I, Meowza, am hosting this weekend’s Weekend Cat Blogging so leave your links in the comments and I’ll add you in.

“Enjoying yourself, Izzy?”

Post is getting a bit long so you know what to do.

(more…)

Things are getting out of hand, guessing this puts the kabosh on prospects for peace as if there were any.

A senior Israeli defense official said on Friday that Palestinians firing rockets from the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip would bring upon themselves what he termed a “shoah,” the Hebrew word for holocaust or disaster.

The word is rarely used in Israel outside discussions of the Nazi Holocaust of Jews. Many Israelis are loath to countenance its use to describe other contemporary events. Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri said the Palestinians faced “new Nazis.”

Israeli air strikes have killed at least 33 Gazans, including five children, in the past two days. The army, which carried out additional air strikes on Friday, said most of those killed were militants.

Israeli leaders said cross-border rocket fire may leave them no choice but to launch a broader military offensive against Hamas, which seized Gaza in June after routing forces loyal to Western-backed Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

Well, if it’s to be “shoah,” it’s Hamas’ fault. FYI:

Israel’s Foreign Ministry spokesman, Arye Mekel, said: “Deputy defense Minister Matan Vilnai used the Hebrew phrase that included the term ’shoah’ in Hebrew in the sense of a disaster or a catastrophe, and not in the sense of a holocaust.”

Bet the Palis spin it the other way and the Leftards follow suit. This is just dumb.

Leading Israeli commentators urged caution on Friday over any major military offensive. Many said there are no easy options, which range from an all-out ground invasion to targeted strikes on Hamas leaders. Some suggested that only negotiations with Hamas could bring a halt to the rocket barrages.

One doesn’t negotiate with those committed to Israel’s destruction. Abbas remains true to form.

Although Abbas and his secular Fatah faction remain deeply hostile to Hamas, the president’s office said Israel’s military actions were aimed at destroying the peace process.

How come Hamas’ rocket attacks aren’t blamed? They started it. Israel is just planning to respond. Guessing defending one’s country isn’t an approved activity. Israel gets blamed for everything irregardless.

And I just filled up too, paid $2.999 per gallon. Oil just hit a new high.

Light, sweet crude for April delivery rose $2.95 to settle at a record $102.59 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Prices continued rising after the Nymex closed, setting a new trading record of $103.05 in Asian electronic trading before slipping back to $102.92.

Imagine tomorrow it will be over $3 per gallon. Wonder when people will start to change their driving habits. Or vehicles, lots of Hummers, Suburbans, big trucks, vans out there.

Was reported yesterday on FoxNews but hadn’t showed up on the website, found this article which may have been the source.

Global warming sceptics are pointing to recent record cold temperatures in parts of North America and Asia and the return of Arctic Sea ice to suggest fears about climate change may be overblown.

According to the US National Climatic Data Center (NCDC), the average temperature of the global land surface in January 2008 was below the 20th century mean (-0.02°F/-0.01°C) for the first time since 1982.

Temperatures were also colder than average across large swathes of central Asia, the Middle East, the western US, western Alaska and southeastern China.

Read the whole thing, fascinating. Been colder here overall too although today is a balmy 75° out. Friend says it is global warming causing the temperature extremes. I think the sun has something to do with it not the activities of man.

Unexpected especially since Russia is less than delighted at our support for the breakaway Kosovo, this.

Russia warned Iran on Wednesday that it would back further United Nations sanctions over its nuclear program unless Tehran halted uranium enrichment in the next few days.

That’s nice of Russia but it’s so not happening, first Iran will continue enrichment.

Iran’s U.N. ambassador said his nation would not comply with a new sanctions resolution and considered any demand that it suspend uranium enrichment illegal.

And seeing that Libya, on the Security Council, why I am clueless, won’t go along with sanctions, it’s not a done deal.

“Really we cannot be supportive of further sanctions,” Libya’s ambassador to the United Nations, Giadalla Ettalhi, told reporters as he went into a Security Council meeting on unrelated issues in New York.

Asked if Libya would vote “no” if the resolution went to a vote unchanged, Ettalhi said, “I think so.”

Doesn’t a vote have to be unanimous? Anyway, I don’t expect much. And then there’s China. They are unlikely to back sanctions either.

More Izzy tummy for Tummy Tuesday. Thankies Lisa Violet for sharing kittycat tummies. Izzy has more tummy on his site.

More kittycat goodness: BKCFoC CotC ARK WCB

I am hosting Weekend Cat Blogging this weekend, me not you, Izzy, ME! Meowza! Says so too.

“Me hosting WCB, not you.”

Other neat kittycat stuff: BKCFoC CotC ARK

Title graphic thanks to Kashim and Othello, two very cool mancats whose graphic skills far exceeds that of Zed Monster.

I, Izzy, am hosting this week’s festival. I nabbed that honor cause I was the only one who took an interest in the catnip. Mog could have done treats but I won’t tell her. I like being the only cooperative cat for once. Won’t happen again I assure you.

Oh the difficulty of raising catnip around a bunch of cats. We cats are resourceful.

“This ‘nip is mine. All mine.”

An informative article indeed, Why do cats eat grass? Hint, give us the grass and we’ll show you all over your nice clean carpet.

Does she really want to know what we cats are thinking? I think not.

Abby’s hiding, see if you can find her.

Perfectly Parker celebrates his anniversary in Wayback Wednesday. Happy Anniversary you lucky cat.

What’s that white flaky stuff? Don’t have that here, just green flaky stuff.

“Green flaky good.”

LOL Cat Bible: Lectionary Readings for the Third Sunday in Lent Water from roks, kittyz ar happy wehn dogz bark, and Jebus in ours littrboxz . . . all this week! Their comments not mine. I spell better, heh.

Because Puddy’s comfort is her #1 priority, she lets the cat take over the laundry. Kitties love fresh, clean laundry.

Samantha and Tigger are really into this weeks theme. What would we cats do without ‘nip ravioli.

This cat makes the case for both catnip AND treats. Good case too.

“Hey Meowza, see what you’re mssing.”

Luna likes to play Peek-a-boo! unlike say me who likes to play peek-attack!

Oooo, a movie of kitties getting treats. Me like treats.

Mouse, Amber, Kosmo and Sox show how to do “Easy Like Sunday Morning” up right proper.

Gypsy takes a more active approach to “Easy Like Sunday”, I prefer the passive approach unless there’s catnip or a bird to tempt me.

And what festival would be complete without me, me and more me.

“Me again. Thankies for coming.”

More kitties as they submit. Or email festivalchaos (at) gmail (dot) com, your choice.

Next weeks BKCFoC host is Tuxedo Gang Hideout Optional Theme - Favorite Game

Other cat sightings this weekend:

Carnival of the Cats at House of (Mostly) Black Cats
Friday Ark at the Modulator always
Weekend Cat Blogging at Bad Kitty Cats
Do go shout out at The Catbloggers Frappr Map

Technorati tags: bad kitty cats festival of chaos, BKCFoC, cat, blog carnival

On the short list to go, one Izzy. Despite having his own website, cat has definite antisocial tendencies. He doesn’t come up for lapcat duty and is always hissing and getting in fights with the other cats. He defends as his territory absolutely everything and I am getting tired of it.

So when have I ever gotten rid of a cat?

Sunday I am hosting the Bad Kitty Cats Festival of Chaos. Submit here or email your cats to FestivalChaos(at)GMail.Com. Optional Theme - Catnip or Treats.

Other fine cat stuff:

Carnival of the Cats at House of (Mostly) Black Cats
Friday Ark at the Modulator always
Weekend Cat Blogging at Bad Kitty Cats
Get listed on The Catbloggers Frappr Map

Again. They reprinted the cartoons in solidarity with the cartoonist threatened with death and the Muslims rioted again. Typical. Note, images of burning flags protesting Denmark, the U.S. and Wikipedia of all things absent from American media. Image credit Snapped Shot.

Hattip Michelle Malkin.

Is today’s fight. From the annals of Yahoo comes this gem.

Up to 200,000 Serbs massed in Belgrade on Thursday to protest against Kosovo’s secession, refusing to accept the loss of their religious heartland.

“As long as we live, Kosovo is Serbia,” Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica told the crowd from a stage in front of the old Yugoslav parliament building in Belgrade, to applause.

“We’ll never give up Kosovo, never!” protesters chanted back, as they waved national flags. A huge banner reading “Kosovo is Serbia” draped the front of the building.

“We’re not alone in our fight. President Putin is with us,” Kostunica said, paying tribute to the Russian leader who has opposed U.S. and European states’ recognition of Kosovo.

That’s comforting to know. Putin is with them seeing as how Russia just might have feelings about losing territory and a known tendency to intefere. Sides Yugoslavia used to be lots bigger, what’s the loss of one more piece? Consider it a done deal and just get on with it, k. And I don’t mean this.

Smoke billowed from the American embassy in Belgrade after scores of protesters broke into the building on Thursday, cheered on by crowds outside, in a protest at U.S. support for Kosovo’s independence.

One protester climbed up to the first floor of the building, located on one of the Serbian capital’s main boulevards, ripped the Stars and Stripes off its pole and briefly put up a Serbian flag in its place.

There are limits. They aren’t protesting a cartoon now. There, anything goes.

Missed the eclipse cause it was so overcast but did get in an awesome light show - lightning storm. Kitties didn’t want to be out in that. Izzy and Meowza came in. No telling where Bazel is holed up cause he didn’t come in when the rain started pouring down. Maybe he’s made friends with Cece and is over there. Wouldn’t surprise me. Why I even caught Cece and Izzy nose kissing once.

Some more Meowza tummy for Tummy Tuesday. Thankies Lisa Violet for sharing kittycat tummies. Meowza has more tummy on his site.

Other fine catting: BKCFoC CotC ARK WCB

My long term disability insurance has been approved. I won’t go broke end of March. What a relief. I will get a little more on it than on short term so I won’t be as strapped. Why I think I’ll even be able to afford their cat food. Hungry little beasties they be. Still need to cut down on the number of cats. Average household has 3.4 cats and I’m way over.

Good cat stuff: BKCFoC CotC ARK WCB

Cece again. I may not let him in but I do take lots of pics. He’s so pretty. Next up, brushing the cat. He’s not as well groomed as dirtyboy.

Good catting: BKCFoC CotC ARK WCB

Next Sunday I am hosting the Bad Kitty Cats Festival of Chaos. Submit here or email your cats to FestivalChaos(at)GMail.Com. Optional Theme - Catnip or Treats.

Other good catting: CotC ARK WCB

Carnival of the Cats is hosted today by Meowza who appears to have a subconscious desire to be taking the fast lane to join Tigger. Note: Meowza has a tendency to stand in the middle of the road when I drive up. Surprised he isn’t dead yet. Turning it over to the cat.

Thank you Mog for that oh so kind intro. On to the kitties.

“You just had to upload the evidence, didn’t you.”

Mourning the loss of Tigger, a beloved and beautiful cat. We are with you humans such a short time, better love us while you can.

Speaking of being loved, this cat is spoiled. Only proper way to treat a cat IMHO.

However, there may be an upper limit to being spoiled. That’s one well fed puddy.

Willow tests the sink for a suitable resting spot. Mog likes the sink, Bazel would just crap in it thou.

Here we have The Cat Lady Test. Only three cats, not enough IMHO.

Pets are a wonderful source of love, yes we are and don’t anyone forget it.

Fascinating, colloidal silver has healing properties for us kittycats. Check it out.

Aloysius’ favorite things, mine too except I prefer the ‘nip to flowers. Hint, Mog.

Poor kitty, enduring yet another photo. My heart goes out to you Mimi. It’s so tough being a cat.

“Life is tough.”

Aww, look at that proud poppa and ignore the somewhat less than overjoyed cat in his arms. Now if you give him some chicken…

Warning [inserted by Mog]: Drink alert, keep drinks away from keyboard lest damage ensue. Aww, Mog why spoil the fun? In Weekend Time Out, won’t say any more.

Cats in hats, oh the indignity. Hoping you get that hard drive soon, can’t enjoy the carnival without it.

Hint to Mog let that faucet drip. Izzy prefers it that way. So does Ritzi so I’m told. Mog visits her just about every day. Me jealous.

Now this is comfort. I want one of those.

Cat voted in Sooper Tuesday, patriotic cat? Using his brain he is.

What can I say, cow-kitties are just so darn beautiful, aren’t we?

Mog just snagged these for desktop wallpaper. Rahel takes the prettiest cat pics and none of them are her cats. Smart lady so says Mog.

This cat is deep in thought. Never say we aren’t profound thinkers. Least, not where we can hear you. Be warned, we also read minds, Mog is convinced of that.

“Don’t bother me Cece, I’m thinking… Oh yeah”

Cece expressive and not so expressive and sortof expressive. There, you happy now.

Oh, the indignity of it all but well worth it.

Ben is one lucky cat getting a Valentine all nipped out from his sweetie who got a nice present herself.

Some very good points made regarding a certain cat food. Here’s my take, it’s canned kitty food and we kitties wolf it down. Mog doesn’t elegantly prepare it either, scoops it out of the can like any other canned kitty food.

Tuxie Tuesday, we’re all for it. Cute kitten.

Aww, a Valentine and a haiku, how sweet. Hey Mog! Why didn’t you get us anything for Valentine’s Day?

Meezer Rule Wednesday and it isn’t meezer rules, that’s cause us cow-kitties rule. Meezers just make the rules. Hmm, that’s not right. Shouldn’t he who rules make the rules?

“See those spots, that’s distinction.”

Those kitties be rasslin’, looks like fun. Wonder if Izzy would like to engage in a little rasslin’?

And of course, since it’s Sunday, must have the Lectionary Readings for the Second Sunday in Lent. It’s for the humans. We cats are perfect.

Kashim’s got a girlfriend he dreams about and Othello!!! Just have to read it.

OK, this is how you handle intruders not like we did it. Nose kisses don’t cut it, they never leave.

Where there’s food, there’s bound to be a cat. Scroll down for cat.

There’s food and cat in this one too. Sissy is a master at combining cats with insightful commentary.

A too cute pic of the Babe here in a mega-post. Sure glad we cats only just eat, sleep, play and torment Mog. No politics involved.

Grace and Audace share lazy days. Those cats know how to live.

“Yeah so, I’m always rolling in it. What of it?”

Izzy has tummy too. Showoff!

Had to share this nose kiss cause it’s Izzy and me.

Maddie and Ivy enjoy a snowy day. It’s obvious these two really love it out there, explorers at heart both.

Aw, what a perfectly named cat, PooPoo and she has such a patient and tolerant mom too.

Arthur sure is having trouble getting to take a nap. Sisters can be so annoying sometimes.

What a Valentine’s Day present to lose their mojo. Taking it from a cat that lost his and knows, I still try. [Drink alert warning applies - Mog]

Luna has a favorite toy and it’s a Valentine toy. I would have shredded it long ago. So I play rough. The feather toy didn’t survive an afternoon.

Who to choose, who to choose. Decisions. Who’s the fairest bather of them all?

Want to take your kittycat on a trip to Cancun or some other exotic locale? Here’s the ultimate guide.

Dragonheart and Merlin are loved and a beautiful portrait it is. I’d like one of those Mog. *hint*

Sebastian has great taste in stores. It’s a fun place to spend an afternoon according to Mog. She won’t let me go for some odd reason, says I’d claw the place up.

Samantha and Tigger sure have the easy in Easy Like Sunday Morning down pat. They look downright comfy.

JB reports on new temptations, a yummy kitty treat. My eye is on the big container of nip.

Basking in the sun, that’s Boni Maroni’s way to spend the day. I can dig it.

“Thanks for coming all.”

That wraps it up for this week except for late comers. Next week’s Carnival of the Cats is at the House of the (Mostly) Black Cats. Submit here or email your cats to carnivalofthecats(at)gmail.com.

Technorati tags: carnival of the cats, CoTC, cat

Meowza has been working hard on the Carnival of the Cats. If you haven’t submitted yet, submit here or email your cats to carnivalofthecats(at)gmail.com.

Other fine weekend catting:

Bad Kitty Cats Festival of Chaos at Bad Kitty Cats
Optional Theme - Valentine’s Edition
Friday Ark at the Modulator always
Weekend Cat Blogging at Life From A Cat’s Perspective

This is definitely good news.

Attacks by insurgents and rival sectarian militias have fallen up to 80 percent in Baghdad and concrete blast walls that divide the capital can soon be removed, a senior Iraqi military official said on Saturday.

Nice number. Didn’t even know about the blast walls. Interesting.

The United States says attacks have fallen across Iraq by 60 percent since June on the back of security clampdowns, 30,000 extra U.S. troops and a ceasefire ordered by Shi’ite cleric and militia leader Moqtada al-Sadr.

Key to the fall in violence was also a decision by Sunni Arab tribal leaders to turn against al Qaeda in late 2006 and form neighborhood security units, which man checkpoints and provide tips on militant hideouts.

The surge is working, good going. And the Iraqis helping of course, nothing like teamwork.

The picture after the picture with the whiskers.

Sunday, I am hosting the Carnival of the Cats. Submit here or email your cats to carnivalofthecats(at)gmail.com. Nice to share your kitties.

Other fine weekend catting:

Bad Kitty Cats Festival of Chaos at Bad Kitty Cats
Optional Theme - Valentine’s Edition
Friday Ark at the Modulator always
Weekend Cat Blogging at Life From A Cat’s Perspective

Saw the doc yesterday, assistant gave me a mini memory test which I passed, asked me orientation questions then gave me three words to remember. Asked me to repeat them several times which I did then asked me after a minute what they were, which words I remembered.

Had they asked me after five minutes, I would have only said the one word I remembered. Still only remember the one which was apple. Wonder why I remember that word, heh.

So after a brief exam and even briefer discussion, he changed my meds around, gave me a script for Ambien. Which Ambien also has the potential side effect of causing memory loss. As do some of my other meds which he didn’t stop. As does the MS.

Mind you, other docs have been hesitant to mess with my meds for fear of adverse effects. We’ll see what this does.

We didn’t even get into the other cognitive deficits I have, all of which started with one exacerbation some time back and which have only gotten worse, mostly cause I didn’t remember to bring them up.

So if my memory still sucks in three months I’m to see him back.

I’ll be back.

I didn’t even take the Ambien last night cause I was so tired. Was asleep nineish.

That’s a pretty tall order here considering Iran’s denial in the past.

The U.S. on Friday demanded that Iran confess to trying to make atomic weapons, suggesting that anything short of that would doom an International Atomic Energy Agency probe of Tehran’s nuclear past.

The call by Gregory L. Schulte, chief U.S. delegate to the Vienna-based IAEA, appeared to set the bar insurmountably high for the investigation by the U.N. agency’s chief, Mohamed ElBaradei.

There is only about a week left before he reports on the probe’s progress, and Iran has steadfastly denied ever working on a nuclear weapons program.

We’ll see what he reports, not holding my breath. Seems they have been holding out. At least there’s more than that NIE report indicated.

Schulte spoke a day after diplomats told The Associated Press that the U.S. had recently shared new intelligence on alleged Iranian nuclear weapons work. One of them also said that Washington also gave the IAEA permission to confront Iran with at least some of the evidence in an attempt to pry details out of the Islamic republic on the activities.

Won’t happen, they are highly unlikely at this date to acknowledge anything. I wanted to comment yesterday but I was too tired, went to bed really early too.

Couldn’t resist this pic of Cece. Least he was sitting there not trying to get in. Good kittycat.

Sunday, I am hosting the Carnival of the Cats. Submit here or email your cats to carnivalofthecats(at)gmail.com. Nice to share your kitties.

Other fine weekend catting:

Bad Kitty Cats Festival of Chaos at Bad Kitty Cats
Optional Theme - Valentine’s Edition
Friday Ark at the Modulator always
Weekend Cat Blogging at Life From A Cat’s Perspective

Heard this on the news. Not good.

Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah threatened Israel with “open war” on Thursday and accused the Jewish state of killing a top commander who was among the United States’ most wanted men.

“Zionists, if you want this type of open war then let the whole world hear: let it be an open war,” Nasrallah told mourners at the funeral of Imad Moughniyah, a legend to Hezbollah but one of the men most wanted by Israel and the United States for planning attacks that killed hundreds.

Moughniyah, hunted by Israel and the United States for two decades, was killed by a bomb in Damascus on Tuesday.

Don’t care who did it thou I don’t want Israel attacked as a result. Why Moughniyah was wanted, at least by the U.S., is evident in the following.

Moughniyah was implicated in the 1983 bombings of the U.S. embassy and U.S. Marine and French peacekeeping barracks in Beirut, which killed over 350 people, as well as the kidnapping of Westerners in Lebanon in the 1980s.

Israel accuses Moughniyah of planning the 1994 bombing of a Jewish centre in Buenos Aires that killed 85 people and of involvement in a 1992 bombing of the Israeli embassy in the Argentine capital that killed 28.

The United States indicted him for his role in planning and participating in the 1985 hijacking of a U.S. TWA airliner and the killing of an American passenger. Washington welcomed Moughniyah’s death.

He was one bad mutha rather like of KSM. Deserved to die.

Not quite as cold out as I thought so it seems.

“To suppose that we aspire to return to the times of the Cold War is just too bold a supposition,” Putin told hundreds of reporters in the Kremlin’s Round Hall.

“We are not interested in this. Our main tasks are internal development, the solution of social and economic problems of the country.”

Russia was willing to work “towards the construction of a positive dialogue” with whoever won the U.S. presidential election and did not intend to target any country with its nuclear missiles except in “extreme necessity,” he said.

I remain skeptical of course.

Something actually good about John McCain, not much but something.

McCain, a national-security expert by inclination, has voted for free-trade agreements and fought protectionism. On the domestic front, he tried to kill many federal programs and opposed President George W. Bush’s 2003 Medicare prescription drug plan, which may cost almost $400 billion over 10 years.

He actually opposed that prescription drug plan. Which would better have been handled by a Medicare supplement HMO style. Aside from that, his past record on taxation has been described as “profoundly disturbing” and his recent turnaround may be “expedient rhetoric” to win over the conservative base IMHO. I still don’t trust him.

Well, not here, it’s been a balmy 78° outside, positively wonderful, perfect February weather. There.

Washington is trying to gauge whether Russia’s recent bomber mission near a U.S. aircraft carrier indicated Moscow’s return to a Cold War “mind-set” and is considering how the Pentagon should respond, a senior U.S. military officer said on Tuesday.

But other senior U.S. defense and Navy officials stressed they did not see Russia’s weekend bomber flights south of Japan as provocative.

Sure sounds provocative. And this really sounds provocative if not downright threatening.

Russian officials have said they will revive some of the military power and reach that was allowed to collapse with the Soviet Union.

Russia could train its nuclear missiles on Ukraine if the pro-Western state joins NATO, Russian President Vladimir Putin said in Moscow on Tuesday.

Alas no surprise really all things considered. Back to the Cold War. Unfortunate.

Izzy still doesn’t like Cece, hissed at him. Couldn’t go out either cause Cece had his nose in the door and my cats tend to be indecisive, takes them a few minutes to decide whether or not they want out, so I couldn’t leave the door open for him. Meowza did the nose to nose bit with Cece, no hissing. Nice he can make friends.

Sunday, I am hosting the Carnival of the Cats. Submit here or email your cats to carnivalofthecats(at)gmail.com. Kittycats safer in the computer than in the house.

Other fine catting: BKCFoC ARK WCB

Crossed over the rainbow bridge. So sorry for your loss, Meryl. It’s hard to lose family. It’s been a terrible year so far for orange fluffballs.

He was a gorgeous cat (and a nice change from black/gray and white cats). Hattip Lair as I was behind in checking Meryl’s blog. More cats, live and dead:

Bad Kitty Cats Festival of Chaos at The Cat Blogosphere
Optional Theme - Cats In Sinks
Carnival of the Cats at Pet’s Garden Blog
Friday Ark at the Modulator always
Weekend Cat Blogging at Kashim & Othello