October 31, 2008

Another Oreo Picture

One very smart cat. Oreo came into the Shelter on her own paws from our feral population. She was not doing very well due to a herpes infection that totally messed up her nasal passage. She is doing much better now but still sneezing so she is still in the isolation unit to give her a chance to get over that issue. But she is very loving and whenever I pick her up, she snuggles into my arms like she never wants to let go. One of the big pluses about helping with these cats is the amazing amount of love that is stored in such tiny animals. Big hearts, bitty critters.

Happy Halloween everyone!

October 29, 2008

Under the Rug Cat


First time on this page! Tada!! My under the rug cat. Just turn your computer sideways to get a perfect picture:)

October 28, 2008

Oh, Good Grief

This falls under my general "Oh, good grief" category....

My daily grind card from iVillage.com is one I am seeing over and over this year. Death comes to my attention often in readings -- whether Tarot or other ways. I am challenged by it. Forced against my nature to confront endings and accept them.

Here, for instance, is today's reading below (which I have copied in full from the iVillage email). And I note, that while Death is a tough card, the reading is good and scarily accurate.


The Personal Accountability Card position:

Suggests inner strengths, challenges, traits, or personal goals that may affect perception or results of current stage or level of mastery. The Death in this position suggests that you may be feeling helpless in the face of major change, perhaps in your position or career. Everything you thought you knew or understood may have come crumbling down at your feet, and you must now find a way to accept and release your attachment so that you can move forward. You may feel fear, anguish, or great loss at this time, but the sun will rise again, and so shall you.

In general, the Death is quite powerful, but it almost never refers to actual physical death. At its most basic level, Death is the letting go of the old to make way for the new. This is not always a pleasant experience, as you may be forced to accept the conclusion of one state in order to move on, or transition to another. It is time to get back to basics and become ready to re-emerge as the Phoenix. To do so will enable you to become more fully who you are meant to be, either as an individual, as part of a whole nation under one flag, or even through a whole new world view. Death suggests that you accept certain changes as inevitable. Mourn if you feel so moved, but believe that new Life comes on the heels of Death. It is nothing personal, it just is.

Current Developments:

The Current Developments position offers insight into present agenda, major themes or milestones, or other important circumstances, as well as suggestions for anticipated results.
The Three of Cups (reversed) in this position suggests that you may be experiencing the initial "fruits of your harvest." Perhaps working together as a team you have been able to accomplish a milestone on the road to success, and you are now celebrating, rejoicing, or sharing your happiness with others. There may be a party, reception, or other festivity, or social gathering in the making. In addition, you may be feeling a sense of camaraderie, patriotism, or some such team spirit that facilitates encouragement, support, and sharing. You are definitely not alone, but standing together with a common goal. For some, this could also mean initiation or acceptance into a sorority, fraternity, company, or other like-minded organization, group, or society. You are being reminded, however, to lighten up a bit, and trust in the good things in life.

In general, the Three of Cups represents Abundance or Resolution, and it can generally be taken as a "Yes" to your question. This card can also represent profit, cancellation, hedonism, an emotional or impractical agreement, a reunion, a ceremony, spiritual awakening, or the price to pay for too much of a good thing. The Three of Cups can also be seen or experienced in the more contemporary expression of exuberance otherwise known as a spontaneous group hug, or "high five."

October 27, 2008

It's the Economy, Stupid! (Rant 2)

When most of the jobs advertised are with (a) the police, (b) the military, (c) Homeland Security, (d) military contractors, (e) the prison system, and (f) mental health facilities, I know opportunities for English/Humanities majors have all dried up. What's a writer to do? Write for newspapers? Write for blogs? Write for Huffington Press? Arrggh! Or go into politics? It must be near Halloween 'cause all the choices above are scarey......

Peace,

October 23, 2008

Stuttering

http://news.goldseek.com/RickAckerman/1195390620.php

Wow, just when I thought folks were truly hoodwinked by Bernanke, I ran across this post from 2007 that I linked to above. Sigh, if only others were as observant. If only I knew Bernanke stuttered when he was under pressure. Now, folks, I know stuttering because I do it too when I am beyond my limits. How nice those in high positions are vulnerable to something I do too. Low or High we all are fundamentally the same. No matter what ... no matter how many houses ... no matter how much money ... no matter how poor ... no matter how harmed. No matter

Until Peace Matters
Know Peace Inside

October 21, 2008

Monoculture Monopolies

Monoculture agriculture is a dangerous thing to do. The plants are specifically selected to survive but are unable to protect themselves against various plant fungus, diseases or plagues. Look at the Irish Potato Famine of the 1840s. Pretending that a monoculture agriculture is a good thing is disingenuous. Pretending that monopolies are a good thing is disingenuous. All you have to do is look at Wall Street and all the mergers, buyouts, extreme financial toolkits. We need to be wary of fancy names for things and ask questions. From ARMS to mark-to market and the list goes on. Traunchs, 401Ks, retirement plans. If the country chooses Bernanke to continue, we are skunked. He presided over scaring the hell out of Wall Street and contributing to this crash. His only credential pre-chairman status was to preside over Goldman Sachs, one of the big winners in the 700B bailout. And how odd it is that Lehman Brothers was not bailed out. How very odd. If we choose Bernanke as chairman going forward, doesn't that reward him for Lehman Brothers being forced into its' own particular economy disaster. Wall Street, economic titans and financial monocultures need to be changed and changed now.

Retooling for the Future

There are a lot of phrases I have run into (smack) a lot as I go forward on my quest for the elusive job here in Northern Virginia. "Re-tool" "redefine" "product packaging" "the product called 'me'" are just some of the phrases I have heard. And ultimately it comes down to knowing who I am and what I want. Want...need. Because I am who I am, I question what is a want -- ice cream -- versue need -- a place to live, food to feed the cats and me and the kids. I have cut back on the 'ice creams' in my life. And thought hard about any other expense I have. What I haven't cut back on are my automatic donations for homeless shelters for abused women and pets (AHIMSA House in Atlanta, Georgia and animal shelters post-Katrina -- AlleyCats and others). Those are a small chunk of change each month that adds up. But honestly if no one continues to give then these organizations will go under. So finding a full time job that pays something close to a living wage becomes critical. And there is nothing out here. Yet. I am still looking. I am still voting for Obama. I am still worried about Wall Street eating all my 401K money and savings. I am still worried that unless we invest in ourselves instead of Enron, Wall Street, K Street Lobbyists, we will sink under our own debts and become those of the dispossessed who are homeless, in shelters, needing a place of safety for themselves and their animals, swamped by this paperless tsunami that sucks our money away.

What would Boost the Economy?

Stimulus packages....viagra economics. Disgusting concept for someone like me. The $400 pittance was not stimulus. Made the national debt go higher. What would make the economy better is what worked in the Great Depression...only updated. If we decide to help the homeless, work in veteran hospitals, retool to work in schools, on infra-structure green projects, the government would be well advised to invest in us. Not tax us. Make loans available for those of us out of work who need to retool. Invest in companies that keep the jobs in the U.S. Refuse to bail out the rich. Redefine the middle class. Those of us making $30-50 are middle class. Those who make more than $150,000 and $200,000 are likely better off that we are.

What Am I Afraid Of

This election....lots of fears. I was recently let go from my job of 15 years. So I am working part time at 2 jobs and making the equivalent of one of my former paychecks. Watching the election proceed at the stately pace of a train wreck. Knowing the lessons of 2001. Knowing the way things have been stolen from Americans and stolen from me personally. Watching us go to war in Iraq with no one to listen to those of us in the "omg" group saying that it was a wag the dog scenario. Watching Wall Street crash with Bernanke and Polson (aka B&P) helping the crash with their own wag the dog talk. I have a bumper sticker on my car that says (in latin of course) 'never say bite me to a vampire' that could be written again as 'never say crash to Wall Street'. After B&P blew the whistle on the final play, it was inevitable that not only Wall Street would crash, but also the other world economies who tried to make a 'fast buck' here in this country by buying up those mortgages with shaky or no vetting by the banks who were ladling out the money would be pulled into the whirlpool. Truly, I am afraid of money. It buys things ... elections, wars, bank crashes. And those wars, crashs and failing economies are blamed on those of us who never had the money to gain by going to war, getting elections bought, making banks crash to get 700B in bailouts. So yes, fear is really present for me. And I am one of the lucky ones who has a voice and a vote and the intelligence to worry about this. I am reacting intellectually rather than emotionally. I come from a long term stock holding family, house holding family. I never regarded investments as anything more than those classic legacies to be passed down to our children...not debts. But what the hell, I am just an old time WASP standing around watching a train wreck in slow motion....so, what do I know?

Getting Out The Vote

Getting out the vote in the United States used to be good, clean, pre-halloween work. Tiny groups of 'encouragers' would wander from house to house asking for support on election day. Those groups are still out there and cuter than ever in all their election gear. Trick-or-Treat for grownups (?) and voters. I question the grownups though when I see the stories about voter fraud supposedly committed by ACORN set up by Pres. Jimmy Carter and now vilified by republicans as a terrorist/corrupt/dishonest -- name the adjective -- organization. I question the grownups when I see online ads for voting early on my mapquestion where a McCain/Palin link leads voters to register online. Sauce for the Goose is Sauce for the Gander. If McCain/Palin can link to sites like that, surely the Democratic party is doing the same thing. And the 'get-out-the-vote' groups going house to house are doing the same thing. And ACORN was doing the same thing having volunteers go to places we (as white bread Americans) don't think about -- homeless shelters, nursing homes, other gathering places of the under-appreciated in America that I can't remember right now because I am a white bread American and have no experience with them. But ACORN does because of its commitment to support those of us who have no voice, no standing and who are as invisible as the ghosts of Halloween or Christmas past. Those are the ones who really have a Stake in this Election.

Until peace is here
Peace Now