Just in time for winter, some new Balloon Juice themed thermos items:
Lots of good options there.
Also, don’t forget, we are still building our Pets of Balloon Juice 2011 calendar, and we need your pictures so they can be part of the fun. Send your favorite pet pics to [email protected]
All proceeds from sales go to help animals via the good folks at Charlie’s Angels Animal Rescue in Western North Carolina.
Evolved Deep Southerner
I thought the top one was roll-on deodorant for a second.
Omnes Omnibus
@Evolved Deep Southerner: Tunch scented deodorant?
geg6
I’d just like to let you know, Cole, that I have been down like a ton of bricks with some sort of stomach virus for the last 4 1/2 days and it has been a great comfort to be sipping my tea (one of the few things I can down) from my brand new Lily mug.
stuckinred
Is there a way to know if our pictures got through.
JPL
NICE
A federal judge formally refused Tuesday to let the Pentagon reinstate its ban on openly gay men and women in the U.S. military while it appeals her decision declaring its “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy unconstitutional.
That's Master of Accountancy to You, Pal (JMN)
I need a new sweatshirt, but Obey isn’t available in a dark color in anything larger than a Small, and I’m definitely not a small.
stuckinred
@JPL: Choi tried to RE-Up today.
MikeJ
This weekend I cooked short ribs following one of Thomas Keller’s famously fastidious recipes. Saved the bones, used Bouchon cookbook’s recipe for stock. Started making a beef pot pie tonight, and I just tasted the stock.
Oh. My. God.
There are many authors whom I really like, but I would never go Kathy Bates in Misery on any of them. And while I would not do that to a chef either, it is far more likely I would kidnap Keller and force him to cook than any other scenario.
arguingwithsignposts
While I will be sending my Lady Smudge photos shortly, I do want to request again that some of the rotating tags in the header be included somewhere on some B-J swag. I would like something on a mug or shirt besides the traditional two.
kthxbai
Ailuridae
@MikeJ:
You should post that recipe.
How can their be a balloon-juice store without an optional flask? Or is there a separate flask page I missed?
Darkrose
Hmmm. I may have to get the big thermos. 34 oz. of potato leek soup sounds pretty good.
arguingwithsignposts
Also, JC, is there any preference in terms of size of the photos in pixels?
Annie
My cat came back from the doctors, and it is her thyroid. I feel like shit because we did not recognize the signs earlier. It seems that as cats approach 12 years it is not uncommon to develop thyroid problems. If caught early, the condition is curable.
The signs we missed. I know she had lost some weight, but she was so active, we took that as a good sign. That with weight lose, she felt better. Actually, the opposite was true. Because of her thyroid condition, she became hyper-active, which was increasingly putting pressure on her heart. She now has some fluid in her lungs.
So we are treating two things — getting rid of the fluid and treating the thyroid. If she stabilizes than she should be ok. We will watch her condition over the next two weeks.
If she is ok in the next two weeks the options are to give her thyroid medicine for the rest of her life, or do something called “Radio Cat.” They inject radioactive iodine, which could cure the thyroid condition, which means she would be off medication.
The difficult part began tonight. Getting a pill down a cat is not easy. I tried “pill pockets” but she refused. We tried shoving it down her but she scratched and hissed. Pills are for the fluid.
Fortunately, the thyroid medicine is liquid, so I will either shot it down her mouth, or try and mix it with her food.
At times like this, I wonder why we didn’t get dogs!
MikeJ
@Ailuridae: It’s surprisingly easy, but time intensive. Roast the bones, put ’em in a pot with enough water to cover. Wait five hours, straining off any fat every now and then. Roast leeks, onion, carrots for twenty minutes, chuck ’em in the pot with the bones for another hour.
The balloon-juice store doesn’t have flasks because everyone here already has one that is being abused. I know I do.
Jeffro
Whoops, mean “Vogue” and “Kirsten”.
My bad.
WereBear
@Annie: We wish we were perfect and omniscient, and these things wouldn’t happen! But that’s not a power given to us.
I’m glad there are so many options, and I hope it all works out well. When a kitty gets older we get sensitive; especially when they are so special, as your girl obviously is.
Fordpowers
Srsly??! Hold please. Pictures coming soon!!
Sly
Unsurprising fact of the day: Christine O’Donnell knows nothing about First Amendment jurisprudence or modern biology.
debit
Today new kitty was released from quarantine. I checked with the Humane Society, Pet Finder, Animal Control, Lost Paws, etc (in addition to my ad on Craigslist) and could not find a single match. The vet did not find a chip, and confirmed our boy was not fixed. He checked out just fine, got his shots and gets his distemper booster when he loses his testicles 3 weeks from now. The vet estimates him at a year, maybe a year and a half.
Right now he’s exploring the house. The other cats reacted as expected. Max followed him everywhere until he got bored with it and is now purring in my ear. Luther plopped down at my feet and ignores him unless he approaches (and then lets out a snarl). Rufus squeaked in panic and went to hide. Poor Chloe just put her head down and hopes this one won’t swat at her too.
We still haven’t decided on a name. I suppose he’ll tell me eventually.
WereBear
@debit: Congrats! What a handsome boy.
He’s got a Van pattern; like Tunch. Does he like water? Sometimes that pattern means a bathtub magnet.
debit
@WereBear: He does a little shuffle when he approaches the water dish, like he’s digging his toes in or something. I haven’t tried him with a tub full of water. Yet.
meh
I would be interested to hear John’s opinion on the Harrison hits over the weekend during the Browns game – considering that he says he is trying to hurt people, should he be suspended?
arguingwithsignposts
Lady Smudge dreams of mice. I’m pretty sure she catches them too.
WaterGirl
@arguingwithsignposts: Okay, I am officially changing my vote on lady smudge photos to this one.
Annie
@arguingwithsignposts:
Absolutely adorable photo. I love it when cats sleep on their backs with their paws in the air….Or when you are reading in bed at night and they cover their eyes, as if to say, “hey it is time for bed, put that book down, and please, please, turn off the light. It’s in my eyes.”
gbear
All I’ve got to say is that I’m glad today is over.
SiubhanDuinne
@aws: You know the Smudge photo I love? Theone where she has her hind leg straight up in theair — like flippin the bird. It was a while ago.
debit
@arguingwithsignposts: That’s such a great photo.
jacy
Oh, my, I need one of those.
And BTW, Cole, in case no one has told you, Chuck has gotten a pickup for more episodes than they thought they would get, so they’re good to go for the rest of the season, and their chance of being renewed for next year just got a whole lot better. Cheers!
Corner Stone
@MikeJ:
You better thank your lucky stars this is not a DougJ thread.
arguingwithsignposts
@SiubhanDuinne:
The back leg salute. Somewhat fitting for Mrs. Thomas thread earlier tonight.
bostondreams
Anyone else pick up Fallout: New Vegas today? Woohoo.
Comrade Mary
@Annie:
Damn. I’m sorry to hear that.
Advice: I had two cats with thyroid issues. I pilled the first one for a year, and she was surprisingly cooperative — until she wasn’t. She began hiding in the mornings before I left for work, so we got her nuked and she had several healthy years after that.
The second cat, once diagnosed, we arranged to have nuked immediately She also thrived afterwards.
It’s expensive in the short run, and a nuisance in the short run as well (you have to sequester the litterbox contents for a period of time, and the cat shouldn’t spend too much time sleeping with you immediately after being released from radioactive kitty jail), but it’s much less expensive in the long run than pills, it’s a better treatment, and the cats are happier.
schrodinger's cat
@debit: Wow he looks like skinny Tunch! What a cutie!
Mnemosyne
Poor Annie horked up a nasty hairball while we were at work — possibly the nastiest one I’ve ever seen in 20 years of being a cat owner.
At least she did it on top of an easily cleaned plastic bin.
debit
@Annie: I’ve said before, I’ve had to tube worm horses, and frankly, it’s easier to shove a tube down a 1000 pound animal’s throat (and keep it under control) than it is to give a 7 pound cat its meds.
The method that works for me is to sit on the floor on your knees, put the cat between your legs with its back to your abdomen. Pry the mouth open, pop the medication in, It’s going to try to get away by back away from whatever is coming at its mouth. This presses it back against you, giving you a little more control.
Best of luck to you and your kitty.
schrodinger's cat
@debit: Giving kitteh pills is the stuff of nightmares, I have had to do it only once so far, thank Ceiling Cat!
Kat
It just keeps getting worse and worse!
And we consider this an advanced civilization.
Aaauuugghhh! My head just exploded!
Justice Department Goes After Michigan Blue Cross For Antitrust Violations
crooksandliars.com/susie-madrak/justice-department-goes-after-michiga
By Susie Madrak
Very happy to see they’re pursuing this case. The Blues are infamous for cutting deals with hospitals that squeeze competition out of the market — in fact, did you know the Blues often require that hospitals do not give sliding-scale prices to people without insurance? If they decide to go after more of them, this might lead to actual competition:
Quote:
WASHINGTON — The Justice Department sued Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan on Monday, asserting that the company, the state’s dominant health insurer, had violated antitrust laws and secured a huge competitive advantage by forcing hospitals to charge higher prices to Blue Cross’s rivals.
The civil case appears to have broad implications because many local insurance markets, like those in Michigan, are highly concentrated, and Blue Cross and Blue Shield plans often have the largest shares of those markets.
In the Michigan case, the Obama administration said that Blue Cross and Blue Shield had contracts with many hospitals that stifled competition, resulting in higher health insurance premiums for consumers and employers.
The State of Michigan was also a plaintiff in the lawsuit, filed in the Federal District Court in Detroit.
Blue Cross and Blue Shield, like most insurers, contracts with hospitals, doctors, labs and other providers for services. The lawsuit took direct aim at contract clauses stipulating that no insurance companies could obtain better rates from the providers than Blue Cross. Some of these contract provisions, known as “most favored nation” clauses, require hospitals to charge other insurers a specified percentage more than they charge Blue Cross — in some cases, 30 to 40 percent more, the lawsuit said.
Christine A. Varney, the assistant attorney general in charge of the antitrust division of the Justice Department, said these requirements were “pernicious.”
“Our lawsuit alleges that the intent and effect of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan’s contracts is to raise hospital costs for competing health plans and reduce competition for the sale of health insurance,” Ms. Varney said. “As a result, consumers in Michigan are paying more for their health care services and health insurance.”
The contract terms, she said, discouraged discounts and prevented other insurers from entering the market. The lawsuit also asserts that Blue Cross, in effect, bought protection from competition — by agreeing to pay higher prices to certain hospitals to induce them to agree to the “most favored nation” clauses.
/end quote
.
Workin’ on a tax farm
crooksandliars.com/brad-reed/workin-tax-farm-0
By Brad Reed
Kat
Almost forgot…
@Annie
Your vet has inexpensive ‘pill pushers’ made for giving pills to cats and dogs.
Annie
@Comrade Mary:
Thanks for the information. Shit, didn’t know that we may have to sequester the litter boxes. For how long?
She doesn’t sleep with us as our other cat claimed the spot between us, and she decided that certain fights were not worth fighting.
@debit:
Thanks for the advice. We are now in hour 2 and still haven’t managed to get the stupid pill down her. Twice a day for a week, and we can’t even get 1 down her tonight.
burnspbesq
I knew there was a reason I like Benji Molina.
WaterGirl
@Annie: This may sound crazy, but I heaved a sigh of relief when I read the diagnosis. A year ago I took my kitty in with the same symptoms and they told me he was dying, and I’m so glad this is turning out so much better than that for you and your kitty.
As for pills, I just discovered the kitty “pill pockets” and they worked great with my kitties just a few days ago. They never knew anything was inside.
That's Master of Accountancy to You, Pal (JMN)
FTFY, motherfuckers!
Bengie Molina for the win, though it’ll take him until Thursday to round all the bases.
debit
@Annie: You know what? If you’re stressed and the cat is stressed, don’t keep trying tonight. Go for it again in the morning when you’re calm. Pet the cat, relax, then gently put it into position and just pop the pill in. You can do it.
Gravenstone
@bostondreams: Yep, picked up the PC version. Intensely amused when the clerk asked for my ID by rote. Really? The grey beard and hair aren’t doing it for ya? Okay, stroke my ego a little more, will ya?
My nephew loves the 360 version so far. I’ve only gotten as far as the install. Hope to find time to spend with it soon.
John - A Motley Moose
I haven’t seen any photo guidelines. Do you want high resolution images in a particular format?
That's Master of Accountancy to You, Pal (JMN)
Here are the ones I sent in as possibilities for the Calendar:
Monster in the Closet
Monster Up High
It’s Hard Work Being a Cat
It’s the Eyes
Eddie and Ringling
Up to Nothin’. Honest
That's Master of Accountancy to You, Pal (JMN)
@Annie: If you have a liquid, and particularly if it’s tasteless (or even better, seafood flavored as Eddie’s prednazolone is), just put it in a bit of the gravy from some canned food. There are plenty available that have some.
I am also finding out that it’s much *much* easier to give a cat an injection rather than a pill. Ask your vet if there’s anything injectable, and if he’ll show you how to administer them.
That's Master of Accountancy to You, Pal (JMN)
Hmmn. Joe Girardi has brought Boone Logan in to face Josh Hamilton twice in two days, which has resulted in a double, a home run and two runs scored. Maybe it’s time to try a new idea.
bostondreams
@Gravenstone:
Between this one, Civ 5, SW:TOR, City of Heroes: Going Rogue, and the upcoming ten ton cataclysmic behemoth, I am never going to finish the dang dissertation.
bostondreams
@That’s Master of Accountancy to You, Pal (JMN):
Shut your mouth. I like these ideas.
Go Red So…err..Rangers.
That's Master of Accountancy to You, Pal (JMN)
@bostondreams: Well, it’s not like anyone else in the Yankee pen is stepping up to take the job. Dustin Moseley is the only on who has been able to get outs, and I’d be plenty happy for Girardi to try getting key outs from him again.
That's Master of Accountancy to You, Pal (JMN)
God damn it. Too man y links in my post of cat pics.
FREE ME FROM MODERATION!
That's Master of Accountancy to You, Pal (JMN)
Jesus, “God Bless America” sucks ass. And, oh shit, he’s singing more than the chorus.
More “Battle Hymn of the Republic” please.
Yutsano
@That’s Master of Accountancy to You, Pal (JMN): Girardi making awful decisions? UNPOSSIBLE!!
That's Master of Accountancy to You, Pal (JMN)
@Yutsano: As I said, it’s hard to call them awful decisions given the performance of his relievers. At the moment, he needs to go straight from the starter to Rivera.
Comrade Mary
@Annie: It depends on your state laws. This page suggests two weeks, but your vet and the clinic will confirm if the law says it should be a slightly different period.
Just dump the used litter into a garbage bag and put it into a corner of the basement, garage or other space where you don’t hang out for several hours at a time. Being exposed to the tiny bit of radioactive excreta when you clean the pan or pass the storage site is not dangerous at all. Just wash your hands after litter box changes as you already do.
That page says no more than half an hour of contact with your cat each day until the specified period is up, but honestly, I let my cats sleep with me within a day or two because I couldn’t take the whining, and I haven’t sprouted a second head yet. Luckily, you won’t have a cat who wants to sleep with you, so that’s one less worry for you.
That's Master of Accountancy to You, Pal (JMN)
I was at a game Memorial Day weekend when the Rangers played at the Twins. Derek Holland suffered an elbow injury that night, and I would have told you there was no way he would be effective at any point this year.
andrea
Is it just me or does Joba Chamberlain look like Jeb Bush’s lovechild?
Yutsano
@andrea: Depends. How verschnickered is he looking right now?
Steeplejack
@andrea:
Forget that. I think zombie Frank Zappa is the Rangers’ pitching coach.
asiangrrlMN
@That’s Master of Accountancy to You, Pal (JMN): Here. The black one (which I am wearing now). It comes in up to 2X.
I am looking through my pics now. I haven’t taken pics of my boys in ages.
I could use a thermos, methinks.
Oh shit. Game is getting nervewracking now.
merrinc
@Annie:
Our 12 year old tuxedo has also been diagnosed with hyperthyroidism – no complications, thankfully. We’re treating with methimazolemetapozole: 5g x2 daily via Pill Pockets – which he eats most of the time. We are seriously considering the Radioactive Kitteh treatment at the state veterinary teaching hospital.
merrinc
@Annie:
Our 12 year old tuxedo has also been diagnosed with hyperthyroidism – no complications, thankfully. We’re treating with methimazolemetapozole: 5g x2 daily via Pill Pockets – which he eats most of the time. We are seriously considering the Radioactive Kitteh treatment at the state veterinary teaching hospital.
That's Master of Accountancy to You, Pal (JMN)
@asiangrrlMN: Though I may wait and see if any of the taglines get put on stuff.
Apparently, no one is paying attention, since I’m still in moderation way up above.
That's Master of Accountancy to You, Pal (JMN)
Darren Oliver for the hold!
That's Master of Accountancy to You, Pal (JMN)
Okay, don’t let Mitre pitch to Hamilton, either.
asiangrrlMN
@Annie: You didn’t know. Cut yourself some slack. Now that you do know, you can deal with it. I’m glad she’s (relatively) OK!
This. This holds 34 oz of liquid. I need this.
ETA: That’s a full ten ounces more than my mongo cup holds.
asiangrrlMN
@asiangrrlMN: This is the one I actually want. For now.
CatStaff
@Annie: Apologies in advance if you get two responses from me on this subject – the first one disappeared into the ether when I hit “submit.”
After adopting lots of elderly Siamese cats over the years, my husband and I found that the best way for us to deal with hyperthyroidism in our kitties was to get the methimazole made up by a compounding pharmacy (like Vetcentric or Bayview) into a transdermal gel. You put a finger cot on, measure out the appropriate amount of gel, and rub it gently on the upper inner portion of the kitty’s ear. No muss, no fuss, no blood droplets. The cat usually hardly notices.
Yutsano
@asiangrrlMN: :: checks bank balance. Tries not to go faint ::
Hi hon. I’m fucking tired of knowledge tests.
asiangrrlMN
@Yutsano: Oh hon. You know I’m worth it! And, I think the depth of your knowledge should be more than amply apparent by now!
Yutsano
@asiangrrlMN: Sigh. i know. I’m just grousing because I can. In my defense though, it’s not exactly easy to keep you in the lifestyle to which you’ve become accustomed. Not to mention your kittehs.
asiangrrlMN
@Yutsano: This is true. I am easy, but not cheap!
Annie
@CatStaff:
I wish I had seen this earlier. Hope you respond. Our vet mentioned that option. She did say that sometimes it makes the cat’s ear red and itchy. Has this happened to one of yours? I am seriously thinking of that option.
Will
As others here have already noted, there really does need to be a flask option.
CatStaff
@Annie: I don’t recall any problem with redness or itching when we used the gel. We would just alternate ears each day, or in the cases where we had to put it on morning and night because of the need for a higher dosage, we’d use one ear in the morning and the other at night. A lot of times one of the cats would be lying on my lap dozing, and I’d just massage the medication into its ear without it even waking up. So much easier than wrestling around on the floor with pill poppers, and a lot less stressful for my geezers.
You might also want to call Bayview Pharmacy (in Rhode Island, I believe). They do all kinds of compounding for people and animals and can do flavored suspensions and lots of nifty things to make the medicine go down.
WaterGirl
@Annie: If CatStaff doesn’t see this, you could try sending email to John or Annie Laurie and asking them to give CatStaff your email address so you could communicate directly.