Thursday, December 31, 2009

Deadliest Catch Greenhorn Actually an Oregon Bank Robber

So Josh the Greenhorn from Deadliest Catch and the Wizard's crew is actually an Oregon bank robber and was caught after allegedly robbing three banks. He robbed one before going on the show, after being hired by the Wizard's captain.

A Eugene police captain's quote is very funny. He says, "what a stupid thing to do. Rob a bank, then go on a National TV show and make a spectacle of yourself, then come home and rob two more banks." Hahahahaha.

Click post title to go to the Oregonian story about Oakridge Native "Josh" a.k.a. "the greenhorn", and his burgeoning film and bank robbing careers.

Deadliest Catch Greenhorn Actually an Oregon Bank Robber

So Josh the Greenhorn from Deadliest Catch and the Wizard's crew is actually an Oregon bank robber and was caught after allegedly robbing three banks. He robbed one before going on the show, after being hired by the Wizard's captain.

A Eugene police captain's quote is very funny. He says, "what a stupid thing to do. Rob a bank, then go on a National TV show and make a spectacle of yourself, then come home and rob two more banks." Hahahahaha.

Click post title to go to the Oregonian story about Oakridge Native "Josh" a.k.a. "the greenhorn", and his burgeoning film and bank robbing careers.

Close Call in Salem

I've been up looking for a lost cat all day in Salem. A very nice Hispanic woman, whom I was trying to give a lost cat flier, suggested this evening, that it might be a good time to call it day. I'd pulled into an apartment complex again, off Lancaster, to cruise it and give out more fliers. I so much wanted to find that cat and deliver him back, safe and sound, to my friend.

I was in the turn lane to pull into the complex, and the car ahead of me just wouldn't make the turn in. I saw a tan van with it's hood up in the front of the complex, just off the street, and then saw three Mexican guys striding away from it.

Finally I was able to pull in. I went by the van and drove around the complex, parts of which were puddled in deep water from all the rain. I talked to a little kid, gave him a flier too, then pulled out at the same entrance I'd come in, rolling down my window to talk to the woman by the van and give her a lost cat flier.

That's when she told me a shooting occurred right when I was driving in. I had heard about four popping sounds, but I thought it was something going haywire in my car and gave it no thought. I just wasn't in the mode to think "shooting". Click post title for story of the shooting, which started at the gas station right by the apartments.

She was very kind in urging I get out of there now. She told me "That kitty is going to get found!"

I stared at the bullet holes in the back of that van and wondered if it was her van and her kids standing now at the front of the van and why shouldn't she be getting out of there, too. Why should she care about my safety when she has to live there, is what went through my mind. I didn't want to leave, in a way, because it didn't seem fair that I could leave.

Somebody had pulled up with a big TV type news camera to shoot video of the bullet holes in the van. I left.

I drove around again. I turned down the road that the field is one side and the barn is on the other, to just take one look there and saw four sheriff's deputies or police cars, lights flashing, with two cars pulled over. I wondered if that was related the shooting that just occurred.

I drove back then to the field on the other side of the complex where the shooting occurred. I just know that cat is running through that field and the back of that complex. I thought about setting a trap by the side fence of the complex, where there is a definite trail under the fence into the field, but then I thought if I ended up running into people with guns and got shot, that wouldn't be good.

I don't like to be below windows. I got shot at once in Corvallis when sitting in my car between two complexes over near campus watching a trap behind a couple of dumpy duplexes. The shot came from one of those dark windows above me. I laid the seat back, turned on the engine and hightailed it out of there, laid out flat, below the doorline of the car. I had to come back to get the trap by sneaking through from the other side. Made me nervous. The students had just returned and were partying everywhere and hell, that was scary.

I left food, for the lost cat, near the field, and came home.

I was there all day in the pouring rain and wet. My friend was there most of the day. There have been no legitimate sightings, but we checked out another lead, that he was seen with two other cats in a field. The field was off another street and the back of it was against the end of a street lined in "projects". I'd been down that street too and there's nothing pretty about the trashy and trash littered complexes along there. There are signs to a sheriff's substation and I did put a flier in the doorknob of that, but it too looks trashed and maybe abandoned.

In the back of one complex a young dead nutria lies stiff, front legs up as if in his last moments of life, he was pleading with the heavenes for help. Out in the nutria crap filled field, another nutria, with a shot off back leg, ran a few feet, then had to curl up to rest, because of his injury.

This is not a nice neighborhood.

Across the way, a man who owns a falling apart leaky roofed rotting barn, vowed to watch for the cat and says he sees a white cat, maybe a calico come through. I know that calico and where it hangs out. I know all the cats now in a half mile radius.

Another woman told me she'd taken her cat, an unfixed male, to the humane society two days ago. I said, "You know he's probably dead already." I couldn't not say that, not after the days out there searching for that poor lost kitty. She looked uncomfortable and finally said, "Well, maybe he isn't."

A man opened the door to my knock at one house. I started my speil about the lost cat when he insisted I come in. He took my arm and tried to pull me through the door, but it wasn't forceful. The alcohol smell was strong. I twisted away and said, "You think I'm nuts? I don't know you and I'm not coming inside your house." He softened then and came outside and was quite sympathetic about the lost cat and took a flier.

I had no luck at all today, but I didn't get shot at least or raped. At least there's that.

I feel like a ditz. I don't even notice a shooting is going on in front of my eyes? How will I ever find a lost cat then.

Close Call in Salem

I've been up looking for a lost cat all day in Salem. A very nice Hispanic woman, whom I was trying to give a lost cat flier, suggested this evening, that it might be a good time to call it day. I'd pulled into an apartment complex again, off Lancaster, to cruise it and give out more fliers. I so much wanted to find that cat and deliver him back, safe and sound, to my friend.

I was in the turn lane to pull into the complex, and the car ahead of me just wouldn't make the turn in. I saw a tan van with it's hood up in the front of the complex, just off the street, and then saw three Mexican guys striding away from it.

Finally I was able to pull in. I went by the van and drove around the complex, parts of which were puddled in deep water from all the rain. I talked to a little kid, gave him a flier too, then pulled out at the same entrance I'd come in, rolling down my window to talk to the woman by the van and give her a lost cat flier.

That's when she told me a shooting occurred right when I was driving in. I had heard about four popping sounds, but I thought it was something going haywire in my car and gave it no thought. I just wasn't in the mode to think "shooting". Click post title for story of the shooting, which started at the gas station right by the apartments.

She was very kind in urging I get out of there now. She told me "That kitty is going to get found!"

I stared at the bullet holes in the back of that van and wondered if it was her van and her kids standing now at the front of the van and why shouldn't she be getting out of there, too. Why should she care about my safety when she has to live there, is what went through my mind. I didn't want to leave, in a way, because it didn't seem fair that I could leave.

Somebody had pulled up with a big TV type news camera to shoot video of the bullet holes in the van. I left.

I drove around again. I turned down the road that the field is one side and the barn is on the other, to just take one look there and saw four sheriff's deputies or police cars, lights flashing, with two cars pulled over. I wondered if that was related the shooting that just occurred.

I drove back then to the field on the other side of the complex where the shooting occurred. I just know that cat is running through that field and the back of that complex. I thought about setting a trap by the side fence of the complex, where there is a definite trail under the fence into the field, but then I thought if I ended up running into people with guns and got shot, that wouldn't be good.

I don't like to be below windows. I got shot at once in Corvallis when sitting in my car between two complexes over near campus watching a trap behind a couple of dumpy duplexes. The shot came from one of those dark windows above me. I laid the seat back, turned on the engine and hightailed it out of there, laid out flat, below the doorline of the car. I had to come back to get the trap by sneaking through from the other side. Made me nervous. The students had just returned and were partying everywhere and hell, that was scary.

I left food, for the lost cat, near the field, and came home.

I was there all day in the pouring rain and wet. My friend was there most of the day. There have been no legitimate sightings, but we checked out another lead, that he was seen with two other cats in a field. The field was off another street and the back of it was against the end of a street lined in "projects". I'd been down that street too and there's nothing pretty about the trashy and trash littered complexes along there. There are signs to a sheriff's substation and I did put a flier in the doorknob of that, but it too looks trashed and maybe abandoned.

In the back of one complex a young dead nutria lies stiff, front legs up as if in his last moments of life, he was pleading with the heavenes for help. Out in the nutria crap filled field, another nutria, with a shot off back leg, ran a few feet, then had to curl up to rest, because of his injury.

This is not a nice neighborhood.

Across the way, a man who owns a falling apart leaky roofed rotting barn, vowed to watch for the cat and says he sees a white cat, maybe a calico come through. I know that calico and where it hangs out. I know all the cats now in a half mile radius.

Another woman told me she'd taken her cat, an unfixed male, to the humane society two days ago. I said, "You know he's probably dead already." I couldn't not say that, not after the days out there searching for that poor lost kitty. She looked uncomfortable and finally said, "Well, maybe he isn't."

A man opened the door to my knock at one house. I started my speil about the lost cat when he insisted I come in. He took my arm and tried to pull me through the door, but it wasn't forceful. The alcohol smell was strong. I twisted away and said, "You think I'm nuts? I don't know you and I'm not coming inside your house." He softened then and came outside and was quite sympathetic about the lost cat and took a flier.

I had no luck at all today, but I didn't get shot at least or raped. At least there's that.

I feel like a ditz. I don't even notice a shooting is going on in front of my eyes? How will I ever find a lost cat then.

Wednesday, December 30, 2009

Hug in a Homeless Camp

I visited the homeless camp this evening. I found a friend who took me over with bags of cat food to deliver to the campers left there. The cats were nearly starved. I gave the first camper a bag of food. The second camp, Little R's, was vacant, but the black tame female, left behind by campers when they moved from the other side, was in his tent and starved. I opened one of the bags and poured out a large pile for her and the others.

I went to the last camp where the woman lives. She stood up immediately, startled at first by my sudden appearance in the woods. Then she held her arms out and wanted a hug. "I can't believe it," she said over and over.

She always acts shocked to see me, face full of disbelief. Like I've tramped through miles upon miles of deep snow and wilderness carrying an 80 pound pack to get there.

She wanted me to sit down and talk awhile. She stumbled to her feet to offer me her chair. She had two sports or camp type fold up chairs under a tarp, at a table. The tarp had been squared off to make almost a little room, where she could sit, at her table, out of the rain.

She was drunk and could barely stand without wobbling. I eyed the creek, only 15 feet away, and hoped she wouldn't stumble into it in the night.

She waved at the empty tent and said "He's dead you know." I said "I know." Speed, as was his nickname, died a few weeks ago. Alcoholism.

She looked old tonight. Almost defeated.

She had torn open the plastic wrap on raw chicken thigh and drumstick pieces, two in each of the two packages, for her cats. She had no cat food. I gave her the two 18 lb bags I'd bought and brought over. I opened one of the bags and filled two food dishes in her kitchen shelter so her cats could eat immediately. Then I came back over to the table. The man from the first camp had shown up, following me through the woods. He wanted to hug me too and tell me thank you.

When the woman hugged me, she wouldn't let go for about five minutes. We've known each other a long time. I think she knows if she doesn't do something, she might be next to die out there somewhere. I so much wish I could buy those three a house to live in. I mean, I know they'd trash it, but they'd have a roof and bathroom, shower, heat, even a TV and frig for their use. I just wish I could do that for them but I can't.

Those last three campers have been at it too long. They know it, too, that they're on borrowed time now. I don't know if any of them will last the year through. It's the alcohol that kills them one by one.

I finally had to leave because my gracious friend would be out there driving back and forth waiting for me. I need to get those three some more food, human food, take that in.

I take her vitamins but she doesn't take them. I take them Gatorade when I can afford to, so at least they replenish their electrolites. She'll tell me, and Richard too will chime in "Is it like your job or something to bug us?" And I'll say "Hell yes. I have to bug someone. May as well be you guys." "All right," one of them will say, "guess we'll let you. As long as you fix them cats."

I know people think the drunks are worthless. Well, so what, they're still human beings.

Well anyhow, after I left my mind kept racing trying to come up with some solution for them.

Hug in a Homeless Camp

I visited the homeless camp this evening. I found a friend who took me over with bags of cat food to deliver to the campers left there. The cats were nearly starved. I gave the first camper a bag of food. The second camp, Little R's, was vacant, but the black tame female, left behind by campers when they moved from the other side, was in his tent and starved. I opened one of the bags and poured out a large pile for her and the others.

I went to the last camp where the woman lives. She stood up immediately, startled at first by my sudden appearance in the woods. Then she held her arms out and wanted a hug. "I can't believe it," she said over and over.

She always acts shocked to see me, face full of disbelief. Like I've tramped through miles upon miles of deep snow and wilderness carrying an 80 pound pack to get there.

She wanted me to sit down and talk awhile. She stumbled to her feet to offer me her chair. She had two sports or camp type fold up chairs under a tarp, at a table. The tarp had been squared off to make almost a little room, where she could sit, at her table, out of the rain.

She was drunk and could barely stand without wobbling. I eyed the creek, only 15 feet away, and hoped she wouldn't stumble into it in the night.

She waved at the empty tent and said "He's dead you know." I said "I know." Speed, as was his nickname, died a few weeks ago. Alcoholism.

She looked old tonight. Almost defeated.

She had torn open the plastic wrap on raw chicken thigh and drumstick pieces, two in each of the two packages, for her cats. She had no cat food. I gave her the two 18 lb bags I'd bought and brought over. I opened one of the bags and filled two food dishes in her kitchen shelter so her cats could eat immediately. Then I came back over to the table. The man from the first camp had shown up, following me through the woods. He wanted to hug me too and tell me thank you.

When the woman hugged me, she wouldn't let go for about five minutes. We've known each other a long time. I think she knows if she doesn't do something, she might be next to die out there somewhere. I so much wish I could buy those three a house to live in. I mean, I know they'd trash it, but they'd have a roof and bathroom, shower, heat, even a TV and frig for their use. I just wish I could do that for them but I can't.

Those last three campers have been at it too long. They know it, too, that they're on borrowed time now. I don't know if any of them will last the year through. It's the alcohol that kills them one by one.

I finally had to leave because my gracious friend would be out there driving back and forth waiting for me. I need to get those three some more food, human food, take that in.

I take her vitamins but she doesn't take them. I take them Gatorade when I can afford to, so at least they replenish their electrolites. She'll tell me, and Richard too will chime in "Is it like your job or something to bug us?" And I'll say "Hell yes. I have to bug someone. May as well be you guys." "All right," one of them will say, "guess we'll let you. As long as you fix them cats."

I know people think the drunks are worthless. Well, so what, they're still human beings.

Well anyhow, after I left my mind kept racing trying to come up with some solution for them.

Watch for this LOST DOG. He was Stolen and Theives are Trying to Sell Him




I got this from a friend who lives in North Bend:

Skipper has been missing since 12/16 when a visitor to the house left the gate open while Skipper was using the bathroom. He has since been picked up by what people are reporting as a couple.

The woman has been seen walking Skipper past McKay's and 7-11 in Empire Oregon. Then a few days ago was seen inside a pet store when the couple reported brought the dog inside trying to sell him to the pet store for $200.

Mind you the town has been plastered with his missing flyers, plus craigslist lost and found, the local newspapers, facebook is creating quite a following too, the animals shelter, and police departments all know too. So with these people trying to sell him, there is no telling where he might end up.

The description of Skipper is 1 1/2 year old White with Black Papillon, neutered male, about 15 lbs. He has a scar on his belly from an undescended testicle where they did surgery to remove it. He is incredibly lovable and excited when around people. Loves the mud! Was wearing a black collar and tags. Stacy's number is 541-404-1124 if found, she is offering a reward.

Watch for this LOST DOG. He was Stolen and Theives are Trying to Sell Him




I got this from a friend who lives in North Bend:

Skipper has been missing since 12/16 when a visitor to the house left the gate open while Skipper was using the bathroom. He has since been picked up by what people are reporting as a couple.

The woman has been seen walking Skipper past McKay's and 7-11 in Empire Oregon. Then a few days ago was seen inside a pet store when the couple reported brought the dog inside trying to sell him to the pet store for $200.

Mind you the town has been plastered with his missing flyers, plus craigslist lost and found, the local newspapers, facebook is creating quite a following too, the animals shelter, and police departments all know too. So with these people trying to sell him, there is no telling where he might end up.

The description of Skipper is 1 1/2 year old White with Black Papillon, neutered male, about 15 lbs. He has a scar on his belly from an undescended testicle where they did surgery to remove it. He is incredibly lovable and excited when around people. Loves the mud! Was wearing a black collar and tags. Stacy's number is 541-404-1124 if found, she is offering a reward.

Tuesday, December 29, 2009

Some Leg Hold Trapper Lost a Trap

A Sweet Home trapper apparently has a line of traps out around Albany somewhere and is missing a trap. Click post title to go to his letter. Pisses me off to hear of leg hold traps in use, because of how much animals suffer in them. And also because that trap could be attached to the leg of anything, including an unsuspecting dog, cat or kid. If I was out and had one of those snap onto my foot, I would lay in wait all right. For the damn trapper.

I bet that trap is with some kind person who found it on the leg of a cat or dog, and rushed that cat or dog to the vet. I hope too, if this occurred, the trap is now part of evidence in an animal cruelty case or in a trash can somewhere.

Nobody stole that trap, as he thinks. It's attached to somebody or something and he'll likely hear about it now that he identified himself. That is sad, man, so sad. If he's going to kill nutria, he ought to shoot them, not torture them to death. Those traps wait there for anything that comes along. Anything. I don't even leave an unattended live trap, for gosh sakes, what is wrong with these people.

In the comment section, some woman attacks another commenter who said it was cruel, saying any cosmetics he used are probably animal tested, etc. etc. In other words, she says he can't say its cruel because he probably endorses by product and medicine use, animal torture in labs.

Well hell, does that make any animal torture ok? Of course it doesn't. Oh everybody bullies that kid, says the bully justifying the bullying. It's a load of horseshit argument, lady. Horseshit argument.

Some Leg Hold Trapper Lost a Trap

A Sweet Home trapper apparently has a line of traps out around Albany somewhere and is missing a trap. Click post title to go to his letter. Pisses me off to hear of leg hold traps in use, because of how much animals suffer in them. And also because that trap could be attached to the leg of anything, including an unsuspecting dog, cat or kid. If I was out and had one of those snap onto my foot, I would lay in wait all right. For the damn trapper.

I bet that trap is with some kind person who found it on the leg of a cat or dog, and rushed that cat or dog to the vet. I hope too, if this occurred, the trap is now part of evidence in an animal cruelty case or in a trash can somewhere.

Nobody stole that trap, as he thinks. It's attached to somebody or something and he'll likely hear about it now that he identified himself. That is sad, man, so sad. If he's going to kill nutria, he ought to shoot them, not torture them to death. Those traps wait there for anything that comes along. Anything. I don't even leave an unattended live trap, for gosh sakes, what is wrong with these people.

In the comment section, some woman attacks another commenter who said it was cruel, saying any cosmetics he used are probably animal tested, etc. etc. In other words, she says he can't say its cruel because he probably endorses by product and medicine use, animal torture in labs.

Well hell, does that make any animal torture ok? Of course it doesn't. Oh everybody bullies that kid, says the bully justifying the bullying. It's a load of horseshit argument, lady. Horseshit argument.

It's Snowing!



It's Snowing!



Monday, December 28, 2009

OR Humane and 10,000 Adoptions

OR Humane is on a big campaign to reach 10,000 adoptions this year. I suppose I'm not so impressed. I should be, I know.

I got an e-mail from SafeHaven a few days ago asking if I had any kittens up for adoption because Oregon Humane was looking for kittens. Now I know why. They had a goal to reach by years' end and needed highly adoptable animals to reach it.

That Wilsonville woman who briefly fostered Black Pearl would get on a list to take cats she rescued in to Oregon Humane every couple of months. I wouldn't let her take in Black Pearl. I made her promise she wouldn't. I'm so damn skeptical about the big shelters. She would pay $45 per cat, I think she said it was, to take in the cats she rescued, primarily from the trailer park where she lives, to OR Humane.

I would like to see all the small timers, the heartfelt little people rescues and rescuers go to heaven. A nice vacation for each would be nice in the meantime, however.

I'm glad Oregon Humane is adopting out 10,000 animals this year. It's a good accomplishment.

I'd be far more impressed if Oregon Humane had spayed and neutered 25,000 Oregon low income owned and feral cats. I'd just be super impressed then. I might even become a fan on Facebook then. But not until.

I still see the possibilities. I still think that sheltering a fraction of the aftermath of overpopulation is ineffective and inefficient and diverts the spotlight from the bright shining possibilities, of really solving the overpopulation issue with massive spay neutering.

It's a hard sell. People like to see the success stories at shelters. They like to go to shelters where they can literally wrap their arms around the overpopulation issue and hug it and take it home. They can lay out their money there, even when they know, if they thought about it, most of that money would be going into salaries, and utility bills and cleaning supplies.

Are they instead going to hand over their money to the handful of statewide cat trapper and cat wrangler groups, who are dirty by comparison, unsightly, often poor, without pulpits or accountants, rarely seen but talked about like they're nuts?

Only those with vivid imaginations or experiences will. The stories could be told, the stories that begin with two cats, one male and one female, and go on to the subsequent stories and fates of all the kittens born. The stories would include the costs and tragedies of all the tangents taken in the lives of those kittens, handed out to breed elsewhere, to be abandoned, to suffer, to produce more who suffer, and the people who chase after them, their heartbreaks and costs. People who can imagine this or have seen it do hand over their money to spay neuterers.

The story could be told in that manner. And at the end of all these tragic tales, born of two cats breeding originally, one could say, "But these horrible stories never really happened. Because, when the woman found the two cats her neighbor had left behind, the first thing she did was take the two cats, a boy and a girl, to the vet. They had their shots, were wormed, treated for fleas. And, they were spayed and neutered."

The story could be called "Animal Abuse and Suffering Stories of Summer 2009 That Never Occurred" Or something like that.

You get your happy fuzzy endings to wrap yourself up in, because you prevent the alternative in the first place. All you really need is an imagination, knowledge, or common sense. That's all.

OR Humane and 10,000 Adoptions

OR Humane is on a big campaign to reach 10,000 adoptions this year. I suppose I'm not so impressed. I should be, I know.

I got an e-mail from SafeHaven a few days ago asking if I had any kittens up for adoption because Oregon Humane was looking for kittens. Now I know why. They had a goal to reach by years' end and needed highly adoptable animals to reach it.

That Wilsonville woman who briefly fostered Black Pearl would get on a list to take cats she rescued in to Oregon Humane every couple of months. I wouldn't let her take in Black Pearl. I made her promise she wouldn't. I'm so damn skeptical about the big shelters. She would pay $45 per cat, I think she said it was, to take in the cats she rescued, primarily from the trailer park where she lives, to OR Humane.

I would like to see all the small timers, the heartfelt little people rescues and rescuers go to heaven. A nice vacation for each would be nice in the meantime, however.

I'm glad Oregon Humane is adopting out 10,000 animals this year. It's a good accomplishment.

I'd be far more impressed if Oregon Humane had spayed and neutered 25,000 Oregon low income owned and feral cats. I'd just be super impressed then. I might even become a fan on Facebook then. But not until.

I still see the possibilities. I still think that sheltering a fraction of the aftermath of overpopulation is ineffective and inefficient and diverts the spotlight from the bright shining possibilities, of really solving the overpopulation issue with massive spay neutering.

It's a hard sell. People like to see the success stories at shelters. They like to go to shelters where they can literally wrap their arms around the overpopulation issue and hug it and take it home. They can lay out their money there, even when they know, if they thought about it, most of that money would be going into salaries, and utility bills and cleaning supplies.

Are they instead going to hand over their money to the handful of statewide cat trapper and cat wrangler groups, who are dirty by comparison, unsightly, often poor, without pulpits or accountants, rarely seen but talked about like they're nuts?

Only those with vivid imaginations or experiences will. The stories could be told, the stories that begin with two cats, one male and one female, and go on to the subsequent stories and fates of all the kittens born. The stories would include the costs and tragedies of all the tangents taken in the lives of those kittens, handed out to breed elsewhere, to be abandoned, to suffer, to produce more who suffer, and the people who chase after them, their heartbreaks and costs. People who can imagine this or have seen it do hand over their money to spay neuterers.

The story could be told in that manner. And at the end of all these tragic tales, born of two cats breeding originally, one could say, "But these horrible stories never really happened. Because, when the woman found the two cats her neighbor had left behind, the first thing she did was take the two cats, a boy and a girl, to the vet. They had their shots, were wormed, treated for fleas. And, they were spayed and neutered."

The story could be called "Animal Abuse and Suffering Stories of Summer 2009 That Never Occurred" Or something like that.

You get your happy fuzzy endings to wrap yourself up in, because you prevent the alternative in the first place. All you really need is an imagination, knowledge, or common sense. That's all.

Don't Want it to Go

I have loved my Christmas tree. It is slightly bent and was when I got it. I tilted the stand to make the tree look straighter by folding towels to put under the edge on one side of the stand. I also put a cinder block on the edge of the metal stand, to keep the cats from knocking it over. I tied the tree trunk off in three directions, too.

The cats were excited from the moment I brought the tree inside. They sleep in a pile under it. Every morning, I pick up the ornaments they've knocked off and put them back on.

I can hardly wait for darkness to descend so I can turn on the tree and window lights and sit in the glow. I love these things. There is nothing better in the dark of winter.

The tree is losing more and more needles and looking brown. Next year, I'll try to find a tree farm that will let me dig it up at the roots and I'll have it planted inside in a large something, then plant it outside somewhere afterwards. That way it won't die on me and will look great for the entire season and then go on hopefully to live for many many decades out somewhere. If I get a small enough live tree, I'll plant it in a big planter on wheels that I'll just roll inside, maybe, for the Christmas season. I will work something like that out. I love the tree and the lights and ornaments too much not to have a tree. I hate plastic trees. Christmas is plastic enough without having a plastic fake tree to go along with the rest of the nonsense.

I might start nurturing next years tree real soon. I'm going to get one at a nursery that's maybe four feet tall and that will be my tree at Christmas for years.

I'm thinking of decorating in like manner for some of the other holidays. For Presidents Day, I'm going to make life size President dolls to chew the fat with and discuss historical events and tell tall tales. That will give me a meaningful Presidents Day.

We got St. Patricks' Day and I am not really sure why non Catholics would be celebrating any of the saints, especially with green and heavy drinking. But hey, it's a lively holiday, much more interesting than most. And then there is April Fools Day, another of my favorite holidays. Oh I forgot Valentine's Day. I must consider some sort of tradition to begin for that one, too. This could be great fun.

For Memorial Day, well I need to find out how that differs from Veterans' Day, before planning traditions. Then there is Labor Day of course, which generally is celebrated by not laboring. There is the 4th of July. That is a day in need of new traditions. Fireworks and drinking seem to be the normal mode of celebration. I bet I can think of some other way to celebrate since fireworks are boring and loud.

There is Halloween and there is Columbus Day. I've spent at least two Halloween nights now in cemeteries after kittens. Staying the night in a cemetery is very peaceful, I've found. Quiet, too. You can get a decent night's rest there.

You've got the stuff your stomach day, Thanksgiving. You've got winter solstice which I do want to celebrate next year in style. And I think I'm going to celebrate summer solstice this year. Those are real events, not made up. Who doesn't like a holiday!

Don't Want it to Go

I have loved my Christmas tree. It is slightly bent and was when I got it. I tilted the stand to make the tree look straighter by folding towels to put under the edge on one side of the stand. I also put a cinder block on the edge of the metal stand, to keep the cats from knocking it over. I tied the tree trunk off in three directions, too.

The cats were excited from the moment I brought the tree inside. They sleep in a pile under it. Every morning, I pick up the ornaments they've knocked off and put them back on.

I can hardly wait for darkness to descend so I can turn on the tree and window lights and sit in the glow. I love these things. There is nothing better in the dark of winter.

The tree is losing more and more needles and looking brown. Next year, I'll try to find a tree farm that will let me dig it up at the roots and I'll have it planted inside in a large something, then plant it outside somewhere afterwards. That way it won't die on me and will look great for the entire season and then go on hopefully to live for many many decades out somewhere. If I get a small enough live tree, I'll plant it in a big planter on wheels that I'll just roll inside, maybe, for the Christmas season. I will work something like that out. I love the tree and the lights and ornaments too much not to have a tree. I hate plastic trees. Christmas is plastic enough without having a plastic fake tree to go along with the rest of the nonsense.

I might start nurturing next years tree real soon. I'm going to get one at a nursery that's maybe four feet tall and that will be my tree at Christmas for years.

I'm thinking of decorating in like manner for some of the other holidays. For Presidents Day, I'm going to make life size President dolls to chew the fat with and discuss historical events and tell tall tales. That will give me a meaningful Presidents Day.

We got St. Patricks' Day and I am not really sure why non Catholics would be celebrating any of the saints, especially with green and heavy drinking. But hey, it's a lively holiday, much more interesting than most. And then there is April Fools Day, another of my favorite holidays. Oh I forgot Valentine's Day. I must consider some sort of tradition to begin for that one, too. This could be great fun.

For Memorial Day, well I need to find out how that differs from Veterans' Day, before planning traditions. Then there is Labor Day of course, which generally is celebrated by not laboring. There is the 4th of July. That is a day in need of new traditions. Fireworks and drinking seem to be the normal mode of celebration. I bet I can think of some other way to celebrate since fireworks are boring and loud.

There is Halloween and there is Columbus Day. I've spent at least two Halloween nights now in cemeteries after kittens. Staying the night in a cemetery is very peaceful, I've found. Quiet, too. You can get a decent night's rest there.

You've got the stuff your stomach day, Thanksgiving. You've got winter solstice which I do want to celebrate next year in style. And I think I'm going to celebrate summer solstice this year. Those are real events, not made up. Who doesn't like a holiday!

Saturday, December 26, 2009

GREAT NEWS from POPPA!

They had their board meeting and Poppa's president said they will continue to fund Linn Benton county cat fixes. They gave me the budget amount I can use per month. I am back in business, for now at least! I am so happy I could cry!

BEST CHRISTMAS PRESENT EVER!!!

GREAT NEWS from POPPA!

They had their board meeting and Poppa's president said they will continue to fund Linn Benton county cat fixes. They gave me the budget amount I can use per month. I am back in business, for now at least! I am so happy I could cry!

BEST CHRISTMAS PRESENT EVER!!!

Going Back to Bottled Water

Click post title to go to article about one Albany councilor's campaign to enclose the water canal, running from the Santiam River in Lebanon through Lebanon and fields and parts of Albany, in a pipe. The article claims most of Albany's water now comes from a treatment plant on Scravel Hill. Most of the water?

I don't want to drink any water from that yucky canal. I don't want to drink any water that picks up the "muck" of Lebanon through the storm drains, as the article describes, nor the chemical run off from all those farm fields. To read about how disgusted officials were to see the "muck" as they described the run off from Lebanon, made me want to retch. I'm not sure if one can trust water officials really, that the water isn't full of all sorts of bad things. It's so hard for the average jane and joe to know anymore.

I don't even want the asphalt and car run off in my water as it comes through Albany. There was an article once in the paper about a man who was swimming in the canal looking for his false teeth.

The Santiam River itself is a problem as a water supply in the summer, because of Foster Reservoir. In the summer, that lake is alive with jet skiis that pour out enormous amounts of gas when they run. That gas and oil ends up in the Santiam. I didn't understand the full implication of how much these jet skiis give off when running until I began swimming in Foster Reservoir now and then. Sometimes, when I'd swim up there, the smell of gas from jet skiis was overpowering. There would be a sheen of gas on the surface of the water in places.

I'm going back to drinking bottled water. I know, it probably comes from some other municipalities contaminated water too. I just read some article that the majority of city water supplies are highly contaminated. Before, people would say city water supplies are the safest to drink. I believed that, since you really don't know where bottled water comes from.

But I guess, according to the report, they're not really testing for most contaminants in city water supplies, like farm and yard chemicals, and pharmaceuticals passed into the water supply due to improper disposal methods of hospitals and individuals and through people's pee, in our society where people take handfuls of over the counter and prescription drugs each day.

There is concern too over the safety of sewage sludge, hauled to eager farmers for cut rate fertlizer, to use on crop fields. This is due also to the large numbers of contaminants flushed down the toilet, or in our own waste passed through our bodies and improper disposal of hospital drugs that ends up in the sludge waste and perhaps in anything grown in that. At least in the valley, most of the farm land is not used for food crops, just for growing grass seed, which is sold as a garden product for growing yard grass and sports fields, but not for eating.

My brother's mother in law got breast cancer. She's depressed, I hear, over it, because she's led a healthy lifestyle with healthy eating habits. My brother has tried to console her, telling her there is no way to avoid cancer causing chemicals anymore in our world. He's probably right.

Going Back to Bottled Water

Click post title to go to article about one Albany councilor's campaign to enclose the water canal, running from the Santiam River in Lebanon through Lebanon and fields and parts of Albany, in a pipe. The article claims most of Albany's water now comes from a treatment plant on Scravel Hill. Most of the water?

I don't want to drink any water from that yucky canal. I don't want to drink any water that picks up the "muck" of Lebanon through the storm drains, as the article describes, nor the chemical run off from all those farm fields. To read about how disgusted officials were to see the "muck" as they described the run off from Lebanon, made me want to retch. I'm not sure if one can trust water officials really, that the water isn't full of all sorts of bad things. It's so hard for the average jane and joe to know anymore.

I don't even want the asphalt and car run off in my water as it comes through Albany. There was an article once in the paper about a man who was swimming in the canal looking for his false teeth.

The Santiam River itself is a problem as a water supply in the summer, because of Foster Reservoir. In the summer, that lake is alive with jet skiis that pour out enormous amounts of gas when they run. That gas and oil ends up in the Santiam. I didn't understand the full implication of how much these jet skiis give off when running until I began swimming in Foster Reservoir now and then. Sometimes, when I'd swim up there, the smell of gas from jet skiis was overpowering. There would be a sheen of gas on the surface of the water in places.

I'm going back to drinking bottled water. I know, it probably comes from some other municipalities contaminated water too. I just read some article that the majority of city water supplies are highly contaminated. Before, people would say city water supplies are the safest to drink. I believed that, since you really don't know where bottled water comes from.

But I guess, according to the report, they're not really testing for most contaminants in city water supplies, like farm and yard chemicals, and pharmaceuticals passed into the water supply due to improper disposal methods of hospitals and individuals and through people's pee, in our society where people take handfuls of over the counter and prescription drugs each day.

There is concern too over the safety of sewage sludge, hauled to eager farmers for cut rate fertlizer, to use on crop fields. This is due also to the large numbers of contaminants flushed down the toilet, or in our own waste passed through our bodies and improper disposal of hospital drugs that ends up in the sludge waste and perhaps in anything grown in that. At least in the valley, most of the farm land is not used for food crops, just for growing grass seed, which is sold as a garden product for growing yard grass and sports fields, but not for eating.

My brother's mother in law got breast cancer. She's depressed, I hear, over it, because she's led a healthy lifestyle with healthy eating habits. My brother has tried to console her, telling her there is no way to avoid cancer causing chemicals anymore in our world. He's probably right.

Christmas Photos

Honey, from the homeless camp in front of tree.
This years' tree!


The top ornament didn't stay on top much this year. It was a constant cat target of interest. Tree Top Santa's usual location was somewhere on the floor.



I always wrap the stovepipe with red and green electrical tape and attach any Christmas cards I get.

Teddy from the homeless camp taken today, Christmas.
Starr, Teddy's sister, also from the Corvallis homeless camp.
Starr again.
Miss Daisy got into a funk this evening and went charging around the house.
Jade, from Millersburg, who had the kittens in the corner of a garage, and whose foot was broken at some point before she came here.
Shaulin, looking good and growing up.
Shaulin, from the Bengal breeder colony of 22 cats I took in to be fixed, along with Honey of the homeless camp, one of 35 I took in to be fixed from that camp.
Shaulin resting up on the couch before more play with Honey, her best friend.

Christmas Photos

Honey, from the homeless camp in front of tree.
This years' tree!


The top ornament didn't stay on top much this year. It was a constant cat target of interest. Tree Top Santa's usual location was somewhere on the floor.



I always wrap the stovepipe with red and green electrical tape and attach any Christmas cards I get.

Teddy from the homeless camp taken today, Christmas.
Starr, Teddy's sister, also from the Corvallis homeless camp.
Starr again.
Miss Daisy got into a funk this evening and went charging around the house.
Jade, from Millersburg, who had the kittens in the corner of a garage, and whose foot was broken at some point before she came here.
Shaulin, looking good and growing up.
Shaulin, from the Bengal breeder colony of 22 cats I took in to be fixed, along with Honey of the homeless camp, one of 35 I took in to be fixed from that camp.
Shaulin resting up on the couch before more play with Honey, her best friend.

Thursday, December 24, 2009

Head on on Highway 20

Click post title to go to short alert about recent head on collision on Highway 20. I drove up to lights flashing all over the highway, had briefly been in Corvallis. Wasn't sure what was going on so I just stopped. One deputy finally began waving a flashlight so I drove forward. He loudly called one driver, confused by his flashlight and which way he meant him to go "a retard". He had words for me too, but I just rolled up my window.

Well, all we could see was a flashlight waving indiscriminantly. I wanted to turn around and go back to 34, but that was not allowed.

All the cars were directed onto Independence Highway but from there, you were on your own trying to find a way through the maze of backroads into N. Albany and back to Highway 20. I took a wrong turn somewhere in the fog and ended up on Scenic and down at the railroad tracks, where there were more cops, saying "no" to accessing back onto 20 from there. This time they had red beacon traffic director lights.

Anyhow, finally made it back to highway 20 and home. It was very foggy out. Must have been a bad wreck to block so much of the highway off. That's always sad, to hear of wrecks on Christmas Eve or Christmas.

Head on on Highway 20

Click post title to go to short alert about recent head on collision on Highway 20. I drove up to lights flashing all over the highway, had briefly been in Corvallis. Wasn't sure what was going on so I just stopped. One deputy finally began waving a flashlight so I drove forward. He loudly called one driver, confused by his flashlight and which way he meant him to go "a retard". He had words for me too, but I just rolled up my window.

Well, all we could see was a flashlight waving indiscriminantly. I wanted to turn around and go back to 34, but that was not allowed.

All the cars were directed onto Independence Highway but from there, you were on your own trying to find a way through the maze of backroads into N. Albany and back to Highway 20. I took a wrong turn somewhere in the fog and ended up on Scenic and down at the railroad tracks, where there were more cops, saying "no" to accessing back onto 20 from there. This time they had red beacon traffic director lights.

Anyhow, finally made it back to highway 20 and home. It was very foggy out. Must have been a bad wreck to block so much of the highway off. That's always sad, to hear of wrecks on Christmas Eve or Christmas.

Madras Rescue Get in Trouble

This well intentioned rescuer ended up with too many cats taken in and none were fixed and this spelled trouble. I hope the situation can be resolved so the cats get fixed and homes quickly. Over one hundred have been removed so far. Click post title to go to various statements from agencies about the situation.

Madras Rescue Get in Trouble

This well intentioned rescuer ended up with too many cats taken in and none were fixed and this spelled trouble. I hope the situation can be resolved so the cats get fixed and homes quickly. Over one hundred have been removed so far. Click post title to go to various statements from agencies about the situation.

A Beautiful Website

I wish I'd known about this woman's website before I bought Christmas gifts. Her artwork and photos of Oregon feral cats are beautiful and she has a calandar she is selling featuring these gorgeous photos. My friend Midori turned me onto this site. Check it out by clicking post title.

A Beautiful Website

I wish I'd known about this woman's website before I bought Christmas gifts. Her artwork and photos of Oregon feral cats are beautiful and she has a calandar she is selling featuring these gorgeous photos. My friend Midori turned me onto this site. Check it out by clicking post title.

Joy to the World

I think Joy of Nebraska would say to the world: Believe! And fix those cats. Two of the ten cats she was feeding, at a neighbor's farm, after the man died, not only got fixed, but went to a home together yesterday Tucker and Tatar moved from outdoor struggle living to an indoor only home.

Joy contacted me when trying to find some help somewhere getting the cats fixed she'd recently begun to feed. She knew nothing about cats and could not bring any to her own home due to allergies of her son. She is a struggling American as so many of us are these days, with health issues and a chronic financial crisis.

I was frustrated and unable to find groups in Nebraska who could help. I found one in Fort Lupton CO and was almost ready to drive to NE myself to somehow get them fixed. But Joy met Diana of Heartland Spay Neuter Fund. Diana, despite low funds for spay neuter, began to get them in. Blog readers and others I know donated over $300 and the cats are mostly fixed now. I think there are two, right Joy? still needing fixed.

But this latest achievement of Joy and Diana is to get two of these kitties into a home. It sounds like a match made in Heaven. A man lost his wife and was lonely. He took both of the cats in, after first wanting only one. Yahoo for great endings.

Joy, to the world: Fix those cats and never give up.

Merry Christmas again, to Joy and her cats, of NE and to Diana, the spay neuterer of NE, Keep on Fixing! It's the only way.

Joy to the World

I think Joy of Nebraska would say to the world: Believe! And fix those cats. Two of the ten cats she was feeding, at a neighbor's farm, after the man died, not only got fixed, but went to a home together yesterday Tucker and Tatar moved from outdoor struggle living to an indoor only home.

Joy contacted me when trying to find some help somewhere getting the cats fixed she'd recently begun to feed. She knew nothing about cats and could not bring any to her own home due to allergies of her son. She is a struggling American as so many of us are these days, with health issues and a chronic financial crisis.

I was frustrated and unable to find groups in Nebraska who could help. I found one in Fort Lupton CO and was almost ready to drive to NE myself to somehow get them fixed. But Joy met Diana of Heartland Spay Neuter Fund. Diana, despite low funds for spay neuter, began to get them in. Blog readers and others I know donated over $300 and the cats are mostly fixed now. I think there are two, right Joy? still needing fixed.

But this latest achievement of Joy and Diana is to get two of these kitties into a home. It sounds like a match made in Heaven. A man lost his wife and was lonely. He took both of the cats in, after first wanting only one. Yahoo for great endings.

Joy, to the world: Fix those cats and never give up.

Merry Christmas again, to Joy and her cats, of NE and to Diana, the spay neuterer of NE, Keep on Fixing! It's the only way.

Wednesday, December 23, 2009

Merry Christmas to All

To all my blog readers, Merry Christmas!!!!

Merry Christmas to all you faithful cat lovers out there. Thank you for all you do to help cats, for feeding strays, adopting them, rescueing them, and helping the rescues and fixers. You're good people and I hope all of you have a relaxing holiday!

I will be relaxing also.

Not much longer to enjoy bright colored lights and Christmas trees.

Black Pearl and Toby are doing great in their new home already, I was told. That's good news.

I have one more adoption interest contact that might work out.

In the meantime, I have not been able to find the missing cat. I wish I could have found him. Maybe he will turn up alive still.

Merry Christmas to All

To all my blog readers, Merry Christmas!!!!

Merry Christmas to all you faithful cat lovers out there. Thank you for all you do to help cats, for feeding strays, adopting them, rescueing them, and helping the rescues and fixers. You're good people and I hope all of you have a relaxing holiday!

I will be relaxing also.

Not much longer to enjoy bright colored lights and Christmas trees.

Black Pearl and Toby are doing great in their new home already, I was told. That's good news.

I have one more adoption interest contact that might work out.

In the meantime, I have not been able to find the missing cat. I wish I could have found him. Maybe he will turn up alive still.

Tuesday, December 22, 2009

Goodbye Black Pearl and Toby

Pearl and Toby went to their home today. We miss them already. And then, we like having the spare bedroom back. We really do.

I spent part of the day and night out in Salem looking for the lost fluffy brown tabby Maine Coon looking male, originally from Sublimity. Again, the woman who "adopted" him, had him about a day and a half before letting him out, was not out searching. She did say she was going to Walmart to make fliers, but never did.

I know my friend believes her story about her letting him out the second day, but I don't anymore. Who lets a new cat out the 2nd day? I think it's a cover story and something happened to the cat. Otherwise, she'd be out searching, making an effort to find him, but not if he's already dead and she knows it. Maybe I'm just a total pessimist. Maybe she's just lazy. Boy I am not in a generous mood. It just hurts to see my friend torn up over this so badly and believing that woman when I don't believe her at all.

Goodbye Black Pearl and Toby

Pearl and Toby went to their home today. We miss them already. And then, we like having the spare bedroom back. We really do.

I spent part of the day and night out in Salem looking for the lost fluffy brown tabby Maine Coon looking male, originally from Sublimity. Again, the woman who "adopted" him, had him about a day and a half before letting him out, was not out searching. She did say she was going to Walmart to make fliers, but never did.

I know my friend believes her story about her letting him out the second day, but I don't anymore. Who lets a new cat out the 2nd day? I think it's a cover story and something happened to the cat. Otherwise, she'd be out searching, making an effort to find him, but not if he's already dead and she knows it. Maybe I'm just a total pessimist. Maybe she's just lazy. Boy I am not in a generous mood. It just hurts to see my friend torn up over this so badly and believing that woman when I don't believe her at all.

Monday, December 21, 2009

Don't Bring a Gun to a Snowball Fight!

Amen to that. No guns at snowball fights. No guns at weddings. No guns at baptisms. But gosh darn it, don't bring a gun to a snowball fight. Click the post title to see the Youtube video.

One guy did. He was mad. His Hummer got hammered by snowballs. So Mr. Mad came out and drew his gun. Everybody else was having fun and lots of people were getting drilled by snowballs and throwing back. Not Mr. Mad.

What happened to our normal world? In a normal world, when the police showed up, insane man waving gun would have been shot at least 57 times.

Didn't happen. You see, Mr. Mad was also a cop, off duty, fully armed and angry.

The crowd of happy go lucky snowballers began the chant: Don't bring a gun to a snowball fight.

Damn right they are.

The whole incident was caught on tape.

Mr. Mad showed a side so dangerous he needs fired.

Don't Bring a Gun to a Snowball Fight!

Amen to that. No guns at snowball fights. No guns at weddings. No guns at baptisms. But gosh darn it, don't bring a gun to a snowball fight. Click the post title to see the Youtube video.

One guy did. He was mad. His Hummer got hammered by snowballs. So Mr. Mad came out and drew his gun. Everybody else was having fun and lots of people were getting drilled by snowballs and throwing back. Not Mr. Mad.

What happened to our normal world? In a normal world, when the police showed up, insane man waving gun would have been shot at least 57 times.

Didn't happen. You see, Mr. Mad was also a cop, off duty, fully armed and angry.

The crowd of happy go lucky snowballers began the chant: Don't bring a gun to a snowball fight.

Damn right they are.

The whole incident was caught on tape.

Mr. Mad showed a side so dangerous he needs fired.

Looking for the Lost

My friend up outside Salem adopted out a stray to a Salem woman. This woman let the cat out the very next day and has not seen him since. It's killing my friend. I know how that goes, how much it hurts. So I went up this evening and we searched for a long time.

Everybody we talked to was nice, when handing out the dozens upon dozens of fliers she and her husband made. With one exception. The woman who had adopted the cat and immediately lost him would not even answer the door. She saw it was my friend and would not open the door, just talked out a window and acted like even this was a huge output of unnecessary effort on her part. It was sad!

My friend is very very worried about the poor lost cat. I know the feeling well. She says she will never do it again, never never never and I can only empathize. How many times have I said that, wanted to quit finding homes for cats. People suck most of the time.

How could that woman be so stupid as to let a cat out she's had a day? I don't know. But she never told my friend she was a dog breeder either and had 10 or 12 or more dogs. My friend is beating herself up. But she talked to the woman, talked her vet, did almost everything she could except she didn't deliver and she is upset with herself for not doing so.

I hope we can find the poor boy. I hope for him and for my friend whose heart is broken.

Looking for the Lost

My friend up outside Salem adopted out a stray to a Salem woman. This woman let the cat out the very next day and has not seen him since. It's killing my friend. I know how that goes, how much it hurts. So I went up this evening and we searched for a long time.

Everybody we talked to was nice, when handing out the dozens upon dozens of fliers she and her husband made. With one exception. The woman who had adopted the cat and immediately lost him would not even answer the door. She saw it was my friend and would not open the door, just talked out a window and acted like even this was a huge output of unnecessary effort on her part. It was sad!

My friend is very very worried about the poor lost cat. I know the feeling well. She says she will never do it again, never never never and I can only empathize. How many times have I said that, wanted to quit finding homes for cats. People suck most of the time.

How could that woman be so stupid as to let a cat out she's had a day? I don't know. But she never told my friend she was a dog breeder either and had 10 or 12 or more dogs. My friend is beating herself up. But she talked to the woman, talked her vet, did almost everything she could except she didn't deliver and she is upset with herself for not doing so.

I hope we can find the poor boy. I hope for him and for my friend whose heart is broken.

Free Market Baloney

The free market system argument used in our country isn't applicable anymore. Why? Because most of the goods we buy aren't made here, they're distributed here. The question becomes, will I buy this product made in China at this retailer, where it is cheaper than at this retailer? The factors that make a Chinese product cheaper at one retailer over another are usually labor costs at the retailer itself.

The free market system now really applies only in the sense of how cheap some retailer can get and market goods from overseas, meaning, in my opinion, the free market system now boils down to how cheap can you get your labor.

It would work if we Americans would turn over every item we buy and see if it is made in the US. And if it is, then you look for the cheaper of two US manufacturers and retail sellers of that US made item. Then the free market system argument would be valid. Otherwise, it's a joke.

Free Market Baloney

The free market system argument used in our country isn't applicable anymore. Why? Because most of the goods we buy aren't made here, they're distributed here. The question becomes, will I buy this product made in China at this retailer, where it is cheaper than at this retailer? The factors that make a Chinese product cheaper at one retailer over another are usually labor costs at the retailer itself.

The free market system now really applies only in the sense of how cheap some retailer can get and market goods from overseas, meaning, in my opinion, the free market system now boils down to how cheap can you get your labor.

It would work if we Americans would turn over every item we buy and see if it is made in the US. And if it is, then you look for the cheaper of two US manufacturers and retail sellers of that US made item. Then the free market system argument would be valid. Otherwise, it's a joke.

Sunday, December 20, 2009

$310 Raised for Helbrith NE cats

THANK YOU to all those who donated to help Joy's cats get fixed in Helbrith, NE! Diana, of Heartland spay neuter fund there, reports that $310 came in donations as a result of blog readers and others whom I asked to help with Joy's cats in Nebraska.

I was so happy to hear of this. All but two have now been fixed and the other two hopefully will be fixed soon.

Joy is a kind woman who stepped in when a neighbor man died and left behind ten unfixed cats. She has nothing herself and has to drive to the farm to feed them. She cares for them well and hooked up with Diana, who is basically a one woman operation herself, as I was, trying to fix cats in Nebraska. Her task is overwhelming.

This is a great accomplishment and I have blog readers, and a woman in Corvallis to thank for helping.

To Joy and Diana of Nebraska and all Nebraska cats---Merry Christmas!

$310 Raised for Helbrith NE cats

THANK YOU to all those who donated to help Joy's cats get fixed in Helbrith, NE! Diana, of Heartland spay neuter fund there, reports that $310 came in donations as a result of blog readers and others whom I asked to help with Joy's cats in Nebraska.

I was so happy to hear of this. All but two have now been fixed and the other two hopefully will be fixed soon.

Joy is a kind woman who stepped in when a neighbor man died and left behind ten unfixed cats. She has nothing herself and has to drive to the farm to feed them. She cares for them well and hooked up with Diana, who is basically a one woman operation herself, as I was, trying to fix cats in Nebraska. Her task is overwhelming.

This is a great accomplishment and I have blog readers, and a woman in Corvallis to thank for helping.

To Joy and Diana of Nebraska and all Nebraska cats---Merry Christmas!

Saturday, December 19, 2009

Going For It!

I'm going for it. I'm going to create a cat fixing nonprofit, to raise funds to fix cats. I won't know if I can do it, or not, til I try.

I have a great staff lined up. There's me. Sam will be director of cat toy testing. Jade has volunteered her skills and color to run the Black Cats for Spay Neuter division. Teddy, Starr and Honey are anxious to make sure all homeless camp cats get fixed. Shaulin will reach out to backyard breeders, while Stinod will make poignant pleas to save disabled cat lives! These are just a handful of my dedicated staff members.

Miss Daisy just wants to look pretty and that's fine. Work isn't her thing.

Gretal says she will pose hissing anytime.

Vision wonders if she will face age discrimination as a 16 year old former river cat and I said "Hell no" and she danced across the floor.

Dex, Mops and Buffy have asked to be security guards. I said "Of course." I would have been scared to say no to that.

Feather says she'll steal cans at the rest area, where she came from, to help raise funds.

Angel would like to haunt the people who dumped her at the cemetery and when they are sufficiently scared, secure a donation check. I was great with that.

TWeetie and Button suggested they sneak into the houses of family members of the old woman who fed them and who promised to donate when she died and didn't. They want to steal things or just cause mayhem, until they secure a donation in exchange for a ceasefire. I said "Well don't get arrested!"

All in all, everyone has agreed to help. My staff are eager, enthusiastic and fun loving. They should be a pleasure to work with and by cracky they better not leave me with all the real work and run off chasing their tails!

Going For It!

I'm going for it. I'm going to create a cat fixing nonprofit, to raise funds to fix cats. I won't know if I can do it, or not, til I try.

I have a great staff lined up. There's me. Sam will be director of cat toy testing. Jade has volunteered her skills and color to run the Black Cats for Spay Neuter division. Teddy, Starr and Honey are anxious to make sure all homeless camp cats get fixed. Shaulin will reach out to backyard breeders, while Stinod will make poignant pleas to save disabled cat lives! These are just a handful of my dedicated staff members.

Miss Daisy just wants to look pretty and that's fine. Work isn't her thing.

Gretal says she will pose hissing anytime.

Vision wonders if she will face age discrimination as a 16 year old former river cat and I said "Hell no" and she danced across the floor.

Dex, Mops and Buffy have asked to be security guards. I said "Of course." I would have been scared to say no to that.

Feather says she'll steal cans at the rest area, where she came from, to help raise funds.

Angel would like to haunt the people who dumped her at the cemetery and when they are sufficiently scared, secure a donation check. I was great with that.

TWeetie and Button suggested they sneak into the houses of family members of the old woman who fed them and who promised to donate when she died and didn't. They want to steal things or just cause mayhem, until they secure a donation in exchange for a ceasefire. I said "Well don't get arrested!"

All in all, everyone has agreed to help. My staff are eager, enthusiastic and fun loving. They should be a pleasure to work with and by cracky they better not leave me with all the real work and run off chasing their tails!

Dog in the Road

 I went to get groceries yesterday morning fairly early. I was expecting visitors, brief ones, pop in and out, so I wanted to get done with ...