Well, the Administrative Law Judge has made his decision in my disability case, and it's called "Partially Favorable." I got the notification of the ruling, and have been able to determine from the written decision that he considers me to have been Disabled as of March 1, 2011. I guess that's something. Now we just have to wait for the Social Security Administration to determine whether or not they are going to award me any Supplemental Security Income so that we can manage to keep this roof over our heads for the foreseeable future.
Legalese is very confusing at best, but being an individual with a moderate education and an interest in reading such convoluted material such as legal briefs and legislature, I probably am able to understand a tad more than the average Joe. It's not my brain that is disabled, but my body.
That being said, and having waded thru the lengthy decision to see exactly what has been said, I find the decision very disparaging and rather degrading in it's tone. While he does agree that I do have marked difficulties, he also makes statements about my financial inability to pay for the treatments that would back up my medical claims. To wit: he states that while I have repeatedly stated that we cannot afford any sort of special testing and/or treatments, we also have greyhounds and we can afford to feed them, such that if the pain/medical issues were really bad enough, we COULD afford said treatments.
SAY WHAT??? What am I supposed to do? Not feed my dogs so that I can have medical treatment? What the heck, suppose that these were human children instead of animal children, would I also have to not feed them in order to afford medical treatment? I DON'T Think so!!!!!!
I should think that would be morally reprehensible, as well as highly illegal. Besides, it might cost us maybe $100.00 dollars a month to feed our dogs, while there is not a test for ANY of the things I have that is less than that, and MANY of the treatments/medications necessary far exceed that monthly amount. What planet is this guy from? This really ticks me off. My greyhounds are my children, especially since one of my long standing ailments has rendered me unable to bear children of my own, whether naturally or medically assisted (other than cloning and having someone else carry the ensuing child). Not to mention that having and rearing children is not something that I am suited to, nor am I in favor of passing on the known genetic factors that have predisposed me to ongoing health issues, including mental health issues. These greyhounds are also important in my continued existence... if it were not for them, I would have long ago found a way to end my existence just to prevent my being a further burden to family and friends. It sucks having to care for someone else, and it costs time and money as well, and I am certain that, other than the emotional stress that such an action on my part would cause to my family and loved ones, that they would all be better off without the burden I bring them. I won't do that however tempted I might be, because that would be just what the government and the so-called 'Moral Majority' appear to want and expect me to do, and I won't let them win that easily. I have never been a quitter, and I won't start being one now.
That said, life must go on. Hopefully, the SSA will see fit to allow me to collect the Supplemental Security Income that being disabled (and having WORKED for a sufficient number of quarters to qualify for) entitles me to collect. We are currently living below the poverty level for one individual, and being as there are 2 of us trying to exist on that level of income, we should qualify financially. That doesn't mean we will - just that we should. I have long ago given up the notion that the US government gives a damn about anyone who falls below the top 10% of the income in this country. In the meantime, just knowing that I am considered legally disabled is a positive thing. The stress of having to try to prove that I am Disabled is now gone, even if the struggle to survive while being disabled has just begun. I have always chosen to look at the glass as half full rather than half empty. At least this is no longer hanging over my head.
One further note... Going thru this has polarized my political views of life here in these United States. I will admit to being a dyed in the wool Democrat now, and view the Republican Party as it now exists as an abomination and the moral equivalent of the Nazi Party under Hitler. We don't need Neo-Nazis in this country when we have Republicans who are not interested in helping anyone other than themselves and those other individuals who make up the top 10% of the economic status of this country. Obama is MY President of CHOICE, and I will CHOOSE to vote for him again in 2012. If I had my way, not only would the social health reforms he has tried to initiate take immediate effect, but we would also repeal any and all laws that allow the Legislature of this country to earn an income from the act of representing the American People. There was a very legitimate reason why the Founding Fathers did not provide an income for the legislature in the US Constitution, and evidence for that can be seen in the astounding level of greed and corruption that can be seen in Today's political machine... It they were required to support themselves by a means other than legislative office, several factors that lead to such widespread corruption and greed would not exist - they would serve a single term as was intended and not stay in power long enough to gain the immense control that is seen today and which has led to the current state of corruption and ineptitude that now exists. The People would be once again represented by The People instead of by political machines.
February 15, 2012
Hacked!
It finally happened. My longstanding email address on Yahoo, that I've used for aver 14 years now was hacked into yesterday. They sent spam to everyone in my contact list, including several yahoo groups that I haven't been very active on for several years now. There is no foolproof way to get around these buggers. Although I am more careful than most and don't open suspicious emails from folks/places I don't know, emails with no subject line and most forwarded emails, they still snuck in somehow. I hate this feeling of being violated, and I hate that the people I know are now subject to junk sent in my name.
There was only one thing to do... change my email account. I am being very careful of putting the new email account out there as that just invites hackers to have free access again, but those who really need to contact me can always find me, either from Facebook or some of the other groups and lists and boards that I frequent, and in those places, they can actually contact me without having to have my email address. I am no longer using the old account for anything, and did not forward my contact list or anything else to this new email address so that the new account is far more difficult for the hackers to get to quite so readily. Yes, it's a hassle, but in the interest of being safe, it's worth it to me.
Unfortunately, this is a case of the information age gone amok. We are technologically further along than we have laws in place to govern, and given the current world political climate, it is very unlikely that anything can be done to stop these idiots. Back in the Dark Ages (as my brother used to say, 'when dinosaurs chased us home'), there wasn't the Information Highway. Computers were monstrous things that took up whole city blocks, just to do simple math problems, and the concept of a personal computer was something left to Science Fiction writers. One didn't need a Social Security number until one reached an age when employment was possible, and Identity Theft, although possible, was a rare thing that you hardly ever heard of, let alone experienced.
Sometimes I still long for those simpler days, full of activities that didn't require being plugged in and connected. Those days are gone now, for the most part, and while I still do some of those far less technical activities, even those activities, like my knitting, are enhanced by access to the Internet. Without the Internet, we would have far less access to interesting patterns and such a wide range of yarn suppliers. Without the Internet, we would have less access to others who enjoy the same pastimes. Without the Internet, our lives might be safer, but they would also be missing something that we have acquired a taste for... information.
There was only one thing to do... change my email account. I am being very careful of putting the new email account out there as that just invites hackers to have free access again, but those who really need to contact me can always find me, either from Facebook or some of the other groups and lists and boards that I frequent, and in those places, they can actually contact me without having to have my email address. I am no longer using the old account for anything, and did not forward my contact list or anything else to this new email address so that the new account is far more difficult for the hackers to get to quite so readily. Yes, it's a hassle, but in the interest of being safe, it's worth it to me.
Unfortunately, this is a case of the information age gone amok. We are technologically further along than we have laws in place to govern, and given the current world political climate, it is very unlikely that anything can be done to stop these idiots. Back in the Dark Ages (as my brother used to say, 'when dinosaurs chased us home'), there wasn't the Information Highway. Computers were monstrous things that took up whole city blocks, just to do simple math problems, and the concept of a personal computer was something left to Science Fiction writers. One didn't need a Social Security number until one reached an age when employment was possible, and Identity Theft, although possible, was a rare thing that you hardly ever heard of, let alone experienced.
Sometimes I still long for those simpler days, full of activities that didn't require being plugged in and connected. Those days are gone now, for the most part, and while I still do some of those far less technical activities, even those activities, like my knitting, are enhanced by access to the Internet. Without the Internet, we would have far less access to interesting patterns and such a wide range of yarn suppliers. Without the Internet, we would have less access to others who enjoy the same pastimes. Without the Internet, our lives might be safer, but they would also be missing something that we have acquired a taste for... information.
February 08, 2012
A New Fashion Statement...
Sunny, the 12 year old greyhound has decided to make a new fashion statement out of her muzzle. She has taken to wearing it as a necklace instead of covering her needle nose. Sunny says this new style is much more beneficial for her favorite activity - snacking on yard cookies when she is on Turnout.
Little does she know, but this is not a new look for greyhounds. Especially greyhounds who live at our house. Mr. Fritz, the original boy child and greyhound muzzle designer, discovered this look years ago. He could get the muzzle off in less than 2 seconds, and was usually seen sporting the necklace look while the rest of the clan was muzzled in the appropriate (normal) manner. He was the reason that we added muzzle keepers to the muzzles sported by our greyhounds. When worn properly, the muzzle keeper actually makes it impossible to get the muzzle off over the ears. In Sunny's case, hers is not on securely enough (she DOES have a muzzle keeper on as well). The muzzle keeper is tight enough, but the strap to the muzzle itself is loose, making it far easier for her to get the edge of the strap over the ear and off the face.
How do I know this? The greys were all on a Turnout, and I was employed bringing them back in. Everybody except Fritz and Sunny came in. I called them, and here came Fritz - from the couch. He had missed the turnout call, and out he went. I called Sunny, and no Sunny came - from in the house or out. Fritz finished his business and trotted back in, and still no Sunny. So I went looking for her. Sure enough, she was out there, enjoying a nibble or 20 on all the yard coolies she could find. I called and called and she employed that famous greyhound trait of selective hearing. I finally had to go down in the yard and drag her bony butt back in the house. When she realized mommy was in the backyard WITH her, and not happy about it (I was barefoot, and it's near freezing here in Missouri this time of year), boy did she decide to move it! I was not aware that senior greyhounds who can't walk steadily can still sprint like a 2 year old when necessary.
The moral of this story? Make sure the muzzle is affixed tightly enough even on senior greyhounds as they can and will take every opportunity they can to take it off otherwise... Also, Sunny may be 12, but if she keeps this up, only one of us (her or I) will live to see her 13th birthday... At this point, my bet is on Sunny.
Little does she know, but this is not a new look for greyhounds. Especially greyhounds who live at our house. Mr. Fritz, the original boy child and greyhound muzzle designer, discovered this look years ago. He could get the muzzle off in less than 2 seconds, and was usually seen sporting the necklace look while the rest of the clan was muzzled in the appropriate (normal) manner. He was the reason that we added muzzle keepers to the muzzles sported by our greyhounds. When worn properly, the muzzle keeper actually makes it impossible to get the muzzle off over the ears. In Sunny's case, hers is not on securely enough (she DOES have a muzzle keeper on as well). The muzzle keeper is tight enough, but the strap to the muzzle itself is loose, making it far easier for her to get the edge of the strap over the ear and off the face.
How do I know this? The greys were all on a Turnout, and I was employed bringing them back in. Everybody except Fritz and Sunny came in. I called them, and here came Fritz - from the couch. He had missed the turnout call, and out he went. I called Sunny, and no Sunny came - from in the house or out. Fritz finished his business and trotted back in, and still no Sunny. So I went looking for her. Sure enough, she was out there, enjoying a nibble or 20 on all the yard coolies she could find. I called and called and she employed that famous greyhound trait of selective hearing. I finally had to go down in the yard and drag her bony butt back in the house. When she realized mommy was in the backyard WITH her, and not happy about it (I was barefoot, and it's near freezing here in Missouri this time of year), boy did she decide to move it! I was not aware that senior greyhounds who can't walk steadily can still sprint like a 2 year old when necessary.
The moral of this story? Make sure the muzzle is affixed tightly enough even on senior greyhounds as they can and will take every opportunity they can to take it off otherwise... Also, Sunny may be 12, but if she keeps this up, only one of us (her or I) will live to see her 13th birthday... At this point, my bet is on Sunny.
February 06, 2012
Greyhound Intelligence is not an oxymoron...
Someone sent me a link to a blog today that describes a dog who may be part greyhound as stupid. This person gave her dog an IQ test that her dog then failed, miserably. The test parameters? Could the dog sit? Do stairs? Find it's way out from under a blanket? Come when called? Who makes up these tests? Not someone who has a greyhound as most greyhounds would probably fail a test like this. Not because they can't do these things, but because they don't feel the need to prove that they can do them! In my books, that sounds like high intelligence instead of stupidity.
Greyhounds CAN sit. They just don't like to. Well, most of them don't like to. First of all, it isn't comfortable for them because of their muscular hips, and because they usually can't do it gracefully. Believe me when I say being graceful (except when asleep) is a higher priority for a greyhound than pleasing the human. Awesome was my sitter. Of course he was food motivated. Human food motivated. He might sit for a dog cookie, IF they hadn't had any in a couple of days, but if you had a banana, he would try to sit in your lap. Bananas were his all time favorite food. And because he had a potassium deficiency, he got them nearly every day. We could not say or spell banana in his presence as he would then immediately sit at your feet and look around expectantly until the banana was produced and he got to eat the entire thing himself. Bananas were not for sharing or for other greyhounds. They were his. And since he's been gone, we haven't even had bananas in the house.
Greyhounds CAN do stairs. If they have to. If they are motivated enough. When we first moved here, Pixie proved that. We have very steep stairs to our attic (finished, and one day I hope, it will be the master suite). The cat boxes were up there. She could get up them, but because they were so steep, she could not see where the next step down was, so she would NOT come down them. She LOVES cat cookies, so her motivation to go up was high. The humans were downstairs, and she couldn't figure out how to get down, so we had to practically carry her down. She then decided that this was a cool game. In the middle of the night. Go upstairs, eat cat cookies, then sit at the top of the stairs and give the Greyhound Scream of Death until the humans came up and carried her down. Neither Steve or I are capable of carrying a greyhound down stairs, even a small one of only 50 lbs. Especially down very steep stairs that we could fall down just as easily without trying to carry a greyhound down! So our solution was to cut a cat sized hole in the bottom of the attic door so that the cats could go up and the greyhounds couldn't. It worked pretty well. The cats had a safe place to go to get away from the greyhounds when they wanted peace and quiet, and we could keep the greyhounds out of the cat food and the cat litter boxes. Of course, Sunny STILL tries to stick her head thru the cat door to reach the cat's food bowl that sits on the steps just a few stairs up. The number of times I have caught that 12 year old stuck with her head through the cat door and her nose wedged in such a way that she can't get back out... not a case of intelligence or the lack there of, but of motivation.
Greyhounds CAN get out from under a blanket, but why would they want to? They can be quite warm and content under a blanket, and will stay there unless there is something much more interesting going on outside of the blanket... Like a visiting dog or a cat giving the cat equivalent of the Greyhound Scream of Death. Just a question of motivation.
As for coming when called. That depends on what you are calling them for. Around here, calling a specific greyhound by name is usually only resorted to if said greyhound is in TROUBLE. Why come for the opportunity of getting punished? Especially when the greyhound does not view the offending action as something BAD. (eating yard cookies is only a BAD thing to humans. Greyhounds find this behavior most enjoyable). Again, Sunny the 12 year old is the main offender. Any time she can manage to get outside without her muzzle and associated poop cup (to keep her from eating poop) on, she can and WILL eat yard cookies. Even frozen ones (or she will bring them back in with her in the hopes of getting to enjoy them when they thaw). I can call her til I'm blue in the face to get her to come in when she's enjoying a backyard snack, but she won't come until she has determined that she has had enough. The only way to circumvent this activity is to make sure her muzzle is securely in place BEFORE she goes outside. Trying to go GET her back in doesn't work very well because even at 12 years old and with very wobbly legs, she is still faster than the resident humans and the yard is pretty big. Besides, we have this tendency to try to circumnavigate the yard AROUND the remaining yard cookies (the yard is too big and we have have too many greyhounds to make cleaning up the poop remotely feasible), and well, she doesn't.
I would offer a different sort of IQ test for greyhounds. Can they figure out a new way to get on the couch or bed when it is already full of greyhounds or other obstacles (humans, books, pillows, knitting projects, mouse traps)? Can they convince the human to do whatever it is they want the human to do for them just by employing the Greyhound Scream of Death? Can they find a way thru a very tiny hole in the gate/fence/door/window to get out and run around the neighborhood? Can they find a fresh loaf of bread in one of 20 grocery bags brought in the house on shopping day, grab only that bag and race around the house, returning in under 3 seconds with the empty bag and bread wrapper and not a crumb anywhere? and can they tell the difference between the human's commands to know when not coming when called is going to end VERY BADLY for the greyhound in question? Of course, then they can and will come, with a look of utter helplessness and total affection and abject atonement on their face all at the same time. This look is guaranteed to get the human to cave in and forgive said greyhound, even if he has just eaten the entire brand new skein of very expensive and rare bison yarn that was intended for a present for someone special...
Greyhounds CAN sit. They just don't like to. Well, most of them don't like to. First of all, it isn't comfortable for them because of their muscular hips, and because they usually can't do it gracefully. Believe me when I say being graceful (except when asleep) is a higher priority for a greyhound than pleasing the human. Awesome was my sitter. Of course he was food motivated. Human food motivated. He might sit for a dog cookie, IF they hadn't had any in a couple of days, but if you had a banana, he would try to sit in your lap. Bananas were his all time favorite food. And because he had a potassium deficiency, he got them nearly every day. We could not say or spell banana in his presence as he would then immediately sit at your feet and look around expectantly until the banana was produced and he got to eat the entire thing himself. Bananas were not for sharing or for other greyhounds. They were his. And since he's been gone, we haven't even had bananas in the house.
Greyhounds CAN do stairs. If they have to. If they are motivated enough. When we first moved here, Pixie proved that. We have very steep stairs to our attic (finished, and one day I hope, it will be the master suite). The cat boxes were up there. She could get up them, but because they were so steep, she could not see where the next step down was, so she would NOT come down them. She LOVES cat cookies, so her motivation to go up was high. The humans were downstairs, and she couldn't figure out how to get down, so we had to practically carry her down. She then decided that this was a cool game. In the middle of the night. Go upstairs, eat cat cookies, then sit at the top of the stairs and give the Greyhound Scream of Death until the humans came up and carried her down. Neither Steve or I are capable of carrying a greyhound down stairs, even a small one of only 50 lbs. Especially down very steep stairs that we could fall down just as easily without trying to carry a greyhound down! So our solution was to cut a cat sized hole in the bottom of the attic door so that the cats could go up and the greyhounds couldn't. It worked pretty well. The cats had a safe place to go to get away from the greyhounds when they wanted peace and quiet, and we could keep the greyhounds out of the cat food and the cat litter boxes. Of course, Sunny STILL tries to stick her head thru the cat door to reach the cat's food bowl that sits on the steps just a few stairs up. The number of times I have caught that 12 year old stuck with her head through the cat door and her nose wedged in such a way that she can't get back out... not a case of intelligence or the lack there of, but of motivation.
Greyhounds CAN get out from under a blanket, but why would they want to? They can be quite warm and content under a blanket, and will stay there unless there is something much more interesting going on outside of the blanket... Like a visiting dog or a cat giving the cat equivalent of the Greyhound Scream of Death. Just a question of motivation.
As for coming when called. That depends on what you are calling them for. Around here, calling a specific greyhound by name is usually only resorted to if said greyhound is in TROUBLE. Why come for the opportunity of getting punished? Especially when the greyhound does not view the offending action as something BAD. (eating yard cookies is only a BAD thing to humans. Greyhounds find this behavior most enjoyable). Again, Sunny the 12 year old is the main offender. Any time she can manage to get outside without her muzzle and associated poop cup (to keep her from eating poop) on, she can and WILL eat yard cookies. Even frozen ones (or she will bring them back in with her in the hopes of getting to enjoy them when they thaw). I can call her til I'm blue in the face to get her to come in when she's enjoying a backyard snack, but she won't come until she has determined that she has had enough. The only way to circumvent this activity is to make sure her muzzle is securely in place BEFORE she goes outside. Trying to go GET her back in doesn't work very well because even at 12 years old and with very wobbly legs, she is still faster than the resident humans and the yard is pretty big. Besides, we have this tendency to try to circumnavigate the yard AROUND the remaining yard cookies (the yard is too big and we have have too many greyhounds to make cleaning up the poop remotely feasible), and well, she doesn't.
I would offer a different sort of IQ test for greyhounds. Can they figure out a new way to get on the couch or bed when it is already full of greyhounds or other obstacles (humans, books, pillows, knitting projects, mouse traps)? Can they convince the human to do whatever it is they want the human to do for them just by employing the Greyhound Scream of Death? Can they find a way thru a very tiny hole in the gate/fence/door/window to get out and run around the neighborhood? Can they find a fresh loaf of bread in one of 20 grocery bags brought in the house on shopping day, grab only that bag and race around the house, returning in under 3 seconds with the empty bag and bread wrapper and not a crumb anywhere? and can they tell the difference between the human's commands to know when not coming when called is going to end VERY BADLY for the greyhound in question? Of course, then they can and will come, with a look of utter helplessness and total affection and abject atonement on their face all at the same time. This look is guaranteed to get the human to cave in and forgive said greyhound, even if he has just eaten the entire brand new skein of very expensive and rare bison yarn that was intended for a present for someone special...
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