Dog/human duet

More dog vocalization, this time with human participation:

We’re all humans here, so we all know what the baby is doing. But what is the dog doing?

I’ve watched this video several times, studying the dog’s body language, and I’m just not sure what she’s thinking. I’ve never lived with a Siberian Husky, so I don’t know what all that stuff means. Is this a chorus howl? It looks to me like she’s focused on Mom and Dad, and she’s obviously echoing the baby. But why?

One thing is clear: this video is, I think, conclusive evidence that Siberian Huskies are part parrot. So much for cladistics.

The wolf within

A Pomeranian puppy listening to wolf howls on the computer:

This reminds me of Katie, my first Sheltie. When she was a puppy I would hold her in my lap while I sat at the computer so I could play things for her — YouTube videos, Jacquie Lawson cards from my Mom, etc. I played wolf howls for her, and she would cock her head and listen intently, just like this little Pom. But she never howled. In fact, I never heard Katie or Molly howl, not once. Maybe Shelties don’t usually do that. Barking they can do; they’ve got barking down. We’re good on the barking. But howling? Not so much.

And here’s a German Shepherd doing the same thing:

It’s wonderful to me that German Shepherds and Pomeranians are the same species. I guess it’s not quite the level of variation as broccoli and Brussels sprouts, but still.

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P.S. The top comment on the Pom video at YouTube is hilarious and spot-on:

Guess the wolves howling means:

1. Go to your basket.

2. Listen carefully.

3. Howl like us.

4. Good job!

Thank you, President Obama

This is what happens when you restrict Plan B:

CVS Refuses To Sell Texas Man Emergency Contraception For His Wife.

I just want to remind everyone that the FDA was on the brink of ending this crap once and for all, when the Obama Administration unilaterally stepped in to keep the restrictions on Plan B. Because it’s just “common sense,” according to President Obama Who Is A Goddamn Republican.

Anybody wanna explain to me what the hell is going on with online feminism?

So here’s the deal: I don’t read other feminist blogs unless they’re in my blogroll feed thingy and the article looks interesting. Which means I occasionally read something at Twisty’s or Echidne’s or Egalia’s — you get the drift. But I don’t keep up with the general feminist blogowhateverthefuck because, People’s Front of Judea.

Anyway, today I’m looking at my WordPress Dashboard and notice unusual trackbacks to my blog. One is from a guy named Angus Johnson; turns out he linked to me in the course of analyzing some unbelievably godawful shit Hugo Schwyzer has got up to. And I do mean godawful. The turtleneck-wearing youth pastor thing has always creeped me the fuck out, but you gotta read this post by Angus to appreciate the extent to which every bad vibe anybody ever got from Hugo has been validated.

That’s not the reason for my question though. There was another unusual trackback today, and this one was from Feministe. This surprised me because I stopped linking to Feministe around the time they started featuring acknowledged anti-feminists as guest bloggers, and they stopped linking to me at the same time. So I was curious to see what prompted the trackback. I go to the thread, and whaddya know, it’s more on this godawful Hugo Schwyzer thing; one of the commenters had linked to the same old Reclusive Leftist post about Hugo that Angus linked to. Clearly the Hugo Situation is the topic du jour. But here’s the weird part: I start reading through this comment thread at Feministe, wondering who these people are (Clarisse? not that Clarisse, some other freaky Clarisse), and before long the thread has stopped being about Hugo and is about how evil radical feminists are. This is a feminist blog, and they’re talking about how feminism is a blight on civilization. Like this:

Radical feminists give cover to rapists of transwomen; they give cover to bashers of transwomen; I would argue that they give cover to rapists of sex workers by refusing to let those women make their own distinctions between rape and sex-for-money.

And more on that theme, with many people “cosigning” (snort) and agreeing that radical feminists are simply the worst threat to womankind on earth. What the hell? I could have fucking SWORN it was patriarchy that was killing women and that radical feminism was the movement to OPPOSE that shit, but what do I know. I’m just an old radical feminist.

Now, look, I realize that pro-pornography/pro-prostitution feminists can get upset with radicals who challenge that shit, but talking about radfems as if they’re actually the ones doing the oppressing and raping? As for the trans issue, for chrissake, people. Radical feminism does not equal transphobia. Being “anti-trans” is not some built-in feature or policy position of radical feminism. The first time I saw that meme it was in a bullshit cartoon by Barry the Pornographer (Ampersand), apparently deciding in his manly wisdom to redefine the whole of radical feminism in light of some online assholes. And now this shit has migrated. What the fuck, people, what the fuck?

Life

Losing Molly has seriously knocked the wind out of my sails. I decided I would force myself to post today, so here it is. A post.

Isn’t today the Iowa caucus? Yeah, who cares. This whole GOP campaign feels like such a colossal waste of time. Romney will be the nominee, and he’ll lose to Obama. End of story. Can we just fast-forward through this whole stupid year?

Party over.

My dog died this morning.

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Virtual Holiday Party: December 15 (in which Dr. Socks ponders the meaning of the Justin Bieber Singing Toothbrush)

I’m late posting today’s party; it’s been a busy day in the Lounge. Sick truck, sick dog. Truck is okay now, hoping dog will improve soon.

Meanwhile, a local sales circular provides me with the haunting information that I can acquire the Justin Bieber Singing Toothbrush for only $9.99:

I feel sure that this product must be the winning entry in some contest to come up with the most useless item imaginable.

Virtual Holiday Party: December 14

Yesterday my love for Finland was questioned, with intimations being bruited about that I might be showing too much favoritism to Sweden. Nietzsche forbid! I adore Finland. Raoul and I actually have—no, I don’t mean actually, I mean virtually—a summer cottage in the Finnish lake district. It’s wonderful. Not like Virginia, where summer temperatures hover above 1000 degrees with humidity in the high billions.

Today is Day 2 of our Virtual Holiday Party here in the Lounge. It’s December 14, the feast of Saint John of the Cross, a heavy-duty mystic who was tortured by the Spanish Inquisition and who coined the phrase “dark night of the soul.” Traditional celebrations involve ritually locking family members in small closets and beating the shit out of them. Kidding.

So, beloved commentariat, what are you planning for the holidays? Are you going out of town? Hosting relatives? Baking? Shopping? Are you in the Christmas spirit yet? Are you experiencing a dark night of the soul?

Virtual Holiday Party: December 13 (St. Lucia Day)

I said yesterday that if we reached the fundraising goal I would be so HAPPY (insert sparkly unicorn gif) I would host a virtual holiday blog party. And I’m a woman of my word.

So! Today is the first day of our virtual holiday party here in the Smoking Lounge. It’s St. Lucia Day, and since my blog is the top reclusive feminist American blog in Scandinavia, it’s only right that we should celebrate in proper Swedish style. I’ve always wanted to bake lussekatter, or Lucia Cats, the saffron-flavored sweet buns that are supposed to be traditional fare in Sweden for the holiday:

We have some old saffron in the spice cabinet, so today I baked the rolls—and I mean I really baked them, in real life in my real kitchen. And…they didn’t quite turn out right. They look right, and the flavor is very nice, but the dough just didn’t rise properly. The buns are too dense and chewy. This is the recipe I used. Maybe some of you Scandinavians can tell me what went wrong.

Next year I’m going for the candles-on-the-head thing:

Fundraiser to keep my health insurance from being cancelled

Dear beloved commentariat:

I have been hoping and praying I wouldn’t have to pass the blegging bowl this month, but I’m out of options. Of course you all know I had surgery last summer, and many of you donated then to help cover the costs. I can’t even begin to express how grateful I am for that support. Your generosity made a huge difference in my life.

I absolutely hate having to ask again. I have been scrambling like mad to earn money this fall, but work is the slowest it’s ever been in my entire life. I’ve taken on every kind of job I can, tried to sell stuff, etc., etc., but there is just nothing moving out there.

The main thing I have to pay is my health insurance, which is crappy and has gigantic coinsurance but is better than nothing. And so here’s the deal: at this point I’m exactly $652.23 short of what I need to cover the premium and keep things going into January.

That’s the amount I need to raise somehow: $652.23. If any of you happen to be flush this month and feel like throwing some Christmas cheer my way, I would be beyond grateful for any contribution you can make.

I’ll post updates here on the status and let you know when (fingers crossed) the goal is reached. If I can raise this money I will be so overjoyed and relieved, you won’t be able to stand me. I will host a virtual Christmas blog party to celebrate!

UPDATE 12/13/2011: The goal has been reached!!! In only one day! This is incredible! THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU. I am so happy right now it’s ridiculous. We are going to have a BLOG PARTY from now until Christmas. No, from now until New Year’s. No, from now until Twelfth Night!

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!

UPDATE 2: I just have to say, if this were a MySpace page, it would have prancing sparkly unicorns on it right now. That’s how I feel.