October 20, 2003

From the Inside Out
FOSTER MOM FLUNKIE

I have always loved dogs and have embarked on a new journey. Let me first explain that I purchased my first house almost two years ago.

For my housewarming present, my sister gave me my first big dog. She is a gorgeous Collie. Although, at 6 months old, she was not all that pretty — her hair had not grown out yet. Anyway, she has been such a true joy.

A couple of months ago, I decided I was ready to get a second Collie. In my opinion, they are the best breeds of dogs. They are wonderful with children and as loyal as can be. Most Collies are really smart and learn tricks very quickly. At least mine did.

Well, after much searching I decided against buying a dog. I would just check with the rescue organizations to see if they had any puppies. I discovered there was a rescue group in Houston, which is only about fifty miles from where I live.

Then I had a better idea! I would just be a foster home for an unwanted Collie. So I applied to be a foster home for the Houston Collie Rescue. I was approved, and on March 10, 2003, I received my first foster.

She was turned over to Houston Collie Rescue after wandering the streets of Houston and you could tell she was starving for attention. I received word about a month after she came to stay with me that they had received a wonderful adoption application for her.

Well, let me tell you, I was really upset. You see, I had fallen in love with her, not to mention she had made herself quite at home. She had begun sleeping on my couch, which I never let my first Collie do. (By the way, one sleeps on the couch and the other one sleeps on the loveseat.)

When her adoption fell through I just decided to adopt her myself. I had failed the fostering program! I was not the first person this has happened to though.

On April 10, 2003, she became officially mine.

I now have a new foster baby — a boy. It was a little hairy at first because they all wanted to be leader of the pack but now they are all getting along.

The whole point of this story is to tell people to think twice about buying a dog. There are some wonderful dogs out there that need a home.

In my opinion, if people keep buying from pet shops and such, they will continue to be bred, and that just leads to more dogs that have to go into rescue programs later on.

Check your local animal shelters and rescue groups in your area — they pick up new dogs daily.

This has become my new journey in life to educate people about rescue dogs and to be a loving foster home for the unwanted until they are found a "forever home."

~Angela Walker, http://LoveOurPets.com/MyCollieHaven
Reprinted from Petwarmers.com

MAKE A DIFFERENCE EACH DAY... JUST CLICK HERE

AT NO COST TO YOU, SPONSORS CONTRIBUTE EVERY TIME YOU "CLICK" WITH THESE FIVE HUMANITARIAN ORGANIZATIONS

Yes You Can!
PUT YOUR PC TO BED AT NITE

If you're a Windows user (Windows 98 Second Edition or beyond), just set up your PC to "hibernate" overnight. "Hibernate" powers down your monitor to about 5 watts of energy and your PC to 2.3 watts — virtually the same as turning your PC off (your monitor uses zero watts when turned off; more on this below). Either way, you save as much as $90 a year in power costs compared to a PC left on with a 3D screen saver running.

Still, I may not change my habits. I like the security of having it off (though locking your system or logging off is just as secure), and I like the ability to shake the cobwebs from my system on a daily basis. But, with every minute I spend booting up in the morning, I can see why someone would rather leave their machine on.

Those at Energy Star still prefer that you turn your computer off at night, for maximum energy savings. "We are all about energy savings, and when you shut off your computer at night, you save the most energy," says Craig Hershberg, program manager for office equipment and consumer electronics.

Hershberg estimates that as many as 50% of U.S. users are enabling their PCs to "hibernate/sleep" at night, a percentage Energy Star hopes will continue to climb — even if the users are doing it for the wrong reasons. Many users simply don't like the 3-8 minutes it takes to re-boot a shut-off computer; they're more concerned about the reboot time than saving energy. For that reason, and because the power-management features in Windows continue to be improved, "the trend is for fewer people to be shutting off their computers at night," he says. However, here are some consumer "myths" that are worth addressing:

1. Turning your PC off uses more energy than leaving it on. Not true. The small surge of power you use when turning it on — which varies per PC make and model — is still much smaller than the amount you use in keeping it on for lengthy periods.

2. Turning your PC on and off wears it out. Five or more years ago, there was something to this, but not today, say Hershberg and others. It used to be that PC hard disks did not automatically park their heads when shut off, and that frequent on/off cycling could damage the hard disks. Today's PCs are designed to handle 40,000 on/off cycles before a failure, and that's a number you likely won't reach during the computer's five-to-seven-year life span.

3. Screen savers save energy. Not true. Screen savers, at a minimum, can use 42 watts; those with 3D graphics can use as much as 114.5 watts, according to Don McCall, a Dell product marketing manager who does power measurement studies for the PC manufacturer. "It's absolutely wrong thinking that a screen saver will save energy," he says.

4. Your computer uses zero energy when "off." That's true only if it is unplugged. Otherwise, the PC utilizes "flea power," or about 2.3 watts, to maintain local-area network connectivity, among other things, McCall says. In "hibernate" mode, your PC uses the same 2.3 watts; in "sleep" mode, your PC uses about 3.1 watts. Monitors do use zero energy when turned off.

If you are away from your PC a lot during the work day, you may want to set it to "hibernate" after 45 minutes to an hour, and set it to "standby" to 15 minutes. Under "standby," you'll be conserving power but you won't be saving your computer memory onto your hard disk, as you will with "hibernate." "Standby" is meant for shorter absences.

~Monte Enbysk, Microsoft Business Central.com

Photo: Webshots

Cape Town's most famous landmark and one of the city's greatest attractions is Table Mountain. It’s best to visit on a clear day, though a tablecloth of clouds can descend at any time, flowing over the edge like a breaking wave. Legend has it that the tablecloth is due to an old Afrikaner called "Van Hunks" who sits on Devil’s Peak having a smoking contest with the devil himself; they just keep puffing away and neither ever wins. The mountain is part of a nature reserve, and wooden walkways and designated paths allow you to wander around without damaging the unique plant life. Dassies (rock hyrax) that look like giant guinea pigs, laze around on the rocks in the sun and accept little tidbits from curious visitors. Believe it or not, these funny little creatures are more closely related to the elephant than any other species.

LINKS
THAT SHINE

"Innerworks: Counseling & Publishing"

For over 25 years, Suzanne E. Harrill, M.Ed., has been empowering people through counseling, teaching, and personal coaching. Find self-help books to inspire inner worth, build good relationships, and discover spiritual meaning and purpose. Free monthly newsletter to spark the inner journey.
www.InnerworksPublishing.com

CLICK FOR MORE LINKS

Fascinating Facts
COLD WEATHER CARE FOR DOGS (Part 1)

Fall marks the inevitable onset of winter and the time to prepare — we haul out the winter clothes, insulate our homes, gather up the boots and tune up our cars. And, in the midst of all this preparation, don't forget that it's equally important to winterize your dog. Whether you want to continue to walk your dog daily or just let him enjoy a regular backyard outing you need to condition him for the winter cold. Following are some important information from Katie Ward's "Animal Crackers" column in the Minneapolis Star Tribune:

Frostbite is a common danger during winter. It can affect the toes, ears and scrotum. Initially, the skin appears pale white but once circulation is re-established the area becomes red and swollen and may begin to peel. While all dogs are at risk, prick-eared dogs are very susceptible to frostbite. And it only takes a matter of seconds for tissue injury to occur. To avoid frostbite, do not leave your dog out for more than several minutes when temperatures fall below zero. It is better to let them out several times for a few minutes rather than making them stay out until they are done. It is also helpful to shovel an area close to the door for your pets to use in the coldest weather. We shovel down to the ground and clean the the area each day.

If your dog does get frostbite, soak the affected parts with warm water for 15-20 minutes or place the dog's paws in a bowl of tepid water heated to about 90 degrees. Do not rub the area. Simply pat gently dry. Keep the dog warm and seek veterinary help since further treatment may be needed. As sensation returns the dog may feel pain. It is necessary to prevent biting at the skin and causing further injury.

Hypothermia is also a possibility with extreme temperatures. This is most likely to occur in dogs that have been in freezing water, even for a few minutes. Dogs that do not have heavy coats may be more adversely affected. If you suspect hypothermia, dry the dog off by rubbing vigorously with a towel. Then, wrap a warm blanket around the dog and take its rectal temperature. If the temperature is below 98.5 get to a vet or emergency service immediately. Continue to keep the dog warm but avoid overheating. If you do not know how to take your dog’s rectal temperature, take your dog to a vet immediately.

Keep your home as cool as is comfortable. It is far healthier for you and your pets. It is said to cut down on colds and it makes coming and going far less traumatic. Our pets are far more comfortable and they shed less.

Next week: Specific tips for preparing your dog for winter ...

~Katie Ward, Minneapolis Star Tribune

Who put the 'butter' in 'butterfly'?

Click for Answer

Laughing It Off
GETTING YOUR OWN 'WEIGH'

1. Weigh yourself with clothes on, after dinner ... then in the morning, without clothes, before breakfast, because it's nice to see how much weight you've lost overnight.

2. Never weigh yourself with wet hair.

3. When weighing, remove everything, including glasses. In this case, blurred vision is an asset.

4. Use cheap scales only, never the medical kind, because they are generally five pounds off ... to your advantage, of course.

5. Don't forget to remove your earrings, these things can weigh at least a pound.

6. If a diet is a "weigh of life" ... then a bathroom scale is a "fitness witness."

7. Start out with just one foot on the scale, then holding onto the towel rack in front of you, slowly edge your other foot on and slowly let go of the rack. Admittedly, this takes time, but it's worth it. You will weigh at least two pounds less than if you'd stepped on normally

8. Weigh yourself after a haircut; this is good for at least half a pound of hair (hopefully).

9. Exhale with all your might BEFORE stepping onto the scale (air has to weigh something, right?)

10. The best place for the bathroom scale is NOT in front of the refrigerator.

11. Stand with arms raised, making pressure on the scale lighter. (Waving them is optional but occasionally helps!)

~Send4Fun.com

Untangling the Web

WHAT A SITE!

Leaf Peeper ...
On this spectacular Fall Foliage tour, New England is never more beautiful, when color sweeps the broad landscape, creating picture postcard vistas at every bend of the road.
(Contributed by Ted in Manhattan Beach, CA)
www.LeafPeeper.com

COMPUTER-EASE

Changing Text Size ...
To make the text on web pages larger or smaller, click the View menu, and then click Text Size. Press F5 to refresh the screen.

Photo: Sam Yeh /AFP-Getty Images

Kids delight at 'Candy Parrot' goldfish...
on display at a marine-life exhibition featuring more than 80 species of fish and turtles in Taipei, Taiwan. There is also an area where parents take their children to feed fish. In addition, they can feed some that are handicapped or have deformities. Sponsors are hoping to encourage children to lend more support to the handicapped through this event. ~MSNBC