A Short Funny Video

My Computer

Well I got the bad news that my desktop computer is having to be sent somewhere to be fixed and it could take up to 3 weeks. Argh!!!! Thankfully, I have backups on my external hard drives and I have a great laptop. But it's going to be hard to be without one of my "arms" for this long of a time. I've even thought about buying another computer so I won't have to be without it. Best Buys had a good HP for only $749. Man, it used to be $3,000 a pop for a new computer. Do you think, one day, they will be $299 or even $199? If they ever get that cheap, then, sure enough, there won't be anyone without one. I remember having a black & white TV with just 3 stations and when that TV went, my parents went 3 yrs without a TV before they could afford to buy another one. Now, I bet 99% of all the children in the USA today have a color TV with at least more than 3 stations. They don't even know there is a life without it. It's almost about to be that way with computers. Poor people still can't spend $800 on one (plus the attendant expenses like Internet access, printers, paper, ink cartridges, software) and elderly people who believe they could never learn how to use one are about the only ones who don't have them. The rest of us are completely hooked. I completely communicate via email, especially since the postal rates are so ginormous now! I refuse to buy stamps unless it's an absolute necessity. I even gave up my Christmas cards! I Google everyday about something. I'm looking for directions and maps. I rely on it to pay bills, keep up with investments, follow all of my hobbies (digital photography, scrapbooking, genealogy, history, Bible study, etc), witness and pray for others, dog rescue, etc.

I DO NOT misuse my computers. It's a blessing from God and I try to use it wisely. I don't surf for pornography. I don't look for other men. I don't use it to cause other people trouble such as stealing identities or making false accusations that could ruin their lives. I don't shop for anthrax or nuclear bombs. I don't use it to purchase books on assassination or how to commit the perfect crime. If I were to use our computers in such ways, then I couldn't expect God's blessing and protection. As it is, the computers are great blessings to me and and God has helped me to learn more and more different ways to use it until they have become like extra arms.

WARNING! Cruelty, Brutality, Horrendous

WARNING!!

I didn't want to put such horrible photos on my blog. But it is happening out there. I've seen some of it myself and I have photos of some of it so I can say it DOES HAPPEN!

ANIMAL CRUELTY HAS TO STOP!!!!!

We must educate and the only way to show you is to post these photos!

You can help:

* If you see a dog in trouble, injured, see one accidentally hit with a car...Please stop and take care of it or, at least, call animal control. I know, in this sue-happy, violent world we are all afraid to take responsibility when we accidentally hit a dog. I'm scared the owner will come screaming out to attack me or hit me with a lawsuit. But if you hit a dog and no one is around then, pick it up and take it to a Vet, pay for it's vet fees and let the vet's office notify the owner (if there are tags or microchip). Or, at least, call animal control. I've stopped for dogs hit by cars myself and they've been so terrified and hurt that they bite or attack. So I called Animal Control. Don't leave them there without help coming!

* Adopt a dog and give it a good, healthy, loved life. When that dog passes on, don't think you can't ever get another dog because it hurt your heart too much. Go immediately and adopt another dog! It will help heal your heart and it will provide one more poor dog a good home.

* Make donations to dog rescue groups or your local animal shelter (even if it's not money, you can donate time, old towels, dog food, toys, leashes, dog shampoos, sponsor dogs, etc)

* If you lose your dog, please put up flyers and contact your local shelters and vets. And remember that your dog may be a Beagle but the shelter may have it listed as a Terrier mix so physically go to the shelter every day to look.

* If you find a lost dog, check for tags and take it home. If no tags then take it to your local shelter.

* If you see a neglected dog, report it to animal control.

* Don't neglect your dog(s). Make sure your dog daily has good food, fresh water, is properly vetted, has sufficient shelter from heat and cold, exercise and socialization (with humans and/or other dogs), keep a collar with identification tags on them (and check the collar regularly so it doesn't get too tight or too loose), keep them safely in your own yard or house. If you have an underground fence...don't rely on that. Batteries go dead. And your dog may stay inside the underground fence, but it doesn't keep other animals or people out. Your dog could be attacked by a bigger dog or pack of dogs, stolen, or attacked by wild animals or birds.
* Report animal abuse. And report it again. And again, until someone does something. Don't give up.

Here are some of the photos of real animal cruelty!

This photo came across my dog rescue message board today.

"Sammy showed up as a stray about 10 months ago in Rains, SC. The family there started to feed him and he came around more regularly. He was a great dog that began to trust them and was around all the time. Two days ago he disappeared and when he returned this is how he looked. He has been tortured and both eyes have been punctured. He was taken to a doctor that thinks he was beaten so badly that his eyes burst. He was then taken to the Marion County Shelter to see if there was anything they could do for him. They recalled that someone had called and reported a dog wandering around for the last two days with it’s eyes bulging but no one followed up on it and he suffered for days. "

"This poor boy was brought to the shelter today by a good samaritan that found him and took him to the vet. The vet said someone beat him so hard that his eyes popped out of his head! Surgery to remove his eyes will be around $1,000 and obviously this is an expense they just cannot afford. They desperately want to keep this boy but need help with funds." -Marion County Animal Shelter

Update "A wonderful rescue has offered to step up to help Buddy, the poor boy that was beaten so badly that his eyes popped out of his head. We are so happy that he will be saved and treated." http://www.noahs-arks.net/RESCUE/SAMMY.html

"When Prince was less than 4 mths old, some cold hearted person took a welding torch, and burnt a 10" long 1 " deep line down his back. Then they set him off at a local dumpster to starve to death, or die from infection. When project paws found prince, he was weak, terrified, skinny, and in alot of pain. His wound had closed, but unfortunatly before it closed, alot of rocks, dirt & debree got stuck in there. This caused it to get infected and burst open. Prince had to have surgery, due to the infection. He had to have 13" cut out of his back, followed by hundreds of stitches & staples. Prince has since then healed very well. He is now 7 mths old, and is doing wonderful. He has been socialized, and is very sweet, and happy. He has alot of energy, and Loves to run! But Prince Charming is tired of being in a cage, and not knowing what a home is. He is ready for a family of his own!!! He is in Murphy, NC"

http://www.mi-aan.org/rescues.html
This Pit Bull was chained with a 20 lb weight around his neck to strengthen him for fighting! My God, have mercy!

http://www.la-spca.org/prevention/cruelty_graphics.htm

I'm sorry you had to see this but you can't hide your head in the sand and pretend it doesn't happen! And, please, don't think that because I'm passionate about dog rescue, that I don't care about human beings. Cruelty, brutality, abuse is wrong for children, men, women, the elderly, AND animals. When someone is cruel to animals, they are only a hairsbreadth away from abusing human beings. They will abuse anyone who is vulnerable and and under their power. Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely! Ignorance is NO EXCUSE! In this day and age, there is no excuse for ignorance. Information is available easily.

My Day

Yesterday my hard drive crashed and so my main computer will be out of commission a few days. It also snowed here last night. We got between 1-2". Not much and it's all melted this afternoon. BUT, you don't know what it's like to get snow in SC! It's wet and icy snow, not dry and powdery. It's hard to drive in the ice and we are so unused to it and uprepared for it that there are usually a lot of accidents. If there is any way possible, people stay home. I had to get out and go to Lowe's this morning to get the grout for some ceramic tile work we are having done. And it was scary walking and driving. Thankfully I only had to go a mile. I wasn't feeling good so once I got back home, I put on my cozy pjs and have been watching the inauguration and reading all day.