Mr. Meow Meow 1996-2008

Mr. Meow Meow had to be put to sleep on Friday December 5th. Fortunately he was only sick for one week; the diagnosis was chronic pancreatic disease. He did not respond to treatment and his daily blood results were deteriorating rapidly so there was no point in continuing. Thank goodness I had the courage to listen to my cat who was telling me it was time to go. A small point I would like to make is that the vet was not much help to me in making the decision. It seems that they just like to keep trying even and no want to give up.

Sometimes life works in peculiar ways those. Two weeks prior I had taken in two foster cats from an animal hoarder’s house. One of these cats was perhaps the most frightened cat that I had ever met in my life. It took two weeks to get him to come from under the sofa. He hadn’t eaten for days. Now he is acting more like a normal cat and has even learned to play with a ball. I think he is well on his way to recovery. So while I mourn by beloved Meow Meow, I was able to help another cat overcome his abject fear and have him ready to move on to his forever home.

His ashes will be spread around his garden in the spring time. Goodbye Meow Meow I miss you! Thank you for being the cat you were.

Brother, can you spare a Dime?

We live in the world's richest state and we are befuddled, numb, angry and hungry. In fact 30 millions folks are getting food stamps. How did this happen?

It isn't often that I read a piece of journalism that resonates as much as this piece in the Guardian Weekly December 19, 2008. Ed Pilkington reminds me how important journalists are in geting out the information that we need to know and not what corporations dictate. Lets hope that after the technology shake out that they bounce back in a different medium.

Please check out his article on a week in the U.S. economy that we wish had not happened. The only difference between this soup kitchen picture and the line today is that women and children have joined it. I guess this is what happens when the foxes watch the chickens. It is sad that "Brother can you spare a dime" is as true today as it was in the 1930s.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eih67rlGNhU

http://www.guardianweekly.co.uk/?page=editorial&id=866&catID=17

Parrot Snatched from the Tarmac

A Story about an African Parrot

The New York Times “books of the year” includes a book called Alex and Me by Irene Pepperberg. In the first few pages you will realize how much Ms. Pepperberg and the African Grey had bonded. It is a very interesting book and one that I would recommend any bird/animal lover will want to read. But this story is not about Alex but about another African Grey.

Back in the early 1970s, during Idi Amin’s campaign against Asians in Uganda, households and their animals fled to whereever they could for safety. Pilots from the East African Airways would fly in and literally grab whatever was on the runway and take off without ever turning their engines off. One day an African Grey was rescued from the tarmac and made it to London at the beginning of the winter season. Since no one would take him in I did even though I was scared of parrot like birds.

To make a long story short, he was not happy, his feathers began to molt and he looked very sad and never said a word. I tried leaving music on for him to no avail. Then I tried leaving the heat and the music on and still no luck Then I went to Harrods department store who are suppose to know everything about everything and I came back with guaranteed parrot food mix; that did not work either. What was I going to do, he was almost bald now. Perhaps he needed to fly a bit! So I let him out of the cage without any thought of how I would get him back in again. That was a disaster. I tried throwing (from a distance) a large sheet over him so I could than capture him! I guess that God gave birds’ wings so they can evade such primitive efforts of capture. Each time the sheet landed on him he flew from underneath the sheet and squawked and squawked. I think he had a grand old time. I went to bed exhausted. The bird was free and he celebrated by pooping everywhere.

Four weeks later the owners arrived in the UK. They were conservative Hindus. They gratefully took back their parrot and immediately fed him green chilies; this is what the bird was missing and definitely not on the Harrods menu of bird feed. But then, much to my astonishment and shame the bird began to talk. He spoke every bad thing I had said about it along with all the swear words I spoke in frustration because he would not eat.

How you Can do to Help:
Never get an animal that you keep in a manner they need to live a comfortable life.

Sponsor a parrot at Best Friends Parrot Garden

Sarah Palin

Sorry folks couldn't help posting this. Dick Cavett is so funny!

http://cavett.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/11/14/the-wild-wordsmith-of-wasilla/?th&emc=th

Sarah Palin: New York Times Nov 8, 2008

Wel I know that I had removed all stories on the Republican run for presidency but I think this story in the New York Times needs our attention. While I did not think Sarah Palin was suitable as VP of our country that does not mean she should be treated this way. Even if she lobbied for the job, which I don't believe she did, she was picked by John McCain. So that is where the buck stops. She certainly gave him the initial boost that he needed. Would he have done better if he had chosen someone else? Perhaps, but he didn't choose someone else, he choose Sarah Palin. So give her a fair break as we would all want for ourselves.

Here is the story http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/08/us/politics/08palin.html?_r=1&th&emc=th&oref=slogin

One World, One Planet: Lets Sieze the Moment

Let's seize this opportunity to create a major global moment of unity, reconciliation and hope by sending a million messages of warm congratulations and invitation to work together to the new President and the American people.

Avaaz has built a huge wall near the White House in Washington DC where the number of signatures on our message and personal messages from around the world will grow over the next several hours. Let's get to 1 million signers and messages to Obama! Sign on at the link below and forward this email to others:
http://www.avaaz.org/en/million_messages_to_obama

This is a time for celebration of democracy. So let's act quickly to make sure the people of the world are heard as Obama makes crucial choices in the coming days on how to live up to his campaign promises. Rarely has a US President been more likely to listen to us. Sign below and forward this message on:

PS - You can send them a picture of yourself for the wall - email it to obamawall@avaaz.org

PPS – Here's a link to a report on Avaaz's past campaigning – http://www.avaaz.org/en/report_back_2/

PPPS - And a list of 10 of Obama's campaign promises that concern the world – you can find his full platform here http://www.barackobama.com/issues/

1. Reduce the US's carbon emissions 80% by 2050 and play a strong positive role in negotiating a binding global treaty to replace the expiring Kyoto Protocol

2.Withdraw all combat troops from Iraq within 16 months and keep no permanent bases in the country

3.Establish a clear goal of eliminating all nuclear weapons across the globe

4. Close the Guantanamo Bay detention center

5. Double US aid to cut extreme poverty in half by 2015 and accelerate the fight against HIV/AIDS, tuberculoses and Malaria

6. Open diplomatic talks with countries like Iran and Syria, to pursue peaceful resolution of tensions

7. De-politicize military intelligence to avoid ever repeating the kind of manipulation that led the US into Iraq

8.Launch a major diplomatic effort to stop the killings in Darfur

9. Only negotiate new trade agreements that contain labor and environmental protections

10. Invest $150 billion over ten years to support renewable energy and get 1 million plug-in electric cars on the road by 2015

OBAMA IS PRESIDENT!!

It's over with a result that most of us of our black elders could only have dreamed about. Visit the YouTube video of Obama/Dr King tribute from Sister Monica Parker - I Have a Dream http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=04mlGzHyjmg and then remember the words of Obama "It’s been a long time coming. But tonight, because of what we did on this date, in this election, change has come to America."

Check out the Chicago Tribune's coverage of last night. http://www.chicagotribune.com/ They are one of the premier papers in the United States

And to the President Elect I would like to suggest that he gets his dog from one of the many rescue groups in the city he loves. New Leash On Life Chicago has a dog that looks perfect. His name is Mr Sniffs and he is a standard poodle.

Well he missed out on this wonderful dog because some else adopted him last week. Way to Go Mr. Sniffs.