Today I am following along over at The Chef's Table and shadesong's blog for Blogathon 2009. Please consider stopping by to lend your support, and/or pledging whatever you can spare. :)

I thought I'd best throw this up before I leave on vacation. :)

My friend, missysedai, is taking part in Blogathon this year to raise money for the National Kidney Foundation. If you have some spare money hanging around, please consider sponsoring her. You can find her sponsor page here.

Blogathon 2009 begins Saturday, July 25th, at 6PDT/8CDT/9EDT/13:00GMT, and ends at the same time on Sunday, July 26th.

She will be blogging over at The Chef's Table during the event, and would appreciate comments to keep her awake and blogging! If you can't donate (and I know money is tight for most of us) this is a great way to take part and help out.

Many thanks!

My friend slammerkinbabe has come up with a wonderful idea, and I'd like to share it with you.

She's been trying to think of ways in which she can better help Darfur, and in light of the recent controversy on LJ and the creation of fandom_counts, she has created darfur_counts.

Here is the blurb from the userinfo:

"LiveJournal has exploded in controversy over the recent banning of a number of fandom journals. Free speech is important, and so are creative outlets like fandom.

But those of us who are upset about the situation on LiveJournal have computers. Those of us who are upset about the situation on LiveJournal have clothing, and food, and homes. Those of us who are upset about the situation on LiveJournal know we have a right to free speech and can speak out when it is threatened.

There are people who have none of those things. And so, there is darfur_counts.

This community will be modeled on fandom_counts: you need only join, and you will be counted. But there is one more step here. After you've clicked "join community", go to this site, click the "Make Donation to Darfur button, and donate five dollars. Maybe you can afford more than five dollars; maybe you can afford ten, or twenty. We ask that you donate five because most charities will not allow donations less than that, due to credit card fees. Still, ask yourself if you can afford five dollars. If you can, donate it. All who join this community will be assumed, on an honor system, to have done so."

PLEASE join and donate. I know a number of my f-list are going through hard times and are low on funds, but if you could find it in your heart and pocketbook to donate $5 that would be wonderful. I have donated what I could.

Please feel free to spread this entry/link around. Remember, darfur_counts.

Thanks to everyone who went to encourage slammerkinbabe yesterday. Sadly, Luke was in such bad shape that she felt the kindest thing would be to euthanise him. She fought for him when no one else would but she also had the courage to do what was right by him, even at the end. I wish all foster mums were as generous and compassionate as Kylie. Thank you for trying, hon.

On this theme of helping animal in needs, someone on herpers just posted a picture of a very deformed iguana suffering from MBD. THESE PHOTOS ARE DISTRESSING. PLEASE DO NOT CLICK IF YOU ARE SENSITIVE TO SUCH THINGS.

http://search.petfinder.com/petnote/displaypet.cgi?petid=6880606

I desperately want to take him in but I can't. Henry is too busy to care for a special needs iguana so I can't ask him to do that for me until I get out there for good.

If you know anyone in the area, or surrounding areas, that have the experience and time to sponsor/foster this little guy, please consider forwarding them this link. Or maybe consider sending the shelter some money to help with vet bills.

If you don't have any money or time spare (and I totally understand that), please hug your fuzzy/scaly/feathered loved ones for me and spare a thought for those who aren't as lucky.