Praise FSM, someone found the most expensive cat toy in the house:
He noticed it goes up, too:
He went all the way to the top to the two other pieces, but I didn’t get good pics since every picture I have ever taken of my animals looks like the shit you see on those conspiracy theory shows with fuzzy pictures of Bigfoot, but here he is close to top:
And now he has just settled in looking down on his kingdom, as he should:
That pose and attitude totally remind me of Tunch.
newdealfarmgrrrlll
YAY! Steve is very regal, surveying his domain from on high.
Amir Khalid
We have lift-off!
Mary G
We have liftoff!
New milestone here as well: Braver cat came into the same room as Higgs Boson’s Mate for the first time. Of course, I was overdue with the treats, so something drastic had to be done.
The Snarxist Formerly Known as Kryptik
Huzzah! The investment finally pays off!
Jerzy Russian
@Mary G:
Who were the treats for, the cat or the human?
SIA
Halle-fucking-luja!!!
newdealfarmgrrrlll
ooops, embarrassing … Darn mobile device said something to the effect of comment failed, check your reply and try again. Which resulted in a near duplicate comment. My apologies!
SIA
@newdealfarmgrrrlll: It always does that to me when posting on my phone. WORD PRESS IS A LIAR!
LT
Awesome.
And is that thing a lot smaller than it looked before or is that cat huge?
Villago Delenda Est
OK, I hate to throw water on this parade, but Steve will most likely never climb the thing again. It’s been checked out, he will move on to newer, fresher curiosities.
Mary G
@Jerzy Russian: Cat, of course. The rescue human does all the cooking and can get his own treats.
Yatsuno
Boss Stevedore Hemingway ascends his Iron Throne to look down upon all his subjects. They can now bask in the glory of his magnificence.
And the wingnuts keep on producing greatest hits.
NotMax
@Mary G
Every time I read those words – “rescue human” – my mind envisions a trip to the doctor’s office for the you-know-what procedure.
This is not to pooh-pooh what you’ve done; just needed to get it out of my system.
BillinGlendaleCA
So, Steve has used the god damned cat tree.
In other news, the CIA acknowledged that Area 51 is real and was/is used to test advanced aircraft. There are no space aliens(like we believe them now).
Joshua Norton
You should have an end-of-day post by Steve and call it “My Day”, (shades of Eleanor Roosevelt). It’s like I swing by here now to live vicariously thru Steve stories since I can’t have a cat of my own.
BillinGlendaleCA
@Yatsuno: They want Rush to moderate, but he said he’s “too famous” to do so.
Are you still traveling to SeaTac?
PopeRatzy
Seriously Cole, get a grip. All these people puddling jeans hoping to suck up and be the one with the cutest comment that makes the estimable John Cole respond to them. Yes, we all know you love your pets, we all do. But do try to post something that is marginally of interest that is not about you and your personal demons or your insipid pets.You actually were an interesting writer at one time, maybe you should see what your wrote in the past and what you felt when you were writing those posts and work towards being that author again.
Mnemosyne
I’m guessing his thought is, There’s no way that fat biotch Rosie is gonna be able to get up here.
NotMax
Interesting concept, but seriously doubt we’ll see these in houses in my lifetime.
Not totally comfortable with the concept of windows that have to be plugged into the power, either.
bytre
he probably noted is was the best level for leaping out at yer jugular an thought he’d stay a while
ya know how cats are
burnspbesq
@PopeRatzy:
Cold, unfeeling, and generally dickish.
Mnemosyne
@PopeRatzy:
You’re demanding deep seriousness at 1 am on a Friday night?
burnspbesq
@NotMax:
I’d plug one of those in in my home office tomorrow if I could. The front of our house faces west, and it gets pretty beastly between 4 and 7 in the summer.
Mnemosyne
Thanks to cable, we’re watching Apollo 13. I can’t help but give Tom Hanks the lion’s share of the credit for the excellence of the movie, because Ron Howard just ain’t that good a director.
superfly
Looks like he’s right about at “head butting” level up there. Is Steve a head butter?
Little Boots
oh, you scamps.
hamletta
It’s great that your investment paid off!
I want to know how I move my 15-y-o cat from Nashville to DC.
Little Boots
so I assume everyone gets that I’m totally right about everything I said, whatever it was
Amir Khalid
@PopeRatzy:
You know, most of us like the pet posts. Steve’s predecessor Tunch was (and is) especially popular; the grief at his recent passing was never about sucking up to John Cole, not that there’s anything to be gained thereby. In fact, I’m aware of only one commenter who claims to suck up to him — the most unpopular commenter here by a wide margin.
Little Boots
@Amir Khalid:
don’t encourage him.
BillinGlendaleCA
@Little Boots: What that we wandered off to a new thread? I blame
ObamaCole.? Martin
@NotMax: Two things:
1) You won’t need to plug them in. There would be a small solar collector/battery to provide power, and materials changes like that typically require very little power. You won’t need to provide continuous power to maintain the state, just to change it.
2) If they can show power savings at least break even with the cost of the windows (a few years off at least, but materials tech ) then California will provide the economic incentives to make it happen. This kind of technology typically has enormous capital costs, but very low recurring costs to implement. The challenge then becomes how to instantly create a large enough market to justify the capital investment. We’re actually quite good at solving that problem here in CA. When the time is right, our regulatory bodies are able and willing to mandate that all new construction have these kinds of windows. That market will be created overnight, and the money to build the plants to make the windows will come from all directions.
dewzke
Poperatzy, really? The internets are huge. John Cole, wait for focus and then shoot. Love the pics, still.
BillinGlendaleCA
@Amir Khalid:
(Looks through my troll filter)
burnspbesq
Yay, falling asleep in the company of 24 extremely fit women.
Late-night WNBA replay, you dirtbags. Get you hive mind out of the gutter.
Felonius Monk
In that last pic when Boss Stevedore has reached the pinnacle and is looking out over the vast expanse of Coleland, I think he appears to be saying “CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW, JOHN?”
I certainly hope he was amply rewarded for his effort and accomplishment, but the question remains — will he ever do it again?
BillinGlendaleCA
@? Martin: In general that works well for owner occupied residental, the incentives tend to break when you get to rental property. Most incentives that I’ve seen are through the utility, the renter pays that and has no incentive to do the improvement and the owner doesn’t give a shit.
Yatsuno
@BillinGlendaleCA: I came home, changed, and I’m heading out in a bit. I just have no idea what I’m going to feed him, Seattle is notorious for rolling up the sidewalks early.
hamletta
@Amir Khalid: One should never listen to LittleBoots.
It has been a passive-aggressive shit-stirrer for more than a decade.
It obviously has no life, as it has been shit-stirring since the olden days of Eschaton.
Little Boots
@BillinGlendaleCA:
see? evil.
wasabi gasp
Now ain’t that some shit.
Yatsuno
@PopeRatzy: Noted, your concern has been.
BillinGlendaleCA
@Little Boots: I guess I sit corrected.
@hamletta: Tad bit harsh there.
NotMax
@? Martin
Was being half facetious with the line about plugging in.
Presumably there will be something along the lines of a remote to change the state of filtering.
Imagine setting the windows to opaque dark, tuning off the lights, firing up some candles and settling in for some, um, romantic time with partner of choice. Then your neighbor steps out onto his/her porch, presses a few buttons, and – peek-a-boo.
Just postulating what-ifs.
Amir Khalid
@hamletta:
Oh, I know better than to pay Caligula any real attention.
Alison
Damn, that thing is kind of awesome. I wish I could get one for my cat, except 1) probably a ridonkulous amount of money; 2) my folks would probably not be thrilled to have it in the apartment. It would take up a serious portion of the living room :)
Little Boots
@Amir Khalid:
such a mistake.
hamletta
@BillinGlendaleCA: Truth hurts!
@Amir Khalid: Good on ya!
Little Boots
@hamletta:
and, … no, on every count.
? Martin
@NotMax: These things already exist. They’re called electrochromic windows. The 787 Dreamliner has them. They cost maybe around $20/sq ft or thereabouts. That’s pricey, but not outrageous. Not many consumer products out there, but they’re coming.
What’s different with the technology linked above is that it’s not just an optical dimming, but IR as well. It’s the IR where the energy savings comes from.
@BillinGlendaleCA: Right, but the utilities subsidize the cost because of the regulatory authority that allows power companies to make more money by selling less electricity. That’s what has made all of these efforts successful, and that regulatory structure doesn’t exist in any other state.
Steeplejack
@hamletta:
More details. Are you moving to D.C., or is it just a trip? When?
I would guess the best way would be in a car, but I don’t know your cat’s history or problems.
Little Boots
you know what we need? we need a plan t get the crazies to stop being crazy. that’s what we need.
Little Boots
I blame, as always, doug.
Little Boots
so here’s the thing. I think we’re all goodhearted, even hamletta, but we don’t know what the hell we’re doing. We need a plan.
hamletta
@Steeplejack: We, my girl and I are moving. I don’t know how right now, because my life is a 52-pick-up right now.
I am hurt and confused.
Little Boots
what are you hurt and confused about?
do you want to go?
Steeplejack
@hamletta:
Sorry to hear that. You know we’re available here for venting.
Do you have a time frame? And is your “girl” the cat, or is that a person in addition to the cat?
Little Boots
you actually are allowed to talk to me, guy. I really don’t dislike you, or anyone.
Little Boots
oh, well. did mean it.
eemom
“crazy people. I’m living with fucking CRAZY people.”
— consistent refrain of old college acquaintance during monologues delivered 30+ years ago
Little Boots
guy, don’t be shy. it’s getting a little weird.
BillinGlendaleCA
@eemom: Was that your roommate, eemom?
Little Boots
okay, music,
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hn1BapsppXM
Little Boots
but seriously, hamletta, I know you think I’m a dick, but I hope you’re okay.
Little Boots
can we like this, if hamletta is going to be all …
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qC6g472wVHY
BillinGlendaleCA
@Little Boots: Unplugged version, meh.
BillinGlendaleCA
How about this: Neil and some British chap joined in.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U6SSR3YY-rc
Tim in SF
Wanna see your cat love his cat tree? Put it next to a window.
TriassicSands
I’m amazed it has taken Steve this long to explore the tree. I built a seven foot tall cat tree for my cats and they were at the top about 10nsec after I set it upright.
John, that corner above Steve’s tree is a perfect place for a cat bed. I built and installed a large triangular shelf that fits in one corner of the living room about 18″ below the ceiling and put a two-cat bed up there. They ascend the tree to get to the bed and that’s where they sleep almost every night. One of them sleeps up there during the day, too. Of course, if you want Steve to sleep with you, then you might not want to give him this option. (I have a third cat that can’t be in the same room with the other two — bloodbath — so she sleeps in the bedroom with me, safely separated from the other female, who has never been willing to get along.)
I have one cat (the aggressive female) who would probably climb Everest if I took her to Nepal. One of her strongest instincts (one she doesn’t seem able to control very well either) is to try to get to the highest places wherever she is. She did it the first time I met her — at the Humane Society — and it’s never changed. When I opened her cage door she immediately climbed onto my shoulder and from there to the top of the cages.
manyakitty
@PopeRatzy: dick.
manyakitty
@superfly: Kitty head butts are the best!
WereBear
@hamletta: Here’s my tips on moving any cat:
Moving the Cat
debbie
@BillinGlendaleCA:
I had to put in a lot of overtime this week, so I haven’t kept up with news. I thought you were kidding, but Google tells me otherwise. Words like “absurd” and “ridiculous” have become horribly inadequate for the Republicans. I need a new dictionary.
Sister Rail Gun of Warm Humanitarianism
Hmm, the blurriness in those photos looks like a typical digital photo in low light. Has JC tried telling his camera it’s in a low light situation?
Sayne
Steve’s final pose is called “Monorail Cat.” It means the cat is happy ^_^
TriassicSands
@Sister Rail Gun of Warm Humanitarianism:
I recently read a review of the new Nokia phone that is more a camera with a phone than a phone with a camera. The difference in low light photographs between an iPhone and the Nokia is stunning. So, the problem may be that it’s an iPhone photo and not a photo taken by a real camera.
On the other hand, it could always be that old bugaboo…operator error.
kc
Excellent!!
zombie rotten mcdonald
That lamp is doomed.
Linda
Except for the part about him sitting 7 feet up. Good for him! Cats on floors all the time are either never really happy–or have arthritis. And my 13 year old arthritic Rocky, bless his heart, still manages to get between the floors of the house!
Sister Rail Gun of Warm Humanitarianism
@TriassicSands: My Android phone has a low light setting. It’s not as good as a real camera, but it is an improvement over the standard settings. I assume that a iPhone would be equally sophisticated.
JustRuss
If you want Steve to use the cat tree, yell at him the next time he’s up there and tell him how bad he is. That seems to make my cats want to get on the damn kitchen counters.
Paul in KY
@Mary G: Will Higgsy be posting himself? Haven’t seen one from him lately.