The Obamas want to get a dog. Today CNN ran a feature that the American Kennel Club made a lot of breed recommendations for the Obamas because, as reported on the AKC website:
It's been widely reported that – win or lose – the Obamas have promised their two daughters a dog after the presidential election.
Barack Obama was seen laughing and joking with a reporter on this subject, mulling over what breed to get. It's easy: adopt a dog from a shelter!
Now I also abstain from fish and most eggs and dairy. After I posted a diary on Daily Kos on June 22 to update my progress on this vegetarian journey, I was referred by another vegetarian to the PETA website where I signed up for a free vegetarian starter kit. It hasn't yet arrived, but their emails have. Today they asked me to email the Smithfield ham people because of some absolutely terrible things some of their contract farmers do to the pigs and piglets they raise.
Nine days ago, I posted a diary here announcing I was going vegetarian, and I got so much great encouragement and support from so many great people in the Daily Kos community. Thanks to you all. I said then that I would try to start a blog, and I have.
Healthy Eating Healthy Planet shares the triumphs and trials of my journey, as I learn about vegan and vegetarian foods and products, recipes, and ways to handle cooking for family and friends and eating out, plus bringing other areas of my life into harmony with the planet.
I have made the dramatic decision to go vegetarian, taking in as little dairy as I can and allowing a little fish during the tranisition. It all started with hearing that Oprah is doing a 21-day Cleansing Diet that is vegan, plus caffeine-free, gluten-free, and sugar-free. She is using a plan promoted by author Kathy Freston. I read this onCompassionate Cooks:
Recently, Oprah announced - on her show, on her site, and on her blog - that she is adopting a 21-Day Cleanse outlined in Kathy Freston's new book, Quantum Wellness." Some of you may be familiar with Kathy, whose popular article "Veganism is the New Prius" made its way around the web about a year ago. She is a beautiful and eloquent ambassador for veganism, and I'm thrilled she will be guiding Oprah on her journey. This cleanse includes avoiding gluten, sugar, alcohol, and animal products, but it's not just for health reasons that Oprah is giving this a try.
She spouted the phrase: "Cut and Run" today speaking of Barack Obama vis-a-vis McCain on Iraq. This morning I saw a clip with CNN's Pentagon Correspondent Barbara Starr on the differences between Obama and McCain in view of things going so much better now in Iraq. She actually said that Obama knows "that now is not the time to be sounding like a cut-and-run commander in chief." I haven't seen any reference to it here, in Media Matters or anywhere else online.
Fellow Kossacks, I just got this message in a mass email from a woman I know very slightly. I'll bet this is making the rounds and someone you know will get it:
ONE MINUTE EACH NIGHT....
This is the scariest election we as Christians have ever faced and from the looks of the polls, the Christians Aren’t voting Christian values. We all need to be on our knees. Do you believe we can take God at His word? Call upon His name, then stand back and watch His wonders to behold. This scripture gives us, as Christians, ownership of this land and the ability to call upon God to heal it. I challenge you to do so. We have never been more desperate than now for God to heal our land. This election is the scariest I remember in my lifetime. 2 Chronicle s 7:14 "If my people, which are called by my name shall humble themselves, And pray, and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
As we sample the fallout from Hillary Clinton's 5/24 "assassination" gaffe, it seems as if the divide between her supporters and those of Barack Obama grows deeper, if not wider. Looking at her official website and the blog her site hosts here for the May 23 comments, one can get a sense of the Hill-or-the-Highway mentality resident there, with calls for her to run as an Independent if not the Democratic Nominee, and for disgruntled supporters to write her name in if she does not.
Is this all there is to the landscape as we head toward November? Fortunately not, as John Nichols writes in the June 2nd issue of The Nationhere (sub required after first 3 paras). Nichols starts with Limbaugh's malicious mischief he calls "Operation Chaos," tempting Republicans to cross party lines and vote for Clinton to promote her "weaker" candidacy.
UPDATE: Sorry for the duplicate diary. See Front Page story here.
A friend sent me a YouTube video that I just watched, and I checked to see if it was here. Yes, vertexoflife diaried about it yesterday, but not enough of you saw that diary, so here's a link.
I want to make sure each of us can pass along the video, so here's a link you can email your contacts.
As you probably know, yesterday, as per today's NYT,
Polar Bear Is Made a Protected Species By Felicity Barringer
May 15, 2008
The polar bear, whose summertime Arctic hunting grounds have been greatly reduced by a warming climate, will be placed under the protection of the Endangered Species Act, Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne announced on Wednesday.
Another night of worry for planet, politics, poor innocent horses and general life stuff. So, "And now for something completely different."
Spring is returning slowly here at 1850 feet in the Pines of Western Monroe County, PA. Last week we had stunning purple finches, male and female. Today we have quite a few bright yellow goldfinches for the first time this year, hanging upside down on the Nyjer thistle feeder. We are also being visited by two gorgeous male rose-breasted grosbeaks, a female evening grosbeak with her new blue-green bill, and just now a female ruby-throated hummingbird sipping at the purple petunia planter. Oh, yes, and yesterday we saw a bumble bee.
Last night was a tough one for insomnia. So many thoughts rolling around, and absorbing late-night talk on "Coast to Coast Radio," I heard reporter Linda Moulton Howe reporting how the Colony Collapse Disorder affecting our North American honey bees is "worse than last year." http://www.earthfiles.com/...
As I prepared this diary note about it, a dear school friend sent this You Tube link her niece made as a plea to help the honey bees in honor of her Dad who died 20 years ago May 1:
Last night’s Obama rally held at Riverfront Sports Complex in Scranton, PA, has been neglected largely by the mainstream media as of noon today. Learn more at http://blog.washingtonpost.com/... (registration required) and http://www.time-blog.com/...
