Twelve Days of Christmas Got Cancelled! Funny! Vintage Trailer. John Cleese. How to Teach Your Dog To Wait At The Door.

For the Vintage Trailer Enthusiast:

Then John Cleese's version of The Night Before Christmas:

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Takes 10 Minutes to teach your dog to wait at the door.  All important and this time of the year.

 

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Really beautiful!
Amazing Amish Christmas Lights 
These are amazing!

 

Scroll down to see the Amish Christmas lights.

 

 

 

 

You know very well that the Amish don't use electricity!

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Another lovely "Windows Open, T-shirt Day".

Simon Cowell. How To Shop Fur-free This Holiday Season. Bob Barker. Donate Fur Back to Animals.

Oh! Here's Penny again, telling us something we don't want to think about. 
But it is important to reiterate it while so many people are shopping for gifts.

"Americans don't want Lassie turned into a fur coat," Moran said. "In the U.S., we treat cats and dogs as pets, not trimmings for the latest fashion wear."


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People just don't understand that caring for animals doesn't mean you think they're more important than humans, just that they are AS important.

Matthew 12:11-12
¹¹ He said to them, “If any of you has a sheep and it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will you not take hold of it and lift it out? ¹² How much more valuable is a person than a sheep!

Proverbs 12:10
¹⁰ The righteous care for the needs of their animals. 
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How to shop fur-free this holiday season

Nov 29, 2010
Fur farms now produce about 85% of the world’s fur, of which China – with no legal animal welfare protection and appalling conditions for farmed animals – is now responsible for four-fifths of pelt (fur) production. After a downturn in the industry years ago, fur is now enjoying a resurgence thanks to ever-cheaper production, largely in China, a growing international consumer base, and ignorance or indifference among the public about the suffering of animals farmed for fur.

One billion die annually.

Every year, an estimated 60 million mink and 6.5 million foxes are killed on fur farms. If rabbits are included, the number of animals killed every year solely for their fur may far exceed one billion. Cats and dogs are also commonly used in Chinese fur production. Conditions at the farms and methods of killing the animals are always cruel.
Fur farm life >> (PDF)
WSPA investigation into the global fur trade >> (PDF)

"According to the Humane Society, raccoon dogs are typically skinned alive for their fur, which is often mislabeled as faux, raccoon, coyote or rabbit fur, the source says." From: http://www.stylelist.com/2009/12/03/lord-and-taylor-bans-raccoon-dog-fur/
and: http://animalblawg.wordpress.com/2009/05/13/live-skinning-raccoon-dogs-and-other-tales-from-the-fur-farm/
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Fur? Faux Fur? Or Fido's Fur?  Retailers Selling Dog Pelt Coats.
Lord & Taylor, Macy's, Burlington Coat Factory, Tommy Hilfiger's, Nordstrom, Andrew Marc's,  Bluefly, JC Penney, Dillard's, Saks Fifth Avenue, and many more.

"This is an animal that is routinely killed by stomping them, or beating them, or skinning them alive," Markarian said. Video produced by Swiss Animal Protection and posted on the Internet shows raccoon dogs clubbed or slammed on the ground and some writhing, gasping and blinking as they are skinned alive." From: http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,253999,00.html
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"Raccoon dogs are members of the dog family who bear a striking resemblance to raccoons. Social animals like many canids, these terrier-sized animals seem to enjoy having a mate or friend close by. In Asia, where they are native wildlife and where they are used in the fur trade, many people think they bring good luck. Join the Fur-Free campaign to help raccoon dogs.

The Most Misrepresented Fur in America

A majority of the falsely advertised or mislabeled fur-trimmed jackets we tested contained fur from raccoon dogs."
More at:  http://www.humanesociety.org/animals/raccoon_dogs/
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More real fur finds:


"It specifically points out a pair of Manolo Blahnik boots (shown right) trimmed with what both Neiman Marcus and Bergdorf Goodman call "cava fur."

But after some research, the Humane Society claims that there is no such thing as "cava fur" and that the boot -- currently for sale on both store's Websites -- is actually trimmed with ocelot fur, a species protected by the Endangered Species Act, and thereby illegal."  From: http://www.stylelist.com/2009/08/20/humane-society-files-ftc-petition-against-neiman-marcus-and-berg/
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Bob Barker stepped down over fur:
"The former game show host is a long-time animal protection supporter. Bob Barker first became interested in animal issues when his wife, Dorothy Jo, stopped wearing the fur coats he had bought her.  After being the MC for the Miss America pageant for over 20 years, Barker stepped down when he asked the pageant producers to stop offering fur coats as prizes and they refused." From: http://animalrights.about.com/od/organizationsandactivists/p/BobBarker.htm

Bob Barker also contributed many millions to try to stop the Japenese from whaling in the Antarctic.  If you have seen "Whale Wars", you already know this.

Beauty Pageant Petition:   http://animals.change.org/petitions/view/tell_miss_usa_fur_is_not_beautiful
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"The Miss Florida USA program held a preliminary event in Hollywood over the weekend.
Some of the contestants (the three categories women compete in, by the way, are: "personality, swimsuit, and evening gown," according to the program's website, which makes a point of stressing "NO PERFORMING TALENT IS REQUIRED") said as they rushed by, that they didn't know the Fur Information Council of America (FICA) was a sponsor of the event or gave out fur coats to pageant winners." 
From: http://blogs.browardpalmbeach.com/juice/2010/06/miss_florida_usa_event_gets_pr.php
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"A good seller will always tell you what you want to hear, but a good buyer will always think twice before falling into the seller's marketing pitch.
And to perpetuate the notion that fur can be versatile, in the last few years the fur industry introduced a new trend: making real fur to look like fake and dying it with different colors.
Consumers should also be aware - that the fur that you bought or will buy - used to belong to someone's else's companion animal (dog or cat) from Asia. Because of the slump in sales in recent years, the fur industry has been using every Machivallian trick (and will continue to do so) to fool naive consumers at the expense of millions of defenseless and voiceless animals. All in the name of style.
People wear fur because it is environmentally friendly    
The fur industry will tell you that fur is bio-degradable and a renewable resource. However, opponents such as PETA will tell you the opposite:

Contrary to fur-industry propaganda, fur production destroys the environment. The energy needed to produce a real fur coat from ranch-raised animal skins is approximately 20 times that needed for a fake fur. Nor does fur biodegrade, thanks to the chemical treatment applied to stop the fur from rotting. The process of using these chemicals is also dangerous as it can cause water contamination.

About 44 pounds of feces are excreted per mink skinned by fur farmers. Based on the total number of minks skinned in the U.S. in 1999, which was 2.81 million, mink factory farms generate approximately 62,000 tons of manure per year. One result is nearly 1,000 tons of phosphorus, which wreaks havoc in water ecosystems.

You also have to ask this most important question: How is the fur industry friendly to the millions of animals living in crowded and disease-ridden cages and then suffer a cruel death?
How does a furrier kill a fox or a chinchilla in a "friendly" way? "  From: http://www.criticalbeauty.com/Pageants_Fur_Coats_1.html
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DONATE YOUR FURS TO THE ANIMALS:
Donate your old furs to wildlife.    If you don't feel comfortable donating used or old furs to people, give them back to the animals. The furs are used to provide warmth and comfort to injured wild animals.
For more information: http://www.humanesociety.org/issues/fur_fashion/donate_old_fur.html

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Yesterday:

I found another chiropractor in our little town, and this one even takes my insurance.  The one I had been going to, had closed down and moved out of state. 

I had to wait a long time, and I had planned on going into the next town to pick up the Garmin 255W, but Target gave me such a run around, and kept me on hold so long that I decided to forget it.  It would have been dark before I could get home.   From what I understand, I am better off with a hand held for Geocaching, anyway.
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Today:

Because of the superb weather, this was the day  to put the Dicor Primer, Activator, Cleaner, and the rubber roof sealer on the roof of the cargo trailer.   Ray did that, while Jay cut and installed one more sheet of paneling inside it.  I was 'gofering' between the two of then.

Another cold spell will be upon us again soon, but the weather is beautiful sunny 80 deg., today.

Real Life of a Reindeer. Santa and Coke. "Operation Phone Home"

 

The reindeer are food in many lands, and they are being just as cruel to them, as factory farm beef and pork is here.

 

As Gandhi once said, "The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way it's animals are treated".

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Prelude to a Common Claus:

It is believed the legend of Santa was brought to the New World by Christopher Columbus, who, upon arriving in Haiti, named a port after the patron saint. In 1621, when the Dutch landed on the New York island of Manhattan, they erected a statue of Saint Nicholas as a tribute to him for their successful journey.
American writer Washington Irving made an effort to describe Saint Nicholas in his 1809 book, “Knickerbocker’s History of New York,” which focused on Dutch folklore. Irving framed the character with “a low, broad-rimmed hat, a huge pair of Flemish trunk-hose and a [long] pipe.”

Later in the 19th century, two other American literary pioneers created individual works that served to bring more focus to Saint Nick’s appearance and greatly influence how Haddon Sundblom would later shape the definitive image of Santa Claus.

The first was New York author Clement Clarke Moore, whose epic 1822 poem, “A Visit from St. Nicholas” (better known as “’Twas the Night Before Christmas”) began approaching the singular vision of Santa today. The poet described Santa as "a right jolly old elf," when legend held that the bishop Saint Nicholas from ancient Turkey was actually a human. And since nobody claimed to really have seen an elf, the popular interpretations of Father Christmas remained quite diverse and confusing.

Then, in 1862, political cartoonist Thomas Nast gave Moore’s Santa Claus a widely circulated, physical presence on the cover of Harper's Weekly magazine. Still picturing Santa as an elf-like figure, Nast nevertheless made the character more realistically round and also was the first to give Santa the white beard and matching hair.

Nast continued to create Santa illustrations for 30 years and along the way changed the color of Saint Nick’s coat from tan to the now-traditional red. But the cartoonist neither established a lasting archetype for Santa nor settled on one firm height.

"Santa Meets Coca-Cola"

In the 1920s, The Coca-Cola Company began to promote soft drink consumption for the winter holidays in U.S. magazines. The first Santa ads for Coke used a strict-looking Claus.

Santa Claus made another appearance in Coca-Cola advertising in 1930. Artist Fred Mizen painted a department store Santa impersonator drinking a bottle of Coke amid a crowd of shoppers and their children. The illustration was used that Christmas season for Coca-Cola ads in The Saturday Evening Post and other publications.

Not long after, a magical transformation took place.

Archie Lee, then the agency advertising executive for The Coca-Cola Company, wanted the next campaign to show a wholesome Santa as both realistic and symbolic. In 1931, the Company commissioned Sundblom, a Michigan-born illustrator and already a creative giant in the industry, to develop advertising images using Santa Claus. Sundblom previously produced other illustrations for Coca-Cola, but nothing would compare with what was about to transpire.

Sundblom turned to Clement Moore’s classic poem for inspiration. The ode’s description of the jolly old elf led Sundblom to fashion an image of Santa that was warm, friendly and human – quite a change from the sometimes-harsh portrayals of Santa up to that time. "

From:   EARLY SANTA CLAUS WAS MAN OF MANY DISGUISES
History of a Holiday Icon, and Why He Looks the Way He Does.

A lot more at: http://www.thecoca-colacompany.com/presscenter/pdfs/santa1.pdf

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E.T Call Home:

Imagine for a moment you're far away from your loved ones at this special time of year. You might know when you will be home again, but that date is so distant it's hard to picture. You're cold, tired and really miss the simple things -- like talking to your kids on the phone.

That's what it is like for our troops spending this holiday season in Afghanistan, Iraq and at outposts around the world.

But through the USO's At Home In Our Hearts holiday campaign, supporters like you have the chance to give our troops something really special: the opportunity to make a phone call home.

Whether it's the sound of your daughter's voice, hearing your son talk about his football game, or the opportunity to tell your parents you're alright -- when you're deployed during the holidays, it's a phone call you'll treasure.

Will you join me in giving our troops the chance to phone home for the holidays?

Operation Phone Home goes the extra mile to connect our troops with their families, and it's a vital part of the USO's At Home In Our Hearts campaign. At centers across the world, staff and volunteers are going all-out to give our troops invaluable moments with their families that bridge the miles.

There's nothing we can ever really do to thank our troops enough for the sacrifices they make. But we owe it to them to try and right now that means helping them make personal connections with loved ones to brighten their holiday.

Every dollar you give to "Operation Phone Home" can provide twenty minutes of talk time for our troops. With your help, we can bring them all a few minutes of holiday warmth with family.

You can make sure that this holiday, home is just a phone call away for our troops.

No matter where they're stationed or deployed, our troops are spending this time of year At Home In Our Hearts. Please help them bridge the distance by making a special gift today.

Thanks for all you do,

Kelli Seely
USO Chief Development Officer

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"“When I get asked why I don't celebrate Christmas, I ask the person, "Why do you?"

After hearing their response, I explain that all we generally know is what we have been told by our parents and ministers, but that I have personally researched this and proven to myself that I shouldn't celebrate Christmas.

I then ask them if they have really studied the subject. The usual responses are "No" or they don't say anything.”"

"The article below was originally printed in the Gazette in 1990. My friend Shirley Wilkes Johnson lives in West Columbia, TX, near Houston. She is a renowned vegetarian cook with a special passion for vegetarian chili. She is also a sincere and sensitive human being who has been a long-time friend to non-human animals. It is with pride that we reprint her article about Christmas. "         http://www.purewatergazette.net/swjohnso.htm

 

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Ray and I didn't have much time to work, so we replaced the Stanley strip insulation on my back door,  and he washed my van today.