Ban on Black Cat Adoptions Questioned
By REBECCA BOONE, AP
BOISE, Idaho (Oct. 28) - A black cat won't cross your path this Halloween, not if a northern Idaho animal shelter can help it. Like many shelters around the country, the Kootenai Humane Society in Coeur d'Alene is prohibiting black cat adoptions from now to Nov. 2, fearing the animals could be mistreated in Halloween pranks - or worse, sacrificed in some satanic ritual.
The shelter's executive director, Phil Morgan, said that while the risk may be remote, the policy will remain just in case.
"It's kind of an urban legend. But in the humane industry it's pretty typical that shelters don't do adoptions of black cats or white bunnies because of the whole satanic sacrificial thing," Morgan said. "If we prevent one animal from getting hurt, then it serves its purpose."
Some animal experts, however, say the practice does more to hurt animals than protect them.
"Black cats already suffer a stigma because of their color," said Gail Buchwald, vice president of the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals shelter in New York City. "Why penalize them any more by limiting the times when they can be adopted?"
Idaho Humane Society spokeswoman Dee Fugit said that while the temporary adoption bans used to be more common, several years of working in Idaho has proven to her there's no need for such measures.
"If somebody comes in here and they're strange enough that we'd question why they're adopting a black cat on Halloween, then we're probably not going to adopt any animal to them," Fugit said from her Boise office. "It doesn't seem to be a justifiable reason for not adopting black cats. We are absolutely inundated with cats that need homes right now."
Black cats tend to be adopted less often than other felines, Buchwald said.
A study published in the Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science in 2002 comparing coat color in shelter animals found that black or dark brown cats were much less likely to be adopted than white, gray or mixed-color cats, Buchwald said.
"Behaviorally, there's no difference from the color of the cat. It's tied into this whole mythology about the animal - don't let it cross your path or some foreboding or foreshadowing of evil - and that's an outdated superstition," she said.
It's not clear exactly how many shelters still seasonally ban black cat adoptions, said Kim Intino, the director of animal sheltering issues for The Humane Society of the United States, but it's a trend that seems to be fading - along with the once-common bans on bunny adoptions around Easter or puppy adoptions as Christmas gifts.
"If there were people out there performing rituals with animals, then I would think that Halloween would be a time for that, but a good adoption process would tend to weed that out," Intino said. "There's going to be incidents of weird abuse that happen no matter what. The remedy is not banning black cat adoptions."
As for pet-lovers dying to take home a feline in Kootenai County, the shelter is happy to adopt out animals, Morgan said. Would-be black-cat owners will simply have to wait a few days. There are plenty to choose from - out of 97 cats at the shelter, 28 are black, he said.
If nothing else, he said, the ban gives the shelter a chance to educate the public about other dangers pets may face during the Halloween season.
"It gives us a chance to remind people about safety and their pets. Always make sure that you keep Halloween candy out of the reach of pets, and if you own any cat I would make sure it stays inside. Dogs can get frightened by all the kids in costume, and the constant door opening of trick-or-treating gives animals a chance to run away," he said.
Friday, November 3, 2006
Would Someone Please Shut Me Up?
So I decided to get to bed EARLY one night this week. Partly because I was exhausted, partly because I watched a segment on the Today Show that linked weight loss and sleep (so THAT's my problem! JK).
By 10:00 p.m. the sleep timer on my TV had shut off, the cat was purring softly at my feet and i was well on my way to into a beautiful dream that involved Russell Crowe and a can of Redi Whip... when my cell phone rings.
And WHY didn't I have it turned off?? Well, because I'm currently using it as my alarm clock...yes..i KNOW I should just get a new alarm clock but that's NOT the point. So i put Russell on hold, fumbled for the phone now blaring out Fergie's 'London Bridge', flipped it open and without opening my eyes to see who it was I answered 'hello?', in a low, groggy voice that could have belonged to my 84-year-old, chainsmoking grandmother.
It was my father, who was very apologetic that he had obviously woken me up and was eager to let me get back to bed, but now that I WAS up I needed to know what was so important. Apparently he saw a commercial that reminded him of me as a little girl - not only that but he had received calls from several of my uncles saying the same thing and so he had to share. Well, naturally curious this morning, I looked up the advertisement that apparently personified my childhood.
By 10:00 p.m. the sleep timer on my TV had shut off, the cat was purring softly at my feet and i was well on my way to into a beautiful dream that involved Russell Crowe and a can of Redi Whip... when my cell phone rings.
And WHY didn't I have it turned off?? Well, because I'm currently using it as my alarm clock...yes..i KNOW I should just get a new alarm clock but that's NOT the point. So i put Russell on hold, fumbled for the phone now blaring out Fergie's 'London Bridge', flipped it open and without opening my eyes to see who it was I answered 'hello?', in a low, groggy voice that could have belonged to my 84-year-old, chainsmoking grandmother.
It was my father, who was very apologetic that he had obviously woken me up and was eager to let me get back to bed, but now that I WAS up I needed to know what was so important. Apparently he saw a commercial that reminded him of me as a little girl - not only that but he had received calls from several of my uncles saying the same thing and so he had to share. Well, naturally curious this morning, I looked up the advertisement that apparently personified my childhood.
Here it is, folks - evidently if you just gave her some red hair and freckles...here is Irish Red as a child. And apparently I haven't shut up since.
Thursday, November 2, 2006
Naked and Desperate
REDS IN THE NEWS
Marcia Cross is truly a 'Desperate Housewife.' Cross, the real life actress that plays Bree Van de Kamp on the hit ABC show 'Desperate Housewives' had had some naked pictures of her turn up and she is desperate to keep the pics from being sold to a third party.
According to the New York Daily News, a man who works for firm she hired to remove trash from the Cross' home in Los Angeles discovered the photos when he got to the dump.
***
An agent hired by the company, attorney David Hans Schmidt, told the News that he has more than 200 photos of the "Desperate Housewives" actress.
Since she is completely naked and he has seen the photos - the lawyer let's everyone know that she is indeed a true redhead. "There are some pictures of her showering outside," Schmidt tells the Daily News.
"She looks absolutely gorgeous. And yes, the carpet does match the curtains."
Classy.
***
Cross of course wants the pictures back.
Her lawyers argue that no matter where the photos were found, they are the copyrighted property of Cross and her husband, Tom Mahoney, who may have taken some of them. Cross' attorneys maintain the photos were thrown out by mistake.
"The pictures were not stolen," says Schmidt. "When you throw something away, you forfeit that property.
Links to this story:
Wednesday, November 1, 2006
http://www.cnn.com/2006/LAW/11/01/female.circumcision.ap/index.html?eref=rss_topstories
Female circumcision, officially known as female genital mutilation, is one of the most political areas of women's health. Worldwide it is estimated that well over 100 million women have been subjected to it.
Supporters of the practice say it is done for cultural and religious reasons, but opponents say that not only is it potentially life-threatening - it is also an extreme form of oppression of women.
Those who persist in the practice in Senegal will now face a prison term of between one and five years.
Female circumcision is mainly carried out in western and southern Asia, the Middle East and large areas of Africa.
It is also known to take place among immigrant communities in the USA, Canada, France, Australia and Britain, where it is illegal.
In total it is estimated that two million a year are subjected to genital mutilation.
There are three main types of circumcision:
The removal of the tip of the clitoris;
Total removal of the clitoris and surrounding labia;
The removal of the clitoris and labia and the sewing up of the vagina, leaving only a small opening for urine and menstrual blood - a process known as infibulation.
So drastic is the mutilation involved in the latter operation that young brides have to be cut open to allow penetration on their wedding night and are customarily sewn up afterwards.
The aim of the process is to ensure the woman is faithful to her future husband. Some communities consider girls ineligible for marriage if they have not been circumcised.
Girls as young as three undergo the process, but the age at which the operation is performed varies according to country and culture.
Health workers say that the operation is often carried out in unsanitary conditions.
Razor blades, scissors, kitchen knives and even pieces of glass are used, often on more than one girl, which increases the risk of infection.
Anaesthesia is rarely used.
Some girls die as a result of haemorraging, septicemia and shock.
It can also lead to long-term urinary and reproductive problems.
However, girls who have not been circumcised are considered "unclean" in many cultures, and can be treated as harlots by other women. Many men believe the folklore which says they will die if their penis touches a clitoris.
Campaigns are working
Female circumcision is part of the fabric of many African societiesDue to health campaigns, female circumcision has been falling in some countries in the last decade. In Kenya, a 1991 survey found that 78% of teenagers had been circumcised, compared to 100% of women over 50. In Sudan, the practice dropped by 10% between 1981 and 1990.
Several governments have introduced legislation to ensure the process is only carried out in hospitals by trained doctors.
Other countries such as Egypt have banned the operation altogether, but there is significant opposition to change because of the traditional nature of the process and health workers think a less confrontational approach, such as Ntanira Na Mugambo, could be more successful.
Ntanira Na Mugambo, also known as 'circumcision by words', has been developed in rural areas of Kenya by local and international women's health organisations.
It involves a week-long programme of community education about the negative effects of female genital mutilation, culminating in a coming of age ceremony for young women.
The young women are secluded for a week and undergo classes in reproduction, anatomy, hygiene, respect for adults, developing self-esteem and dealing with peer pressure.
Family members also undergo health education sessions and men in the community are taught about the negative effects of female circumcision.
Health workers believe the programme works because it does not exert a blunt prohibition on female genital mutilation, but offers an attractive alternative.
Female circumcision, officially known as female genital mutilation, is one of the most political areas of women's health. Worldwide it is estimated that well over 100 million women have been subjected to it.
Supporters of the practice say it is done for cultural and religious reasons, but opponents say that not only is it potentially life-threatening - it is also an extreme form of oppression of women.
Those who persist in the practice in Senegal will now face a prison term of between one and five years.
Female circumcision is mainly carried out in western and southern Asia, the Middle East and large areas of Africa.
It is also known to take place among immigrant communities in the USA, Canada, France, Australia and Britain, where it is illegal.
In total it is estimated that two million a year are subjected to genital mutilation.
There are three main types of circumcision:
The removal of the tip of the clitoris;
Total removal of the clitoris and surrounding labia;
The removal of the clitoris and labia and the sewing up of the vagina, leaving only a small opening for urine and menstrual blood - a process known as infibulation.
So drastic is the mutilation involved in the latter operation that young brides have to be cut open to allow penetration on their wedding night and are customarily sewn up afterwards.
The aim of the process is to ensure the woman is faithful to her future husband. Some communities consider girls ineligible for marriage if they have not been circumcised.
Girls as young as three undergo the process, but the age at which the operation is performed varies according to country and culture.
Health workers say that the operation is often carried out in unsanitary conditions.
Razor blades, scissors, kitchen knives and even pieces of glass are used, often on more than one girl, which increases the risk of infection.
Anaesthesia is rarely used.
Some girls die as a result of haemorraging, septicemia and shock.
It can also lead to long-term urinary and reproductive problems.
However, girls who have not been circumcised are considered "unclean" in many cultures, and can be treated as harlots by other women. Many men believe the folklore which says they will die if their penis touches a clitoris.
Campaigns are working
Female circumcision is part of the fabric of many African societiesDue to health campaigns, female circumcision has been falling in some countries in the last decade. In Kenya, a 1991 survey found that 78% of teenagers had been circumcised, compared to 100% of women over 50. In Sudan, the practice dropped by 10% between 1981 and 1990.
Several governments have introduced legislation to ensure the process is only carried out in hospitals by trained doctors.
Other countries such as Egypt have banned the operation altogether, but there is significant opposition to change because of the traditional nature of the process and health workers think a less confrontational approach, such as Ntanira Na Mugambo, could be more successful.
Ntanira Na Mugambo, also known as 'circumcision by words', has been developed in rural areas of Kenya by local and international women's health organisations.
It involves a week-long programme of community education about the negative effects of female genital mutilation, culminating in a coming of age ceremony for young women.
The young women are secluded for a week and undergo classes in reproduction, anatomy, hygiene, respect for adults, developing self-esteem and dealing with peer pressure.
Family members also undergo health education sessions and men in the community are taught about the negative effects of female circumcision.
Health workers believe the programme works because it does not exert a blunt prohibition on female genital mutilation, but offers an attractive alternative.
Write on, Sistah!
To Write or Not to Write?I was sitting on a bar stool on a Sunday afternoon with my new favorite socially liberal republican we shall call 'Tinkerbell" and the subject turned to blogs and writing.
She was telling my how writing has always been an outlet for her and that she's known its something she's always wanted to do and she very sweetly complimented MY writing on this blog (coming from her, it's a real compliment).
I've always kept a journal. My bookshelves are lined with volumes upon volumes dating back from 1994 summer camp, to my first kiss in 1996, (hey! i was a late bloomer!), first love ('98), first "time" (also '98), through college, chronicling boyfriends, achievements, pain, loss, you name it, i wrote about it. Granted, the entries became more sporadic since I've moved to dc, an entry here, an afternoon of coffeshop reflection there but it's consistently helped me through the bad times. I supposed it's a bit like prayer that way - we can't get enough of it when we need it, but it tends to fall by the wayside when things are going well.
Through the last dozen years (god i'm old) of my journaling of prose and nonsense i have never considered myself a 'writer'. Sure I know I have the ability to write well...but I write speeches well. Policy and position papers well. Essays well. Angry OpEd letters VERY well. Press releases and strategy documents well. The closest I think I've ever been to a 'creative writer' was the 'Young Authors Day' when i was 8 at which time I wrote a riveting saga of a mother leaving for the spa for the weekend and leaving her daughter alone with her father who only knew how to cook spaghetti and grilled cheese (and sadly, I was mainly chronicling life events rather than drastically deviating from reality).
So when I told this to Tinkerbell, that did not consider myself a 'writer', she gave me a strange look - "really"? And it's true. The artistic labels I associate with myself are, 'pianist' or 'artist'; and at one time, 'dancer' and 'actress' (there are those who would say 'singer', but i'm skeptical and don't like to test this theory). But 'writer'?
To me a writer is someone who creates poems, short stories and novels. Who digs deep down and creates worlds, and beauty through literary technique and grammatical sculpture. Who takes risks and expresses something 'other-worldly'. I believe it to be a much more personal and daring form of expression. I don't believe I have that skill. I don't believe I am that brave. I don't believe I even possess the educational tools necessary to hone such a skill (i.e. I was NOT an English major, i can diagram a sentence in Latin maybe...in English, doubtful, I've never taken a creative writing class in my life ...the list of handicaps goes on.).
And why the diatribe you ask? Well, as many of you know, today marks the beginning of National Novel Writing Month and many of you have been very sweet (if not outright peer pressuring me) to join you in this 50,000 word sprint over the course of November. Well, I have registered, but honestly, I have yet to decide whether or not to take the challenge. Perhaps I'll put my own non-fiction twist on it. But my current hectic schedule leads me to think I'll opt for keeping my ranting and drama for myself instead of passing them off to fictional characters.
At any rate...I do hope Tinkerbell decides to share what she comes up with :) Woman is amazingly gifted.
Write on, Sistah!
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