Alaska Canine Insanity

We really have a canine mental health issue going on in our household right now. It started with these weird power flickers two days ago. I guess they are called brown outs or whatever. But they freak my dog Dinga out like the end of the world is near.
Because the lights flash and the appliances click..to mention a few of the weird sights and sounds that happen with each flicker. And then Dinga just freaks out. She hides behind chairs, under desks, shakes and shivers by the door. Even walks into the bathroom with me--which is just strange and annoying.
Then we go to bed and the real fun starts (it has been 2 nights now). A few hours after we are asleep Dinga starts whining by the door--I take her out to pee. But she keeps whining, and then barking. Last night (after only sleeping for 2 hours the previous night) my husband gave up and slept on the couch with her next to him (as she is not allowed in the bedroom). This finally settled her as well as the Enya CD I put on. But in the meanwhile she started peeing blood clots.

Now I know most doggy lovers would run to the vet with this-and maybe we should. But as we have seen Dinga suffer from anxiety before, this too isn't surprising. She has actually on more than one occasion managed to give herself bloody diarrhea from anxiety alone (she keeps forcing herself to go). I am hoping that is what the blood pee is as well, because of the correlation with the panic attacks, and I noticed her most recent pee a few hours ago was just fine.

On top of this nonsense is the usual Alaska fun. The temperature rose 50 degrees in two days (did this freak the dog out as well?) From -10 to 40 degrees today. So my hubby is outside with the tractor, trying to move wet snow. But then he gets stuck and I go out and help push...And a moose trampled our little ice skating rink. But I guess I don't really want to trade these weird annoyances for a tamer life in the suburbs.

My Prediction for 2011 or Maybe 2021

I want to write something here about social networking. Granted, I am no expert about anything regarding technology nor do I engage in social networking. Nevertheless--that's exactly why I have a strong opinion about it--I don't see social networking as being very gainful.
I regularly receive these little "join Facebook emails" (regular email I do like) or "check my profile on Facebook".
Well the more I learn about Facebook the more I am disinterested in it.
Why do I find it discouraging?
A) People seem to use it only for their own cheap narcissistic gain, not to spread anything useful (unless you consider cyber bullying useful).
B) Why is the age of privacy over? Instead, everyone allows greedy marketing companies to track their individual likes and dislikes. Facebook has become a tool of "the man"as it encourages you (for free!) to advertise where you shop and which movies you like.
C) The age of gentile correspondence seems to be over. I can't get individuals to reply to emails anymore, because I "should" instead check their updates on Facebook. Like everyone is a rock star now without five minutes for a reply or phone call anymore?

So my prediction for Facebook is that the empire may just come crashing down. I saw that their stock is soaring currently--never a good thing. (remember that over-inflated real estate market?) The type of person who enjoys social networking also seems to be a bit fickle. They jump to the next new and terrific thing. Isn't everyone finally going to be sick of looking at other people's photos? I still can't get over all the photo Christmas cards I get now, and then everyone still checks each others pics on a weekly basis on top of that? I mean come on people.

The Wasilla Windbag Speaks

I know the taping of Sarah Palin's Alaska happened already over the summer, so her little "I feed my kids smores " comment to protest Michelle Obama's (horrid!) recommendations against childhood obesity are already way outdated.....But nevertheless, I need to comment.

This again is like the millionth example of why Sarah P. has absolutely no critical thinking skills. It is a fact that Palin lives in Wasilla--surrounded by a huge population of people struggling with obesity. As I know locals bump into her at the Wasilla Wal-Mart, she must be aware of this. She does not pretend to surround herself with the well-off or well-educated.

So in Sarah's brain the obesity epidemic looks something like this: "well these poor folks choose to eat lots of chips, cakes and soda, yet don't exercise. Bless them and their future health problems, because it is their choice as Americans, you betcha!".

Here's where her thinking stops. Just stops I tell you. She can't comprehend what's next. Does she think low income obese people just disappear? Or do they all have some kind of magical free-market health plans that take care of life-style related illnesses and pay for them?

Back to reality--I worked for two years in low income disability services in Wasilla Alaska. Sarah's precious town. Does she have any idea how many people in WASILLA apply for Social Security Disability payments due to lifestyle related illness? A conservative estimate would be about 1/2 of those applying for SSDI had lifestyle disability. Heart disease, Diabetes II, lung cancer. Not to mention the Medicare & Medicaid payments.

So in Sarah's world, the Government has no right to recommend what to eat--just pay the disability $$ later on? Oh no, that's right -the Tea Party feels we should slash SSDI payments and Medicaid, etc....Those non-constitutional entitlement programs. So the answer for Sarah is: (if you can swallow this) "Eat what you want precious child. Get diabetes and heart disease--then I will make sure your government never pays to care for you, ha, ha!"

So is she just dumb, or EVIL?