Make a winter feral cat box
The other day I ran across a really cool idea on Facebook that I thought I would pass around. Many of us have lots of feral cats in our neighborhoods that we might try to catch to bring in to a shelter that just can’t be caught. Cats are clever creatures, after all. Sometimes it’s also simply not safe to catch them. So how else can we help?
Some people set out food for ferals, but I hadn’t heard of setting up a shelter for them until I saw this photo. You can make a really easy insulated shelter for cats during the winter months with some Styrofoam with these simple steps. My family and I make bat and bird houses, but the most we’ve ever done for ferals—aside from catching a few and finding them homes—is keep our shed open to allow them safe passage during the cold months. Still, our shed isn’t insulated—this box is.
Feral cats vary so widely that you never really know how much help you can be to them. My husband and I have kept ferals as pets before—which can be, and has been, dangerous; do not take in a feral as a pet if you do not know you can handle it or that it is safe!—and we have captured some ferals and taken them to either shelters (adults) or to families who then adopted them (as kittens).
In fact, my mother, sister, and her sister-in-law all have kittens who were born in our shed from a feral mother. If you are afraid to help trap the cats humanely and take them to a safe place, this is a good option to still help them without endangering yourself or your family. If you are crafty or have the materials for a bigger, more long-term shelter, click here for directions.
Here are a few other ways to help feral cats:
Set up feeding and watering stations for the feral cats where you live. Though cats are good hunters, they do remain a domesticated species—and food is hard to come by during the winter months. Providing food and fresh water can help them survive the cold.
Capture cats to have them spayed or neutered, then released back into the wild. If a cat cannot be adopted, at least he or she will not make more feral babies this way. This is a particularly good idea for people who like to keep ferals for hunting mice in their barns or other property.
Giving it to charity
By now everyone is well aware of the buy-out of Lucasfilm by the Walt Disney Company. With the amount of talk this generates and the uproar it's caused in diehard fans, it's easy to get swept up and miss “even more” news coming out of this deal.
The $4.05 billion sale of Lucasfilm should be final soon, which honestly I'm shocked Lucasfilm went for so cheap. George owns 100 percent of that corporation, which then means all that money goes straight to him. However in a move to "celebrate a new direction in life and focus more on philanthropy, it has been decided that a majority of the money from the sale will be sent to charity." That's basically saying that Star Wars was the most successful bake sale in history. Another interesting twist in all this is that Mark Hamill recently stated in an interview that he, and on screen sister Carrie Fisher knew about the plans for Episode 7, 8 and 9 back in August, long before the announcement that came this week. He said that George had invited him and Carrie to lunch, and broke it to them that they were planning to do a follow-up to the original films.
Mark was not shocked by this, having figured the initial meeting was in regards to a new DVD release of the series, or perhaps had something to do with the planned live action series. He doubted very heavily that these films would have anything to do with the original cast. The Disney buy-out however was a huge shock to them, and he admits to being on the fence about it all, though noted that it's worked out well for Marvel Comics thus far.
Help Obama win on Tuesday!
I’m sure you’ve heard the saying going around that we all need to set our clocks back an hour this weekend—and if Romney wins, to set our clocks back 70 years on Tuesday. Truly, this is one of the most important elections in my generation’s lifetime, especially considering that we have up to four Supreme Court justices ready for retirement soon—and we have dozens of idiot conservative men who think that women’s bodies magically shut off from getting pregnant during rape, that incest is “rare,” and that women are basically property to be controlled and forcibly kept pregnant at all costs.
There are plenty of other reasons why we need to keep President Obama in office—the healthcare law itself, for example—but being a woman and having my life threatened like this is, you know, sort of important to me.
So in order to keep him around, here’s your handy dandy election checklist.
Go vote. This one is easy enough. Check your local laws about identification requirements, polling times, and locations to make sure you don’t encounter any bumps in the road during the whole process. That happened to me during the Kerry election year and I was pretty pissed off. Thankfully we got it sorted out just in time, but my vote almost wasn’t even counted.
Talk it up. Make sure everyone you know who supports the president goes out and votes for him. Offer to provide rides if you can. Post facts on your Facebook page, your blog, or anywhere else you can and make sure to tell people why you’re voting for Obama. If you have friends who are pro-choice or simply believe women are, you know, people, but are thinking about voting for Romney, please talk to them and voice your concerns.
Volunteer. You can still canvass and phone bank up until the election; check your local Democrat election office for specific needs. Work the polls with a sign for Obama—just make sure you follow local laws about how far away you must be from the actual voting location. You might be able to walk through your neighborhood giving out literature, posting signs in prominent locations, or perform many other necessary volunteer duties.
We can win this election, but we need everyone to vote and to help out—and this is one election that we simply cannot afford to sit out. The decisions made during the next term will directly affect the health of my daughter and yours, my mother and yours—of you and me.
One-way bathroom mirrors
I've always found Austria to be a beautiful, yet confusing place. Vienna being the most confusing of places there-in (Let's be honest: most people here can't name any Austrian cities besides Vienna). Apparently however it was not confusing enough. How could Austria make people's logic brain hurt more? Install one-way mirrors looking from the men's restroom into the women's restroom, then brag about it.
Dots, an experimental sushi restaurant did just that (I love sushi, but the 'experimental' part just frightens and confuses me further.) One-way mirrors were placed between the two restrooms, allowing the men to see into the women's restroom. WOAH! Hold on there Mr. Creeper, don't pack your bags just yet. Ladies, fear not.
The mirror does not exactly look anyplace “sensitive” as it were. Sure I doubt many would be comfortable knowing someone is watching you do makeup touch-ups, bust like readjusts and the likes. The owners claim however that the mirror will be rotated, allowing the women to look into the men's restroom.
You THINK that's a good idea. Trust me, it's not. I've known many a male who will do some pretty stupid things when knowing they are on display. It's not pretty. Then again this is an “experimental sushi bar." That alone I think has me more bothered than the mirror bit. Great, this is going to be on my mind all day. Now I'm going to have to look that up and hope the image filters are being kind to me today.
Mexico’s iFone kicks Apple in the butt
Frivolous lawsuits are everywhere, and America really seems to hold the title of sue-happy capital of the world. The latest one came from the company Apple as they chose to attack a Mexican communications business by the name of iFone. We all know that one of Apple’s top-selling products is the iPhone, so it makes sense that they’d try to secure their copyright, correct? Well, as it turns out, it was one of the worst moves they could have ever made.
Mexico’s iFone company has actually been using their name since 2003. This is rather awkward for the sue-happy Apple, since they’ve only been selling their product since 2007. Still, they insisted that they could win the suit and so, in 2009, started the legal procedures.
The result was that Apple lost and lost big. They ended up almost losing all their rights to sell iPhones in Mexico, but lucky for them the two names are categorized under different classes so they’ll probably be able to do business as usual. They will, however, be doing business a little worse for wear, since iFone is countersuing them for all the hassle. If iFone wins, it could mean quite a pile of cash for them. They could even end up with a portion of the profits that Apple’s made over the last few years from selling the iPhone.
It’s hard to say whether this is a win or a loss for Mexico in general. Since iFone may be getting a good settlement, there’s the chance for expansion and an increase in jobs in the country. If something goes further awry and Apple isn’t able to sell the iPhone, even for a short period of time, it could be a big pain for many companies in Mexico that rely on sales of the product to keep them going. At the very least, Apple has hopefully learned its lesson about suing over copyrights in Mexico, or at least when they have no grounds.
Lucas buy out
I write more than a few blogs, and you can be sure most of them this week are covering this. Why? Because this is what many of us grew up on. That and I admit to having a pretty unhealthy obsession. It's a shame all my kids have aged past the point of using them for my own amusement. Oh those were the days.
Here is where the fear gets stupid. The idea that Disney will ruin it. Really? Have people not seen the prequels? The dry dialog, the over use of "front shot, revere shot over and over and over" when people are talking? The fact virtually everyone seemed so disconnected from their environment (because it was mostly all green screen). The utter lack of believable emotional impact in the writing, which is highly underplayed, or blown up into (bad) soap opera proportions?
The Star Wars I love to death were the originals. I didn't even mind the special edition. Yet why is it I LOVED those so dearly and sort of felt put off by the prequels? It becomes clear when you remember George had very little control in the first films, then took over everything and had a army of yes men with the newest ones. Nobody could say "Hey George, like the basic idea, but how about if we...” No, it was all George.
He's a great idea man, and did do wonders in finding new ways to do things. The problem is as a filmmaker to his own end, he's not the best. Disney (and mind you, not Disney Studios) has a way of taking an IP and keeping it unique and true to itself (like Marvel). So at the end of the day, is Disney any worse than where the franchise was headed on its own?
Disney buys Lucasfilm
While I'm watching the webber net blow up after the announcement made this week that Walt Disney company (not Disney studios - big difference) was going to buy Lucasfilm. The panic is coming about dumbing it down, musicals, yadda yadda. And all I have to say is “really?”
Disney has had its finger in Star Wars for a time now. The time and effort they put into Star Tours when they opened it up in 1987- then did a major overhaul recently and released a new, bigger version. Not to mention they host a huge May 4th celebration for Star Wars. So was it really a shock?
I know it's going to sound like a broken record at this point as well, but have half these ragers stopped to actually look at what the Walt Disney Company – the corporation- actually owns, and what the companies they own- own? Most likely not. Do it; you may be shocked. Last I checked, Marvel has not exactly tanked- nor has going the way of mouse ears and overly kid friendly.
I was actually reading a certain web slinging female hero's series not long ago: over the top violence, drug use, lesbian love, followed by random drunk love with some random guy, with more violence. Yes, Disney washes out everything. And let's be perfectly honest.
In the time George had more or less taken over as el presidente of all aspects of his work and surrounded himself with “yes men” Has he really really done the franchise that much good? Or any of his other films? Seriously stop and think on all of that before you let the knee jerking overtake you.
Lucy Coe Returns to Port Charles
If you watched “General Hospital” during the late eighties and nineties, you must recall who the character of Lucy Coe is. She is the dynamic character who had her hands in many fires on the show. She was married to many of the prominent men on the show including: Dr. Tony Jones, Dr. Alan Quartermane, Scott Baldwin and her last love, Dr. Kevin Collins.
Lucy began as a mousy librarian, who was being used as an alibi in a murder case. This caused her to write a tell-all-book and change her appearance all together, as well as her attitude. She became the sexy Lucy Coe the audience loved. She also began attracting men.
During this time, she also had several miscarriages, before she became a surrogate mother for Dominique and Scotty. This is how Serena Baldwin was born.
She is also noted for being the lady who was in charge of the annual Nurses Ball. This was an annual fictional event that the residents of Port Charles put on to raise money for the awareness of AIDS. They began doing this after Stone Kates died from the disease. This is also the reason why Lucy is coming back to town. One of the newest nurses at General Hospital, Sabrina, wants to put the ball on again in honor of Robin Drake, who supposedly passed away recently. Stone was her teenage boyfriend.
Yet, we all know the character of Lucy and her past. We also know how brilliant the writers are at “General Hospital.” For these reasons, it is already a given that the character of Lucy will be doing more than hosting an awards show. She is sure to be getting into some of the chaos that is currently happening in Port Charles or creating some new chaos, on her own.
This viewer can’t wait to see what happens. Reports say that we can begin enjoying the character of Lucy once again in December of this year on “General Hospital."
Hurricane Sandy: Recovery efforts in full swing
Even before Obama made his visit to Atlantic City to survey the damage from Hurricane Sandy, Jersey shore residents began organizing groups to start the recovery process. I have been very amazed and excited to see how the members of this community have bonded together in an effort to restore our islands.
Social media has really helped in getting the word out where the most needs are and how to help. Volunteer groups are going in and cleaning up debris. Other groups are having food and clothing drives. Some are offering places for those without power to charge their electronics. No amount of help is too small. Our youth are getting together tomorrow to make peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for those who are left without homes, while our church food pantry is concentrating on stocking up with extra food for those who are in need.
Not only are people suffering because of a property loss, but many are still without power. Others are out of work until their places of employment can get cleaned up. This puts a financial burden on the family. Fortunately, countless groups are willing to help as soon as they hear of a need. So if you are one of the victims of Hurricane Sandy, make your need known. One Facebook group was asking for those who needed a yard clean up to post their address and they'd head over and clean.
FEMA has also set up shop in our local library and is ready to offer help. I know that with everyone pulling together so early that we will have our islands fixed up in record time. This is, of course, unless the nor'easter that is suppose to hit on Wednesday does a lot of damage. We at the Jersey shore are certainly keeping an eye on it!
Taliban cutting off its own head
In an effort to remove what they see as false branches of the Islamic religion, members of the Taliban often make violent attacks against innocent people. Though they are all Muslims, the puritanical view of the Taliban prevents them from being able to live in peace with their neighbors. Aside from the extremist religious motivations to these attacks, there are political ones to think about, as the Taliban’s oppression of people in general creates a better breeding ground for recruitment.
A recent attack against innocents happened outside of the shrine of Kak Sahib, a Sunni Muslim saint. A bomb was set off and the result was three dead and 25 wounded. They also tried to kill a 14-year-old girl named Malala because she was insisting that women should have an education. Again, they used a bomb, threatening the lives of many school-children. And this is just one of more than a hundred attacks they’ve made against schools, their organization being dedicated to eliminating any educational institution that teaches from a book other than the Quran.
The theory is if they can keep people from becoming educated then the citizens will be stuck in a life of poverty and desperation. From this lifestyle are bred more soldiers for the Taliban’s war against all who do not strictly follow their interpretation of Islam. But even as they breed more soldiers with their violence, they are also uniting the many other Islamic factions against them.
Most of the attacks come against branches of Islam that have more pluralistic belief systems and are more accepting of other religions. Basically, it’s the peaceful Muslims that come under fire. Those very same Muslims who may be the key to creating a bridge between the religions of the world are the ones who are forced to suffer the most, which helps no one.
We can only hope that these blatantly cruel and ungodly tactics will mark the Taliban for who they are in truth. As people see that such narrow-mindedness does nothing other than create pain and support the slaughter of innocents, perhaps they will come together and form a united front against the Taliban. With such aggressive groups twisting the meaning of the Quran, there will not be peace. Only when they are gone can the truth of what Islam is be understood by the world.