Santa Monica to Ban Declawing of Cats

My Beloved Solomon, I miss you. Go to MyCatStoppedEating.com to find out why Solomon died.


The City of Santa Monica is moving quickly to ban declawing of cats by January 1st, 2010. This practice has already been banned in West Hollywood and is on the table to be banned for the cities of Los Angeles and San Francisco. Why the sudden urgency?: Effective January 1st, 2010, Arnold (the Governator) will be signing into law to make it illegal for cities and municipalities within California to ban medical procedures.

Click Here -> WE LOVE CATS for the news story

While we agree that declawing a cat is inhumane, we also can't deny the mistreatment that cats have to endure by certain types of individuals because of their claws is also inhumane. If an owner dumps a cat out on the street because it claws the furniture, then that cat will face dire circumstances. If an owner abuses a cat because it claws the furniture, then that is more of an inhumane living condition than the INDOOR ONLY cat being declawed. Finally, what if an owner euthanizes a cat because of "mis-use" of claws???

The San Francisco Society for Prevention and Cruelty to Animals shares our concerns as well in their statement:
"The San Francisco SPCA does not support efforts to prohibit feline onychectomy. Our mission is to save animals’ lives and we understand that, in some instances, this procedure may be the only way to prevent abandonment, relinquishment, or euthanasia. We are cognizant of the fact that, unlike The SF/SPCA, a number of animal welfare agencies do not have the resources to address behavioral problems in shelter cats and the cat-owning public, thus making euthanasia an unavoidable option. This is an outcome that we always seek to avoid."
link -> SF/SPCA Declaw Ban

Click this link -> Declawing is inhumane
Read why declawing is inhumane. Educate yourself, your family and your friends. Make sure that you (and your family and friends) are ready to become RESPONSIBLE pet owners before deciding to adopt a cat.

We are animal lovers. We don't want animals to suffer. We hope that cats won't endure a more painful existence because of this ban :(

Summer Isn't Over Yet

Summer isn't over yet! There are still SO MANY days left until Autumn Equinox, when summer is officially over and Fall officially begins. This year Autumn Equinox is on September 22, that means that we have 57 days left. That's nearly two whole months! Here are some things that we have done in Southern California this summer that might be of interest to those of you who want to live it up for 57 more days!

Santa Monica Pier



Will Rogers State Beach, Los Angeles



Temescal Canyon, Pacific Palisades



Third Street Promenade, Santa Monica



Newport Bay, Newport Beach



San Diego Zoo



Gaslamp Quarter, San Diego



Las Flores Creek Park, Malibu



Griffith Observatory, Los Angeles



Gordon Biersch Brewery, Burbank



So ignore all of the back to school propaganda and go out and live it up for 57 more days! That is what we are going to do.

Bizymoms

I am proud (and excited) to announce that I am now a part of the Los Angeles and Santa Monica Bizymoms Blog Network. Bizymoms is a wonderful place to go to find business opportunities, network, blog and connect with other busy moms!

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Air Pollution From Freeway Extends 1.5 Miles Away

Air Pollution From Freeway Extends 1.5 Miles Away

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What is your "walk score"?

Are you planning to move any time soon? If you live in a large metropolitan area like Los Angeles, you should consider the walkability of your future neighborhood. Why?

1. Less time sitting in traffic & searching for a parking space, more time to live life to the fullest. Choose a neighborhood that has a few restaurants, a grocery store, a coffee shop and a convenience store within walking distance. My neighborhood (Santa Monica 90404) is so walkable that I have all those things and more, including TWO vets, a liquor store, a pharmacy, two major hospitals, two parks, an elementary school...

2. It is better for the environment. Living in a walkable neighborhood cuts down on gasoline consuption, emissions and all of that icky stuff that is bad for the Earth. Remember to carry reusable shopping bags with you...

3. You get to know your neighborhood. This is very important. A neighborhood that has residents who are aware of their surroundings and observant of daily activity has less crime. Getting to know your neighborhood also instills a sense of belonging, which is a necessary component for ultimate happiness.

4. Exercise! Need I say more?

Click HERE to get your walk score.

Carpe Diem

Carpe Diem means "Seize the Day" in Latin and that is what we did on Sunday! Instead of waiting for the most convenient time or the best part of the day, we packed up the car with beach toys, beach towels, sunscreen, water and kids and headed two miles west to the beach!

California found a pet rock to keep him company! It was hard to part with him when we had to go home :(



It was unusally warm in Los Angeles/Santa Monica. The thermometer in the car read 93 degrees on the way there and 91 degrees at the beach! It is usually quite breezy down by the ocean but there wasn't a breeze to be had on Sunday. You can see the effect of the heat on Tennessee's face. RED HOT!



This is what we enjoyed on a hot Sunday afternoon right at naptime for California. We figured since we only lived two miles away, we could zip home in an instant!



It was 91 degrees on the beach but the sand was hotter...approximately 182 degrees by my estimation. In the midst of seizing the day, Tennessee forgot his flip flops. So a dip in the ocean was a must.



California decided it was time for his nap and was very unhappy about the heat, so we went home after being there for about 45 minutes. As we left, a surfer,in a brand new luxury SUV, asked if we would give him our $7.00 parking pass so he could park for free. How tacky is that??!! It would never cross my mind in a million years to ask a stranger, much less a friend, for a parking pass that I have the responsibility to pay for!

Our Beautiful Backyard

It was 83 today, so we decided to play in the backyard. We live in a condo and our backyard is HUGE. We walked two miles to get there. You may have heard of it; it is called the Pacific Ocean :) We stopped at the Coffee Bean on the way to take a break. L.A. Mama got a Mocha Latte and Tennessee & California got a cookie to keep their blood sugar levels high enough to make it to the beach. Then we stopped at the Third Street Promenade to go to Barnes and Noble to get some books and magazines. We finally made it there and found the most beautiful tree.





Look closely! That is the Pacific Ocean in the background.






Here is a better picture of our beautiful backyard.



California passed out on the way back home.



...and then we got a mid day snack at Earth Wind & Flour before coming home to slather aloe vera on our faces!

Easter: Southern California Style

Tennessee and California awoke to a living room filled with pastel balloons, some caramel filled chocolate eggs, jelly beans and the promise of a new day! L.A. Mama slept in just a little until the sound of the security alarm roused her from her slumber. Just so you all know...the sound of a popping balloon WILL trigger the "glass break" alarm to go off and your security company WILL call you within 30 seconds.


While California took a nap, L.A. Mama went out to buy a blueberry bush, raspberry bush, a Merlot grapevine, three tomato plants, six cucumber plants, one jalapeno pepper plant, lots of potting soil and some containers. Tomorrow we will work on planting all of these yummy goodies and some sunflowers seeds (check back for blogs on this!!).

After California woke up, we all headed to the beach. Tennesse and I thought it would be fun to bring bowls, spoons, measuring cups and other everyday items to play in the sand. We also brought some store bought sand toys. And EGGS:



California immediately took to the task of filling each egg with sand and burying them:





Tennessee got buried (as usual)and did some sommersaults:




California played and Tennessee chilled in the sun:




L.A. Mama got a little sun and a lot of happiness, then we all went home and ordered pizza!

Peek into the Social Life of a Southern California Homeschooler

The question that homeschoolers hear most often from people who aren't familiar with homeschooling is: "What About Socialization?"

There are many opportunities for socialization!! Take a peek into the social life of a Southern California homeschooler to see for yourself...

(I would include pictures of Tennessee engaging in these activities but other children would be in them. Out of respect for those children and their parents, I have chosen not to publish them...I wouldn't want someone to put pictures of my child on the internet without my permission).

On Fridays, Tennessee plays sports. We are a part of a homeschooling group which consists of over 100 homeschooling families. This group meets on Mondays and Fridays(about 15 families or so attend these gatherings regularly) at various parks within the city. They get together to play baseball, soccer, basketball, bowling and sometimes miniature golf on Fridays. These sports are taught by a homeschooling Dad who is a coach. On Mondays, the kids meet to have free time to play and socialize.

We drive a few miles into Los Angeles and meet with another homeschooling group. This group is compiled of almost 500 homeschooling families! Many of these families gather together to take part in a variety of activities such as:

Shakespeare Class: The kids work on a Shakespearian play each week and then present it on stage at the end of the school year. Tennessee was enrolled in this class three years ago, when he was 5. He was cast as Puck in "A Midsummer Night's Dream".

Chess Class: Taught by homeschool parents. The kids learn how to play chess and to apply essential critical thinking skills. Tennessee takes part in this activity. He won the "best sportsmanship" award last year.

Sign Language Class: Taught by a homeschool Mama

French Class: Taught by a native French speaker and a homeschool Mama

Spanish Class: Taught by a native Spanish speaker and a homeschool Mama

Book Club: Organized and led by a homeschool Mama

Snow Fairies Club: A group organized and led by a homeschool Mama that incorporates arts & crafts, dress up and pretend play for younger girls (5 - 10). Boys are welcome to take part in the fun (if they can get over the name of the club).

Classes taught by ME! I will be teaching Yoga, Reiki and Meditation classes as soon as California is well and I can get someone to keep and eye on him while he plays.

Both of these groups organize field trips as well. The next one is a trip to the California Pizza Kitchen to learn how to make pizza and then they get to make one for themselves! There have been field trips to Native American reservations where the children learn about Native American life and crafts, museums, fire stations, Seaworld...

In addition to these activities, Tennessee has taken swimming class and clay class with the local parks and recreation department. There is a WIDE variety of classes to choose from each year within the parks and recreation department. Click HERE to see the classes offered in the Santa Monica recreation and leisure guide.

He also talks on the phone to his cousins and friends, does webcam and instant messaging with friends on a daily basis. Yesterday, he instant messaged with a friend in Nashville, TN about Science related topics.

There ya have it...

Do you homeschool? Leave me a comment about your child's social life!

Santa Monica BANS Plastic Bags!

Click HERE to browse through the newspaper.

Santa Monica officials voted unanimously to ban plastic bags on February 26th, 2008. According to HealtheBay.org, Santa Monica is also considering enacting a charge to use paper bags.

L.A. Times blogger, Siel, reports that the ban will most likely go something like this:

No free bags, period. The point is to discourage one-use bags and encourage reusable bags.

Plastic bags banned at all retail locations in the city.

Biodegradable one-use bags banned at all retail locations in the city, because these bags "present many of the same environmental litter and marine environment problems as plastic bags."

Paper bags that contain old growth fiber, or are not 100% recyclable, or contain less than 40% post consumer recycled content banned at all retail locations.

Recyclable paper bags that contain at least 40% post consumer recycled content AND don't contain any old growth fiber allowed FOR A FEE.

All affected stores must provide reusable carryout bags for sale and, with assistance from the City, promote their sale and use.

Additionally, Heal the Bay has compiled the following statistics:

Each year, approximately 6 billion plastic bags are consumed in Los Angeles County. This is equivalent to 600 bags per person per year. Nationwide, 60,000 plastic bags are used every five seconds.

Approximately 150,000 tons of plastic bags are disposed by Los Angeles County residents each year.

Disposable bags cost our cities up to 17 cents per bag for disposal.
Plastic bags are made from petroleum. Americans use over 380 billion bags every year, throwing away millions of barrels of oil.

100,000 marine animals are killed annually by entanglement in marine debris such as plastic bags.

Alternatives such as REUSABLE BAGS are readily available, affordable. and offer tremendous benefits.

You can buy reusuable bags like this one: BUY IT HERE or just make of habit of taking a large tote bags or beach bags to the store. This ban doesn't really affect us since we have been using canvas bags for shopping for a few years now.

Santa Monica BANS Styrofoam Containers

City Container Ban Begins February 9
Hannah Heineman, Mirror Staff Writer
Taking a step towards solving the global warming crisis, the City of Santa Monica has banned the use of non-recyclable food containers.
The ban was approved by the City Council due to concern over the polluting effects Styrofoam and other non-recyclable plastic products were having on Santa Monica’s bay and beaches. The City website states that most beach litter is from these products, which, in addition to causing environmental damage, can be ingested by marine animals and seabirds who mistake them for food.

All City facilities and operations, City-managed concessions, and City-sponsored and permitted events began observing the ban last year, on February 9. Restaurants were given until this week so they had time to phase in the changes. The City’s Environmental Programs Manager, Dean Kubani, told the Mirror the City has been “working with area restaurants for the last six months on the ban” to help them find alternative containers. In terms of cost, most of the alternatives are more expensive, but it “depends on what the restaurant is switching to and how large a quantity they are buying.”

Alternative products are made from materials such as corn, potato starch, sugar cane, paper, cardboard, or aluminum foil. Janabai Amsden, who co-owns the Main Street restaurant Euphoria Loves RAWvolution with her husband, Matt, thinks eventually plastic containers will “become more expensive than the recyclable containers as gas prices go up.” She says prices for biodegradable products will drop as the “infrastructure increases” to produce them.

Amsden’s restaurant has used biodegradable products from the time it opened two years ago. That decision was made because “as a business owner I feel I have a larger responsibility for waste,” especially since her industry produces so much waste. She also mentioned that customers are coming in and trying to buy biodegradable products from her.

City Councilmember Kevin McKeown made the following statement on the ban: “During the full year phase-in we opted for, our ability to completely wean city departments and events from Styrofoam have shown it can be done. Staff has been exemplary in reaching out to local businesses in preparation for the Citywide ban starting later this week, helping them find vendors and understand how cost-effective use of alternative containers can help our environment and particularly Santa Monica Bay."

Having City “inspectors going out to different restaurants checking to see if they are complying” is not how Kubani foresees enforcing the ban. Instead, the City will investigate complaints from restaurant customers or “from other businesses that are complying.” Violators will receive warning letters, and if they still don’t comply they will be fined.

Amsden believes the use of recyclable products “removes any bad feelings when a person finishes a meal.” To her, “This feeling should be good and not attached to a subtle guilt.”

L.A. Mama says: "I love Santa Monica. San Francisco and Oakland did it in 2007 and now Santa Monica has taken the same stance. Los Angeles and New York City are in the midst of follwoing suit. This shows true compassion and conscientious choices made in an effort to reduce pollution for future generations, the animals and the Earth! Your city is next. California always leads the way."