-- "The Scream" is back!

-- Some moves to boot several initiative questions from the ballot get rejected, leaving the ballot really frickin' crowded.

-- Man, I HATE it when the plane you're riding in catches on fire.

I have a question for you parents and pet owners out there. (I know you can't really compare being a parent and having a pet. For example, pets tend to shed more than kids do.)

Anyway ... have any of you had that sinking-feeling moment when you realized that maybe your beloved little creature was ... well ... kinda stupid? And you felt a little sad about that?

I experienced this feeling yesterday. Background: The S.O. and I adopted two cute little brother kittens from the Humane Society of Southern Arizona several months ago. I named them Buster and Maeby. Today, they're still cute, albeit larger, kittens.

Anyway, Garrett was cleaning the carpet yesterday—meaning he couldn't hear a damn thing. When he turned off the carpet cleaner, he heard Maeby letting out a blood-curdling YOWL in the Arizona room. He rushed back there and was alarmed when he could not find Maeby at first. Finally, he realized: Maeby was stuck behind a bookshelf, wedged between it and the wall. About this bookshelf: It's up against a corner, with a bookshelf right next to it, and a large box on top of it. The only way Maeby could have gotten stuck: He must have gotten on top of the bookshelf in the small space between the box and the wall, and then he must have either fallen or jumped behind the shelf. (The shelf leaned forward a little, leaving a space between the top of the shelf and the wall about the size of Maeby's width, not much larger.)

Anyway, Garrett had to basically dump everything off of the shelf and move it to free Maeby, who was unharmed. The shelf has since been fixed so it no longer leans.

But ... how stupid must this cat be to have gotten himself wedged where he did? I mean, gads. I should also note this is the same cat who has gotten a paw caught in one of those sticky bug traps that exterminators leave behind. Twice. (His brother, Buster, has never managed to do this.)

So, I think Maeby's obviously not the brightest bulb. As a matter of fact, there's evidence he's pretty damn dim. And I feel sad about this.

Anybody out there had similar experiences? Thoughts?

-- Here's hoping Hurricane John doesn't take a right turn.

-- Are gas prices finally starting to stabilize? Follow-up question: Is this a good thing if they do?

-- And finally, for the love of Pete, turn off your damn microphone before you go to the bathroom. Thank you.

In what has been an incredible uphill but necessary battle, California might just see universal health care. Amazingly enough, SB840 passed in both the state Senate and state Assembly. It now waits for signing from the Governator on Sept. 1. Proponents of SB 840 expect the Governator to veto SB840, but who knows—perhaps they could be pleasantly surprised.

SB 840 provides comprehensive medical, dental, vision, hospitalization and prescription drug coverage to every California resident.

California is much further along than Arizona in equal health care for all, although every Democratic candidate kind of dances around it on their platform.  

I can't believe that Donald Rumsfeld is still our secretary of defense. I can't believe he keeps getting away with what he does and says. He's an embarrassment to this country who has no regard for law, the Constitution or the truth.

His latest moron maneuver came yesterday in Fallon, Nev., when he basically accused the media of being manipulated by terrorists. Yes, he really said that. Here's The Associated Press account of his speech.

I just can't believe it. After all the messes Rumsfeld has gotten into, he goes and says something like this. Amazing.

-- That wackadoo, child-molesting polygamist Warren Jeffs was finally arrested. Ya think maybe the Star will give him a thorn?

-- Um, why didn't John Kerry bring this up, say, 21 months ago?

-- I would SO pay to see this debate.

I wonder if traditional or any media will pick this up? This Friday is Impeachment Day, and there are lots of online and home grown activities planned. You can read all about it here.

I don't think for a minute that it will happen, but I applaud the people trying to do it.

-- Arrested Development was freakin' ROBBED. Again.

-- Florida: Nice place to visit, but wouldn't wanna live there.

-- And finally, I have decided the Star is reacting to our loving, gentle (or not) mocking of "Thorns and Flowers" by ratcheting up the stoooopid. I know this makes no sense, but now else can you explain them giving a flower to a restaurant in India—yes, that India, for the removing Nazi names and symbols—yes, that Nazi—from the restaurant. This is so inane I can hardly comprehend it. The restaurant's in MUMBAI. And the owner is removing something HE NEVER SHOULD HAVE PUT THERE IN THE FIRST PLACE. And for this, they get a FLOWER.

Wow. Best. Thorns and Flowers. EVER.

The Arizona Daily Star wrote a well-presented, comprehensive article about what is going on at the Tucson Greyhound Park and why some of us greyhound activists are always so angry.

If you speak Spanish and can translate, consider posting some of these flyers in South Tucson for the $1,000 reward money for information about 100 to 200 the missing greyhounds.

I'm currently working on a feature about a very environmentally-conscious band called Cloud Cult (who you can read all about in next week's Weekly), and Craig Minowa, the main guy behind the project, clued me in to an interesting way to offset your energy usage. I have to admit, it seems somewhat sketchy to me—and also, as a starving grad student/freelance writer, even an extra $8 a month hurts—but the concept is intriguing nonetheless: The site calculates the amount of carbon you emit, and then you pay them (average is $8 a month), and they put your money toward creating green energy (i.e., wind turbines, or methane) so that they can create that same amount of energy without carbon emissions. I would much rather just shave $8 a month off my current bill by using less energy to begin with, and then buy some lunch. But that's just me.