It really comes down to Quality Of Life for both you and your cat. It's a very distressing situation to find yourself with a beloved pet in a medical crisis and it can become a real exercise in relative morality. I have had many cats over the years (as my sign-in might suggest), two with diabetes, two with end-stage renal disease, one with cancer, and now, one (of 5 cats) with something akin to toxic megacolon. Treatment becomes expensive and the ultimate question becomes 'who benefits?' Can the animal maintain a somewhat normal routine? Can you continue to put food on the table? As much as I loved my gorgeous Maine Coon, Max, I made the decision to have him put down fairly easily because I knew his condition was terminal, his quality of life would be severely compromised, and my savings would be depleted if he lived more than a few months. And, as mentioned in the article, to replace Max, I saved three other cats from the pound and possible euthanasia. I have found, over the years, that there is good alternative medical care available. My 'cancer kitty' lived two good years (after a prognosis of 'maybe 6 months') with acupuncture (which, be forewarned, can also be expensive). Maintaining a good weight and clean teeth are essential as many pathogens are transmitted via the mouth. Also, to whoever mentioned using a garlic mixture to deal with their cat's ear infections: STOP IT!! Garlic is highly toxic to cats and even putting it on it's ears, if the cat licks it when grooming, the ingestion can cause liver and kidney failure fairly rapidly.

I was a real FOB back in the day. I believe HIllory was absolutely correct when she spoke of the wide right wing conspiracy. But lately, their rhetoric and Bill's race baiting has lowered my opinion of them. They have pulled off the masks and revealed the lizards underneath. They are for winning at all costs. Winning for winning's sake. Blind ambition is an ugly thing and they have become very ugly. Obama wants the presidency to try to change the nature of the political debate and correct the injustices of the past 8 years. Hillory wants to win the White House. End of story.

I am rather shocked that you, who I read often and respect as a journalist, would actually debase the historical significance of what we are about to do to a theme of race and sex. How about issues? How about these candidates' history? Hillory voted twice for war and excused her vote by saying she hadn't read the bills. How is that experience? How do you forgive that? how do you tell the mothers of the almost 4000 US soldiers dead in Iraq that you are the one ready on Day One? Is a vagina the only qualifying factor you see? This article disgusted me. And speaking as a former Edwards supporter, I am astounded that you, as a former Edwards supporter, would even have a question about who to back now. As amazed as I was back in'68 when all those RFK backers went for Humphrey over McCarthy. How could you get so stupid?

That has about as much importance as the National Journal's rankings. Of COURSE it's a political hatchet job. The man's not Black enough to label 'The Back Candidate,' he's too eloquent to write off as just the 'Anti-Clinton,' and he scares the shit out of the GOP. So, what's left to them? Liberal! The dirty L word! This is a stupid title to hang on a viable candidate; however, one he should not run from. It's a title to revel in after the past 7 years of fascistic narcisissm. But, ultimately, meaningless and just another attempt by the bankrupt right wing to demonize a good man with sound ideas.

Oh yeah, and I'm still with Edwards.

Of course the media are playing the race card now. Obama scares the shit out of them because an Obama victory will force them to actually confront the racial divide in this country in a meaningful way. And OF COURSE it was hardly mentioned in '04. For the 'Owners of the Means of Information,' The Right White Guy won.

Yes, on Super Tuesday, vote for the Panderer in Chief. Does she cry? Does he pray? Does he pray for the 'right' god? Does he want more waterboarding or less? A bigger fence? Got to hit all those 'right' important issues. And Jeez, doesn't John Edwards have nice hair. And Obama's ears are too big to be president.

Two points: 1) The flack against Hillary's MLK statement did not originate from Obama's camp, it came from the MSM, who are trying like crazy to stir up controversy between the Dems. Obama actually agreed with her in part in an interview with the SF Chronicle, though he did acknowledge that MLK's effort was the major catalyst in getting the Civil Rights Act passed. 2) skylark, everyone has known for some time that Bill enjoys a good cigar.