*  The Editorial, "The Sins of the Fathers," deals with the threat of
lethal bird flu that has been gathering in the last ten years as a
result of human enslavement of ducks, chickens and other birds.

*  Our Gem this month is the passage from Boswell's LIFE OF JOHNSON
describing the Doctor's fond interaction with his cat friend Hodge.

*  One of the Book Reviews is of THE GREAT CAT, an anthology of poems
about felines.

*  The Recipes include two for chestnut soup, perfect for cold
weather; another is for mouth-watering potato pancakes.

*  The December Pilgrimage narrative, by Judy McCoy Carman, tells how
her love for the lambs on her parents' small farm--who were destined
to disappear ominously--started her on her lifelong journey of active
compassion.

*  We have Letters from Virginia Haddad and Maru Vigo describing
religious opposition to bullfighting, and a third from Benjamin
Urrutia about Martin de Porres, mice, and cats.

*  Our Pioneer is Scottish physician George Cheyne, who found in
compassionate vegetarianism the solution to his obesity problem.
Cheyne is an inspiring model for 21st century people who have also
been eating too much of a bad thing.

*The Poem this month, from the cat anthology cited above, is an
appealing fictionalized description of how Hodge tells Dr. Johnson it
is time to go buy oysters for his dinner.

As always, we welcome letters in response to this issue (or previous
ones), as well as submissions.  Narratives for "My Pilgrimage" are
particularly welcome.

You can read this issue online at http://www.vegetarianfriends.net/issue38.html

May all beings know liberty, joy, and Peace on Earth.

Gracia Fay Ellwood
Editor