Because we haven’t had one in four days
I thought Palin acquitted herself well last night, but I don’t have time to write about it today. I’ve just barely got a few moments here to do something much more critical, which is to post another ALPACA PICTURE!!!
24 Responses to “Because we haven’t had one in four days”
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Dawn Coyote says:
I love them. I went to the fair this year with the express intent of seeing the alpacas, and I was not disappointed.
Some day, I’d like to have a hobby farm with alpacas and angora rabbits. I’d spend my days spinning.
October 3rd, 2008 at 6:09 pm EST -
quixote says:
Is a 15′x30′ bit of grass enough to keep alpacas? Please say it is!
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CoolAunt says:
They’re so cute. They look like stuffed animals.
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cellocat says:
Wow, so cute! Thanks for sharing the fuzziness.
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julia says:
Just a heads up, Violet: Rosa Clemente and Matt Gonzalez had their own dialogue today on DemocracyNow. Matt was OK but Rosa is brilliant!!
McKinney/Clemente is the best ticket I’ve seen in years; two very sharp minds as well as action! Cynthia had the first congressional hearing on political prisoners and wrote the first Bush impeachment legislation. I don’t know how to link, it’s on democracynow.org -
Mary Catherine says:
Lovely photo! And doesn’t that alpaca look like she is smiling?
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Alikatze says:
NOZE! *snufflesniff*
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TheOtherDelphyne says:
I feel like I’ve just been kissed by those 2!
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Perry Logan says:
Sure they’re cute. But can you trust them?
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Yanni Znaio says:
julia says:
Just a heads up, Violet: Rosa Clemente and Matt Gonzalez had their own dialogue today on DemocracyNow. Matt was OK but Rosa is brilliant!!
McKinney/Clemente is the best ticket I’ve seen in years; two very sharp minds as well as action! Cynthia had the first congressional hearing on political prisoners and wrote the first Bush impeachment legislation. I don’t know how to link, it’s on democracynow.orgJulia, I hate to rain on your parade, but I lived in Atlanta some years ago and I know Cynthia McKinney.
Her mother’s a saint– (assume she’s still living) she used to work in what used to be called the Medical Emergency Clinic at Grady Hospital (They turned the segregated emergency rooms into two specialty EDs- one surgical and one medical– look that one up, it’ll help authenticate what I’m saying.)
Unfortunately I can’t say the same for her father, and I won’t go into details.
I wouldn’t trust Cynthia to cross the street without assistance.
Again, I’m sorry, but I know the woman.
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Anna Belle says:
I love this one. I need to find a power animal for P&L. Looking at animals is such a refuge sometimes.
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Violet says:
Yes, it is.
Here’s the farm I want:
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R2D2 says:
Differences between llamas and alpacas:
http://www.bar-q-diamond.com/I.....afacts.htm
Species CharacteristicsLlamas are larger than alpacas, standing 40–45 inches at the withers and 5.5 to 6 feet or taller at the head. They can weigh between 280 and 450 pounds and the average lifespan is 15 to 30 years. Females usually begin breeding at 15–18 months and males at two and a half years. A llama’s normal gestation is 350 days, giving birth to a single cria (pronounced creeah). Crias are usually born during daylight hours and weigh between 20–35 pounds. Within an hour post-parturition, the cria is standing and nursing from its dam. Average weaning age is 4–6 months.
Alpacas weigh about 100 to 175 pounds and stand about three feet at the withers. Their life span is about 15–25 years. A female alpaca is usually bred at 14–16 months and a male reaches full maturity in two to three years. The average gestation is 335 days and a cria may weigh 15–19 pounds. Alpacas generally have little trouble during parturition and the cria is usually found nursing after the first hour. Twins are rare and there is a low infant mortality rate. Alpaca mothers are very devoted and protective towards their young.
Llamas and alpacas share some characteristics. They both communicate through their posture and through ear and tail movements. Aggressive modes of communication are foot stamping, kicking, and spitting. Both have two toes on each foot, with a leathery pad on the bottom. They are social creatures and do best when pastured together. Both llamas and alpacas are induced ovulators, exhibiting no heat cycle. Ovulation occurs approximately 24–36 hours post-breeding, enabling them to be bred at any time during the year. It is recommended that females not be bred until at least 12 months of age and when they have reached 60% of adult body weight. They should not be bred during the hot summer months in North America when heat stress may be a problem. South American llamas are bred during cooler months for this reason.
There are a few differences between llamas and alpacas, including size, ear shape, hair, fleece, and back curvature. The alpacas have shorter noses and more symmetrical, pearshaped ears, while llamas’ ears are longer and banana shaped. Most alpacas have a full “top knot” or “hair-do.” Their fleece is dense over all parts of their body and the alpaca’s back has a slight upward curve, while the llama’s back is straight.
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Anna Belle says:
Oh my word, that is a beautiful farm, Violet! I get to come for the house-warming party, right? :D
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ea says:
I can’t make any warm and fuzzy with my rebuttal of Yanni Znaio’s comment, but will just point out that she was elected six times by Atlantans.
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Yanni Znaio says:
ea says:
I can’t make any warm and fuzzy with my rebuttal of Yanni Znaio’s comment, but will just point out that she was elected six times by Atlantans.
You need to look at how the Fifth District was redrawn by the Democrats (I don’t recall the year off the top of my head) before you read too much into that.
And it was a very bright and well-respected female African-American judge who defeated McKinney in the primary, as I recall.
I really don’t want to get into any sort of contest, and I haven’t looked at the Green Party platform, but trust me, anybody who perceives Cynthia as a “sharp mind” needs to clean their spectacles.
I will say this about another candidate who hails from Atlanta: Bob Barr.
Before he was in Congress, he was a U.S. Attorney, (Republican) whose biggest case (at least as far as I remember) was taking down a corrupt Republican Congressman by the name of Fletcher Thompson who greatly deserved such a takedown.
Again, I haven’t studied his positions on anything, but he’s about as much of a Big-”L” Libertarian as Senator Harry Byrd.
And I really don’t care about McKinney’s or Barr’s candidacies. They’re not going to go anywhere.
And, in an admission that embarrasses me now that I’m older, I’ll reveal that I voted for John Anderson in 1980. So I’m not automatically dismissive of third party candidates.
However, when someone talks about people I *know*, I felt compelled to relate what I know about them.
I thought I took a somewhat apologetic
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ea says:
YZ, Your post got truncated. But with respect to the defeat of which you write, I believe it has been shown to be Republican crossover that led to her primary loss (the 4th District). She was a target for going after the Bush administration. Although you may have intended an apologetic tone to your comments (good manners definitely welcome) the content suggests that you have not actually witnessed her at work. Check out some of the videos of her speaking on the House floor or questioning Rumsfield. BTW, her mother is alive and, apparently, joined the Green Party.
Why would you be embarassed about a vote for John Anderson?
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TheOtherDelphyne says:
Violet’s Dream Farm is gorgeous - but the kitchen needs a gas range, preferably a 6 burner Viking, in order to really make it perfect!
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simply wondered says:
don’t be daft! it runs entirely off alpaca shit.
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Violet says:
don’t be daft! it runs entirely off alpaca shit.
Which the blessed little alpacas conveniently deposit neatly in one corner of the pasture! And I’ve read that the poo is small-pelleted and doesn’t even smell much.
Alpacas are angels.
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simply wondered says:
angels that poo! what’s not to like?
(non angeli sed alpaci?) -
Yanni Znaio says:
ea:
I *know* Cynthia McKinney.
And while she may come off well on media, well, I’ll just say that she’s “low wattage” and leave it at that.
And I’m very glad to hear that her mother, Leola is alive and well.
She’s truly one of those individuals to whom the phrase “sainted mother” applies.
And I feel guilty about voting for Anderson because I made a vote that didn’t make a difference.
(we all do stupid things when we are young, hehehe.)
I also signed Fulani petitions when all they really wanted to do was scarf money.
That’s REALLY embarrassing.
The only reason I posted in the first place was that I just couldn’t deal with “brilliant” and McKinney being in the same sentence.
Let her run, it won’t make a difference except for the fact that it will siphon a few voters away from Obama.
And I guess we’ll just have to agree to disagree.
Vote your conscience, and best wishes.
YZ
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Yanni Znaio says:
I guess I have to make a somewhat alpaca-related post.
If you don’t have the acreage for alpacas, there’s a breed of dog called the Briard.
YZ
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Yanni Znaio says:
Oh, c’mon.
Where did all the senses of humor go?
Nobody sees the similarities between alpacas and Briards?
