Help save innocent lives

Up to 50% of dogs and up to 70% of cats that enter shelters will end up dying there because no one comes to adopt them. That is why the ASPCA is working to make shelter pets the number one choice for those seeking a companion animal. As public awareness is raised regarding shelter pets, more and more animals will be adopted and fewer and fewer animals will suffer.

Tell your friends. Help save innocent lives.

http://myaspca.org

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The Night Before Solstice

The Night Before Solstice

Twas the night before solstice and all through the co-op
Not a creature was messing the calm status quo up.
The children were nestled all snug in their beds,
Dreaming of lentils and warm whole-grain breads.

We'd welcomed the winter that day after school
By dancing and drumming and burning the Yule,
A more meaningful gesture to honor the planet
Than buying more trinkets for Mom or Aunt Janet,

Or choosing a tree just to murder and stump it
And deck it all out like a seasonal strumpet.
My spouse and I, having turned down the heat,
Slipped under the covers for some well-deserved sleep,

When from out on the lawn there came such a roar
I slipped from my futon and rolled to the floor.
I crawled to the window and pulled back the latch,
And muttered, "Aw, where is that Neighborhood Watch?"

I saw there below through the murk of the night
A sleigh and eight reindeer, challenged of height.
At the reins of that sleigh sat a mean-hearted knave
Who treated each deer like some personal slave.

I'd seen him before in some ads for car loans,
Plus fast food, soft drinks and cellular car phones.
He must have cashed in from these mercantile chores,
Since self-satisfaction just oozed from his pores.

He called each by name, as if 'twere his right
To treat them like chattel enhancing his might:
"Now Donner, now Blitzen," and other such aliases,
Showing his true Euro-centrical biases.

With a snap of his fingers away they all flew,
Like Democrats served up brie or tofu.
Up to the rooftop they carried the sleigh
(The damage to my shingles is there to this day).

Out bounded the man, who went straight to the flue.
I knew in an instant just what I should do.
After donning my slippers, downstairs did I dash
To see this trespasser emerge from the ash.

His clothes were all covered with soot, well of course,
From our wood-fueled alternative energy source.
Through the grime I distinguished the make of his duds--
He was trimmed all in fur, fairly dripping with blood!

"We're a cruelty-free house!" I proclaimed with such heat
He was startled and tripped on the logs at his feet.
He stood back up dazed, but with mirth in his eyes.
It was then that I noticed his unhealthy size.

He was almost as wide as when standing erect,
A lover of fatty fried foods, I suspect.
But that wasn't all to make sane persons choke:
In his teeth sat a pipe that was belching out smoke!

I could scarcely believe what had invaded our house--
This carcinogenic and overweight louse
Was so red in the face from his energy spent,
I expected a coronary right there and then.

Behind him he toted a red velvet bag
Full to exploding with sinister swag.
He asked, "Where is your tree?" with a face somewhat long.
I said, "Out in the yard, which is where it belongs."

"But where will I put all the presents I've brought?"
I looked at him squarely and said, "Take the whole lot
To some frivolous people who think that they need
To succumb to the sickness of commerce and greed,

Whose only joy comes from the act of consuming,
Thus sending the value of retail stocks booming."
He blinked and said, "Ho, ho, ho! But you're kidding."
I gave him a stare that was stern and forbidding.

"Surely children need something with which to have fun?
Or it's like childhood's over before it's begun."
He looked in my eyes for some sign of assent,
But I strengthened my will and refused to relent.

"They have plenty of fun," I cut to the gist,
"And your mindless distractions have never been missed.
They take CPR so that they can save lives,
And they go door-to-door on used clothing drives.

They recycle, renew, reuse and reveal
For saving the planet's a laudable zeal.
When they padlock themselves to a fence to protest
Against nuclear power, we think they're the best."

He said, "But they're children--lo, when do they play?"
I countered, "Is that why you've come in your sleigh,
"To bring joy to the hearts of each child and tot?
All right, open your bag; let's see what you've got."

He sheepishly did as I'd asked and behold!
A Malibu Barbie in a skirt of gold.
"You think that my girls will like playing with this,
An icon of sexist, consumerist kitsch?

With its unnat'ral figure and airheaded grin,
This trollop makes every girl yearn to be thin,
And take up fad diets, bingeing and purging
Instead of respecting her own body's urging

To welcome the shape that her body has found
And rejoice to be lanky, short, skinny or round."
Deep from his satchel he produced up a toy,
Saying, "This is a hit with most every boy."

And what did he put in my trembling hand
But a gun from the BrainBlaster Power Command!
"It's a 'hit,' to be sure," I sneered in his face,
"And a plague and a pox on the whole human race!

How 'bout grenades or some working bazookas
To turn all of our kids into half-wit palookas?"
I seized on his bag just to see for myself
The filth being spread by this odious elf.

An Easy-Bake Oven--ah, goddess, what perfidy!
To hoodwink young girls into household captivity!
Plus an archer play set with shafts that fly out,
The very thing to put a child's eye out.

And toy metal tractors, steam shovels and cranes
For destroying woodlands and scarring the plains,
Plus "games" like Monop'ly, Pay Day, Tycoon,
As if lessons in greed can't start up too soon.

And even more weapons from BrainBlasters Co.,
Like cannons and nun-chucks and ray guns that glow.
That's all I could find in his red velvet sack--
Perverseness and mayhem to set us all back.

"We need none of this," I announced in a huff,
"No 'business-as-usual' holiday stuff.
"We sow in our offspring more virtue than this.
Your goods are things that they'll never miss."

The big man's expression was a trifle bereaved
As he shouldered his pack and got ready to leave.
"I pity the kids who grow up around here,
Who're never permitted to be of good cheer,

Who aren't allowed leisure for leisure's own sake,
But must fret every minute--it makes my heart ache!"
"Enough histrionics! Don't pity our kids
If they don't do as Macys or Toys 'R' Us bids.

They live by their principles first and foremost
And know what's important," to him I did boast.
"Pray, could I meet them?" "Oh no, they're not here.
By now, they're on the roof, liberating your deer!"

At that Santa sputtered and pointed his finger
But, mad as he was, he had no time to linger.
He flew up the chimney like smoke from a fire,
And up on the roof I heard voices get higher.

I ran outside the co-op to see him react
To my children's responsible, kindhearted act.
He chased them away, and disheartened, dismayed,
He rehitched his reindeer (who'd docilely stayed).

I watched with delight as he scooted off then;
He'd be too embarrassed to come back again.
But with parting disdain, do you know what he said,
This overweight huckster when he took off in his sled?

This reindeer enslaver, this exploiter of elves?

"Happy Christmas to all, but get over yourselves!

Source: http://people.cornell.edu/pages/bs16/Christmas/the_night_before_solstice.txt

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Yule Celestial Light Show

URSID METEORS: Earth is passing through a stream of debris from comet 8P/Tuttle and this is causing the annual Ursid meteor shower. Forecasters expect the Ursids to peak on Dec. 22nd with 8 to 10 meteors per hour flying out of the constellation Ursa Minor (the Little Dipper) not far from the north star. The display is usually mild, but outbursts of Ursids occasionally surprise observers with rates many times normal. The last time this happened was in 2006.

Standing outdoors to watch Ursids in December can be a chilling experience. So why not stay inside and listen? Spaceweather.com is broadcasting live audio from the Air Force Space Surveillance Radar in Texas. When a meteor passes over the facility--"ping"--there is an echo. Because the Ursid radiant is circumpolar (always up) over the radar, the echoes may be heard at any hour, night or day. Tune in to http://spaceweather.com to try the audio feed, which can support 1000 simultaneous listeners.

Space Weather News for Dec. 21, 2008
http://spaceweather.com

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Blessed Yule!!

A Viking Yule

'Twas the night before Christmas and all through the Hall
Not a creature was stirring, not warrior nor thrall
And I in my armour, my greaves and my helm
Was drunker than anyone else in the Realm.

I staggered upstairs and fell into bed
While four quarts of mead were ablaze in my head.
Then up from below came the sounds of a brawl
So I grabbed up my axe and ran down the Hall.

I missed the last step and crashed down in a heap
Thinking, "Why can't those low-lifes downstairs go to sleep?!"
When what to my wondering eyes should appear
But two brawny strangers, wielding mallet and spear.

I said to myself, "We'll soon have them beat!"
Then I noticed ten warriors laid out at their feet.
I gave out a yell and leapt into the fray....
I'll always regret my poor choice of that day.

For the one laid his hammer to the side of my nose
And up, up, up to the rafters I rose.
Then came a lone frightened voice from the floor,
"Those are no mortal warriors -- that's Odin and Thor"

Then they looked at each other and they said, "Battle's done.
Now they know who we are, it no longer is fun."
Then Thor raised his hammer, and his elbow he bent,
And with a loud crash, through the ceiling they went.

I crawled through the Hall and flung open the door,
Not really sure that I'd seen them before.
The snow bathed in starlight, the moon like a glede,
I saw them ride off on an eight-legged steed.

And I heard them exclaim, 'ere they flew out of sight,
"TO HELA WITH CHRISTMAS, WE JUST LOVE A GOOD FIGHT!"
....author unknown

Blessed Yule to everyone!

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BIGGEST FULL MOON OF THE YEAR & WEEKEND METEORS

BIGGEST FULL MOON OF THE YEAR: The Moon that's causing trouble for the Geminid display happens to be biggest full Moon of 2008, as much as 14% wider and 30% brighter than lesser Moons we've seen earlier this year. An astronomer would say this is a "perigee Moon" because it occurs at perigee, the side of the Moon's elliptical orbit closest to Earth. Go outside tonight and take a look. The meteor rate may be low, but the lunar beauty index is off the charts.

WEEKEND METEORS: Earth is entering a stream of debris from extinct comet 3200 Phaethon, and this is causing the annual Geminid meteor shower. The shower is expected to peak on Dec. 13th and 14th. Normally, as many as 100 meteors per hour shoot out of the constellation Gemini, but this year a bright Moon will interfere with the display, reducing hourly counts to only 20 or so. That's could still be a nice show. For best results, watch the sky from 10 pm local time on Saturday night (Dec 13th) until dawn on Sunday morning (Dec. 14th).


Visit http://spaceweather.com for photos, webcasts and more information.

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Don't forget our homeless animal friends

Don't forget our homeless animal friends this holiday season!

This is Snowflake. She and her kittens were found living outside in the cold. Abandoned and forgotten like so many other cats. Snowflake managed to continue to care for her kittens even though she was tired, hungry and homeless. Humans could learn a few things from the acts of loyalty and devotion displayed by animals. Luckily, this mama cat’s efforts to keep her babies alive were not in vain. A kind stranger discovered the family and contacted PetConnect Rescue. This mother and her young kittens are examples of some of the wonderful cats that are available for adoption right now.

The population of neglected and discarded cats is truly overwhelming. While the plight of homeless dogs is dismal, the situation for cats is even worse. There is a very urgent demand for more foster families and potential adopters. Animal lovers must not forget that cats deserve to be rescued too!

Snowflake kept her babies as safe as she possibly could during those difficult first weeks. PetConnect Rescue plans to help her keep them safe forever.

To learn more about PetConnect please visit their website at www.petconnectrescue.org
Thank you. Click the above link to see other pets…and what you can do to help….just $10 from you can help!



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Celestial Show Monday Night

Space Weather News for Monday, Dec. 1, 2008
http://spaceweather.com

When the sun goes down tonight, step outside and look south. Beaming through the twilight is one of the prettiest things you'll ever see--a tight three-way conjunction of Venus, Jupiter and the crescent Moon. The event is visible from all parts of the world, even from light-polluted cities. People in New York and Hong Kong will see it just as clearly as astronomers watching from remote mountaintops. Only cloudy weather or a midnight sun (sorry Antarctica!) can spoil the show.

The great conjunction offers something extra to Europeans. For more than an hour on Monday evening, the crescent Moon will actually eclipse Venus. Astronomers call such an event a "lunar occultation." Venus emerging from the dark edge of the Moon is a remarkably beautiful sight. Sky watchers across Europe will be able to see this happen.

Visit http://spaceweather.com for photos, webcasts and more information.

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