Retro Active Compassion: Lifelong Vegetarians

Martha with Paul & Linda McCartney

What Is It Like To Be Vegetarian For Decades?
Being a vegetarian (or a vegan) is not a new, unique, special concept. Plenty of people throughout history have been 100% vegetarian. It's neither complicated, nor difficult. Here is an incomplete list of people of renown who've been vegetarians throughout history; while lengthy, I immediately see some missing.

I've been 100% vegetarian, and then vegan, for a solid lifetime at this point––despite the fact that no one immediately around me has been. It's not a lifestyle I acquired from or consistently shared with anyone. Good thing I was never concerned with 'fitting in' and never gave the alienation aspect much thought. I'd always had a live and let live, free-will attitude, so I was never too concerned with other people's choices. Nor were they with mine, since I never really talked about it.

Being a vegetarian was never a 'phase' or a decision, it's just who I am and I never felt like it was a big deal. However, if one were to 'calculate' the number of lives spared by my dietary choices, being a vegetarian/vegan in itself can be a rather significant animal rights contribution (approximately 4,700 beings designated as 'farm animals' have been spared in my case.)

The vegetarian McCartney family on their farm in the 1970's

I feel increasingly discomforted that, given our access to information and exposure to what goes on in the sadistic meat and dairy industries, more people are not becoming vegetarian/vegan (and at a faster rate.) This global love of animal flesh, en masse, supports monstrous industries and a human obsession with 'culture' and 'traditions'. Not reality, not truth.

Entire cultures throughout human history have lived as vegetarians. Longtime vegetarian and animal rights activist Mary Tyler Moore once said she believes a meat-free diet will sooner or later be the norm. "It may take a while,” she told Time magazine. "But there will probably come a time when we look back and say, 'Good Lord, do you believe that in the 20th century and early part of the 21st, people were still eating animals?'"

Animal rights activist/lifelong vegetarian Mary Tyler Moore

Hard to believe we're no closer to this eventuality now than back when MTM said it. Her past optimism is similar to mine during my 20's, and we share the same beliefs. But my optimism has waned in recent years. Today, apathy and ignorance are inexcusable. People consciously choose cruelty when they have other choices. Which is unsettling for me, personally. 

Think to how long ago The Smiths recorded 'Meat Is Murder'. Morrissey has been an impressive pioneer, speaking out on the topic of this exploitative behavior without fail, while others haven't. 

The Smiths, Meat Is Murder; Morrissey has been consistent

The reason these outdated behaviors, ones entirely lacking respect for the nature and the lives of our fellows, have continued––and even expanded to outlandish, mass proportions––is that there are bullying industries out there who want to profit from the choices people are willing to make.

Paul & Linda McCartney, lifelong vegetarians/animal rights activists

All anyone really needs to do to make a big difference is to stop supporting those industries immediately. And to say something about it. Live and let live (and free will) applies to all species. So I do talk about it these days. I stayed quiet for a very long time. 

Paul McCartney continues to share the compassionate message

I'll take this one out with lifelong vegetarian and animal rights activist Paul McCartney with his co-veggie, Linda McCartney––who together raised anti-fur/anti-cruelty fashion designer Stella McCartney.

Greed Slaughters Innocents: Haunting Tragedy of Badfinger Still Resonates

Heartbreaking Plight of Badfinger, Not Unlike That of Other Exploited Animals

Innocents who suffered terribly for the sins of those in power, Badfinger were like factory farm animals of the music industry in the 1970's. This footage (below) is deeply sad if you look closely. They are so pale. There is no joy behind their eyes. Here was the first group to be signed by Apple Records, until Stan Polley tricked them into leaving and ruined them. They were incredibly respected by their peers, for years. And yet, they appear to be embarrassed on camera. It's the look of poverty.

They were working on recordings at a country home where this promotional footage was filmed. At the time when this was shot, they couldn't afford much food, let alone spiffy clothes. They certainly don't look like hit-making rock stars, although they very much were. They seem weak as they play their instruments. And they are painfully shy in the exterior shots. 

Theirs is the darkest 'behind the music' nightmare story. These sensitive, gentle artists did not put up a fight or make their struggles public. They were so young. They had hit records. They should have been enjoying their success. Their records sold big, and made a few greedy people plenty of money. There's so much joy in their 'power-pop' song, 'No Matter What'. 

The band was trapped into evil contracts by abusive management. And no one helped them. There were those who could have helped them. (People knew, but kept quiet, kept living their good lives.) Those who knew (Macca? Lennon? Nillson?) must have carried plenty of guilt for after sweet, talented Pete Ham killed himself, following years of this trouble. Pete Ham felt responsible for his bandmates and worried that he couldn't take care of his little family financially, all whilst he had hits on the radio.

Imagine hearing your chart-topping songs everywhere –– even one that became a 'standard', recorded 200+ times by other artists, 'Without You' –– and being too poor to buy a pint at the pub. They were famous rock stars unable to afford to care for their loved ones. Meanwhile, their contemporaries partied, rode around in limos and wasted all their money. The two guys from Swansea and two from Wales who made up Badfinger were trapped in music industry hell. Tom Evans took the same distressing route of departure some time after Ham.

This is so-called 'humanity'. Those in power (i.e. Big AG –– and in the case of Badfinger, evil Stan Polley) take advantage of those who are gentle. The ones who should be defended, and protected. Not slaughtered. Human greed is a serial killer as every industry proves. The fact that we live in a world in which sadistic factory farms, canned hunting farms, fur farms, etc. are legal is beyond disturbing.

Meanwhile, the blissfully ignorant choose to remain blind to all of this suffering. Apathy helps maintain the cycle of cruelty. There is no difference which species suffers quietly. It's always tragic, always preventable. One only has to look to see.

Badfinger is the band that died for all the sins of the music industry. Just one industry in this sick, twisted world filled with humans who destroy one another –– and more troubling, humans choosing to destroy the lives of all other species.

Partnerlook: Couples Who Dress Alike

English speakers are often impressed/amused/overwhelmed by how the German language may offer one long-ish word (or awkward word combo) to represent what's described with a phrase in English. One such amusement can come from a German term for couples (or any two individuals) who dress alike. That word-combo is 'partnerlook'. 

Jane Birkin and Serge Gainsbourg in matching corduroy suits

The word is silly, but it works. The idea of partnerlook can never seem entirely romantic. It can even be creepy to spot a couple dressed alike. But the term typically describes couples who wear matching rain gear. Or as a German native described it: 'Boring jackets.' 

But on the right couple, partnerlook can be adorable. Even tasteful. Partnerlook can mean the couple feels like a union of equals, that they don't necessarily have traditional roles –– or that they simply like each other so much they want to dress alike. Whatever lies behind partnerlook-ing (if it can be used as a verb), I thought it would be fun to share some great examples of 'partnerlook' for Valentine's Day. 

Behold: the partnerlook.

Sonny and Cher partnerlook-ing

Jean Shrimpton and Terence Stamp

Matching sweaters

The Shrimp and The Stamp in sweaters

Dick is not ashamed of his partnerlook
with Paula. Why should he be?

David Bowie and Angie took parterlook-ing so far 
they came out the other side

The full-on partnerlook

They've perfected their partnerlook

One couple truly mastered the partnerlook: Paul and Linda McCartney. Often times with the same hairdo, which is a far more committed and powerful statement than wearing similar threads. P and L understood PL like nobody's business. Happy Valentine's Day :-)

Orange overalls and tees

Floppy hats

Matching mullets, expressions, coats

There can be exuberance in partnerlooking

Sweaters: entire families can participate in partnerlook

Very clean, streamlined togetherness

Two mullets and a baby

Stage mullets

His and hers

The yellow and the pose makes for the best wedding photo ever.

Peggy Lipton –– The Prettiest + Coolest Lady

In 2007, I read Peggy Lipton's autobiography Breathing Out. Around the same time, I bought and began watching Seasons 1-4 of The Mod Squad. I got on the Peggy Lipton train and never looked back. Soon after, I featured Ms. Lipton in two of my videos, Undun by The Guess Who and my style compilation video, Classic.Sporty.Chic. 

I never had a chance to watch 'The Mod Squad' before on TV or in reruns. I went on a binge of sorts with it when I finally got the chance. When I created Retro Active Critiques, it was out of my desire to write posts about shows like 'The Mod Squad' and people like Peggy Lipton. 

That's why she's had a permanent home here on the right rail. ––––>

There's so much to love and admire about Peggy Lipton. Superficially, to my eyes, she's one of the most naturally beautiful women of all time. She was, and still remains, an effortlessly lovely woman. 

This is my opinion, but Peggy Lipton always pops in my mind when I think 'pretty'. She's the prettiest woman I've ever seen. 

She's always been natural in her acting style. She wasn't a highly trained actress, and started out as a commercial model for Eileen Ford.

Peggy Lipton, Clairol Deb Star of The Year, 1965

While developing her character Julie Barnes in 'The Mod Squad', she found that she was comfortable with nailing a certain look for Julie, and a mood, and just sticking with that each time. Rolling with it. The method worked, and she was nominated for playing Julie numerous times during awards seasons. She even won a Golden Globe in 1971 for her portrayal.

Peggy Lipton as Julie Barnes

Despite being raised on Long Island, the only daughter of fairly conservative Jewish parents, Peggy Lipton came to embody the cool California girl with her long-running stint as Julie Barnes on 'The Mod Squad', a runaway from San Francisco who gets arrested for vagrancy in LA, only to become an undercover cop. 

'The Mod Squad' might feel somewhat dated today–––although I love the key players' style and lingo, especially when Linc Hayes stoically says 'solid' to mean he gets it (in just about any situation.) But the drama still holds up and remains effective in many ways. And one of the greatest charms of the show is Peggy Lipton's manner of playing the sweet, gentle and resourceful Julie Barnes.

The Mod Squad with kitties. Solid.

The Mod Squad

On the show, Julie always has a soft spot for her friends and fellow undercover cops, Pete and Linc. The three of them seek justice while still being distrustful of 'The Man'. The show was a hit because it touched on topics of the time with sincerity and poignancy. Peggy Lipton's soulful, kind eyes and demeanor were a perfect fit for the show's vibe.

Julie Barnes' empathetic nature extended into Peggy Lipton's personal life, as well. Her relationships ran the gamut of (what I consider to be) very different men. She's someone who I would say never had a 'type'. I believe she was simply attracted to a certain man for his spirit.

Prior to becoming a household name, she had a short-lived (publicity-based) 'date' with Paul McCartney, after which she became the sort of classic 'who's that girl' story, with newspapers the next day posting her photo and everyone wondering who she was.

Paul and Peggy, newspaper clipping

Other notable men she (actually) dated include Terence Stamp, Keith Moon, music producer Lou Adler, Sammy Davis, Jr., even Elvis Presley (and her candid story about her The King was especially touching to read in her book.) Of course, she fell for and married Quincy Jones. The greatest similarity these men shared, as far as I can tell, is that–––apart from Terence Stamp–––they're all musicians. Something I find interesting about Peggy Lipton is how open her heart has always seemed to be, which is a beautiful way to be. 

Sammy Davis, Jr. and Peggy Lipton

Lou Adler and Peggy Lipton

Peggy Lipton and Terence Stamp

Back when she and Quincy Jones got married, it was still very unusual to be a mixed-race couple. Peggy Lipton never cared for a moment what people would think. Her carefree and kind spirit shines right through, which is why she is so beautiful on the surface. She and Quincy Jones have two lovely daughters together, Rashida and Kadida, and they remain very close despite the fact they're no longer married.

Quincy Jones and Peggy Lipton

Peggy Lipton with her family

Speaking of music, Peggy Lipton also sang for a while. Her voice didn't have a massive range, but she put a lot of soul and style into her vocals. Her voice suited the confessional, pretty style of the 1970's, and she was able to put it to use on several of her own albums.

Peggy Lipton's single for 'Stoney End' & 'San Francisco Glide'

Musical Peggy

Peggy Lipton recording

In the clip above, Peggy Lipton sings on 'The Mod Squad'. 'She's now. She's where it's at.' That's how Sammy Davis, Jr. introduced his friend Peggy to his audience, below.

As if all of that wasn't cool enough, Peggy Lipton also portrayed Norma Jennings on 'Twin Peaks'. The lovely Norma is my favorite character in that show, and that's also because of Peggy Lipton. I'm not sure that character would have struck me the way she did if someone else had played Norma.

Peggy Lipton as the lovely Norma Jennings

Which brings me back to the Peggy Lipton who still remains incredibly charming and beautiful today. This is how natural and effortless a woman can look at 65, even after beating colon cancer. Peggy Lipton is a lovely woman who continues to inspire.

How to age well... Peggy Lipton