Archive for April, 2005
SaveToby.com
This site made Nbc's Nightly News last night. The site is hosted by Go Daddy, who state they do not plan to shut it down. PayPal, however, has suspended the account being used for donations.
Thoughts? Opinions?I'll add my own when I have more time. (I'm at the office. Meh.)
As a kid, my parents always had trouble getting me to eat meat, but I loved veggies. Today, I am the same way, but I'll admit, I've had rabbit before, and, yes, it was tasty. Nonetheless, I can't fathom eating an animal I've treated as a pet (even if I “rescued” it from the wild). If making a meal of Toby was the plan all along- the sole reason he was taken in, I don't think I'd have given him a name- that personalizes it too much (though for their operation, that is precisely what was needed [wanted?]).
Absolutely, I view this as another “get rich quick scheme” and I feel it is manipulative and cruel. Unfortunately, albeit in poor taste (no pun), it isn't illegal. I also wonder if the real intent was precisely to create fervor, to draw enough attention to get that alleged book deal, and ultimately, score more than the $50,000 demand.
To those that already gave money: you have no guarantee that Toby will not be eaten anyway. (You can't be 100% certain that he even exists, come to think of it.) You should know by now that the internet has a wealth of deceptions, just a click away. And, perhaps the funds “earned” will never be accessible, even after the 120 day [?] waiting period. That might be a shame though, if they'd met their goal and truly planned to honour the claim.
In regards to PayPal, well, the adult web community (especially cam culture) wouldn't be surprised that they shut `em down. That is just how they do things- snap decisions with no apparent rhyme or reason and offering no possible remedy. And as for Go Daddy, kudos to them for not caving into pressure and suddenly adapting their TOS to fit this particular situation. Whew, their customer service reps probably have some lovely complaints to deal with right now.
Not worried about a clear conscience? Eat the bunny, if you can stomach doing such a thing. *shrug* I wouldn't. I couldn't.
Spic-n-span?
I hope it isn't too premature to say my apartment passed the evaluation. Well, *I* saw some improvement, at least… especially in the bedroom:
Before
After
fluff post
I don't get to do this every often. I had a little extra money last week, so I bought a few fun things for myself:
* a smartmedia card for my Logitech Clicksmart 820 – I'd like to start carrying it in my purse to snap some images while I'm out and about. That's a piece of my life that has always been missing from my sites. You really only get to see what I do when I am at home playing online. (My cell isn't a camera phone, so I can't do the moblog thing. It is also a company phone, and I don't want to jack up their bill too much.)
* War Whores on vhs – Nasty, nasty! One of my favourite nineties pornos!
* Katastrophy Wife: Amusia cd – I knew Kat Bjelland had a project after Babes In Toyland. I don't know why I didn't check this out sooner. \m/
* a couple of Milani Glitzy lipglosses – Damn, girls, I really like the texture and scent of these! The packaging has a 'Dior' feel as well.
By May or June, I should be able to start re-decorating my bedroom. There are are total of 10 items I need to complete it, and I can get them all for just about $250, but not all at once (since I live paycheck to paycheck). I tried to narrow it down to the three most wanted/needed (sheets, comforter, curtains), so I could budget for those initial purchases and have a nice order to get me started on it (and keep me enthused enough to continue). I'm not very good about putting money back to save for something specific- I need instant gratification. I usually skip bills every other time, paying two months at once on the next due date, so I can buy a couple of frivolous things for myself. I know I'd be moody if I didn't.
This is going to be another long, exhaustive week. Speaking of, I configured a more detailed account of my schedule, so stalkers interested parties could get a better idea of what my average day/week is like. Unfortunately, it looks like tonight is going to be solely dedicated to cleaning, because HUD is doing the annual inspection of my unit tomorrow. I can't think of much I like less than cleaning. I loaded up on supplies on my lunch break today… more “necessities” that I'd rather not shell out for. *sigh*
Since I've got something going on every single night this week, I probably won't have much time to read, so I really pushed myself to finish Boogeyman. It was okay. I don't think I've ever seen the film version. As a child, my mother and I would watch scary movies together every weekend. I remember doing this as far back as kindergarten, maybe even earlier. I was the only one in my class that had been allowed to watch Jaws, heh. I loved to be spooked, but I was never one of those kids that was afraid of the dark and shadows in my room. There were times though, after finding out my uncle hung himself, that I was so sure I could see him hanging inside my closet or dangling from the rafters in the hallway every once in a while. I even thought he tried to speak to me, but I couldn't (or wouldn't) hear what he was trying to say. I don't think all that wasn't really bourne of fear of things that go bump in the night, but that the trauma of losing him was just too much for my young mind. I never told anyone about it, and I don't see him anymore.
Ah, yes, you can always count on me to leave you with a cheering thought…
;)
The wheels on the bus go round n round
The trip home was eventful for me… not in terms of action (there were no car chases or anything like that), but rather, insights. I love when random encounters make me stop and think. Of course, I also nut out and start to think that maybe they weren't so random, but planned by some one or some thing for the sole purpose of making me think… if that makes any sense.
There's a nice person that rides the bus every day. Well, I'm sure there's more than one nice person, but this particular girl stands out. And that is just it- she's so out going and friendly. She has a warm smile and a kind word for everyone. Oddly enough, it isn't phony or annoying in the least. She's always offering her seat to those standing, helping people with groceries, holding the door for others, giving away her full day pass to elderly riders. She's the kind of person I want to be. The kind of person I could be. Should be? Am?
Maybe I made a small step in that direction when another woman got on the bus. She was horribly disfigured. I've honestly never seen anything like it. In fact, when I saw her waiting at the stop as the bus approached, I thought it was a man… in a devil costume- complete with beard (which turned out to be severe discolouration), horns, and spikes [growths] jutting out of the neck or something dastardly like that. She was black, or at least in part. Her body was a mottled swirl of black and white. (Birthmarks? Birth defects?)
I saw two expected reactions in the people around me- those that try not to get caught looking out of the corner of their eye, but can't help it and those who deliberately refuse to look, pretending they are lost in their own worlds and that she doesn't even exist. I instantly felt awful for her. I thought about her painful her existance must have been… growing up looking like that (kids can be so cruel), looking like that now (I suspected she hadn't had many romances in her life). I wanted to pay her some sort of compliment, to make her smile and feel good, if only for a fleeting moment… perhaps a rarity for her.
But, as someone who values integrity and honour, I wanted to be genuine. And I was. She had on a beautiful coat. I told her so and gave her a friendly smile, nodding at garment. Now, I know that might seem petty, small, insignificant, but by the way she looked at me, I could tell it really made her day. For just a second, things weren't so awful after all, in her mind. THAT made MY day.
Bless her for reminding me how lucky I really am. Curse the constantly turning wheels in my head, however, for reminding me how image/appearance focused the world can be is today. Though it is certainly no secret that our values are often misplaced.
Evian is naive spelled backwards
Sales of products like Pet Refresh are on the rise, according to the Wall Street Journal. This could be brought on by sudden concerns about vitamin deficiency. There's also a belief amongst many owners that their pets find tap water disagreeable and are thus subject to dehydration. Veternarians seem puzzled by this recent rejection of city water and suggest it might be due to unpleasant smelling bowls rather than a pet's penchant for fine beverages. Some Vets also note that animals may prefer the cooler temperature of bottled water than lukewarm standing water from the bowl. Would you buy a product like Pet Refresh?
I can certainly see how bottled water might be beneficial for an animal, just as it is for us, but I'd have to class this is a luxury item, rather than a necessity. I think my cat's behavior is much more in line with vet theories on water temperature. He likes to drink right from the running tap, rather than out of his bowl. It is pretty cute to watch him try to do this without getting wet. I'm surprised he hasn't injured himself contorting into some of those prime positions! (Bear in mind though, that this is the same one who won't eat cheese, eggs, or drink milk. He's an odd one.)
Keeping your animals bowls clean and filled with fresh water should be sufficient. (Ever sipped a glass of water that has sat a day or so? It gets stale and it tastes different. Do they care? No one can say for sure. Yes, they lick their asses, but that doesn't mean they wouldn't enjoy some fresh, cold water every day. Toss a few ice cubes in there, just to be nice.)
However, I do resent being told I'd buy this if I loved my pet. That comes off as insincere concern, and as a marketing ploy, it rubs me the wrong way. I can understand treating your pet like family- to a degree, but I would draw the line at picking up a burger and fries for them at the drive thru.
Just What The Dr Ordered!
I think what I needed was a good laugh, and thanks to Phone Losers Of America, I had more than a few during my downtime today. There's literally hours of entertainment… Anarchy At Your Local Walmart was especially helpful. Have fun, and be careful!
Slowly, but surely…
I'm gradually getting my shit together over here… All of this turned out to be a lot more work than I'd anticipated, but I enjoy it, ultimately. Still, even my weekend away left me feeling somehow under the gun. I could use a vacation, but I'm not eligible until the fall. Hrmph.
My priorities may be all wobber-jawed, but hey, there are new tunes in the radio blog (see “Music”), that you can click to pop-up and play. (Placing the full version in the sidebar didn't really work out. It was just too scrunched. I also realized that as you navigate the content, the music would stop and have to be restarted. Not good.) A quick peek in my tracker indicated most visitors don't check out more than the first four songs, so 4 it is this time, enjoy! I'd like to update it with new tracks weekly, but the Queen Of Procrastination and Multiple Works In Progress™ had better not make any promises on that.
I know, I know… there are still some broken images here and there, “true romance” needs to be hashed out in its entirity, and the galleries are pretty lonely without more photos. I'd like to add my blog archives from istigkeit too, and create an rss feed. I will get to it. All of it. Really, I will. Last week was just… overwhelming on so many levels. Then came Monday, argh! I really need to relax, before I crash and burn. I get the itch to write far too often to stay away for very long, so substantial entries aren't too far off, and you have plenty of Pope TV™ to tide you over, right? *g*