What does being naked have to do with begin a vegetarian?

The new Alicia Silverstone ad is raising much controversy in Texas as broadcasters have pulled this ad from airing. I have nothing against nudity…but I don’t feel it’s really necessary in this commercial. I don’t swim naked thinking about the meat I didn’t eat. Who walks around naked being proud they don’t eat meat? It’s just not realistic.

Kudos to PETA for trying though and to Silverstone for baring all.

[youtube="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0TyhkqUkHgM]

The Cubs now have less than ten games remaining on their schedule, and after Wednesday night’s 3-2 victory over the Cincinnati Reds, they sit alone atop the NL Central–the Brewers lost to the Astros in extra innings.

The Illinois State Senate narrowly passed a public-works bill, which includes plans for a Chicago casino. The bill also gives the CTA $200 million in the form of a one-year loan to tide us over until the next crisis. Now on to the House, where this bill will totally die.

Wisconsin Dells watch out! A ginormous indoor waterpark is in the works a mere 35 miles away from Chicago.

The 2007 Urban Mobility Report is out and guess what? Chicago ranks third in the highest annual traffic delays — the amount of extra time your trip takes because of traffic — behind NY and LA, a spot we’ve
held on to for years, and the cost of that wasted time is high: $906 per traveler. But don’t worry, at least we have the CTA. Oh, and as The Chicagoist kindly reminded.. Edens Expressway work begins on the 28th. Awesome.

After being cut by the Bears following his arrest for suspected DUI, Tank Johnson has signed on with a new team. And that new team just happens to be the Dallas Cowboys, who face the Bears this Sunday night. Go Bears!

Now on a more serious note: Mike Ditka versus a hurricane: who would win? Wait, the name of the hurricane is Hurricane Ditka.

The CTA just can’t keep themselves out of the news for one week can they?

After the doomsday scenario was taken care of last Sunday, the papers still feel the need to print anything and everything they can having to do with the CTA.

Today’s topic: expiring cards.

The CTA warns riders to replace expiring cards. By cards, I’m assuming they mean Chicago Cards. About 9,800 CTA Chicago Cards that were issued four years ago will expire in October, and customers must request replacement cards before the deadline or risk deactivation of the old card and possibly the loss of the entire balance. I didn’t even know they had Chicago Cards four years ago!

So does this only apply to those cards bought four years ago or should everybody with a Chicago Card fear the day when their card no longer works?

Could you imagine if everyone had to replace their card? The website would shut down, CTA officials would be no where and we’d probably receive a letter stating they are experiencing an equipment problem and it’ll take 1-2 years to receive another card.

The new “mini-doomsday” for Chicago Card users is October 17th. Chicago Card customers can get a new card at no cost but are asked to first check the expiration date. Where the hell is the expiration date?! I’ve looked all over my card and cannot locate this mysterious date.

That can be done online at www.chicago-card.com/cc; at the passenger information units near the customer assistance kiosks in most CTA rail stations; by calling 888-968-7282 from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday; or by going to the CTA sales center at 567 W. Lake St., between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, officials said.

To avoid deactivation or loss of their balance, registered Chicago Card customers must obtain a replacement. Only registered cards can have the balance transferred, even after the card expires, officials said.

Customers with unregistered cards can go online or call the CTA to register their cards before the expiration date to preserve the balance. Once the card is registered, customers will be able to transfer any remaining value to a new card.

The Chicago Card Plus fare cards are not affected by the upcoming expiration date. (I think this is me.)

If it’s not one thing it’s another with the CTA.

Stay tuned next week for another, I’m sure, exciting edition of CTA: Wtf?!

I’m not against supporting the troops by any means. Just because I don’t necessarily agree with this war, it doesn’t mean I don’t appreciate the men and women who are fighting it. So while I agree with the message of this video I’m about to show…I’m not sure if it’s really something I could get into.

Everyone knows Obama Girl right? The girl with a crush on Obama who had a debate with Giuliani Girl via YouTube.

Well it seems these ladies just can’t let go of their 15 minutes of fame. Obama girl has come out with a new video supporting the troops. Again, nothing against the troops. I just find the video….eh, I’m not even sure what to say about it.

Just watch:

[youtube="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XFnzbjftMwc&eurl=http%3A%2F%2Fweblogs%2Eredeyechicago%2Ecom%2Fthis%5Fblog%5Fstarts%5Fat%5F11%2F2007%2F09%2Fobama%2Dgirls%2Dgot%2Ehtml]

Congratulations Chicago, in addition to having the crappiest public transportation system in the U.S. we’ve managed to become the nation’s capital for high-cost home loans.

On a happier note, Thome has become the 23rd MLB player to reach 500 home runs. Congrats to the White Sox. Lord knows they need something to be happy about this season.

On an even happier note, the Cubs are having quite the season. Some how I’m still not optimistic that they won’t screw this up.

Stay out of the water! Has anyone seen that episode of My Boys on TBS where the group choose activities around Chicago that they haven’t ever done? Well one of the characters runs into Lake Michigan. The rest of the group hangs out by the sand laughing at him and telling him nobody goes into the water. It’s not for a fear of drowning or sharks…but the water itself. A new study is looking to find out if just having water from the lake touch you can affect your health.

Great.

That concludes Chicago news for today!

It seems that I find the rudest people when I’m shopping at Target.

Over the weekend I decided to head to Target during halftime of the Bears game. I’m walking through the parking lot, heading toward the door when someone coming out of the door decides to start walking in a diagonal line instead of straight. Our arms just hit each other and I turn around and say “sorry” because it could have been my fault. It wasn’t, but I’m not rude. I don’t hear anything back from her and continue walking. After a few steps I hear “excuse you!” I wanted to turn around and say “excuse yourself and learn how to walk b*tch!” But I didn’t. I shrugged it off.

This bothers me though. I obviously stopped, turned and said I was sorry but that wasn’t good enough for her. She just had to throw out the “excuse you.” Like that’s going to make me quiver. Okay, excuse me. Stop being a moron, pay attention to where you’re walking and shut up. It’s not my fault she can’t talk on a cell phone and walk at the same time.

Stupid people!

I think this could be avoided often if people just stuck to the simple rules of the sidewalk. Walk toward the right. It always bothers me when somebody decides to walk toward me while I’m walking on the right side of the sidewalk. We drive on the right, why not walk on it!? Don’t walk against traffic idiots! You’re just asking to smack into somebody and start a confrontation right there.

As for our diagonal walkers….pay attention. The road and sidewalks do not belong to you and I’m not required to move just because you decide to mess up the order of things. As far as I’m concerned, you deserve to get hit.

A visual journey through the lives, and weight changes, of my cats…

Introducing, Seven and Voodoo, both stray cats adopted by yours truly.

Shortly after arriving to their new home, they find the food bowl, which is bigger than them. This is the beginning of Seven’s downfall.

Eating is a pretty big job for these two. This picture symbolizes the beginning of what I like to call the “strange sleep positions phase.”

Let’s take a walk through that phase…

Seven started airin’ out her bits pretty early in her life.

I’m pretty sure he spent so much time trying to jump up onto the bed that when he finally got there, he was exhausted and passed out. I like to call this one “crash landing.”

I don’t even know what could have happened here. Perhaps she started up on top of them and slowly fell in between the two pillows.

After a move to Salt Lake City, the two cats thought they’d help by unpacking.

It turns out Voodoo was trying to pack Seven away

Because of a mistake I made by giving them a cardboard box to play with, they discovered it could be made into a lounge. Voodoo dabbled in the lounge business for about a week until a my foot a freak disaster ruined the box.

Distraught and hopeless, Seven comforts Voodoo during his time of grief. This also brings about another odd sleeping phase.

Voodoo soon picked up wrestling after watching the WWE and decided to practice a headlock on Seven. She was such a good sport about the whole thing.

After losing so many matches to Voodoo, Seven quickly put on weight.

Voodoo, mistaking Seven for a turkey, began licking her in his sleep.

Seven quickly out grew her bed. Occasionally neighbors would ask where I found the beached whale and why I had it in my house. Despite these comments, Seven trotted on.

Voodoo set up elaborate tricks to cheer her up.

Yet another move and Voodoo is prepared to go this time.

This leads us to today…where earlier you saw the whale Seven and Voodoo curled up on my bed. You will be happy to know that Seven is maintaining her weight, licks feathers and still airs out her bits often. Voodoo, the mischief, chases bugs, pounces on feathers and maintains hope of one day opening up another kitty lounge.

I know that summer is coming to an end when my cats start sleeping on my bed again. Usually in the summer time it is much too hot upstairs for anyone, including myself, to sleep comfortably on my bed. The cats find new places to dream under my bed, in the corner underneath their cat tree thing or in the bath tub.

It’s never a good sign to see them back on the bed. This means the weather is getting cool enough for a very high comfortability factor on my bed, thus resulting in a blanket of cat hair where I choose to lay my head to rest. Luckily, this year I got smart. I put a separate sheet over my comforter for them to lay on. I peel that back at night and get under my nice, almost cat-hair-free covers.

Though, the thought of shaving them comes into my mind each and every winter since I’ve had them.

As of right now, PostSecret is back up and running.

While it’s back, here are my favorites:

I’m not sure what happened to PostSecret this morning. It appears to belong to someone named Nicole now. The entire layout is changed and worst of all….

there are NO secrets!

As soon as I find out what happened I’ll be sure to get the secrets posted.