Ivanhoe

I just finished reading the TOR mass market paperback edition of Ivanhoe (ISBN 0812565657). I must say that there were typos to distraction.

It was an amusing little story; doesn't have much to do with Ivanhoe, though. *shrugs*

I really don't get the animosity expressed towards the Jews. Just don't get it. Talk about ignorant! How can you see someone as less than human, just because of race or religion? I was never raised to hate or despise anyone. Sure, I have the prejudices common to the region, but I would never consciously act on any of them to be cruel to someone for no reason other than their race or religion.

Ratboy Napping

pic 1) That's it! I'm done! I'll go no further!

pic 2) Cozy.

Sicko reprise

I got this link from Anomalousdata.com.

Employers grab accident victims' cash

Wal-Mart's health plan sued an ex-worker, brain-damaged in a crash, to collect money from a settlement she'd received. It's part of a trend in which companies aggressively try to recoup insurance costs.

A collision with a tractor-trailer seven years ago left 52-year-old Deborah Shank permanently brain-damaged and in a wheelchair. Her husband, Jim, and three sons found a small source of solace: a $700,000 accident settlement from the trucking company involved.

After legal fees and other expenses, the remaining $417,000 was put in a special trust. It was to be used for Deborah Shank's care.

Instead, all of it is now slated to go to Deborah's former employer, Wal-Mart Stores.

The woman stocked shelves for a few months and because of signing on to the health care plan, she's lost out on all of the settlement money that was meant to go towards her continued care.

Well, that is just one more reason for needing some variety of universal health care! I'd rather be paying more in taxes and be assured that I will be taken care of, should something horrible happen, than be paying insurance premiums to an insurance company that will do everything in its power to avoid paying out, and then seek reimbursement after the fact!

And more: Walmart takes out life-insurance on its employees.

I'm definitely tired...

I decided to put on the classic White Christmas to run in the background and keep down the monotony of counting prepositions.

I must be tired! I started getting all teary-eyed at the scene where all the old soldiers have come together to honor the old general. I'm usually not so sentimental!

I highly recommend this movie for those looking for a simple musical comedy, without any sex or violence (except for when the guy's are smacking each other with the feather fans).

On a side note, I'm in just such a mood as to feel sad that the folks all young, alive and well in that film are all either old or dead now. They live on in the film, but are never to be known in person again. Such is life.

OK...back to working on my paper...which movie shall I put in now?

Wrestling with the squeaky toy

Chaos was rather energetic today. We spent a good ten minutes running (well...I walked, he ran) back and forth in the building hall. We got back to my apartment door and he sniffed at it, so I opened it and took off the leash. The little brat ran back down the hallway. I caught him at the first doormat that he stopped to investigate and put the leash back on him. He ran until he was done, and then he lay down in the middle of the hall, determined not to move a paw further. I carried him back to my apartment and fed him. When I went out to visit my neighbor, Chaos was ready to run back out into the hall again.

Most recently, he has been teaching the squeaky toy a thing or two about who's boss.

Just what happened to Izzy

Well, it wasn't just that she go wedged between the wall and the bookcase. It was one of those self-assemble bookcases with the paperboard back on it. The books on the bottom shelf were pushed back in such as way as to pop out the bottom corner of the back. She got stuck on that and it worked like a barb, preventing her from going forward or back.

Izzy died

I'd been having to force feed her the last few days. Then she got caught between the wall and the bookshelf and went into hypothermia, likely from low blood sugar and the draft from the window. I took her to the vet and he tried to save her. He gave her glucose and subcutaneous fluids. He also wedged her between a couple of socks full of microwaved dry rice to try to get her temperature up again. She started to warm up and it looked like she was coming back. Her heartbeat got stronger. And then she stopped breathing at about 7:30, about an hour and 45 minutes after bringing her in.

Sicko

Man...my neighbor and I are watching Sicko. Our country sucks. Even 9-11 rescue workers aren't getting covered.

If Canada, Britain, and France and CUBA can pull it off to cover everyone, why can't we???

WTF???

Let's hear it for socialized health care now!

On Ferrets in Arabic

This is my Arabic presentation. Exciting, isn't it??? There are probably some mistakes in it, but I think it's pretty good for only having known any Arabic since the summer.

Step 1 to cut energy consumption: Cut the Christmas lights!

So, there's all the stuff about being environmentally aware. People drive the Prius in droves now. They turn off the light in the hall when done and even shut down their computers at night. However, many can't part with their Christmas lights. And Christmas is coming earlier and earlier, so lights are on longer and longer. The next time you think about giving back to the world during the holidays, switch off your Christmas lights. Some people don't even have electricity to heat or light their homes!

Does anyone out there have figures on how much electricity could be saved if everyone turned off their Christmas lights for a day?

I'm not saying that folks should completely give up the lights; that just isn't likely. However, how about waiting to turn them on until mid December, instead of a month or two before?