2004 12:11:19 PM PST by investigateworld ((Looking for Viking Kitty sew on patch))
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To: freedumb2003

Id say being 65 greatly contributed to his death


72 posted on 10/31/2004 12:11:54 PM PST by mylife (The roar of the masses could be farts)
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To: SoDak
How will he feel about the Bush/Cheney bumper sticker?

Er, the same as he would for an NRA bumper sticker.

PS, at my office we had a secretary who made all travel arrangements. She was outstanding as an employee but somewhere in the years she worked there she put up a PETA calander. Whoa, we all stopped any discussion within earshot of her desk, who wanted to travel with middle seats for the duration of the employment?

73 posted on 10/31/2004 12:12:58 PM PST by KC_for_Freedom (Sailing the highways of America, and loving it.)
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To: SmithL
"It's not all wars and elections."

Its all the SAME war--the war of those who would mandate our individual behavior according to THEIR wishes, and not our own. The twit behind this is right there in the same slimy bunch as Johns Kerry and Edwards and all the rest of the "politically correct" socialists.

74 posted on 10/31/2004 12:13:18 PM PST by Wonder Warthog (The Hog of Steel)
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To: TXBubba
Agree but what do moron vegans/vegatarians (ugh there's that Tarian thing again) think about animals in the wild eating other animals FOR SURVIVAL? Narrow minded vegan fruitcakes abound.
75 posted on 10/31/2004 12:13:36 PM PST by SunnySide
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To: kdot
Would I complain about a free salad bar every day? Nope.

Especially if you could take a plate full back to your desk, then add eggs, salami, whatever you like

76 posted on 10/31/2004 12:14:24 PM PST by The Red Zone (The reason they're trying to starve her isn't because she's dying, but because she isn't. [Supercat])
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To: mylife

That's pretty young.


77 posted on 10/31/2004 12:15:01 PM PST by freedumb2003 (The cool points are out the window and you got me all twisted up in the game)
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To: rickmichaels

"Does Lucille eat meat-free meat as well? Perhaps PETA should investigate this wacko for feeding his dog garbage.
"

A co-worker of mine declared herself a vegetarian - at least, she stated, she didn't eat red meat. Her criteria was that she didn't eat animals with big brown eyes. (!?!?!?)

One of us pointed out that her cat ate meat. She said that if she could turn her cat into a vegetarian, she would...


78 posted on 10/31/2004 12:19:05 PM PST by LibFreeOrDie
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To: freedumb2003

depends on what meaure you use. I just hope the guy had no regrets


79 posted on 10/31/2004 12:19:56 PM PST by mylife (The roar of the masses could be farts)
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To: SmithL

May I suggest a look at the Nanny Culture website:

http://www.consumerfreedom.com/advertisements_detail.cfm/ad/29

I don't mind whatever anyone chooses to eat or not eat as long they don't feel compelled to tell me about it or what I should or should not eat, drink, wear, etc.

Bacon is obviously the work of the Devil's workshop, but I had some this morning and boy did it taste good! I could maybe give up meat, chicken and fish, but who can live a rational life without cheese, milk, cream, butter and ice cream? You'd DIE! Or at least die unhappy.

Same sorta thing with Apple Computer or Macaholics. It's OK if you choose to use a Mac, but don't look down your nose at me because I use Windows. No lectures or looks please. I even think Macs and iPods are great designs, but my stock trading program only works on Windows. End of rant.


80 posted on 10/31/2004 12:20:05 PM PST by garyhope
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