Fergus the Dog vs the Rabbit Turds

I just thought this was hilarious and decided to share. Clearly this dog named Fergus deserves his own youtube channel.







Not to be outdone, see also: Cats, the Movie Trailer.



Evidently the guy making these videos is bored with his pets and has decided any pet videos he makes need to be seriously jazzed up.

Because it is 2015

"Because it is 2015." - Justin Trudeau, after swearing in as Canada's 23rd Prime Minister.

The question was asking why Justin Trudeau chose to have a cabinet of ministers that was equal men and women.

And Justin gave the reporter, in my opinion, a kick ass answer.

It is well past time women had equal representation in politics. This should have happened 50 years ago and it took until now to make it a reality.

Ever since then however I have heard men (and only men) complaining about how women don't deserve those cabinet post because they lack merit or experience or competence. I have heard it so many times, mostly on Facebook, that is annoying me to the point of frustration.

So here is the thing, those 15 women do actually deserve the jobs they've been given.

#1. Jane Philpott - Minister of Health

Why is she qualified? Philpott has been a family doctor at the Markham Stouffville Hospital since 1988. She also served as the hospitals’ chief of the Department of Family Medicine, and is an associate professor at the University of Toronto’s Department of Family and Community Medicine. Note - She is the first actual doctor to hold the post of Minister of Health. Who better than a doctor to be in charge of Canada's health care? An accountant? A lawyer? A businessman?

#2. Jody Wilson-Raybould - Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada

Why is she qualified? Wilson-Raybould is a former crown prosecutor, and adviser at the B.C. Treaty Commission and First Nations chief. She will be in charge of the inquiry into murdered and missing indigenous women, and is herself indigenous. Who better for the job than an indigenous lawyer?

#3. Carolyn Bennett - Minister of Indigenous and Northern Affairs

Why is she qualified? Served as Minister of State for Public Health under Prime Minister Paul Martin. So she has already been a minister before.

#4. Judy Foote - Minister of Public Services and Procurement

Why is she qualified? Former deputy house leader and former party whip. Served as a provincial MHA for 11 years, holding numerous ministerial roles. This is not her first rodeo.

#5. Chrystia Freeland - Minister of International Trade

Why is she qualified? Asides from being an economics journalist for the Financial Times and well-traveled, Freeland also speaks five languages: English, French, Ukrainian, Russian and Italian. Being a polyglot economics journalist is very handy for international trade.

#6. Marie-Claude Bibeau - Minister of International Development and La Francophonie

Why is she qualified? Tourism based businesswoman from Quebec and an executive director of a Quebec museum, so she knows issues of Quebec culture and also works well for bringing tourism dollars into Canada. Please note she is not in charge of international trade, see #7 above.

#7. Mélanie Joly - Minister of Canadian Heritage

Why is she qualified? She is a lawyer, communications partner, mayoral candidate. Not her first rodeo in politics either.

And so on and so forth. You can read the biographies for all 30 new ministers at
http://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/justin-trudeau-s-new-liberal-cabinet-full-list-and-bios-1.2642140


My point is, the people who are complaining about that these women lack experience or the proper backgrounds for the jobs they will be doing, well, they're just being sexist.

Pure and simple sexism.

They might try and hide it and claim that they love women, that they support equal rights for women, but then turn around and claim that these women don't deserve the job because they somehow lack merit.

As if men should automatically get the job just because they have testicles and maybe some merit.

Rather here is what I think what happened...

Trudeau asked his party members what cabinet jobs they would want, anyone who wanted a cabinet post put their names on the list of available posts, and then Trudeau sat down, looked at their qualifications and built a team based on their skills, experience and other merits... And for whatever reason, they ended up being 50 / 50 or roughly 50 / 50.

And for whatever jobs that were the most concerning, he picked people who he felt had lots of experience and the right background.

Take for example the two following minorities:

Navdeep Bains - Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development

Why is he qualified? Former financial and accounting analyst for years at Ford Motor Company. Economics and innovation. Also it is not his first rodeo either, he was first elected MP in 2004.

Harjit Singh Sajjan - Minister of National Defence

Why is he qualified? Former police detective and soldier. He is a highly decorated lieutenant-colonel who served three tours in Afghanistan and one in Bosnia.

Now here is why these two guys are important. They are also both Sikh. Visible minorities. Did Trudeau choose them because they are visible minorities? Or did he choose them because the one is an experienced MP who understands economics and technology, and quite possibly might be Finance Minister two decades from now, and the other is a highly decorated lieutenant-colonel who clearly knows what he is doing.

Now I haven't personally heard anyone complaining about Bains or Sajjan and saying that they are not qualified for their jobs, and even if I did, I would assume whoever is complaining is clearly a racist.

However if they were women, I bet people would be complaining about it, saying things like "Just because she is a lieutenant-colonel doesnn't mean she is qualified to be Minister of National Defence."

And other bullshit like that.

If anything it is some of the men who may not be qualified.

Like this guy:

Jim Carr - Minister of Natural Resources

Musician, journalist, Founding CEO of Business Council of Manitoba, and has been in politics since 1988. Of the first three, only business is tied to Natural Resources - and he apparently got a post as a Minister simply because he is an experienced politician. Not his first rodeo.

At which point you have to ask, what makes a person qualified for Natural Resources anyway? Being CEO of a gold mining corporation? Doesn't that really limit our options for who can hold these posts?

Canada elected 184 Liberals in October. Minus himself, Trudeau has to pick 30 people out of 183 to fill 30 cabinet postings, and he has to pick the people who are best suited for the job with only 183 people to choose from.

Chances are likely there are several people who are not qualified for the jobs they have been given. And we are not talking about the women here, but people in general.

For decades we have been giving the top jobs in Canada to unqualified men, because someone had to fulfill the role. Clearly the country did not collapse because we also have a system in place to correct any problems when people are not qualified. It is called a cabinet shuffle.

In my experience cabinet shuffles seem to happen routinely, every 6 to 9 months apart. Some people retire, some get demoted back to the benches, some people get promoted to a more prestigious ministry, and some get promoted to becoming a minister.

So how about we see what happens during Trudeau's first cabinet shuffle and see how the "game of musical chairs" plays out.

Ignoring retirements due to old age, I bet the women will fare just as well as the men do.

In the mean time please think on this phrase:

"You wouldn't be asking this question if she was a man."

How to Train your Cat to walk on a Leash

 Anyone who knows me also knows I love cats.

The article below used to be posted on a website I liked, but they have since removed it. Fortunately Google had a cache copy of it and I decided to keep it and share it with others.

For anyone who loves cats, this article is for you!

Teaching your cat to walk on a harness and leash is a great way to let your cat enjoy the outdoors while ensuring his safety. Outdoor excursions can reduce obesity and boredom-related behavior problems that many under-exercised indoor cats develop. Leash training also comes in handy during trips to the vet and other necessary travel. Before you get started, be sure your cat is up to date on his vaccinations.

How to Train Your Cat to Wear a Harness and Walk on a Leash

Most cats can be trained to walk on a harness and leash. Kittens are naturally more accepting of this new experience, but older cats can be trained with patience. Proceed in small steps, rewarding each bit of progress. Start harness training indoors so that your cat’s comfortable with it before you venture outside.

• Purchase a harness designed for cats. The leash attachment should be located on the back of the harness, not at the neck. Try Premier’s Gentle Leader® Come with Me Kitty™ Harness & Bungee Leash, which is easy to use and adjust.
• Leave the harness and leash near your cat’s food or favorite sleeping spot for several days. He’ll get used to the sight of it and associate it with feelings of contentment.
• In addition (or instead of Step 2), hold the harness and let your cat sniff it. Offer him treats as he does this. Then lay the harness against your cat’s neck and offer him a treat. As he’s sniffing the treat, remove the harness and let him eat the treat.
• Meanwhile—if your cat doesn’t much like being held and restrained—get your cat used to the handling you’ll have to do to put on his harness. (Just skip this step if your cat already accepts or enjoys being held.) With his favorite snack or toy close by, hold him firmly but gently for a few seconds. Softly praise him while you hold him, then show him a treat and release him to eat it. Repeat this exercise often for several days, always following your handling with treats, and gradually holding him a few seconds longer each time. Practice gently handling your cat’s legs and feet, too, and rewarding him for accepting that.
• Next, drape the harness over your cat’s shoulders and down his chest between his front legs. Introduce the new feel of the straps while your cat is sniffing or eating his treat, and remove the harness immediately. Work until you can snap the harness on him over his neck and shoulder area and between his front legs, continuing to distract him with treats.
• Put the harness on your cat, but don’t attach the leash yet. Immediately distract him with tasty treats. Adjust the fit of the harness. You should be able to slip two fingers (but not three or four) between the harness and your cat’s body. Leave the harness on for just a couple minutes, removing it before your cat’s interest in his rewards starts to decrease. Repeat this training daily for several days. If your cat stays relaxed, gradually increase the time the harness is on. If he ever gets upset, distract him with treats and then remove the harness. Try again later with a better reward and take the harness off sooner, before your cat has a chance to get upset.
• Now it’s time to attach the leash. Place your cat in a room with few things that might snag a leash. Put the harness on your cat and attach the leash, letting it drag on the ground behind him. Distract him with treats or play. Repeat this step for several days. Always supervise so that the leash doesn’t get caught on something and scare him.
• When your cat seems relaxed and comfortable while dragging the leash, hold it gently (not pulling against him) while he walks around the house. Let him go wherever he wants to, and keep the leash loose as you follow him around. As he roams, praise him often and periodically reward him with tasty treats. Practice this step for a few days.
• You might be satisfied to conclude harness training here and proceed outdoors. But you can also practice directing where your cat walks on leash indoors a bit (rather than just following him) before you go outside, since you’ll need to direct him once you’re outside. Here’s how you can encourage your cat to walk along with you:
  • Using a sweet, soft voice, encourage your cat to follow you.
  • Drop him a treat, and while he eats it, walk away to the end of the leash. When he catches up to you, praise and reward him with another treat. Repeat this over and over.
  • Apply gentle, persistent pressure on the leash if your cat tries to go in another direction. Be sure not to jerk or pop the leash. Just wait patiently. When your cat finally takes a couple of steps toward you, he’ll be rewarded by relief from the tension on the leash, and you can again reward him with a treat.
• Now it’s time to take the show on the road. Most cats who haven’t been outdoors are nervous and easily startled outside. So start in a quiet, sheltered spot and just sit with your cat on the leash. He’ll start exploring as he adjusts. Just as you did indoors, start by following behind your cat as he checks things out, and travel further with your new walking buddy when he’s relaxed and ready to move on.

Additional Tips

• Your cat won’t constantly pester you to go out if you take him only at a certain time each day. Try setting a regular walking schedule.
• Always put the harness on away from the door and carry your cat outside. Never let him walk out on his own, or he might try to dash out between walks without his harness on.
• Never harness your cat when he’s crying or pestering you. Ignore him until he’s quiet. Then you can reward his good behavior with a walk.
• Do not tie your cat’s leash to something outside and leave him, even if you plan to be gone for only a minute or two. Your cat might get tangled in the leash and hurt himself, and he won’t be able to escape if a dog or other animal approaches. In fact, it’s best to avoid leaving your cat outdoors unattended altogether, whether he’s on a leash or not.