Lebanon to protest to UN after Israel seizes two men
from AFP - Sat Dec 20, 11:34 am ET
BEIRUT (AFP) – Lebanese President Michel Sleiman on Saturday said he plans to protest to the United Nations after Israeli soldiers seized two civilians near the border overnight.
The brothers, who said they were working in their olive grove when Israeli soldiers set dogs on them, were freed early on Saturday after intervention by the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon........
ENTIRE ARTICLE - http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20081220/wl_mideast_afp/lebanonisraelborderdiplomacy
Dear President-Elect,
Harry S. Truman once said, "If you want a friend in Washington, get a dog." What better way to thank the Chicagoland area than to adopt your new friend from the premier south side shelter, the South Suburban Humane Society. We would be privileged to accommodate any needs or special requests. Please feel free to contact me on my cell phone at 219-742-2289.
Warm regards, Jamie Cole SSHS Board President South Suburban Humane Society www.sshspets.org
Here in Camde Maine dogs are barking for Obama and letting their voices be heard ~ loud and long!
It all started when the phone banking group who have gathered in Mary and George Forrestall's home to work long and hard to get people in our congressional district on the Obama train. The house dog, Amos got a special neck scarf proclaiming his Obama support as he went out and about this mid coast Maine town on daily outings. Other volunteers wanted one for their dogs ..... a few days later ESquared produced 25 of her original design scarves and now they can be seen all over town and even as far south as Rockport Mass.
These dogs don't let the fact that they don't speak english stop the from speaking out. Their message comes through loud and clear as they get people to stop in their tracks to chuckle but then have some serious thoughts about the upcoming election and how they can help Obama
Let's hear from other dogs across the country...... what are they thinking and doing about this great guy who has stepped forward to turn the page and make a dog part of the family moving into the White House come January.
Ruby has an "I Bark for Obama" put aside for Malia and Sasha ..... just trying to figure out how to get it to them. She pretty smart and will figure it out once the election is over and she has time to dedicate to the problem.
OK, let's hear from other dogs
.
For weeks I've been wearing either a Barkers for Barack or Bloggers for Obama button on my daily trips to Miko's Corner Playground dog park with Cayenne and Pepper. I seldom hear a comment on these, even when Cayenne wears a Barkers button on her bandanna. But today I wore my Obama T-shirt for the first time, and that provoked a stronger reaction. Nobody said a word to me about it, but they did talk to each other:
Woman #1: I should have the word McCain tattooed to my forehead.Woman #2: I was going to wear my Obama shirt today.Woman #1: I should have worn my Palin shirt. Can you imagine?
Young Man on Bench (to wife or girlfriend): Don't worry. We have two McCain stickers on one car!
Such is life in Tucson, 13 days out from the election.
In other news, Huffington Post has published a roundup of Off the Bus "Grassroots Correspondent" entries, featuring my button maker photo at the top of the page. As it happens, more than a few of them are from AZ and NM, and most of them are much more interesting than mine. Check them out!
Karen
So here’s my story. I’m a 55-year-old white male who is unwillfully unemployed for the first time in my adult life. My employers—make that my former employers (old habits are herd to break)—decided to stop investing in the expansion of the business. That meant they no longer needed my services. With my job went my health insurance.
I live in a very small town in a place that I absolutely love (Bishop, CA—it sits at the foot of the Sierra Nevada mountain range on the east side of the state). One of the few drawbacks to living here is that it’s very hard to find good jobs here. I am having to think about the possibility of relocating to find a job.
All of that said, I’m actually pretty optimistic—If we can win on 11/02 we’ll start repairing the damage done to our country by the Current Occupants. I’m so optimistic that, late last week, I made what will probably be my last donation to the Obama/Biden campaign. It was only $10, but right now $10 is a lot of money to me.
Since I can’t give anymore, I’m posting my story in the hopes that those who read this will donate to my fund raisinmg page to move us closer to the victory we so badly need.
Well, strictly speaking, it’s my dog’s fundraising page. But he said it was OK with him if I made this plea in his name. Here’s the link to the page: http://my.barackobama.com/page/outreach/view/main/Buclkeyblogs
Thanks for your time and attention,
Dean Stevens
In the category of "I wish I'd said it myself," here's the text of an email that I received yesterday (author requested anonymity), with my response in the extended post text below:
George Bush and Hank Paulson finally cowed Congress into passing the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008. Congress didn't like the idea of voting for something that almost everybody described as a "bailout" of Fat Cats on Wall Street, but our representatives managed to throw in enough other provisions – foreclosure-prevention plans, tax breaks for left-handed Eskimos -- so that the whole package could be sold as good for all of us. Many Congressmen, including the one representing our district, still voted "no," but most went along with the notion that our economy might collapse without another government rescue. The Act provides for a Troubled Assets Relief Program: The Treasury will be able to buy dud mortgages and other hard-to-sell assets from banks so they will have money to make more loans, presumably not as silly as the old ones. This seems like a fine proposition for the banks: If you don't want it and it's hard to sell, Uncle Sam will buy it. Why not extend this program to everyone? I have a fair number of troubled assets. For instance, a technology mutual fund I bought back in the 1990s that has never really performed. I also have a rusty one-speed bike in the garage that would be very hard to sell in our hilly, old-bicycle-glutted local market. We have a lot of clothes that we never wear and that no one else seems to want very badly. All of this we would gladly sell to the government. Our neighbors have garages, basements and attics full of slightly scuffed in-line skates, ski boots, eight-track Bay City Rollers tapes, rowing machines and burnt-orange electric fondue pots. Even a modest cash offer from the Treasury would be accepted with no quibbling. If the government will buy all of these troubled assets from us, we promise to spend the money wisely next time. Just a thought.
I'm a dog person - I volunteer regularly at animal shelters, and was totally overjoyed to see a dog in practically every fourth yard when I went canvassing this weekend. So I didn't realize at first that a lot of canvassers are intimidated by dogs.
Aside from the common sense sorts of things like approaching the dog calmly, letting it sniff your palm/fist (no fingers please), etc., there's a trick I've used to calm down crazed/barking dogs that seems to work about 75% of the time.
Hi There,
My name is Buckley. I'm a yellow lab who lives in Bishop, CA with the BDBG (Big Dumb Blonde Guy) and the lovely Beryl.
All three of us support the Barack/Biden ticket. In fact, I've dedicated part of my website ( BuckleyTheDog.net ) to the cause. Pay particular to the Buckley For Barack page. There are also some fun links on the Links page (let me know if you have any similiar links I might add to the list).
I also have a fundraiser going. You can donate to it here Fundraiser.
Woof On!
Respectfully,
Buckley the Dog
Barack has promised his children that he will adopt a dog for them come this Fall. He is currently looking to adopt a purebreed, but with thousands of dogs being euthanized needlessly in our shelters (numbers are rising during our very real recession), he and his wife can set a great example by saving a dog. From experience, you get 200% back from a shelter dog.
Here's the link:
http://network.bestfriends.org/Petitions/Detail.aspx?pn=9&g=330dbd95104f4f589f58dcfc97e355f6
Pass it along. Thanks.
This is from the blog of Wayne Parcelle of HSUS
humanesociety.org
Whatever the outcome of the November presidential election, once the voters have had their say, Malia and Sasha Obama will get a dog. That’s the deal that Barack Obama’s daughters have struck with their father and mother. According to Michelle Obama, the girls exuberantly remind their parents about their pledge almost every day.
© The HSUS/Bill PetrosA wheaten terrier at an animal shelter.
Over the weekend, at www.presidentialpup.com, the American Kennel Club launched a public contest to help the Obamas choose a dog, identifying five "hypoallergenic" breeds—the bichon frise, Chinese crested, miniature schnauzer, poodle, and soft-coated wheaten terrier—as the best choices for the Obama daughters, since one of the girls reportedly has allergies.
For a presidential candidate or a president, there are few very private decisions and this is not going to be one of them. For animal advocates, the breed type is just a small part of the story, and the AKC gambit is viewed as incomplete, if not somewhat wrong-headed. Most important to animal advocates is where the dog comes from. Don't even think about a pet store or an Internet seller—those dogs come from factory-style puppy mills, where they are treated not like pets, but like a cash crop. That's like buying a seal skin fur coat, or getting a handbag made from an endangered species. It's beyond politically incorrect—it contributes to abuse and cruelty to animals.
The overwhelming view among animal advocates is that the Obamas should go to a shelter or breed rescue group to obtain a dog. With 3-4 million dogs and cats killed in public and private shelters, there are many lives to be saved, and the simple act of giving a home to a dog who might have faced euthanasia would do wonders for the cause of adoption from shelters.
It's also probably the least costly option, for any family. Going to a breeder will cost much more. And then there's the matter of the societal costs of animal care. The more animals adopted from private and public shelters, the lower the burdens on all of us as taxpayers and charitable givers. Every year, Americans spend more than $1 billion caring for dogs and cats in shelters—and that cost could be dramatically reduced if more people adopted from shelters, rather than purchasing animals from pet stores, Internet sellers, or other breeders.
The Obama girls can find their match through www.Petfinder.com or www.Pets911.com. Even if they have their hearts set on a particular breed, that type of dog can be found through a shelter or breed rescue group. With a couple of million dogs to choose from, there's every kind of wonderful creature waiting for a loving home, whether mixed breeds, purebreds, large, medium, or small dogs. They're all right there, just waiting for a loving embrace.
(As for the McCains, it would appear that they are set, with 24 pets, including four dogs.)
Posted by Wayne Pacelle on 07 July 2008 at 4:00 PM in
Barack and Michele Obama, as responsible parents to their daughters, are now actively researching their first pet, which by default shall represent America's "First Dog" at the White House. :)
However, the breed must be "hypoallergenic", one with a special coat (usually long hair, not fur-like) in consideration to one of their daughters.
So the American Kennel Club recommended 5 breeds with its 1st POTUS POOCH POLL:
Dear Obama's, Please rehire Jim Johnson for this one!!! ;) Imo, your decision to choose a family pet to be America's 1st dog will be as important as choosing your VP!
So clearly, Obama should vet these breeds more seriuosly. ;)
Fired Up! Ready to Go! Keith Olbermann's comment was that Barack's speech in Mitchell, SD this morning was one of the Great Stump Speeches. I hope you heard it. It truly was Greaaaaaaaaat!
If you have a Doxie, Dachshund Owner for Obama has a modest fundraiser at:
http://my.barackobama.com/page/outreach/view/main/Dachshunds
Please visit and donate for Obama. Maggie, that's her picture on the donation page, she's my longhair black and tan doxie, and I thank you.
CLICK HERE to Donate $25 to help Maggie support Obama. If you donate more, Maggie promises to wag her tail.
Dachshund owners know just how "little" things can have very big impacts on our daily lives. We find our little Doxies have hearts that seem larger than their bodies.
Maggie is the youngest of our three longhaired Doxies. Maggie and I have set our fundraising goal for Obama's campaign.
Barack Obama and I are committed to changing the political process by building a campaign founded on a broad base of support from ordinary Americans. Everyday people, not multi-billion dollar corporations. Doxie owners know the sound of a herd of stubby feet charging toward a knock on the door. Let's show the BIG money lobbyists what a million stubby $25 donations can do. Actually, we have started with a goal of twenty $25 donations.
Thank you for supporting Obama by making a donation to help Maggie and me reach our goal? Every "Little" bit helps.
For many, a dog is just a pet. They are a species that is a good companion for humans. They fill our days with laughter, joy, surprise, and yes, even pain & heartache sometimes. My wife and I recently had to put down one of the members of our canine family because of cancer. She was a dear old girl, lived to 13 years of age. We still have our 7 year old Yellow Lab named Benny and recently a friend of ours was offering free Basenji puppies. Well, being the saps that we are, we couldn't resist and went ahead and took a female puppy, that we named Brandy.
Being an ardent Obama supporter I put Obama shirts on Benny and Carrie (now deceased) and took pictures of them. These pictures were used in some of my Obama videos and I subsequently learned that I had a little 2 year old fan from Iowa named Hunter that just loved the Obama Dogs! Well, I made a little video of Brandy and Benny right after we got her and added the song "Can't Keep a Good Dog Down" from All Dogs Go to Heaven and uploaded it to YouTube, just for Hunter.
Well now that Brandy is about 6 weeks older, I've taken more pictures and decided to add captions to some of the photos, add various soundtracks and create another video for my little buddy, although I think mom is going to have to explain some of the references I used.
Now you're probably wondering what any of this has to do with Barack Obama and his campaign, aren't you? Well, there are really 3 different connections that I think kind of relate to each other. First, we all know that Sasha & Malia have been promised a dog if Barack becomes President, so the issue of canines is relevent. Second, when I see the interaction between our two totally "different" dogs I am struck by the fact that they seem more protective of each other than we humans are of other humans sometimes. The third issue is the one that I think is central to Obama's message. That even though we may look different, speak differently, like different food, etc, at the end of the day we really are more alike and have the same dreams and desires, trials and tribulations. When I look at our 7-yr old, 120 lb "Yellow" Lab (neutered), who barks like a puppy and then our 4-month old, 5 1/2 lb "Black" Basenji puppy, who doesn't bark but makes every other kind of animal sound you can think of, I never would have thought they could get along. I mean look how different they are, right? Hmmmm, old-young, light-dark, male-female, big-little, straight-curly. They, like America, can't get along, can they...?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mbWdlMtTmyw
p.s. Please be kind and give it a good rating. I and I'm sure Hunter, would appreciate it greatly, Thank you.
