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I've lived in a cat-loving household all my life, and currently I have two of my own who have been my companions for the past couple of years.
The benefits of keeping cats for me is that they are a great pet for people such as myself who work full time and live alone. Cats have an ability to adapt their lifestyle to fit in with their owners in my experience. So they tend to sleep much of the day away and don't become lonely. Then when I get home from work, early or late, they are waiting at the top of the stairs with a yawn and a stretch and come trotting down to rub against me and greet me home, no matter how bad the day.
My two cats are sisters but have totally different temperaments, which makes them interesting characters to live with. Both are truly loving but one is more contrary and only wants to be fussed on her own terms, and in her own time. My other girl is far more affectionate and demanding for fuss and cuddles.
Previously, my pet cats have always been lap cats, and it took a bit of getting used to that my cats didn't want to sit on my lap, but it's true that cats will only live their lives on their terms. Stroking a cat, though, whether on the lap or at your side, is such a soothing and therapeutic experience, especially when the adorable purr kicks in, there is nothing like it, I adore it.
There are down sides with cats, and for many, the issue of their natural hunting instinct is a difficult one to come to terms with. Mine do hunt, and it is tough to think about, but it's important to remember that cats are still essentially wild creatures which we are still trying to fully domesticate, these instincts can't be simply be trained out or suppressed. Trying to keep the cats in during dawn and dusk does help cut down on their hunting tendencies.
For me, I really feel that a house never feels like a home without at least one pet cat, and I doubt I will ever be without them.
I like cats very much and have got 3 now of different ages, two of my cats go out in the day and the night but one of them is very timid and she does not go out of the house. My cats are all very different in their looks and in their personalities.
If you get a cat from when they are a kitten it us easy for them to get used to you. You should be very careful when you have a baby in a house with a cat because they can smell the milk they have drunk and they will try to lie with the baby and might suffocate a very small baby without meaning to.
I think cats are very easy to care for because they are fussy with their food sometimes but most cats will very easy eat nearly all wet food that you give them. My cats are very fussy about their dried food but they like to eat fresh fish or poultry when I cook it for them.
I let them out alot but I have not ever forced my indoor cat to go out because that would make her upset and I am happy if she wants to stay inside the house.
The bad thing is when my cat uses the litter tray because it smells very bad but I clean it very regular to keep the smell away from my homr as much as I can.
You can buy toys for cats but I think most cats are very good in the way they entertain themselves so do not think that toys are always very important. My cats play together nice but not all cats are very social and they do not always want to be near to other cats or humans.
Cats will scratch if they are scared or hurt or if they are in an aggressive mood so you should be careful always when you have cats and children together because a child sometimes will make a cat nervous and that is a danger to the child and upsetting for the cat.
I think cats make very good pets and I think I will have a cat in my home always.
I never thought I would own a cat but living in an apartment is not a suitable home for a dog. So after lots of nagging my husband brought me a cat for my 30th birthday and she is now 18 months old.
Tinkerbell is a female calico moggy with a big personality and lots of character. When I got her she was just 8 weeks old and a small bundle of fluff and cuteness. My expectations of owning a kitten/cat were slightly wrong. Everyone had told me that cats were very independent and practically took care of themselves. This is of course not true, Tink does like to have her own space but still requires quite a bit attention there is also the cost.
Tink is an indoor cat so requires lots of toys and playtime and the sleepy kitten stage soon wears off. Although I think I have been quite lucky with Tink as generally she is quite well behaved you still have to ensure that you provide clean water and litter tray for your cat and feed and groom them frequently, provide scrach posts to save your furniture and toys to prevent boredom. I also have pet insurance for Tink and have her enrolled in a cat club at the vets which covers her flea and worming treatments and yearly inoculations. In total my cat costs me around £50 a month so something you certainly need to take into consideration when thinking about having a cat.
Luckily Tink has never required any veterinary treatment other than the cost of being spayed which I opted to do. I personally think this is really important for any cat as it not only prevents pregnancy but also future health problems and the distress of seasons for you and the cat where they can become irritable and very vocal.
I think cats have quite simple needs but also need love, affection and care. Tink spends all weekdays on her own while we are at work so when I get home I try and spend time playing with her, she likes to play fetch like a dog although doesn't understand the concept of returning the toy to me. She is fed twice per day and given fresh water and groomed at least twice per week to keep her coat healthy and prevent fur balls. She also likes to curl up on my knee and if my husband is sat with me will push him away to have her time with me. Also at night she sleeps on the end of our bed which although I said would never happen I could not cope any longer with her cries and scratching at the door and it is quite nice that she wants to be close to us.
I think taking on any pet needs carefully consideration but I love my cat and think the rewards of having the affection and pleasure of her company far outweighs the cost and time she requires.
I've always been more of a dog person if I'm honest. I grew up with dogs, my family got their first when I was 2 and our second when I was 6. When my parents seperated and there was nobody to stay in the house during the day with the dogs they decided to get them rehomed and I have to say it was really hard for me. I'll never forget them and always wondered what happened to them. It was nice knowing that they got rehomed together but I wish I'd known what kind of family got them.
We got out cat just under a year ago now. A friend of mine living in the block of flats had two cats (male and female) who had just produced a litter. She offered us one for free and we accepted. We had wanted a pet for a while but as we had a 6 month old we thought it best to get a puppy or kitten so they could be raised together (which has worked out well!)
We decided a kitten would be the better option. Cats are in a sense easier than dogs. Although I am a stay at home mum if we were going on holiday we have family members who could visit the cat to feed him and such. Whereas you couldnt really leave a dog alone for a big part of the day like that. Dogs also need a walk or 2 everyday and Ive never really mastered walking a dog along with a puschair.
When we went to see the litter they were all a beige, browny colour apart from the runt- a black one with white "socks" my boyfriend immediatly decided this was the cat he wanted. We got him when he was 10 weeks old and it took us a few days to work out a name. We tried out a few and in the end opted for tigger. A strange choice as hes not ginger but he was just so bouncy as a kitten (in some ways he still is!).
Raising him as a kitten alongside our baby was a good choice. Our now toddler is very loving towards animals, smothering them in kisses, strokes and hugs. Having visited friends I know that some animals find this hard to handle but Tigger is VERY tolerant of Tyler. Hes play nipped at his hand a few times but most of the time he revels in his attention and sometimes goes to him for strokes. If Tyler ever gets to much he just jumps over the stairgate!
We dont have a cat flap at the moment. In the summer we left a window open for him but he lets me know when he wants to go out and meows loudly enough for me to hear when he wants to come in (although ill often check if hes in the garden especially if it starts raining). He rarely goes out overnight, we dont like to let him out after 11pm just as we're worried he might get into a fight with a fox or badger and come off worse for wear! Hes only been overnight twice (once because he didnt come back in time, once because he ran out just as I opened the door to put the recycling out) and I was worried the entire night!
I dont know if its because we dont have a cat flap or because he has a bell on his collar but as of yet Tigger hasnt brought us any "nasty suprises" as I've heard many cat owners talk about.
We feed him a mixture of wet food and kibble which I put in his bowl in the morning and night. If he runs out he'll meow at me and I'll put more kibble in.
Litterwise he stopped using his tray about a fortnight after we started letting him outside and in the end we got rid of it and hes only ever had 2 accidents which were overnight. He'll usually meow at us in the morning to be let out if we're not up in time for him.
Hes a very loving cat who'll often jump on my lap (especially at inconvinient times). Ive also found him in the middle of the night in our bed asleep! Hes quite a licker (which i always thought was more of a dog thing) and he likes to try and groom people, especially me with my long hair.
As I've met other people with cats I've noticed what different personalities they all have.
I wouldn't say I'm converted as I'd still love a dog one day but for now I love having a pet cat!
So cats. I have had a love for cats ever since I was little, I owned countless items that were cat themed and loved playing with my neighbours cats and whenever it was time to make a wish (candles, shooting star, 1p, 11.11pm etc) it would be 'I wish I had a kitten.' All the wishing eventually paid off and I was given a rescue cat about 6, she was a very moody cat and being so young I didn't understand why she wasn't cute and cuddly like other cats but I loved her and was very sad when she passed away. I can't remember too much about her and obviously my mum did most of the looking after but we now currently have four cats.
(you can skip these next three paragraphs as they just about the cats I own haha)
Dinky and Bruiser being the oldest, we adopted them in 2001 I think and they are about 13/14 years old now! They had a very love/hate type relationship with different personalities but I loved them so much and still do. Being so old they tend to spend all day sitting around and not being interested in anything, Dinky still follows me everywhere and Bruiser still tries to sit on my at the most unhelpful of times and leaves his white fluff everywhere!! I have grown up with them and am going to be gutted when that horrible time comes 
Two years ago my friend down the road had a batch of kittens and was selling them for £30, I dragged my mum down there and it was the most impulsive buy we've ever got, this kitten didn't have a name for a week and he ended up being Alfie. As I had him from a kitten he like my baby (haha) he slept in my room with me, woke me up in the middle of the night and pined when I left the room or left the house. He now two years old and often follows me halfway to the corner shop and waits for me to return. He is the moodiest but loveliest and most beautiful cat ever, he is a very fluffy tabby cat and looks like a miniature Scottish wild cat. He is very attached to use especially since having a nasty kick in the face from some horrible people, he now walks around outside meowing all the time to let us know he's there!
My fourth cat is only a year old now and again I have had her from about 6-7weeks, (I have no idea how I managed to get my mum to cave in and get her!) who I called Peaches, she is the craziest cat of all them and now she sleeps with me in my room as we couldn't trust the other cats with her at night when she was little. She's very affectionate to me and is quite odd as she licks a lot which is more of a dog thing! She was the 'runt' of the litter is very odd looking as she is a mixture of ginger, cream and black but mostly ginger but you wouldn't be able to call her ginger (confusing I know). From the litter she was from I managed to get to my friends to have a kitten too so now we have 'friendship cats' haha.
I think cats make excellent house pets and can get on well with other pets, Peaches and Alfie get on extremely well with my neighbours dog with is a Staffi and Alfie often play fights with him (alarming to see for the first time!). They are very affectionate, cute creatures who seem to know when you are sad and come cheer you up. They also make great hot water bottles! Cats are very set in a routine and don't like change and if there's something wrong like they need a littler tray or food they will definitely tell you so you don't need to have the best memory to have to remember to feed them. I think it is best to own cats from kittens, although they are definitely a lot more work they are a lot of fun and watching them grow up you feel closer to them and they are very loyal. Dinky and Bruiser were 3 when we got them and we have had no problems with them, they hid for a few days at first but got used to us. I know some rescue cats can be difficult to get on with and wouldn't recommend them as much if you are getting them for children.
Cats are fairly easy to look after but it depends on how lenient you are with some of the aspects of looking after them. Our cats are always kept in over night and not let out til we are awake, we do have a catflap but this is locked at night feel safer with them inside. They have very rough set meal times, one in the morning and before bed and once of twice in the middle of the day or just when they all seem to congregate at the food bowls. We used to be able to leave the cat tray a day or two between cleaning but since have four cats it's pretty much a daily routine, although three out four prefer going outside which is a great plus! Going outside gives them enough exploration and exercise that they need but we do have a lot of toys, the two older cats aren't interested anymore and it's mainly Peaches who these are bought for, although they all go crazy for catnip!
Looking after them as kittens is quite difficult, especially if you have more than one, as they require a lot more attention, it is advised to keep them in the same room for the first weeks you have them while introducing them everywhere else for a few hours each time. We never did this as we only live in a flat. It is a lot of fun though, they can play for hour and are just so cute to watch, my mum calls them timewasters! You will more than likely end up with a lot of scratched furniture and curtains as they can't control the pressure of their claws and just love climbing the curtains! If they are going to be outside you need to watch them for the first months then when they start exploring more coax them back by shaking treats and they'll return quick enough. If you have expensive furniture I suggest you keep them locked in one room when you go out.
There are only a few downsides to cats which the upsides heavily outweigh. Number one is hairballs and poos that didn't quite make it the tray, luckily most of our rooms have laminate flooring so it's easy to clear up but still an annoying chore, having four cats means there's often quite a lot of hairballs to find too. Everything you own will grow a layer of cat fur as they moult everywhere, you can hoover and brush as much you like but it will never be entirely gone. Cats will scratch or bite when being annoyed so they are not always the best to have if you have small children as they like to prod and poke them which they do not like. Tics and fleas, keeping up on tablets and drops for these is crucial, I hate tics and my mum has to deal with those and fleas are just awful for both you and the cats as they just bite bite bite!
One of the biggest downsides is that cats like catch little creatures and bring them to you. Thankfully I am not too squeamish and don't mind pinning the cats down and unlocking their jaws to release the poor birds or mice (dead or alive), I have been brought several bleeding or broken winged birds and feel awful as they are still alive but are going to die. I've been brought birds that have been let loose around the house which can be annoying and often find the leftovers of birds feet and beaks left around the house too. If you are lucky, your cat will go and eat it somewhere else but we have cats who like to show off and give to us their mousey and birdy findings. I do feel like a hero when I save one and get to set it free. I don't think you can really tell a cat off for doing this as it is in their nature and they often just want to give you a present. So if you can't handle little creatures (dead or alive) I definitely don't recommend a cat unless it will be a housecat!
I definitely recommend cats as a pet and I'm sooo not biased with my love of cats (hmm haha), although I do often see myself ending up as the crazy cat woman from the Simpsons or ending up on the Confessions of an Animal Hoarder programme... but hopefully not. I do love dogs aswell but I think they require more of an effort to look after as they need walking everyday (I walk my neighbours though haha) and are more needy. Cats offer a different type of comfort and much amusement from their crazy playful moments or the weird positions they sleep in.
___,,,^..^,,,___ meow!
I have had a cat now for about 6 years. He is named 'Arnold' and he is the little fellow in my profile picture.
The reason we got him was mainly down to my wife, who had never had a pet cat before, and we had just moved in together, and she wanted a bit of company in evenings, and early mornings when I work my various assortment of shifts.
She saw Arnold advertised in the local paper, as part of a litter of 5 little male kittens. They had all been litter trained, and were each for sale £30, and oh boy it was without a shadow of a doubt the best £30 that I have ever spent!
I clearly remember when we went to buy him and it was really sad to have to take him away from his mum and dad, and little brothers, but hopefully he was that young that he soon forgot about it, and we have done our best to give him a very good life.
We took him home in a little cardboard box, and stopped at our local pets at home store to buy him a couple of food bowls, a litter tray, litter, some kitten food, and a little basket to sleep in. When we got him home he went on a proper little rampage around the ground floor in our house, galloping about sniffing at everywhere, and spent a few minutes trying to climb up the bottom step of our stairs but failed as he was too small. He then suddenly collapsed in a heap on the carpet, and went to sleep, suddenly waking up, and dashing for his litter tray to go to the toilet.
Over the years we have had him, he has had quite a few adventures, he got his little pink feet covered in green masonry paint in our back garden, he jumped out of the top window of our house (luckily without hurting himself!), he got stuck up a tree, locked inside a neighbours garage when they went on holiday (we had to get a locksmith in to get him out), and has been spotted in several of our neighbours front windows, after sneaking in their houses when they were not looking.
As my wife and I don't have children, we tend to treat little Arnold as though he is a real person, and he is certainly part of the family. We spoil him rotten, and prioritize and plan our days so that we don't leave him on his own for too long.
At night he curls up on our bed between my wife and I and purrs loudly as we all drift off to sleep. He often wakes us up in the morning, especially on a summer's day when he can hear the birds singing outside, but we don't mind one bit.
I honestly dread the day that anything bad happens to him, although I know that it is inevitable. He provides us with so much love and fun, and is such a lovely little cat, always sociable when we have visitors, and when either of us are on our own in the house, he follows us around, always happy to jump on our laps, and have a nap whilst we watch TV.
For anyone thinking of having a cat as a pet I would highly recommend it. They are lovely creatures, and look after themselves very well, just looking for someone to feed them, and let them in and out of the house. Vets bills are relatively low, as is the cost of food, and treats, and most of the toys that we buy him are just a few pounds each - although a rolled up ball of paper will keep him far more amused than any other toy that he has got.
Thanks for reading.
© l500589 2012
I was born into a household of cats, there has never been a moment in my life where there wasn't a cat in my house. Therefore, over the years I've just got used to their company and I love them as a pet. Two years ago, my 14 year old cat Billy tragically died in the summer, he had a heart attack but luckily it was in his sleep so it was a peaceful death. This is considered quite young for a cat to die as they normally reach the age of around 20, of course depending on what breed it is.
Anyway, we already had another cat called Susie who we still have now, however she got quite lonely and we missed having more than one cat around. About a year ago, we finally decided to get a new cat which I found very exiting because I adore kittens. We originally planned on just getting one, however when we were looking at buying them, we went to a rescue home and saw two black cats who were brother and sister. At first, we weren't sure about getting them because we thought two might be a bit of a handful when they're kittens, but we just couldn't resist their adorable little faces!
We named them Slinky (girl) and Pickle (boy), and took them to the vets for their injections. The vet then told us that Slinky was infact a boy so we had two boy kittens! We found this quite hilarious because, well come on, who doesn't now the gender of their own cat? But to our surprise when they went back for their second injections they went on to tell us that Pickle was a girl! It was all quite mad, but not as mad as keeping the kittens themselves.
You are supposed to keep them in one room when they are really young so we made a little home for them in the dining room of our house, they were mental - they would climb the curtains and howl at the window - and the litter tray really stunk!
However, a year on from then they have calmed down a lot and their favourite thing to do appears to be sleeping on my bed!
cats - gotta love 'em.
I am the proud owner, or should I say servant to My 18 month old cat bella and her 6 month old kitten Ana. When someone told me dogs have owners and cats have masters, they weren't kidding.
However, being in servitude to my cats is a small price to pay for the comedy they provide and the love and affection they show.
For instance, is it just me or does anyone else have a cat that thinks it's a dog?
I am a pretty new mum of furbabies, so maybe what I am calling an identity crisis is actually normal behaviour. Bella when she was in her tender months was nothing like her kitten Ana. I also grew up surrounded by cats ( all types of animals actually) and can't recall having a cat that chased thrown balls( yes you heard me right) and brought them back to me to throw again, and again and again.
Ana is definitely a character and by the way she climbs my curtains, she clearly fancies herself as a monkey too!
I grew up without any pets and never really had a preference for cats or dogs, which are some of the most common household pets.
It was only upon one flatshare where I discovered how much I liked cats and what amazing animals they are.
I now have 2 cats of my own, both boys, one is 2 years old, a large black and white fluffy cat (Elmo) and the other is a 1 year old stripey cat who is rather small (Womble).
I always used to think cats were just cats and never really noticed that each had their own special personality. It is fascinating to see how they behave and interact. I was concerned upon getting a second that they would not get along, but they seem to be the best of friends. Elmo has taken on the parent role and still tries to clean Womble, which I find sweet, but Womble probably finds quite annoying now he has grown up.
Elmo is unlike most cats I have met, he is almost more human like. He sits up like a person would, with his back up straight and his legs out, he runs to the door when I come in and puts his arms up for a cuddle. It's amazing how you can have such strong feelings for a different species, and how they just fit in with your life. They really do make a difference to your life.
When Womble arrived, it was a bit of a tricky start for him, he was rather young and had to be bottle fed, which was tiring but thankfully he has grown into a regular cat, albeit small.
I find it fascinating how excited they can get over little things, like a screwed up piece of paper or a ribbon. I love to see their little smile and when they curl up into a little ball, it is the cutest thing ever.
Cats are very affectionate animals, however they are not always percieved as being this way, which I think is a shame.
I've always lived with cats. My earliest memory of them is that of our old (and long-gone) black and white male cat, Whisky, who fathered umpteen kittens and had half an ear missing from fighting. For me, they are the perfect pet, fairly easy to care for, though very independant and demanding at times.
We have two cats, a tabby female called Delilah and a half Russian Blue (who is actually black) called Lucifer. Lucifer lives up to his name and is a total demon at times, though we love him! Delilah is our couch-potato!
Cats need several things in their lives...love, a warm bed and a full belly! Give them that and they will love you back unconditionally!
There are a few extras you might need to know about owning a cat...so here goes...
When you first decided to get a kitten do make sure you know what you are letting yourself in for. Owning a cat is a long-term committment. Cats live on average about 13 years, though my mum had one that went on to 17 years and I have heard of much older cats, so you have to be prepared for them to be in your life for a long time!
Do not get a kitten that is any younger than about 12 weeks old. Some people reckon 8 weeks is a good time to take them away from their mothers, but they are really not ready to leave till 12 weeks in my opinion. When you first see the kitten check it all over to see whether there are any potential health problems. Runny noses and mucous in eyes could suggest something more serious, so if the kitten portrays anything like this, either ask to get a vet to check it out or avoid buying. Also check that the fur is clear of any parasites such as fleas and that the kitten has been wormed. Ask also whether it has been vaccinated against feline enteritis and cat aids. These are nasty diseases that are fatal. Another disease you may want to vaccinate against is Feline Viral Leukaemia. I had a cat once that got this disease and it is absolutely horrible, not to mention deadly. At the time not much was known about it, but there is an effective vaccination now and I strongly advise having your cat immunised. If the kitten has not been vaccinated, and you decide to buy it, do get this sorted out with your own vet and do not let the kitten outside until it has been done.
Pet insurance is really a MUST, so look round at all the deals that are on offer and take a policy out. From experience, I can tell you that vet bills can be huge! Our Lucifer cost us about £600 in the first year of his life, just from stupid things like cat scratches (he likes to fight) that lead to infections. Without insurance we would have had to have him put down because we just would not have been able to afford the treatment.
Cats breed fairly easily, so one important thing you need to do is get your cats speyed or neutered at about 5 months old. This is costly, but absolutely necessary. There are too many stray and feral cats as it is, without adding to the problem. Also, it helps to stop male cats from spraying furniture with urine. They do this to mark their territory and it stinks!
As to equipment you'll need, one of the first things you should buy is a good litter tray. Cats are naturally very clean animals and will soon learn where the tray is and use it without any fuss. It goes without saying that trays need to be emptied regulary and washed every day. There are many different litters on the market. We use Tesco Value litter for our cats and are happy with it.
Cats are pretty easy to feed, though if ours are anything to go by, they can be quite fussy eaters at times! Choose a kitten food for them till they are old enough to go onto adult food and feed about 4 times a day when they are small, reducing that to 3 or 2 times a day when they are older. It is up to the individual to decide what sort of food to feed. There are plenty of wet and dry foods on the market and I suggest you try a few to start with to see what your cat prefers then stick with that. If you only feed dry food it is very important that cats have plenty of water to drink as they can get blockages in their bowel. My brother's cat had that and almost died and the vet said eating only dry food with not enough water was mostly likely the cause! If a food gives your cat tummy problems, stop using it and try something else. We have found that some of the wet foods in gravy can cause an upset tum, so we tend to stick to the ones in jelly.
Grooming is very important, particularly with long-haired cats. Most love it and if you have a soft brush, they will roll over and purr like mad. That said, our Lucifer HATES being brushed and bites and scratches, but he does have a few behavioural problems to start with! We try to groom both our cats every day. Delilah adores this and rolls onto her back for us to brush her tummy!
If you do have a cat that presents behavioural problems it is well worth discussing it with your vet. Our vet came up with some basic animal psychology to try with Lucifer when he kept attacking Delilah and it really has worked. Giving him his food first, in his own bowl away from Delilah, stroking him before stroking Delilah, separate cat beds and separate litter trays have all helped him to behave better. He knows he is Top-Cat, and so does Delilah. He still has lapses, though not as bad. There are products on the market that you can buy that help calm hyperactive cats, though we haven't yet had to resort to those!
Sleeping arrangements for cats is easy....you can get lovely comfy cat beds, but the cats will most likely ignore those and sleep where they damn-well like! Follow a cat and you will always find the warmest place! It's up to you whether you allow them on your furniture, but take it from me, once you get a cat, THEY own YOU and will do whatever they like and sleep wherever they want!
Scratch posts will train your kitten not to scratch the furniture, and if they do a squirt of water from a spray-gun will soon teach them that scratching the sofa is not acceptable. Never EVER smack a cat for being naughty! Get you kittens plenty of toys to play with too....they will love them and soon you'll know which are their favourites. Our cats are 4 years old now and still love to play!
It is up to you whether you allow your cat outside. Personally, I think to keep a cat indoors all the time is a bit cruel. They are natural hunters and like to roam. They will always come home to you if they know they will get food and a warm bed! If you live near a main road and want an outdoor cat, I would advise against getting one. You could have one if you keep it indoors, but really think hard about this, particularly if you are out at work all day. I personally don't think cats should be indoors all the time!
As long as you give cats the things they need they will love you forever, totally unconditionally. I can't imagine what our lives would be like without Delilah and Lucifer! They drive us mad, cost us a lot of money to keep (particularly Lucifer!) and are the most wonderful friends we could have!
Cats Rule! (Us!)
When I was younger I always wanted a dog, always a dog, never a cat. The dog just seems so much more masculine to me, and as I'm male, for some reason a dog is more appealing as a pet than a cat. However, two Januarys ago we decided to take a kitten home from my cousin's cat's litter, she's a small little thing, mostly black but with a small tuft of white fur on her lower neck. My little brother named her Coco, however she's midnight black without any brown on her, so the name's kind of flawed to be honest.
I quickly found that I was her favourite person in the family, she'd sleep on my lap for ages most days for a few weeks, but as she started to reaise my mum was the one who fed her, she became more close to her. But she still seems to be attached to me, she comes to me whenever she wants to play - becasue she knows I'll give her a good scrap, and also when she's tired or hiding she comes to my bedroom either to sleep on the end of my bed or hide in the corner or under my bed. She does some weird thinigs too though, she sits in the bathroom, next to the bath for hours, and I mean hours! She follows the cursor round a computer screen and last ngiht she actually seemed to be watching television. She's a hunter, she's only small, and she's only just come out of her kitten stage, but she's so quick and vicous when she's outside! (and in the kitchen when she wants food)
I love having a cat, and I honestly think she'd give any dog a run for it's money if she was to have a fight with one. Me and my friend often joke about letting them fight and he agrees she'd win. Another of my friends is actually scared of her because she bites him so much, and another thinks she's hilarious, she tries to climb and cupboards and all sorts.
We feed her Asda's own brand, Morrisons' own brrand and Whiskas meat cat food, and some other cat biscuit. She seems to like all three brands and doesn't mind the changes in quality and quantity. We've begun feeding her when she asks (not verbally of course) rather than setting it out morning and night, we set it out in the morning, and when I get in in the afternoon, if she's round my feed I see if she wants food, and if she does then I feed her, if not I wait until she's hungry.
She hardly even meows but she purs all the time, she's a happy cat! :)
I'd still like a dog though! They're more obedient and less independent in my opinion, I'd like to take my pet on walks and play with it and feel as if it can understand and react to me, and with a cat I don't feel like it understands me as much as a dog would.
I never wanted a cat when I was growing up, it was always a dog I wanted. And when I moved out, I got my dog, I got my rabbits then last summer whilst browsing teh RSPCA I couldnt resist the kittens. So off I went and adopted one of those too.
I thought, as per I had been told, that cats were independent creatures. Who unlike your loyal faithful dog, ate and ran and would only stay faithful to you until something better came along. For mine, it couldnt be more wrong. Oscar never leaves me alone. Even from a kitten he wanted to be on me or near me. He would jump on me, claw his way up my leg to sit on my knee, jump to my shoulder to see what I was seeing / eating. Even now he sleeps curled up on my bed under my duvet.
With a dog, yes you do get a little more devotion and yes they do "do more" as in tricks etc, but in exchange for that you have to feed, walk, feed, walk, feed, walk, scoop poop, teach it things, basic obedience, then theres the training etc. With a cat, or with my cat to be specific I feed him, and make sure he has water.......and thats it. He poops in a tray which I empty so no messy embarrasing scooping etc. And in exchange I do get his love.
With the exception of food there is very little expenditure with a cat. As with all animals they require vaccinations and neuturing. For cats I would say, especially outdoor cats neuturing is especially important, to me there would be nothing worse than an accidental litter, especially when there are so many in rescues on daily basis.
Overall, I was pleasantly suprised by Oscar my baby tabby, so much so, that I now have adopted Mishka a lovely blck and white kitten, who is every bit as loving as Oscar.
I have always liked cats, but coming from a cat disliking family, it took me a while to get some cats of my own, well really, my cats adopted me! It started with stray cats in my garden that I tamed that are now very friendly affectionate cats and I also adopted and rehomed another few from the spca and also local vets. In general, cats make great pets, especially for people who may not have the time to devote to looking after a dog, but also in their own right. They are very easy to look after, and undemanding. all they want is fresh food and water, somewhere cosy to sleep, and most importantly, attention from their owner. They also normally enjoy the company of other cats and can form very close bonds with each other, especially relatives/siblings. they don't take much time to look after and naturally spend a lot of their time sleeping so they are also good pets for people who may work long hours. Ideally though cats will be kept in pairs so they will have company and someone to play with while their owners are at work. Cats are generally hardy animals and once vaccinated aren't susceptible to many diseases. Ideally they should be vaccinated against FeLV (feline leukaemia virus) and cat 'flu, although if a cat gets a simple case of rhinitis (like a cold) it is usually easily cleared up with a short course of antibiotics. all cats should be neutered/spayed as unfortunatly as well as the many well loved pet cats, there are thousands of stray and feral cats who have nobody to care for them because of indiscriminate breeding. cats should also be wormed regularly.
To sum it up, home is where the cat is! I wouldn't be without a few cats around the house anyway. (they also keep the local rodent population at bay! Even if they aren't very good hunters, the rodents don't know that!)
For as long as I can remember my family have had cats as pets, with a short period of time between each pet sadly passing away or running away in one of the cases! I got my first kitten when I was just turning three years old and being so young I don't really remember much about him but there are several pictures of me and Jess (as I named him even though he was a male cat but at the time I was a big fan of Postman Pat so my mum tells me!!!) together so it seems we were great friends! My second cat Tipsey was a stray that we took in off the street, and named her Tipsey as she always walked like she was drunk! This was the cat that ran away, or so we think. My third cat was Wally who we had from being eight weeks old until he had to be put to sleep when he was fifteen.
When I lost Wally, I didn't think that I would be able to ever have another pet as it just broke my heart losing him, and it didn't help that only months before I had lost my beloved Border Collie too. However, I have finally got over my losses (to some degree) and have just added a kitten to our little family! My daughter will be three at Christmas so I thought she was at a good age to have her first pet and someone I knew was selling the most gorgeous grey female kitten and after seeing a picture of her I knew that she was to be our new baby who we have named Cleo.
Caring for a kitten is a whole new experience for me, as with all my other cats my mum was the one who really ended up with all the work (as us mums do!) so I was very nervous about the new kitten arriving, and wondered how I would cope with her.
My kitten:
Cleo is mental! Pure and simple she is crazy as I know all kittens are. She will spend a good hour playing and flying round the house and then she will sleep for a couple of hours - its like having a baby and tiring them out then they need a sleep! Cleo is now just eight weeks old, and I do wonder if maybe she was taken from her mum a little bit too soon but the lady I bought her from was going on holiday so she had to sell the kittens slightly earlier than normal. I say this as sometimes she will nestle down in her bed with a fleecy blanket just like she would with her mum, and at times she has a real nasty do and will bite and scratch (I am currently have a burst lip and long scratch down my face!!). Other times she is the most affectionate little kitten and will just curl up and purr on me and then fall asleep.
Kittens need an awful lot of attention, vets recommendation is that you play with a new kitten at least every two hours so they aren't feeling neglected and this can cause behavioural problems. This is something that bothers me as I work very long hours so my mum is calling down to play with her while I am working.
When getting your new kitten it is very important that you find out the type of food they have been eating, as if you change the food straight away there is a strong chance they will get a very upset tummy and that won't be pleasant for either of you!! The food that Cleo was on previously was Tesco's kitten food, now could I find a Tesco store that stocked it??? Not a chance, and I went to eight different stores in total so all I had was four pouches that came with her so I didn't have the full five days recommended to wean her off them and onto a new product. Luckily there was no issues for us with her tummy but she was giving off some pretty strong smells at times!!
Feeding your kitten: I think that the guidelines on the boxes of kitten food is quite extreme as they say to feed your kitten up to four pouches a day which I personally feel is way too much for their little tummies and we have found that one pouch mixed with a little dried food (split into two meals) is quite sufficient. There are so many different kitten foods - wet pouches, trays, tins, dried complete foods which can be mixed with wet food or just given alone. Fresh drinking water must always be available for any kitten/cat!! That is very important. You shouldn't give your kitten or cat milk as it is bad for them but there is special cat and kitten milk available from many supermarkets.
Cats and kittens are very clean animals and if like me, you decide to have an indoor cat a litter tray must be provided. Like food, there is a large range of cat litter available and so far I have found that Tesco cat litter has been fine, it leaves no smells at all and is only £2.89 per bag. I clean out Cleo's litter tray every couple of days, which is possibly too much but I am paranoid about smells and worry that my daughter may go near the tray so I always want it to be clean.
One thing I hadn't really considered was the jealousy my daughter would feel about having a new kitten. At first she was very jealous and got upset whenever Cleo touched anything of hers, and if I was playing with one of Cleo's toys with her she would take it off her but this soon passed and now she loves her. Sometimes we still have tears if Cleo runs at my daughter as this does frighten her a little bit, and when she does that she will ask if we can send her back to the lady's house - thankfully that doesn't last long!
Toys are a good thing to have for any cat, this will stimulate them and also hopefully stop them from spoiling any of your furniture!! One of the best things Ithink you can have is a scratching post as this should protect your settee from those little claws! By scratching on a scratch post the cat will keep their claws under control and also have great fun. Cleo will climb her post and sit at the top looking like a little King Kong!!
Worming and fleaing your kitten/cat is very important and you can buy worming tablets and flea treatment from the Vet or from large pet stores such as Pets at Home which is where I tend to buy those things. Your kitten can be wormed from about six weeks and I really think it is important as it can make them poorly if you don't. The symptoms of worms are loss of appetite, poor coat condition, pot belly, weight loss, upset tummy, anemia and continual licking of the bottom area. Cats should be wormed every three months from the age of four months.
It is recommended that you have your kitten microchipped which is mainly for if they get lost so a vet can immediately identify the owner from a quick scan with a chip machine. This can cost up to £14.99 but is usually around the £10 mark I have noticed. I plan to get Cleo chipped as soon as she is big enough. Another recommendation is that you get your cat spayed/neutered as soon as they are old enough and that is usually from about six months. The reasons for this being the obvious - no surprise baby kittens!!! I don't plan to let Cleo out at all but I will still get her done as it can calm her behaviour and stop the local Tom cats crying at my front door!
Pet insurance is something I would recommend to any pet owner. When I had my Border Collie he was diagnosed with epilepsy, luckily he was insured so it saved me hundreds and hundreds of pounds. I have made some enquiries and it seems to cost around £4.00 or £5.00 to insure a kitten so I would say go for it, while we don't want anything to happen to our pets it could save a lot of money in the long run!!
So, why get a cat? Cats are very affectionate animals but at the same time they are massivley independent and at times will just simply ignore you! I have always found that they will come to you when they want some attention and just chill out and sleep at other times. One of my reasons for wanting a cat was that I was sometimes lonely at night once my little girl had gone to bed and so I felt a cat would be some company and that is what I have got even though at the moment it is constant playtime!
Am I going to turn into one of those cat ladies we hear about?? Possibly lol. Even though we have only had Cleo for two weeks we already love her to bits and she is part of the family - my daughter even wants to take her shopping at times!
This has turned into a massive review, so if you have reached the end WELL DONE! (and I apologise for rabbitting on for so long). Of course I am going to give my favourite animal a full five out of five stars!
Thank you for reading my review :)
Cats in general. Cats are and can be just as affectionate as dogs!
A lot of people have this perception that cats are not nice and that they sit on top of babies as they can smell the milk!
Cats are loving and affectionate little or big creatures! They are very clean animals and take pride in their appearance (well most). Cats do not need a lot of attention but its nice to give them attention! Cats are very independant and will and can go out for days and fend for themselves unlike dogs who are very dependant on their owners!
Cats tend to sleep and laze about a lot of the time! As they get older this is very common and can't be bothered being fussed over.
Cats eat cat food wet and dry, can drink water, some cats do like milk but it has to be cat milk as too much of the semi skimmed or full fat milk can be bad for cats!
Cats can scratch and claw at your furniture but you need to train them from kittens or when you get them not to do this! Buy them a scratching post and let them scratch away at this, they do this to sharpener their claws.
Cats tend to chase birds and mice! They will if they catch them kill them and some may eat them (mines is known to do this). Unfortnately the kittne/cat will bring the bird/mice home for you as they think this is a gift and they have done well.
Some cats are indoor cats, some are outdoor.. Litter trays/boxes are great for cats who live indoors just fill these with cat litter and let your cat do the toliet, clean this every week or so as it will start to stink. ( We should woodchip and this tends not to stink).
If you are letting your cat out, I would recommend getting them mircochipped this is just incase it every goes missing and it turns up at a vet they can track it back to your house.
I would also encourage getting your pet insured as you never know when they are likely to be in a little accident which may leave you strapped for cash, insurance for pets can cost as little as £4.00 a month! Look into it!


text:
The Enterprise and the Machine Builder
Ethernet Capabilities Unify, Enable Manufacturing Stakeholders
Manufacturers today demand innovative machines that easily integrate into their plant-wide infrastructure. They need flexible and efficient equipment that increases business agility, optimizes productivity and helps achieve sustainability objectives–all while lowering their total cost of ownership.
Industrial machine and equipment builders are responding with increasingly smart machines that more easily connect the plant floor with the enterprise. They are realizing the benefits of using a single control and information platform to demonstrate a high level of intelligence with the ability to consume and generate information automatically, adapt to new situations and give machine builders the remote access and insight they need.
"There are three messages we've being focused on for three years now," remarked Christopher Zei, vice president of Rockwell Automation's global industry group. "One has to do with end users' goal of plant-wide optimization as they seek lower total cost of ownership (TCO). Another is machine builder performance: how building better machines can help users achieve their TCO objectives, and how machine builders can better partner with those users." The third message involves sustainability initiatives that support manufacturing organizations' efforts, Zei said.
End-User Demands
The focus at today's Global Machine Builder and Equipment Industry Forum at Automation Fair looked at the machine builder performance aspect of those three messages. Zei summarized some of the trends by saying, "It almost goes without saying that in a manufacturing factory everything revolves around machines. More of the automation decisions and even characteristics of the system are being decided by machine builders. These days more manufacturers, many of which no longer have big engineering departments, are simply telling the machine builders what performance they need with regard to throughput, efficiency, flexibility and downtime."
Two key drivers for builders, said Zei, are the demands to improve both machine throughput and machine flexibility. "It's not that easy to do," he said, "and it puts a lot of demands on the control system."
The last two trends Zei noted are somewhat tied together. It's becoming a standard requirement that machines be able to generate information at the machine and make it reliably and securely available. In addition, builders and end users both now view access to machine-generated information as important requirements for improved service through local and remote systems. Builders also see access to operating data as a way to build better machines.
So as part of the march toward building ever-smarter machines, information-gathering and the ability to act upon that information are key elements helping that cause. Zei noted several points in that regard. "Convergence of manufacturing and enterprise systems is happening because of a common thread now, which is Ethernet. It was there on the business side, but you saw a lot of proprietary networks on the manufacturing side. Now there's a lot of information moving back and forth."
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subset: commoncrawl


text:
Encarnacion, Lind continue recovery process
HOUSTON -- Edwin Encarnacion and Adam Lind continue to show signs of progression in their recovery from injuries, but the Blue Jays still aren't sure when to expect them back in the lineup.
Both players have been out since early July, but neither has a set timeline for their return. Lind has been participating in simulated games at the club's Minor League complex in Dunedin, Fla., while Encarnacion has been limited to taking swings.
Lind would appear to be the closest to returning and while his first games could come at designated hitter, the Blue Jays also want to make sure he's ready to play some first base.
"Lind is moving along really quick," manager John Gibbons said. "I would think he'll start a rehab here pretty soon too. I would think maybe next weekend."
Encarnacion appears to be a little further behind after a minor setback last week. He'll eventually progress to simulated games and will then require at least a relatively brief rehab assignment before returning.
Gregor Chisholm is a reporter for MLB.com. Read his blog, North of the Border, and follow him on Twitter @gregorMLB. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


text:
Yesterday, I told you how Weekend Herb Blogging started as a joke, and about some of the first food bloggers to join in the fun. Today I'm going to spotlight weeks 11-20. As I mentioned, I decided early on it would be impossible to feature particular posts, since there are so many great ones. Instead I'm giving you links to the weekly recaps where you can find the individual posts I'm describing. I hope you'll visit them and see ones you missed.
Week 12: The Day After Christmas
It was Christmas week, so only a couple of people were herb blogging, which meant a recap with photos. Paz blogged a little about holly and showed us some for sale in New York. A new herb blogger, Stephanie from The Feast Crusade shared a recipe for mutton curry, and I chose a photo of her red and green okra for the recap. (Anyone know why she's not blogging?) I wrote about the Ponderosa Lemon that one of my students had given me, and of course, I had to sneak in a little mention of Kalyn's Kitchen Christmas Podcast, since I was so proud of it.
Week 13: Happy New Year
The next week was a brand new year and only a few people were herb blogging, but there were some good entries. Stephanie was back with Lotus Seeds, Paz, blogged about mistletoe, and Ilva showed us the green hellebore plant. Cookiecrumb mentioned her still-surviving tomatoes (she was rotating her blog headers, and I was lobbying for my favorite.) Ed amazed us with his giant bay tree and huge rosemary bush, while Sweetnicks was cooking mussels. A new herb blogger, Sheela from Indian Spice Trail, wrote about curry leaves. I had no herbs left and was writing about black-eyed peas.
Week 14: Two Herb Bloggers are Finalists
This recap started with the announcement that Squeezeweasel from Gastronomy Domine and Kalyn had both been named finalists in The Best of Blogs. We were excited that two herb bloggers were nominated. This week Cookiecrumb praised parsley, and Rokh wrote about uses of the chrysanthemum in Asia. A new herb blogger was Cyndi from Cookin' with Cyndi who talked about the pincushion plant. Paz was making Soft Boiled Eggs with Asparagus and Ilva was cooking Oven Baked Cherry Tomatoes with Goat Cheese and Olives. Squeezeweasel wrote about garlic and her wedding bouquet. Ruth made a fabulous sounding gremolata, which I still haven't nade! Ed blogged about his tomatoes being eaten, and I settled for ginger root when broccoli rabe could not be found.
Week 15: WHB Gets an Icon!
Week 16: Four New Herb Bloggers
This week there were four new herb bloggers! Grace from The Kitchen Journal wrote about Grilled Fish with Roasted Pepper Salad, Pille from Nami Nami shared a recipe for Georgian Chicken with Herbs and Wine, The Chocolate Lady from In Mol Araan shared a picture of a bleeding heart radish, and Melissa the Cooking Diva wrote about culantro, which is NOT just another way to spell cilantro. Lots of regulars returned as well. Stephanie did a masterful job with Sea Bass Soup, and Ruth was cooking Spicy Spinach Stuffed Squash. Cyndi was all about shallots, and Sailu focused on Amaranth Leaves. Ilva made Coconut and Ricotta Cake and Paz sent three great looking recipes for peas. We had our first retirement, as Cookiecrumb did cut and dried herbs before saying she was running out of herbs. Finally, I did Barley with Dried and Fresh Mushrooms this week.
Week 17: WHB is not Just for the Weekends Any More!
This week I decided that herb blogging all week was an idea whose time had come and declared that posts could be written any time during the week. My first recap was eaten by Blogger, and I also decided shorter is better! Once again, there were lots of great sounding recipes. Ruth featured a Mediterranean Omelet and Ilva did Salad with Fish, Rucola, Pine Nuts, and Herb Vinaigrette. There were two new herb bloggers, Leera from Myriad Tastes writing about Rice with Dill Leaves, and Felicia from The Web Sorceress Cooks doing Ginger recipes. Stephanie was celebrating the Chinese New Year with Hou Xi Fatt Choy soup, and Ed was having a Weekend Zucchini Emergency. Paz made a tasty sounding Calderada de Galinha and Mae talked about Pork with Holy Basil. Squeezeweasel was visiting Angelesey Abbey Gardens, while Heather was photographing red roses. Finally, The Chocolate Lady was combining Avocados with Cilantro while I showed how to cook fresh artichokes.
Week 18: Superbowl Sunday
This week started with a new herb blogger, Crazy Gaijin from Cooking in Japan who wrote about Shiso. Also new was Heidi from Foodatista who made great sounding herb jam. Kel featured Glutinous Rice with Chicken and The Chocolate Lady wrote about Persian Herb Pie which she made to use up her cilantro. Stephanie was blogging about dill which she used to make Sabzi Polow and Ilva was making Artichoke and Potato Soup with Juniper Berries. Heather showed off photos of her Looking Glass Begonia. Brett was back, this time writing about green garlic, while up in Toronto Ruth made Roman Bean, Spinach, and Chorizo Soup. Eggy blogged about Grilled Coriander and Chile Prawns, while Ed is showing off beautiful purple basil. Sailu writes about the Drumstick Tree and a project called Trees for Life, and Farmgirl shows off her transplanted herbs. Still no herbs growing in Salt Lake City, so I was making Not-Just-For-the-Superbowl Chili.
Week 19: The Cheese Sandwich Frenzy Begins
This was the week that a writer from a well-known food magazine decided that most food blogs, including this one, were as boring as cheese sandwiches, and the cheese sandwich uproar began. Distracting as it was, the herb blogging must go on! Melissa the Cooking Diva sent a post about mangoes, but she was off to the Galapagos Islands. Andreea wrote about Steamed White Fish with Sesame, Garlic, Ginger, and Onions. In Toronto, Ruth whipped up three recipes using herbs, and over in Tuscany Ilva showed her solidarity with a Cheese Sandwich with Cicoria. Paz was making Crab and Corn Soup, The Chocolate Lady was using chard, down in Texas Heather was dividing African Violets, and in Missouri, Farmgirl Susan was talking about sprouting seeds. There were two new herb bloggers, Karina from Recipes from a Gluten-Free Goddess who shared the recipe for Steve's Favorite Basil Pesto, and B'Gina from Stalking the Waiter who talked about uses for rosemary. I was blogging about asparagus and making Warm Salmon and Asparagus Salad.
Week 20: Cheese Sandwich Day Week
The whole cheese sandwich controversy gathered even more steam in week 20, with Cheese Sandwich Day and The Cheese Sandwich Chronicles in three parts. Interestingly enough, there were more herb bloggers than ever before. Paz combined WHB and cheese sandwich day with her Cheese Sandwich with Tomato and Basil. There were seven new herb bloggers this week. Ulrike from Kuchenlatein did Sprouted Peas with Orange, Anthony from Anthony's Kitchen talked about Maroi Napakpi, ED from Is It EDible showed his beautiful orchids, Isil from Veggie Way did Mallow with Rice and Carrots, The Timid Cook from India blogged about Methi, Barbara from Tigers and Strawberries also wrote about Methi, and Ramya from Cascading Flavours showed us the Banana Blossom. The regulars also had some great posts. Ilva was cooking Radicchio di Treviso, Felicia blogged about mushrooms, Stephanie talked about Lily Bulb and Wintermelon, Ed from Tomato had some fresh figs, and Ruth made a Grilled Goat Cheese with Basil and Pancetta. B'gina came back to talk about Lemon Balm, Foodatista Heidi created Eggplant with Poblano Chiles, Farmgirl made a great sounding Spinach Soup, and I was photographing my cauliflower that week and cooking Cauliflower with Bacon and Mushrooms.
Favorite Herb Tally Update
Here is the current herb tally, since it won't be fun if I'm the only one who knows how the voting is going! I'll update periodically if I receive new entries.
shiso 1
oregano 1
dill 1
thyme 1


text:
The Houston Texans rode Arian Foster's legs Saturday. They can't stop now.
Houston is 8-0 this season when Foster runs for more than 100 yards. For the Texans (13-4) to have any chance to upset the New England Patriots next Sunday, they need to feed Foster until his tongue hangs out.
Game details: Box score | Play-by-play | Video
Foster is a tremendous back, running behind a superb offensive line. Opening the playoffs with a 19-13 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals, Foster rushed for 140 yards and a touchdown on 32 carries. It was an impressive performance. The Bengals (10-7) are no cream puffs on defense, and defensive tackle Geno Atkins is one of the best in the business. But the Texans' offensive line still opened holes for Foster, and he ran with power and passion.
"He's a man," Texans coach Gary Kubiak said. "I've been around some good ones. The whole stadium knew we had to line up and run the ball. Seems like the bigger it gets, the better Arian gets."
The Texans should have learned something in December, when they visited New England and got embarrassed, 42-14. Foster wasn't a factor in that game. The Patriots led 21-0 at halftime and 28-0 in the third quarter. At that point, the Texans had no choice but to junk the running game. Foster finished with just 46 yards on 15 carries.
Building such a big lead made it much easier for the Patriots to deal with Foster. But that does not mean they will stop him next weekend. On his first two carries against the Patriots in December, Foster found daylight—a 12-yard run that was wiped out by a holding penalty, followed by a 15-yard run that stood up.
That's what the Texans need to see more of against the Patriots—Foster ripping through the line of scrimmage. The Texans can pull off the upset if they can dominate time of possession like they did against the Bengals on Saturday (38:49 to 21:11).
Schedule, results: Texans-Pats early game next Sunday
New England's defense will key on Foster, so his job will not be easy. Ray Rice of the Baltimore Ravens is the only back to rush for more than 100 yards against the Patriots this season. Rice gained 101 yards, and the Ravens won 31-30. But Patriots coach Bill Belichick is a master at taking away the opposition's best weapon. Belichick will look to control Foster and force quarterback Matt Schaub and other Texans to carry the offense.
However, Foster doesn't need a 100-yard day for the Texans to win. He just needs to keep pounding the Patriots, keep taking time off the clock and turn the game into a slugfest instead of a shootout. Shorten the game. Keep Brady on the sideline. Force the Patriots' linebackers and safeties to creep closer to the line of scrimmage.
If that happens, Schaub's play-action passing will become more effective. Maybe Andre Johnson can sneak past the Patriots' secondary and connect with Schaub for a few big plays when the Patriots are expecting run.
What Foster did against the Bengals has become the norm for him in playoff games. In three postseason appearances, Foster has topped 100 yards all three times. He gets more effective as the game progresses, like most great backs. Foster looked fresh against the Bengals, making sharp cuts and hitting holes decisively. You're talking about a running back who has won a rushing title and who has rushed for more than 1,200 yards in each of the past three seasons. Foster was built for the big stage. Let him be the star.
Against the Patriots, we will find out what the Texans are all about. Winning at Gillette Stadium is difficult, but not impossible. The San Francisco 49ers did it in December. They were more physical than the Patriots. San Francisco controlled the line of scrimmage and outmuscled the Patriots in their back yard. J.J. Watt is a tremendous defensive player, but the less the Texans' defense is on the field against Brady, the better.
The Texans were 11-1 when they walked into Gillette Stadium in December, and they believed they were the best team in the AFC. But the Patriots beat down the Texans, and that started a 1-3 skid to end the regular season.
Houston has not looked the same since that loss to New England. But the Texans have a chance to get their swagger back, and the person to lead them is Foster.
Two seasons ago, the New York Jets won a playoff game in New England after being blown out by the Patriots during the regular season. The Texans have the talent to do the same, and they have the formula. Give it to Foster. He gives the Texans a chance heading into Foxborough.
More AFC: Colts-Ravens preview | Linemakers' look


text:
email@example.com In a ruling that may rekindle legal challenges in California, the U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday found that a strict Massachusetts buffer zone around abortion clinics to keep protesters from approaching patients violates the First Amendment.
The high court unanimously concluded that a 35-foot zone around clinics that provide abortion services goes too far by stripping protesters of any free speech rights, even though the justices made it clear such laws serve the state's "legitimate interests." The ruling hinged on the fact that the law, broader than most in other states and cities, restricted speech in public areas such as sidewalks and street entrances.
"The buffer zones burden substantially more speech than necessary," Chief Justice John Roberts wrote for the court.
The ruling has been closely watched in California, which has a long history of court battles over regulation of protests outside abortion clinics — including in Vallejo. San Francisco, which has a 25-foot buffer zone around clinics, backed Massachusetts in the case, joined by 17 other U.S. cities. California was among 13 states also urging the Supreme Court to uphold the law.
Lawyers in Bay Area cities with such laws were scrambling Thursday to review the ruling and its implications.
For the most part, legal experts have predicted that less restrictive laws in the Bay Area and elsewhere could survive even if the Supreme Court struck down the Massachusetts law. Most buffer zones, such as San Jose's, are modeled after a Colorado law the Supreme Court upheld in 2000; it requires protesters to stay at least 8 feet away from anyone who is within 100 feet of a clinic.
The court did not specifically overturn the Colorado precedent, but the ruling may cast doubt on overly restrictive buffer zones because of free speech concerns. As a result, the decision could revive legal challenges to laws in California, where courts have sided with regulation outside clinics.
Vallejo was the center of one such legal battle. In 1994, the California Supreme Court upheld an appellate court's ruling that had effectively barred anti-abortion picketers from protesting on the public sidewalk in front of the city's Planned Parenthood clinic. The ruling required that all picketing take place on the sidewalk across the street.
Linda Williams, president of Planned Parenthood Mar Monte, the largest Bay Area chapter, said the organization is hopeful laws in San Jose, Oakland and Sacramento would still hold up, but expressed concern about San Francisco's.
San Jose City Attorney Rick Doyle said it would take some time to evaluate the decision's effect on the city's ordinance, and San Francisco officials were likewise examining the court's findings.
"We're all taking a close look at it," said Erin Bernstein, a San Francisco deputy city attorney.
Abortion foes had been hopeful that the Supreme Court would relax local laws that restrict their ability to speak to women entering clinics. Phoebe Wise, a Los Altos woman who attends protests each Thursday outside a Planned Parenthood clinic in Mountain View, told this newspaper she was hoping the Supreme Court would get rid of the buffer zones.
"We would like to speak to be able to speak to people," she said.
In fact, the Supreme Court said Massachusetts and other cities have ample ways to regulate protests that cross the line into harassment without violating free speech rights. It noted that the broad buffer zone prevents even peaceful abortion foes from handing literature to patients heading into clinics. The ruling suggested cities and states should focus on anti-harassment laws, rather than blanket buffer zones.
"Here (Massachusetts) has pursued those interests by the extreme step of closing a substantial portion of a traditional public forum to all speakers," the Supreme Court wrote. "It has done so without seriously addressing the problem through alternatives that leave the forum open for its time-honored purposes."
Three of the justices, while agreeing with the outcome, would have gone further, abolishing buffer zones altogether. "Today's opinion carries forward this Court's practice of giving abortion-rights advocates a pass when it comes to suppressing the free-speech rights of their opponents," Justice Antonin Scalia wrote.
Abortion rights groups expressed concern that laws around the country could be vulnerable, threatening the safety of women seeking abortion services at health care facilities.
"Buffer zones have been a vital shield protecting women seeking reproductive health care and medical providers at clinics," said Marcia Greenberger, co-president of the National Women's Law Center. "Without this protective zone, patients, providers and clinic staff will again be vulnerable to severe harassment and violence. While the decision did not strike down buffer zones as unconstitutional, the ruling will make it more difficult for states to maintain them."
Advocates for the Massachusetts woman, Eleanor McCullen, who sued to overturn the Massachusetts law praised the court's decision.
"The government cannot reserve its public sidewalks for Planned Parenthood, as if their message is the only one women should be allowed to hear." said Mark Rienzi, lead counsel for McCullen and a professor of constitutional law at the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C.
Howard Mintz covers legal affairs. Contact him at 408-286-0236 or follow him at Twitter.com/hmintz


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When you visit our new Porsche dealership in Houston, you will find a plethora of high-performance luxury cars for sale. Critics and consumers agree, the new Porsche lineup, features some of the most powerful and technologically advanced vehicles on the road today. Drivers in Houston, Missouri City, Stafford and Sugar Land rave about the huge selection of 2016 through 2018 luxury cars and SUVs for sale at Momentum Porsche! For a high-performance sports car in Houston, we recommend taking a closer look at the Porsche 911, Boxster, Cayman or Panamera. If you're looking for a performance-inspired luxury SUV, you may want to consider the Porsche Cayenne or Macan. For those Eco-minded drives in Houston, you may want to ask about the Cayenne Hybrid or Panamera e-Hybrid.
Did you know that our dealership can also help you secure a low interest rate or short term auto loan? Contact a member of our financing center to learn more about our current financing and Porsche lease specials.
After the purchase of your new Porsche car or SUV, make sure to schedule all future maintenance and service appointments with our OEM certified Porsche service center in Houston. Our certified repair technician will make sure every repair or service job is done to the highest degree of expertise with original Porsche auto parts and accessories.
All prices plus tax, tag, title, and documentary fee. The sale of any new or used vehicle is subject to our mandatory fee, in addition to any negotiated vehicle price, for coupons entitling the purchaser to discounts on service and parts.
A documentary fee is not an official fee. A documentary fee is not required by law, but may be charged to buyers for handling documents and performing services relating to the closing of a sale. A documentary fee may not exceed $179. This notice is required by law.


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Volunteer Bucks, Day of Service 2013
Friday, September 27, 2013
Where and When
Location: Various Locations
Contact: firstname.lastname@example.com
Event Information
Sign Up Today! Tell a friend and volunteer together!
Choose from a large variety of service projects at www.Bucks.edu/volunteerday
Volunteer Bucks Day of Service 2013 is a partnership between BCCC and United Way of Bucks County. Students, faculty and alumni are invited to participate in community service projects that make a difference.
When: Friday, September 27. 2013. Most projects will be from 9:00am - 11:00am, 11:00am - 1:00pm, and 1:00pm - 3:00pm, but many times may vary depending on the project.
Where: Various locations county wide.
Why: We have the opportunity to make an impact in three key areas: education, income and health. We will be helping more than 20 nonprofit organizations and touching countless lives in our community.
How: Sign up by visiting www.Bucks.edu/volunteerday
Questions: Contact Matthew Cipriano, Director, Student Life Programs at 215-968-8257 or email@example.com.
Want to do more? Visit www.bucks.edu/life/student/info/volunteer/ or www.uwbucks.org for information on additional volunteer projects.


text: Master-Bilt introduces the Master-Chill MCR series, a new roll-in blast chiller. The MCRSeries blast chiller features two sizes: the MCR-200 accommodates a single pan rack; and the MCR-400 accommodates two pan racks. Both units are offered a seither roll-in or pass-through. In addition, the blast chiller now offers afield-reversible door, which in addition to being


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CINCINNATI -- The new slogan for the Giants' 2012 postseason isn't particularly good for the health, or clubhouse ambience, but it's effective.
After Wednesday's 8-3 win over the Cincinnati Reds that forced a winner-take-all Game 5 in the National League Division Series, Tim Lincecum turned to a group of smiling teammates.
"Same clothes tomorrow!" he yelled.
The Giants don't intend to make any off-field changes Thursday as they aim to become the first team in League Division Series history to overcome a 2-0 deficit by winning three straight games on the road. Players must wear the same street clothes (although they're allowed to swap in a new pair of underwear), and Hunter Pence will give the same fiery speech that he has given before both victories at Great American Ball Park.
On the field, however, the Giants have morphed by leaps and bounds since falling behind with two lackluster efforts in San Francisco.
A night after becoming the first team in eight years to win a postseason game with fewer than four hits, the Giants had 11 hits, including homers from Angel Pagan, Gregor Blanco and Pablo Sandoval.
And Lincecum, long the mainstay of the rotation, came out of the bullpen firing strikes. Left out of the postseason rotation, Lincecum earned the win with 41/3 dominant innings in relief of Barry Zito, who was knocked out in the third.
"He's a big-game pitcher, a big-time pitcher," Pence said of Lincecum. "We always believed in him."
Through three games, it was hard to believe the Giants would hit enough to overcome a deep Reds team. The Giants had just four runs in the first three games of the series and were hitting .126 as a team.
Pagan, a catalyst during the second-half surge, put a charge into the dugout with a solo homer off Mike Leake two pitches into the game. The laser shot was the first postseason leadoff homer in the franchise's history.
"He woke up the offense," Sandoval said.
Did he ever.
Blanco hit a two-run shot in the second inning, his first homer since July 18. The blast gave Zito a cushion to work with, but he couldn't find his way. Zito gave up a hit and walked three in the first inning but allowed just one run. After escaping another jam in the second inning, he gave up a solo homer to Ryan Ludwick in the third. A two-out walk later in the inning ended Zito's first postseason appearance with the Giants after just eight outs.
Zito was charged with two runs on four walks and four hits.
"I was just trying to be too fine, and it was a frustrating situation," Zito said. "Sometimes you want it so badly, but you have to remember to stay with each pitch."
Zito wasn't frustrated after the game, in large part because of what happened right after he exited. George Kontos got the Giants out of the third inning, and when the Reds got two runners on with one out in the fourth, Jose Mijares came in and struck out Reds No. 3 hitter Joey Votto. With Ludwick looming, manager Bruce Bochy called Lincecum in for his second relief appearance in three games.
"When you're on a stage like this, you're hoping somebody steps up," Bochy said. "Timmy has that ability, and he did tonight."
Lincecum struck out Ludwick, flicking the switch on his most electric performance of the season.
He pitched 41/3 innings, the longest postseason relief outing by a Giant since Kirk Rueter went the same distance in the 2000 NLDS. Lincecum struck out six and allowed just one run as the Giants pulled away, with Sandoval's mammoth two-run blast in the seventh being the big blow. In two relief appearances this series, Lincecum has thrown 61/3 innings and given up just three hits and an earned run while striking out eight.
"You're just here to get outs until they tell you you're done," Lincecum said. "You kind of go out there with that expectation of doing well, and when things go well, you think this is the way it should be."
Lincecum's teammates felt the same way. Asked what he expected when No. 55 came running out of the bullpen, Buster Posey smiled.
"That," he said emphatically. "What he did. I think that everybody on the team expects that."
The Giants, with their offense finally in gear and their bullpen rested thanks to Lincecum's long outing, have high expectations for Thursday. Only seven teams in history have come back from a 0-2 deficit to win a best-of-five postseason series. None has done what the Giants will attempt to do Thursday, when they aim to sweep all three games at the home of the National League Central champion Reds.
"We weren't thinking about three games when we came here," Sandoval said. "We've been going day by day, game by game."
The Giants and Reds are down to one day and one game: Matt Cain versus Mat Latos. It's all hands on deck, and even Lincecum said he would be available after throwing 55 pitches, 42 of them for strikes. He promised to wear the same maroon T-shirt, and said he's looking forward to Pence's third speech in three days.
"Oh yeah, I've got one more of those," Pence said before pausing and flashing a mischievous smile. "Actually, I've got a lot more of those, hopefully."
For more on the Giants, see Alex Pavlovic's Giants Extra blog at blogs.mercurynews.com/Giants. Follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/AlexPavlovic.


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Homeowner and Contractor Sales
Whether you are homeowner needing an entry or patio door, or an architect, builder, developer or contractor who needs dozens or even hundreds of them, A1 Glass and Door has the door products and expertise to meet your needs. Our strong position in the window and door industry allows us to buy at volume prices directly from the manufacturer. We then pass these savings on to our customers to offer the most competitive prices while still offering the highest level of service and customer care.
Door Types
- Front & Rear Entry
- Hinged Patio
- Storm
- Sliding Patio
- Security
- Commercial
Wood w/Metal Clad Ext. Aluminum
- Most of our door products have a variety of decorative glass options and woodgrain finishes. Exterior pre-finished woodgrain doors are available in four finishes (light oak, medium oak, cherry mahogany or chocolate mahogany). The unfinished woodgrain option is stainable or paintable. A smooth fiberglass door is ideal for any paint color. There are several qualified ENERGY STAR© ® models available for all 50 states. We are sure to have what you or your customers are looking for, and we take pride in providing our customers with the best customer service and warranty coverage in the industry today.


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Plano, Texas -- A Friday report by Business Insider said that Ken Mangone, executive VP product development, design and sourcing for J.C. Penney Co., has abruptly resigned the company.
Mangone has been with the retailer since 1977 and is credited with helping to establish J.C. Penney's private brands.
"We can confirm that Ken Mangone is no longer with the company," a J.C. Penney spokesman told Business Insider. "We wish Ken continued success and thank him for his years of service…."


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Potato Salad with Cipollini Onions, Olives, and Fennel
With their buttery flavor and texture, Yukon Golds create a rich, full-bodied backdrop for ribbons of anise-scented fennel, sweet cipollini onions, and olives.
- Servings: 6
Source: Martha Stewart Living, June 2008
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 1 1/2 pounds baby Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and halved
- 1/2 pound cipollini onions, peeled
- 1/8 teaspoon red-pepper flakes
- 1 cup homemade or store-bought low-sodium chicken stock
- Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
- 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon white-wine vinegar
- 1/2 cup picholine olives, pitted (2 1/2 ounces)
- 1 small fennel bulb, very thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley
- 1 ounce Parmesan cheese, shaved (1 cup)
Heat a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil and garlic, and cook for 2 minutes. Add potatoes, onions, and red-pepper flakes. Cook until onions are golden, about 7 minutes.
Add stock, and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook until potatoes and onions are tender, about 10 minutes. Remove potatoes and onions with a slotted spoon. Reserve 1/2 cup cooking liquid.
Combine reserved liquid, vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and pepper. Pour over warm potatoes and onions. Stir in olives, and let cool completely.
Add fennel and parsley, and combine. Season with salt and pepper. Top with Parmesan.


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We're sorry, but the page you are looking for has not been found. Maybe the URL has typos or spelling errors or maybe we were leading you in the wrong directions on our website.
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Pembrokeshire Council Tax payers face 3.4% rise
5:02pm Tuesday 7th January 2014
5:02pm Tuesday 7th January 2014
COUNCIL tax payers already managing tightly squeezed household budgets look set to be dealt another blow.
Proposals for Pembrokeshire County Council's 2014/15 budget include a 3.4% increase in council tax to help the council make £20m savings in two years.
If approved, council tax for Band D properties will increase by £25.38, from £741.17 to £766.55, generating an extra £1.5m income.
The proposed increase is double that of the 1.7% rise in 2012/13 and up from last year's 2.95% increase.
The budget is to go before cabinet on Monday (January 13).
According to a report prepared for members by the council's director of finance and leisure, Mark Lewis, the 2014/15 budget "has been developed against the backdrop of the most difficult financial settlement" in the council's 18-year history.
Its initial target of £7m savings over the next two years has nearly trebled to £20m – including £12.9m in 2014/15 - following a 3.7% reduction in Welsh Government funding.
The previous year, the Welsh Government indicated a 0.9% funding increase for 2014/15 and there are now concerns over the reliability of indications of a 1.5% reduction for 2015/16.
The report stated the next two years will be "extremely challenging". It added: "Pay and price increases, allied to demographic pressure within adult social services and the protection of schools budgets will accentuate the scale of the cost reduction programme across other services.
"The scale of the challenge ahead is such that a whole range of new service delivery arrangements will need to be brought forward to ensure that sustainable cost/service reductions can be made within a short timescale."
The total budget requirement for 2014/15 is £207.2m, down from £211.8m in 2013/14.
Council housing rents also look set to increase. Proposals detailed in a separate report by Mr Lewis, also due to go before cabinet on Monday, include a 2.5% rent increase for 2014/15 to take effect from April 7 2014.
This will increase the average weekly council house rent from £64.12 to £65.72.
© Copyright 2001-2017 Newsquest Media Group


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Ninja Tune & Big Dada on Drip.FM
Ninja Tune and Big Dada are pleased to announce a new subscription service, set up with the team at Drip.FM.
For just $12 a month, you can receive every release on Ninja Tune and Big Dada, in a variety of digital formats, which are yours to keep forever. Upon sign-up, you'll receive a massive 42-track compilation of tracks spanning everything we released in 2012, as well as recent albums from Two Fingers and FaltyDL, with releases from Bonobo, Dobie, VISION and more in the coming months!
Subscribers will also receive exclusive discounts at the Ninjashop, as well as a free Ninja Tune mug! Head here to find out more.


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Now that the results of the Detroit Lions' NFL draft have settled in, let's breathe deep and take another look.
-- With Ziggy Ansah, the Lions first-round pick there seem to be two camps.
One is that he's going to be fine from Day One and will improve as the season progresses. He'll get solid coaching from defensive line coach Kris Kocurek and Jim Washburn, a veteran defensive line coach who has been brought in as a consultant. That coaching will be key to his maturation as an NFL defensive end.
The other camp is the "same old Lions" camp who probably wouldn't have been too happy with any pick. They have bust already written on Ansah's forehead because he's played football for just three seasons and didn't see his first game until five years ago.
Here's what I think. He's not a project because projects are not brought in to start from the get-go. His college coach Bronco Mendenhall said Ansah is a quick learner, a good student who is able to absorb much information. That's why he played at several spots along the defensive line at BYU. The Lions got to know him during practice the week before the Senior Bowl, a game he dominated. Their look at him during the Senior Bowl was a big part of the decision to draft him -- not just the game but watching him at practice, seeing how quickly he could pick up a new scheme, interaction with teammates and coaches --- it's all part of the package. At the beginning for the Lions, he'll concentrate on learning one role. It seems like a can't miss situation. Ansah will be playing alongside Ndamukong Suh and Nick Fairley which is not a bad thing. The Lions' biggest need before the draft started was defensive end. Now it's not.
-- Coach Jim Schwartz revealed during the draft that Riley Reiff will get the start at left tackle. After all, that is why the Lions drafted him in the first round a year ago. They knew Jeff Backus didn't have much time left and they wanted to be prepared.
It escapes me why so many people see Reiff as a bust and aren't too happy that he's penciled in at left tackle. How could he possibly be a bust when he started just one game at left tackle? He did see most of his action at tight end last season, so at least he got a feel for the NFL game. (During a chat on Thursday I was asked if the Lions would think of moving up in the 2014 draft to get a left tackle. Unbelievable.)
Reiff has tremendous upside. He resembled Backus in so many ways off the field, it seems like some of that will carry onto the field. Plus last season every day at practice he could learn from Backus who was a willing teacher. The reason for the angst over Reiff totally escapes me. Corey Hilliard and Jason Fox will compete for the right tackle position. Don't dismiss these two guys. They have played well when they've gotten the call.
-- You can't truly judge an NFL draft for at least three years, maybe five. The Lions got four probable starters out of nine picks -- Ansah, cornerback Darius Slay, right guard Larry Warford and punter Sam Martin. If all four start, that would make this a successful draft at least initially. Most of the national experts gave them a "B" grade. Seems fair, so far.
-- After the Lions signed 11 undrafted rookie free agents this week, a look at the roster is a little surprising. It may not last but presently the Lions have two players from Appalachian State (Sam Martin and running back Steven Miller) and two from Western Michigan (Louis Delmas and quarterback Alex Carder) but none from Michigan or Michigan State. Not a knock on the Wolverines or Spartans, just a little odd.
Martin says he gets comments everywhere (not just in Michigan) when he wears his Appalachian State cap. Wolverine fans just can't forget and they are everywhere. Martin wasn't on the team for the fateful day in Ann Arbor, he started school there a year later.
--�Rookie minicamp runs May 10-12 and will give the Lions a first look at their nine drafted rookies, 11 undrafted free agent rookies, a few tryouts and, yes, Havard Rugland, aka Kickalicious. Can't wait.
(Follow @PaulaPasche on Twitter. Order her book, "100 Things Lions Fans Should Know & Do Before They Die'' here. It's also available at bookstores.)


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Sometimes, choosing a gift is a great challenge for a spouse or significant other. Make it easier on them and make sure you get what you really want! We have made the in store wish list creation simpler and faster. Our new computer system records jewelry you register complete with pictures and full descriptions with the pass of a wand so we can better assist in the shopping process. If you prefer the convenience of shopping at home, you can create an online wishlist here.
Here are some preferences to note on your wishlist. Are your ears pierced? Do you prefer posts or leverbacks/dangles? For metals: white or yellow gold? Do you have favorite stones or colors? Don't worry about getting the ring size right. We will size rings for the perfect fit after the holidays. If the whole process seems too complicated, put a gift certificate on your wishlist and do the shopping yourself. If you can't find what you want, we can make it for you!
Drop by Pyramid Studios at 10 State Street in Ellsworth or Register Online !
We are Pyramid Studios at 10 State Street in Downtown Ellsworth, Maine.
Our Regular Store Hours:
Tuesday – 10am – 5:30pm
Wednesday – 10am – 5:30pm
Thursday – 10am – 5:30pm
Friday – 10am – 5:30pm
Saturday – 10am – 4:00pm
Sun/Mon – Closed
Our web store is open 24/7 and can be located here: Pyramid Studios. Find, follow, and "like" Pyramid on Facebook by simply clicking here.
Pyramid Studios are full service jewelry professionals located in Ellsworth, Maine for over three decades. Pyramid Studios stocks a full in-store inventory of diamonds, colored gems, freshwater, Cook Island, and Akoya Pearls for settings in gold, sterling silver and platinum.
Pyramid Studios online store is open 24/7.
Email and phone inquiries are always welcome.
"Email Us"
Phone: 207-667-3321


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FRESH-faced women in Swindon have helped to raise more than £2m for Cancer Research UK after the no-make-up selfie craze went viral on social media.
The campaign asks women to post photographs of themselves wearing no make-up online and with the hashtag #nomakeupselfie.
For Tracey Curnock, a professional hair and makeup artist in Royal Wootton Bassett, taking part in the no-make-up selfie trend seemed counter-intuitive.
She said: "As a hair and make-up artist I encourage people to wear make-up. But I am also a volunteer for Look Good Feel Better, the cancer charity which offers advice and boosts the self-confidence of people dealing with cancer. So I posted my own bare-faced selfie and gave a donation just to help raise awareness of the disease.
"And the trend just went viral.
"It's fantastic because it just shows what you can do when you put your mind to it."
The trend has received some criticism for having little to do with cancer, but breast cancer patient Vikki Griffin feels that the phenomenon has produced much needed awareness of the condition.
The 39-year-old, who hopes to have her last chemotherapy session next month, said: "I think anything that raises awareness of cancer has to be a good thing.
"I think the no-make-up selfie just shows that everyone is the same. That anyone could be affected by cancer.
"I found a small dent in my left boob and I just put it down to the lighting but I told my husband and he told me to go to the doctor.
"If it hadn't been for that it could be a lot worse now."
For some women like Natalie Davison, posing bare-faced or even leaving the house without wearing any make-up can be a challenge, but the bare-faced selfie has also helped women find new confidence in their appearance.
The 21-year-old from Park South said: "I'm a person who won't leave the house without make up on, so posting a selfie wearing no make-up was a bit of a challenge, but after I saw my friends' posting online I saw it wasn't so bad.
"I felt much better after I put it online and feel more confident about not wearing make-up.
"I also think it's been a great way to raise awareness and money for cancer."
It is not known for certain how the trend started but since last Tuesday, the charity Cancer Research UK has seen more than 800,000 donations.
Alison Birkett, from the communications team at Cancer Research UK, said: "It's not even a Cancer Research UK campaign.
"I think it started getting a lot of attention because of the keywords people were putting on their posts, which just made it get bigger and bigger.
"People started to do it on Twitter and then it went on to Facebook.
"It's great to see so many people getting involved to help raise awareness of cancer amongst their friends and family."
For more information about Cancer Research UK, visit www.cruk.org


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When it comes to this T-giving staple you should never, we repeat never, use that canned jellied excuse for a condiment. Cranberries are one of the few berries in season this time of year so use the fresh ones and whip up an awesome sauce. (hey, we just used "awesome sauce" in a sentence and it wasn't ironic)
Cranberry Citrus (Awesome) Sauce
Servings: 6-8
Time: 20 minutes
- 2 (12-ounce) packages cranberries, fresh
- 1 orange (or 2 tangerines), juice zest and segments
- 1 cup coconut palm sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Pinch of cinnamon
Zest an orange (or 2 tangerines) and put that in a small bowl.
Then supreme the fruit (aka cut out the segments). Do this over a bowl so you save all the juice. Set the segments aside. Then squeeeeze the membranes to get out any extra juice, you will need it for later.
Put the cranberries, sugar, orange juice, vanilla extract and cinnamon into a saucepan over medium heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the cranberries burst and the sauce thickens, about 10-15 minutes.
When it's just about done, stir in the zest and the orange segments, then remove from heat.
Serve the cranberry sauce at room temperature or allow it to cool then refrigerate.


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We are in Charlottesville VA
Yes, you can magically produce a beautiful feather flower from an empty pot! Very easy- if you can hold the wand, you can do the trick!
Show your audience that the plastic pot is empty. Then wave the Magic Wand over the pot. Place the wand into the pot, and quickly pull it out again- a vibrant feather flower magically appears! Great effect and so easy to do!
Wand is about 8" long. Green feather stem, red feather flower. Sits in black plastic stand; flower is about 8" tall.
And that's all you need!
The flower is a feather flower, and is similar to the Blooming Blossom and the Drooping Flower tricks. Use all three in your routine, then leave them out on your table during the rest of your act. The colors make your show look bigger!