A recent article on CNN's website helps explain why many animal advocates—PETA included—support policies requiring in-depth assessment before placing companion animals into new homes: By screening properly, rescue workers and animal shelters can help make sure that animals who have often survived cruelty, neglect, or abandonment will find safe homes in which they will be treated with love and respect for the rest of their lives.

You won't catch Abbie Cornish in fur—or any other animal skins. When asked about her style on Twitter, Abbie responded, "I LOVE clothes … So I love so many different things. Not enough room to tweet! I dress vegan … no leather, suede or fur."

Elsewhere in the Twitterverse, we had animal adoption, a heroic rescue, and vegan chocolates.

http://current.com/shows/the-young-turks/videos/sht-erin-says-about-iran-were-not-going-to-let-you-drive-us-into-another-senseless-war-in-the-middle-east

On another special Media Watch, CNN’s Erin Burnett has night after night reported that Iran is inherently dangerous. Seven out of 10 Americans believe Iran has nuclear weapons, Cenk says. “Why do you think they think that? Because when they turn on CNN and all these networks, they see ballistic missiles. They see Ahmadinejad in a lab coat. They hear that Iran is being so aggressive, they must have nuclear weapons. Just like Saddam must have had weapons of mass destruction. I’ve got words for the mainstream media. You are grossly deceiving people, and we’re not going to let you get away with it this time. We’re not going to let you drive this country into another senseless war in the Middle East with your lies and your propaganda.”

Roland Martin from CNN tweeted homophobic messages during the Super Bowl. 

He said that people should "smack the ish out" of men who liked the H&M ad that was advertised during the Super Bowl and showed David Beckham in his underwear. Martin said that "real bruhs" wouldn't buy the underwear.

He also said that a New England Patriot player who showed up wearing a pink jumpsuit "needs a visit from #teamwhipdatass". 

GLAAD, a gay rights group, said that Martin has a history of being anti-LGBT and called for CNN to fire Martin.

Someone who is a part of a major news network should not be advocating violence against gay people in a society that is plagued with hate crimes and gay bullying. Gay bashing is not a joke -- it is a serious problem.

Tell CNN to fire Martin and stand up for the LGBT community! 

Mitt Romney couldn't have been more cavalier in dismissing the problems of the very poor than he was in his recent interview on CNN. Romney said he was "not concerned about the very poor" because they have a "safety net." Romney has identified his voting constituency as the middle class and, by golly, that's the only group of Americans he's going to bat for. 

Clearly, Romney has never battled the paperwork involved in getting benefits, never had his food stamp card declined at the check out counter. He's not had to worry about whether he can feed his children or if there will be space for them in the shelter tonight. If Romney had ever been poor, he would know how often welfare benefits do not reach the people who need them and he would understand the very short reach of those benefits. 

Tell Mitt to feed his family of seven on $995 (a typical Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefit) for one month and see how well the safety net is working.