Good morning!

I cry about many things. Lots of things in this world get to me. This is one of them.

This story is going around on the net, FB and youtube. As much as I feel I am perusing everywhere, I still miss things. This was posted on my FB page by a good friend. I’m not sure she wants to be mentioned but I will give her a shout out and say “Thanks.”

Midway’s powerful message of beauty and love is poised to reach a global audience.

The MIDWAY film will take the viewer on a stunning visual journey into the heart of an astonishingly symbolic environmental tragedy.

Near the heart of the Pacific Ocean, Midway Island is one of the most remote places on Earth, and the iconic site of a world-changing naval battle. Today Midway is inhabited by a million Laysan albatrosses– magnificent and beautiful seabirds who range over the entire Pacific from their home base on the island. Midway is a multi-layered kaleidoscope of natural wonder and human history, and it also serves as a powerful lens into a shocking environmental tragedy: tens of thousands of albatrosses lie dead on the ground, their bodies filled with plastic from the Pacific Garbage Patch.

Returning to the island over several years, our team has witnessed and filmed cycles of birth, life, and death of these birds as a multi-layered metaphor for our time. With internationally acclaimed artist Chris Jordan as our guide, our film will walk directly into the fire of horror and grief, facing the immensity of this tragedy—and our own complicity—head on. And in this process, we discover a unexpected doorway to a deeply felt experience of hope, beauty and reverence for the mystery and miracle of our world. Stepping far outside the stylistic templates of traditional environmental or documentary films, MIDWAY will take viewers on a lyrical guided tour into the depths of their own spirits, delivering a profound message of renewal and love that is already reaching an audience of millions of people around the globe.

Please join our story

Through this KICKSTARTER we hope to finance our two final trips to Midway to complete our filming, including the cost of a remote-controlled helicopter and pilot to film spectacular aerial shots of the island; and the cost of bringing a world-class editor onto our team to help us cut the film together.

We also are seeking additional funding to complete production of the film for release. This includes the cost of the musical score (original composition and studio recording); sound editing and mix-down fees; color correction and title editing; production of multiple versions of the film for release through television, internet, theaters, etc.; translation of the film into multiple languages for international release; creation of educational curriculum materials for teachers; creation of a state-of-the art website and mobile apps with user forums and additional resource materials; and other associated costs to reach a global audience with our message.

Every contribution helps, however small!

We are a team of devoted artists who believe that the mythical story of Midway has the power to break open the hearts and minds of viewers worldwide. Our job is simply to honor this story as it has revealed itself to us, and deliver it to a global audience with the best quality filming, editing, production, and distribution that we can achieve. The process has been transformational to everyone on our team, and we look forward to sharing our results with you in 2013. Thank you for your contribution.

~with big smiles from chris jordan and the Midway team.

*******

Readers: I hope this has touched you in some way. The above article was posted on Kickstarter to raise funding, and last July they reached their goal. Yay! I am not sure where this film is available now but I think the full version is going to be released sometime this year. If anyone knows anything, please blog me.

Blog me your thoughts on anything else you want to talk about as well. Peace & Love.

Anonymous: So sorry to hear that. I HOPE you’re doing better.

Marty: It was nice to see you a few weeks back. This photo is for you.

Lastly, greed over a great story is surfacing from my “loyal”(?) readers. With all this back and forth about who owns what, that appears on my blog, let me reiterate that all material posted on my blog becomes the sole property of my blog. If you want to reserve any proprietary rights don’t post it to my blog. I will prominently display this caveat on my blog from now on to remind those who may have forgotten this notice.

Gratefully your blog host,

michelle

Aka BABE: We all know what this means by now :)

If you love my blog and my writes, please make a donation via PayPal, credit card, or e-check, please click the “Donate” button below. (Please only donations from those readers within the United States. – International readers please see my “Donate” page)

Or if you would like to send a check via snail mail, please make checks payable to “Michelle Moquin”, and send to:

Michelle Moquin PO Box 29235 San Francisco, Ca. 94129

Thank you for your loyal support!

All content on this site are property of Michelle Moquin © copyright 2008-2012

“Though she be but little, she be fierce.” – William Shakespeare Midsummer Night’s Dream 

" Politics, god, Life, News, Music, Family, Personal, Travel, Random, Photography, Religion, Aliens, Art, Entertainment, Food, Books, Thoughts, Media, Culture, Love, Sex, Poetry, Prose, Friends, Technology, Humor, Health, Writing, Events, Movies, Sports, Video, Christianity, Atheist, Blogging, History, Work, Education, Business, Fashion, Barack Obama, People, Internet, Relationships, Faith, Photos, Videos, Hillary Clinton, School, Reviews, God, TV, Philosophy, Fun, Science, Environment, Design, The Page, Rants, Pictures, Church, Blog, Nature, Marketing, Television, Democrats, Parenting, Miscellaneous, Current Events, Film, Spirituality, Obama, Musings, Home, Human Rights, Society, Comedy, Me, Random Thoughts, Research, Government, Election 2008, Baseball, Opinion, Recipes, Children, Iraq, Funny, Women, Economics, America, Misc, Commentary, John McCain, Reflections, All, Celebrities, Inspiration, Lifestyle, Theology, Linux, Kids, Games, World, India, Literature, China, Ramblings, Fitness, Money, Review, War, Articles, Economy, Journal, Quotes, NBA, Crime, Anime, Islam, 2008, Stories, Prayer, Diary, Jesus, Buddha, Muslim, Israel, Europe, Links, Marriage, Fiction, American Idol, Software, Leadership, Pop culture, Rants, Video Games, Republicans, Updates, Political, Football, Healing, Blogs, Shopping, USA, Class, Matrix, Course, Work, Web 2.0, My Life, Psychology, Gay, Happiness, Advertising, Field Hockey, Hip-hop, sex, fucking, ass, Soccer, sox"

Good morning!

Ohh, god I am such a sucker for all things four-legged, especially when it comes to dogs. This is such a sweet story of a couple, whom after losing their beloved dog for over 2 years, are joyfully reunited.

Alma Dominguez’s Lost Dog, Leia, Found After 2 Years And 700 Miles; Owner And Pet Reunited

When Alma Dominguez’s beloved dog, Leia, went missing from El Paso, Texas, during a rainstorm, Alma and her husband, Alberto, were devastated. The couple searched for their lost dog for more than two years, and had almost given up hope of ever finding her. Then a phone call changed everything.

In this clip from the OWN series “Lost and Found,” Annmarie Anderson — a dog rescuer in Denver, Colorado — recounts the amazing phone call she received from Alma. “She said, ‘You might have my dog,’” remembers Annmarie. But was it really the same Leia, two years and 700 miles away?

After looking at the Dominguez’s pictures of Leia on Facebook, Annmarie put Alma on speakerphone so the dog could hear Alma’s voice. “[Her] little tail was wagging and she was doing the little cry in her throat,” Annmarie says. “We realized right away that we had the right owner and dog.”

Alma was overjoyed, tears running down her face. “I wasn’t expecting it,” she says. “I’d found my Leia.”

How Leia got from El Paso to Denver is still a mystery, but the only thing that mattered was bringing her back home. Alma and Alberto traveled to Denver to reunite with their dog.

Watch the video to see the couple’s emotional reunion with Leia after two long years and hear what they have to say now that they have their beloved family member back.

“Lost and Found” airs on OWN.

*******

Happy Sunday everyone!

Peace & Love

PS: 4:43 PM – Oops, well you got to experience the back side of blogging. This write was not complete before I posted, as I had it “date/time scheduled,” and didn’t bother to check if it was complete. I’ve tried posting the video but if I can’t find it on Youtube, my blog doesn’t insert it correctly. An issue I haven’t figured out yet. it is a sweet video so please click on the title if you want to watch.

Lastly, greed over a great story is surfacing from my “loyal”(?) readers. With all this back and forth about who owns what, that appears on my blog, let me reiterate that all material posted on my blog becomes the sole property of my blog. If you want to reserve any proprietary rights don’t post it to my blog. I will prominently display this caveat on my blog from now on to remind those who may have forgotten this notice.

Gratefully your blog host,

michelle

Aka BABE: We all know what this means by now :)

If you love my blog and my writes, please make a donation via PayPal, credit card, or e-check, please click the “Donate” button below. (Please only donations from those readers within the United States. – International readers please see my “Donate” page)

Or if you would like to send a check via snail mail, please make checks payable to “Michelle Moquin”, and send to:

Michelle Moquin PO Box 29235 San Francisco, Ca. 94129

Thank you for your loyal support!

All content on this site are property of Michelle Moquin © copyright 2008-2012

“Though she be but little, she be fierce.” – William Shakespeare Midsummer Night’s Dream 

" Politics, god, Life, News, Music, Family, Personal, Travel, Random, Photography, Religion, Aliens, Art, Entertainment, Food, Books, Thoughts, Media, Culture, Love, Sex, Poetry, Prose, Friends, Technology, Humor, Health, Writing, Events, Movies, Sports, Video, Christianity, Atheist, Blogging, History, Work, Education, Business, Fashion, Barack Obama, People, Internet, Relationships, Faith, Photos, Videos, Hillary Clinton, School, Reviews, God, TV, Philosophy, Fun, Science, Environment, Design, The Page, Rants, Pictures, Church, Blog, Nature, Marketing, Television, Democrats, Parenting, Miscellaneous, Current Events, Film, Spirituality, Obama, Musings, Home, Human Rights, Society, Comedy, Me, Random Thoughts, Research, Government, Election 2008, Baseball, Opinion, Recipes, Children, Iraq, Funny, Women, Economics, America, Misc, Commentary, John McCain, Reflections, All, Celebrities, Inspiration, Lifestyle, Theology, Linux, Kids, Games, World, India, Literature, China, Ramblings, Fitness, Money, Review, War, Articles, Economy, Journal, Quotes, NBA, Crime, Anime, Islam, 2008, Stories, Prayer, Diary, Jesus, Buddha, Muslim, Israel, Europe, Links, Marriage, Fiction, American Idol, Software, Leadership, Pop culture, Rants, Video Games, Republicans, Updates, Political, Football, Healing, Blogs, Shopping, USA, Class, Matrix, Course, Work, Web 2.0, My Life, Psychology, Gay, Happiness, Advertising, Field Hockey, Hip-hop, sex, fucking, ass, Soccer, sox"

Good morning!

My heart aches when I hear stories such as this. While multi millions will most certainly be made from this movie, animals are treated inhumanly and suffer and die in the making. While it is not logical to think that animals would be treated kindly, when women around the world suffer at the hands of men, I still can’t help but be a voice for those that have none. 

‘Hobbit’ Animal Deaths: Up To 27 Die As Wranglers Blame Production Company

 WELLINGTON, New Zealand — Animal wranglers involved in the making of “The Hobbit” movie trilogy say the production company is responsible for the deaths of up to 27 animals, largely because they were kept at a farm filled with bluffs, sinkholes and other “death traps.”

The American Humane Association, which is overseeing animal welfare on the films, says no animals were harmed during the actual filming. But it also says the wranglers’ complaints highlight shortcomings in its oversight system, which monitors film sets but not the facilities where the animals are housed and trained.

Update: Director Peter Jackson sent the following statement to various press outlets:

The producers of The Hobbit take the welfare of all animals very seriously and have always pursued the highest standard of care for animals in their charge. Any incidents that occurred that were brought to their attention as regards to this care were immediately investigated and appropriate action taken. This includes hundreds of thousands of dollars that were spent on upgrading housing and stable facilities in early 2011.The producers completely reject the accusations that twenty seven animals died due to mistreatment during the making of the films. Extraordinary measures were taken to make sure that animals were not used during action sequences or any other sequence that might create undue stress for the animals involved. Over fifty five per cent of all shots using animals in The Hobbit are in fact computer generated; this includes horses, ponies, rabbits, hedgehogs, birds, deer, elk, mice, wild boars, and wolves.

The American Humane Association (AHA) was on hand to monitor all use of animals by the production. No animals died or were harmed on set during filming.

We regret that some of these accusations by wranglers who were dismissed from the film over a year ago are only now being brought to our attention. We are currently investigating these new allegations and are attempting to speak with all parties involved to establish the truth.

The original article continues below.

A spokesman for trilogy director Peter Jackson on Monday acknowledged that horses, goats, chickens and one sheep died at the farm near Wellington where about 150 animals were housed for the movies, but he said some of the deaths were from natural causes.

The spokesman, Matt Dravitzki, agreed that the deaths of two horses were avoidable, and said the production company moved quickly to improve conditions after they died.

“The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey,” the first movie in the planned $500 million trilogy, is scheduled to launch with a red-carpet premiere Nov. 28 in Wellington and will open at theaters in the U.S. and around the world in December. The animal rights group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals says it’s planning protests at the premieres in New Zealand, the U.S. and the U.K.

The Associated Press spoke to four wranglers who said the farm near Wellington was unsuitable for horses because it was peppered with bluffs, sinkholes and broken-down fencing. They said they repeatedly raised concerns about the farm with their superiors and the production company, owned by Warner Bros., but it continued to be used. They say they want their story aired publicly now to prevent similar deaths in the future.

One wrangler said that over time he buried three horses, as well as about six goats, six sheep and a dozen chickens. The wranglers say two more horses suffered severe injuries but survived.

Wrangler Chris Langridge said he was hired as a horse trainer in November 2010, overseeing 50 or so horses, but immediately became concerned that the farm was full of “death traps.” He said he tried to fill in some of the sinkholes, made by underground streams, and even brought in his own fences to keep the horses away from the most dangerous areas. Ultimately, he said, it was an impossible task.

He said horses run at speeds of up to 30 mph and need to be housed on flat land: “It’s just a no-brainer.”

The first horse to die, he said, was a miniature named Rainbow.

“When I arrived at work in the morning, the pony was still alive but his back was broken. He’d come off a bank at speed and crash-landed,” Langridge said. “He was in a bad state.”

Rainbow, who had been slated for use as a hobbit horse, was euthanized. A week later, a horse named Doofus got caught in some fencing and sliced open its leg. That horse survived, but Langridge said he’d had enough.

He and his wife, Lynn, who was also working as a wrangler, said they quit in February 2011. The following month, they wrote an email to Brigitte Yorke, the Hobbit trilogy’s unit production manager, outlining their concerns.

Chris Langridge said he responded to Yorke’s request for more information but never received a reply after that.

Wrangler Johnny Smythe said that soon after Langridge left, a horse named Claire was found dead, its head submerged in a stream after it fell over a bluff. After that, he said, the horses were put in stables, where a third horse died.

Smythe said no autopsy was performed on the horse, which was named Zeppelin. Veterinary records say the horse died of natural causes, from a burst blood vessel, but Smythe said the horse was bloated and its intestines were full of a yellow liquid; he believes it died of digestive problems caused by new feed.

Smythe said the six goats and six sheep he buried died after falling into sinkholes, contracting worms or getting new feed after the grass was eaten. He said the chickens were often left out of their enclosure and that a dozen were mauled to death by dogs on two separate occasions.

Smythe said he was fired in October 2011 after arguing with his boss about the treatment of the animals.

A fourth wrangler, who didn’t want to be named because she feared it could jeopardize her future employment in the industry, said another horse, Molly, got caught in a fence and ripped her leg open, suffering permanent injuries.

Dravitzki, the spokesman for Peter Jackson, said the production company reacted swiftly after the first two horses died, spending hundreds of thousands of dollars upgrading housing and stable facilities in early 2011.

“We do know those deaths were avoidable and we took steps to make sure it didn’t happen again,” he said.

Dravitzki said Zeppelin died of a burst blood vessel and that he knew only of three goats, one sheep and about eight chickens that had died aside from that. He said two of the goats died in a cold snap but the third, like the sheep, was old and had likely died of natural causes. He said the chicken maulings were the result of careless staff oversight.

The American Humane Association said in its report on “An Unexpected Journey” that it investigated the farm at the production company’s request. Dravitzki said the company contacted the AHA after Smythe alleged mistreatment of animals.

Mark Stubis, an association spokesman, said it investigated the farm in August 2011, months after the first deaths.

“We made safety recommendations to the animals’ living areas. The production company followed our recommendations and upgraded fence and farm housing, among other things,” the group said.

Dravitzki said the company had already made many of the recommended changes by the time the AHA made them.

Stubis said the association acknowledges that what happens off-set remains a blind spot in its oversight.

“We would love to be able to monitor the training of animals and the housing of animals,” Stubis said. “It’s something we are looking into. We want to make sure the animals are treated well all the time.”

Dravitzki questioned the timing of the allegations with the premiere so close but said the producers are investigating all the claims “and are attempting to speak with all parties involved to establish the truth.”

He said the company no longer leases the farm and has no animals left on the property. He said he didn’t know if animals will be needed for future filming in the trilogy, but added that Jackson himself adopted three of the pigs used.

Hollywood has made animal welfare a stated priority for years.

In March, HBO canceled the horse racing series “Luck” after three thoroughbred horses died during production. The network said it canceled the show because it could not guarantee against future accidents.

********

Readers: If the producers took the welfare of the animals so seriously, why did so many die? Thoughts? Blog me.

Howie: How are you? What’s up with you?

Peace….

Lastly, greed over a great story is surfacing from my “loyal”(?) readers. With all this back and forth about who owns what, that appears on my blog, let me reiterate that all material posted on my blog becomes the sole property of my blog. If you want to reserve any proprietary rights don’t post it to my blog. I will prominently display this caveat on my blog from now on to remind those who may have forgotten this notice.

Gratefully your blog host,

michelle

Aka BABE: We all know what this means by now :)

If you love my blog and my writes, please make a donation via PayPal, credit card, or e-check, please click the “Donate” button below. (Please only donations from those readers within the United States. – International readers please see my “Donate” page)

Or if you would like to send a check via snail mail, please make checks payable to “Michelle Moquin”, and send to:

Michelle Moquin PO Box 29235 San Francisco, Ca. 94129

Thank you for your loyal support!

All content on this site are property of Michelle Moquin © copyright 2008-2012

“Though she be but little, she be fierce.” – William Shakespeare Midsummer Night’s Dream 

" Politics, god, Life, News, Music, Family, Personal, Travel, Random, Photography, Religion, Aliens, Art, Entertainment, Food, Books, Thoughts, Media, Culture, Love, Sex, Poetry, Prose, Friends, Technology, Humor, Health, Writing, Events, Movies, Sports, Video, Christianity, Atheist, Blogging, History, Work, Education, Business, Fashion, Barack Obama, People, Internet, Relationships, Faith, Photos, Videos, Hillary Clinton, School, Reviews, God, TV, Philosophy, Fun, Science, Environment, Design, The Page, Rants, Pictures, Church, Blog, Nature, Marketing, Television, Democrats, Parenting, Miscellaneous, Current Events, Film, Spirituality, Obama, Musings, Home, Human Rights, Society, Comedy, Me, Random Thoughts, Research, Government, Election 2008, Baseball, Opinion, Recipes, Children, Iraq, Funny, Women, Economics, America, Misc, Commentary, John McCain, Reflections, All, Celebrities, Inspiration, Lifestyle, Theology, Linux, Kids, Games, World, India, Literature, China, Ramblings, Fitness, Money, Review, War, Articles, Economy, Journal, Quotes, NBA, Crime, Anime, Islam, 2008, Stories, Prayer, Diary, Jesus, Buddha, Muslim, Israel, Europe, Links, Marriage, Fiction, American Idol, Software, Leadership, Pop culture, Rants, Video Games, Republicans, Updates, Political, Football, Healing, Blogs, Shopping, USA, Class, Matrix, Course, Work, Web 2.0, My Life, Psychology, Gay, Happiness, Advertising, Field Hockey, Hip-hop, sex, fucking, ass, Soccer, sox"

Good afternoon.

This kind of behavior sickens me. I cannot ever imagine getting excited about participating in something so selfish and disgusting.

Giraffes gunned down for family holiday ‘fun’

A FAMILY poses for a happy holiday snap – standing proudly beside the giraffe they have just shot dead for sport.

Tourists like these are paying tens of thousands of pounds to legally hunt giraffe, the elegant, gentle giants of the animal kingdom.

Many take the animals’ heads home as a sick trophy of their African “adventure”.

Giraffe expert Dr Julian Fennessey said: “Some come from Britain but the big majority are from North America, Germany, Russia and Scandinavia.

“Some hunters just like to have photos taken next to the dead giraffe.

“But others pay taxidermists to mount the head so they can take them home as a souvenir. Or they might want to take the skin.”

The hunters pay up to £10,000 for the giraffe-hunting expeditions, which target the larger males.

Safari clubs and game reserves ask for a £1,500 trophy fee and add £1,000 a day for guides and trackers.

The giraffe population has nearly halved since 1988 — falling from more than 140,000 to fewer than 80,000.

They are now thought to be extinct in places such as Angola, Mali and Nigeria.

But in South Africa, Namibia and Zimbabwe it is still legal to hunt them.

Joe Duckworth, of The League Against Cruel Sports, said: “It is immensely selfish to kill these animals.

“It beggars belief some people find it acceptable to kill them to have their picture with the dead animal.”

But the owner of one South African hunting firm, who refused to be named, defended the killings.

The boss said: “These are legal hunts, by professionals on private land.

“There will always be emotion from people who are not hunters when they see dead animals, but these are very regulated practises. Rhino and other animals have been saved through conservation and the most money for conservation is generated from hunting.”

Dr Fennessy, of the Giraffe Conservation Foundation, has controversially argued in favour of hunting.

He said: “In the countries where you can hunt legally, the populations are increasing but across Africa the numbers are dropping.

“It shows that if properly managed, the hunting can be sustainable.”

*S*I*C*K*O*S*

Readers: Business and personal matters have been taking an enormous amount of my time. I am grateful that all of you are here with me, but please excuse my absence in responding.

Happy Saturday! Peace & Love…

Lastly, greed over a great story is surfacing from my “loyal”(?) readers. With all this back and forth about who owns what, that appears on my blog, let me reiterate that all material posted on my blog becomes the sole property of my blog. If you want to reserve any proprietary rights don’t post it to my blog. I will prominently display this caveat on my blog from now on to remind those who may have forgotten this notice.

Gratefully your blog host,

michelle

Aka BABE: We all know what this means by now :)

If you love my blog and my writes, please make a donation via PayPal, credit card, or e-check, please click the “Donate” button below. (Please only donations from those readers within the United States. – International readers please see my “Donate” page)

Or if you would like to send a check via snail mail, please make checks payable to “Michelle Moquin”, and send to:

Michelle Moquin PO Box 29235 San Francisco, Ca. 94129

Thank you for your loyal support!

All content on this site are property of Michelle Moquin © copyright 2008-2012

“Though she be but little, she be fierce.” – William Shakespeare Midsummer Night’s Dream 

" Politics, god, Life, News, Music, Family, Personal, Travel, Random, Photography, Religion, Aliens, Art, Entertainment, Food, Books, Thoughts, Media, Culture, Love, Sex, Poetry, Prose, Friends, Technology, Humor, Health, Writing, Events, Movies, Sports, Video, Christianity, Atheist, Blogging, History, Work, Education, Business, Fashion, Barack Obama, People, Internet, Relationships, Faith, Photos, Videos, Hillary Clinton, School, Reviews, God, TV, Philosophy, Fun, Science, Environment, Design, The Page, Rants, Pictures, Church, Blog, Nature, Marketing, Television, Democrats, Parenting, Miscellaneous, Current Events, Film, Spirituality, Obama, Musings, Home, Human Rights, Society, Comedy, Me, Random Thoughts, Research, Government, Election 2008, Baseball, Opinion, Recipes, Children, Iraq, Funny, Women, Economics, America, Misc, Commentary, John McCain, Reflections, All, Celebrities, Inspiration, Lifestyle, Theology, Linux, Kids, Games, World, India, Literature, China, Ramblings, Fitness, Money, Review, War, Articles, Economy, Journal, Quotes, NBA, Crime, Anime, Islam, 2008, Stories, Prayer, Diary, Jesus, Buddha, Muslim, Israel, Europe, Links, Marriage, Fiction, American Idol, Software, Leadership, Pop culture, Rants, Video Games, Republicans, Updates, Political, Football, Healing, Blogs, Shopping, USA, Class, Matrix, Course, Work, Web 2.0, My Life, Psychology, Gay, Happiness, Advertising, Field Hockey, Hip-hop, sex, fucking, ass, Soccer, sox"

Good morning!

…Please read.

Paul Gaylord Recovering From Rare Case Of Plague (PHOTOS)

PORTLAND, Ore. — One look at Paul Gaylord’s hands shows why the plague is referred to as “Black Death.”

The welder’s once-strong hands have been withered by the cell-killing infection and darkened to the color of charcoal. Doctors are waiting to see if they can save a portion of his fingers, but the outlook is grim for the man who needs them for his livelihood.

“I don’t think I can do my job,” Gaylord said in a phone interview from a Bend, Ore., hospital. “I’m going to lose all my fingers on both hands. I don’t know about my thumbs. The toes – I might lose all them, too.”

Gaylord, who turns 60 next month, contracted a rare case of the plague trying to take a mouse from the jaws of a choking cat at his home in Prineville, in rural Oregon.

He faces a difficult recovery now that he’s out of intensive care. His family is trying to raise money to get him into a new house, because the manufactured home he was living in has a leaky roof, a moldy bathroom and mice – dangerous living conditions for a man with a weakened immune system.

“We didn’t even know the plague was around anymore,” said his sister, Diana Gaylord. “We thought that was an ancient, ancient disease.”

The bacterium that causes the plague is carried by fleas, which can infect people and animals. The disease that killed millions in the Middle Ages is extremely rare in current times – an average of seven cases occur in the U.S. each year.

Gaylord’s illness began after he saw a stray cat – who he’d named Charlie – with a dead mouse jammed in the back of his throat. The cat appeared to be choking, so Gaylord and a friend attempted to dislodge the mouse.

The distressed cat bit his hand. Unable to remove the mouse, Gaylord shot Charlie to end his suffering and buried him in the yard.

Two days later, he awoke with a fever and chills.

An Army veteran who rarely visits a doctor, Gaylord felt sick enough to go to the Veterans Administration outpatient clinic in nearby Bend. But the clinic had so many patients that doctors couldn’t see him for more than a week.

The next day, Gaylord, who doesn’t have private health insurance, went to an urgent care clinic. The doctor diagnosed cat scratch fever, provided him with medicine and told him to return if his condition worsened.

He was back a few days later. Diana Gaylord said her brother dripped with sweat and his lymph nodes swelled.

“He had a lump under his arm swollen almost as big as a lemon,” she said.

A doctor at the urgent care clinic sent him in an ambulance to St. Charles Medical Center in Redmond. There, a doctor diagnosed the plague, and Gaylord was taken to a larger hospital in Bend.

Gaylord spent nearly a month on life support and only recently left the intensive care unit. At one point, doctors thought he was going to die, said Debbie Gaylord, his wife.

A hospital chaplain baptized the unconscious patient and Gaylord’s son, Jake, arrived from Austin, Texas, to say goodbye.

Hours later, doctors told his family that he had improved.

“Jake got here and all of sudden the next morning he started getting better,” said Andrea Gibb, Gaylord’s niece. “The doctors were like kids in a candy store. They were so excited.”

Gaylord’s case is Oregon’s fifth since 1995. None has been fatal.

The cat’s body was dug up, and tests confirmed it had the plague. Other cats and dogs in the area were tested and none had the disease, said Karen Yeargain of the Crook County Health Department.

Several of Gaylord’s relatives were given preventive antibiotics and will have blood drawn for further tests.

Gaylord is slowly getting better. He is now able to take strolls through the hospital with the aid of a walker, and the family hopes he can return home by October.

The family intends to build a small house on the spot where the manufactured home now stands, using donations.

Debbie Gaylord said she and her husband have never been churchgoing types, but that might change when he comes home.

“We do our praying the way we do it. But now, I don’t know. We might have to rethink the church,” she said.

*******

Readers: I would love to say more, but although I am able to get on my blackberry (too difficult to write much), I can’t seem to get connected on my computer. Asi es la vida. Have a Beautiful day!

Peace out

Lastly, greed over a great story is surfacing from my “loyal”(?) readers. With all this back and forth about who owns what, that appears on my blog, let me reiterate that all material posted on my blog becomes the sole property of my blog. If you want to reserve any proprietary rights don’t post it to my blog. I will prominently display this caveat on my blog from now on to remind those who may have forgotten this notice.

Gratefully your blog host,

michelle

Aka BABE: We all know what this means by now :)

If you love my blog and my writes, please make a donation via PayPal, credit card, or e-check, please click the “Donate” button below. (Please only donations from those readers within the United States. – International readers please see my “Donate” page)

Or if you would like to send a check via snail mail, please make checks payable to “Michelle Moquin”, and send to:

Michelle Moquin PO Box 29235 San Francisco, Ca. 94129

Thank you for your loyal support!

All content on this site are property of Michelle Moquin © copyright 2008-2012

“Though she be but little, she be fierce.” – William Shakespeare Midsummer Night’s Dream 

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