Wrong Way to Protest

I have a cousin who is borderline illiterate, for sure a redneck, and not very well educated. She sent me an e-mail about how we can totally STICK IT TO the Saudis by not using their oil. Yes, the e-mail listed which companies use Saudi oil for gas vs. American or British companies. Here's my problem with that:

1. Supply and Demand. Economics class taught me that demand and price have an equilibrium. By boycotting these gas stations, the price of gas will ultimately GO UP (as the demand at all the US and Brit stations would exceed supply, causing the price to increase). There are some other economic issues like people in communities where public transportation is lacking NEED to use gas for their cars to get to work, daycare, the grocery store, etc... It's not like jewelry where if you can't afford it you don't buy it, gas is in many cases a necessity.

2. What kind of car are you driving? My cousin and her husband are very poor, and have made tons of terrible life decisions. They are living with her parents (where I believe that Social Security and Disability are footing the bills. Sometimes they have jobs, and other times they don't. Her parents have a reverse mortgage on the house... but she and her husband BOUGHT A BRAND NEW GAS GUZZLING SUV recently! So don't bitch about the price of gas when you buy an inefficient vehicle for NO REASON. The SUV is all faux-space. You can't haul things in it, it really holds about the same amount of material as a car (with half the fuel efficiency).

3. Bush and Cheney are NOT the entire US government. They are but two men. And they are greedy men with no sense of right and wrong. Remember that next time you go to the polls and vote (if you don't vote, you can't complain) and ELECT THE DEMS!



Here is her actual text: "OK? The oil company's that are is Saudi Arabia are run by the America government! We they pay the contractors $45 -50 and hour and pay the solider $10-12 to guards the refinery and put the lives on the line to suicide bomber for 63% of our guys are there to protect the OIL!!! (information I received from a SARGENT E7 doing just this!)

Personally it is the American GOVermet SREWING you over not! Any other country!!! The REAL RESON WERE OVER THERE IS TO PROTECT THE OIL!!!! And REMEMBER if the shit hits the fan our government is NOT there to protect us! There objective is to protect then selves and the pocket books (HELLO NSA!!! I know you watching ^%^ holes!) so just pray for alternate fuel and research on FUSION power with the H3 elements(CEMESTY NOT A BIG TRUCK) that is being done at UW MADISON may give us a chance in 5 years? "



Oy! It makes my head spin. It also makes me want to help change the world/volunteer/be a teacher/be a mentor/be a foster parent/etc...

John Edwards is THE MAN!!!!

I recently decided that I will be voting for John Edwards in the primary. Of all the top running democratic candidates he is the ONLY one who has a universal health care plan. This country needs universal care! The poor are sick and dying while "the suits" in charge of the so-called health insurance companies (more like sick care than health care) are profiting beyond our wildest imaginations. We're almost like a third world country in the way we've been taking care of our poor (Bush, I'm looking at YOU). Universal health care is an absolute necessity. That issue alone will get my vote Mr. Edwards!

I also decided that now was the best time for me to put my money where my mouth is and donate to his campaign. As a matter of fact, I said aloud, "He's gotta have pay-pal, right?" Sure enough: DONATE NOW

Give early, give often, and give lots!!!!

Family

I never had a chance... look at where I come from!!!!

My mom was in an art show, and her etching (shown above with women who have a BAD case of the giggles) SOLD almost immediately after the show opened. KICK ASS! So she got to put up a replacement. What a great art show....

Don't get me wrong, I love my family, but we are a traveling freak show!

ALDO UPDATE!

Aldo is coming home today!!!! There is of course a huge blizzard and freezing rain and what not, but today is the day!!!

I will go meet with the surgeon this afternoon, learn how to tap Aldo's chest myself through his newly installed port, and then he can come home!

He has the worst haircut ever (from where they shaved him for surgery) and he has several sites that have big metal staple style stitches. So I know he can't jump on anything for a while. I'll find a way to sleep on the floor with him.

We have follow up visits Thursday and Friday. BUT HE GETS TO COME HOME!

Oh joy!

I need to go defrost the ostrich meat I bought him....

Hurry Up and Wait

Wait, wait, wait. All I have been doing for EIGHT days since Aldo went to the hospital is wait. Then they call me and give me super hopeful good news, only to call later on with the opposite bad news.

Wait, wait, wait.

I'm waiting for a call from the vet student to see how x-rays went this morning. They removed the chest tube yesterday and are trying to monitor (through radiograph) how much air is in his plural space. (the x-ray shows if there is air leaking through the lung into the chest cavity).

PLEASE GOD LET ALDO GET WELL AND COME HOME SOON!!!!!

Friday Aldo Report

I just got a call from my vet medical student, and he said that as of this morning is SEEMS like Aldo has stopped producing air in his chest cavity. They still need to monitor that today, but if it keeps up all day, then later tonight they will be able to remove the vacuum tube they have in his chest now.

As usual, I can't stop crying. This sounds like good news, but I don't really want to celebrate until I KNOW that his lungs are healed and that the tube is out. Our regular vet, Dr. Erin, is going to call and talk to the folks at the vet school so she can get report from them (and talk more to me) too.

My mom and I will go visit him again tonight after work. When I got there last night they said he wasn't really eating, but he ate TWO whole blueberry bagels (dipped in yogurt, of course) for me, and I'm bringing him some fat-free cottage cheese tonight too.

The new theme of my life is "HOPE!" Please share it with me.

Surgery and Long Road to Recovery

Aldo's surgery is complete, but there were some complications that may make the road to recovery longer and bumpier.

He has a little tear in his lung, which is allowing his chest to fill up with air. They have a chest tube in him (creating a vacuum to suck out the air) and it SHOULD heal on its own within one to two days. However, if it doesn't in three days, he needs another surgery to try and correct it.

=(


I have never been more scared for so many days on end as I currently am.

Aldo is in the intensive care unit, which means the costs are just skyrocketing. I estimate that the whole thing has cost about $6,000 SO FAR. And it's not close to over. He is worth every single penny, but I'm starting to wonder where the pennies are going to come from.

I need to figure out how to sell everything I own on e-bay... check this out though:

E-bay Too bad I don't have more of those!


I'm going to visit Aldo tonight for the first time since dropping him off Tuesday. I'm only allowed 15 minutes. I miss my boy so much!!!!

Kiki is being pretty quiet at home. She doesn't really know how to be the only dog. She's been getting LOTS of snuggles and love though! I need her to lean on right now.

Please continue to keep Aldo in your thoughts and prayers. And if anyone asks what I need for Christmas or my birthday, the answer is CASH. Please. Thank you!