Fuzzy creatures

Yes, I'm a sucker for fuzzy critters.

However, if you prefer another type of fuzzy critters, look below. I blame this all on Daily Kos.

Church-State Separation Commercials Running in South Carolina!

Many thanks to Blue Gal's post at Street Prophets for drawing my attention to this! First Freedom First is putting their money into the 'Red States', where it's needed the most.



This ad features Jack Klugman, one of my favorite actors. Klugman also has one where he advocates his right to choose how he dies. There's still a lot of fire in the old belly, though, so don't think it maudlin.

Sarah G

The War on Christmas BS Continues

I just returned from Eastern Kentucky, that bastion of liberality and diversity-mindedness. While there, I visited one of the small churches that dot the rolling land. No, I did not burst into flames, despite being both Pagan and lesbian (surely one of those should have gotten God's attention).

The church play for Christmas focused on those nasty retailers who say 'Happy Holidays' instead of 'Merry Christmas'. Naturally, the correct conclusion was to remind everyone of 'the reason for the season'. If one looks at history, one sees that the reason was actually tacked onto the season, but that's not what really bothers me about what the church play is teaching these kids.

What I find most troubling is the subtle message being conveyed below the radar: Christians do not have to share, or respect other people.

Forget 'framing' or those other buzzwords being thrown around by the policy wonks. Ask yourself: since when did acknowledging that other people have winter holidays equate attacking Christians? If one of your children claimed that you were attacking him every time you mentioned his brother, or used the phrase 'my children', you'd think he had a serious ego problem. Is this really that different?

In order to get respect, one needs to give it. Yelling and screaming unless everyone else pretends that no other religions, or other winter holidays, exist should be swiftly slapped down for the solipsistic selfishness it is.

By the way, Merry Christmas. I am perfectly fine with everyone enjoying their holidays.

Time to Change Your Insurance

When the Lexington City Council was debating its Fairness Ordinance some years back, a man representing himself as being from KY Farm Bureau urged them not to pass it, adding that they would go to hell if they did. I hoped he was speaking only for himself, but it appears to be policy!



Time to look for insurance someplace else, Kentucky...

Video: Athena rises from the ashes

Earlier this year, an arsonist torched a 100-year-old tree in Woodland Park. A local artist was inspired to preserve at least part of it as a protectress of the "Athens of the West".

Okay, what is this thing?

We found this on Honeymoon Island, which is close to Dunedin, Florida. Is it a bug? A tiny crab? Anyone out there want to guess?

Why Going On a Diet Could Save Your Life

Forget esthetics! Forget being able to fit into the teeny-weeny clothes at Old Navy. Controlling and limiting your intake could prevent kidney failure.

You probably remember the pet food recall last month, after several dogs and cats died suddenly. This was due to the addition of the industrial chemical melamine to their food. Multiple Chinese manufacturers have been adding it to the wheat, corn and rice gluten they sell us to boost the protein count and enable them to sell an otherwise inferior (cheaper) product. They've learned from Westerners that it's all about the bottom line.

Well, it’s not just pet food that’s been contaminated. It’s human food, too.

In "FDA: the Faith-Based Dining Association", Goldy from HorsesAss reports:

First we were told that none of the adulterated wheat gluten and rice protein concentrate had made its way into the human food supply, and then we were informed that a mere 6,000 hogs had eaten feed contaminated by "salvaged" pet food. Next it was chickens. 3 million of them. Slaughtered, butchered and eaten by unsuspecting Americans.

Then 20 million more chickens, and today another 50,000 hogs... not to mention the God-knows-how-many fish in the US and Canada raised on farms now known to have received Canadian fish meal manufactured from contaminated Chinese flours.

Today, CNN gave more details on the crap-fed fish. They also reported that the manager of one of the Chinese suppliers has been detained, and he claims he doesn't even know what melamine is, much less anyone who would use it. I suggest that they only provide pet food for his meals, and see how quickly his memory comes back.

I’m sure these events will help convert more people to veganism, which should make PETA happy. Unfortunately, there’s this little problem of E.coli popping up in spinach and other lettuces. Just ask Taco Bell about the grief E. coli has given them over the last year.

Me, I'm thinking about spending more money at my local farmer's market, where one knows the provenance of the food. That, and praying that the chocolate supply is safe.