Lives in a Shoe

Holiday Cats

Thanks to Mary.

A Word to the Wise - The Science is Settled

From http://www.examiner.com/article/islamic-report-sharia-science-proves-dogs-can-t-be-kept-as-pets

Putting aside the Islamic scientific proof that the earth is flat, or that Mecca is the center of the universe, the Islamo-centric information and cultural news portal Islam Online (of Doha, Qatar) has reported on Dec. 21, 2013, that Islamic Sharia Law proves scientifically that humans should never keep dogs as pets. Of the millions of websites on the internet, Islam Online ranks as one of the more widely read information hubs available world-wide.

Their wildly popular Ask the Scholar section tackles the age old question if it's permissible for Muslims to own dogs as pets.

The proof of science supporting Islamic Sharia Law is paragraph after paragraph warning humans not to allow domesticated dogs to lick plates and kitchen utensils "clean" and then for the humans to use them at meals sans a run through the dishwasher...

Okay to lick first, then?

Lots of icky detail follows about tapeworms, and Qaradawi's unsourced assertion that inflammation from tapeworms in the North Atlantic nation of Iceland "has reached the rate of 43 percent."

If you can't trust Dr. Gerard Finstimer, who can you trust?  Because science!

 

 

 

Cats Decoded

A guide to help cat owners understand what their pets are thinking from their body language has been released by a cat charity

 Surprisingly interesting.  For instance, I didn't know this:

“When a cat throws itself on its side and shows its belly, most people misinterpret this behaviour and think that it wants its belly rubbed but will get grabbed by their hand and the cat will bite them.

“What the cat is actually doing is showing a greeting behaviour and showing trust. It is actually an abuse of that trust to stroke its belly. What the cat would rather you do is to give it a slight head rub..'.

 

Privacy

SPYING: White House to preserve controversial policy on NSA, Cyber Command leadership. “The Obama administration has decided to preserve a controversial arrangement under which a single military official is permitted to direct both the National Security Agency and the military’s cyberwarfare command despite an external review panel’s recommendation against doing so, according to U.S. officials. The decision by President Obama comes amid signs that the White House is not inclined to place significant new restraints on the NSA’s activities and favors maintaining an agency program that collects data on virtually all phone calls of Americans, although it is likely to impose additional privacy-protection measures.”

from Instapundit

Added emhasis

It's Late, Bogus Important Date

FIVE YEARS AGO TODAY—
Al Gore predicted the North Polar Ice Cap would be completely ice free in five years. Gore made the prediction to a German audience in 2008. He told them that “the entire North ‘polarized’ cap will disappear in 5 years.”

“Five Years”

This wasn’t the only time Gore made his ice-free prediction. Gore’s been predicting this since 2007. That means that this year the North Pole should be completely melted by now.

Junk scientist Al Gore also made the same prediction in 2009.

From the video:

Former Vice President Al Gore references computer modeling to suggest that the north polar ice cap may lose virtually all of its ice within the next seven years. “Some of the models suggest that there is a 75 percent chance that the entire north polar ice cap, during some of the summer months, could be completely ice-free within the next five to seven years,” says Gore.

Today Cairo had its first snowfall in 100 years.

www.GatewayPundit.com

Same Ax?

An old farmer boasts that he has used the same ax his whole life -- he's only had to replace the handle three times and the head twice.

George and I saw the Coasters a few years ago at a casino nearby.  Was it the same guys?  Probably not.  Good to hear them, though.

"Poison Ivy" below.   One of the first 45s I bought with my baby-sitting earnings.

Air Force Band Flash Mob --

...at the Smithsonian, National Air and Space Museum.  To help us get into the holiday mood.  (Special hat tip to George, my very own Air Force veteran.)

 

Gramps Stories

Mandela Fake Interpreter

 

Man who provided sign language interpretation on stage for Nelson Mandela's memorial service, attended by scores of heads of state, was simply "making childish hand gestures" for hours.  Watch his face -- he's so apparently serious about his task.

 

 

 

Here's where he learned his skill --

 

 

 

I believe Nelson Mandela would have appreciated the humor although I'm pretty sure Winnie would not.

The story made me remember this, and I am putting it here for no good reason except I like it.

 

 

 

 

Michaelangelo's "David" Returns to Italy...

...after a one-year stay in the U.S.