None Wholly Destitute. Do You Really Know Our Creator God? Ten+ Commandments of Animal Parenthood.

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None Wholly Destitute

“Human life is precious.”

Jaime Top/Unsplash

“None are wholly destitute in the eyes of God, and often those who seem to have less really have more.

We differ in abilities, talents, intelligence levels and opportunity to develop our various gifts, but just as no person is pure genius, so too no person is wholly destitute of genius. The Bible refers to the "least" as though they are of great worth. God is looking for those who are lowly in heart (Matthew 11:29). Isaiah describes the might of God and then states that He will look on anyone who is poor and of a contrite spirit, and who trembles at His word (Isaiah 66:2).

One would think that the wise of this world would realize how God sees things and be sure they fit into His description of one who is precious in His sight. However, the mighty, rich and powerful of this world do not seem to think they need God as much as the poor and lowly. Everything about us is known to God and the great equalizer is that He understands our innermost drives and thoughts. Therefore He regards slave or owner, man and woman, the small and the great with equal regard. None are wholly destitute in the eyes of God, and often those who seem to have less really have more.”  From:https://www.ucg.org/beyond-today/blogs/this-is-the-way/none-wholly-destitute

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Do You Really Know Our Creator God?

“Does God exist? If so, who and what is He? These questions are too important for blind belief or scoffing dismissal. You can know, and you can know God!

Since the beginning, in times of trouble, loneliness, worry or deep contemplation, men and women have pondered the deep questions of life. Why are we here? What does it all mean? Is all that we go through just meaningless and futile? Or is there something more—something just outside of our abilities to discover?

Throughout history people have contemplated the possibility of supernatural beings who hold the keys to the mysteries of life.

Is there a God? Can we prove that He exists? If God does exist, why did He create us? Why doesn’t our Creator God make Himself so obvious that no one could doubt Him? Is He hiding from us, and if so, why?

What is God like? What are Read More...

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Ten+ Commandments of Animal Parenthood

• • My life is likely to last 10 to 20 years. Any separation from you will be very painful.
  • Give me time to understand what you want from me. Do not break my spirit with your temper, though I will always forgive you. Your patience will teach me more effectively.
  • Please have me spayed or neutered.
  • Treat me kindly, my beloved friend, for no heart in all the world is more grateful for your kindness than mine.
  • Donʼt be angry with me for long, and donʼt lock me up as punishment. After all, you have your job, your friends, your entertainment, I only have you.
  • Speak to me often. Even if I donʼt understand your world, I understand your voice when itʼs speaking to me. Your voice is the sweetest sound I ever hear, as you must know by my enthusiasm whenever I hear your footsteps.
  • Take me in when itʼs cold and wet. Iʼm a domestic animal and am no longer accustomed to the bitter elements. I ask for little more than your gentle hands petting me. Keep my bowl filled with water.
  • Feed me good food so that I may stay well, to romp and play and do your bidding. By your side, I stand ready, willing and able to share my life with you, for that is what I live for.
  • Remember that I can’t do a lot of things by myself and that I depend on you to make my life a quality life!
  • Donʼt hit me. Remember, I have teeth that could easily crush the bones in your hand, but I choose not to bite you.
  • Before you scold me for being lazy or uncooperative, ask yourself if something might be bothering me. Perhaps Iʼm not getting the right food, Iʼve been out in the sun too long, or my heart may be getting weak.
  • Take care of me when I get old. For you will grow old, too.
  • When I am old, or when I no loner enjoy good health, please do not make heroic efforts to keep me going. I am not having fun. Just see to it that my trusting life is taken gently. And be with me on that difficult journey when itʼs time to say goodbye.
  • Never say, “I just canʼt bear to watch.” Everything is easier for me when you are there. I will leave this earth knowing with my last breath that my fate was always safest in your hands.
  • Iʼll never forget how well youʼve treated me.  I love you, human!
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Nipping Puppy Biting in the Bud. Dog Training. Pets In Cold. Pig Abuse. Reasons Not To Eat Pork. Southern U.S. Border. Ferdinand And Imelda Marcos.

 

For "Mammal Monday":

Nipping Puppy Biting in the Bud

"It is often a challenge to convince a new enthusiastic puppy not to bite the hand that feeds him, pets him, and plays with him. Nipping and mouthing is a very common and very normal puppy behavior.

When puppies play with each other, they use their mouths, so they tend to do the same thing when they interact with people. This is rarely an aggressive behavior intended to harm you, but it can be a difficult habit to break without some good, practical tools in your “puppy training tool bag.”

The worst thing you can do is physically punish your pup for this natural behavior, although many people incorrectly do so.

Most normal puppy mouthiness just goes away on its own, regardless of how much or how little puppy parents do to stop it, once puppies acquire their adult teeth

Instead of punishment, the use of positive distraction and the encouragement of acceptable behavior are far better approaches, yielding much better results. This article is intended to help you manage puppy nipping effectively, while at the same time helping you build a good relationship with your puppy, based on trust rather than fear."    More at: http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2009/08/13/nipping-puppy-biting-in-the-bud.aspx

and more at: http://raisinghealthydogs.com/how-to-nip-puppy-nipping-in-the-bud

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Don’t Make This Tragic Mistake When Your Dog Misbehaves

"This is a sickening, heart-wrenching story I’d rather not repeat, but there’s an important message in it, so I hope you’ll bear with me.

A one year-old dog was injured so severely by misuse of a choke collar that he had to be euthanized. The owner suspended the dog a few feet off the ground with a choke collar for a full minute as a disciplinary tactic. When the dog was lowered to the ground, he was panicked and ultimately lost consciousness.

An exam at the veterinary clinic where the dog was taken showed brain injury and severe brain swelling. The ultimate diagnosis was strangulation and the dog’s injuries were so severe he had to be euthanized.

Positive Reinforcement Dog Training in 5 Simple Steps

The goal is to use very small-sized treats (pea sized is good, and you can even use frozen peas if your dog seems to like them) and verbal praise and affection to encourage desired behaviors in your dog.

1. Come up with short, preferably one-word commands for the behaviors you want to teach your pet. Examples are Come, Sit, Stay, Down, Heel, Off, etc. Make sure all members of your family consistently use exactly the same command for each behavior.
2. As soon as your dog performs the desired behavior, reward him immediately with a treat and verbal praise. Do this every time he responds appropriately to a command. You want him to connect the behavior he performed with the treat. This of course means you’ll need to have treats on you whenever you give your dog commands in the beginning.
3. Keep training sessions short and fun. You want your dog to associate good things with obeying your commands. You also want to use training time as an opportunity to deepen your bond with your pet.
4. Gradually back off the treats and use them only intermittently once your dog has learned a new behavior. Eventually they’ll no longer be necessary, but you should always reward your dog with verbal praise whenever he obeys a command.
5. Continue to use positive reinforcement to maintain the behaviors you desire. Reward-based training helps create a range of desirable behaviors in your pet, which builds mutual feelings of trust and confidence."

More at: http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2013/12/27/dog-behavior-training.aspx

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Back to Basics: 10 Great Dog Training Tips

"Everyone realizes there’s a big difference between a well-mannered canine citizen and an unpredictable, out-of-control dog. But often dog owners develop bad training habits without realizing it, and are left feeling confused and concerned about their dog’s uncooperative behavior."  Article at: http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2013/11/29/10-dog-training-tips.aspx

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10 Tips to Keep Your Pet Safe in Cold Weather

"Depending on where you live, you’re bracing for another winter of ice, snow and frigid temperatures. But before we all find our own ways to weather the chill for the next few months, it’s a good time to remember the importance of keeping furry family members as safe, warm and comfortable as we are.

Cold weather can be just as hard on pets as it is on humans – especially for dogs and cats left outdoors for extended periods of time (which I never recommend). Pets left outdoors in cold weather can acquire a wide variety of injuries and illness, not the least of which are hypothermia and frostbite.

Here are some things you can do to keep the four-legged members of your family warm and safe:"  More at: http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2013/12/20/cold-weather-pet-safety-tips.aspx

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Animal Abuse At Former Walmart Pork Supplier Caught On Camera at Tyson (GRAPHIC VIDEO)

"Walmart's meat suppliers have been under intense scrutiny for their treatment of animals, and this is the fourth undercover investigation regarding the chain's pork suppliers by the group. First very upsetting video, Hidden-camera footage from another farm  that supplies pork to the retailer was released last month that allegedly showed pigs confined to gestation crates and workers throwing piglets on their heads. 

Second video, very cruel and graphic. Be considerate and think twice before sharing." http://youtu.be/SArGyNusR_Y

More at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/11/21/animal-abuse-walmart-pork-supplier_n_4312183.html

Please sign petition at: https://www.change.org/petitions/tell-tyson-to-stop-torturing-pigs

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From me:  I sometimes wonder if The Lord told us not to eat pork in Leviticus 11, because he knew how much the pigs would have to suffer to be in our food chain.  Apart from that:

"Every animal has its purpose. Scavengers, such as pigs, are designed to clean—not to be eaten by humans, only by other carnivorous animals.

A pig’s digestive system—unlike a cow’s—is not designed to filter toxins from its system. These toxins work their way through the pig and are deposited in the animal’s flesh—especially in its fat. The pig itself is actually able to sustain very high levels of toxins. As such, it can eat just about anything. In an effort to keep feed costs down, pig farmers will purchase garbage, such as rotting meat and vegetables, to feed them—and the pigs can be sustained with it. There is nothing in the pig’s digestive system, or the processing of the meat, that removes these toxins.

Some of the “cleaning” features of the pig are remarkable. One is located under its hooves. Often referred to as poison ducts or running sores, these “sores” act as a conduit for poisons to ooze from the pig’s body. This is one reason pigs can eat poisonous snakes that would kill other creatures and not be affected themselves. These ducts, however, will often become “plugged” from the amount of toxins pigs must excrete from their bodies. If this is the case, a farmer must quickly slaughter the pig and send it to market before it dies. Accordingly, the meat from such an animal is riddled with parasites and toxins.

The toxicity of the pig is not just limited to its meat and organs. Even its saliva can be horribly infectious. In fact, one disease, called “mad itch,” will cause a cow to rub all the skin from its mouth—to the point of killing itself. All that is required for cows to contract this disease is to come in contact with the residue of a pig’s saliva on shared food supplies!"  More at: http://realtruth.org/articles/263-apt.html

Even Joel Osteen has switched to turkey bacon:

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"A pig is a real garbage gut. It will eat anything including urine, excrement, dirt, decaying animal flesh, maggots, or decaying vegetables. They will even eat the cancerous growths off other pigs or animals.  The meat and fat of a pig absorbs toxins like a sponge. Their meat can be 30 times more toxic than beef or venison.

The pig is so poisonous and filthy, that nature had to prepare him a sewer line or canal running down each leg with an outlet in the bottom of the foot. Out of this hole oozes pus and filth his body cannot pass into its system fast enough. Some of this pus gets into the meat of the pig."  From: http://www.9jabook.com/forum/topics/15-things-you-should-know-about-pigs-their-meat

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On This Day:

Southern U.S. border established, Dec 30, 1853:

Territorial expansion of the United States, the Gadsden Purchase shown in red-orange.

The border between Mexico and the United States spans six Mexican states and four U.S. states, and has over twenty commercial railroad crossings.

"James Gadsden, the U.S. minister to Mexico, and General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna, the president of Mexico, sign the Gadsden Purchase in Mexico City. The treaty settled the dispute over the location of the Mexican border west of El Paso, Texas, and established the final boundaries of the southern United States. For the price of $15 million, later reduced to $10 million, the United States acquired approximately 30,000 square miles of land in what is now southern New Mexico and Arizona.

Jefferson Davis, the U.S. secretary of war under President Franklin Pierce, had sent Gadsden to negotiate with Santa Anna for the land, which was deemed by a group of political and industrial leaders to be a highly strategic location for the construction of the southern transcontinental railroad.

It was James Gadsden who was influential in the convention’s recommending a southern route for the proposed railroad, beginning in Texas and ending in San Diego or Mazatlán. Southerners hoped that such a route would ensure southern prosperity while opening the “West to southern influence and settlement.”"

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Marcos inaugurated,  Dec 30, 1965:

"Former Philippines Senate president Ferdinand Marcos is inaugurated president of the Southeast Asian archipelago nation. Marcos' regime would span 20 years and become increasingly authoritarian and corrupt.

After substantial evidence of Marcos' corruption emerged, including the looting of billions of dollars from the Philippine economy, Marcos and his wife were indicted by the U.S. government on embezzlement charges. After Ferdinand Marcos' death in 1989, Imelda was cleared of the charges, and she was allowed to return to the Philippines in 1991, where she unsuccessfully ran for the presidency the following year.

In 1993, Imelda Marcos was convicted of corruption by a Philippine court, but she avoided serving her 12-year prison sentence. In 1995, she was elected to the House of Representatives. In 1998, she unsuccessfully ran for president again and subsequently retired from political life."

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Imelda Marcos loses her collection of 2,700 pairs of shoes:

   http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2207353/Imelda-Marcos-legendary-3-000-plus-shoe-collection-destroyed-termites-floods-neglect.html

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Yesterday:

Jay came here and wanted to work on something, he was getting bored staying at home.

He won't wear his sling even though he is supposed to have a broken right arm, so he was able to cut some lattice with my lightweight circular saw, and we completed two sections of one of the cross fences yesterday.

It’s National Mutt Day! Cold Weather Care. Best & Worst Foods. Dog Food: Is There A Cancer Risk? First Nuclear Chain Reaction.

 

For "Mammal Monday":

It’s National Mutt Day!

"Today is going to the dogs—and for good reason. It’s National Mutt Day! That’s right, a whole day dedicated to embracing, saving and celebrating mixed-breed dogs. We can’t think of a more deserving crew."

"There are actually two National Mutt Days, July 31st, and today, December 2nd. The purpose of National Mutt Day is to celebrate and save the lives of mixed breed dogs across the U.S. The goal is to save 10,000 mutts on both days.

Why should you adopt a mixed breed dog? There are lots of great reasons, including the ability to pick the right size and temperament dog for your family … cost considerations (breeder fees are much higher than shelter adoption fees) … the fact that mutts can participate in all the same sports and events purebred dogs do … and, you’re saving a life!

If you’re considering adopting a mixed breed dog, be sure to do your homework. Learn which breeds are best suited for your activity level and lifestyle. The dog's age will also be a factor – puppies and young dogs generally require more effort than older dogs."  Complete article at: http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2013/12/02/national-mutt-day.aspx

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Cold Weather Care For Your Pet

"It appears that winter has settled in. I was not, and am truly never, ready for it. It's easy for me to deal with it though: I dig my boots and mittens out of the drawers and pull my winter coats and scarves out of the closet. I am prepared as I will ever be.

If you have pets, how do you prepare them for the colder months ahead? I know blustery, snowy days mean that Henrietta will be donning her jacket before she heads out the door. She refuses to go out without her coat but she also refuses to wear booties so I carry her down the porch when we have salted it.

Here are my tips for pet health care in the cold winter months ahead:

• Don't use rock salt (to melt the ice and snow) in areas that your pet will walk on. I carry Henrietta down the porch steps because salt between tender paw pads is painful. 
• Use rock salt that is not harmful to pets. Become a label reader. 
• Do not leave your pet in a cold car. Just as a car in the summer heats up too quickly for your pet to be safely left in it, your car in winter is frigid and could lead to hypothermia, frost bite or even death. 
• Don't leave your pet tied out in the cold weather. If you have an "outdoor" dog make certain he has shelter and a warm place to escape from the cold. I don't honestly understand the "outdoor dog" concept as I couldn't imagine ever leaving my best friend out in the cold although our one dog, Spencer who is a husky-lab mix loves the cold weather. 
• Remember that antifreeze has a sweet taste to pets but is toxic. Keep it stored out of the reach of your pets. 
• Make certain if you have a pet that spends time out of doors that he always has access to fresh (not frozen) water and increase his food intake as he will be burning off more calories staying warm than he will during the summer months. 
• If your pet has arthritis navigating the stairs may be more tricky and painful for her than in the warm summer months when the pain of arthritis may not be so prevalent. You may need to either carry your pet outside or find an alternative to making him navigate the steps. 
• If you have "outdoor cats" let them indoors during the colder months. Don't let them succumb to the cold weather or risk their paws or other extremities getting frost bite. 
• If there are cats that roam your neighborhood, make sure you check in and under your vehicle before you start it. They may be drawn to the car when you pull in the driveway because of the heat of the engine and could be seriously injured if you start the car if they're under the hood. 
• Did you know that dogs can lose their sense of scent in the winter? If you typically let your dog run loose, be aware that he may have a hard time finding his way back home if he wanders too far. The best advice I can offer is to keep him on a leash. 
• Keep a towel by the door to wipe off any snow or ice that has fallen on your dog while he's outside. Make sure you wipe between his paw pads as well. 
• Be aware that if you get a puppy in the winter you may have a harder time housebreaking her than if you were trying in the summer months. Puppies simply do not tolerate cold well and this could impact their desire to relieve themselves out of doors. You may need to housebreak your puppy indoors using puppy pads when the cold winter winds are blowing. 
• Make certain your dog has a warm, cozy place to sleep in the house when you go to bed at night. Offer them a place that is free of drafts and where they can sleep without being chilled. In my house that means Henrietta is under the blankets taking advantage of the heat generated by the electric blanket but that may not work if you have a larger dog!

Common sense trumps all when it comes to cold weather. Put yourself in your pet's position and think, "Would I go outside without a jacket on in this weather?" If the answer is "no" for you, then it is likely "no" for your pet.

What steps do you take to keep your pet safe, healthy and protected during the winter months? "  From: http://www.blogpaws.com/2013/11/pet-health-awareness-cold-weather-care-for-your-pet.html

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Do you feed your pet to just survive, or really thrive?

Best and worst foods for your pet.

"An integrative wellness veterinarian Dr. Karen Becker discusses her best-to-worst recommendations for diets for dogs and cats and explains how to improve the quality of the food you feed your own pet."

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The Quality of Pet Food Ingredients (Part 1 of 2)

"Dr. Karen Becker visits an upscale pet boutique to evaluate the quality of the different types of pet food. (Part 1)  Here she discusses frozen raw, canned, dehydrated food, and a good dry food."

The Quality of Pet Food Ingredients (Part 2 of 2)

"Here Dr. Becker discusses some grocery store-bought dry kibble food, and the worst and best treats for your pet." 

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Most of this applies to human's food, too.

Dog Food: Is There A Cancer Risk?

"Naturally, when we talk about the  cause of cancer, diet is brought up.

Many will immediately poo-poo the notion that what is eaten can have an impact on cancer development.  It is amazing.  Watch the condemnation without investigation.

On the other hand, many feel there is a link, and there is evidence to support that view.

Why are we so reluctant to think about food contributing to cancer?  Likely because it becomes inconvenient.

Well, most of us would rather get information than be in the dark, so let’s do just that.What about a dog’s diet might contribute to cancer?  Here’s a look at a couple of things.

First,  high temperature cooking of meat or fish, or the creation of their extracts can produce nasties called heterocyclic amines. You can read a little more about this here and here.  These little guys have been shown to promote tumors in lab animals.  Do dogs eat food that has been exposed to high temperatures?  The truth is: yes.

Another carcinogen is polyacrylamide, again from high temperature cooking, this time of sugars in starch.  Oddly, different strains of potatoes will produce different amounts of acrylamide when it is cooked.  The bottom line though is that the different sugars influenced how much of the carcinogen is made. Here is some more on the topic.

Yet another is acylamide, related to polyacrylamide. Acrylamide levels go up when food is fried, and it is estimated in this paper that the levels of the acrylamide from fried food, in lab animals, might increase to risky levels contributing to possible cancer risk.

So what does this mean?  Well, we don’t want to go around saying that every dog who eats dog food in a bag (and pressed through an extruder at high temperatures) will get cancer.  That would be irrational and untrue.

However, there are genetic differences and lifestyle differences and carcinogen exposure differences, all from one dog to the next.

Since we know that cancer is created by many separate hits to the system, in certain dogs, diet might be the thing that tips the scale.

These carcinogens hit the DNA, and damage genes. If the damage occurs to genes that are controlling cell growth, and enough hits happen, cells can start getting deranged.  They divide and divide, instead of getting dismantled into their component parts by a process called apoptosis.

Deranged cells are supposed to be taken apart.  Apoptosis is the thing that does it in the body. When cells become unhealthy, the apoptosis genes should get turned on to subvert the badness.

When there are too many cells with their growth genes stuck in the “on’ position, avoiding apoptosis, cancer can develop.

The take home message is that the folks pushing for less cooking may have a point.  I am not advocating an entirely raw diet for dogs by the way, and especially not for cancer patients.  Raw from the grocery store is not raw out on the plains of Africa.  Germs grow on the surface of meat in the store and dogs with cancer usually have immune compromise.  That’s a bad mix.

But trimming the outside off and cooking red lean meats in low sodium broth at around 200 degrees while keeping the inside rare seems logical.

For more on diet and dog cancer, read The Dog Cancer Survival Guide.  Best,  Dr D."  by DEMIAN DRESSLER, DVM

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On This Day:

Fermi produces the first nuclear chain reaction, Dec 2, 1942:

"On this day, Enrico Fermi, the Italian-born Nobel Prize-winning physicist, directs and controls the first nuclear chain reaction in his laboratory beneath the bleachers of Stagg Field at the University of Chicago, ushering in the nuclear age. Upon successful completion of the experiment, a coded message was transmitted to President Roosevelt: "The Italian navigator has landed in the new world."

Following on England's Sir James Chadwick's discovery of the neutron and the Curies' production of artificial radioactivity, Fermi, a full-time professor of physics at the University of Florence, focused his work on producing radioactivity by manipulating the speed of neutrons derived from radioactive beryllium. Further similar experimentation with other elements, including uranium 92, produced new radioactive substances; Fermi's colleagues believed he had created a new "transuranic" element with an atomic number of 93, the result of uranium 92 capturing a neuron while under bombardment, thus increasing its atomic weight. Fermi remained skeptical about his discovery, despite the enthusiasm of his fellow physicists. He became a believer in 1938, when he was awarded the Nobel Prize in physics for "his identification of new radioactive elements." Although travel was restricted for men whose work was deemed vital to national security, Fermi was given permission to leave Italy and go to Sweden to receive his prize. He and his wife, Laura, who was Jewish, never returned; both feared and despised Mussolini's fascist regime.

Fermi immigrated to New York City--Columbia University, specifically, where he recreated many of his experiments with Niels Bohr, the Danish-born physicist, who suggested the possibility of a nuclear chain reaction. Fermi and others saw the possible military applications of such an explosive power, and quickly composed a letter warning President Roosevelt of the perils of a German atomic bomb. The letter was signed and delivered to the president by Albert Einstein on October 11, 1939. The Manhattan Project, the American program to create its own atomic bomb, was the result.

It fell to Fermi to produce the first nuclear chain reaction, without which such a bomb was impossible. He created a jury-rigged laboratory with the necessary equipment, which he called an "atomic pile," in a squash court in the basement of Stagg Field at the University of Chicago. With colleagues and other physicists looking on, Fermi produced the first self-sustaining nuclear chain reaction and the "new world" of nuclear power was born."

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Yesterday:

Ray came over wanting to help me around here, he said he had to get out of his house.  Shay and her sister were arguing again, and driving him nuts.  The sister is getting over another open heart surgery, and was milking the care-giving to the max.  I know how she is, as I have taken care of her in years gone by.  Shay was trying to get her out of there, and go to another sister's house.  They had had enough.

Ray and I carefully measured a triangle of screen wire to go up at the top of the screen porch.  After we had that stapled up, we were going to put some reinforcing wire over it, as that is a nice shelf for the cats to lay.  Prime always loved it up there.  We didn't want the cats to lean against it, push the staples out of the wire, and fall out of the screen porch. 

Then I came up with the idea of screwing white plastic lattice over it, instead.  I just thought that it would look better.  We found a piece that would make the two triangles for each end of the porch.  We made a cardboard template, just to make sure that it would fit right, and cut the lattice with a saw. We washed the lattice to remove the green algae, as it had been stored for a while, but didn't screw it in place yet.

By the time we had been interrupted by Shay several times, and her sister had driven off, it was enough for the day.

 

 

Canine Spleen Cancer. Guthrie Rebuild. Pets In Cold. Walmart's Pork. Dog Saves Lady. Dogs Trapped. Ex-Slaves to Africa. Queen Elizabeth. Yard Sale Remnants.

For "Mammal Monday":

This subject is very close to me, as my beloved little Levi died of this 6 years ago yesterday, on 5th. February of 2006.  Well, he was put to sleep, as it was terminal. 

Canine Splenic Hemangiosarcoma: How a Simple Diagnostic Test May Save Lives

"Splenic cancer is silent – evidence that a dog has the disease does not appear on routine blood tests taken to screen for other illnesses like liver or kidney disease. However, an ultrasound can help vets visualize problems with the spleen.  Per Dr. Haase:

"The spleen is easily visualized by ultrasound, and normally appears as a very bright organ with a smooth, bright white and thick capsule that defines it well from other organs in the abdomen. Tumors will appear in various forms, but the most common and alarming appearance is a large irregular mass with multiple black cavities of blood divided by thin walls of tissue. These are the tumors that are at high risk for rupture and fatal bleeding."

Dr. Haase recommends that in breeds at high risk for splenic hemangiosarcoma, regular ultrasounds of the spleen should start at around age five and be repeated at least yearly. Ultrasounds are non-invasive, without side effects, and are well-tolerated by most pets

In addition to regular ultrasounds, it is also recommended that high risk dogs be seen by a vet every six months for a careful palpation of the abdomen to check for any abnormalities or changes."   Sources:  Suite101.com February 26, 2011    Modianolab.org

Dr. Becker's Comments:

"Hemangiosarcoma is cancer of the endothelial cells - the cells that line blood vessels. Unlike other cancers, it is almost exclusively a disease of dogs.

Dogs of any breed and age can develop hemangiosarcoma, but it is most commonly seen in dogs over the age of six, and in the following breeds:      Golden Retrievers, German Shepherds, Portuguese Water Dogs, Bernese Mountain Dogs, Flat Coated Retrievers, Boxers, Skye Terriers.

Hemangiosarcoma generally develops slowly and no signs of disease are present in the early stages. Even dogs with large tumors will show no symptoms early on. Unfortunately, by the time a dog is symptomatic he is usually in an advanced stage of this life-threatening disease.

Fewer than half the dogs treated with surgery and chemotherapy survive more than six months after diagnosis. And many dogs die from uncontrolled internal bleeding before or during treatment.

Hemangiosarcoma Sites and Symptoms

The usual organs involved in hemangiosarcoma in dogs are the spleen, the right atrium of the heart and the tissue beneath the skin, called the subcutis.   The tumors invade surrounding normal tissue and also metastasize (spread to other parts of the body).   Over time, small ruptures in the tumors can develop which allow blood to escape into the abdomen, chest, the sac around the heart, or subcutaneously (right below the skin).  This blood loss causes some dogs to show intermittent symptoms of lethargy and weakness, but usually the signs are so subtle they go unnoticed or are attributed to another less serious cause.

Other subtle signs might include:

• Decrease in appetite
• Mild anemia
• Slight elevation of liver enzymes

When the tumors metastasize they aggressively invade the lungs, liver and/or intestines. Often dogs with hemangiosarcoma die abruptly from a ruptured tumor which causes severe hemorrhaging.

Signs of life-threatening hemorrhage might include:

• Weakness
• Pale color to the tongue
• Panting
• Rapid heart rate and a weak pulse
• Distended, fluid-filled abdomen
• Collapse

More at: http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2011/04/19/splenic-hemangiosarcoma-in-pet-dog.aspx

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From Me:

For several years, I took care of Ray's black Lab, Princess, during the day while he was at work.  I used to take Princess and Levi down to the lake to run every afternoon, and they were good buddies. 

When old Princess had to be PTS in January of 2006, Levi obviously missed her, so it wasn't apparent right away that he was sick.

A few days later, I called for an appointment at the vet, but they couldn't see me until the following Tuesday.  When vet felt around his abdomen, he said that he had a tumor in his spleen.  I left Levi at another vet for an ultrasound that very afternoon.  

That vet called later with the diagnosis that it was terminal, and asked me if he should euthanize Levi.  I could not say yes right  away, and brought him home with some pain pills.  I took him on a trip to the beach at Galveston in my comfy motor home, and then took him to an Emergency Clinic to be PTS.  He was ready.  I wasn't, but I knew it had to be done.

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is such a nasty disease as it comes up on them so quickly, and sometimes the 'parent' will just come home one day to a dead dog.

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Rebuild From Tornado at Guthrie Animal Shelter.

Here is another way your FREE clicks helped: http://www.theanimalrescuesite.com/clickToGive/home.faces?siteId=3&link=ctg_ars_home_from_vet_thankyou_sitenav

"Rescue U Volunteers from Pennsylvania and Oklahoma come together to rebuild Guthrie Animal Shelter. The shelter was demolished in May 2011 by an F5 tornado. This video captures Day 1 of the build."

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What to Do If You See a Pet Left Out in the Cold

"It can be a crime to leave pets outside in extreme temperatures without food and shelter."

• Concerned neighbors rescued Barbie and her puppies from neglect. Scott Townsend

"As the temperature plummets in many parts of the country, The Humane Society of the United States sees a marked increase in the number of complaints of dogs and cats left outside with no food or shelter. We encourage you to contact local law enforcement agencies, because pets left outside in extreme temperatures without food and shelter are at risk of hypothermia, frostbite, and even death, placing their owners at risk of facing criminal charges.

The act of leaving a pet outside without food or adequate shelter often receives less attention than a violent attack against an animal, but neglect is a crime. Especially in these cold months, it is important for people to bring their pets inside and for others to report neglected animals to law enforcement,” said Ashley Mauceri, The HSUS's deputy manager for animal cruelty investigations, who fields these calls."   If you see a pet left out in the cold, speak out—you can help »   More at: http://www.humanesociety.org/news/press_releases/2010/12/keep_pets_inside_winter_122110.htm

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If you see a pet left out in the cold, speak out—you can help

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Walmart's Pork Supplier Exposed

"WARNING: Contains graphic footage.
The Humane Society of the United States investigated two of the top five pork producers in the US, one of them being a direct supplier of pork to Walmart, to find the ugly truth behind the gestation crate system and the misleading quality standards and animal welfare commitments from the industry."

 

 

"Breeding pigs are locked inside tiny gestation crates, unable to even turn around for virtually their entire lives. Dead pigs were found inside these crates. Pigs were living amidst feces and urine with abscesses and injuries.

TAKE ACTION here: https://secure.humanesociety.org/site/Advocacy?cmd=display&page=UserAction&id=5320
You can help today by using the form below to send a brief, polite message to Seaboard and Prestage and urging them to end their use of gestation crates to confine breeding pigs. We encourage you to add your own thoughts or comments about this issue in the editable portion, so these companies know how important this is to you personally."

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Foster Dog Saves Lady.

"Last Friday, one of the foster dogs -- a Miniature Schnauzer named Danny -- returned Bennett's favor by saving her life. After slipping on a tile floor and breaking her femur, Bennett lay unconscious on the floor of her home.

She woke up after being licked by Danny and remembered that no visitors were scheduled to arrive until the following Tuesday. "I was scared. I really thought I was going to die," Bennett told ABC News. That's when Danny sprang into action, knocking over the telephone and nudging toward Bennett. When she asked him to bring her paper, Danny brought over five pieces, including one with neighbors' phone numbers. Bennett called 911 and then neighbors, who located a spare key and let paramedics into the house"  More at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/02/01/service-dog-saves-life-arizona-bethe-benne_n_1248293.html?icid=maing-grid10%7Chtmlws-main-bb%7Cdl3%7Csec3_lnk2%26pLid%3D132441

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Dog Owners Speak Out Against Killer Trapping Method

"Earlier this week, a Springer spaniel named Penni died after getting caught in what some call a “body grip trap” – a device designed to kill animals instantly by breaking their neck or windpipe."     More at: http://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2012/01/28/dog-owners-speak-out-against-killer-trapping-method/

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Trapping and dogs: There's got to be a better way

"While it’s rare that these traps do catch dogs, the two dogs in the story were killed in a 10-day span. And it only takes one such incident to make people think twice about enjoying time afield with their dogs. One of the dogs killed, an English setter, was a prized hunting dog and was doing what its owner had spent countless hours teaching it to do — find grouse; the other dog was on a routine outing with its owner when it strayed away for just a moment."    More at: http://brainerddispatch.com/outdoors/2012-01-13/trapping-and-dogs-theres-got-be-better-way

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Coyote caught in illegal trap euthanized

"Prescott Valley police euthanized an injured coyote this week after residents reported seeing it running around with a steel trap attached to its leg.  The leg trap appeared to be an illegal trap, since it didn't contain an ID tag and it wasn't anchored to the ground.     "Anybody that would consider using anything like that would have to consider the liability if somebody's pet or child...would get caught in them," Prescott Valley Police Commander James Edelstein said."  More at: http://www.dcourier.com/main.asp?SectionID=1&SubSectionID=1&ArticleID=102105

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On This Day:

Freed U.S. slaves depart on journey to Africa, Feb 6, 1820:

"The first organized immigration of freed slaves to Africa from the United States departs New York harbor on a journey to Freetown, Sierra Leone, in West Africa. The immigration was largely the work of the American Colonization Society, a U.S. organization founded in 1816 by Robert Finley to return freed American slaves to Africa. However, the expedition was also partially funded by the U.S. Congress, which in 1819 had appropriated $100,000 to be used in returning displaced Africans, illegally brought to the United States after the abolishment of the slave trade in 1808, to Africa."

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Elizabeth becomes queen, Feb 6, 1952:

"On this day in 1952, after a long illness, King George VI of Great Britain and Northern Ireland dies in his sleep at the royal estate at Sandringham. Princess Elizabeth, the oldest of the king's two daughters and next in line to succeed him, was in Kenya at the time of her father's death; she was crowned Queen Elizabeth II on June 2, 1953, at age 27.

King George VI, the second son of King George V, ascended to the throne in 1936 after his older brother, King Edward VIII, voluntarily abdicated to marry American divorcee Wallis Simpson. During World War II, George worked to rally the spirits of the British people by touring war zones, making a series of morale-boosting radio broadcasts (for which he overcame a speech impediment) and shunning the safety of the countryside to remain with his wife in bomb-damaged Buckingham Palace. The king's health deteriorated in 1949, but he continued to perform state duties until his death in 1952.

Queen Elizabeth, born on April 21, 1926, and known to her family as Lilibet, was groomed as a girl to succeed her father. She married a distant cousin, Philip Mountbatten, on November 20, 1947, at London's Westminster Abbey. The first of Elizabeth's four children, Prince Charles, was born in 1948.

From the start of her reign, Elizabeth understood the value of public relations and allowed her 1953 coronation to be televised, despite objections from Prime Minister Winston Churchill and others who felt it would cheapen the ceremony. Elizabeth, the 40th British monarch since William the Conqueror, has worked hard at her royal duties and become a popular figure around the world. In 2003, she celebrated 50 years on the throne, only the fifth British monarch to do so.

The queen's reign, however, has not been without controversy. She was seen as cold and out-of-touch following the 1996 divorce of her son, Prince Charles, and Princess Diana, and again after Diana's 1997 death in a car crash. Additionally, the role in modern times of the monarchy, which is largely ceremonial, has come into question as British taxpayers have complained about covering the royal family's travel expenses and palace upkeep. Still, the royals are effective world ambassadors for Britain and a huge tourism draw. Today, the queen, an avid horsewoman and Corgi dog lover, is one of the world's wealthiest women, with extensive real-estate holdings and art and jewelry collections."

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Yesterday:

Before Misty and I, both in our coats, went to get Jay, I spent quite a while trying on all the pants and jeans in my closet.  As we are donating things, the ones that I no longer wanted might as well go, too.  

It was chilly, but Jay and I were out in the RVport packing up the yard sale remnants.  I backed the van in there, and we loaded it up with boxes of stuff to be donated to different charities.  While we were at it, in the store room we emptied a hutch full of yard sale contents which never got displayed. Jay found two pairs of sneakers that fit him.  Buried under the bags of stuff were more coffee makers and toaster ovens.  Where does all this stuff come from! 

Still one big table, the 'small appliance' tables, and the clothes rack to be cleared another day.

America Drowns in a Sea of Debt. Iditarod. Carport Shades.

National Debt Hits Record $11 Trillion: March 17, 2009 4:30 PM, That's 2 years ago!!

(AP / CBS)
The Federal Government's flood of red ink hit another high-water mark as the Treasury Department quietly reported today that the National Debt hit $11-trillion for the first time ever.
To be exact, the Debt now stands at $11,033,157,578,669.78. Divide it by the U.S. population and it comes up to over $36,000 in debt for every man, woman and child among us.
And the government is running up mountains of debt with increasing speed. It took just over 5 ? months for Uncle Sam to go another trillion dollars deeper in debt since hitting $10-trillion last September 30th. It's the fastest jump in U.S. history.

More at: http://www.cbsnews.com/blogs/2009/03/17/politics/politicalhotsheet/entry4872310.shtml

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U.S. NATIONAL DEBT CLOCK

The Outstanding Public Debt as of 20 Mar 2011 at 06:51:26 PM GMT is:

The estimated population of the United States is 310,236,210 so each citizen's share of this debt is $45,886.17.
The National Debt has continued to increase an average of $4.12 billion per day since September 28, 2007!
Concerned? Then tell Congress and the White House!
This clock updates all the time: http://www.brillig.com/debt_clock/
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INSANE GOVERNMENT SPENDING

Have you had enough yet? Are you ready to DO something about it? SIGN our petition.
http://www.thefreeenterprisenation.org/initiatives/unrestrained-spending-debt-and-taxes.aspx?ctt=government_spending

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America's debt load is staggering and growing worse by the minute. How did the nation that was the world's biggest lender only a few decades ago become the world's greatest debtor today?

America Drowns in a Sea of Debt—What Does It All Mean?
by Mike Kelley
"In this day and age, computers bring the world to our door. With a few clicks of a computer mouse, one can watch a real-time clock that shows the growth of the U.S. national debt. The numbers climb at a shocking pace. It's scary to watch how quickly the debt piles up—$48,000 per second, $4.1 billion per day.
The beginning of 2011 saw the U.S. national debt rise to just over $14 trillion, an amount of money incomprehensible to the average person. It's roughly equal to projected U.S. Gross Domestic Product (GDP), the worth of everything produced in the United States in one year.
In per capita terms, it adds up to more than $45,000 for every man, woman and child in the United States. More realistically, perhaps, the average U.S. taxpayer is on the hook for $127,000, or about 2 1⁄2 years of average household income.
Any country's national debt is simply the combined total of its budget deficits, the difference between what the government spends and what it takes in. The last time the United States ran a budget surplus was fiscal year 2000. The stated surplus of $230 billion for that year pales, however, when one realizes that the federal government borrowed billions from other revenue sources to achieve the stated surplus.
Since that time a perfect storm of economic factors have combined to create the present situation. Falling revenues from the recessions of 2001 and 2008-2009, combined with wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and higher spending on homeland security, rapidly plunged the government back into a deficit mode. By fiscal 2008 the budget deficit reached $455 billion, which skyrocketed to $1.7 trillion in fiscal 2010 as the Obama administration resorted to deficit spending to stimulate the economy while maintaining spending levels on existing programs.
What stuns most observers is the speed at which the debt has grown in the past decade. In historical terms, it took from the founding of the United States in 1776 to 2004 for the accruing debt over that long span to reach $7.6 trillion. (The debt would rise during times of war and be paid down during peacetime. Still, the only previous time in U.S. history that the debt approached total GDP was 1944, at the height of U.S. involvement in World War II, but it dropped far lower after the war.)
By January 2009, however, the debt had grown to $10.6 trillion. At the current growth rate of $4.1 billion per day, the debt level will reach $15.4 trillion by the end of this year. That means that in well under a decade the United States will have doubled the amount of debt accumulated in the previous 228 years combined!

A staggering amount of annual interest

Of course, the United States must pay interest on the money it borrows. For fiscal 2008, that interest amounted to about $220 billion, and climbed to more than $383 billion in fiscal 2009. That's more than $1,200 for every man, woman and child in the country—and again, just for interest and just for one year alone!
Several government and private sources predict the annual interest will grow to more than $700 billion by fiscal 2019. By comparison, the entire U.S. defense budget for the current fiscal year is $664 billion. So in plain terms, America will soon be spending more just paying the interest on the national debt than it now spends on national defense! The federal government is obligated to pay this interest; any default, or even failure to make debt payments on time, would seriously damage the government's credit rating in world financial markets.
Mid-January 2011 saw the U.S. Congress girding for a major fight over the debt ceiling, which stood at $14.3 trillion, an amount that will be surpassed by March. A default on that debt would be, in the words of Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner, "an event that has no precedent in American history." 
Default would force the U.S. government to drastically raise the interest rate it pays to those who buy its debt in the form of treasury bills, notes and bonds in order to attract buyers, which would increase annual interest that must be paid—that is, if the government could continue selling its securities at all. The economic and financial tidal wave this would set off in world markets could make the 2008-2009 financial meltdown pale by comparison.
A July 2010 report by the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) spells out the wrenching effects of such a financial crisis. Higher interest rates needed to attract buyers of government securities would choke economic growth, while forcing the U.S. Treasury to pay additional hundreds of billions annually in interest payments.
The Federal Reserve would likely react by printing more money, fueling inflation, which would create additional pressure on interest rates. The meltdown of 2008-2009 would repeat itself, as more major financial institutions would fail due to collapse of their financial bases.
Throughout American history the U.S. Treasury has found willing buyers for its debt. But beginning in 2008 China, the largest foreign holder of U.S. debt, began signaling a growing unease over the amount of debt it holds. A Jan. 14, 2011, Wall Street Journal article revealed that many in the financial world, including foreign governments, are starting to get worried. Moody's Investors Service said in a mid-January report that the United States needs to reverse its expansion of debt if it hopes to keep its current Aaa credit rating.
Said Moody's senior analyst Sarah Carlson, "We have become increasingly clear about the fact that if there are not offsetting measures to reverse the deterioration in negative fundamentals in the U.S., the likelihood of a negative outlook over the next two years will increase." The same article quoted the head of Standard & Poor's (or S&P) France, Carol Sirou, who told a Paris conference that the firm wouldn't rule out lowering the outlook for the U.S. rating in the near future.

America in a financial hammerlock

Fueled by its booming economy, China is now, as mentioned, the world's leading foreign holder of U.S. national debt, having surpassed Japan in that regard in September 2008. A November 2008 Washington Post story cited Beijing's growing sway over the U.S. economy, noting that a decision by China to move out of U.S. government bonds, for economic or political reasons, could lead a herd of other investors to follow suit, which would drive up the cost of U.S. borrowing.
This gives the Chinese considerable leverage over the U.S. economy, should they ever choose to use it. The New York Times reported in early 2009 that China is concerned about the Obama health-care plan, and rising U.S. debt, because they finance so much of it.
Other observers have noted the growing influence of China in U.S. mortgage markets. Increasing Chinese reluctance to invest in U.S. private mortgage bonds could have long-term effects on mortgage interest rates if lenders are forced to pay higher rates themselves for mortgage capital.
"This is a sign of the growing inter-dependence between the Chinese and U.S. economies, but also a sign of a relationship that is not healthy in the long term," said Eswar Prasad, an economics professor at Cornell University and a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution in Washington.

From largest lender to largest debtor

More and more Americans are awakening to the reality of America's rising national debt, which is by far the largest in the world. How, many ask, did the world's greatest economic power get into this situation?
It wasn't so long ago that America was the world's greatest creditor. In the aftermath of World War II, certainly in the memory of millions, the United States led the world financial system in creating the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank. These institutions, formed to help a world recovering from the nightmare of World War II, helped in generating tremendous prosperity in regions humbled and impoverished by war.
But in just over two decades the United States has gone from being "banker to the world" to the largest debtor nation on earth. The financial world is beginning to express its alarm. However, you may be amazed to discover that this very situation was prophesied more than 3,000 years ago!
Believe it or not, the Bible has quite a bit to say about America's debt situation. Leviticus 26 and Deuteronomy 28 are known as the "blessings and curses" chapters. Here God Himself warned that foreign powers would gradually achieve dominance over the people of Israel if they rejected His laws and turned their backs on Him.
It seems ominously prophetic of today's situation, where America has gone from the world's leading creditor to its leading borrower. Note the warning: "The alien who is among you shall rise higher and higher above you, and you shall come down lower and lower. He shall lend to you, but you shall not lend to him. He shall be the head, and you shall be the tail" (Deuteronomy 28:43-44). It's no wonder that this reads so much like today's headlines when we discover the surprising truth that the majority of Americans are descendants of those same Israelites to whom God gave this warning!
The United States is traveling headlong down an economic path leading to enormous problems, if not outright destruction. Sadly, as Leviticus 26 and Deuteronomy 28 show, these national problems are symptoms of a greater problem—the deep spiritual sickness that afflicts a nation that is increasingly turning its back on and denying the God who blessed it so greatly in earlier years.
The question we must all face is: Will the nation wake up in time to take the corrective action needed? Will you?

From: http://www.gnmagazine.org/issues/gn93/america-drowns-in-a-sea-of-debt-what-does-it-mean.htm

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The Iditarod Mushers Awards Tonight:
 http://iditarodblogs.com/news/2011/03/20/the-2011-iditarod-mushers-awards-banquet-set-to-start/

John Baker #53.
"Here are the pictures I took of him and his team in willow. Had no idea that day that he would win the race. Not only did he win, he did it with the fastest time ever. The trail conditions were perfect for the record breaking run. I think Baker is like a work horse, he just kept going. his dogs seemed to respond to him. he didn't seem overly attentive to his dogs as he ran down the main drag in Nome. Apparently, he had a female in heat that was making their run a bit rough that last bit. I suspect he was exhausted and overwhelmed as well. He is first Inupiat Native to win the race. I believe there may have been years ago other native winners, but none from this area of the state."
Lots of pictures of his dogs and more at: http://blossomandbetsysblog.blogspot.com/2011/03/iditarod-2011-and-winner-is.html

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Today:


Jay and I finished the framework for the third carport sunshade. 







There has never been one there before, and we are trying to match the one over the Puddle Jumper (right).
Shay, in red shirt, is the only one who has offered to go up there and paint the lattice white!


The framework is all made of treated lumber, but we used up some older treated scraps for the spacers between the vertical boards so the R-panel would lay flat.

The weather was ideal, but it is too bright out there in the midday sun to be working with white R-panel, so tomorrow is another day.

The History of Valentine's Day. How To Burn Off Chocolate.

From The History Channel:

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If you are going to indulge in chocolate, this is how long it takes to burn off ONE Snickers bar:
"Here's how to decide whether to pass up a temptation or enjoy it with no regrets: Put a fitness price tag on your favorite indulgence that shows how much extra workout time it will take to burn off its calories.

For example:
Enjoying an occasional cheesy slice of pizza may be well worth the price -- adding an extra 36 minutes to your regular brisk walk, 20 to a bike ride, or only 15 on a stair-step machine. Boom!
Just like that, those calories are gone. But do you also have 60 more minutes to spare to walk off that chocolate cake?
Here's a sampling of treats -- the kind that even the healthiest eaters often find too good to totally give up -- and how much time it takes for a 135-pound person to burn them off. Now those extra calories won't show up on your scales. Or your waist." 
More at: http://www.realage.com/blogs/food-bites/craving-chocolate-cake-cheesy-pizza-do-this-afterward
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My thought:
"how much time it takes for a 135-pound person to burn them off"…. Why would a 135 lb person be worried about it??
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He who does anything because it is the custom, makes no choice. ~ John Stuart Mill

 

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Today:

The critters and I just mostly stayed inside trying to keep warm.  The sun is out, but it is still cold out there.

These are my foster animals:



After a while, Paco thought twice about sitting in the sun, his favorite pastime. 






 Prime wanted to stay out on the porch in the sun,







but Patches couldn't make up her mind, and wanted in, then out, then in again.



But we are all glad that this will be the last of this cold spell today

Punxsutawney Phil. Valentines for Chained Dog's Week. 7th-14th. Feb.

Phil, the weather predicting groundhog stands on the shoulder of one of his handlers John Griffiths while looking at other handler Ben Hughes, after the Groundhog Club claimed that Phil did not see his shadow and winter has ended on Groundhog Day, Wednesday, Feb. 2, 2011, in Punxsutawney, Pa. (AP Photo/Keith Srakocic)

 

 

Most of us a in the grip of this fierce storm, which is going to continue for several more days, so I don't know how Phil can be so sure about the next six weeks, but I hope he is right.

But in the meantime there are dogs who are suffering and dying in the cold.

"People chain dogs for a variety of reasons, however A.S.K. (All Species Kinship) encourages pet guardians to make their dogs a real part of the family by bringing them inside. Dogs that are unable to be brought in are provided with weekly assistance from A.S.K.

After guardians see their dogs positively interact with A.S.K. volunteers, many start to transition their dogs into inside living; families which cannot enhance their dog's quality of life may decide to relinquish dogs so that they may be rehabilitated and re-homed."

Many cities and states are banning 24/7 chaining;


"Although the practice of 24/7 chaining is pervasive in many parts of the country, states and cities have started to pass laws against the practice. So far four states have passed limitations on chaining: California, Texas, Connecticut, and Nevada.
Hundreds of cities and counties have passed limitations or flat-out bans.

Meanwhile, countless backyard dogs are spending yet another winter in the cold. Often, they shiver day and night in hole-ridden doghouses, suffer from thirst because their water is frozen, and pace neurotically from lack of exercise and attention.
Perpetually chained dogs often become aggressive from their constant confinement, thereby posing a danger to people, especially small children."  http://www.dogsdeservebetter.org/Valentines2011.html

"Join us February 7-14th for Have a Heart for Chained Dogs Week. OUR GOAL in our 9th Season is to SEND OUT 17,000 VALENTINES TO CHAINED or PENNED DOGS.
We are striving to raise awareness for chained and penned dogs in a positive way...by delivering Valentines, a brochure and a treat coupon to dogs living outside all over the U.S. and into other countries where we have representation, such as Canada and England."

Nonprofit Seeks Students and Groups to Create 17,000 Valentines for Chained Dogs

“Winter is the best time to reach out to those who chain and pen their dogs, and what better excuse than Valentine’s Day to send these forgotten animals a little love,” says Tamira Thayne, founder and director of the eight-year-old nonprofit. “Every winter our rescuers see dogs that have frozen in the snow, suffered frostbite, or otherwise endured horrific living conditions because of the longstanding misperception that it is ok to chain a dog outside in any kind of weather.”

 





Love is...Rescuing a Dog


Love Is...Rescuing a Dog! No more chains for Man's Best Friend.


Blind Delilah  before rescue...dogsdeservebetter.org






 
http://www.humanesociety.org/news/news/2011/01/valentines_for_chained_dogs_011111.html
http://animalnewsinfo.posterous.com/send-a-valentine-to-help-a-chained-dog
http://www.care2.com/causes/animal-welfare/blog/have-a-heart-for-chained-dogs-this-valentine-s-day/

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Today:

It is too cold to do anything outside.   When I take the dog boarded in my workshop outside on a retractable leash, she quickly does what she has to do, and leads me right back to the workshop door.  She wants back in!  Funny, her 'Mom' says she doesn't like to be indoors at her regular home, I don't believe it.  But there is a stinky cat box in there.

I hope you and your animals are staying warm today.