ECHT - Alles wird sich ändern; and sigur rós

More musik heute Tag.

I mentioned before that my human loves German pop. Most kitties und their humans may have heard of Falco who had big hits outside Germany mit Der Kommisar, Rock Me Amadeus und Out of the Dark; und Nena who had a big hit with 99 Luftballoons (also auf Englisch as 99 Red Balloons).

Even better ist ECHT. My human keeps playing their musik. His favourite song is Alles wird sich ändern, which I don't mind either.

ECHT - you can hear samplers from their erste (self titled album including Alles wird sich ändern).
Freischwimmer von ECHT
ECHT - Offizielle Website der Band


ECHT CD album cover

Hier sind die Lyriks für Alles wird sich ändern

Die besten Plätze sind besetzt
und selbst wenn ich wollte
könnt' ich's nicht ändern, ich könnt' es nicht ändern
leb' im Hier und Jetzt
und Dinge die ich sollte
machen daß ich schlender, ich schlender

Müßiggang ist aller Laster Anfang
hör ich meine Mutter sagen
doch ich kann nicht drauf hören,
nein ich kann nicht drauf hören

Alles wird sich ändern wenn wir groß sind
Alles wird sich ändern
Alles wird sich ändern wenn wir groß sind
Alles wird sich ändern

Ich hänge Dinge die ich tu nicht an die große Glocke
will die Welt nicht regieren oder zensieren
komm laß' mich heute in Ruh'
mit Deinem Pseudo-Geschocke
kannst Du mir nicht imponieren,
nicht imponieren

Hochmut kommt vor dem Fall, immer und überall
wann wirst Du's kapieren, endlich kapieren

(refrain)

Unser Leben ist ein weißes Blatt Papier
da können wir nichts dafür
komm' laß uns etwas schreiben
was uns wichtig ist, was uns wichtig ist

(refrain)

Pretty kool don't you think?

I've also helped my human diskover a fantastische band from Iceland kalled sigur rós. It was through a Guardian review where we get most of our kwuality reviews of new music, books and film - Strange? Us?

sigur rós - official site (has lots of full songs to download)
Check them out at Amazon.com

*As always, please check out Cooper and Camilla who always have interesting things to say.

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Today my human stayed home mit me as he was krank, nicht gesund. After he fed me my Frühstück he went back to bed so I had another nap. When he got up around midday I tricked him into giving me another Frühstück, but this time it was really Mittagessen.

We started watching Van Helsing mit Hugh Jackman. It looks pretty bad for a vampire movie. Back to it after Abendessen.

keisercat@wildmail.com

the pussycat dolls

I came across the pussycat dolls recently and I thought they were cat dolls for us cats to play with, like barbie dolls for human youngsters.

But, no. Thank goodness too, I'd rather play with my toy mice than a toy cat.

The pussycat dolls are a 'cabaret' group from Los Angeles, and their song 'Don't Cha' is number one in Australia in the singles chart, straight in.

the pussycat dolls - official website.

I had a listen to a sample of 'Don't Cha' and it sounds like a load of dirty kitty litter to me! But hey, each to their own tastes, no matter how bad.

On the other paw, I am very much liking the James Blunt album, 'back to bedlam' that my human has been listening to.

*As always, please check out Cooper and Camilla who always have interesting things to say.

**I wish to add to the Red Cross advice I gave yesterday - you may wish to check out Camilla's diary as she has written about disaster advice with useful information and links.

***My friend Nina, the Russian Blue, is finally on Catster. Woohoo! She was the one who gave me ham for Christmas via our humans, and her younger human (one of her 'tin openers') comes over to mow the lawn in summer. Ain't she pretty? Don't forget to give her a treat! You can find her under my list of friends.

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I spent most of the day napping on my day bed in my other room. My human gave me a raw corn fed chicken drumstick for dinner. No shops or markets stock corn fed wings. I think my human should just get a whole chicken every two days and give me the wings off them!

We enjoyed Numb3rs on tv last night and it coincided with a nice long brush of my fur. Tonight is The 4400 so I will get some lap time.

keisercat@wildmail.com

Pet First Aid

The American Red Cross has put out a book called Pet First Aid. It looks really useful for humans who care for not only cats, but also dogs. For example, does your human know how to take your pulse? Do they know what to do in an emergency?
Red Cross - Pet First Aid

Our thoughts are with the cats and dogs who are affected by Hurricane Katrina. We hope that their humans were able to take them when they evacuated. A little late, but here is something also from the Red Cross.
Red Cross - pets and disaster: be prepared

*As always, please check out Cooper and Camilla who always have interesting things to say.

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The weekend goes quickly (even if it was sad). I did the usual - nap and listened to the radio. My human was so disappointed he had to leave for work as Handel's Water Music had come on.

Anyway, we are going to watch Numb3rs tonight on tv which also means time for my brush.

I meant to tell everybody that one time last week when I was writing my diary, my human walked in and caught me typing with my nose. He was so surprised that I changed from using my paws and he laughed!

Hooroo

keisercat@wildmail.com

my brother, always in our hearts

Yesterday I wrote about my brother Fatty. While he didn't come home as he had left, his ashes did return two weeks later in a ceramic jar; home where he belongs.

Today marked exactly one year since Fatty left us.

Since Fatty has been gone, I have been more talkative and more assertive with what I want, such as dinner and cuddles.

Before, I used to rely on Fatty to communicate to my human our commands. Fatty used to wake up my human by tapping his paw on his nose! That was time for breakfast. One time, Fatty headbutted my human's hand while he was drinking tea, making it spill. That was dinner time.

Fatty adored my human and I know my human felt the same way. Fatty was a one person cat unlike myself. He fretted whenever my human went away. He didn't like lots of people around (which I do) and went to our room to nap in the spot where my human slept. They had a particular bond as my human was probably the only person in the world who understood him.

Fatty always greeted my human at the door (which I am starting to do when I remember). When my human caught the bus home, Fatty would hop off the couch as soon as he heard the bus stop across the street, and wait for my human at the door.

Fatty loved fish and seafood (but not squid or oysters). Every now and again he would get a real treat such as prawns (shrimps) which he gobbled up quickly. I'm a chicken and red meat girl myself.

The first year without Fatty has been hard. Hopefully, it will get easier from here. Tonight we are burning 14 candles, one for each of the full years of his life.

Please help us to remember him by reading the prayer on Fatty's page.

Football - round 22 (final round). My team was not just thrashed, it was demolished by St Kilda. Here are the full results.

ST KILDA: 5.4 14.8 20.16 28.18 (186) demolished
BRISBANE LIONS: 2.2 5.3 6.5 7.5 (47)

GOALS - St Kilda: Milne 11, Riewoldt 6, Dal Santo 3, Ball 2, Hamill 2, Harvey 2, Jones, Peckett Brisbane Lions: Bradshaw 2, Drummond 2, Brennan, Corrie, McLaren
BEST - St Kilda: Milne, Riewoldt, Ball, Dal Santo, Hayes, Baker, Powell, Harvey, Peckett Brisbane Lions: Voss, Drummond, Power
INJURIES - Brisbane Lions: Notting (hamstring), McGrath (thumb)
CHANGES - St Kilda: Gehrig (groin) replaced in selected side by Ferguson. Maguire (hip flexor) replaced in selected side by Gwilt.
UMPIRES - Davis, James, McLaren
CROWD - 46,105 at Telstra Dome

Officially the season is over for my team. After winning the premiership in 2001, 2002 and 2003, and playing in the grand final for 2004 (but losing), this season has been very disappointing. The game against St Kilda yesterday was dismal, but demonstrated just how reliant we were on the excellent players who were injured and not playing - Jonathan Brown, Nigel Lappin, Justin Leppitsch and Clark Keating. Not even Michael Voss and Luke Power could make up for it, and Jason Akermanis was forced off early in the game with a shoulder injury.

The losing margin was also a new record - 139 points. It was previously 95 points loss against Melbourne Demons in round 18 in 1998.

There is always next year.

*As always, please check out Cooper and Camilla who always have interesting things to say.

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Today was another sad day. We started listening to La Bohème (1994 recording with Hobson and Barker) which was Fatty's favourite music.

Then Nina's human Hugh, came over to do some gardening work like pruning and weeding. I managed to sneak outside for a little bit. When he finished, I got to sit on his lap. Then Nina's other human Deborah came over to collect her offspring. She gave me a good pat and I meowed hello to her. She told me that Nina should have her page up on Catster up real soon so we can be Catster friends too.

My human aired out the house today with all the windows open and cleaned from top (cobwebs) to bottom (floors). It was a glorious sunny day and the temperature was 22 degrees Celsius inside which was perfect.

My human and I had a great afternoon nap together on the couch before dinner time. I got cooked chicken again. I didn't like the last batch of raw chicken wings. The bones were too hard for me to crunch (they are organic and free range) not like the corn fed one from Friday night.

Better go, I should keep my human company while he irons.

keisercat@wildmail.com

My brother Fatty

my brother, my hero

It has been 52 weeks (on a Saturday) since my brother Fatty made his last visit to the vet and didn't come home. He was very very sick.

This weekend is a very sad one for my human and me. I am getting used to being an only cat, but my human still misses Fatty terribly.

I want to write about Fatty and remember all the great things about him but which also makes his absence so heartfelt.

In the mornings when our humans went to work we used to play chasey and then lie on the couch (sometimes together). Fatty was a bad influence and we used to hop up to the kitchen bench when no humans were home. Of course there was never any food left out, but it was fun looking as it was out of bounds.

Fatty loved going outside and was let out every morning (supervised) while he checked all the smells and re-marked his territory. He used to roll in the dirt like a dog! Maybe he did that because he knew he'd be brushed.

Fatty loved to be brushed, just like me. He also loved the bells on his collar and he'd use it to announce his presence. While he was able to skulk without the bells making a sound, he loved to walk up to my human making it jingle.

Fatty also loved to curl up inside the ring of daffodils growing around the plum tree. He was such a daffodil cat. My human used to pick dandelion flowers and slip them under his collar which he wore proudly.

I think that's all I will mention today. Tomorrow will mark the one year since he left us. I will write more then.

Please help us to remember him by reading the prayer on Fatty's page.

Football - round 22 (final round). My team is being thrashed by St Kilda. This means that this is also the last game of the season as we won't be going into the finals. Results tomorrow.

*As always, please check out Cooper and Camilla who always have interesting things to say.

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I spent much of the day on the couch, with some of the morning on my human's lap. I sent him out for part of the day to stop him from moping. First he walked to the shops to get newspapers and supplies. When he returned he had to go back again as he forgot to pick up his script (medication).

Not long after, he left to visit Devi's place to check out her new house, and they returned around my dinner time for their dinner as well.

keisercat@wildmail.com

Australian values and some myth-making

Lately, there has been media reporting about Australian values, in the context of 'mainstreaming' the Muslim community. The government wants Islamic schools to be teaching these Australian values.

The federal government is big on values education, and there is a poster that lists these values (for Australian schooling) which schools must display as a condition of federal funding.



The thing is, some critics have managed to pick this to pieces as the poster has in the background, a picture of Simpson and his donkey, and which is cited by the government as an embodiment of Australian values.

The Age newspaper
- editorial 'Chasing the donkey vote on values'
- 'No clear answer in debate on values'
- 'Values emblem a bit of an ass'
The Australian newspaper
- 'Pinning the tail on donkey of Good Aussie Values'
Poster
- Values for Australian schooling poster (larger PDF version, linked from within Values Education website)

Apparently, this Simpson guy wasn't Australian, and he jumped ship making him an illegal immigrant.

Myth-making is a part of nation-hood, and the development of stories for the national consciousness. Australia was not born from revolution like the United States was, so we do not have the same sorts of stories as Washington and the cherry tree, or Paul Revere's midnight ride.

*As always, please check out Cooper and Camilla who always have interesting things to say.

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I spent most of the day napping in different spots. My human came home a little bit earlier, but he turned the vacuum machine on, to clean the dining area, especially the chairs which I deposit my fur when I nap. But he did give me raw corn fed chicken wings for dinner which are much tastier.

Later on, we had visitors, first Merlin's human Kim, then the still to be adopted by a cat one day Declan and Nell. I enjoyed hopping on a few different laps. I showed them my bear Dougal.

They had a Persian chicken pie for dinner (made with a basmati rice shell, with corn fed chicken, leeks, currants, dill, lemon juice and pine nuts) served with blanched broccolini and asparagus. They also had a wonderful trifle which Nell made.

They listened to The Cat Empire's Two Shoes album and James Blunt's back to bedlam. Not bad.


Cat Empire - Two Shoes CD album cover


James Blunt - back to bedlam CD cover

keisercat@wildmail.com

radio via computer

I have discovered something by myself at home while my human is at work. It is live radio broadcasts via iTunes (Apple). Mind you, they are mostly American stations, but there are some excellent public radio ones.

I have been listening to WNYC (public radio NY) which has NPR and BBC. You can also listen to it anyway from their website. But iTunes has the consolidated list to let you 'surf'. It is also fun listening to both the iTunes and the website version at the same time, as one is a minute behind the other so it sounds like a delayed echo!

Unfortunately, iTunes does not have any German pop music which my human loves. But I've found a good list for him from Mike's Radio World - Germany. I expect he will hog the computer now... Maybe I just won't tell him.

*As always, please check out Cooper and Camilla who always have interesting things to say.

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Tonight is the final hour of the last episode of Lost. More lap time.

Oh, I think I hear him at the door, I better go and greet him (he likes that). I hope the first thing he does is give me my dinner.

Hooroo!

keisercat@wildmail.com

Blu-ray or HD-DVD?

Sony and Toshiba which independently developed two different formats for the next generation of DVDs were not able to agree to develop a single format.

Will we all have to go and replace our DVDs players in the future with two versions to hedge both ways? Hopefully manufacturers will enable the new generation players to play both formats.

Maybe this madness will go the same way as video tapes many years ago with VHS and Betamax, with one losing out. You'd think Sony has already learnt its lesson, which may explain why the company has gone after other backers.

BBC News report - Next gen DVD rivals fail to agree

*As always, please check out Cooper and Camilla who always have interesting things to say.

**Thank you for all my treats, which seem to have grown exponentially. I am a lucky cat!

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I am starting to get my own way a lot these days. Woohoo!

This morning I had cooked chicken for breakfast, but no ham. I then discovered my human making his lunch which was a sandwich with cold cooked lamb and asparagus. Needless to say, I demanded some lamb, which was initially refused, but hey I got my way in the end. Who rules this house? I do!

Then I spent most of the day on my couch with ABC Classic FM radio, before going to my day bed for a nap. I'm back on to chicken wings for dinner again.

keisercat@wildmail.com

slow down (motorists), cats crossing here...

Humans who drive cars and other vehicles will have seen road signs that say livestock crossing next 5 km or next 5 miles (like cows and sheep). In fact, cows and sheep in some parts of the UK have the right of way, and by law, motorists must give way to them.

In India, where they are sacred to the Hindu faith, cows definitely have the right of way.

In Australia, we have road signs indicating wombats crossing, or watch for kangaroos, to minimise roadkill of native wildlife.

Well, the Guardian has reported that the residents of Lymm, a village near Warrington, have decided that motorists, rather than moggies, should change their ways. Road signs have been put up in Tower Lane to encourage drivers to slow down for cats. (Warrington is a town in Cheshire).

This is to alleviate some of the cat fatalities and injuries that occur every year in the UK, of which there are about a million. Lymm is just one village doing their bit for the protection of cats.

Guardian article - The highway code


Cats are just as important as elks, mooses, cows. kangaroos etc

*As always, please check out Cooper and Camilla who always have interesting things to say.

**My friends, Jimmy and Lily (whose humans visit me from time to time) are finally on Caster! You can find them linked to my friends list. Now, I am just waiting on that Russian Blue, Nina!

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I had such a wonderful night last night. Aside from my cooked chicken for dinner, I had some lap time. Then my human gave my fur a nice long brush, firstly with a wirey brush and a fine comb to get all the loose rough fur, then he used a glove with the plastic knobs on it, which picked up all the loose fine fur, of which I have lots as I am a soft fluffy cat.

Last night my human and I watched a pretty neat show on tv called Numb3rs about two brothers who solve crimes, one is an FBI agent and the other is a mathematical genius. Kinda clever, but that reference to Heisenberg was a bit out of place. I guess most viewers aren't that smart, so they are easily impressed by things they don't understand.

This morning, I had a slice of ham for breakfast (I turned my nose up at the tinned tuna).

I had cooked chicken again for dinner tonight. There will be more lap time as 4400 is on tonight.

keisercat@wildmail.com

let the sun cook for you... the ultimate slow food

There is a fantastic article in the New York Times magazine on 21 August 2005 by Jonathan Reynolds about solar cooking. Instead of cooking by using gas or electricity or wood or coals (in barbeques), how about using the sun? Environmentally friendly for sure!

The catch is, it takes some patience.
'Europeans always ask, 'How does it taste?'
and Americans ask, 'How long does it take?'

The 'technology' would go in some way to alleviating the need in some countries which depend on firewood with which to cook, from denuding their forests.

New York Times - Kitchen Voyeur: Sunny Side Up (you may need to be registered, but it is free, however, the link expires in 7 days)
Solar Oven Society
Book - Cooking With the Sun: How to Build and Use Solar Cookers by Beth and Dan Halacy

Now, if only the solution to soaring petroleum prices could be as simple...

*As always, please check out Cooper and Camilla who always have interesting things to say.

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I tried to get my human to stay home with me today by meowing and meowing at him, but in the end I just hopped onto my dining chair and listened to the radio. I got bored so went on the computer and checked out the New York Times. That was some cool story wasn't it?

Anyway, my human gave me cooked chicken for dinner tonight, so I'm happy. I will be even happier when he brushes my fur.

keisercat@wildmail.com

morning tv... why my breakfast is late on weekends!

My human sometimes watches morning television on weekends before he gets out of bed, and this means my breakfast is late. Late!

I don't mind, most of the time, as Australia produces high quality family programming which are probably amongst the best in the world.

These include:

SCOOTER: Secret Agent - Scooter Carpenter is just possibly the world's clumsiest kid. He's a magnet for disaster wherever he goes, but even though he's just a pizza delivery boy, Scooter knows he's destined for greater things. What exactly? He's not sure.

Wicked Science - Toby Johnson is a regular easy-going student struggling with homework and girls. Elizabeth Hawke is a teacher's pet. Nobody at school likes her and the only person she likes is Toby. One day they get hit by a ray - a unique magnetic pulse that changes everything. Suddenly, they're both scientific geniuses.

THUNDERSTONE - THUNDERSTONE tells the story of 15 year old Noah who lives in the future when no animals roam the Earth. By unlocking the secrets of time travel he finds a way of bringing the animals from the past to re-populate the world...

Silver Sun - It's 2050. A group of children and their instructors are on a ninety year journey to the Silver Sun. Their mission is to deliver 550 cryogenically suspended New Settlers to populate the New World.

Don't Blame the Koalas (Don't Blame Me) - Life is turned on its head when the King family of England inherits an unusual property in Australia. Fact is, the upper middle class English Kings are fish out of water when they come to investigate their legacy. They are out of money and definitely out of their comfort zone. What they expect to be a profitable sheep station turns out to be an out-of-the-way wildlife park. As well as the kangaroos and koalas, there are human occupants - their relatives, the Kings of Australia! (click on international, then catalogues, then search as 'Don't Blame Me' and check out the trailer).

Outriders - Focussing on a group of kids who live and work on a horse farm, Outriders features stories emphasising suspense, intrigue and adventure. The young "sleuths on horseback" energetically confront every risk and danger that come their way as they set out to solve the mysteries that challenge them. (click on international, then catalogue, then search as 'Outriders', and check out the trailer as the title music is unreal; this is also an Australian-German co-production).

Even if they aren't into pushing the boundaries like Canada's Degrassi High or Degrassi the Next Generation, they are nevertheless innovative, original, clever and entertaining. Certainly much better viewing than the cheaply produced unfunny sitcoms which are imitations of Saved By the Bell.

Football - round 21. Big sigh! Our finals contention is slipping away... Here are the stats.

BRISBANE LIONS: 2.0, 5.2, 6.7, 7.9 (51) defeated by
PORT ADELAIDE: 4.4, 7.6, 9.12, 11.15 (81)

GOALS: Brisbane: Sherman, Voss, McGrath, Black, Notting, Johnson, Drummond Port Adelaide: C Cornes, Tredrea 2, Kingsley, Mahoney, Brogan, Dew, Pettigrew, K Cornes, Montgomery
BEST: Brisbane: Voss, Drummond, Adcock, Power, Notting Port Adelaide: S Burgoyne, C Cornes, Mahoney, K Cornes, Cassisi, Dew
INJURIES: Brisbane: B.Scott (hamstring) Port Adelaide: Burgoyne (sprained knee)
UMPIRES: James, Stevic, Goldspink
CROWD: 35,221 at the Gabba (yes, our home ground too!)

*As always, please check out Cooper and Camilla who always have interesting things to say.

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I was treated in a very undignified manner this morning. I had an 'accident' as I probably didn't angle my bottom properly over the hole I dug in the mulch. My human usually cleans my fur, which I don't mind. But this morning he also trimmed my back fur. How mortifying and embarrassing!

Early afternoon, we watched the original Japanese horror movie called (Dark Water (Honogurai mizu no soko kara) which was really creepy - check out the trailer. Typically of Hollywood, this has been remade for the American audience. Why? What's wrong with reading subtitles? Japanese horror flicks are great and do not need to be remade!

My human also left me this afternoon. I know he has gone to visit those other cats - Merlin, and then Jimmy and Lily as he has been invited to dinner by Jimmy and Lily's humans. I know because Merlin sent me a catmail taunting me! I guess their humans do come and visit me, so my human should go and give them pats and cuddles too. Thankfully the heater is on auto, but it still means my dinner will be late.

Hang on, I think I hear him at the door. I am going to yell at him!

keisercat@wildmail.com

The Rabbi's Cat

NPR reported about a graphic novel by Joann Sfar called The Rabbi's Cat.

In Algeria in the 1930s, a cat belonging to a widowed rabbi and his beautiful daughter, Zlabya, eats the family parrot and gains the ability to speak. To his master's consternation, the cat immediately begins to tell lies (the first being that he didn't eat the parrot). The rabbi vows to educate him in the ways of the Torah, while the cat insists on studying the kabbalah and having a Bar Mitzvah. They consult the rabbi's rabbi, who maintains that a cat can't be Jewish - but the cat, as always, knows better.

You can listen to the NPR report - here

Excerpts from the publisher - Random House

Football - round 21. My team is playing Port Adelaide at the moment. At half time we are behind. Full results tomorrow.


watching my team play (of course, this photo was taken at another time, it would not be daylight at 8.15pm!)

*Mee-ouch. I seem to have inadvertently missed pasting my referrals to Cooper and Camilla in my previous three entries. As always, please check out Cooper and Camilla who always have interesting things to say.

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Last night I helped my human watch two episodes of Taken. This morning we watched the final one. It was cool.

Today was a couch day and I even napped on my human's lap while he also napped!

keisercat@wildmail.com

Smokey the cat, and then a copycat

The East Oregonian reports that a Medford couple hopes to make a clone of their dead cat owner Smokey.

They wish to follow in the pawsteps of CopyCat, the first cloned kitten.

I have had discussions with some of my cat friends including Cooper and Madeline and we think cloning us is stupid.

We are unique and won't live forever. Making a clone of us will not bring us back after we are gone. Many deformed kittens will result during the process and the live "specimen" may not even resemble us.

While we are here in the care of humans, we should be cherished and loved, but after we are gone, they should allow us to live on in their hearts and memories not in an imitation.

Anyway, the very expensive fee could instead go a long way towards a shelter to help cats who need to be re-homed!

East Oregonian news item - Couple hopes beloved cat can be cloned.

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I read and napped most of today. Just like yesterday evening, I greeted my human at the door when he came in. He seems to like that.

My human also told me that he bought the box set of Taken so we will be able to watch the rest of the episodes without needing to wait for the next three weeks. Woohoo!

keisercat@wildmail.com

Psycho Cat

No, not me silly! It is the name of a book by Derek Hansen, a popular Australian author.

While my human has been at work during the day, I have been reading Psycho Cat.

I hold the book open with both paws and use my nose to turn the pages, although I have to try to stop drooling all over it.

Psycho Cat is a series of short stories about cats and their people. The blurb on the back reads:

They're killers.
They're terrorists.
They're vandals.
And so darn cute and cuddly you want to take them to bed.

Man has a long and pathetic history of pandering to cats. A million years ago, they had us for dinner. Now they have us for fools, take advantage of our generosity, our forgiveness, our patience, and nab the best spot in front of the heater. Why do we stroke their beautiful necks and not wring them? Love them or loath them, once youve read this book you'll never look at cats the same way again.

My favourite story in the book is called "Must Like Cats" about an old lady with hundreds of cats who advertises for boarders to live at her house. Of course the old lady lets prospective tenants into her house, but they never leave, as she has to feed her cats. You'll have to read the story to find out the ending.

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It was a bit warmer today while I read my book (but shhhh, don't tell my human as I still enjoy listening to him read out loud to me). I am looking forward to spring very soon, although I will need to be brushed more often otherwise I will be leaving fur deposits everywhere.

Tonight is the first hour (out of two) of the last episode of Lost. More lap time. By the way, in last week's episode (number 23), it showed Walt and his father Michael in a hotel room with the dog Vincent. Dogs are not allowed into four and five star hotels in Australia as it is against health regulations, unless the dog is a guide dog.

keisercat@wildmail.com

The Cat Empire strikes back... in north America

Back on 5 May I wrote about the Australian jazz/reggae/hip-hop band called The Cat Empire.

I am very excited to report that this very popular indie group (is that an oxymoron?) will be touring the United States and Canada.

Tour dates from Top40-Charts.com

www.thecatempire.com

I still think it is a way cool fully sick name for a band!

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Half the week is over. That means I can start looking foward to more lap time on the weekend.

My human bought me a bear today. His name is Dougal. Actually Dougal is a Daffodil Day bear. Daffodil Day falls on 19 August this year, and helps to support the Cancer Council Australia's fundraising efforts. When singer Kylie Minogue was diagnosed with cancer bookings for breast screening by mammogram increased, as did donations to the Cancer Council. Thankfully Kylie is fine now. But we should continue to support this very worthy cause.


with my new bear Dougal

I better go and help my human watch Taken now, which was taped from last night as it was on so late. Loadsa lap time now, oh yeah!

Hooroo!

keisercat@wildmail.com

VJ Day

Yesterday was the 60th anniversary of VJ Day, that is Victory over Japan Day, which marked the end of the Second World War (on 15 August 1945). We call it VP Day in Australia, for Victory in the Pacific, the only country in the world to do so.

There has been a lot of press the last two days over Japan's "apology" on this solemn occasion.

Back on 20 April I wrote about tensions in Sino-Japanese relations and suggested that what happened with Japan immediately after the war was part of the problem.

Here is a report by BBC News which somewhat agrees with what I had written - Japan's problem over the past. BBC News also reported on the press coverage in Asia on Japan's "apology" - Press doubts VJ lessons learnt.

Some people (or even cats) might argue that 60 years is long enough and the past should be put behind us. The fact of the matter is that Japan has never properly dealt with this past or atoned sufficiently in a manner accepted by those she has wronged.

World War II was one of the deadliest wars in history and cost the lives of 60 million people. It should never be forgotten. We should also acknowledge that countless dog and cat companions starved during this time, or were eaten by their humans.

* Please visit Cooper and Camilla who are good at finding out about things and sharing it with us.

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I did the same thing today as I did yesterday - it was another cold day! I did however, have cooked chicken for dinner tonight.

keisercat@wildmail.com

and she expects other people to read her book?

Victoria Beckham, wife of footballer David Beckham (who now plays for Real Madrid), and who was Posh Spice in the Spice Girls has confessed that she has never read a book. She is 31. How she muddled through the education system without actually reading a single book is absolutely staggering.

It is surprising how she managed to write her own biography - Learning to Fly, much less read it herself. Just astounding!


Perhaps if there is demand for an audio version of her book (in the 'author's' voice), she might actually read it

Imagine missing out on all that fine literature! I couldn't. My human loves to read and reads out loud to me (from time to time).

Some of his favourites include:
- The Great Gatsby (F Scott Fitzgerald)
- Zadig (Voltaire)
- Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil (John Berendt)
- Snow Falling on Cedars (David Guterson)
- The Surgeon of Crowthorne (Simon Winchester)
- The Parrot's Theorem (Denis Guedj)
- The Last Samurai (Helen DeWitt)
(these would be taken to a deserted island!)

* Please visit Cooper and Camilla who are good at finding out about things and sharing it with us.

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Today I spent most of the day on my dining room chair but was very glad when my human came home from work (and turned the heater on for me). By the way, I hope you like my new photos.

keisercat@wildmail.com

draft Declaration of Feline Rights (revised)

On 27 July 2005, I put up my proposed draft Declaration of Feline Rights for comment.

Following input from some dedicated cats, here is a revision. I also wish to acknowledge Kazumi Joy as co-drafter (her contribution is designated with a KJ). She is also a wonderful feline philosopher!

PREAMBLE

Whereas humans and cats have co-existed for many millenia and shall continue to do so for mutual benefit until the end of time,

Whereas cats were once worshipped by humans in the advanced civilisation of ancient Egypt,

Whereas humans require cats to guide them in the pursuit of happiness and wellbeing,

Now therefore, humans where they have formed a domestic bond and co-habitation arrangement with cats agree upon the following (not in any order of importance):

Article 1
All cats in the care of humans have the right to life without pain and suffering, physically and psychologically;

Article 2
All cats in the care of humans have the right to fresh drinking water to be changed often;

Article 3
All cats in the care of humans have the right to be fed their preference of food on a daily basis within the economic means of the human, and within parameters conducive to physical health and growth;

Article 4
All cats in the care of humans have the right to have their fur brushed by the human if they so desire;

Article 5
All cats in the care of humans have the right to medical care to cure illnesses and injuries;

Article 6
All cats in the care of humans have the right to warmth and shelter;

Article 7
All cats in the care of humans have the right not to be de-clawed as claws are an essential part of a cat's anatomy for scratching, for protection, and for expression;

Article 8
All cats in the care of humans have the right to sit and lay on any item of furniture designed for that purpose, including equal access to a human’s bedding;
(amended, KJ)

Article 9
All cats in the care of humans have the right to lay on any human's lap if so desired, and pats, belly rubs, scratches, stroking, and/or kisses WHEN and IF desired;
(amended, KJ)

Article 10
All cats in the care of humans have the right to not co-habitate a dwelling with a dog, or a cat (or any other animal) not to their liking;
(amended, KJ)

Article 11
All cats in the care of humans have the right to shed their fur as nature intended, including all over clothing and furniture; and

Article 12
All cats in the care of humans have the right to attempt to win over non-cat people in any way possible, without fear of scolding or banishment.
(inserted - Sir Higson Nick)

Article 13
All cats in the care of humans have the right to safe windows that eliminate the risk of falling down a certain height;
(inserted, KJ)

Article 14
All cats in the care of humans have the right to not be bred and raised in kitten mills or being intentionally impregnated just because humans think kittens are cute;
(inserted, KJ)

Article 15
All cats in the care of humans have the right to not be left on their own (without other humans coming in) for an unreasonable length of time (e.g. when their humans go on vacation);
(inserted, KJ)

Article 16
All cats in the care of humans have the right to not be abandoned when it’s no longer considered convenient to keep or take a cat along (e.g. when moving);
(inserted, KJ)

Article 17
All cats in the care of humans have the right to not participate in cat shows and competitions unless they obviously enjoy it;
(inserted, KJ)

Article 18
All cats in the care of humans have the right to not be subjected to getting hit by cars (or going missing) by being allowed outside unsupervised and/or unharnessed;
(inserted, KJ)

Article 19
All cats in the care of humans have the right to not be subjected to being dressed up in silly human clothes; and
(inserted, KJ)

Article 20
All cats in the care of humans have the right to boss their humans about.

Kazumi Joy and I now lay the draft document on the table for 90 days for comment. After this time, any comments will be considered, with the final declaration available for all kitties to present to their humans for ratification.

Football - round 20. What a total disaster! My team were totally thrashed by a far superior team on the day, and it was predicted to be a close game.

SYDNEY SWANS: 6.1, 11.5, 14.6, 19.10 (124) defeated
BRISBANE LIONS: 2.2, 3.3, 5.3, 6.4 (40)

GOALS – Sydney: Hall 6, O'Loughlin 4, O'Keefe 3, Crouch, Davis, Jolly, Mathews, Kennelly, Buchanan Brisbane: Spannderman, Michael, Johnson, Copeland, McGrath, Sherman
BEST – Sydney: Hall, Williams, Roberts-Thomson, O'Keefe, Schneider Brisbane: Voss, Akermanis, Johnson
INJURIES – Brisbane: Michael (finger), Lappin (knee)
CHANGES – Brisbane: Black (calf) replaced in the starting side by Moody
REPORTS# - C.Scott reported for striking Buchanan in the fourth quarter
UMPIRES - Kennedy, Head, Schmitt
CROWD - 43,512 at Telstra Stadium

#We watched the Chris Scott/Amon Buchanan incident. Scott should not have been reported as he only slapped Buchanan on the back as Buchanan charged his mark with a fist. Unfortunately, the umpire only saw this from the front. Anyway, Scott was awarded a free kick but threw it away by his retaliatory slap.

*Please visit Cooper and Camilla who are good at finding out about things and sharing it with us.

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Today was a slow day. I spent most of the day napping on the couch, at times on my human's lap. He made and bottled salted preserved lemons (Moroccan style) while I watched the football on tv - he couldn't bring himself to watch such a disastrous game.

keisercat@wildmail.com

stainless steel

In 1913 (on 13 August) while developing an erosion resistant alloy for gun barrels, Harry Brearley working at the Brown-Firth research laboratory in Sheffield, created stainless steel.

If Mr Brearley had not come across his discovery, no doubt others would have done so, as the Germans and the Americans were also working on alloys.

Today, stainless steel is used for just about everything from cutlery, surgical equipment, appliances, building, automotive etc.

It is cheap to produce and totally recyclable.

Useful information from STAINLESS STEEL WORLD

* Please visit Cooper and Camilla who are good at finding out about things and sharing it with us.

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I had a good day today. While the washing was being hung out this morning, I went outside to chew on some grass and smell the air.

I also had nice long lap times with my human and we even had an afternoon nap together on the couch just before dinner.

We watched the last (and very exciting) episode of the new Dr Who. We are going to miss it on Saturday nights.

keisercat@wildmail.com

Drosophila melanogaster

My human was telling me that if there was one thing that he remembered most about studying undergraduate genetics, it was Drosophila melanogaster (and he vaguely remembers Okazaki fragments). Drosophila melanogaster is such a cool name though.

Drosophila is one of the organisms used extensively in genetic research. Much of the genome has been sequenced which contains about 165 million bases and approximately 14,000 genes.

It is the scientific name for the common fruit fly.



* Please visit Cooper and Camilla who are good at finding out about things and sharing it with us.

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I can't wait for this cold weather to end! I missed my human today. I begged him to stay home - in fact I told him to go back to bed where I wanted to go back and sleep. He went to work anyway, but at least the weekend is just about here.

I had baked atlantic salmon (from Tasmania) for dinner which was a real treat. I don't often get the same thing that my human is having for dinner.

keisercat@wildmail.com

Blue Poles

Blue Poles (Blue poles: Number 11, 1952) was painted by Jackson Pollock (who died 49 years ago). It is now a very famous painting which hangs in the National Gallery of Australia (NGA) in Canberra.

It was bought by the Australian Government in 1973 and at the time was the highest price paid for a modern painting which attracted some controversy.

It is now worth many times that, so it was a good investment in the end.


Jackson POLLOCK Blue poles: Number 11, 1952

Details of Blue Poles by NGA

I think it is a pretty cool painting.

* Please visit Cooper and Camilla who are good at finding out about things and sharing it with us.

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Today was another really cold day. The sun was out though, so I tried to catch some rays on my dining chair with the blinds up.

I also listened to ABC Classic FM. It started out with the molto allegro from Mozart's Symphony no 40, so that was pretty good.

Gotta go and make sure my human is ready to watch Lost on tv with me.

keisercat@wildmail.com

the politics of sport

In 1980, the US and some of her nation-friends boycotted the Moscow Olympics over the Soviet Union's invasion of Afghanistan.

In 1984, the USSR and other communist 'satellite' states/nations boycotted the Los Angeles Olympics in retaliation.

Some people thought sports and politics shouldn't mix. There were also sporting boycotts of South Africa by the Commonwealth and other countries over their policy on apartheid.

My, haven't things changed. Now sport is used as a vehicle for political means.

Here is an interesting article by Dave Zirin in The Nation - What's My Name, Fool?

I found this paragraph interesting:
In addition to becoming a profitable form of mass entertainment, pro sports have become an effective means for the political and financial elite to package their values and ideas. This is why sports in this country reflect a distinctly US project, rooted in aspirations for greatness as well as conquest and oppression. The US is unique in playing the national anthem before every game (and, since 9/11, playing "God Bless America" during baseball's seventh inning stretch--even for all-American teams like the Toronto Blue Jays). We are unique in employing scantily clad women to tell us when to "cheer." We are unique in calling the winners of our domestic leagues "world champions."

Isn't it strange that the domestic baseball league in the US is a 'world series' and the winners are 'world champions' when no other country is invited to play?

*I will mention the revised Declaration of Feline Rights sometime over the weekend.

** Please visit Cooper and Camilla who are good at finding out about things and sharing it with us.

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It was a cold day today, and it snowed. It rarely snows in Canberra, so it was a bit of a spectacle. My human had fresh chickens for me when he got home, and they were a nicer size (smaller) so it didn't need to be jointed.

The humans (un-owned by cats), Devi, Mary, Declan and Nell came over tonight, and then Jake's humans, Amanda, Craig and Dane also came over - and they all ate chicken, mushroom (fresh and porcini) and asparagus risotto for dinner.

I enjoyed laying on Declan and Nell's laps.

keisercat@wildmail.com

WordWatch on radio, and sesquipedalian

On 5 April 2005, I wrote about how radio (star) in my house was not killed by video (as in the Buggles' song).

My human and I love listening to the item in the morning called WordWatch. Everyday, Mr Kel Richards explains the etymology of an interesting word.

One of my human's favourites is sesquipedalian. This is what Mr Kel Richards said back in June 2002 (yes my human kept it):

Sesquipedalian means "a word of many syllables". The "pedal" part of this word refers to a "foot" - as in your "pedal extremities". And the "sesqui" prefix basically means "one and a half". (For that reason a "sesquicentenary" is 150 years - that is, one and a half centuries.) Put those ideas together of "feet" and "one and half" - and sesquipedalian is saying that words of many syllables are words that are "one and a half feet long".

The expression seems to have been coined by the Roman poet Horace (Quintus Horatius Flaccus 65 BC - 8 BC). He coined the expression "sesquipedalia verba" - literally "words a foot and a half long". Interestingly, in the 18th century sesquipedalian was used to mean a measurement of half a yard in height or length. Arbuthnot (writing in 1714) compares the tall Ethiopian with the "sesquipedalian pigmy".

Today the word has reverted from general measurement to a description of language. So, if someone accuses you of having swallowed a dictionary, they are saying that your language tends to be sesquipedalian.

My human told me that the reason why he remembers this word is that one of his teachers in (junior) high school accused him of it in one of his school report cards (assessments).

ABC NewsRadio: WordWatch
(WordWatch is on a few times, earlier than 08.29)

* Please visit Cooper and Camilla who are good at finding out about things and sharing it with us.

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Nothing to report today. I had cooked chicken again for dinner. I also have to get used to being left alone during the day again.

Tonight is also the alien abduction night on tv. We'll have to tape Taken as this finishes way past my human's bedtime.

keisercat@wildmail.com

pets as therapy, on prescription

We all know that cats can make people feel better. Even those dogs too, but nice ones like golden retrievers, not nasty ones like pit bulls (which have killed cats, and even people).

The New Scotsman has reported that there may be an option for the (UK national) health service to subsidise the expense of a pet, all in the name of health.

Already, Pets As Therapy has 90 cats all over Britain who visit hospitals. Of course you have to be a good lap cat and love people (just like me and Camilla).

Patients can get a pet - on prescription £1,000

Pets As Therapy (UK)

You can also read about Vroom, Chrissie, Simba and Tiber who are PAT Cats.

*I wish to thank Sparkle for my Rosette. I think you are the pretty one!

** Please visit Cooper and Camilla who are good at finding out about things and sharing it with us.

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It was so cold today. My human even left me today. I knew something was up when he woke up early for a change, and dressed in nice clothes. He went back to work! All that lap time was too good to last. But at least he came home early today. I fretted all day, and even waited for him by the front door.

I had cooked chicken for dinner. My human worked out why I wasn't so keen on my chicken wings; they smelt funny. I did tell him!

Tonight is the last episode of Desperate Housewives. Also time for my human to brush my fur.

keisercat@wildmail.com

Lauren Bacall on screen legends

Lauren Bacall is one of the great screen legends. She may be right when she said that Nicole Kidman is not a screen legend but only a beginner. Any screen legend who publicly slams Tom Cruise as a bad actor can't be too bad! Add to that his comments on Brooke Shields, and you get the picture.


No, it's not a catfight

Lauren Bacall - official site
Time magazine - Q&A with Lauren Bacall
BBC News - Nicole Kidman vs Lauren Bacall

American Film Institute's 500 nominee and 50 greatest screen legend list - even the 'elite' of today's female actors are not even in the same league as Katharine Hepburn, Bette Davis, Audrey Hepburn etc

Football - round 19. My team won! It was an exciting game (on tv in the afternoon). At half time, we were only in the lead by one point. It was almost scarey to watch. Here are the stats.

BRISBANE LIONS: 2.2, 7.4, 12.8, 18.13 (121) defeated
HAWTHORN: 2.3, 6.9, 9.13, 11.14 (80)

GOALS – Brisbane Lions: McGrath 5, Bradshaw 5, Power 2, Voss 2, Charman, Merrett, Baird, Sherman Hawthorn: Croad 4, Taylor, Franklin, Osborne, Young, Smith, Lekkas, Miller
BEST – Brisbane Lions: Power, Lappin, Black, McGrath, Akermanis, Voss, Bradshaw, Johnson Hawthorn: Everitt, Hodge, Croad, Clarke
INJURIES – Brisbane Lions: Drummond (hamstring)
UMPIRES - Donlon, Ryan, Avon
CROWD - 31,964 at the Gabba

* Please visit Cooper and Camilla who are good at finding out about things and sharing it with us.

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Last night we also watched Bride and Prejudice which is a cool Bollywood interpretation (in English) of the Jane Austen book.

I had a bit of lap time today. We fell asleep during the final quarter of the football this afternoon! I had vegetable (diced potato and carrot) soup (in homemade chicken stock) for dinner tonight as my human was worried I'm not finishing my raw chicken wings.

keisercat@wildmail.com

more than one way to skin a cat, and some exciting news from Canada

I was horrified to learn of this phrase until my human informed me that it refers to catfish.

Catfish has a really tough skin which is removed when it is prepared for cooking.

I think we should point this out to people who use this phrase so they do not get any ideas that it is okay to mistreat us cats.

Speaking of catfish, Duncan Rooke from Send Marsh in Woking UK hooked a monster catfish in Spain which weighed 211 lbs (85.7 kg). They took a photo and weighed the fish and then let it go back into the water. Good idea - as they were not going to eat the fish, and it had obviously lived so long to reach that size; the catfish's life was not for them to take.

News article - DUNCAN’S THE CAT’S WHISKERS WITH FISH AT 15ST

In other (and very exciting) news, Canadian Prime Minister Paul Martin announced the appointment of the new governor general. Not only another woman, but also black (Ms Michaelle Jean is Haitian born). Hopefully she will follow in the footsteps of the popular, Her Excellency the Right Honourable Adrienne Clarkson (also another migrant, and Hong Kong born).

This is a vast improvement to Australia's governors general. Our last one was an Anglican bishop who resigned in disgrace over allegations of cover up of child sex abuse by his clergy (our prime minister should have never asked the Queen of the UK, who lives on the other side of the world to appoint a religious person in such a role). Our current one is a retired army general (the usual conservative choice). We should either become a republic, or have an Indigenous woman as our governor general.

* Please visit Cooper and Camilla who are good at finding out about things and sharing it with us. Camilla is moving house soon and has good advice for humans on how to manage a move with animals.

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I had a lot of lap time today. I watched Meet the Fockers with my human. The best scene was when Mr Jinx (the cat) flushed Moses (the little dog) down the toilet.

We also watched a very exciting episode of Dr Who.

Better go, I must go and keep my human warm while we watch the rest of Constantine which is based on the DC comic book Hellblazer. And it might be scarey too.

keisercat@wildmail.com

still waiting for Godot...

The Theatre Royal in Bath*, UK is putting on its 50th anniversary production of Samuel Beckett's Waiting for Godot.

After 50 years, you'd think this Godot would show up by now. It is quite bad manners for him to make Vladimir and Estragon wait all this time.

This is the famous ending:
Vladimir: Well, shall we go?
Estragon: Yes, let's go.
They do not move.

Here is my proposed one scene sequel:
Vladimir: At last, he shows.
Estragon: Who?
Vladimir: Godot, of course.
Godot appears
Godot: Sorry I'm late.
Vladimir: But...
Godot: Let's go.
They leave.

Of course, that might change the existentialist nature of the play.

Waiting for Godot

*My human told me that Bath is a very enchanting place and one of his favourites.

** Please visit Cooper and Camilla who are good at finding out about things and sharing it with us.

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Today was a glorious sunny day and I managed to go outside for a few minutes while the washing was being hung out. I spied the front gate and intended to check it out, but was 'herded' back to the door. Hmmph...

I had some lap time today. It was great.

keisercat@wildmail.com

intelligent design?

All this talk in the US which George W Bush, err excuse me, President Bush has generated about teaching 'intelligent design' in schools to complement 'evolutionary theory' is the biggest load of crock to rival the Catholic Church's previous doctrine that the sun revolved around the earth.

'Intelligent design' is nothing more than crack-pottism masquerading as science. In fact, this stupid idea just proves how threatened the Christian conservatives are with science, even if theoretical.

The existence of god or some higher being is based on faith. Faith does not require scientific proof. By virtue of introducing the concept of 'intelligent design', the proponents not only give credence to 'evolutionary theory' with which they disagree, but are admitting to cracks within their own faith.

It took the Catholic Church a long time to admit that Gallileo was correct (and they even punished him as a heretic).

Sometimes particular aspects of religious beliefs can just be plain wrong.

Certainly 'evolutionary theory' would not be the only branch of science to threaten the faith of conservative Christians. What about probability theory in mathematics? Will the crackpots introduce something to suggest that there is no such thing as probability as the 'higher being' has a grand design and there is no such thing as chance?

Scientific knowledge has taken thousands of years to develop by human civilisations. Now is not a time to make a mockery of it.

If 'intelligent design' is going to be a 'serious' area of science, then I would suggest that the 'guiding higher being' of earth's evolutionary development are in fact a race of more advanced aliens conducting their own scientific experiment.

Reporting in:
Los Angeles Times
Washington Post
Time magazine

* Please visit Cooper and Camilla who are good at finding out about things and sharing it with us.

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After another sleep in today, my human was motivated enough to clean the house (the excuse was Devi coming over for dinner). Aside from a good clean and a change of bedding, he prepared the slow cooked lamb shanks which created a wonderful smell for most of the day.

Devi came over straight after work so she was in her nice clothes so I was not allowed to lie on her lap. They had the lamb with mashed potato and sweet potato, and blanched broccolini.

keisercat@wildmail.com

from blog to book deal to sitcom

No, not me, but Stephanie Klein from Prospect Park, New Jersey. She has been writing her blog since January 2004, about her life as a 29 year old professional single woman.

Her blog was among the top 1 percent most read blog in the world, and the New York Times called her the 'Carrie Bradshaw' of bloggers (that's the lead character in the tv show, Sex and the City).

She ended up with a book deal worth more that half a million dollars (due out April 2006).

Now, NBC is interested in a fictionalised sitcom version of her blog.

See if you think she deserves all this fuss.

greek tragedy

I am still waiting for my syndicated newspaper column.

* Please visit Cooper and Camilla who are good at finding out about things and sharing it with us.

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My human woke up very late. Slowly he is adapting to a cat's life. He spent most of the day sleeping or on the couch, except when I sent him out to procure fresh chicken wings from the markets for my dinner. We watched a really cool supernatural movie called The Sight on tv, where an architect sees dead people and helped to solve a serial murder case.

keisercat@wildmail.com

Have you seen Secret?

Secret is a cat who lives with her human Shawn Tinder, at Merrill Street in Beloit, Wisconsin on the state line with Illinois.

Secret has been missing for two weeks. If you live near that area, and have seen her, please call her human Shawn on 362-4372.

You can read more about Shawn's search for Secret from Beloit Daily News.


Photo by Jen Scherer
Shawn Tinder stands by the giant sign he erected at the corner of Townline Avenue and St. Lawrence Avenue as part of efforts to find his pet cat. He's sparing no expense, having spent a couple hundred dollars on the sign, and has run ads, distributed flyers and searched the neighborhood on foot.

If there was a prize for the most devoted kitty's human of the year, Shawn would be a contender (and my human too, of course).

* Please visit Cooper and Camilla who are good at finding out about things and sharing it with us.

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I had some more lap time today. Yesterday and last night my human and I caught up on the first four taped episodes of Steven Spielberg's TAKEN which is a variation of the alien abduction theme used in X-Files (in between watching Desperate Housewives). That Colonel Crawford in TAKEN is an evil man. TAKEN is back on tonight, six more episodes to go. The second season of The 4400 has also started (we missed the first episode last week), so it will be a full on alien abduction night for my human and I. This means lots of lap time!

keisercat@wildmail.com

viva la suisse!

I hope our kitty friends in Switzerland had a wonderful long weekend with their humans. Today is Switzerland's national day, which is also the anniversary of the formation (in 1291) of the Swiss Confederation.

Switzerland is one of the world's oldest republic and democracy. Mind you, one of the cantons did not give women the vote until 1990!

Switzerland is famous for their cheese (with the holes), chocolate (which I am not allowed to have), watches, banks, pocket knives (which the Swiss Army use), and efficiency.

In celebration of all things Swiss, here is a link to some local pop music samplers: Swiss music - pop and rock.

My human told me that he loved visiting Zurich and Geneva, and that the cats are very well treated there, and not to mind that the Swiss eat horsemeat.

* Please visit Cooper and Camilla who are good at finding out about things and sharing it with us.

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After four days at home with me, I thought my human would leave me for the day to go to work, but he stayed home again (thanks to Bastet, the cat goddess). His doctor has increased the dosage of his medication which will take about a week to stabilise, but in the meantime he is lethargic so I have to work extra hard to make sure he gets better.

I better remind him that today is Monday which means Desperate Housewives and a nice long brush of my fur.

keisercat@wildmail.com