Kate's Sharebook 

Check out http://healthcareforamericanow.org/page/speakout/ahipplan

And send a letter to the insurance companies that you want them to work with the American people on healthcare reform.  Let them know, politely of course, that this time we will make healthcare more affordable.

Dear Red States:

We've decided we're leaving. We intend to form our own country, and we're taking the other Blue States with us.  In case you aren't aware, this includes:   

all the Northeast, California, Hawaii, Oregon, Illinois, Wisconsin, Washington, Minnesota and Michigan.  Florida and anyone with some common sense can come, too.  We believe this split will be beneficial to the nation, and especially to the people of the new country of New California.  

To sum up briefly, you get Texas, Oklahoma, Alabama, and all the slave states.  We get stem cell research, the best beaches, Yosemite, Hollywood, the Liberty Bell, and the Statue of Liberty.  You get Dollywood. 

We get 85% of America's venture capital and entrepreneurs along with Apple, Intel, and Microsoft.  You get WorldCom, or what's left of it.  We get Harvard. You get Ole' Miss. 

We get two-thirds of the tax revenue.  You get to figure out how to make your red states pay their fair share. 

Please be aware that Nuevo California will be pro-choice and anti-war, and we're going to want all our citizens back from Iraq at once.  If you need people to fight, ask your evangelicals.  Apparently, they have kids they're willing to send to their deaths for no purpose and they don't care if you don't show pictures of their children's caskets coming home.  We wish you success in Iraq and hope that the WMDs turn up, but we're not willing to spend our resources in your president Bush's quagmire. 

With the Blue States in hand, we will enjoy 80% of the country's fresh water, 92% of the nation's fresh fruit and lettuce, 95% of America's quality wines (which shouldn't be a big deal for you guys since we know how much you love serving French wines, right?), 90% of all cheese, 90% of the high tech industry, most of the U.S. low-sulfur coal, all living redwoods, sequoias and condors, plus the entire Ivy League and Seven Sister schools, including Stanford, Cal Tech and MIT. 

The Red States, on the other hand, you will have to cope with 88% of all obese Americans (and their projected health care costs), 92% of all U.S. mosquitoes, nearly 100% of the tornadoes, 90% of the hurricanes, 99% of all Southern Baptists, virtually 100% of all televangelists, Rush Limbaugh, Clemson, the University of Georgia. and Bob Jones University.

Oddly, 38% of those in the Red states believe Jonah was actually swallowed by a whale, 53 percent that Saddam was involved in 9/11 and 44% say that evolution is only a theory. 

Since our aggregate divorce rate is 22% lower than the  Christian Coalition's, we get a bunch of happy families while you get a bunch of single moms and 62% who believe life is sacred unless we're discussing the death penalty or gun laws.  And for some reason, you crazy bastards believe you have higher morals than the rest of us!

Finally, we're taking the good pot, too. You can have that dirt weed they grow in Mexico.  Good luck with that.

Peace out,

Blue States

Mars Petcare US Issues Voluntary Recall of a Limited Number of Bags of SPECIAL KITTY® Gourmet Sold at Wal-Mart locations in Fifteen States due to Potential Salmonella Contamination

Contact:
Debra Fair
MARS PETCARE US
(973) 691-3536

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE -- FRANKLIN, Tenn. – October 27, 2008 – Mars Petcare US today announced a voluntary recall of a limited number of bags of SPECIAL KITTY® Gourmet Blend dry cat food sold at Wal-Mart locations in Connecticut, Delaware, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, North Carolina, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Virginia, Vermont, and West Virginia. The pet food is being voluntarily recalled following a positive test result indicating a potential contamination with Salmonella.

This product should not be sold or fed to pets. Pet owners should dispose of product in a safe manner (example, a securely covered trash receptacle) and return the empty bag to the store where purchased for a full refund.

Salmonella can cause serious infections in dogs and cats, and, if there is cross contamination caused by handling of the pet food, in people as well, especially children, the aged, and people with compromised immune systems.  Healthy people potentially infected with Salmonella should monitor themselves for some or all of the following symptoms: nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, abdominal cramping and fever. On rare occasions, Salmonella can result in more serious ailments, including arterial infections, endocarditis, arthritis, muscle pain, eye irritation, and urinary tract symptoms. Consumers exhibiting these signs after having contact with this product should contact their healthcare providers.

Pets with Salmonella infections may be lethargic and have diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, fever, and vomiting. Some pets will have only decreased appetite, fever and abdominal pain.  Animals can be carriers with no visible symptoms and potentially infect other animals or humans. If your pet has consumed the recalled product and has these symptoms, please contact your veterinarian.

There have been no complaints or reports of illness resulting from consumption or handling of the recalled product.

Pet owners who have questions about the recall should call 1-877-568-4463 or visit www.petcare.mars.com.

Recalled Pet Food
Product: SPECIAL KITTY® Gourmet Blend Dry Cat Food
Best If Used By Date: AUG 11 09
Best If Used By Date Location: Back of bag
Production Lot Code: 50 XXXX X  (Found on back of bag just after "Best If Used By" date. Consumers should look for "50" as the first two digits of the second line.)
UPC Code: UPC code numbers can be found directly underneath the bar code on the package. Please find recalled pet food UPC information below.

3.5 lb.

SPECIAL KITTY® Gourmet Blend 

81131 17546

7 lb.

SPECIAL KITTY® Gourmet Blend 

81131 17547

18 lb.

SPECIAL KITTY® Gourmet Blend 

81131 17548

Affected Stores: Wal-Mart locations in Connecticut, Delaware, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, North Carolina, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Virginia, Vermont, and West Virginia.

In an effort to prevent the transmission of Salmonella from pets to family members and care givers, the FDA recommends that everyone follow appropriate pet food handling guidelines when feeding their pets. A list of safe pet food handling tips can be found at: www.fda.gov/consumer/updates/petfoodtips080307.html

Pet owners who have questions about the recall should call 1-877-568-4463 or visit www.petcare.mars.com.

The Humane Society Legislative Fund -- the nation’s only group that tracks on a nonpartisan basis the voting records of Members of Congress and works to hold them accountable -- needs your help on an urgent election issue. We are working to let voters in Michigan’s 9th Congressional District know about U.S. Rep. Joe Knollenberg’s terrible record on animal cruelty -- one of the worst records in the entire country. Click here to see our TV ad
highlighting Knollenberg's terrible record.

But now, just days before the election, Joe Knollenberg is paying for radio ads and robo-calls trying to fool voters into believing that he is a friend of animals. He is even trying to use local humane societies as a shield for his long and embarrassing record on animal cruelty.

Please call Joe Knollenberg’s campaign office today at 248-723-1477. Tell him to stop lying about his record on animal cruelty, and to stop using local humane societies as a shield for his political agenda.

The Humane Society Legislative Fund has been watching Joe Knollenberg vote against animal protection time and again. We’ve reached out to him and asked for his vote to stop animal cruelty, yet he has sided with animal abusers almost every time. In fact, he has an average score of 12 out of 100 over 16 years in Congress -- meaning Knollenberg sided with animal abusers 88 percent of the time!

Some of his votes on animal protection issues include the following:

• Horse Slaughter: He voted against the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act, H.R. 503 (http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2006/roll433.xml -- September 7, 2006), to prohibit the slaughter of American horses to be served as a foreign delicacy in France and Belgium.

• Animal Fighting: He voted against the Blumenauer-Tancredo amendment to H.R. 2673 (http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2003/roll355.xml -- July 14, 2003) which provided $800,000 for the U.S. Department of Agriculture to improve enforcement of the federal law against animal fighting -- the same law that was later used to break up Michael Vick's dogfighting ring.

• Polar Bears: He voted against the Inslee-LoBiondo amendment to H.R. 2643 (http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2007/roll573.xml -- June 27, 2007) to prohibit wealthy American trophy hunters from importing the heads and hides of sport-hunted polar bears killed in the Arctic.

• Downer Cattle: He voted against the Ackerman-LaTourette amendment to H.R. 2673 (http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2003/roll357.xml -- July 14, 2003) to protect our food supply and stop the abuse of sick and crippled cattle too weak to walk to slaughter. Six months after that vote, a downer cow in the U.S. tested positive for "mad cow disease."

• Bear Baiting: He voted against the Gallegly-Moran amendment to H.R. 2691 (http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2003/roll382.xml -- July 17, 2003) to stop the inhumane and unsporting practice of shooting bears over piles of pizza and jelly doughnuts on national forests.

• Lethal Predator Control: He voted against the DeFazio-Bass amendment to H.R. 1906 (http://clerk.house.gov/evs/1999/roll172.xml -- June 8, 1999) and the DeFazio-Bass-Morella amendment to H.R. 4461 (http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2000/roll382.xml -- July 11, 2000) to end the use of tax dollars to kill predators with cruel traps and poisons as a government subsidy for private ranchers.

• Dolphin-Safe Tuna: He voted for H.R. 408 (http://clerk.house.gov/evs/1997/roll151.xml -- May 21, 1997) which ended the embargo on dolphin-deadly tuna and weakened protections for dolphins caught in tuna nets, and he voted against the Miller amendment to H.R. 2670 (http://clerk.house.gov/evs/1999/roll382.xml -- August 5, 1999) to limit U.S. funding of the international tuna fishing convention, which allows the use of dolphin-deadly nets.

• Trapping: He voted against the Farr-Whitfield amendment to H.R. 2466 (http://clerk.house.gov/evs/1999/roll291.xml -- July 14, 1999) to stop the use of steel-jawed leghold traps and wire neck snares to kill and maim animals for their fur pelts on national wildlife refuges.

• Fur Subsidies: He voted against the Shays-Deutsch amendment to H.R. 1976 (http://clerk.house.gov/evs/1995/roll553.xml -- July 21, 1995) which eliminated a $2 million annual subsidy for the luxury mink coat industry.

• Foreign Trophy Hunting: He voted against the Fox-Miller amendment to H.R. 2159 (http://clerk.house.gov/evs/1997/roll359.xml -- September 4, 1997) to stop the use of tax dollars to promote the trophy hunting of African elephants and other foreign species as a rural development strategy.

• Yellowstone Bison: He voted against the Rahall amendment to H.R. 2691 (http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2003/roll383.xml -- July 17, 2003) to protect the last free-roaming buffalo herd in Yellowstone National Park from government slaughter.

• Wild Horses and Burros: He voted against the Rahall-Whitfield-Sweeney-Spratt amendment to H.R. 2361 (http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2005/roll196.xml -- May 19, 2005), and voted against H.R. 249 (http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2007/roll269.xml -- April 26, 2007), to restore the decades-long protection for wild horses and burros on public lands from commercial sale and slaughter.

   

   

 

Don’t be fooled by Joe Knollenberg’s phony conversion to animal issues right before the election. He can’t hide from his long and embarrassing record on animal cruelty, and now he is lying about it. Please forward this message to everyone you know in Michigan’s 9th District, and urge them to vote for Gary Peters instead -- the candidate we can trust on animal protection.

This sad cat is running out of time.  If you can adopt or know anyone who would adopt, please take action quickly.  She is about to be "put down"!

Check out http://www.petfinder.com/petnote/displaypet.cgi?petid=12168216

Hi~

 

John McCain and Sarah Palin have launched a strategy relying on fear-mongering, racial divisions, and hate. The result is McCain/Palin supporters saying "kill him!" "terrorist!" "traitor," and more, at rallies, with the McCain campaign.It's outrageous and it must stop.

Together, we can show that Americans of all races won't stand for this.

 

I've signed onto ColorofChange's open-letter to McCain and Palin. ColorOfChange.org will publish it this week, and as they've shown in the past, when enough of us stand together, we can force the mainstream media to amplify our message. Will you join us?

 

 http://www.colorofchange.org/united/?id=1552-184232    

 

McCain-Palin rallies have been appearing on youtube and other sites. The candidates keep asking "who is the real Barack Obama?" (a question that also kicks off many McCain television ads).In response, supporters have yelled "terrorist!" and "traitor!" And the venom goes beyond Obama--one McCain/Palin supporter shouted a racial epithet at a Black member of a news crew, saying "sit down, boy". Another supporter said "Negro[es]" are "second-stringers" and yet another carried a "Little Hussein" monkey with him. 

 

McCain and Palin are going down a dangerous path. Watching some of their supporters being interviewed shows the kind of fear their campaign is stoking and exploiting.McCain and Palin are clearly in the driver's seat. They've personally made it a point to use "terrorist"; they have surrogates repeatedly refer to him by his middle-name;and they keep pushing the discredited guilt-by-association smears that have long been debunked.

 

All of it plays on the much more sinister rumors in anonymous smear emails which claim Obama is Muslim or an Arab (a myth designed to tap into anti-Muslim/Arab bigotry), anti-American, and is somehow connected with terrorists. This strategy is powerful because Obama is black, and it's designed to make Obama's race a disadvantage without appearing overtly racist.

 

As Americans of all stripes, we've seen how Barack Obama's historic candidacy has moved our friends and family to have a more honest conversation about race in this country. It's inspired a lot of people to step out of their comfort zone and confront racism in their own communities, with their friends, neighbors and families.

 

In the final days of this campaign, we can't let hatred drag us down. If enough of us act, we can create a powerful story in the media about all races standing together against race-baiting and fear-mongering coming from the McCain/Palin campaign. But it will take a lot of us speaking in unison.

 

Will you sign an open letter to McCain and Palin, telling them who you are and why you won't let our country regress? ColorofChange.org will publish the letter and make sure John McCain is forced to respond.

 

 http://www.colorofchange.org/united/?id=1552-184232       

 

Thanks so much.    

Although pet parents are well aware of poisons lurking around their home, many don’t realize that some of the biggest culprits are sitting right on their own nightstands. In 2007, the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center received 89,000 calls related to pets ingesting over-the-counter and prescription medications. To help you prevent an accident from happening, our experts have created a list of the top 10 human medications that most often poison our furry friends.

If you suspect your pet has ingested any of the following items, please call your veterinarian or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center’s 24-hour hotline at (888) 426-4435. And remember to keep all medications tucked away in bathroom cabinets—and far from curious cats and dogs.

NSAIDs
NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) like ibuprofen or naproxen are the most common cause of pet poisoning in small animals, and can cause serious problems even in minimal doses. Pets are extremely sensitive to their effects, and may experience stomach and intestinal ulcers and—in the case of cats—kidney damage.

Antidepressants
Antidepressants can cause vomiting and lethargy and certain types can lead to serotonin syndrome—a condition marked by agitation, elevated body temperature, heart rate and blood pressure, disorientation, vocalization, tremors and seizures.

Acetaminophen
Cats are especially sensitive to acetaminophen, which can damage red blood cells and interfere with their ability to transport oxygen. In dogs, it can cause liver damage and, at higher doses, red blood cell damage.

Methylphenidate (for ADHD)
Medications used to treat ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) in people act as stimulants in pets and can dangerously elevate heart rates, blood pressure and body temperature, as well as cause seizures.

Fluorouracil
Fluorouracil—an anti-cancer drug—is used topically to treat minor skin cancers and solar keratitis in humans. It has proven to be rapidly fatal to dogs, causing severe vomiting, seizures and cardiac arrest even in those who’ve chewed on discarded cotton swabs used to apply the medication.

Isoniazid
Often the first line of defense against tuberculosis, isoniazid is particularly toxic for dogs because they don’t metabolize it as well as other species. It can cause a rapid onset of severe seizures that may ultimately result in death.

Pseudoephedrine
Pseudoephedrine is a popular decongestant in many cold and sinus products, and acts like a stimulant if accidentally ingested by pets. In cats and dogs, it causes elevated heart rates, blood pressure and body temperature as well as seizures.

Anti-diabetics
Many oral diabetes treatments—including glipizide and glyburide—can cause a major drop in blood sugar levels of affected pets. Clinical signs of ingestion include disorientation, lack of coordination and seizures.

Vitamin D derivatives
Even small exposures to Vitamin D analogues like calcipotriene and calcitriol can cause life-threatening spikes in blood calcium levels in pets. Clinical signs of exposure—including vomiting, loss of appetite, increased urination and thirst due to kidney failure—often don't occur for more than 24 hours after ingestion.

Baclofen
Baclofen is a muscle relaxant that can impair the central nervous systems of cats and dogs. Some symptoms of ingestion include significant depression, disorientation, vocalization, seizures and coma, which can lead to death.

Pets often snatch pill vials from counters and nightstands or gobble up meds accidentally dropped on the floor. The solution? “Keep all medications in a cabinet,” advises Dr. Helen Myers, veterinary toxicologist at the ASPCA. “And consider taking your pills in a bathroom, so if you drop one, you can shut the door and prevent your pet from accessing the room until the medication is found.”

Dr. Myers also recommends learning the name, dosage and quantity of all of your prescriptions should the unthinkable occur. “For example, if you keep several medications in a bottle in your purse, put in a known amount,” she says. “So if your dog gets into the bottle, you know what the worst case scenario is.” If your pet does swallow any meds, stay calm and try to assess how many are left in the bottle versus how many might have been consumed. This information is crucial for veterinarians when assigning your pet’s risk level and determining a proper course of treatment.

http://www.aspca.org/site/PageServer?pagename=media_newsalert101708&JServSessionIdr001=o6h3aywa41.app20b#1

I received this from PETA...please use their form to send an email and help the dogs in Clay County, Florida!

Your help is needed now to protect animals in Clay County, Fla. On September 10, A Rottweiler named Diamond died after she was reportedly left for at least one hour in a county animal control vehicle without air conditioning, water, or fresh air on a day when temperatures reached 85ºF. In response, county officials conducted a crude "experiment" on another dog to see if he or she would die. According to news reports and internal county documents, on September 25, when temperatures were in the mid-80s, a dog similar to Diamond was taken from the county's animal shelter and locked for one hour in the same compartment in which Diamond died in the county's animal control van.

It's common knowledge that animals can suffer heat stroke or worse when locked in a vehicle on a hot summer day, and some state laws specifically prohibit leaving animals in cars when the weather proves dangerous. However, the animal control officer's improper conduct pales in comparison to Clay County public officials' willful decision to cause intentional torment to a dog in an utterly unnecessary and cruel experiment.

What You Can Do
Use this online form to demand that Clay County Commissioners immediately implement policies to be strictly followed by animal control staff to prevent future tragedies. Let Clay County's elected officials know that using live animals in dangerous experiments in an attempt to dodge responsibility is unacceptable, and urge them to investigate fully any criminal wrongdoing by county representatives who were responsible for this cruel and outrageous "experiment."

Sincerely,

Jennifer Brown
Animal Sheltering Advisor
JenniferB@peta.org

Obama mentioned at the debate that AIG executives, after receiving bailout help from the government, went on an expensive retreat with company money.  Check out the story here and then write or email your representatives and ask them to request AIG repay the money and fire the executives before AIG receives any government support and taxpayer assistance.

 http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081008/ap_on_bi_ge/meltdown_aig

----------------- Bulletin Message ----------------- From: Moon Warriors Date: Oct 7, 2008 8:36 PM Reposted by~
Moon Warriors

Cheri ~Stop The Suffering
Date: 07 Oct 2008, 23:27


Cheri ~Stop The Suffering
CROSS POSTING

OH - Cat shot with arrow!! - Emergency donations needed
(warning: disturbing pics)

Poor Pumpkin was brought in to the Ashtabula County APL
with a hunting arrow through his side, He was found down
the street from the shelter, A local vet will treat him, but we
need to raise money immediately for his treatment, He will
need surgery to remove the arrow, and supportive care for the
infection and maggots that have already set in, He is eating
and appears alert, so the odds of his survival are good!





*Donations can be sent via PayPal to:
ashtabulanimaladvocates@gmail.com

Or called in to Country Doctor vet clinic at:
440-576-9440

Estimates for Pumpkin's treatment range from $200 to $500 but, it's hard to say without knowing the extent of his injuries, Although the arrow entered and exited on the same side, it is still possible that there could be internal damage, Any funds collected over the amount needed for his care will be applied to other APL animals in great need!

This comes at a time when the APL is already at more than double its capacity for cats, so if we're not able to raise the money for Pumpkin's care he will be euthanized! Any amount you can spare will help *so* much!!

http://www.msplinks.com/MDFodHRwOi8vYXNodGFidWxhYXBsLmJsb2dzcG90LmNvbS8=

Again, Donations can be sent via PayPal to:
ashtabulanimaladvoc ates@gmail.com
(at gmail. com), or called in to Country
Doctor vet clinic at 440-576-9440.

Please indicate that your donations should
be used for Pumpkin's treatment

Thanks for all you do to help the animals!

Dawn



Even if you cannot help, reposting makes such a BIG difference! People won’t ACT if they don’t KNOW!




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