Blackfish

The way they should be: free

I love hummus.  I'm eating so much of it, that I think I need to start making my own.  The main ingredients are garbanzo beans, olive oil, and lemon.  Currently, the best price I can buy it for is $3 a pound.  It would be cheaper for me to make it.  I need a food processor.
My new diet is going well.  My favorite thing to eat now is carrot sticks dipped in hummus.  That's why I like hummus so much.  I doubt I'd be eating carrots without it.  I've even dipped cabbage into it.  I don't like many veggies, but when they've been dipped into hummus, it's a different story.  Also, once I start making  my own, I can put very healthy veggies into it like celery and parsley.
I've fed some more whole walnuts to my squirrel neighbors.  I love them.  I really enjoy feeding them completely natural food.
I saw the movie Blackfish.  It was very interesting and disturbing.  SPOILER ALERT!  It certainly reinforced my belief that animals should not be confined in zoos, aquariums, and places like Sea World.  It seems like one of the killer whales at the Orlando, FL Sea World has had a hand in killing 3 people.  Obviously, it's not the whale's fault.  There have been plenty of incidents in which orcas have injured people in captivity, but, apparently, a killer whale has never attacked a human in the wild.  They can swim hundreds of miles a day when they're free, but in places like Sea World, they are confined to small tanks.  Killer whales in captivity have been seen to float in the same position for hours at a time.  They should be free.  But I think that every animal deserves to be free.  Of course, I realize that's pretty much an impossibility.  But I will not participate in anything that takes away animals' freedom.  I'm a vegan, so I don't support the confinement of animals like cows, pigs, chickens, and turkeys.  I wouldn't go to a zoo either.  The last time I went to one, it was very depressing.  I saw a leopard that paced back and forth from the exact same spots over and over again.  The leopard didn't have much room.  I saw a rhino who was behaving very oddly.  It seemed like she was moving in a very obsessive way that likely had something to do with her unnatural confinement.  It's a bunch of crap when people say that the animals are in the zoo for their own protection.  I have an offer for anyone who would say something like that.  Hey, since you believe in confinement for protection, I'll put you in a cage for the rest of your life where you'll be safe.  You'll have no freedom, you'll be a prisoner, but you'll be safe in your cage.      

Thank Godness for Squirrels and Libraries

Cute Dog

Squirrels and Libraries can save your life.  They can make you so happy.
Today, I fed squirrels.  I had some whole walnuts that I had bought for them.  I saw them out there in the freezing rain.  Their job is to look for food, and they do it 7 days a week: every week.  I distributed several walnuts to my squirrel neighbors today.  At least one of them is very smart.  I came out of my building armed with walnuts.  I saw a squirrel foraging on the grass.  I threw it in front of her.  She saw it immediately and chased and seized it.  That made me laugh.  It gave me a lot of pleasure to help that squirrel.  The fire dept. in Holley, which is near Rochester, NY, had an event last year in which they encouraged people to shoot squirrels.  That disgusted me: especially when I heard that animal rights activists showed up to protest and the hunters goaded them with the bodies of the squirrels they killed.  I knew I couldn't go to that event to protest, because I might have had to beat the shit out of someone who killed a squirrel.
Anyway, the squirrel who grabbed the walnut I tossed to her is smart.  Her back was to me when I threw it to her.  It sailed over her shoulder; then she got it.  However, the next time she saw me, she hopped toward me.  She figured out that I threw that walnut to her, even though she didn't see me do it.  Of course I gave her another walnut.  I had about 8 walnuts, and I distributed all of them to my squirrel neighbors.
I've taken out so many books, movies, and music from libraries that I don't know what I would have done without them.  Good entertainment is very important.  It can save your life.  Sometimes you really need to watch a good comedy and laugh.       

Taking the Plunge

Groundhogs are hibernating.

It's time.  Over and over again now I've read, seen, and heard that a diet that contains no alcohol, processed foods, refined sugars, lactose, caffeine, and GMO foods is the way to go for physical, mental, and emotional well being.  I currently have some processed foods in my home.  That's fine.  I will finish them.  I think it's wrong to waste food.  The plan is to not purchase or acquire anymore.  I plan to not buy anymore sugar, coffee, chips, bread, etc.  So what does that leave?  All vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, beans, and whole grains.  Although I also plan to do without wheat and gluten.
This decision has been reinforced by what I've been watching lately on PBS.  I usually don't watch these sorts of programs, but I watched 3 self-help/diet shows.  I forget the name of one of the guys, but the other 2 were hosted by Deepak Chopra and Joel Fuhrman.  What all 3 men had in common was they recommended a diet rich in unprocessed, whole foods like veggies, fruits, nuts, seeds, and beans.  I was most impressed by Dr. Fuhrman's presentation.  I plan to read at least one of his books: especially the one that contains a lot of whole foods recipes in it.
I went out for a walk yesterday.  As soon as I left my building, I noticed a squirrel foraging in the snow behind a bush that some sparrows live in (year round).  My neighbors have made a habit of putting food there for the animals.  I suppose that's why the squirrel was foraging there.  They forage on the grass.  What do they do when it's covered with snow?  I went back upstairs and got a whole, still-in-the-shell walnut.  I tossed it behind the bush.  Unfortunately, we got about 5 inches of snow last night.  I hope a squirrel will get that nut.  I don't know anything about nuts freezing.  Even if it did freeze, I can picture a smart squirrel lying on top of it to defrost it.
Also, while out walking yesterday, a man offered to give me a ride in his car.  It was cold out, and it was snowing.  I was very close to home, so there was no chance I would accept his offer.  I said "no thanks."  Almost immediately, I thought, this guy is probably a good Samaritan, but, it's also possible that he's a serial killer.  Even for a full-grown male, like me, getting into a car with someone you don't know could be a fatal mistake.  Crazier things have happened.  Of course, it didn't help that I had just recently watched the movie version of The Lovely Bones, which involves a girl trusting a man that she shouldn't have.      

I Still Love Squirrels

I love all of them.

I've seen so many squirrels in my lifetime, and, in my way, I've loved them all.  I still watch them.  They are not boring to me.  They are cute.
I tried to feed a squirrel that had climbed up a telephone pole.  She was hanging out there, ready to shimmy across the wire to the other side, when I jiggled the bag that held whole walnuts, which, of course, I bought for my squirrel neighbors.  She hesitated.  She seemed to be quite interested in what was going on, but she remained on her lofty perch.  I decided to toss a walnut toward the pole.  I thought she might come down and get it.  She didn't, though.  Instead, she shimmied across the wire toward the east.  I picked up the nut and tossed it onto the grass in front of my windows, hoping I'd see a squirrel get it.  I didn't, though.  The next day, I went out for a job interview, and, when I returned, the nut was gone.  I'm 99.9% sure a squirrel got it, and that's all that matters.
I used to spoil the squirrels around here with whole nuts.  I think either they've forgotten me doing this, or these are some new squirrels on the block.  When I jiggle the nut bag, they don't come hopping towards me like they used to.  On the contrary, the noise seems to scare them away.
Anyway, I had my chance with another squirrel.  She was tens of feet away.  I figured I'd toss the nut in front of her, she'd notice it, then she'd get it.  I threw it badly, though.  Instead of going as far as I wanted it to, it went high.  Give me a break, I was thinking.  Odds are, it would land on the grass.  There's more grass than sidewalk in that area.  Just my luck, it landed on the sidewalk with a loud sound.  The squirrel jumped at the noise, but she recovered quickly.  I think it took at most a second, if not less than one, for her to grab a piece of the nut after it had shattered on the sidewalk.  Then she took off.  She knew she had a rare treat, and she'd better go eat or bury it before another squirrel tried to take it away from her.  

Listen to Enya

Enya

 I am listening to Enya right now.  I listen to a lot of different kinds of music.  Before listening to this Enya CD, I was listening to a Morbid Angel (death metal) album.  That's just how I do it.  One minute, I'm listening to Slayer, and in the next, I'm listening to the Dixie Chicks.  Anyone who'd like to judge me can wipe my ass: please.
Anyway, Enya was born to sing.  She sounds like an angel.  She may be an angel; I don't know.  I am 1/4 Irish, and I have an Irish name, so I am proud that she is Irish.  Her voice is pure beauty.  We need as much beauty as we can get in this world.
I'm disappointed with my squirrel neighbors.  I bought some whole walnuts for them, but they seem to have fled for greener pastures.  I can't blame them.  They forage on the grass, and the grass here is covered with snow.  We had a few inches recently.  A squirrel loves to receive a whole freaking walnut.  I want to feed my cute neighbors.
Back to Enya.  What an amazing voice.  It's otherworldly.  Perhaps she's an alien.
I'd also like to recommend Tegan and Sara.  I love their music.  They are identical twin sisters from Canada.  Both of them play guitar and keyboards.  Both of them write songs.  Both of them sing lead: and backing vocals while the other is singing lead.  Their voices are similar, but not the same.  They look different.  I read on Wikipedia that they're both lesbians.  I've seen Sara sporting a haircut that resembles one of the Beatles from their mop top phase.  From what I've seen, she tends to dress in a more masculine way than Tegan does.  Initially, I fancied Sara more than Tegan.  Despite her manly haircut, she is slim, and, though I love both their voices, I currently like Sara's a little more than Tegan's.  Once I saw Sara from the waist down: dressed like a boy or man; I realized I was more attracted to Tegan.  Both of them are beautiful.  Both of them are great singers and songwriters.  And I will never get to be romantically involved with either of them.  So it really doesn't matter what they look like.  They were born to sing, write, and play music.  I'm sure of it. 

Turkey Day

My Thanksgiving wish is that adult hunters will be hunted by a maniac like Danny Rolling.

People call Thanksgiving "turkey day" as though the slaughter of millions of these animals each year for this holiday is something "cute."  What a crock.  Most of the people in this world don't care at all about animals like turkeys, chickens, cows, and pigs.  If you're one of them, you should be ashamed of yourself.
Someone on PBS has a heart.  Yesterday, they aired 3 shows in a row.  The first was about turkeys.  A naturalist received some wild turkey eggs.  He hatched them using an incubator and became their mother.  The little turkeys cuddled with him.  He'd walk through the forest, and the turkeys would follow him.  It was a beautiful show.  I'd rather die than eat meat.  The show that came on after that one was about ducks.  They are wonderful animals too.  I'm so disappointed that a show like Duck Dynasty is a big hit.  These jerks got rich by helping people kill ducks.  It makes me sick that they would become so popular and successful.  Ducks are cute, they don't hurt us, and people have every advantage when they hunt them.  I once saw a piece on the news.  There were a bunch of ducklings on the roof of a store or restaurant on the street of a small town.  They wanted to get down, but they were scared.  They were jumping, and a man was catching them.  He used a ladder to get onto the roof to gather the ducks who were too afraid to jump.  Then he stopped traffic as he led the ducks through town to a pond, where they safely jumped into the water.  It's one of the most beautiful things I've ever seen.  That man, to me, is a real hero.  The jerks from Duck Dynasty are villains.  The third show was about deer.  I think hunting season just recently began.  I love to hear stories about hunters getting shot.  When hunters get shot, they get what they deserve.  If you grab a gun and try to kill living beings, then you deserve whatever violence comes back your way.  He who lives by the sword will die by the sword.  Adults who shoot at living creatures deserves to be shot at as well.  That's how I feel about it.           

Danny Rolling (part 2)

Danny Rolling

 I had been sort of fascinated by the serial killer Danny Rolling.  He wasn't like other serial killers.  With exceptions like Ted Bundy, they seem to target so-called "easy targets" like prostitutes.  Sadly, they are less likely to be missed, and they voluntarily put themselves into unsafe situations.  Rolling was different in that sense, because he killed 5 students at the University of Florida in Gainesville.  Pretty young college students aren't supposed to be killed by a maniac with a knife, which is what Danny Rolling was at that point.  He broke into their apartments at night, he raped them, killed them, and mutilated them.
I just finished a book about the murders called Beyond Murder.  It was a good read; I went through it pretty quickly.  I'd say I'm no longer fascinated with Danny Rolling anymore, though.  I pretty much knew most of the gory details already.  One of the things that interested me about him was his music.  During a TV show about him, they played a snippet of one of his songs: "mystery rider, what's your name?  You're a killer, a drifter gone insane."  It sounded good.  Obviously, he had some interesting things to write about.  I read, in the book, that he was talented enough of a musician and songwriter that someone wanted to record him.  But Danny Rolling never showed up for the appointment.  He had problems.  His father didn't want him, but his wife refused to get an abortion.  So his father hated him.  He beat the crap out of him.  It seems like he never loved, or even liked, him.
Danny Rolling was also depressed, as so many people are.  One of the reasons why he killed the amount of people that he did was because he did some very hard time at a plantation-type prison.  The conditions him and his fellow inmates had to endure were very harsh.  In Danny Rolling's case, it didn't work out very well.  He vowed to kill someone for each year he spent at that prison.  So maybe it's not a good idea to inflict cruel and unusual punishment on inmates; it could create monsters.  
Danny Rolling was big, 6'2", and strong.  He lifted weights.  He liked to walk around with a large knife strapped to his leg.  I have tried to imagine the terror his victims experienced at the crime scenes.  It's nothing pretty.  Rolling was a real-life horror-movie monster.
Also, today I bought some walnuts, still in the shell, for my squirrel neighbors.

I Saw a Skunk

playful pup

The skunk was not dead, and of course I'm not referring to seeing one on TV or in a photo.  It was nighttime.  I looked out my window and saw an animal walking around.  At first, I was thinking cat.  Then I took a closer look.  She was a skunk!  It was the first time I had seen a live skunk in the flesh.  It was exciting, but the skunk didn't do the moonwalk or anything; she was just foraging like all the other animals around here do.
Darn that Adam Sandler!  A few weeks ago, I watched You Don't Mess with the Zohan.  I enjoyed it; it was pretty funny.  The problem is that there is so much hummus in the freaking movie.  It obviously is in there as some kind of joke.  His character even puts out a fire by attaching a hose to a giant tank of hummus.  I was liking the movie, but I was thinking that it would probably lead to me buying hummus, and it did.  I love hummus, and I hadn't had it in a while.  Sure enough, because of Adam Sandler, I've eaten pounds of it since watching that movie.  I've been eating it every day.  It does make such a great chip dip.  Now I'm trying to turn it into a positive situation.  I bought a package of carrots; even though I don't like carrots by themselves.  The plan is to use the hummus as a veggie dip: instead of a chip dip.  I plan to try dipping cucumber slices into hummus too. 
I discovered another great product: Bird's Eye (frozen) oriental stir fry.  It is so good.  It contains broccoli, carrots, sugar snap peas, and other (oriental) veggies.  It comes with a delicious sauce to put on it.  I rarely go to restaurants.  The first time I had it, I thought it was as good as something I'd get in a Chinese restaurant.  I've been eating it almost every day.  Life is short.  We must treat ourselves well: especially when we're talking about a food that is vegan and healthy.
Today and yesterday were pretty good days.  My car died recently.  That has been difficult to deal with.  Who looks forward to buying a car?  I can only think of rich people, and I am not rich.  So it's been a tough time for me; that's why I posted those song lyrics last week.  Life can be hard, but we must press on and try to improve things.

Where Have All the Groundhogs Gone?

Miss you Lucy

I'm going through groundhog withdrawal.  I haven't seen one in weeks.  I keep looking for them.  I suppose I won't see any til the spring, though.  I will miss them.  They cheer me up.  Here are some song lyrics:

SOCIAL DISTORTION LYRICS

"Ball And Chain"

 Well it's been ten years and a thousand tears
And look at the mess I'm in
A broken nose and a broken heart,
An empty bottle of gin
Well I sit and I pray
In my broken down Chevrolet
While I'm singin' to myself
There's got to be another way

[Chorus:]
Take away, take away
Take away this ball and chain
Well I'm lonely and I'm tired
And I can't take any more pain
Take away, take away
Never to return again
Take away, take away
Take away
Take away this ball and chain

Well I've searched and I've searched
To find the perfect life
A brand new car and a brand new suit
I even got me a little wife
But wherever I have gone
I was sure to find myself there
You can run all your life
But not go anywhere

[Chorus:]
Take away, take away
Take away this ball and chain
Well I'm sick and I'm tired
And I can't take any more pain
Take away, take away
Never to return again
Take away, take away
Take away
Take away this ball and chain

Well I'll pass the bar on the way
To my dingy hotel room
I spent all my money
I've been drinkin' since half past noon
Well I'll wake there in the mornin'
Or maybe in the county jail
Times are hard getting harder
I'm born to lose and destined to fail

[Chorus:]
Take away, take away
Take away this ball and chain
Well I'm lonely and I'm tired
And I can't take any more pain
Take away, take away
Never to return again
Take away, take away
Take away
Take away this ball and chain

 

Manhunter/Red Dragon

Graham home.  Marathon, Florida.  Save yourself, kill them all.

Where's Penny?

Lucinda

I haven't seen any groundhogs for at least a few days: maybe even a week.  I hope Penny is okay.  I miss seeing her.  Maybe she went with an early hibernation.  I've read that groundhogs start hibernating after the first frost, which I'm pretty sure hasn't happened here yet.
It always cheers me up to see groundhogs.  A day without groundhogs is like a day without sunshine.  They make my life better.
At least I've still got the squirrels.  I like them too.  I've been thinking about feeding them again.  I haven't done it in a while.  I've seen the food that some of my neighbors have left out for birds and squirrels: stuff like white bread, white rice, and even Pringles.  I wouldn't give them processed foods like that.  I'd only give them pure, unsalted nuts: preferably still in the shell.  It's fun to toss a whole walnut to a squirrel and see her seize it between her paws.
Some people think people shouldn't feed wild animals.  We shouldn't make them dependent on us, but I think the occasional, healthy, whole walnut would make a nice treat for them.
Well, there's not much more to say.  Think of animals as your brothers and sisters.  Treat them well.  Don't eat them.   

I Love Penny

Got your back.

I finally named her.  She may be the last groundhog left in this immediate area.  There might be another, but she rules the territory around my windows.  It is possible that she has chased all her sisters and her mother away.  She has claimed the hole she grew up in as her own.  The hole is right next to the building I live in.  The first groundhog I ever named, Sheila, used to live in this hole.  Anyway, her name is Penny.  I think it fits her well.  She's very cute, but, then again, the vast majority of them are.  She's been frightened a little too much lately.
The birds were driving me crazy.  Whoever designed the kitchen fans in these buildings is a real dummy.  Birds seem to think they make perfect bird houses.  Since I love animals, I put up with them for the longest time.  Thump!  That's the sound of a bird landing behind the kitchen fan.  You could hear that several more times than you would ever want to in any given day.  Chirp, chirp, chirp!  Birds make so much noise.  Especially baby birds, who are probably saying "Feed me!" most of the time.  I'd finally had enough.  They made so much noise on a daily basis; they were driving me nuts.  I began to try to scare them away.  They'd make their noise, then I would go over to the fan and tap hard on the outside of it: hoping it would scare them away.  It was just a temporary solution, though.  They always came back.  I called the office about it.  The office manager said they can put a cover on it, but they don't like to, because the fan keeps the units from getting too smoky.
I said, "I don't care about that; these birds are driving me crazy!"  Besides, I don't fry, or burn, anything.  I bake potatoes, boil pasta, and so on.  I never do any smoky cooking.  So they put the cover on.  Things were fine for months, but I recently heard the birds again.  I went outside to look, and, sure enough, the cover came off and was hanging open on one side.  But when I went outside to look, I scared Penny.  She had been grazing, and she ran into her hole when she saw or heard me.  So I called the office again and asked them to put the cover back on.  But the next day, I kept hearing the birds.  Since I saw one of the maintenance guys spraying freakin' bushes, instead of covering my fan, I called the office again to say that no one had done it.  I was told it would be done that day.  I went for a walk.  When I returned, I checked to see if the fan had been covered.  Poor Penny, I scared her again.  She dove into her hole.  But then she stuck her head out to look around: very cute.  Finally, the fan was covered.  And no birds were trapped inside.  There were none in there at the time; I checked.  

Please Treat Animals Well

Now that's a horse that I would ride.

I was walking near a Wal-Mart.  I noticed a young man addressing a seagull in an impolite way.  If he had taken action against the seagull, I would like to think I would have intervened.  I would have told him to leave the seagull alone.  Or what?  He might have asked.  Or I'll knock your teeth down your throat.  He probably would have been shocked.  He likely would not have believed that a skinny, short, "old" guy would confront him like that.  But no, he just gave a disdainful look to the seagull and walked on. 
I often get offended while watching TV.  While channel surfing today, I came across a hunting program, which, of course, make me sick.  This hunter picked up a dead duck, and said to his buddy, "It landed right at my feet.  It literally hit me in the knee on the way down."  Predictably, his idiot buddy laughed.  I changed the channel in disgust. 
Duck Dynasty, I hear, is an extremely popular TV show.  I don't have cable; I've never seen it.  From what I've read, it's about hillbillies that have gotten rich by helping people kill ducks.  I'm rooting for the ducks: not the hillbillies.  I don't care how long their beards are.  If I was given power of life and death, and was forced to choose who would die, either a duck or one of the Duck Dynasty hillbillies, I would spare the lives of the ducks every time.  I don't care how long their beards are, every single duck in the world is cuter than they are.  F___ those Duck Dynasty ass_____. 
Trust me, it always feels good to treat animals well.  I don't know if I believe in karma, but I do at least sometimes.  If you're going around and dealing out death and violence, then maybe you should expect some to come back in your direction.  Don't you think things would work out better for you if you tried to be good instead of evil?
If you love all the animals, and live your life that way everyday, then I love you.  But it's not enough.  People like us need to try to change the hearts and minds of those who eat meat and don't care about animals beyond their pets.  The animals literally don't have a voice; we must speak up for them.       

Holy Hell!

Lucinda

Today is the worse of two bad days in a row.  Yesterday, I realized that I lost my cell phone Saturday night.  Then I went for a walk and got bit by a dog.  It was ridiculous.  I was walking past a dog grooming shop.  To my left, I saw two dogs.  One was being walked by a woman, the other by a young girl.  The young girl let go of the leash, the woman yelled, and the dog approached me.  She was a cute small dog, and I love animals, so I was kind of like "hi."  Then the dog sunk her teeth into my right leg.  Holy crap!  I was shocked.  I started running down the street with the dog chasing me.
Unbelievably, the woman yelled to me, "Don't worry; she doesn't bite."
"She already did!" I yelled while running away from the biter.  It, again, was ridiculous.  The woman was trying to get the dog on the loose, Bella, while holding on to the leash of the other dog.  Bella had broken my skin in 4 places, and now I have at least 1 bruise there. 
She kept yelling, "Bella!" but it didn't seem to do any good.
Meanwhile, I became concerned.  This dog was off the leash right next to a busy street.  I was worried that she would get hit by a car.  So I ran into a parking lot: hoping she would follow me.  She did.  I was a little shocked, I was angry, and I decided I'd had enough, so I continued my walk.  Then I started to think about things like rabies.  If an animal, that's infected with rabies, bites you, it can kill you.  So I walked back toward the woman.  She was still yelling Bella's name, and she was still on the loose.  I yelled to her, "Does she have her shots?!"
"Yes" she answered.
So I walked on.  I got to my destination, turned around, and walked toward home again.  I don't have health insurance, but I have been to a free clinic around here.  They will treat you, but they ask for a $10 donation.  I wanted to make sure I wasn't going to die.  I got the idea to go into the groomer's and see if that woman was there.  If she was, I would ask her for money.  Why should I have to pay to make sure I'm not gonna die from rabies?  I went in there, but I did not see her.  By the way, she didn't even apologize to me.  I did think to write down the phone number of the groomer's, which was on a sign in front of the shop.  When I got home, the first order of business was to call the groomer's and ask if they make sure the dogs have their shots before grooming them.  The nice woman on the end of the phone insisted that they do.  She pretty much put my mind at ease.
Today, I went to pick up my cell phone from where I lost it.  On the way back, my car overheated and started belching smoke.  Then it did what it never did before; it failed to get me to my destination.  I didn't have my AAA card on me, so I walked home (from the highway).  It took me 40 minutes to get home.  I was at home, on the phone with AAA, when someone rang my buzzer.  My first instinct was to ignore it.  Then I thought, what if it has something to do with my car?  Sure enough, a NY state trooper was at the door.  He asked if my car broke down.  I said yes, and that I'm trying to deal with it.  Then he let me know it had already been towed.  It turned out to be $150.  It would have cost nothing, or a little more than nothing, if AAA had towed it.  I called a nearby garage and told them what happened.  The mechanic on the phone seemed to think it might be an expensive problem.  I asked the towing company to tow it to this garage.  This has been a pretty difficult 2-day period.          

The Whale

A free groundhog

The Whale is the name of a movie I saw recently on DVD.  It is a beautiful documentary that is narrated (very well) by Ryan Reynolds.  It is about a young male Orca, named Luna, that became separated from the rest of his pod.  He found himself off the west coast of Vancouver Island, British Columbia.
Orcas are social creatures: like us.  Since he had no whales to hang out with, he tried to make friends with all the humans he encountered.   I don't want to reveal too much.  It is a great movie.  It's rated G.  There is no offensive material in it whatsoever.  By the way, the breath-taking scenery alone is a reason to see this movie.
I don't know what to say.  I love animals.  They are in my thoughts everyday.  I wish humans would stop imprisoning them and eating them.  So far, I don't think much of capitalism.  Greed is the main reason why animals like pigs, chickens, and cows are treated horribly.  They cram as many as they can into a building without concern for how much space each animal has.  On a personal note, I'm unemployed, looking for a job, and my savings are running out.  The gap between the haves and have nots keeps widening in this country.  I feel like we ruined this beautiful natural world with our sick society.  Nature is perfect; there's nothing wrong with it.  We haven't improved upon it; it is superior to anything we have done.
What would it take to get people to stop eating meat?  We certainly don't need to.  For the most part, it's bad for our health.  The healthiest foods are whole foods like fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, beans, and whole grains; meat can't compare.
I find myself at a loss for words.  Stop eating meat and eggs.  Treat animals with respect and kindness; they belong here as much as we do.  They should have the same freedoms and protection from violence that we have.      

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Viva las groundhogs!

It's so clear that most people don't care about animals beyond pets.  God forbid they control what they eat, if they did, then we might cease to be a nation where most of the citizens are overweight.  When you eat meat, in many cases, not only do you not care about the animals you're eating, you also don't care about your own health.  Things are completely backward.  People would rather be fat and unhealthy than stop eating meat and improve their health.
As one of the minority of people that loves all the animals, including mice and rats, I feel the need to voice my opinion.  I believe that animals should have the same rights as we do when it comes to freedom and protection from being beaten and killed.  People like me will never be content until it's a crime to attack any animal.
If you can't quit eating meat, first of all, you're weak.  Second of all, if you eat meat and you're fat, then you deserve to be fat.  Thirdly, if you eat meat, and you've gotten heart disease or cancer, then it's possible that you deserve it.  There are exceptions.  I would not say such things about disabled people and children.  But if you eat meat, then you are actively supporting cruelty to animals, and you deserve whatever bad karma is coming to you.
Here are examples of places of evil: butcher shops, steakhouses, and fur shops.  I hope that all businesses that profit off the exploitation of animals will go out of business as soon as possible.
I'm anti-violence.  As long as murder is against the law, it would \make sense that war is illegal as well.  Killing is killing.  We'll give Johnny a medal because he killed a bunch of Arabs in the Middle East.  But when Johnny comes home with PTSD and kills his family, that's where we draw the line.  I've never owned a gun, and I plan to never own one.  I bet the odds of getting a chance to successfully use a gun to shoot an intruder in your home are astronomical.  But people say this is why they need guns.  People who own guns are much more likely to shoot themselves: either accidentally or on purpose.
Every single day, an incredible amount of violence and cruelty is inflicted upon countless animals by people.  It's gotten to the point where I don't bother bugs in my home.  If you feel the need to kill every bug you see in your home, then you may be a real coward.  I'm not afraid of bugs.  Why are you?  There are exceptions.  I have seen spiders, then gone online to see if they were dangerous.  I knew a guy who was badly hurt by a brown recluse spider bite.  So as long as the bugs aren't potentially dangerous, I will not hurt them.

You Are an Animal

Just like us, bald eagles like to go to the beach.

And so am I.  Don't you see all the things we have in common with animals?  Many of them, like us, have 4 limbs.  I could go on forever: nose, mouth, eyes, ears, blood, heart, lungs, drink water, eat food, sleep, excrete, breathe and so on.  We're animals.  We just happen to be the worst this world has ever seen.  What species of animals has done more damage to the world than we have?  Some of us have been greedy, selfish, and vicious to a point that any other animal couldn't even imagine, let alone match.
They belong here as much as we do.  There's a whole food chain, and all of us fit into it.  Of course we keep messing it up by introducing invasive species to places where they don't belong.  We just do what we want: usually only thinking of ourselves.
People who love animals are merciful, gentle people.  If we weren't, then we would be terrorists.  We'd be shooting up steak houses, butcher shops, and fur stores.  I watch the news often, and I've heard about a lot of shootings and terrorist attacks, but never one that was perpetrated in the name of animal rights or liberation.  Sure, I've heard about Animal Liberation Front members breaking in to labs, rescuing the captive animals, then burning the place down to the ground after all the animals had been removed.  That's my idea of a hero.  I've read about how animals are treated in labs.  They are maimed, tortured, and killed.  It's 100% wrong to experiment on live animals.  If you don't have a problem with it, then I don't have a problem with scientists experimenting on your children.  Educate yourself on the subject.  It is wrong to torture animals: period.  They should have the right to be free and live natural lives.  Ever put yourself in the place of the animals being experimented on in labs?  If so, your life would likely be a complete nightmare. 
They say the pen is mightier than the sword; I hope so.  I haven't seen many sword-wielding animal rights activists.  Those of you who aren't vegetarians, and feel no need to make any sacrifices on behalf of animals (my brothers and sisters), just realize how angry us real animal lovers are at selfish people like you.

Animals Are Better Than People

I took this picture 9/11/01.  I have ones that aren't blemished like this, but I can't find them.

Animals didn't invent war, we did.  Animals didn't invent guns, we did.  Animals didn't invent nuclear weapons, we did.  I could go on like this forever, but perhaps you get the point.  People have done things that animals couldn't even imagine doing.  Sure, some animals have killed and eaten youngsters of their own species.  But at least there was a good reason.  They were hungry.  They were trying to survive.  Perhaps it's all they know.  Some people have killed children for reasons that animals would never kill for.  We have evil in us; they do not.
We should try to follow their example.  Look at groundhogs.  They're vegan; they eat grass and weeds.  Sometimes, they squabble amongst each other, but, for the most part, they're peaceful.  Tonight, I watched mama groundhog lay down near the entrance to her hole/home.  It looked like she was enjoying a nice evening before retiring to her hole.  Just a cute little furball who will never use chemical weapons on anyone and won't fire any tomahawk missiles either.
So much needs to change.  Many more people need to start caring about all animals: not just their pets.  What's the point of loving your cat or dog while you eat murdered pigs, cows, turkeys, and chickens?  What did these animals ever do to you?  It's very easy to be a vegetarian who avoids all foods with eggs in them; that''s what I do.  It's extremely easy to be a vegetarian.  Why not give it a try?  Educate yourself.  Read a book like Animal Liberation by Peter Singer.  If you don't like the first chapter (I didn't.), then skip it (I did.).  The issue is simple.  Animals are confined intensely in cruel conditions before they become food and/or clothing.  The worst part isn't that they're killed, it's how they're treated before they're murdered.  They are treated like machines.  They are packed into warehouse-type buildings.  Their keepers are usually more interested in money than how well these animals are treated.  If meat isn't expensive, part of the reason is that they're treated very badly.  Money comes before their welfare.  I disagree.  Each and every animal is worth more than all the money in the world.  Life is worth more than money. 

Love Animals

Happy doggy!

I don't fully relate to people who aren't vegans or vegetarians.  We don't need to eat meat, and we'd be much healthier if we didn't.  It's so tragic that people are willing to destroy their own health in order to ensure that animals like pigs, cows, chickens, and turkeys will live miserable lives in captivity until they are unnecessarily murdered.
Watch the documentary Forks Over Knives.  It is an eye-opening experience.  The basic message is don't eat meat, dairy, and processed foods, and you will be much healthier.  If you think that movie is a fluke, then watch Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead.  In that doc, a man who was overweight and on several medications switched to a diet that contains lots of fresh fruit and veggie juice and lost a lot of weight.  He was also able to get off of all the medications he had been on.  This man also convinced an obese truck driver to eat mostly fruit and veggie juice.  The transformation was incredible.  The truck driver was miserable as a meat eater.  Once he consumed mostly fruit and veggie juice, he lost weight and seemed to be much happier. 
That's an important message.  When you eat foods like broccoli, which is basically a superfood, you're eating all-natural medicine.  As many know, delicious blueberries are rich with antioxidants.  Instead of eating dead meat and popping all sorts of pills, you could eat fresh fruits, veggies, nuts, beans, seeds, and grains.  If you're overweight, you'd probably lose weight.  If you're a pill-popper, you might be able to ditch most, if not all, of your medications.
They say you can't teach an old dog new tricks.  I guess not.  It's pretty clear that people would rather get heart disease and cancer than stop eating meat.  How about this?  You're an adult, so maybe you should have control over what you put in your mouth and make smart decisions instead of stupid ones.  And maybe you shouldn't be poisoning your kids with unhealthy foods like meat. 
I suppose that it's been like this forever.  A small part of the population cares about ALL animals (not just pets), and the majority doesn't give a damn about most of them.  It's sad.  Just be careful.  If you're mistreating an animal, and someone tells you to stop, you'd better listen.  If I'm the one telling you to stop, and you don't, you might get your face smashed in.

I Got Time to Blog

Groundhog.

It was so smart of me to mention the standup comedy contest.  I just failed to advance to the finals.  But it was only my second time doing it, and it went much better than the first time.  It was a good crowd, though.  I was lucky to perform in front of a house that was nearly full.
I've previously mentioned here that I've seen nasty birds pecking at, and, I assumed, bullying groundhogs.  But I recently saw something quite strange.  A bird went so far as to jump onto the back of a groundhog, who seemed to do nothing to get the rider off of her.  The bird pecked at the groundhog, and I couldn't help wondering if the purpose of the pecking is to remove bugs from the groundhog's fur.  After all, as cute as they look, I don't know how clean they are.  They live outside: mostly underground, so I suppose they have to deal with their share of parasitic bugs.
I'm so happy to have met a very nice vegan woman.  We had a date, and it went very well.  It's more important that someone I'm dating be vegan or vegetarian than anything else.  It doesn't hurt that she's very pretty with a great smile.  I'm so glad she let me cuddle with her.  For those that don't know, touching, even non-sexual, is so incredibly beneficial to those being touched.  Massage, for instance, can do a world of good to someone.  It can help heal physical ailments.
Once again, I felt the need to intervene on behalf of my beloved groundhogs.  I heard kids talking around the area where the groundhog home is.  I looked out the window, and a kid was trying to fill the hole they live in with debris.
"Stop doing that," I said out the window.
The 2 kids looked up at me.  "Why?"  one of them asked defiantly.
"Cause there are animals living in there," I replied.
"Do they bite?" the kid asked.
I did not answer that.  I should have.  They certainly bite each other; that's for sure.
This kid did something strange.  He proudly pulled a $10 bill from his pocket and showed it to me.  "I'll give you $10 if I can fill this hole," he said with all kinds of braggadocio, as though $10, in his world, equaled a million dollars.
I declined his offer, and eventually, they left.  I went out there to clear whatever he had put in the hole.  The branch was the easy part, but he also had thrown a rock down there that I wasn't able to reach: even with my baseball bat.  But I was overjoyed to see that, later, the groundhogs had gone out anyway.  That rock hadn't stopped them, and that was the important thing.  

I Ain't Got Time to Blog

A young groundhog.

Yet I'll do a short post at least.  I was in a standup comedy competition,  I got knocked out, now I'm back in a wild card round.  So my most obvious thing to focus on is the show that will happen August 18, 2013.  If I'm not memorizing my act, then I'm very nervous. 
To sum up how I feel: don't eat meat.  If you can, omit eggs and milk from your diet as well.  You'd be healthier and you wouldn't be contributing to the suffering of animals like meat-eaters do.
Exercise regularly and religiously if you want to be healthy.
Treat animals as well as you can.  They deserve to be here on this world at least as much as we do.  Let's stop beating, killing, and incarcerating them.

Peace is the Way

Lovable furball.

Wouldn't you rather be like Gandhi or Martin Luther King, Jr, than Hitler or Stalin?  War makes me ashamed to be human.  Animals only kill when they feel they need to; when survival is at stake.  Humans are hypocritical enough to say that murder is a sin and a gravely serious crime, yet do it in a war and you're a hero.  Smoke some towel heads and we'll give you a medal.  What hypocrisy!  I said that to someone and he got pissed off because he had served in the armed forces.  That's a great side to take: pro war, pro destruction, and pro killing. 
People love to mention Hitler when it comes to explaining why war is sometimes necessary.  Hitler would not have been able to do as much damage as he did if he did not have access to the tools of war: tanks, guns, battleships, warplanes, and so on.   
We are a bad-tempered breed.  I always suspected that some of the people who join the military do so because they want to kill people.  Last year, I watched a documentary about an American soldier that fought in Afghanistan.  There was a scene where he interviewed to become a marine.  He was asked why he wanted to be a marine.  He said he wanted to be a marine so he could kill people.  One of the soldiers interviewing him said something like, "Well, that's the best answer I ever heard."  How psychotic.  I wonder how well I'd do trying to impress potential employers by letting them know that I'd like to kill people.  How freaking savage.   
War is stupid and people are stupid.  It's time to get rid of it.  We cannot consider ourselves to be civilized as long as war is being waged.
I can't help thinking about the animals that are killed in wars.  I hate when the police and military train dogs to do their dirty work.  How dare they.  The dogs don't understand the risk: the danger.  It's so wrong to exploit them like that.  Dogs trust us instinctually.  Their trust shouldn't be exploited.  Leave dogs out of wars.  Just feed them, give them water and any needed medical care, pet them, hug them, and love them, because that's what they deserve. 

Animals Improve Life

Look at that foot.

Animals improve life, so we should treat them well and not murder them.   It wasn't a human that cheered me up today.  When I was watching a groundhog eat, then she stood on her hind legs to look around, I chuckled.  When I saw rabbits chasing each other, since I assumed (hoped) it was playful rather than aggressive, it also delighted me.
I wish I could have a pet.  Where I live right now, they aren't allowed, but there are more reasons than that for me to not have one.  I love dogs and cats so much.  I think it's a shame when cats never get to  go outside, though.  Neither should people let their cats go totally footloose and fancy free, because they are predators, and they're liable to kill mice and birds for no good reason.  If I had a cat, I believe I would walk him or her on a leash if he or she didn't mind it.  I don't live my life in fear.  I'm not afraid of death, so why should I be afraid of anything else?  If someone wants to make fun of me because I'm walking a cat, they can go to hell.  I don't care about them or what they think of me or anything.  If you're a guy, and you're worried that you're not appearing macho enough, then how manly are you really?  It's the real manly guy who doesn't care what other people say or think, but if someone crosses the line and touches him (or his pet), when he has no business doing so, he will be ready to strike.
I really feel like I have nothing to lose.  I'm not a rock star, movie star, or highly-paid athlete, therefore I'm not very happy about my life.  I don't fear death.  I'm thinking, more and more, I shouldn't take ANY crap.  If somone feels the need to attack me in any way, why shouldn't I reciprocate in a similar fashion?
Of course, there is violence, intimidation, and bullying in the animal world.  It's just the way it is.  This is an angry world.  That's why I'm glad I've never brought anyone into it.  This place is way too violent, vulgar, and vile for my kids.
I'm on a mission to try to help animals as long as I live.  It's the best reason for living I've been able to come up with.   

So Much Pain

A Young Groundhog

My god, there's so much pain on this planet.  You couldn't possibly measure it.  Life is so hard.  Maybe it isn't for people who have inherited a lot of money, but, for the rest of us, it can be.  For instance, I used to have cable, and I used to watch nature programs.  I still do, on PBS, but it depends.  I don't want to see animals ripping each other apart.  I know it's going on; I just don't need to see it.
This is a violent, brutal world.  As far as I'm concerned, parenting is the big lie.  When humans bring another human, or animal, into this world, I believe they have committed an act of cruelty.  It's so funny to me how backwards it is.  You're supposed to respect and obey your parents.  Why?  Because they brought you into a world of pain, brutality, and misery?
I have to make a distinction here.  Adoptive parents are heroes.  When a couple of people get together and say, to themselves, I refuse to bring someone into this world, but I want to raise a kid, and they adopt as a result-giving a home to a kid who needs one, well, they are certainly heroes as far as I'm concerned.
I hate breeders: for example-of dogs.  There are so many dogs languishing in shelters that deserve loving homes.  They are betrayed by breeders, who bring more dogs into a world that already has tons of homeless dogs, so they can make some money.  Shame on them.  I'd spit in all their faces if I could.  They are human garbage.
But it's even harder to live in this world if you care about animals more than the average uncaring human does.  You try to watch a little TV, and you're bombarded by things that offend you: like commercials that show smiling people eating meat.  We don't need to eat meat.  Those that do, do it out of selfishness.  They refuse to limit their food choices at all.  They don't care at all how many pigs, chickens, cows, turkeys, fish, and so on have to suffer so they can eat whatever the hell they want to.  I'm disgusted by people who eat meat.  I think the murder of an animal, any animal (with the possible exception of bugs, even though I don't harm bugs in my home or elsewhere, I just don't feel as strongly about them as I do about other animals), should be punished as though the person killed a human being.     

Worse Than I Thought

I think these youngsters have been chased away from here.

I realized today, with sadness, that Betsy might have chased all of her children away except for Runty.  Lately, I've only seen her fat ass and Runty.  It's so sad the way groundhogs come and go around here.  Well, it's not sad when they arrive, but it certainly is when they go.  I haven't seen 4 of her children in quite a while. 
I gave Runty that name because he has the thinnest fur of any groundhog I've ever seen.  I have previously referred to Runty as a female, but I have a feeling he's a male.  I assumed he was female, because that's the way I do things.  If I don't know the sex of an animal, I assume that he or she is a female, because lots of people seem to be more protective of their sisters, mothers, wives, girlfriends, and daughters.  I saw a documentary about one of the founders of PETA: Ingrid Newkirk.  She said that animals are never its; they're hes or shes.  I agree wholeheartedly. 
There's plenty of grass for lots of groundhogs, but I guess Betsy doesn't feel that way.  I suppose her children aren't cute enough for her anymore.  I love her, but I don't love her mothering technique.
I sure hope Runty's fur grows in well eventually.  I don't want him to be too cold when winter comes.  Who could he snuggle with?  His mother Betsy?  Perhaps not.  She might be the worst groundhog mother I've ever seen. 
I did read what this guy wrote.  He wrote that groundhogs kill em' all and let god sort them out.  I've seen plenty of groundhog on groundhog violence, and I think I've seen lots of battle scars on little groundhogs.  It's so sad.  They're so cute, but they're lives are filled with fear and violence.  Again, I draw the line when it comes to human on groundhog violence.  I'm willing to get into a fistfight to protect a groundhog or any animal.  They're my brothers and sisters.  They belong on this planet at least as much as we do.
Okay now, black people have demanded their rights and gotten them.  Same thing with women: and now gay people.  It's the animal's turn: all of them.