Michele

Like AprilCat said (and dead on, by the way), she's not looking to have a relationship...she's looking to find fault. And someone who does that self-righteously during a second date is someone who I wouldn't date a third time. I thought the joke was corny, and it would've elicited a groan and giggle from me...and then we'd've gone on to the next thing. But to think that it was a personal attack on herself? Man, talk about insecurity. And to follow it up with a defensive shredding of who you are (and how can she know, anyway, in a date and a half??) and your motives is nothing short of one of the biggest red flags around. More fish in the sea...go fishing... Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~

Annabella, or Annabella The Bear. Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~

Depends. For play, they get catnip. For food, they get Pounce, Kitty Kaviar, and chicken breast or skin (salt free). On the rarest of occasion, they will get squished sardines or tuna, but fish can be really bad for kitties...ash content can give them bladder and kidney issues (also be aware of that in dry food; pretty much any fish flavored dry food can be detrimental, especially to boy cats.) All of my guys are well behaved, and don't beg. Except for Charlotte, who, when hot (i.e. during the summer), will fuss for some milk. And she usually gets it (even though it's really not good for their bellies, either...). Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~

'Twardo, how sorry I am that you find yourself in this situation...and how sorry I am for her, too, that she has had such a rough hand dealt to her. I have no advice for you, but wanted to let you know that I'm here if you need to talk, and will help however I can. Hang in there; she's worth it, you're worth it, and somehow, this will come right. hugs to you. Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~

Honey, you're paranoid. Simple as pie. Either that or your ego exceeds it's boundaries... Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~

Damn. And I never knew. We still on? Does that mean I'd have to give up stalking GM? Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~

I don't think I'm allowed to respond to you, or else someone might think I'm stalking you. Oh wait, that's already happened. Intimidation tactics at their "finest." LOLOL! Pity I don't intimidate easily. (BTW, I've not ever stalked someone before. How does that work, do you know?) Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~

I'm stalking Gravitymaster? Wheeeeeee! That should be fun as hell. Hey! GM! Didja know I was stalking you? Man, a bit of a newsflash for me, too. But oh well...this could be fun! (am I supposed to put a here?) And perhaps I should change my sig line to reflect who I'm stalking, right? I mean, that's the biggest clue, isn't it? Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~

Oh, I get it. So if I called someone a morally bankrupt, integrity-lacking man-hating bitch, and then slapped a or a

You *are* talking about Rush Limbaugh, right? 'Cause if not, that's about as personal attack as I've seen around these boards lately. I am trying to cut a *bit* of slack... Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~

Thank you, Windcatcher, for rescuing. What a dear boy you have there - and I think his mouthing you is either play or attention-getting behavior. I don't have as much experience with dogs as I do with cats, so I can't help here...but I really wanted to say thanks for rescuing him. And yes, his eyes are gorgeous!!! Someday, I'll have a place where I can get a few dogs. 'Til then, I stick with cats - 6 indoor (all rescue and totally indoor), and 2 outdoor feral (feed and care for). But someday, I'll be able to have a couple of dogs, too...and that will be a blast! Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~

Thanks, Kris. I appreciate the information, and I stand corrected. Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~

That was the example I was thinking of. It's been my experience that about 50% of those illegal alien arrests get deported, and don't stand trial here. I didn't make myself clear...but that is indeed what I was trying to convey. I think what I'm saying (inelegantly, I'll agree), is that once you're on US soil, it's US rules (with the above exception). But does that include military personnel in a foreign country? I don't know...and that's the difficulty in the entire situation. Doesn't the Geneva Convention require that someone be tried in a pre-existing system? I'm not as familiar with the GC, but I could've sworn that was the case. I'm no legal eagle - not even a legal beagle, but I think that's the way it's supposed to go. The ME released a report which said that there had been no history of depression, and that some of the restrictions made by the Red Cross prevented noticing the hangees until too late (I think it had to do with the darkness of the cells during the night time hours, but I don't know). The ME's conclusion was that the hanging was not because of depression or suicidality; rather, it was indeed some sort of statement against the US. Do I agree with that? Not really. As someone who has depression, I can promise you that it can be experienced without people noticing, and without treatment. But do I think it's coincidence that three people hung themselves on the same night? No again. Likely, as with most things, the truth is probably somewhere in the middle. But with the left shrieking one thing and the right shrieking the other, the middle voice is rarely - if ever - heard. Back to the Gitmo thing; again, the checks and balances of the system worked. It will be interesting to see what direction the White House will go, and what Congress will do. It will be even more interesting to see how long Gitmo remains operational. And it will be enormously interesting to see what happens to the Gitmo detainees in all this. Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~

You're welcome indeed...no worries. I'm more than happy to help. If anyone ever has kitty questions, as I've said before, pm me and ask...if I can't help, I'll know someone who can (mostly). Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~

Narcimund, knock it off. Stop with the personal bullshit, all right? Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~

Bill, Rushmc has a point, and it's a valid one. The Constitution of the United States protects it's citizens and legal aliens. If I were to go to France, I would be subject to their laws, their trial system, and their rules and regulations. I would have little standing as a US citizen claiming my constitutional rights. If I were to run drugs in Hong Kong, I'd be subject to their laws...not the US's. Et cetera. I remember when I was an exchange student in Belgium getting a brief from staffers at the American Embassy about the difference in laws, and the fact that what I was used to as an American may not apply; and to understand that if I got into trouble there, it might be very, very different than the way I'd be treated at home. No, I didn't test the system...but it was an eye-opener. So Rush's point is valid...the Constitution was written to protect Americans' rights, not anyone else's. That being said, it has become the standard to which all are held, and we are trying to set the example and live up to the promise in our Constitution. The Geneva Convention(1-4) set out the rules by which wars are conducted - including how to handle prisoners of war and other "detainees." The decision handed down today spoke only to the military tribunal aspect, not the rights of detainess/POWs, and not to the future of Gitmo. If the Geneva Convention needs to be changed to reflect the new threats we encounter 80sih years (not sure of the date) after they were enacted, then let's change those. Let's include assymetrical warfare, and the proper identification of non-uniformed combatants. Let's include a system where these folks can be tried if necessary - the Hague hasn't been doing a great job the last few decades. Can the argument be made that once they're in American custody they must get those rights? Sure...and it's an admirable goal. But I don't think the Constitution says everyone everywhere must abide by our constitution...and it can only be enforced on American soil...thus, Gitmo... and so on. Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~

Thanks for such great answers. You sound like you're having fun with Del, and that even though there might be some hissing and growling, it's going to be just fine. Here's a few tips... ~Trade poop. Put some of Del's poop into the box in the garage, and put some of the garage poop into Del's box. This will help them get the concept of "sharing" things, i.e. litter boxes and eventually space/area. It will also help the scent familiarity, and allow them to get used to the others' scent in their own space. It sort of forces "acceptance", and is a good technique to get the process over faster. ~Put them all in "neutral territory" for 20 minutes at a time, several times a day (if you can). Find a spot where there is NOT a dominance play - i.e. the living room, if it can be closed off, or the dining room. Somewhere like that. Stay in there with them, but don't interfere unless fighting is happening - not starting, but actually happening. They need to sort out their hierarchy, and this will help that. ~Don't use water bottles if they're fighting. They won't feel it unless it's a hose, because their attention will be on each other. Have handy a lightweight, dark blanket (a baby blanket is good), and if they start fighting, flip the blanket over them. It will startle them, and they will separate. ~If you have a special kitty who may be feeling jealous, fuss over them IN FRONT of Del. This will reassure them and allow them to be a bit more secure in their relationship with you. ~Don't let Del take over that special spot Moonie likes, or Iggy likes; protect their spot, and let Del determine a spot for himself which is his own. ~Start making sure Del doesn't spend all the time in his room. It is fine now, but eventually it will allow him to become very unsociable and territorial about that room, and that can be a problem. So once a day or so, close the door to the room and not let him in it. He will find a safe place elsewhere, and decrease his "dependence" on the safety of that one place. ~If it gets really really testy, take some vanilla flavoring and daub it under their chin and on the base of their tail (on the topside). This will make them all smell like each other for a while, and the threat becomes more confused and less specific. ~Make sure that they are fed together...separate them far apart but still within sight of each other and feed them at the same time. The order in which they eat is a huge determinant as to the heirarchy, and you'll know it's established when one cat takes a bite, and the rest follow. For instance - Penguin didn't fully integrate into the household until her dish was moved to the kitchen. Once there, she became far more secure and friendly with the other cats, they with her, and her with me, too. Communal feeding is very very important to establish, both for you as the "dominant" "cat" as well as for them. ~Keep them all inside for the time being; later, as you said, maybe some supervised outside time, but for now (and the near future), keep them inside. It really sounds like you're doing fine, so these tips are just the icing part of the cake. you're not having yowling, bloody fights, and it's been two weeks. I think that pretty quickly, you'll find them hanging out with each other, and eventually cuddling (when it cools down!!!). These tips are simply to help that process become a little more defined and faster. And thanks for taking Del...I know he appreciates the love and care you'll give him, and will be just fine in short order. Hope these help - like I said, you've got a good handle on it, so this is jus "fine tuning..." Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~

Integration of three adult cats - what a fun adventure! Actually, it's not so bad a deal. They will be fine eventually, especially since there hasn't been any real fighting, just communication about intentions. Couple of questions: ~How long have you had the three together? ~Del is 4 (ish); how old are the others? ~Any "issues" with them (Mama's boy, ill, psychotic, abandonment issues, stuff like that)? ~All neutered? ~Any declawed? ~How many food/water dishes? ~What's the litter set up? ~All indoor now? ~Any sort of "breed" to these guys? Or all just moggies? Let me know, and I'll give you my favorite tricks based on the above answers. Happy to help, and I am the proud slave to 6 loco gatos...and Dos Feral Fuzzies (Emily and Zerox). All have "issues", all went through an integration process (except Simon) because they were all adult rescue (Simon was rescue too; he was just a bitty baby, though...). Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~

Not to mention the fact that two other soldiers were killed in the original raid, we don't know what's happened to the first kidnapped soldier (Gilad Shalit, I think), and the fact the attack took place on a military base. If someone were to come out and attack a military base of yours, that would be considered an act of war, without ambiguity. Thus, the Israelies have taken the steps they see fit to quell Hamas and it's different arms. Al Aqsa has also claimed to have fired a chemical warhead into Israel; while Israel states that there was none. It's been enlightening reading the ME news outlets, and seeing the arguments made for both sides. Frankly, the Palestinians have no footing here. Israel is allowed to protect herself from attack...and she is doing so. To be sure, it will be bad. And to be sure, people will die. But so far, in the military strikes that Israel has made, there haven't been any casualties; they have bombed bridges, a power plant, an abandoned airport (iirc), and the Muslim university, but not one person has been killed; there have been arrests/detention of Hamas leadership and the Gaza mayor...but they haven't been murdered. The cold blooded murder of an 18 year old civilian who was kidnapped over the weekend has definitely occurred. And that is simply putting a match to an already fuel laden fire. How come no one is mentioning that? Because Israel is acting with restraint...whereas Hamas is not. And furthermore, Hamas says they're not holding Gilad, but are trying to negotiate a prisoner swap. How can they "swap" if they don't have Gilad in the first place? There is untruth being told here, and I don't know what it is; either they have him and will "swap" or they don't have him, and can't swap...and this is pissing into the wind. So which is it? Ciels- Michele Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~

Just for clarification purposes, when you all are saying "civil" you mean non-military, right? 'Cause there are two court systems here - civil, which is all about monetary punishment and not loss of freedom, and criminal, which is about loss of freedom (incarceration). Also, the margin of "proof" is different; much less for civil (preponderance of the evidence) v. criminal ("beyond reasonable doubt" ). So when you all are speaking of "civil", you mean non-military, yes? Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~

No, it's not. As far as I know, the White House does not get to "overrule" or (as said above) "sign off" on a ruling. It's an independent part of the government, and the system was specifically designed to be independent of the White House/Executive Branch. It's not too early to draw the conclusion that the system is working as it was designed to...and that is a good thing. Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~

? It's the system working. Someone is perveived to have overstepped their bounds, a legal challenge is made, the case winds it's way up through the courts, and SCOTUS rules in favor of one side or the other. I don't understand your comment at all. The way it worked is the way it's supposed to work; I'm not necessarily taking a position on the judgment, just that the system works the way it's designed to...which should reassure some folks here who believe we're sliding down a slippery slope. Checks and balances. Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~

More: CNN Link From link: "The 5-3 ruling means officials will have to come up with a new policy to prosecute at least 10 so-called "enemy combatants" awaiting trial -- it does not address the government's right to detain suspects." So. Gitmo doesn't seem to be ordered closed, and military tribunals are out. Regular court trials? If guilty, then Fed prison? Not sure...but very interesting ramifications of the decision. Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~

Interesting development...SCOTUS has ruled that military war crimes trials are not the way to go... Forbes link (from the link): The Supreme Court ruled Thursday that President Bush overstepped his authority in ordering military war crimes trials for Guantanamo Bay detainees. The ruling, a rebuke to the administration and its aggressive anti-terror policies, was written by Justice John Paul Stevens, who said the proposed trials were illegal under U.S. law and international Geneva conventions. " More at link. Checks and balances, people. That's the system. It will be very interesting to see the ruling itself, and what comes of it. Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~

Chemical Weapon Claimed to be used (from link) "GAZA (Reuters) - A spokesman for gunmen in the Gaza Strip said they had fired a rocket tipped with a chemical warhead at Israel early on Thursday. " The Israeli army hasn't commented except to deny that it had been on the receiving end of chemical weapons... So, now, I guess the question is: if they (Hamas/ Al Aqsa) did fire a chemical weapon, where did they get it? (Karine-A, anyone?) If not, what good would it do to claim they did it? And a second kidnapping victim was announced today - an 18 year old not involved in the military (that I know of...), and is being used as a "bargaining" chip. Don't these folks get it? There is going to be NO bargaining...any subsequent kidnappings are just going to bring Israel down harder on those in Gaza. Second edit to add that they are now saying Hamas/Al Aqsa has killed this 18 year old settler... Third edit: apparently, Israel has "detained" (i.e. kidnapped) at least 7 leaders of Hamas...and many other leaders of Hamas have gone into hiding. Man oh man... Ciels- Michele Edited to fix link ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~