House Votes To Cripple Local Community Radio & Risk Rural American Lives

'It is time for American citizens to stop funding an organization that can stand on its own feet', said Rep Doug Lamborn, R-Colo, sponsor of a bill to end federal funding to National Public Radio.

NPR only gets about 2% of its budget through competitive federal grants. Another 40% of NPR's budget comes from public radio stations like KZYX, Mendocino County's local community radio, which pays dues to broadcast NPR programs.

Most of the 228 Republicans who voted for this ill-advised bill represent Americans living in rural areas. For rural Americans, tiny community radio stations are a lifeline, warning us of natural disasters hours or days before commercial media can find us on a map.

Mendocino County citizens, do you remember the 100+ wildfires raging during the summer of 2008? Information meant the difference between taking a road engulfed in flames and getting to safety. And that information came to us via local radio.

If chronically underfunded local public radio stations cannot spend their CPB apportionment on NPR programming, they might be able to substitute other programming or reduce the number of hours they are staffed. Some radio stations will fold if this bill becomes law. And the Americans depending on those stations may not hear about the next natural disaster in time.

Rep Lamborn said, "As a country, we no longer have this luxury" of timely information. This would make more sense if GOP representatives were not also voting to give enormous tax breaks to 400 of the richest billionaires. You know, billionaires? People who actually know what luxury is?

Billionaire Jokes

The United States of America is being plundered by ultra-wealthy billionaires. It turns out our entire country is being run for the benefit of some 400 billionaires and to the detriment of the rest of us. Will we fight each other over their scraps, or will we fight this abhorrent situation with the only tool left to us - humor?

Q: How are 400 billionaires like a country song?
A: You lose your job, your home, your money.

Q: What do you call 400 billionaires at the bottom of the ocean?
A: A good start.

Q: What is the ideal weight of a billionaire?
A: About 3 pounds, including the urn.

Q: What's the difference between a billionaire and a trampoline?
A: You take off your shoes before you jump on a trampoline.

Q: Q: What's the difference between God and an billionaire?
A: God doesn't think he's a billionaire.

Got any more? Post them below.

Gus, The Cat With No Pants

'Excuse me, does this cat have a skin problem?'

I looked up from the purring shelter cat I was brushing. The visitor was pointing in Gus's direction. Gus is a 5-year old short-haired gray tabby and possibly the sweetest cat in all the world. Here's Gus's video:

'You mean the thin patch on his lower back? Gus has flea allergies, and the hair hasn't grown back yet.'

'It doesn't look so good.' At the concern in her voice, I gave my grooming client a quick snuggle and bustled over to examine Gus.

The visitor was right. Although Gus had been improving since his January visit to the vet, his skin was now inflamed. His flea allergies must have come back, stronger than ever. There was little fur left on his lower back, so I could easily see the oozing lesions.

'Oh, my poor Gus.'

Even though the itching must have been driving him crazy, the unfortunate cat nuzzled me gently. Itchiness would not deter him from friendliness, apparently.

A shelter is a bad place for a cat with flea allergies. Few people adopt adult cats, even though they are much easier to deal with than kittens. But who would look past the patchy coat and angry red skin to Gus's sweet and gentle nature?

So that's when I tucked him under my arm and barreled past the security guard. My husband drove the getaway car. Not really. I did take Gus home, however.

Gus has been convalescing at our house. Because his hind end is threadbare, he gets cold, so we've been keeping him warm by the fire or by throwing a blanket over him. The vet treated his flea allergy and secondary infection. Gus has another health issue to address, but first he has to recover from this one. The sweetest cat in the world comes with a sizable vet bill.

You may have noticed a Paypal tip jar in the upper corner. Proceeds will go to take care of Gus, the cat with no pants. If you feel like it and can afford it, thank you for your generosity; otherwise, thank you for reading and sharing.

Japan Faces Earthquake, Tsunami and Nuclear Crisis

How awful it must have been, having so much of the sea rush in like that. I imagine a woman hearing the roar of sea water and, knowing there's no escape, holding her arms out to a terrified child, that she may provide some small measure of comfort.

All of us living in earthquake country know our world is seismically active. The Ring of Fire is perfectly obvious on this USGS map showing the last 7 days worth of earthquakes. An undersea earthquake can cause a tsunami, as shown on NOAA's Pacific Tsunami Warning Center.

The Japanese have the best building codes and earthquake engineering in the world. Japan's earthquake preparedness is a model for all other Pacific Rim communities. They will study this event and be even more prepared next time.

There's no such thing as an earthquake-proof structure. No matter how strongly you build, an earthquake can shake just a little more powerfully. There’s always a chance of an atypical event, and at 8.9 magnitude, March 11's earthquake was unusually strong.

The Japanese had the terrible misfortune of being hit with a major earthquake and a huge tsunami. These simultaneous acts of Nature interfered with the cooling procedures at their nuclear generators. My heart goes out to those who lost loved ones and to those who lost life itself. My thoughts are with the 50 brave TEPCO engineers, teeth set with grim determination, laboring to reduce the radiation and save their countrymen.

Don't Tell Me Your Cat's A Stray

Your cat tells me a different story, and cats can't lie.

A stray cat wouldn't have called out to you as you walked out the door. I'm surprised your cat's piteous little peep didn't break your heart like it did mine.

Ordinarily stray cats don't allow strangers to pick them up and comfort them. But your cat did, nestling its nose in the crook of my arm as if to block out the sight of the cage that will be its home.

Another thing stray cats don't do is roll over on their backs while they're being cuddled. When your cat was a kitten, someone, perhaps you, carried it around like a baby.

So, tell me you're broke, and you can't afford cat food. Tell me your landlord doesn't allow animals and threatened to throw you out in the streets. Tell me your neighbors moved out in the middle of the night and left their cat behind. Tell me your cat doesn't go with your new couch. But please, don't tell me your cat's a stray.