Moxie made it to the front page of Snuzzy, a Dogster/Catster property that is all about cute animal pictures. We don’t give Moxie much dairy (hello, fart city!) but do allow her to lick out empty yogurt and cottage cheese containers. My dog when I was growing up was called Sassy and she had a similar talent for getting ice cream out of tall sundae dishes, or any dishes really.

Anyway, check it out.

More than the health care debate I think this video speaks to the education crisis in our country. Really I shouldn’t have laughed as hard as I did — these people are serious — but what a bunch of fools. If you’re going to be a sign-toting right-winger at least know what the h-e-double-hockey-sticks you’re talking about.

What’s not funny is the undercurrent of assassination — the signs that read “Bury Obama-care With Kennedy” and “Unarmed — This Time.” Intimidation through violence or threats of violence is terrorism. Pathetic, really, after the last eight years of gutting the Constitution and screwing over this country that people come out with this crap. It’s unpatriotic. There, I said it.

One thing I’ll be doing is blogging from the desert. You can look for it on the Burning Blog, where I’ve already posted a few times this summer.

Some great pre-press has come out, including this story about a doctor who works at the event and the unusual medical cases out there. Have you ever heard of playa foot? You don’t want it, that’s for sure.

Mark Morford’s last column was about the life lessons of Burning Man. Like many Morford columns, it’s funny and rambling and over-the-top (oral sex in public? Maybe that will be my new thing to try out this year! Ahem). His way of describing the event touched something within the community. He calls it “beautifully debauched.” I have experienced the fierce joy he writes about and I’m headed back for more.

This soda siphon is my favorite memento from our time in Buenos Aires. It says La Primitiva Soda, Industria Argentina. We bought it at the Sunday antiques market at Plaza Dorrego in the neighborhood of San Telmo. Early in our trip we sat in this square and watched tango dancers as we drank Fernet and Cokes at an al fresco cafe.

The Sunday morning market stretched beyond the square to surrounding blocks that were closed to traffic. All sorts of elegant old housewares were for sale as well as gaucho knives, photos of old buildings and local crafts aimed at tourists. There were street performers, notably an octet with an upright piano and three accordionists, stilt walkers on cobblestones and a one-woman band playing plastic cups.

Here is “Oui on peut” (”Yes we can”), a song by Louisiana zydeco musician Dirk Collins and a host of others. Ted & I heard this last weekend while streaming New Orleans radio station WWOZ. Aw, chers.

I also found the Obama reggae song we heard on Turks & Caicos radio. It’s called “Barack Obama”, it’s by Cocoa Tea and it’s catchy. You should watch it.

These songs are a reminder that the world is excited about President Obama (omg! I just typed that for the first time, squeee!) and is behind the U.S. People who have been so screwed by past policy (Louisiana, the Third World) are stoked. So am I.

World’s Coolest Dog Photo Winner!

Dogster & Catster just announced the winners of their World’s Coolest Dog & Cat shows. Rawr!

Today I cast my vote for Barack Obama. A snapshot of where I was during such an emotional time in our history seems like something worth keeping.

Shortly after this photo was taken I did yoga to keep myself steady. This is California, people.

And for the love of all, No On 8! I don’t understand the fuss over people getting married. Gays getting married doesn’t affect anyone’s marriage but their own; banning gays from marriage won’t help anyone’s sad-sack relationship. It’s fascinating that the red states have the highest divorce rates. Maybe instead of telling people they can’t get married all those churchies should be telling people how to stay married.

Here’s a post I wrote in 2004 about gay marriage that is still true.

In the department of lifehacks I’m no Gina Trapani. I’m practical and fairly organized but sometimes wonder “Why didn’t I think of that?” However, I have one “Why, I did think of that!” for my dear readers.

We keep a household grocery list on a marker board. When it’s time to shop I take a photo with my phone to create an instant grocery list. No more lists forgotten on the couch or left in the car. Ta-da.