Fred the Cat’s Point of View

Forgive my feline ignorance and tell me this. What the hell is a Paris Hilton and why do I hear about it from the TV set more than I hear about the bloody insane war in Iraq?

Now my comment and question on another matter. Wednesday afternoon there was breaking news about an hour-long power outage in a part of New York City. You would have thought it was the end of the world. Oh what would the New Yorkers do on a hot afternoon with no air conditioning etc.? Hey, how about this? The average daily temperature in Iraq right now is over one hundred degrees and those poor people haven’t had electricity they could count on since the US invaded their country. Anyone worried about them?

Have a great weekend and enjoy your catnip of choice

Sincerely
Fred the Cat (the cat who loves you guys)

RESPECT (no, not the song)

I’m not going to type her name but I think I can describe her well enough that you’ll know who I’m talking about. She says things that shock us and make us mad. She wrote a book that stated that liberals were godless and she seems to always show up on TV wearing a black cocktail dress. She has long blond hair and what appears to be an Adam’s apple. Yeah, her.

By now you may have heard about her exchange on Hardball Tuesday night with Elizabeth Edwards. When Mrs. Edwards called in to the show she very politely asked this woman to please stop making personal attacks against John. Mrs. Edwards was asking for a little respect from the most disrespectful woman I have ever heard speak.

What did ever happen to respect? I think it might have began to disappear with TV shows like Jerry Springer’s old show. That’s the first place I recall people calling each other mean and dirty names face to face and no one observing this seemed upset.

I remember one time a long time ago, before Jerry Springer’s show was very well known, I turned it on to see what it was about. I heard people in the audience calling the female guest on the show a “bitch” and a “whore”. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. This was happening on national TV? Yes, it sure was.

I admit to being disrespectful at times but never to anyone’s face. I guess I’m a coward when it comes to something like that. Okay, that and I seldom feel the urge to face someone and hurt them with verbiage. Sure, if you cut me off in traffic I’ll cuss you out and call you every name in the book, but you’ll never hear me. I just get it out, I never take it out.

So I’m wondering, when did being mean and nasty begin to pay off? When did we decide that being disrespectful to someone face to face was acceptable and entertaining?

Chores and Self Satisfaction

I didn’t spend a whole lot of time at my computer yesterday instead I spent a whole lot of time in my closet.

My arm hurts from patting myself on the back. You see, I got up all my nerve and energy and attacked my closet and all my dresser drawers. I was on a mission. I went through all my clothes and discarded the ones that either didn’t fit or that I haven’t worn in a way long time. I found stuff I had forgotten I had. I found stuff that I wondered why I had. I found a lot of soon to be ex-closet and ex-drawer occupants.

I now have three very large black plastic bags full of clean and neatly folded clothes that will go to the thrift shop on Saturday. There are some purses, socks, scarves and other miscellaneous items as well.

As of yesterday afternoon, my dressers drawers are neat and easy to close since they aren’t jammed with clothes. My half of the closet is all neat, arranged and not crowded to death. It all looks great and it’s functional again.

This was one of those chores that after it’s completed, you just keep going back, looking at your accomplishments and smiling with self satisfaction. It’s not like I changed the world or anything, but I sure did bring some order to my own little world. That’s good to do ever now and then. It reminds you that you do have some control over some things in life.

It doesn’t let the president off the hook

Nope! Nope! Nope! All the stuff that is finally coming out in the Washington Post about the secret president, Cheney, and how he has been the instigator of all that is evil within this white house, does not excuse or explain away bush’s own responsibility.

As we approach the presidential elections of 08, bush’s Republican feet must also be held to the fire. If he were any sort of actual boss he would have been on top of what was going on in the vice president’s office and he would have stopped it. As he himself said, he is the “decider” and he should have been in control and decided long ago that his vice president was out of control and a detriment to our country in so many ways.

If bush didn’t know what the vice president was up to, that shows his incompetence. And, if he did know what the vice president was up to, then he is a co-conspirator and should be treated as such.

Yes, I’m glad the Washington Post is exposing the evil dick cheney, but I don’t want all the blame for all that has happened to be handed only to cheney. It must be equally shared by the president.

Whatcha hiding there Dick?

Damn, you come home from a great vacation all rested and ready to rock and roll and what do you find? You find that the vice president has declared himself above the law. Well, who would have ever expected that? Didn’t see that one coming, did ya?

Seems old shooter has secrets and he’s just not willing to share. Now why do you suppose that would be? As I recall during the NSA wiretapping we were told if we had nothing to hide we shouldn’t worry. Would that not also apply to Lynne’s husband, the Dickster?

There’s a cat in V-A-C-A-T-I-O-N

Hey guys, Murphy and I are off to camp (veterinarian’s boarding facility) for a week. Don’t worry about us because our vet is also a family friend. We get the Paris Hilton treatment when we are there if you know what I mean. (insert a feline wink here)

The Pops will be away all next week doing all sorts of things on Sanibel /Captiva Islands. Mr. Pop will do a little fishing and while he’s doing that, Pop will be lazing in the sun and reading those great books you guys told her about. They’ll do lots of shopping and eating and cocktailing too.

Mr Pop has been working hard so he’s looking forward to a good amount of down time. Pop just likes traveling and having fun with her best friend, Mr. Pop.

So we’ll see you guys in a week or so. Be sweet to one another and please know we will miss you.

HAPPY FATHERS DAY to all you dads out there. (I’m not a dad, as far as anyone knows)

Until later
Fred the Cat, ( The cat who loves you guys!)

If it was al Qaeda, why did they turn on one another?

We are told that the bombing of the Golden Mosque in February of 06, by al Qaeda, was the beginning of the sectarian violence in Iraq. Why did the Sunnis and the Shia begin to fight one anther at that time if al Qaeda was the bomber of the Mosque?

I don’t pretend to understand everything that is going on in Iraq, but just from a common sense point of view this doesn’t make sense to me. I would think if al Qaeda was the culprit, both Sunni and Shia would immediately turn on any and all members of al Qaeda.

Please forgive my ignorance but if we “know” that it was an al Qaeda bomber, why didn’t the Iraqis know?

Careful what you wish for

Bush spent the past six and a half years convincing the people of the United States that they should be afraid. They should be afraid of people from other countries coming here with the intention of killing Americans by the thousands.

Now he wants his immigration bill and those people that he so successfully made afraid are looking at the thousands of immigrants coming freely across the borders each day and saying, Hey, those are the sorts of people you told us to fear. Stop them!

They want the borders sealed so someone with the intention of killing Americans by the thousands can’t get into our country. Bush wanted a frightened America and now that he has it, he has to deal with it. I guess even the decider guy can’t have it both ways all the time.

I think I know this

I wonder what the people of Connecticut, who voted for Lieberman in his last election, think of him now? Lieberman thinks the US needs to strike Iran.

Okay, I admit I don’t know squat about most things military but here’s what I think I know. I think Iran and Iraq share a border. I think we have a whole bunch of thinly stretched troops in Iraq. I think Iran has a large army. If the US should strike Iran as Joementum would like, what’s to keep thousands of Iranian troops from swarming across the border into Iraq and causing all hell to break loose there? What would become of our troops? I think the answer to that question would not be good.

I believe Joseph Lieberman should keep his mouth shut. He isn’t the commander guy and he isn’t one of the Generals on the ground. All he is, is a Senator who seems to be doing everything he can to be chosen as John McCain’s running mate.

I’m betting some Connecticut voters, are feeling the onset of voters remorse. They should be! Seems instead of working for the people of Connecticut, Joe is working for george bush, Dick Cheney and of course, Karl Rove.

Mouse-shoulder and Reading

Is there such an ailment as mouse-shoulder? I have self diagnosed myself with this term. When I move my computer mouse on my desk the past few days, I feel a very uncomfortable pain in my shoulder. I tell you this to explain why I haven’t been on the computer as much lately as I would like. I’m trying to give my mouse-shoulder a rest to see if it will feel better soon. So far, it seems to be helping.

I want to thank everyone who left me suggestions for summer beach reading material. I narrowed the long list of suggested books down to three. I went book shopping last weekend and bought the following books

“Daisy Fay and the Miracle Man” by Fannie Flagg
“Lamb” by Christopher Moore
And
“Jamaica Me Dead” by Bob Morris

Just as a side note, I have read and enjoyed each and every one of Carl Hiaasen’s books. His books are some of the few books that I have actually re-read.

Thank you again to everyone who helped me determine my summer beach reads. I am so looking forward to reading these three books. I promised myself I would not begin them until my skinny fanny was sitting on the Sanibel beach, but everything in me wants to cheat and start reading them now. I hope I don’t.

More advice from Fred the Cat

Sometimes you guys amaze me, and not in a good way. Your country is in a war that never should have been. Soldiers and Iraqis are being killed every single day and all anyone seems to think about is which team, the Republicans or the Democrats will win in November of next year. With all the horrible things that are happening, all you seem to be talking about is which candidate does or does not love Jesus the most.

One word of feline advice for you dudes, prioritize!

***
Have a great weekend and keep your cool
Sincerely,
Fred the Cat

Jail, what’s it like?

We have been hearing about people in or going to jail. Well known people like Paris, Scooter and perhaps Representative Jefferson might soon be there too. So I’m thinking, what kind of jail occupant would I be, were I foolish enough to do something that would result in my being put me in jail?

I haven’t been in jail but if I were to have to go, I would be the sweetest kindest person ever behind bars. I would be scared fecal-less so I would do exactly as I was told by the guards and I would hope and pray to goddess that whomever was my cell mate would behave exactly the same. I would not be a trouble maker, it’s not in my nature to do that.

Have you ever been in jail? What was it like? If, like me, you haven’t been in jail, what kind of inmate do you think you would be. How would you handle the situation?

You boys behave

Vladimir! Decider! You boys behave and stop poking sticks at each other!

Vladimir, Decider doesn’t want you to make fun of the way he does things.

Decider, Vladimir doesn’t want you to play with your missile shield kit in his backyard.

Decider, you have already invited Vladimir over to your folks house next month for a play date so you be nice to him.

I swear, if you two boys don’t calm down and play nice, you may be the death of me yet.

Admission, weakness or strength?

Which is worse, admitting to making a major and obvious mistake or refusing to admit making a major and obvious mistake?

Senator Clinton seems to feel it would be a sign of weakness if she admitted that she made a major mistake by voting to give the president the power to go to war. However, we all know that she made the mistake whether she will admit it or not.

I feel that if anyone makes a very glaring and obvious mistake, to refuse to admit it is simply making another glaring and obvious mistake. We have a president now who can never face his own mistakes or admit them, why does Senator Clinton feel we need another one?

I believe that when a person admits a mistake it shows strength and self confidence. It also shows they are willing not only to admit the mistake but hopefully to learn from their mistake as well. Most times, admiration will be the result when one admits that they too, are only human.

***
As a postscript, Senator Clinton’s actions on this matter will neither make or break a vote for her from me. This is simply my attitude about people who are unwilling to admit it when it is obvious they have made a mistake.

A Happy Little Post

You bet, I’m happy. First of all, this weekend we got between three and six, depends upon who you ask, inches of desperately needed rain here at my house. It was a wonderful slow rain for a while and the earth loved it. Gosh, we needed it so much. Of course we could use more but at least this is a beginning.

The second happy thing is that last week I was given a little gold charm. When you first look at it, it looks like a small dove in flight, but upon closer inspection you see the little dove is formed from the letters, “PEACE”. This weekend I bought a little gold chain, put my little dove on that chain and then clasped the chain around my neck. I see no reason to ever take it off. It’s beautiful and maybe one day this idea of peace will catch on everywhere.

Yes, I know horrible things continue to happen around the world, but we must always be alert for the happy little things that happen in our life and in our own world. Take your happiness where you find it or where it finds you.

Fred the Cat here and I don’t like the looks of this

Oh no! It says here in this little magazine that today marks the beginning of hurricane season. That means that anxiety begins and the Weather Channel gets viewed more than any other channel.

I have lived through a direct hit by three of these scary storms. It’s no cat fun!

The Pops are diligent hurricane preparers. Their kitchen stove is gas so if the electric goes out they can still cook. The hot water heater is gas so they can always have hot showers. They have a battery powered fan and several battery powered lamps, etc. Plus they are stocked up with a ton of all sizes of batteries.

Here’s the good part. In addition to having lots of human food and water and ice in supply, they always have on hand a lot of extra cat food and litter. I’m pretty sure they have extra food for Murphy too.

When a hurricane comes near they put me in the bathroom with my litter box, food and water bowl and of course, my bed. If a hurricane is about to hit here they put me in my carrier until the storm passes by. I guess they feel if the roof should blow off I will be secured in the carrier and won’t freak and run away.

We all hate hurricane season and dread it each year, but on the other paw, we get a lot of beautiful days of sunshine and summer breezes in between the big blows.

Keep your paws crossed that this hurricane season is just as mild as last year’s was and that I don’t have to spend a lot of time cooped up in my carrier. Cosmic catnip comes in real handy this time of year.

Here’s a tidbit from Jay Leno
"Experts said this is going to be a very busy hurricane season. To which FEMA said, 'Not for us.'"

Have a great weekend!
Fred the Hurricane Cat or “Hurri-cat”