Caturday!

From the ICHC LOLcattery

We were supposed to let Cyrrie of 922 Cats host today's Caturday post. And as you can see from the photograph below, Cyrrie the avowed foodie is just as sweet as a kitty can be. No, he's not trying to nom Buddy, just bayve him.

Cyrrie Bayves Buddy

However, as Fate would have it, a sweet little white kitty named Pearl drifted by and we got distracted. So, apologies, Cyrrie, but when you hear of Pearl's adventures, you surely will not begrudge her the Hostess o'the Day position.

This is Pearl.


Thanks to Hurricane Gustav, poor Pearl became so terrified and discombobulated that she stopped eating for quite a while. As any cat person knows, if a cat doesn't eat for more than two or three days, it becomes a candidate for liver problems (specifically, hepatic lipidosis, or fatty liver disease). Which is why you should NEVER EVER put a cat on a diet without a vet's recommendation and supervision.

Well, Pearl, who is the most beautiful adorable little blue-eyed white shorthair, was temporarily rehomed due to Hurricane Gustav, and became so terrified that she hid under the bed and refused to eat. Naturally, she began showing symptoms of hepatic lipidosis, including yellowing of her normally pristinely (dare one say Pearly?) white ears. She's spent the past week in a feline hospital on an IV.

Her hoomin brought her back from the vet just yesterday, and she appears to have regained some appetite, which is good news. We are very, very happy for Pearl and her hoomin. If you have some kind feelings, good thoughts, beneficial karma, food vibes, or just general "be-well-furry-one" feelings running around in your personal hoomin bubble, please direct as many of them as you can spare towards little Pearl, who can use them. Let's hope she's soon back to a shining state of health.

Pearl in happier days:


Be well, Pearl! Be fluffy and furry and purry and happy and hungry and well-fed and contented and all good things that kitties deserve to be!

Gustav Proclaims Innocence

La Casa de Los Gatos' own personal Hurricane Gustav the Cat insists on DNA tests to prove his innocence. We believe him. He's hardly moved out the door for over a month now.

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Environment: Hurricane Ike

Not being worshippers of any deity in particular, we let Seelin Cat and hir disciples/followers speak for us when we wish for the safety and well-being of all those in every country who have been affected by the vagaries of Mother Nature:

From ICHC, fine purveyors of LOLcattery to all

May everyone stay safe and as dry as possible. May Mike Chertoff's reproductive bits rot right off for FEMA's usual failure to do anything for the suffering with our tax dollars. May you be safely reunited with all your loved ones ASAP.

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Politics: Republicans Wish NOLA Would Quit Whining

Photograph courtesy of Reuters

No, really. They do. Because, you see, as Republican spokesweasel Jim Ellison of Oregon says, "We already do enough for New Orleans." Y'all hear that, New Orleans? Be sure to check that with your Governor and the other fine Republicans y'all elected to high office.

You can watch him say so on CSPAN, here:

"The fact is," said Ellison, "hurricanes happen. We didn't stop anything for Florida, and New Orleans has certainly been through it. President Bush in his wisdom has put qualified FEMA people in place. They're ready for it."

Ellison continued, "I don't think we should have interfered with our convention because we already do a lot for the people of New Orleans."

So? Whaddya think? Is this guy fucking crazy, stone ignorant, deluded as fuck-all, or on REALLY good meds?

Damn, Oregon, where did you find this walking bag of doggy do?

On the other hand, he kind of has a point, yaknow? Without the Republicans, there would be at least 2,000 more people in NOLA, requiring, oh, let's see, food, housing, health care, social services ... instead of which, we can have a certifiable looneytune Exorcist for Governor and a diaper-wearing, prostitute-schtupping, criminal for a Senator ... decisions, decisions.

On a related note, we're pleased that Gustav appears to have avoided NOLA, mostly, although AP is reporting that about 1 million people are without power. Bloomberg says insured losses will run to $10 billion.

In other news, Governor Goodhair of Texas (Rick Perry) used Gustav as a fortuitous excuse to duck the Republican convention, and who can blame him? Jor Jee and Dick "the dick" Cheney had previously announced that they will not attend, having "other priorities." Governor Arnold "steroid microdick" of California had to use a different excuse (the budget), but other Gulf Coast governors were happy to go along with Goodhair - Charlie Crist of Florida, Bob Riley of Alabama, and Haley Barbour of Mississippi joined Governor Goodhair in greeting conventioneers via taped messages.

Bobby Jindal of Louisiana was able to avoid even that, on the grounds that Gustav was liable to strike his state the hardest. Cindy McCain then proceeded to render the audience, composed largely of lobbyists and volunteers, immobile with her basilisk stare. A not-so-good time was apparently had by all.


Meanwhile, Sammy Hagar was trying to raise funds for NOLA over at the Republican Convention (SAY WHAT??? We thought those lying motherfuckers said they were canceling the convention!), but apparently the Republican conventioneers, delegates, journalists, and lobbyists (damn! They let lobbyists in? Will wonders never cease?) agree with Jim Ellison. Either that, or they're too fucking cheap to shell out a few shekels. Tough luck, Sammy. Ya need to start playing for a better class of customer, dude.

Here's hoping all is well in NOLA and the rest of the Gulf Coast for beasties of the two-leg and four-leg variety. Hope y'all get your power back soon. Meanwhile, try to stay dry and avoid watching the Republican convention — you can't afford an aneurysm when transportation is difficult.

As for you wonderful Republican friends, may we leave you with a tribute from Frank Zappa? It's called:

Cocksucker's Ball

Hey, this is for all the Republicans in the audience!

Cock-sucker Tammy get your mother fuckin' dammy
We're goin' downtown to the Cock-Suckers' Ball
Fuck, suck an' fight
'Till beginnin' of the broad daylight
We don't need no
Goddam taxi here
We're gonna trim them holes in a
Rockin'-chair
Take off all the rags
We're gonna play a little game
Called tag
Tomorrow night at the Rock Cock-Suckers' Ball

Come on you moe-ass singers and you
Mick dick slingers
We're goin' downtown to the Cock-Suckers' Ball
Fuck, suck an' fight
'Till beginnin' of the broad daylight
We don't need no
Goddam taxi here
We're gonna trim them holes in a
Rockin'-chair
Take off all the rags
We're gonna play a little game
Called tag
Tomorrow night at the Rock Cock-Suckers' Ball
Yeah yeah yeah yeah
Tomorrow night at the Rock Cock-Suckers' Ball!

Thank you, you're too kind!

(Copyright Frank Zappa)

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Hurricane Katrina

Photo courtesy of The Chicago Tribune

This entire week has been spent worrying for our friends in NOLA and Louisiana in general and all the other good people who live on the Gulf Coast. Gustav is now a Category 4 hurricane, and given the last horrible fiasco, we are on tenterhooks.

For a beautiful (and sad) photo memorial of Katrina, please drop by Gilbert Mercier's blog. The man has both the photographer's eye and a wonderfully developed sense of irony.

We hear the Republicans might reschedule their convention. They claim it's because of Hurricane Gustav, but we greatly doubt that. Those mean motherfuckers couldn't give a shit about New Orleans, and more specifically, poor black (or any other shade in the fucking rainbow) Democratic voters in New Orleans. We secretly suspect they're postponing because so many Reputzlicans have weaseled out of attending that it'll be a gigantoflop.

Of course, Nero II is babbling about how "better days" lie ahead. We assume his poorly developed sense of irony does not permit him to realize that the "better days" the whole world is looking forward to are the days after he leaves office, hopefully in chains, hopefully for the Hague. Hopefully, his good buddy Johnny MacNuts will be eating cake in one of his many mansions, but NOT the one in which we seat our President.

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Happy Anniversary, NOLA

La Casa de Los Gatos believes that McCain made an attempt to commemorate the anniversary of Hurricane Katrina's landfall on the great and beautiful old city of New Orleans three years ago. He was wise enough not to go eat cake with Jor Jee again, though. This time, he decided to kill (how apt) two birds with the same single stone: he named a running mate in an obvious pander to the Vagina Voters; and he ate cake at the aptly named Nutter Center in Ohio.


Frankly, Oldy McMoldy, you're not fooling anyone with the nomination of Alaska governor Sarah Palin. She can't hold a candle to Hillary Clinton, who has academic honours and international honours to her name. Hillary Rodham Clinton served as the First Lady of the State of Arkansas for 12 long years and as the nation's First Lady for an additional eight years. She was distinguished by academic excellence, attending two of the best schools in the country. She is an accomplished lawyer and a powerful speaker in her own right, who has earned the respect of feminists, lawyers, and political activists around the world.

Hillary Clinton is a policy wonk with a deep knowledge of many issues from children's rights to healthcare policy to missile systems and alternative energy. Nominating Sarah Palin, who is under investigation for some rather dubious shenanigans, to stand one heartbeat away from the presidency of an aged cancer survivor with multiple melanomas is not the best thing you've done lately, John. This woman's experience is beyond scanty.

She was on her local PTA, she served four years on the council of Wasilla, a city of a whole six or seven thousand people; two terms as part-time mayor of that same benighted city, whose primary concerns seem to have been centered on a sufficiency of snow for the dog-sled races; she began her tenure by firing city appointees who had supported her opponent. She subsequently ran for the office of Governor of the state (with a population of a whole 600,000. This woman is not even qualified to run California Rep. Lynn Woolsey's congressional district.

She is not known for academic excellence, did not (unlike Rodham Clinton) attend one of the prestigious "top ten" schools, doesn't appear to know what the duties of the Vice President are, she is anti-science, a creationist crackpot who actually wants that garbage taught in taxpayer-supported schools, as viciously anti-choice as they come (exception ONLY for life of the mother, not for maternal health, rape, incest, or fetal health), a homophobe who believes gay people should not be entitled to health care for their partner, she is not a feminist, does not support women's rights to their own bodies let alone anything else, and she has used her position to retaliate against those who oppose or displease her. She doesn't even know the names of foreign leaders (sweetie, that would be one of the duties of the Veep - to make largely ceremonial but necessary diplomatic visits to foreign nations. It helps to know their names, ya lunk).

If nothing else convinces you that McCaincient is a losing proposition, this has to do it. What a slap in the face to Mittens (whom we don't particularly care for but admit is multiple times more qualified for the post), Pawlenty (don't like him much, either, but that's not the point, is it?), Kay Bailey Hutchinson (one of many Republican women who are far more qualified for the position). We may not like Republicans much (excepting Chuck Hagel, Dick Lugar, and Lincoln Chafee, and maybe a few others), but there has to be at least a hundred better qualified candidates for this job. Picking this nobody is a slap in the face to all the Republicans who have worked so hard over the years for Party and country.

Needless to say, the WaPoo is reporting that Mittens and Timmeh are none too happy about being blown off. There's a rumour that Charlie Crist might be cancelling his wedding. His beard must be so relieved. We did warn ya, Timmeh, about praising Barack the way you did. We knew Johnny Mac wasn't going to pick you. He doesn't like anyone disagreeing with him. And now he's got someone with the identical mindset to be his partner in crime.

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Natural Disasters: China Update

The latest information on the earthquake that devastated Sichuan province in China is available here.

The Chinese government has cut its national budget in several areas to ensure that victims of the earthquake will have the aid they need to reconstruct their homes and lives. Currently, they have set aside $13 billion in funds for that purpose.

They are also appealing to the world for tents and other temporary housing assistance to shelter the 5.2 million survivors of the earthquake.

The housing ministry Thursday ordered the construction of one million small homes by August 10 made of light steel, plywood and other materials that are both safe in earthquakes and "recyclable." The houses are supposed to last up to five years.

Well, mud in your eye, America. We still haven't rehoused those displaced by Hurricane Katrina. NOLA's survivors wander the nation, displaced, three years later, often unable to meet voter ID requirements because their records disappeared in that terrible event.

And "recyclable," too. What has happened to this great nation? How far have we fallen that China, until very recently an extremely poor nation with nowhere near our educational levels, our healthcare, our robust economy, our military might, our first-rate infrastructure, can take care of a whole devastated province better and faster than we can take care of one city?

Heckuva job, Georgie. The Chinese government is also taking steps to assist the displaced and traumatized population in many different ways, at every level:

At a sports stadium in Mianyang where thousands of homeless are living, more than 1,000 children attended classes in hastily erected tents, reflecting government efforts to restore some semblance of normality.

"Many of the children don't know each other but that's OK. Kids of that age make friends really fast," said geography teacher Chen Qian, 27, as the children stood up to sing the national anthem together.

The health ministry said it had started sending thousands of the most seriously injured people by trains and planes to other parts of China from the overwhelmed hospitals in Sichuan.

Authorities also sent out the first team specialised in treating disabilities, which are expected to afflict many of the 288,431 injured people.

In a bid to cheer up survivors, organisers announced that they would bring the Beijing Olympic torch through Sichuan from August 3 to 5, making it the final stop before the Games open on August 8.

Wow. You think maybe the Chinese government cares for its people? You think maybe Kanye West was right, when he said George Bush doesn't give a damn about Black people?

For a list of organizations to which you can donate, click here.

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2008 Elections: Our Choices

The likely nominee, who just received the endorsement of our former choice for nominee:

The man who has kept his eye on the prize, which is the redemption of this nation, fixing everything that's broken, bringing back pride and dignity to working people, and making the pledge to cut poverty by half by the end of the next decade.


A woman who has her faults but also has many great qualities, among them intelligence, tenacity, toughness, the willingness and the ability to fight for what she wants, and a genuine commitment to social justice issues.




Or, the ghastly zombie who fills us all with loathing and horror, celebrating his 69th birthday with the Worst President in American history as a great city drowned and died.


We must never take our eyes off the prize, people. No matter what happens, a Democrat must sit in the White House next year so that we can begin the long, painful task of rescuing our nation from the pits into which Clueless George and his cabal of crooks and thugs has flung it.

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Science - The Environment And The Coming Drought

Those of us who have been paying attention over the past decades always knew the day would come - most likely in our lifetimes - when the human population of the planet would outstrip the natural resources we require to support our lives. I was hoping I'd kack first, but alas, it is not to be. Within my lifetime, I see that we have reached peak oil. The Guardian published a piece today about global oil supplies expected to halve by 2030. The article also predicts declines in coal, gas, and uranium. So much for nuclear power plants, natural gas, and coal replacing oil as a source of power, I guess.

But that's still 23 years off. In the meantime, my main question is, will we make it till global oil supplies are reduced by half? You see, thanks to global warming (which does NOT NOT NOT exist), we're now in the midst of a prolonged drought. In some countries. Others are dying from floods. Hurricanes, typhoons, and other such weather events are getting stronger, and our carbon dioxide sinks - the oceans and the forests - are absorbing less carbon dioxide, leading to greater quantities of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.

While parts of Africa drown, Southern California is burning up, and the East Coast is drying up. (Click to view a handy-dandy drought map over at Accuweather.com)

Atlanta (Georgia) is set to run out of water in 90 days and North Carolina expects to run out in 60 days, if it does not rain before then. Meanwhile, Duke University and UNC are watering their - astroturf. Yup. You heard right.

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Science - Environmental News

The Telegraph reports that scientists in the U.S. and Israel are closer to finding a way to influence the path of hurricanes.

Under one scheme, aircraft would drop soot into the near-freezing cloud at the top of a hurricane, causing it to warm up and so reduce wind speeds. Computer simulations of the forces at work in the most violent storms have shown that even small changes can affect their paths – enabling them to be diverted from major cities.

[...]

Moshe Alamaro, of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), told The Sunday Telegraph of his plans to "paint" the tops of hurricanes black by scattering carbon particles – either soot or black particles from the manufacture of tyres – from aircraft flying above the storms. The particles would absorb heat from the sun, leading to changes in the airflows within the storm. Satellites could also heat the cloud tops by beaming microwaves from space.

Of course, this is great news, but it fails to address a more important question: Katrina never actually hit Louisiana, yet it caused more than $125 billion worth of damage in property alone, and a death toll over 1300. It was New Orleans' aging infrastructure that caused the death and destruction of a beautiful and beloved American city.

Given that the infrastructure throughout the rest of the country is in similarly poor condition, controlling the direction of hurricanes might not be the most effective solution to potential problems. Furthermore, given that diverting a hurricane from its path might cause it to destroy other cities/settlements, the legal questions that arise are thorny indeed.

Finally, there is plenty of evidence that soot and rubber particles are harmful in and of themselves.

Science and technology can assist us in making our lives better, but they are not a cure-all.

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Louisiana Purchase: Trump Builds in New Orleans

No doubt many people are very happy that Trump has bought prime property in New Orleans and is planning to build the tallest building in New Orleans filled with luxury condo units for hotel guests and more luxury condo units for folks to buy.
Here’s a quote from a real estate firm representing Trump:

“Trump International Hotel & Tower New Orleans will reflect the ultimate in luxury living and provide views never before available in the Crescent City. This residential tower will be in a class of its own, with no close second,” said Cliff Mowe, Trump’s development partner.

Plans call for 1.6 million square feet, rising 716 feet high topped with an additional 126 foot spire. The seventy story tower will contain 435 luxury condominium hotel units, beginning on the 18th floor, and 299 luxury condominium units starting on the 33rd floor. The condo-hotel unit owners will have the opportunity to place their units in a rental program. The first two floors will be reserved for retail space and floors 3-15 will provide parking for over 700 vehicles.

Trump International Hotel & Tower is the first major downtown development in 25 years and the tower, when complete, will be the tallest residential structure along the entire Gulf Coast.

I think it’s obscene when poor people are still struggling to return and, those who have returned are struggling to survive in New Orleans. The All Headlines web site (http://www.allheadlinenews.com/articles/7008497105) has this report:

New U.S. Census Shows New Orleans' Black Population Smaller, But Still In The Majority

September 12, 2007 4:33 p.m. EST

Jessica Pupovac - AHN Writer

New Orleans, LA (AHN) - Fewer black people displaced from their homes in New Orleans by Hurricane Katrina have been able, or willing, to return to their homes than their white counterparts, according to a report released Wednesday, just ahead of the 2006 U.S. Census.

While much has been said by community leaders and politicians about the disproportionate toll the disaster took on the black community, the new analysis bills itself as the "first full picture" to give hard data on the subject.

The figures were compiled by sorting through information collected in the U.S. Census Bureau's 2000 and 2006 American Community Surveys, as well as tax filings and other federal documents.

The report, compiled by demographers at the Brookings Institution, found that one year after the hurricane, the black population had declined 57%, from 302,580 people to 129,192, compared to a 36% drop for whites, from 119,620 to 76,422. "Compared with 'stayers' in the city of New Orleans," the study says, "out-migrants were younger, poorer, more likely to be black, and more likely to have children."

The analysis also found that most blacks moved to Houston and other cities, while the whites tended to relocate to the city's suburbs.

The analysis showed post-Katrina New Orleans to be notably whiter, older and less populous than it had been during the 2000 census, with fewer children, fewer renters and a more educated citizenry.

One surprising finding was that the Latino population actually declined by 37 percent during the year following Katrina, despite the influx of Hispanic laborers working on reconstruction efforts. To account for this, the study's authors say it is highly possible that "the transitory nature of temporary working conditions of primarily Hispanic construction and service workers has eluded traditional estimation and survey techniques."

New Orleans continues to be a "majority minority" city, however, with African Americans still making up roughly 58% of the population. "The black loss," they conclude, "was not sufficient to shift the racial composition of the city."

If you’d like to hear a very interesting interview conducted by host, Davey D, with New Orleans Hip-Hop artist, activist, organizer and entrepreneur Sess 4-5 that was broadcast today on KPFA’s Hard Knock Radio program, go here.

One of the things they discuss is that there has been very little charitable response to survivors of Katrina ... in comparison to the tsunami survivors (December 2005). Why is that? Very specific racism towards poor African Americans? Or ... anybody have an explanation?

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Social Justice - Happy Anniversary, NOLA!

Here's what Chimperor Awol was doing when Katrina hit New Orleans:

He went from the birthday party to another bash, I believe, where he clowned around pretending to have the first fucking clue about playing a guitar:

Meanwhile, in New Orleans:


1,500 people were dying, from various causes, including, in the case of disabled and bedridden elderly nursing-home patients, euthanasia. People were watching their spouses and partners and relatives and pets drown before their very eyes, as they screamed and wept and prayed and begged for help, for anyone to hear them and get them the fuck out of the hellhole that Katrina made of New Orleans.

That gracious and beautiful city, gone forever, swept away in minutes, drowned like Grover Norquist's proverbial baby in the bathtub of its low-lying land as the levees breached and the water came boiling in.

Mister MushMouth said, two years ago:

Throughout the area hit by the hurricane, we will do what it takes … we will stay as long as it takes … to help citizens rebuild their communities and their lives. And all who question the future of the Crescent City need to know: There is no way to imagine America without New Orleans, and this great city will rise again.

Today marks the second anniversary of Hurricane Katrina. Much of the city's poor, especially minority, population continues to suffer in trailer parks, because affordable housing has not been constructed for residents who lost their homes. And Bush flew back there today to commemorate the drowning of NOLA. He should have waited another 2.5 weeks to show up, just like he did when the hurricane hit.

Other voices here, here, here, here, and here.

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