Friday, July 29, 2005

Friday Pet Blogging | Milo: Still Life with Basket

No, Milo is on the staircase with a basket. He is not a basket case!

Milo takes advantage of a slightly elevated vantage point to survey the situation in the dining room. ("The Situation" is what Milo sometimes calls his brother, Otis).

The Modulator has a compilation of today's pet posts from other bloggers. Previous Milo & Otis appearances on Prophet or Madman are indexed here ... just in case you missed one. And do keep your eyes peeled for the next installment of the Carnival of the Cats, served fresh every Sunday.

Friday Pet Blogging | Milo: Four Toys

What Milo wants, Milo gets. Usually.

"I Distinctly Asked for Four DIFFERENT Toys!" Milo said calmly. And then, with only the slightest disdain creeping into his voice, he ordered, "Now, scoop up the duplicate and replace it with a unique toy post haste!"

OK. He didn't really make an order like that. He may look haughty at times, but he doesn't have a disdainful bone in his body. But ... well, look at him. How could anyone refuse a face like that?? I would have procured almost anything for him -- if only I knew what he was actually asking for.

The Modulator has a compilation of today's pet posts from other bloggers. Previous Milo & Otis appearances on Prophet or Madman are indexed here ... just in case you missed one. And do keep your eyes peeled for the next installment of the Carnival of the Cats, served fresh every Sunday.

Quotable

The image “http://www.brainwise.org/Images/quoteOpen.gif” cannot be displayed, because it contains errors.What is fog but a cloud that lacks the will to fly? -- Bill Bryson, author (1951 - ) Today's quotable is taken from Bryson's Aventis Prize winning book, A Short History of Nearly Everything, which he wrote "because he was presented in school with facts, but no one explained how people came to know the things he learned. So he tried to find out how people knew what the interior of the earth looks like. During this research he found out strange facts about scientists and their research; Thus, instead of just giving the reader facts and figures, Bryson discusses topics from a unique angle unseen in most science books." [source: Wikipedia]

Thursday, July 28, 2005

Why They Go

File under: Space Exploration
For Michael Huang, space missions are not a question of "Humans or Robots?" The answer to that question is an emphatic Both! Robots are better for certain missions, and humans are better for others. The important question, Huang points out, is "Why do they go?" And he answers that question in this brief yet stirring opinion piece: Why They Go.

Giant Mice Attacking Birds

"It is like a tabby cat attacking a hippopotamus." -- Dr Geoff Hilton, senior research biologist with Britain's Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) Giant carnivorous mice are eating seabird chicks alive. The nightly mass feeding frenzies are taking place on Gough, a British-ruled island in the south Atlantic. So far, the monster mice pose no threat to humans. Well, maybe the super mice are remotely responsible for the recent rash of MWBFs (Missing White Blonde Females) that have captivated the MSM. But there is no direct evidence. And I digress. So, back to the story at hand ... Gough Island is about 1,000 miles southwest of Cape Town (South Africa). The island is pretty much uninhabited -- by humans, that is (hence my earlier comment about posing no threat). But Gough is host to "an astonishing community of seabirds" -- more than 10 million birds reside here. Well, the mouse attacks ("mouse attacks" ... that's such a strange thing to write, isn't it?) are bringing that number down very quickly. Dr Geoff Hilton, a senior research biologist with Britain's Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB), says that "this catastrophe could make many extinct within decades." 10 million birds gone ... in decades? Gough Island hosts 99 percent of the world's Tristan albatross and Atlantic petrel populations, the birds most often attacked. Just 2,000 Tristan albatross pairs remain.
An undated handout photo made available May 2, 2005 shows an albatross. Giant carnivorous mice on the British-ruled island of Gough in the south Atlantic are eating seabird chicks -- including those of the albatross -- alive in mass feeding frenzies, threatening several species' survival, a wildlife charity warned.(AFP/File) Tristan Albatros (AFP/File Photo)
The house mice responsible for the attacks are believed to have made their way to Gough decades ago on sealing and whaling ships. While they have evolved to three times the size their normal size (normal size being that of those seen in mainland Britain), these strange predators are still only a small fraction of the size of the chicks they attack. "The albatross chicks weigh up to 10 kg (22 lb) and ... the mice weigh just 35 grams; it is like a tabby cat attacking a hippopotamus," Hilton said. And it's a disproportionately grusome attack:
The rapacious rodents gnaw into the bodies of the defenceless and flightless chicks, leaving a gaping wound that leads to an agonising death. Scientists say once one mouse attacks the blood seems to draw others to the feast.
Scientists don't seem to know what has caused the mice to grow so large, or how they learned to eat the birds. But I'll bet some enterprising neo-con will find a way to blame this situation on Liberals who support stem cell research or something. That is, if they can pull themselves away from the search for MWBFs or the next Terry Shiavo. The image “http://www.brainwise.org/Images/smilewink.gif” cannot be displayed, because it contains errors.

Tuesday, July 26, 2005

Green Lighting: the DIrtY MIRT

Have you ever sat at an interminably long traffic light, or caught every red light between points A and B, and thought, "Boy, I wish I had something that could change all these lights to GREEN"? Well, such a device exists, and it is called a MIRT (for Mobile Infra Red Transmitter). A MIRT uses Infra Red technology to trigger the Pre-Emptive sensor on a traffic light, causing it to change to green. With such a contraption within reach (say, sitting in your glove compartment or resting on the passenger seat), one could actually achieve what every commuter dreams of: to always have a green light. Bad News MIRTs are sold only to "Authorized Users" who have to cough up $300 or $400 to get one. Good news You Do It Yourself types can build your own DIY MIRT for less than 20 bucks: Wondering if it's legal? It probably isn't. But the good author of these instructions has covered that question for you in the writeup. (Still, it's alwasy best to check State Laws for yourself.) Wondering if I have one? I don't. But I love reading about cool DIY tech projects that are not only cheap, but also have a practical application (even if I am not going to apply it).

Ett klick för skogen - A Click For The Forest

Save Årrenjarkas old growth forest!
The image “http://www.ettklickforskogen.se/images/11_fotogalleri/pix_bjornpastrand.gif” cannot be displayed, because it contains errors. The image “http://www.ettklickforskogen.se/images/11_fotogalleri/tallhed_pix.gif” cannot be displayed, because it contains errors. [ For these and other photos (larger ones!), see the gallery ]
My family tree has a few roots in Sweden, so this campaign is of great interest to me. A Click For The Forest's goals are big. Really big. Your daily click will help to preserve 3 - 30 square decimeters of old growth forest in Sweden. Each click results in a monetary contribution from the site's sponsors. The click costs you nothing, but could provide the chance that numerous species need to live in a secure forest in sustainable populations. And take a look at all the things that old growth forests can assist:
  • Tourism -- "Hey, let's go to the cool, old forest!"
  • (Outdoor) Recreation -- well, sure it brings in the tourists; but the locals love it, too!
  • Research
  • Future Generations -- we're talkin' natural heritage here, folks.
You can even buy a tree for someone you love. (Um, you don't really get the actual tree, you know. You get a certifiate that says you supported the tree.) It makes a great gift. And even more impressive gift? Donate at least $130.00 and your name -- or the name of a loved one -- will be engraved at the entrance of the Årrenjarkas forest.
Interested?? Well then, go
Here is the button:

Idiot Bush Wins Award!

No, I'm serious. Sam Apple's parody that puts Preznit Bush in the role of the "idiot" in William Faulkner's The Sound and the Fury has won the top honor in this year's write-like-Faulkner contest. But you won't find Apple's story in the print edition of Hemispheres, the United Airlines magazine that sponsors the contest. It's only on the website. Organizers of the Faux Faulkner competition accuse Hemispheres of playing politics:
"One of the things they asked was that we didn't have profanity or any obvious sexual content. We watch for that. But anything else, like a political subject, was funny, it was parody. ... We felt that that shouldn't be censored," said Larry Wells, who organizes the contest with his wife, Dean Faulkner Wells, Faulkner's niece.
But magazine editor Randy Johnson claims the mag is simply trying to get more hits on the website:
"The number of people who are able to see the Web site completely stands on its head any charge of censorship," Johnson said. "We are making it available to millions of people."
Johnson further points out that Apple's parody was previously published in the online magazine Slate. Apple's story portrays President Bush in the role of Benjy, the mentally challenged son (the "idiot") in Faulkner's 1929 novel about the wreckage of a Southern family. Just as the first section of Faulner's novel is told from Benjy's point of view, Apple's story -- The Administration and the Fury -- is told from Bush/Benjy's point of view as Vice President Dick Cheney, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld prepare him for a news conference:

"'Go and get him Saddam's gun,' Condi said. 'You know how he likes to hold it.'

"Dick went to my desk drawer and took out Saddam's gun. He gave it to me, and it was hot in my hands. Rummy pulled the gun away.

"'Do you want him carrying a gun into the press conference?' Rummy said. 'Cant you think any better than he can?'"

Apple won the contest, not because of the political content of his piece, but because -- in the words of contest organizer Larry Wells -- "it mirrors the labyrinthine language of the Nobel laureate." Plus it's a damn funny bonus that "Condi" sounds like "Caddy," Benjy's beloved sister. More:

Monday, July 25, 2005

Proof of Evolution?

A headline from the Cincinnati Enquirer: "Madonna finds herself in estate of evolution."
Madonna - Chicken Farmer? Country Girl? Former Material Girl Feeds Her Chicks PHOTO: The Associated Press/Tim Walker, Vogue
I just love that .... estate of evolution.

Friday, July 22, 2005

Horse Plows and Organics on the Rise

Two interesting stories today. One from the AP (found on Yahoo), and the other from a little periodical called New Farm Magazine. Both talk about interesting trends in farming. Horse-and-Plow Farming Making a Comeback
By JOSEPH B. FRAZIER, Associated Press Writer Fri Jul 22, 3:23 AM ET To some, the thought of a farmer patiently working the field behind a horse and plow might evoke pangs of nostalgia for the early days of agriculture. But in fact, the practice is making a comeback... [Yahoo Article] [Small Farmer's Journal]
Students Flock to Campus Organic Farms
By JULIA SILVERMAN, AP Education Writer Fri Jul 22, 7:44 AM ET Plenty of college kids still subsist on a steady diet of ramen noodles, cold cereal and beer to wash it all down. Not Nate France. The crop and soil sciences major at Oregon State University here wouldn't dream of following the well-beaten path to the local Carl Jr.'s for cheap, mammoth burgers. Instead, every Thursday afternoon until the sun sets, France helps till and tend to a pocket-sized, student-run organic farm on a couple of soil-rich acres just outside this western Oregon college town... [New Farm Magazine]

Your Moment of Zen for Today

Opinions founded on prejudice are always sustained with the greatest violence. -- Francis Jeffrey, Scottish critic & jurist (1773 - 1850)

Quotable

The image “http://www.brainwise.org/Images/quoteOpen.gif” cannot be displayed, because it contains errors.When we see into the emptiness or illusory nature of things, of life and death, of sickness and health, of youth and old age, then we’re master of all things. We are free to be healthy, we’re free to be sick, we’re free to grow old.

-- Geoffrey Shugen Arnold (teacher, Zen Mountain Monastery)

Geoffrey Shugen Arnold, Sensei The image “http://www.mro.org/zmm/images/IMAGE-training-shugen.jpg” cannot be displayed, because it contains errors. (Photo: Zen Mountain Monastery) Brief Bio (scroll down) PBS Video Interviews Library of Dharma Talks

Friday Pet Blogging | BONUS: Attack of the Box!

Oh, today we have a special treat for you Cat Blogging Aficionados out there (and you know who you are). Today, Prophet or Madman -- and Otis -- present: The Boxes Have Eyes! First, Otis must climb into the box (an empty carton of Rice Dream drink packs, lovingly gifted to Otis by Mrs. Brainwise), and demonstrate his deadly and sneaky reach: Next, Otis illustrates the blinding fury of the box's dangerous attack mode. He thrashes mightily at some poor, unwitting phantom* that got too close to the evil box:
This final photo is a warning -- approach all boxes with caution. You never know whether it is watching and waiting for its next victim:
Thank you for viewing this special presentation of The Boxes Have Eyes! We now return you to your regularly scheduled blogosphere. Don't forget that The Modulator has more cat blogging goodness. ________________________ *On second thought ... that might not have been a phantom in photo number 3. He might have been going for my foot. I'm not sure.

Friday Pet Blogging | Milo's Sanctuary

Milo's smug mug.

Here is a shot of Milo peering out from the relative safety of a kitchen chair. Er, rather, from UNDER the chair. Being under this chair -- or the table -- ranks highly on his list of favorite places.

The Modulator has a compilation of today's pet posts from other bloggers. Previous Milo & Otis appearances on Prophet or Madman are indexed here ... just in case you missed one. And do keep your eyes peeled for the next installment of the Carnival of the Cats, served fresh every Sunday.

Friday Pet Blogging | Otis Chills

Otis says: "Look deeply into my eyes ... I am getting very sleepy. Wait! I mean ... oh, damn."

A rare shot of Otis at rest. He seems very comfy sitting atop the couch ... and hogging the cool air streaming forth from the air conditioner. His very expression seems to say: "What? You wanted to cool off, too? How is that my problem?"

The Modulator has a compilation of today's pet posts from other bloggers. Previous Milo & Otis appearances on Prophet or Madman are indexed here ... just in case you missed one. And do keep your eyes peeled for the next installment of the Carnival of the Cats, served fresh every Sunday.

Wednesday, July 20, 2005

More on JGR Jr.

I updated my previous post on Preznit Bush's SCOTUS nominee with a few more blogosphere reactions. If you read nothing else, definitely check out the what's going on over at The Moderate Voice.

Tuesday, July 19, 2005

Who the Heck is John G. Roberts Jr.?

Well, for one thing, he is Preznit Bush's nomination to replace Sandra Day O'Connor on the Supreme Court. This completely blindsided me. I have no idea who he is or what his views are. Maybe that's not so surprising. Well, guess what: Very few other people seem to have a handle on him either since he has "a limited public record on social issues" (Bloomberg.com). And, as Buck reminds us, Roberts will soon leave the comfy shade of a not-so-public-life for the "glaring light and microscopic scrutiny that only 15 second sound bites can give" as every aspect of his life and career are mercilessly scrutinized. But while we wait for the hearings, people can still talk and form opinions, can't they? Here are some views for your perusal right now, courtesy of WatchBlog.com (remember, these are not my labels -- or titles! -- they come straight from WatchBlog): Let the games begin... ____________________________ Update 07-20-2005 9:41 am: The blogosphere is starting to weigh in a bit more. Josh Marshall points out an interesting Law.com article that was posted back in February of this year: D.C. Circuit Judge Gets on Supreme Court Short List The BullMoose refers to Roberts as the "Son of Rehnquist." Outside the Beltway provides a summary of posts Assessing John Roberts. "Thus far," writes Joyner, "the consensus seems to be that he's both a match for the judicial philosophy that conservatives demand and yet sufficiently judicious as to be easily confirmable." The Moderate Voice has a whole lot of conversation going on (and it is summarized on one page here). Piper seems pleasantly surprised by Roberts' heartthrob status. Stickings calls the nom a score for the base. And Joe Gandelman has tirelessly (well, I can only assume his stamina far exceeds mine -- I got tired just scrolling through the post) summarized his and other's views on the upcoming battle -- definitely the must-read post on the blog today.

Bad Keyboard Day

Did you ever just have one of those days when you really hate your keyboard? No, I don't know who created that little animated GIF (I received it via email), but I am soooo glad I have not experienced that kind of user rage ... yet.

iPotato?

I'm sure you've seen nice little science experiments like the lemon-powered clock. Well, if you thought that was something (and even if you thought it was something ... lame), you are sure to be amazed by what the D116 gang have cooked up: Surf on over to their site for a detailed summary of the experiment and instructions for building your own Potato-Powered Server. They were actually running this thing for a while, but the potatoes have rotted away. So it is currently running on a single AAA battery (which, they claim, should power it for several years), making it -- in their words -- the World's Lowest Power Web Server.

Monday, July 18, 2005

Can't Have Your Subsidy and Eat It, Too

MacRaven, a non-subsidized farmer, briefly points out why the prevailing notion that agricultural subsidies in the West are the root cause of African poverty are actually WRONG.

Monday Morning Poetry Blogging

Vellekla

Hakon the earl, so good and wise, Let all the ancient temples rise; -- Thor's temples raised with fostering hand That had been ruined through the land.

His valiant champions, who were slain On battle-fields across the main, To Thor, the thunder-god, may tell How for the gods all turns out well.

The hardy warrior now once more Offers the sacrifice of gore; The shield-bearer in Loke's game Invokes once more great Odin's name.

The green earth gladly yields her store, As she was wont in days of yore, Since the brave breaker of the spears The holy shrines again uprears.

The earl has conquered with strong hand All that lies north of Viken land: In battle storm, and iron rain Hakon spreads wide his sword's domain.
Einar Skålaglam, Icelandic skald , ca. 986 translation by Rune Bjørnsen For more Classical and Historic poetry -- as well as some background notes on the above translation -- please visit Odin's Gift.

Saturday, July 16, 2005

Quotable

All of us are apprenticed to the same teacher—reality. It is as hard to get the children herded into the car pool and down the road to the bus as it is to chant sutras in the Buddha-hall on a cold morning. One is not better than the other; each can be quite boring; and they both have the virtuous quality of repetition. Repetition and its good results make the very activities of our life into the path. -- Gary Snyder (1930 - ), Zen teacher, poet, essayist, and activist

Friday, July 15, 2005

Friday Pet Blogging | Inertia

Milo (right): "Stop twitching, you spaz."

You may not know it, but Milo and Otis have a keen interest in science, and often revel in demonstrating or proving basic concepts. In today's lesson, they discussed the topic of inertia. As you can see in the photo, they are illustrating the classic fact of inertia:

A Milo at rest tends to stay at rest; an Otis in motion tends to stay in motion.

The Modulator has a compilation of today's pet posts from other bloggers. Previous Milo & Otis appearances on Prophet or Madman are indexed here ... just in case you missed one. And do keep your eyes peeled for the next installment of the Carnival of the Cats, served fresh every Sunday.

Cooter says, "Skip the Dukes Movie!"

I don't know how many Prophet or Madman readers are fans of the old CBS television series, The Dukes of Hazzard. Nor do I care to guess how many might be planning to see the movie version coming out on August 5th. But, just in case, you should know that Ben "Crazy Cooter" Jones wants true blue fans to stay far, far away from it. Jones -- who played the wisecracking mechanic, and cousin to the Duke boys -- from 1979-1985, objects to the profanity laden and sexually charged script:
"Basically, they trashed our show," said Jones, who now lives in the mountains of Washington, Va. "It's one thing to do whatever movie they want to do, but to take a classic family show and do that is like taking "I Love Lucy" and making her a crackhead or something."
Jones is a former Georgia congressman, with two terms of service (elected in 1988 and 1990). But he is deeply involved in Duke nostalgia. He maintains a website, cootersplace.com, owns a Dukes memorabilia shop in Gatlinburg, TN, and is an organizer of "Dukesfest," an annual outdoor concert and convention celebrating the show in Bristol, TN. Crazy Cooter coming at ya, indeed. Full story: usatoday.com

Thursday, July 14, 2005

When Adulterers Care Enough ...

Apparently it's not enough that just about every holiday has a card (c'mon, do we really need to pass out cards on Arbor Day or Thanksgiving Day??). Nosiree! Thanks to Bethesda resident Cathy Gallagher, you will soon be able to purchase a heart-felt greeting for your other significant other, if you catch my drift. They're not out yet, but keep an eye on the aisles of your favorite card shop and you just might spot the Secret Lover Collection wedged in between the wedding and grief cards. Some examples:
  • A holiday card begins with, As we each celebrate with our families, I will be thinking of you.
  • The card meant for an office romance says, I used to look forward to the weekends but since we met they now seem like an eternity.
  • There's a breakup card that says, I can't go on like this anymore -- I guess our timing just wasn't right.
  • And the worst of the lot urges the receiver to leave his or her spouse. Let's live our lives together and finally be one," it says. "I can't imagine not having you in my life. Let's start living our lives for 'us.'
I think I may just have to puke. According to the Gazzette.net, Gallagher came up with the idea for the cards after she and her husband had a conversation about how many of their friends were involved in extramarital affairs. As to whether either she or her husband has ever engaged in an affair, she says "You don't have to be a murderer to write a murder mystery. It's irrelevant because I feel like I've experienced it through my friends." Gallagher believes that people in extramarital affairs are an untapped market and could be a real money-maker. Besides, regular relationship cards just don't cut it when it comes to expressing the feelings in an adulterous affair, right? But aside from the prospect of making money through her new business, Gallagher said she's also doing a service:
"This way they have a way to express their feelings. They're in this conflicting situation. They love this other person but they may not want to break up their family," she said. "It's very taboo, but I'm not judgmental about it. I feel like I'm helping them."
Oh, I see. She's not condemning or condoning affairs. She's just trying to make an honest buck off of conflicted (and possibly dishonest) people. It is, after all, the capitalist/commercial way. So what's next, a line of Thank You for Screwing the American People cards that come pre-addressed for sending to the White House or your favorite avengelist? They could have five flavors: Sarcastic, Ironic, Bitter, Vengeful, and Disenchanted. Hmmmm..... Come to think of it, I might actually purchase those cards. (Or trademark the idea poste haste!). Full story can be found at the several locations, such as:
The image “http://www.newsobserver.com/images/xtq_photos/2005-1/xtq_20050711-images/reg-953565-584937.jpg” cannot be displayed, because it contains errors. Baltimore Sun Photos by Andre F. Chung
Update: I almost forgot ... I just 'loved' the Ads by Gooooogle that show up in the Gazette.net article. Here is a screen capture of what I saw (YMMV of course):
The image “http://www.brainwise.org/Images/GoogleAds_ExtraMar.gif” cannot be displayed, because it contains errors.
Yeeeeeesh.

iSpoof

Everyone loves to spoof a success story. And the iPod -- with several flavors and many, many accessories -- is as successful a commercial product as they come. So, of course, people are gonna take swipes at it. iSpoof I It's not literally the first spoof. I'm just presenting it first. The most recent one I saw is the work of video artist Scott Kelby, a Photoshop maven. Last month, at his Mac Design conference, he unveiled an Apple ad spoof for something called the iPod Flea. NY Times columnist (and technical writer) David Pogue is "pleased to offer in its Web debut." As it is hosted at the NY Times, you will have to watch an actual commercial before you can view Kelby's work. But at least you don't have to sign in! Here is the link:
[Note: Requires Windows Media Player]
iSpoof II Also last month, Sluggy Freelance cartoonist Pete Abrams spoofed the iPod in a few well-placed episodes of his ongoing web-comic. Coincidence? Who cares! His iPodling/iSophagus story is all good fun. Here is a little preview...
These three strips are the main iPodling/iSophagus story: These strips continue the saga to it's, um, bitter end: I hope you enjoy these little spoofs. If you know of any other good humored slams against the iPod, let me know!

Wednesday, July 13, 2005

Star Wars: Revenge of the Sick (Scientologist)

Hat tip to Watertiger of Dependable Renegade.
That Tom Cruise. He's really been a busy little Scientologist, eh? Jumping on couches, condemning psychiatry and medicine use, and killing Oprah Winfrey. Do not watch this little flick with a full mouth, otherwise you run the risk of spewing ... something ... all over your monitor.

Tuesday, July 12, 2005

I Know How He Feels

Poor Brutus Thornapple. I imagine this strip, which ran on Monday, July 11, reflects how most people feel about their jobs. I know it reflects how I often feel about mine.
Click for the full strip

Stuff On My Cat ...

... is way too funny. See for yourself:

Friday, July 08, 2005

"And This Is Why They Did It"

The Times Online had guest contributor Amir Taheri, an Iranian commentator on Middle Eastern affairs, write an opinion piece on the London Terror Attacks. I heard about the piece when Michael Smerconish interviewed Mr. Taheri on his program this morning. Mr. Taheri's essay indicates:
  1. The ideology and goals of alQaeda have their roots in the philosophies of Abul-Ala al-Maudoodi, a Pakistani who taught that everyone has to become a Muslim ... or else. This "shock them into conversion for their own good" belief fuels the path that Bin Laden, a disciple of al-Maudoodi, has carved out for his group.
  2. There is no way to talk or reason with the people who follow this ideology. None. Zip. Zero. Their ideology is completely alien to the Western and Democratic mindset.
For more background on Mr. Taheri, check this page. To read Taheri's essay, "And This Is Why They Did It," which I highly recommend, go to the Times Online.

Friday Pet Blogging | Regal Milo

Nothing more need be said about this pose. But we've seen it a lot less since Otis returned to the fold.

The Modulator has a compilation of today's pet posts from other bloggers. Previous Milo & Otis appearances on Prophet or Madman are indexed here ... just in case you missed one. And do keep your eyes peeled for the next installment of the Carnival of the Cats, served fresh every Sunday.

Friday Pet Blogging | Down Under Otis

Otis just needed a little "down under" time -- that is down time under the coffee table.

The Modulator has a compilation of today's pet posts from other bloggers. Previous Milo & Otis appearances on Prophet or Madman are indexed here ... just in case you missed one. And do keep your eyes peeled for the next installment of the Carnival of the Cats, served fresh every Sunday.

Wednesday, July 06, 2005

I Have Returned

People of the Blogosphere ... I have returned! Don't everyone jump up and down at once. Yeeesh. Quick Updates:
  • Disney World was great, albeit hot and humid (with a few rounds of showers to boot). Mrs. Brainwise and I loved hanging with our six-year-old niece and watching her enjoy her first visit to Mickey's place.
  • Otis is doing well. His stitches were removed on June 30. There is very little scarring from what I can see. And he is handling the adjustment to his new plumbing pretty well. His accuracy has returned (which means he gets everything in the litter box), but he is suffering a bit of a bout of the runs.
  • Milo is not really happy with Otis' return. Oh, he was initially sad about Otis' absence. And Milo even tried to find him every now and then. But then Milo seemed to get comfortable with the situation and even enjoy his stint as an only child. So ... right after Otis returned on July 2, Milo initiated an attempt to assert his dominance over Otis, hissing and swatting at his brother whenever he could.
  • Milo's bid for alpha status may, however, be rather short-lived. Otis had been backing down whenever Milo hissed at him. But this morning, Otis charged Milo and knocked him off his perch. Milo hissed, but did nothing to reclaim the spot. So ... I think Milo will eventually have to accept his previous position in the hierarchy. [The funny thing is ... Otis didn't even realize that he had been the alpha cat ... he was just more outgoing.]
More detailed updates and rants as I can afford the time.

Monday, July 04, 2005

Miscellaneous Lifeform Blogging

Well, I hesitate to call it food. And the only other thing I can say is ... "I'm Not Gonna Try It..."

Saturday, July 02, 2005

Ready to Go

"I'm Ready to Go Home Now"

I used my Treo to snap Otis as he sat in his carrier, awaiting final checkout from the "spa."