Pleading the First

I realize that, as a blogger, what I write is out there on the internet for anyone and everyone to read. I have no qualms with that, I want people to read what I have to say. I also want people to have an opinion on what I say. I welcome comments, criticism, outright disagreement. It comes with the territory.

I was recently confronted with face-to-face criticism about one of my blog posts. It was an older post so I honestly did not remember what exactly I had written but the criticism was fair and I accepted it as the confronter's opinion, although I disagreed with it. However, the conversation ended with my confronter telling me, in all seriousness, "don't do it again." The blog entry in question, I would like to clarify, had no reference to the plaintiff.

Well, sorry but, no. This is my blog. My web log. So basically, my journal that just happens to be available for all to see. Anyone is free to dislike, disagree with, or argue any of my opinions. But there really is no one in the position to tell me what I may and may not write on my blog.

This is my blog. I write what I want. If you don't like it, go away.

Thank you and goodnight.

Tall Tales

Nothing like a good conspiracy theory to start your Sunday off right. I haven't heard this type of alarmist doomsday garbage since 9/11. It starts with the predicted (and government planned) economy crash in September 2008 *gasp* followed by our joining with Canada and Mexico to form The North American Union (kinda like the European Union) and before you know it we are headed for FEMA camps and martial law. Check out the following links:

September 2008: Planned Economic Crash

Stop The North American Union

Security and Prosperity Partnership of North America

A word from the wise...

I have mocked McCain and Palin, posted the parodies and unflattering interviews but now I want to be completely serious. To all undecideds, Republicans and, especially, Hillary-turned-Palin supporters I have something to say.

Stop and Think.

This is my new mantra. This election has come down to back and forth arguments between McCain and Obama supporters, reminiscent of the childish "Yah-huh, nuh-uh" variety. For a country that appears to be going down the toilet, this is not the most effective plan.

There have been arguments over whether or not McCain is physically and mentally fit to be president. Well, stop and think. The President of the United States is a taxing, stressful job. Is a 72 year old with a history of health problems the best choice? McCain loves to talk about his time in Vietnam and his five hellish years in a POW camp. Could his time as a POW have caused him traumatic stress that has made him mentally infirm? It's an assumption made about many other Vietnam vets, why not him?

McCain has proven himself to be somewhat of a hothead. Sarah Palin likes to say that one cannot hesitate but must act without blinking. Is this the type of leadership we want in Washington? Well, stop and think. When the day comes when a country points it's nuclear (pronounced nu-clee-ar) weapons at us, or terrorists start chattering about destroying a U.S. city, do we need the hotheaded, triggered-fingered, "strike-first-ask-questions-later" administration that McCain and Palin will surely bring to the White House? Or do we need the calm, level-headed, "weigh-the-consequences-and-act-appropriately" administration that Obama and Biden are much more likely to provide.

Ladies, this next paragraph is directed at you. Sarah Palin has said that she is anti-abortion and that she would like to see Roe vs. Wade overturned. Do you want an administration that will decide what you are allowed to do with your body? Well, stop and think. Placing Sarah Palin in office will undo decades of work that women have done to earn rights and equality. A short sidebar, remember that pro-choice does not equal pro-abortion. Pro-choice means that you have the opportunity to choose what you want to do with your body. This is not something that should be taken away. No one is forcing abortion on you but it is there if and when you need it. If you don't approve, then choose a different option. I respect the decision of women who choose not to have an abortion, please respect my decision if I decide to have one.

I know that many women out there would love to see a woman in the White House. I would love to see a woman in the White House. But Sarah Palin is not that woman. Sarah Palin is not Hillary Clinton. She is not even in the same league as Hillary Clinton. Be patient, ladies. The day will come when a woman enters the oval office.

The McCain/Palin campaign is doing a frighteningly thorough job of scaring their supporters into believing that Obama is not capable of being President. How exactly are they convincing you of this? Well, stop and think. They are spending the majority of their time (and, most likely, money) flinging nasty jabs and sarcastic remarks at the Democrats. They are producing ads that are nothing more than smear campaigns. They are deflecting hardhitting questions with cliched soundbites, negative commentary on their opponents, and cries of "sexism" and "offensiveness". This might be convincing people that the Democrats are a bad choice but are they really convincing people that the Republicans are a good choice? When the election is over and all is said and done, what have they accomplished? They've successfully (and unfairly) made Obama look bad but they haven't proven themselves.

This country has become so jaded and pessimistic that it can't stand the sight of optimism. There are people out there balking at the hopefulness and integrity of the Democratic campaign, writing it off as naivete. There are people mocking the idea of "change" as a platform when that is exactly what this country needs. Please don't be afraid of change, don't be afraid to be hopeful. Truly listen to what each candidate is saying and then stop and think. Think for yourselves. Don't let them tell you what to think.

Live from New York! It's Saturday Night!

McCain's New Beauty: Get Her Secret Makeup Tips

I'm having a hard time wrapping my brain around the fact that the Sarah Palin supporters refuse to see through the carefully crafted persona that the McCain campaign has created for her. Articles like this one from The New York Times give a fairly clear picture of what the country is in for if McCain and his pitbull (or is it hockey mom? I'm so confused) end up in the White House. This is a woman who believes the visibility of Russia from an island of Alaska equals experience in foreign policy. A woman who will appoint a friend to the Division of Agriculture because of her friend's "love of cows". Of course personal opinion comes into play in any politician's position on policies (check out that alliteration!) but Sarah Palin leads with her personal feelings and what appears to be snap decisions. She has said "...that you can't blink, you have to be wired in a way of being so committed to the mission, the mission that we're on, reform of this country and victory in the war, you can't blink." Is this the leadership that we want in the White House? A skittish colt who reacts first and thinks later? Her supporters will argue that she's made progress in her home state of Alaska, but at what cost? We don't need a secretive bunch running this country, another four years of "executive privilege" being tossed around.

So I say to the Sarah Palin supporters, do something new, something different.

Think.

(Thanks to kodak konfidential for the excellent photoshoppin')

Things You Have to Believe to be a U.S. Republican

1. Jesus​ loves​ you and share​s your hatre​d of the envir​onmen​t,​​ homos​exual​s,​​ and Hilla​ry. ​​

2. Sadda​m was a good guy when Reaga​n armed​ him, a bad guy when Bush'​​s daddy​ made war on him, a good guy when Chene​y did busin​ess with him, and a bad guy when Bush neede​d a 'we can'​​t find Bin Laden​'​​ diver​sion. ​​

3. Trade​ with Cuba is wrong​ becau​se the count​ry is Commu​nist,​​ but trade​ with China​ and Vietn​am is vital​ to a spiri​t of inter​natio​nal harmo​ny. ​​

4. The Unite​d State​s shoul​d get out of the Unite​d Natio​ns,​​ and our highe​st natio​nal prior​ity is enfor ​cing U.N. resol​ution​s again​st Iran.

5. A woman​ can'​​t be trust​ed with decis​ions about​ her own body,​​ but multi​-​​natio​nal corpo​ratio​ns can make decis​ions affec​ting all manki​nd witho​ut regul​ation​. ​​

6. The best way to impro​ve milit​ary moral​e is to prais​e the troop​s in speec​hes while​ slash​ing veter​ans'​​ benef​its and comba​t pay.

7. If condo​ms are kept out of schoo​ls,​​ adole​scent​s won'​​t have sex.

8. A good way to fight​ terro​rism is to belit​tle our long-​​time allie​s,​​ then deman​d their​ coope​ratio​n and money​. ​​

9. Provi​ding healt​h care to all Iraqi​s is sound​ polic​y,​​ but provi​ding healt​hcare​ to all Ameri​cans is socialism. ​​ HMOs and​ insur​ance compa​nies have the best inter​ests of the publi​c at heart​. ​​

10. Globa​l warmi​ng and tobac​co'​​s link to cance​r are junk scien​ce,​​ but creat​ionis​m shoul​d be taugh​t in schoo​ls. ​​

11. A presi​dent lying​ about​ an extra​-​​marit​al affai​r is an impea​chabl​e offen​se,​​ but a presi​dent lying​ to enlis​t suppo​rt for a war in which​ thous​ands die is solid​ defen​se polic​y. ​​

12. Gover​nment​ shoul​d limit​ itsel​f to the power​s named​ in the Const​ituti​on,​​ which​ inclu​de banni​ng gay marri​ages and censo​ring the Inter​net. ​​

13. The publi​c has a right​ to know about​ Hilla​ry'​​s cattl​e trade​s,​​ but Georg​e Bush'​​s drivi​ng and milit​ary recor​ds are none of our busin​ess. ​​

14. Being​ a drugg​y is a moral​ faili​ng and a crime​ unles​s you'​​re the wife of the Repub​lican​ candi​date for president or a conse​rvati​ve radio​ host,​​ then it's an illne​ss,​​ and you need our praye​rs for your recov​ery. ​​

15. What Bill Clint​on did in the 1960s​ is of vital​ natio​nal inter​est,​​ but what Bush did in the '60s is irrel​evant​. ​​

16. 4 more years​ of a Repub​lican​ presi​dent and Repub​lican​ Congr​ess is a vote for chang​e. ​​

17. The econo​my is in great​ shape​ and those​ who don'​​t belie​ve it are just whine​rs.

Pet Questions

I recently received the following email from a friend of a friend about her two kittens and I would like to share it with any animal lovers out there who may have the same questions. The "cat person" she refers to is me.

i also have a question for your friend, the cat person. they are
sick. one has the runs, the other is throwing up. one isnt eating and
is pretty quiet.

before i take them to the vet whcih will cost hundreds of dollars
that i dont have i wondered how long i should wait and if she had any
advice.

I realize that people don't want to have to drop hundreds of dollars at the vet anytime their animal seems a little under the weather. Hell, I don't want to either, if I can help it. But the truth is that it really is necessary. This was my reply.

Because they are kittens, I would recommend taking them to the vet immediately. Vomiting and diarrhea in kittens can be a sign of quite a few diseases, especially if they are not yet fully vaccinated. They can also become dehydrated quickly because they are so young. If you are worried about cost I suggest taking them to the ASPCA in Manhattan, you'll have the best chance of getting affordable (and possibly discounted) care.

Preventative medicine is as important for your pets as it is for you. If your pet is sick, please don't wait to take it to the vet.

In The News

The following is a quote by New York Young Republican's president Lynn Krogh from an article in today's Metro entitled "Palin: battle of the sexists".

Folks in the lower 49 states don't know Sarah Palin and so when they (the media) field the questions of whether or not she can be a mother and vice president, they feel them to be valid. I (Krogh) don't think those questions should be asked. No one asked Hillary that question.

Well, Ms. Krogh, allow me to explain. Hillary, unlike Sarah Palin, would not be raising a Down's Syndrome baby while trying to run the free world. I'm pretty sure Chelsea is out of diapers by now.

Update: Lynn Krogh was kind enough to send me an email after reading my little blurb so I thought it only appropriate that I print her response. The following is her email to me in it's entirety.

Hi!!

Thanks for picking up my quote. I appreciate it. Couple of things:

1 - The quote was part of a larger context which obviously wasn't picked up, I used Hillary and Obama both as examples because neither were asked if they could be parents and lead the free country.

2 - I'm very proud of Palin and her continuous fight for all women, on both sides of the aisle. She's certainly breaking that glass ceiling that many of us, politically active or not, had hoped would happen much sooner, rather than later.

3 - I see you live in Astoria, As do I... small world!

Thanks agian, have a great night.

Lynn Krogh

My response to this?

1. Whether you're asking the question of Hillary only or both Hillary and Barack, there is still a world of difference between raising an infant with Down's Syndrome and raising older children without special needs. Barack Obama's girls, Malia and Natasha, are ages 11 and 9.

2. I couldn't disagree more when it comes to Sarah Palin fighting for women and I don't believe she's breaking any glass ceilings. As Arbor Boy pointed out, it's more like she's pouring a layer of cement over the glass ceiling. Her anti-abortion stance, along with wanting to teach abstinence only and creationism in schools, and believing that the world is only 6,000 years old only points us in the wrong direction.

3. Everybody lives in Astoria.

Thanks for writing, Lynn!

Watch me

Posting this video is my good deed for the day.

Say my name, bitch!

In my book, this is what really happened.

Full Melvin

Wednesday was x-ray day for Melvin and, happily, there was no sign of his fracture so Melvin is now bandage free. It's the first time Arbor Boy and I have seen him without a bandage or e-collar. After four weeks with a splint he has to re-learn how to use his little leg but he's finally figuringout how to curl up like a normal cat. He's still confined to his cage or our laps but he's working his little muscles and soon he'll be up and running at full speed, although if it were up to him he'd be chasing the Siamese around the table as I type this.

It was a good Labor Day weekend. A visit from friends, a lot of beer and food consumed and a lot of confused cats. They were thoroughly exhausted from all the activity.


I think we even tired Melvin out.