9/5/08 My coworker did take the kitten. She named him Fluffy & said Fluffy has been eating good and playing. She said he runs around the yard like a jackrabbit!
By the way, Fluffy did let me pet him this morning, and offered his neck for a good scratching. A lot of animals we call "wild" are really just starving and scared. Once he calmed down, he was a normal domesticated outdoor cat.
Thanks to all of you who responded, and sent me messages to my inbox. It is great to know just how loving and supportive my friends are!
9/4/08 4:45am There was a little stray kittie outside my work (not sure if it's a girl or a boy, so forgive the pronoun "it"), and our company had already called Animal Control to pick it up. Animal Control is so far behind they said it could take up to 3 weeks. That kittie would not make it 3 weeks out there in that parking lot with all of the cars. It would get hit by a car, and I just couldn't stand the thought of that. It also was crying out to everyone as they walked by, so it was obviously hungry and needed someone to take initiative.
About 2 hours ago (3am EST), I lured it into a carrier by baiting it with food. So this little stray kitten is now in a big carrier with food and a litter box, but I can't keep him. If I lived in the country, I definitely would. I don't have room in my apartment for another pet, and my lease won't allow it.
If you know anyone in Greensboro, NC who may be able to take this stray in, even if he has to be an outdoor country kittie, please contact me. I would truly appreciate anyone helping me get it to a decent life.
At this point, I cannot tell if it is ready to be a lap cat, because it is kinda freaked out from all the stress of being in that parking lot. It is starting to calm down now that it's here, but I've not really started handling it yet.
I'll try to make updates, and get a picture up ASAP. I have one co-worker that has expressed interest. Please send messages to me here on Myspace if you have any leads.
Currently
listening
:
Jar of Flies
By
Alice in Chains
Release date: 1994-01-25
A response to the abortion question
Current mood: angsty
Category: News and Politics
This was in response to a TCOOO blog:
The legalization of abortion is a womens rights issue. Women in history have been used as "baby machines" and being "barefoot and pregnant" used to be a way to keep women in subjection. A woman being able to choose if she carries a child to term is a right, because it is her body!
If women are having too many abortions, that is their own personal morality that they must live with. I still to this day wish that people would stop trying to legislate personal morality issues. Ever heard "get the government out of my uterus?", or "no uterus, no opinion". Why is it that the most vocal abortion opponents are white haired old men? If you are strong against abortion, then figure out a way to let these old fogies carry the children to term, or at least adopt all these unwanted pregnancies. If every Republican "right to lifer" had to adopt every unwanted pregnancy, then would hear this particular debate die by the wayside. Everyone wants to tell people not to get abortions, but they don't want to adopt those babies if they make it to term. What the hell is that? If YOUR morality and conscience force ME to make decisions about my life, THEN YOU MUST FACE THE CONSEQUENCES JUST AS MUCH AS ME. Funny how "right to lifers" tend to be the same people that talk shit about welfare. You will have to increase welfare spending if abortions were illegal, because too many low income mothers will have to depend on the state to raise these babies that the "right to lifers" won't raise.
A woman should have the right to be able to get an abortion in a safe facility, and not die by a rusty clothes hanger like so many women did in the era before legalized abortion. If you don't agree with abortion, don't get one.
In addition, NATURE CAUSES MORE ABORTIONS THAN ANY DOCTOR. Any miscarriage is a biological abortion. Put it in perspective, and leave your religion out of it. But if you want to mix your religion in it, then blame God too, because he lets fetuses die every day for unexplained reasons.
No one should teach their kids that abortion is the best solution. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure...they don't say that for nothing. But no one should be forced to carry a baby to term just so that someone else can deal with their conscience.
Currently
listening
:
Jar of Flies
By
Alice in Chains
Release date: 1994-01-25
I want us all to honor George and post our favorite George skits, monologues and jokes. Please feel free to post as many as you like. I think the best way we can honor him is to sit back and enjoy his comedy. I will be adding more, and I hope you do too.
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Comedian George Carlin, a counter-culture hero famed for his routines about drugs and dirty words, died of heart failure at a Los Angeles-area hospital on Sunday, a spokesman said. He was 71.
Carlin, who had a history of heart and drug-dependency problems, died at Saint John's Health Center in Santa Monica about 6 p.m. PDT (9 p.m. EDT) after being admitted earlier in the afternoon for chest pains, spokesman Jeff Abraham told Reuters.
Known for his edgy, provocative material, Carlin achieved status as an anti-Establishment icon in the 1970s with stand-up bits full of drug references and a routine called "Seven Words You Can Never Say On Television." A regulatory battle over a radio broadcast of the routine ultimately reached the U.S. Supreme Court.
In the 1978 case, Federal Communications Commission vs. Pacifica Foundation, the top U.S. court ruled that the words cited in Carlin's routine were indecent, and that the government's broadcast regulator could ban them from being aired at times when children might be listening.
Carlin's comedic sensibility often came back to a central theme: humanity is doomed.
"I don't have any beliefs or allegiances. I don't believe in this country, I don't believe in religion, or a god, and I don't believe in all these man-made institutional ideas," he told Reuters in a 2001 interview.
Carlin, who wrote several books and performed in many television comedy specials, is survived by his wife Sally Wade, and daughter Kelly Carlin McCall.
I respect everyone's right to believe what they want and to express themselves however they see fit.
My concept of liberty gives the heretic the right to blaspheme. but that is a political concept, not one of faith.
For those of you "of faith", I see how people find comfort in some of the passages of the Bible, but I think that many people who find comfort in that book have not read it cover to cover. By the time I got to Psalms, I was thoroughly disgusted with the portrayal of God and completely confused as to why any of us would want to serve a deity that encouraged us to kill the non-believers or insubordinate children.
Now...that's my beliefs. I believe that any Supreme Being is beyond our comprehension and definitely no yokel in the desert 6000 years ago has any details that are going to help me interpret God.
But...again...my beliefs.
Another contrasting point that I thoroughly believe: atheism in itself is a religion. it takes a certain level of faith in logic and rationalism to maintain an atheistic viewpoint. Science disproves theories all the time, so one must have faith in science - because it can be wrong or right. people who say that they are atheist but non-religious need to truly reevaluate themselves. I've never met an atheist that didn't have his belief system highly crafted with an answer for everything. that takes a certain level of faith, research and pondering. Sometimes you have to have conversations with other atheists to share and learn more about your beliefs. Isn't that what other people do with their study of the Bible and attendance of church? It proves one thing, people need to believe in something, and that is where the religion comes in. I'm not hating on any atheists, Christians, Muslims, or Buddhists by making that statement. All people have their own beliefs, customs, and fellowship practices - they are all basically the same; a bunch of people who believe the same way getting together to talk about their ideas and read the same books. It's a club, and people are cliquish by nature. That's my understanding of the world of religion - basically separated like a high school lunch room.
don't get offended if someone thinks religion is a crock of shit. too many people have sullied the name of Christianity with war, oppression and murder. the Biblical text does not paint the God of Love that people preach about. It's a complex allegory of a history of a people, not a flattering story of a supreme being. Anyone who hasn't read it cover to cover is not going to understand what I mean, and people who worship without reading scare the crap out of me. Blind faith is the same as blind patriotism, and see what that got us in American political policies? Rage against the Machine said it best, "Killing in the name of..."
I'm not killing in the name of anything. Make sure you don't either. Don't kill someone's spirit, faith or drive. Tolerance is the key.
Just one more quick thing...religion is too personal an issue to argue in a blog. it's always confused me that there is a religion and philosophy section of myspace anyway. people are too hateful on here. God forbid if someone write an Islamic blog in this section. The whole place goes freaking nuts. Religion is another tool we use to separate ourselves from others, and it is evident in the R&P section.
Well, if you made it this far...thanks for reading.
1luv, peace (can that be my religion?)
Currently
listening
:
There There
By
Radiohead
Release date: 2003-06-03
thanks to TCOOO: http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendID=20117338&blogID=404273462&indicate=1
Fox News is up to their old tricks.
Anybody who does not know what a "pound it" is needs to take themselves to the mall and watch young people interact with each other.
Barack Obama is no elderly man, he's showing he's hip!
I mean, good Lord these scared folks are just dying to find some little shred of evidence to rationalize their fear of Obama. They think "well I'm not a racist if I think he's a radical" and then proceed to make a big deal out of nothing. If the whole world is crying out for the youth of today to get involved, then why don't news organizations take panels of teens and young adults to explain these "new fangled ideas and expressions" to the old white-bread fogies.
That line was deliberate, obviously manufactured and repugnant. Fox should be ashamed to call themselves unbiased reporting and then create hateful phrases against a political figure. Now some redneck is going to have a new line attacking the opposition, one that he would never coin on his own.
I am tired of prejudice constantly rearing it's ugly head into the culture of today. They have to let that crap go...it's long past time.
Check out these terrorists:
their definition: A fist pound, (also fist bump, pound it, pounds, knock's, bones, the rock, respect knuckles, knucks, daps, bones, tater, or props as in proper recognition) is a type of friendly gesture similar to a hand shake or a high five. It is performed by two people tapping their fists lightly.
McCain says he brings experience. I have a story of experience for you. Bush, Jr was raised in a political family with experience in corporate capitalism from the time he breathed his first breath. Yet, how funny that Bush's father spent his entire life in government yet his spawn made the worst mistakes in our nations history.
If that is what experience means, then I'll take the newbie. Anything is better than the experience I'm having.
I'm not going to talk junk about John McCain, because he served our nation selflessly in war and in government office, and has generally been a voice of reason in the Republican party.
But I'm also not going to vote his Middle East prejudices and hard right belief system as my conscience. I'm not going to throw that dog a bone just because he was a POW or served so many years in our government. He is too far right when it comes to personal morality issues and just completely indignant when it comes to diplomacy. This hard line, "we will never negotiate" strategy is what got us 2 airplanes into one of our nations iconic buildings. It's long past time that we start learning and listening. The Middle East will never be the same because of what we have done since WW2, but it will never get better until we stop exercising our will over these people. Democracy means self governance…us bombing the hell out of the Middle East and throwing depleted uranium from one hand while the other dumps money like bandaids is not democracy. We are delusional if we think that attacking Iran is going to help anything in that region. We need all the surrounding countries to rally with us to help rebuild. We have to begin creating goodwill in the Middle East, or we will forever be the infidels.
Progressive ideals and peaceful diplomacy are our only hope. McCain can't give us either.
Currently
listening
:
Hail to the Thief
By
Radiohead
Release date: 2003-06-10
Eczema: Atopic Dermatitis Home Treatment
Category: Life
I’m just doing a little research for a friend who has Eczema. Listing sources and as much bibliography information as possible. If you have any suggested reading, feel free to attach it, but make sure you give a source. Thanks!
You would think that putting water on the skin would moisturize it more, but the opposite is true. Plain water that comes in contact with the skin evaporates and takes with it many of the skin’s natural oils called natural moisturizing factor (NMF). The more often the skin has contact with water, the drier it gets unless those natural oils are replaced. But your skin has to come in contact with water when you bathe and wash your hands. Is it more important to bathe to clean the skin or avoid water to keep the skin moisturized? The following are some guidelines to follow when it comes to water contact:
Water temperature should be tepid -- hotter water takes more oils away than cooler water.
The length of contact should be short -- no long, hot showers especially if you have a flare-up.
Using antibacterial gels for hand-washing does not cause the skin to dry out because the alcohol does not bind to NMF taking them away when it evaporates.
When drying off, pat the skin dry with a towel until the skin is not dripping -- do not rub the skin vigorously.
Use a good moisturizer on the skin immediately after any contact with water.
Moisturizers for Eczema
Not only is it important to use a moisturizer often (up to three times a day), it is important to use one that does not contain perfumes, fragrances or essential oils, because these are all potentially very irritating to eczematous skin.
Borage Oil, containing GLA, relieves the symptoms of eczema, including itching, redness, and oozing
By Artur Klimaszewski, MD Source: Bioriginal Publishing Date Published: October 1999
In the last 20 years, researchers have discovered that eczema may be linked to a deficiency of Gamma Linolenic Acid (GLA). GLA is a naturally occurring fatty acid. A healthy body may obtain GLA by converting dietary Linoleic Acid (LA) found in many processed foods, margarine, and vegetable oils. The body metabolizes GLA into hormone-like compounds that regulate inflammation and allergic response.
Human trials on eczema have demonstrated success with GLA supplementation. GLA is found naturally in:
Borage (also known as Starflower) Oil, Evening Primrose Oil, and Black Currant Oil.
The best source of GLA is Borage (or Starflower) Oil, which contains up to 23% GLA. Evening Primrose Oil (8-10% GLA) and Black Currant Oil (15-17% GLA) are other sources of GLA. Because of the higher concentration of GLA in Borage, a patient may consume fewer capsules overall to achieve the required dosage. This makes Borage Oil the most economical source of GLA.
There has been some variability in the results of GLA supplementation for eczema, however, a thorough review of the whole body of data on the subject reveals a strongly positive effect.
The group receiving Borage Oil experienced significant reductions in all their symptoms by the end of the 12 weeks of therapy: itching decreased about 90%; vesicle formation decreased more than 40%; and erythema (patchy redness of the skin) and oozing showed similar improvements. Improvements in symptoms began during the first four weeks of treatment, and the full extent of the benefits were achieved after 12 weeks. Furthermore, researchers have observed that the effects of GLA may continue several weeks or months after stopping supplementation.
Swanson Creams Vitamin E Cream - Guard your skin against the effects of the years with the nourishing protection of Vitamin E Cream. Damage caused by free radicals and excessive sun exposure can age your skin before its time. This special formula combines the antioxidant power of vitamins E, C and A with aloe vera gel and select herbal extracts to help maintain your skin’s youthful glow. Item SW740 4 fl oz (118 ml) Cream SWANSON $4.49 http://www.swansonvitamins.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=10001&langId=-1&catalogId=10051&productId=12833&R=39050
Nature’s Gate Colloidal Oatmeal Lotion Itchy Dry Skin -With herbal extracts to naturally soothe, calm and nourish. Nature’s Gate Colloidal Oatmeal Lotion is rich with natural, skin-calming ingredients that gently moisturize and help nourish dry skin. Colloidal Oatmeal, known for its soothing properties, is blended with moisturizing Canola Gel, botanical extracts and vitamins to help keep skin soft and supple. This extra-gentle formula is ideal for those with sensitive skin. Item NGT013 18 fl oz Lotion SWANSON $5.49 http://www.swansonvitamins.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=10001&langId=-1&catalogId=10051&productId=20270&R=11400
Republicans & Offended White Folks: Get over Reverend Wright.
Category: News and Politics
I’ve got several points to make, and I know some of you will be offended. I know some of you will go off half-cocked and not even read what I have to say. But I’ve got to say it, and I would appreciate you having the decency to hear me out before you post your opinion. If you want to spew your opinion without reading mine first, then write your own blog.
1. I watched Fox News Sunday, and I have to say that I am completely tired of Republicans beating the drum about racism by Senator Obama’s pastor. In a party with a racist and religiously intolerant legacy riddled with candidates who have worn their prejudice like a badge of courage, it is terribly bad form for you to hang on the words of a man who is not even the candidate. Until you can sweep away the shame of Strom Thurmond, Jesse Helms, David Duke, and Pat Buchannon, then I suggest you stop blaming Obama for someone who is not even associated to his campaign. Enough of your direct candidates have actually spewed out racism and religious intolerance from their own mouths, that you have no right to blame Barak Obama for statements HE DIDN’T EVEN MAKE. Jesus said to clear the stake from your own eye before you point out the stake in your brothers eye. Republicans, you have a house full of racists that have spoke up time and time again. Don’t try to take the moral high road now unless you plan to condemn all of your racists and throw them out of your party.
2. As for Reverend Wright’s statements: It is time for those of you who are critical to try to work on your empathy. Has everyone forgotten that less than 70 years ago that black people had to fight and die just for the right to go to the same schools as white people? I am not defending his statements, but I am saying that I can understand how a resentment could be deep-seeded in a community of people who faced German shepherds, batons and water hoses to fight for their rights. I can understand how resentment could be harbored by a group of people that still feel the economic effects of the historical racism in our nation. I can understand how someone could see the struggles of his brethren and have frustration and anger. THIS IS CALLED PERSPECTIVE. White people who have never crossed "the tracks" are going to be offended by statements such as these because they have not taken time to put themselves in the shoes of people who have been economically, socially and legally oppressed for generations. Try to look at it from someone else’s perspective! Some white people are so privileged they cannot even begin to fathom the concept of institutionalized racism because it doesn’t touch their life. TAKE OFF YOUR BLINDERS AND LOOK AROUND! Although Reverend Wrights statements were incendiary, there are many black people who feel the same way because the American dream doesn’t seem to make it to their neighborhood. EVEN TODAY, they face obstacles and hardships that white people don’t have to face. Why is it so inexcusable that Barak can understand this man’s perspective since it is based in historical fact and present day adversity?
3. Martin Luther King Jr, the man that we all put on a pedestal WAS KILLED and MARTYRED IN HIS FIGHT FOR EQUALITY FOR ALL. His fight for social justice landed him in the grave, and it didn’t solve the racial issues in this country. He only started the work, and WE HAVE NEVER FINISHED IT. Although Reverend Wright’s statements were offensive, at least he got people talking about race, the subject that people like to dismiss like our nations dirty little secret. It’s past time for us to discuss and air out these issues. This is going to hurt, it’s going to be uncomfortable, but we have to do it! Martin Luther King didn’t fix discrimination and the Civil Rights Movement didn’t resolve these issues. We have so far to go, and we cannot ignore the fact that many things Reverend Wright spoke on are still status quo.
4. I’ve been to many churches in my life and have been touched by messages provided by the pastor, yet in the next statement have been highly offended and put off by the way they approached a subject. I have been offended in churches by the "hellfire and damnation" message preached right before a collection plate goes around (forgetting that Jesus threw the moneychangers out of the church). I have been offended by pastors condemning their gay brethren to hell, rather than loving their neighbor as themselves. I have been offended by parishioners excusing themselves because a person who is poorly dressed or obviously homeless sits in the same pew, or a pastor preaching about dress codes when Jesus said to love the poor. I have been offended by pastors using their religious text as a basis for prejudice against race or gender, telling me I can’t speak in a church because I am a woman, or that I sin because I’m in an interracial relationship, or that I must be submissive to men at all times. I HAVE BEEN OFFENDED AT CHURCH MORE TIMES THAN I CAN COUNT. Haven’t you? But I could still see good work being done in most of those congregations, and I excused someone for being unenlightened. I can love my neighbor, and I can love my enemy. Why is it such a sin that Barak Obama can say these same things?
5. As always, our media is sensationalizing this story that has nothing to do with the issues and is only going to distract the non-political from the business of our nation. We need to stop feeding from this frenzy and we must stop letting media work to further polarize and divide our nation. If this issue makes you harbor more resentment for another race, then you are playing right into their hands. Wise up, you are getting played!
The Cholesterol Cocktail: Lower your cholesterol without pharmaceuticals
Current mood: enlightened
Category: Food and Restaurants
As some of you may know, I am working on lowering my cholesterol. I refuse to take pharmaceuticals to do it because I will not be bound to "Big Pharma" for something that I can fix naturally, and the side-effects are not worth it. I’m making many changes to suit this goal like:
1. Exercise
2. Diet Change
3. Nutritional Supplements.
I am noticing wonderful changes and I think that they are working. We will see in May.
There is an assortment of vitamins and nutrients that taken in combination should lower your cholesterol and triglycerides. The prescription given by the Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine by Michael Murray, N.D. and Joseph Pizzorno, N.D. indicates:
Flaxseed oil: 1 tablespoon daily
Niacin (as inositol hexanicinate): 500 mg 3 times a day with meals for 2 weeks, then increase dosage to 1,000 mg 3 times per day with meals.
Garlic: minimum of 4000 mcg of allicin per day.
Panthetine to lower triglycerides
Vitamin C to lower Lp(a)
But there are other herbs and vitamins suggested by other sources, especially The Perfect Weight by Jarod Rubin and www.swansonvitamins.com, so this is my version of the "Cholesterol Cocktail" daily:
Stress B Complex (all essential B vitamins, Vitamin C & Niacin) - 1 pill daily
Garlic (odor controlled): 2 pills daily with food
Panthetine: 1 pill daily with food
Red Yeast Rice - 1 pill daily with food
Lecithin (fat emulsifier) - 1 pill of Soy Lecithin daily with food, and 2 tablespoons powdered Lecithin granules mixed in food/drink
Vitamin E (essential oils) - 1 pill daily
Fiber supplement - orange flavor mix with 16 oz water.
Multi-vitamin with Iron
Additional supplements I take for other reasons:
Apple cider vinegar - helps control hunger
Hoodia Gordonii (natural herb, not any of these new fad Hoodia pills) - appetite suppressant
Water Pill (Buchu Leaf, Parsley, Uva Ursi, Juniper Berry) - controls water retention
I order all my supplements from Swanson Vitamins (www.swansonvitamins.com), because they are inexpensive, high quality and fast delivery.
On the diet change there are several things that I have learned that have been eye-opening.
1. You need fat in your diet. There are "good fats" and by eliminating those fats from your diet, you are setting yourself up for high cholesterol and high triglycerides. You need some saturated fats, poly and mono saturated. You have absolutely no need for trans fats at all. You need fish oils for healthy cholesterol. Sour cream is good for you (in moderation)!
2. Most vegetable oils and margarine you buy at the grocery store are bad for you once heated. The best oils you can use are coconut oil, extra virgin olive oil and palm oil. Margarine should be eliminated completely. It is better to use natural butter than margarine.
3. Your body cannot flush toxins without water. You need to drink 1/2 of your body weight in ounces of water daily to flush the toxins you produce.
example: A woman weighs 200 pounds. She must drink 100 ounces of water daily to flush her toxins. That is about 12.5 glasses (8 oz) per day!
Despite popular belief, juices, coffee, tea, and sodas do not count towards your water intake goals. You have to drink water on top of that. You might as well just drink filtered water (with lemon if you need some flavor). You need an installed on-sink water filter or to buy a Pur or Brita water pitcher.
4. Your body cannot flush toxins without fiber. When your body dumps wastes into your intestines, if there is nothing for it to bind to, the toxins stay in your intestines fermenting. This fermentation creates an imbalance of yeast and bacteria. This taxes your immune system and makes you more susceptible to colds, flu’s, and other illnesses. You need at least 25 grams of fiber daily. If you are not eating enough fiber, you must have a supplement. If you keep a cold or upper respiratory infection all the time, increase your fiber intake. If you have alot of gas or bloating, increase your natural fiber intake and drink more water.
5. Refined sugar is awful! When you take in too much refined sugar, you are giving the yeast and bacteria in your gut the fuel they need to mass produce. This again taxes your immune system. If you keep a cold all the time, drop your refined sugar intake.
6. Fake sugar is bad for you: aspartame (Equal), sucralose (Splenda), saccarin, high fructose corn syrup (HFCS). Aspartame and saccharin are chemicals that are not derived from nature. They create excitotoxins and these stimulate and damage your nervous system. Heavy use has been linked to nervous system illnesses, and cancers. HFCS is the absolute worst sugar you can take into your body. If it is a choice between a soda or tea with white (refined) sugar, take the tea. HFCS is an addictive sugar substitute used by food manufacturers to save money. It is not a natural nutritional additive despite widely held beliefs it is safe because it is made from corn. Many nutritionists link the spike in obesity in our country to the increased use of HFCS as a food additive. If you need something to taste sweet, use honey, sugar in the raw, or organic sugar.
7. You need to be accountable for what you are putting in your mouth. A food diary will help you immensely. There is a free online food diary that I have been using for about 2 weeks. It is wonderful and has taught me so much about how I’ve been making bad choices on what to eat. Please go to www.thedailyplate.com and start your own profile. It is easy and enlightening. My profile is the same name there...let’s be friends!
I hope this will be help to those of you out there who are working on the same goals. There will be more blogs to come. Please share your ideas too. Any new suggestions will be considered and researched. Thanks in advance!
angsty
excited
enlightened
