Mercola gets the last laugh again

Another new study has come out strongly correlating low vitamin D levels with cancer incidence! Mercola said this a long time ago, and people have been laughing and him--and at me, ever since I decided to get a tan instead of hiding from the sun. But here you go, his last laugh:

http://v.mercola.com/blogs/public_blog/New-Evidence-That-Sun-Exposure-Prevents-Cancer-13163.aspx

Idaho US Forest Service leaves the river WILD

The Idaho USFS has decided that they're not on call to go blast every nature-inserted obstacle from the rivers in their domain. In my view, this is great news. There are two major strainers in the Salmon River of Idaho, and they are going to stay there until nature (and river runners count as part of nature) takes them out. These obstacles will severely limit commercial use, as those operators would find the trouble of portaging their deluxe rigs to be more work than profit. And not many private boaters are likely to brave the hardship either. The reduction in river use will be a welcome break for the wildlife in that river corridor, which has to be stressed by the steady traffic of rafters during the spring and summer.
( The 5/15/07 Riverwire: NO BLASTING OF LOGJAM AND STRAINER THIS YEAR )

The Cat Chronicles

Before Caroline left town she helped me bathe the kitten in my kitchen sink. Shakti squabbled, putting a paw on each side of the sink and refusing to go in, even though the water was the perfect temperature. Caroline held her while I dished warm water over her shoulders and lathered her up with my shampoo, which I spread on my hands. Soon as she was soapy I started rinsing, being careful to stay away from her head. Shakti reached for the shelves and never gave up her insistence to get away from the sink, but she did not scratch or bite either one of us. The whole bath took no more than 2 minutes.

I wrapped her in a towel and dried her as best I could. Once she found out that I was trying to dry her, she no longer struggled to get away. She let me scrub each part of her with the towel, and went out into the hot Arizona sunshine. She even let me brush her whenever she came back in, and seemed to luxuriate in having someone else care for her fur.

We have found a new level of comfort with each other since that bath. Trust. I now trust her not to hurt me, and she trusts me. We play and relax better with this understanding.