( everything you ever wanted to know...or not )

 

Tags: welcome post
Current Mood: accomplished

I was surfing the net for a new dry cat food for Abby because the stories of animals becoming ill after eating their usual brands and their owners discovering the brand was made in China or some other country without food standards or regulations, got me worried. So I've been searching like crazy and finally my brain kicked in (probably due to a Gibbs' head slap) and I typed into my search engine:
"Dry cat food made in America"...and I found this fantastic site called PetFoodDirect. Once there, I typed the same search into their search engine and like...500+ pages showed up! I'm ashamed to say I have no intention of buying from them, I just wanted names of food made here so I can then buy it at PetCo *waves at gershwhen* and I found TONS.

Now I also have to admit that not only have the stories about bad pet food (especially coming from China) scared me and got me into this search, but also a sense of duty. We've lost so many manufacturing jobs that finding products "Made in America" ain't easy, you know? But after the success with the cat food, I'm going to start using that phrase whenever I need to find something. Maybe if more of us did the same, it would encourage more manufacturing jobs to come back.

And yes, I'm not naive, I know darn well that most of our manufacturing plants have been moved to countries without the so-called 'stifling' American regulations (which, btw, without said 'pesky' regulations, corporations experience a better bottom line and much bigger bonuses!), but gosh darn it, our regulations accomplish things: like a safer work environment; regulations on quality control; regulations on how a company can get rid of their waste, etc.. And of course, most of our workers (before they were laid off when the plant they worked at was moved to "Beki-Beki-Beki stan stan" *snort) were protected by unions, thus ensuring a fair wage, benefits and a guarantee of no "at will" terminations. And as we all know, overseas in China (and in the third-world countries) where we've moved our plants, none of those pesky details are in place to 'disturb' the profit-making ability. So you know, I'm thinking it's time to bring back an old commercial, but with slightly different lyrics. Remember the jingle, "Look for, the Union Label...."? Yeah, that one. All we need to do is add to it..."Look for the Union Label on the Made in America product!" Then we start really working hard to buy only American?

BTW: Here are just three of the common brands I found at PetFoodDirect that I can get at PetCo (and that turned out to be made in America):

1. Fancy Feast Gourmet Gold Filet Mignon Flavor With Seafood and Shrimp Dry Cat Food (among other flavors)
2. Blue Buffalo Indoor Health Adult Chicken & Brown Rice Cat Food Dry (among other flavors)
3. Friskies Indoor Delights Cat Food Dry (among other flavors)

I was also surprised at the number of specialty cat foods (made for specific health conditions, like renal issues, heart, etc), most of which can't be purchased at pet stores as they're usually available only from a vet or at a pet clinic (where we usually pay through the nose for them) - all were at reasonable prices and on the average with a savings of $10 or more from what we'd pay at a pet clinic! Let's hear it for "Made in America"!!!

Anyway, I thought this was worth sharing - and yes, dog food too! :)

*wanders off to search for "Made in America" Plus size clothing*

Tags: miscellaneous

and I must say - I preferred the two men....


( Spoilers for Sherlock's finale )

Tags: sherlock, tv episode comments/reviews

I'm pretty sure no one will have difficulty figuring out who said it....

Tags: moonridge 2012 update

Okay, so I need some help. Silly help. But a flist is a great thing to have and beats out Google every time. SO...

1. Do you know of a GOOD, TASTY, SEEDLESS fig bars? Not a recipe - cooking isn't something I can do much of anymore, but rather, one I can purchase. I LOVE Newton's Fig Bars, but I HATE the seeds and so does my mouth - but they're so good for me, and I NEED a cookie and I don't want it to be like...you know, a chocolate chip or anything like that. I know - weird.

2. Do you know of a good micro-fleece blanket (no satin trim), twin-size, but that does NOT turn into balls of fuzz two seconds after you use it, wash it, or look at it? I swear, a micro-fleece blanket seems to be a devil child of the Tribbles.

...now if only they made seedless tomatoes. At least it's almost seedless watermelon time. *sighs happily* Chunks of seedless watermelon mixed with small chunks of a great bleu cheese and sometimes, maybe, a drizzle of some balsamic vinegar...

...but I really want those seedless fig bars....


( SPOILERS FOR NCIS, NCISLA, H50 and so on.... )

Tags: tv episode comments/reviews

The shit is already starting to fly for the November Presidential election - and I mean FLY.

GOOD GOD

...we still have *starts counting on fingers* SIX months to go of this CRAP.

Now, according to Fox News (and don't we all know how truthful they can be) there's a black (get it? black?) list against major contributors for Romney - a list Obama started - and apparently POOOOOOOR Frank Vandersloot heads the list (not true as you can see here - the Behind the Curtain part of Keeping GOP Honest which represents the supposed 'black list' referred to by good ol' Bill Riley).  Poor, poor, poor Mr. Vandersloot (go ahead and google his name and see what pops up  first) - and I say that because he ISN'T first on the list. *g*

Vandersloot has had problems that affected his business, but what caused those problems weren't first pointed out by Keeping GOP Honest. No, it was first reported by NBC and MSNBC in a report regarding his strong anti-gay stance, one so strong that he spent millions trying to stop a public tv station from running a program that dared to show gays as positive influences in the lives of children. But did Fox or Vandersloot bring that fact up? Of course not. They chose to make it sound as if Obama had attacked Vandersloot and thus destroyed his business (which isn't destroyed, btw - but after the public tv fiasco, yep, many folks decided to buy elsewhere). *rolls eyes* And to put the icing on the cake, Bill Riley called this so-called Obama-led attack; Political Terrorism. OY.

Did Fox create this fuss on behalf of POOOOOR Mr. Vandersloot in hopes of saving his business (which, again, is in no danger)? Nice thought, but come on, the man is like, one of the richest men in the US - and certainly one of the richest in Idaho - so the answer is a definite no. Rather, he and Fox actually used this to make an open plea requesting more donations for Romney's campaign! And since folks who watch Fox News rarely watch any other 'news' show (I used to watch it in order to see how skewered they really were, but to be honest? I got too ill each time I tried to stick with it), they tend not to do what they should do - which is research the truth for themselves (because, after all, as a certain fictional FBI agent once said, "It's out there." *g*).

Now, I admit, I watch liberal shows and I further admit that Rachel Maddow is my Goddess. But you know what? I don't take her at her word just because I love and trust her. No, I go out and research and, as a result, I've found errors in her reporting, as have others, but unlike Fox, she responds and corrects errors on the air!

I guess the ultimate issue here is that it doesn't matter what party we belong to - what matters is that as Americans, we need to get off our butts, stop taking what we see on television as gospel and, instead, start doing our civic duty which means:

• 80% of Americans don't even know what the Constitution is, let alone what it says or how and when it came to be, etc.
• 38% of Americans would PASS the US Citizenship Exam (that means those pesky immigrants who become citizens are smarter than over 60% of those of us BORN here)
• 8 out of 10 Americans can't name the Vice-President (at any time, btw)
• 76% of state residents don't know where their own capitol is (in my state of California, 33% believe San Francisco is our capitol, 47% believe Los Angeles is, 11% got it right by saying Sacramento and 9% admitted not knowing)
• Most Americans have NO idea how laws come to be or how Congress works
• Most Americans can't name their own city and/or state representatives or how many representatives their state is entitled to and can't even name their own city mayor!
• Most Americans STILL don't understand the electoral college (but neither do most politicians so that's a wash)
• Most Americans don't understand what a 'delegate' is or how to become one
• Most Americans don't know they can find out how their representative in Congress voted - without asking them or relying on what someone else told them - and that they can learn how many times their representative missed major votes or missed sessions altogether.
• Most Americans have NO idea how many days Congress is in session, what they're paid, or how long their terms are (or would suggest that all Americans receive the SAME medical package our Representatives and Senators receive *G*)

Tags: 2012, politics

There are some changes at the gmfor_moonridge site. The permanent welcome post is currently serving as the actual Auction page and it's there you'll find the animals up for adoption this year and items (received to date) that are available to 'win' - for your donation to Moonridge, of course.

Eventually, both animals and items will be up at our usual Website as created and maintained by Virginia Sky but until we go live, you can find the following at the links provided.

The history of the auction, totals raised, photos of past events at Moonridge, the FAQ for 2012 and sample blurbs for donating can now be found here - each topic under its own cut tag. Just click on the one/s you want to read.

The animals and donated items (to date) can be found, as stated above, are here

There's plenty of time left to get your donation blurbs into me, so keep 'em coming!

If you have any questions or donations, please email me at alysideburns@gmail.com - THANK YOU!

Tags: moonridge 2012 update

I thought I knew it all, but I was wrong (thanks to a certain actor - under the cut - who brilliantly played us all, not to mention playing a certain producer/creator), and for the first time, I don't want spoilers - and yet, accidentally, I got them! Now I need a new spoiler but alas, can't find it anywhere!

Don't know what I'm talking about? Grey's Anatomy.  Oh, don't give me that look. Yes, it's a silly prime time soap opera, but I LOVE it and unashamedly so. Anyway, if you watch and you caught this last week's episode, and you don't know anything - don't click on the cut.

( WHO LIVES WHO DIES WHO CARES )

Tags: tv episode comments/reviews

Yep, you read that right! The ANIMALS up for ADOPTION for this year's auction are now up at the gmfor_moonridge site and can be found here. We have some new animals this year and a couple of real cuties, so head on over and start making your choice/es on which one/s to adopt when we go live on June 16th! And to give you a sample - a tantalizing peek, here's one of the new darlings - and an old friend. Oh, and btw, Norman, who has always been available for adoption, still is, but he's got a new name, TAZA. :)

Sneak Peek:

Tags: moonridge 2012 update