Cat Macros

While researching photographs entirely unrelated to cats, we came across the origin story of lolcats. Or at least the the forerunner. According to Wikipedia (& what better source of knowledge exists in the universe, really?):

Cat macros have existed since at least the 1870s, when British portrait photographer Harry Pointer created a carte de visite series featuring felines posed in various situations, to which he added amusing text intended to further enhance their appeal.

ciao-cheerio-meow/GG Central

(1905 cat postcard by Harry Whittier Frees; Harry Pointer cat macro, 1870s)

GG & Women's Rights - Sign Our Petition (Please)

Did you know that you burn more calories when you're a a busybody pest? Yep.*

Let's get this show on the road; it's only been 15 years (!) since the Beijing Conference Women's conference. Below is a snippet from Amnesty International's petition. Please, please sign it (or go to your home country's page & sign it). We know what you're thinking (yes, we do). Oh who cares, nothing ever gets done, blah blah meow. No kidding. It is very difficult but some good is accomplished. So what is the choice? What do we do then? Nothing? This is not an option. (Besides, we know many of you hang out on Facebook & Twitter. Uh huh. And we'll track you down!) Oof. Got carried away into a case of the vapors. So sorry.

"The General Assembly has at last taken decisive action to create a new gender equality entity on the eve of the 15th anniversary of the Beijing women's conference in 2010. It is a great victory for women's rights as well as for the coalition of women's and other civil society organizations. Now we must ensure that it is a robust and transformational body, capable of advancing the realization of women’s rights on the ground, urgently and effectively."

Charlotte Bunch, Founding Director, Center for Women’s Global Leadership, USA.

"In order to achieve this, the agreed new women’s agency urgently needs sustained political commitment from all governments and immediate, substantial funding to ensure its effective establishment and success."

So fer cryin' out loud, sign it. (Please & thank you)

ciao-grumble-meow/GG's editor

*No scientific proof but we are convinced; fidgeting does burns calories. In which case GG's editor will be back to her normal self by summer's end.

[stand-in for GG - who does not type - cute cat via we heart it]

Make a Splash - Week's End

Have a wonderful, lively weekend. GG & her editor are resting (although GG may be entertaining a notion of busting out like this cat; hard to tell, she has her poker face on). You should check out a colorful post on Jimi Hendrix & his fabulous coat-of-many-colors; it will be on display this summer at the National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, DC. Intrigued? You should be. The Clever Pup, she's rather colorful herself, will tell you all about it. [photograph via the things she loves/tumblr, via we heart it]

ciao-electric-meow/GGCM

Look At That Face

Look at that face -

Just look at it,
Look at that fabulous face of yours.
I knew first look I took at it,
This was the face that the world adores.

Look at those eyes -
As wise and as deep as the sea.
Look at that nose -
It shows what a nose should be.--The Roar of the Greasepaint --the Smell of the Crowd*

We must admit to you, dear readers, that we need another break. GG is all for les vacances immediately. But we will post photographs through the week & reassess the situation. Meanwhile, enjoy these feline faces in their spaces; & the links on this page & on GG's editor's blog bricolage (where you can comment).

(*lyrics & music by Leslie Briscusse & Anthony Newley)

[images here, here, here, & here via we heart it]

Look into My Eyes, Darling

GG & her editor love this cool customer. He can pull off a vest, for sure. Makes us want a gin & tonic--if we drank G&Ts. GG continues to long for a playmate. This is as close as she'll get anytime soon.

[By generous Nick Bartoletti in Seattle]

Attention Must Be Paid - Week's End

GG does exactly what the kitten is doing...only on the laptop! Have a good evening while we chase her around the apartment. [audrey hepburn complex/tumblr via we heart it]

Opportunity Knocks

We'll be with you soon. Must check this out. Ahem.

[from cute overload:) via we heart it]

GG in July

We're goofing off. Actually, we're very busy. And cannot quite believe that it's July--already.

You're definitely missing out if you don't go to the Archives of the State Library in New South Wales, Australia & peruse their flickr sets. It's obvious that we're quite fond of them, especially photographer Sam Hood's photos. Here's another favorite from the pets & other animals set, with the literal title, Girl with two cats and a kitten, Sydney, 1930s / Sam Hood.

However rushed you might be, there's still time to check out a link or two here, surely. Perhaps to bid on an item at Made4Aid in the upper right sidebar (more about them soon). Don't be shy: artists in the UK with a most wonderful idea (but you can visit them from anywhere). Check them out!

ciao-rushed-meow/the mgmt

The Piano Teacher

A little fun for a Monday morning. Anyone who took (or is taking) piano lessons can relate to this photograph by Dmitri Kessel [LIFE archives] "You haven't practiced this week, have you? Um, yes, sort of. What, pray tell, is this 'sort of' of which you speak?'"

The Clever Pup (you should visit her, she's done some painting over the week-end) sent us a video that we could actually download & watch on RealPlayer (dial-up, you know). GG loved it. She wants a piano now, too. Probably the whole world has seen Nora, the Piano Tuner...but in case you haven't, she's all over the Internety-Tweetiebird-YouTubes (as our favorite late-night nut would say). So Google that & watch Nora; Googley-Feedburner will 'yell' at us if we put in a corrupted.wmv file here (& we can't tell the difference until it has caused a heap o' trouble.)

[UPDATE: The Clever Pup has posted the info for Nora, The Piano Cat & her website. Go here to see. Thanks, Pup.]

Rumor is that the Nora's sequel not only equals, but may surpass, the original video. How often does that happen in the world of entertainment? Huh? It would make a cat laugh.

a cheery-cheeky-ciao/GG & mgmt.

A Parisian Café Cat

We're busy & photographer Patrice Panfili saves the day with laugh-out-loud pix. Most of his shots are people, streetscape. GG is in love. What a puss on this puss. Patrice calls him (in French) "king of the town." [Notice how proud the cat's guardian is ..he ees so chic, non? Oui. [from the archives as brief relief. The photographs are larger & better quality than original downloads.]

bisou
GG Central

Felinity on la Côte d'Azur - Week's End

[altered post from 24 August 2008; stripped of some extraneous html & 5,000 all rights reserved notices; it is all rights reserved but obviously we didn't know what we were doing last year. Thanks again to Jilly, who is so very generous & has given the go-ahead again for these 2 great pix. Please do visit her Menton, Riviera Daily, & Postcards from Milou photography blogs. We do, every single day. Lovely sites with excellent prose as a welcome bonus. More information about her life is in the post below. We hope you have a wonderful weekend & we hope to be back next week.]

**************

A breath of fresh Mediterranean air from GG Central.

Earlier this month, we had heaps of basil bestowed upon us by the munificent Maria Caterina di Perugia, Hermione the Cool Cat’s human-maman). GG’s editor dragged out an old recipe for Soup menton. Then, choses Menton (and all things southern French—from west to east) began to pop up.

A few days ago, one link led to another, to the Menton Daily Photo, & we just had to go. A beyond-adorable cat was the Thursday, 21 August 2008 Daily Photo. GG was entranced, as was her editor. The tabby-tiger resembles our late, dear Teddy & Oliver in their mischievous-but-sweet, pink-nosed splendor. Beyond the cuteness factor, note the elegant shot & the colors in both photos; anyone with thumbs can take a photo of a cute cat. This is different….and all due to the skill & empathy of photographer/hotelier/writer Jilly Bennett.

Also in the MDP, meet Woolite the Swimming Sheep (yes!) & Manon, the baby donkey at the Fête Patronale de la Saint Barthélémy.

Jilly’s main website is Pension Milou, “…PM... is a 5-star 'pension familiale' for dogs on the Côte d'Azur. The dogs who come to stay, live in the house with me - no kennels or cages. Here you'll read stories of their lives and mine on the French Riviera."

To round out her empire, Jilly publishes Riviera Dogs & Monte Carlo Daily Photo. They are lovely--a mini-holiday. It is well worth a drop-in for a smile, a recommendation to friends, & a thought about our friends–human & animal–across the sea. Read here about Jilly's life & work with animals in the South of France in Real Life Stories from Provence. She's an inspiration.

We plan to visit Menton Daily Photo every day to maintain our sanity in a world gone mad.

Cheers & ciao-meow to all!

© 2007 - 2009 · Jilly Bennett · Menton Daily Photo · All Rights Reserved/photos used by permission of photographer

A Soldier's Good-bye & Bobbie the Cat

Two of GG's favorite photographs from the wonderful, still-growing State Library of New South Wales Archives. These are, again, by our favorite Sam Hood. (Bobbie looks a bit annoyed, no?)

If you know anyone who needs help & support due to the loss of a family member or a friend (they do not have to be a relative) who served in Iraq or Afghanistan, please go to Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS). They do a great job & one of our best friends is on staff there. TAPS has a 24-hour hotline: 1-800-959-TAPS (8277). Do not hesitate to call on someone's behalf if they are unable to take the first step; TAPS will give you good advice on how to proceed.

Have a safe day.

ciao-meow/GG/Mgmt

G'day, Thomasina

An Australian Thomasina in the 1930s...looking pensive (or peevish, your choice), with poppies in the foreground. By Australian photojournalist Sam Hood, from the Library of New South Wales archives. Wonderful images from the 1930s & 1940s. (Cat on a radio is also a favorite.)

ciao-meow/GG

Royal Easter Show, 1935

...in New South Wales, Australia. Love this photograph of the lady & her big cat. What were they doing, we wonder? A cat exhibit? Flower show? An Easter stroll? Don't know yet. We just like it. (photograph by Sam Hood, NSW archives.) GG wants a cat-hat (it would seem) because she's sitting underneath a big straw hat , her long legs are sticking out. Never a dull moment. xo

Randomly Green blog

A sweet new blog on the scene: Randomly Green. GG & her editor love the Daily Kitten & the Endangered Animal of the Day features. Last evening, the Daily Puppy & Fairy Tale Art were also on the site but our computer, as anyone who will listen knows, is on the fritz. We think you should take a peek & perhaps become a follower. We'll be looking for other tasteful, cute sites by pre-teens & welcome any suggestions. Congratulations to Bella on her first blog. (Photo credit)

ciao-meow!
GG & her editor

Listen to the radio...

Sings Nanci Griffith & we agree. We'd be lost without it. Especially with computer trouble.

ciao-fume-meow,
The Management

(Cat sitting on radio, 1930s Sydney photo by Sam Hood/via we heart it)

One foot (or paw) in front of the other...

...is the only way to get there, anywhere. Especially in an ancient, storied town like Matera, southern Italy (a UNESCO Heritage site). (Photographs by miki**) Good morning.

ciao-meow, GG/mgmt

This was the plan all along...

We're not buying it either but one must allow people (& cats) their dignity. It's that sort of day here, too. (photo by miki** from southern Italy)

ciao-rush-meow,
GG & editor

Cat Carnevale - Week's End

Our friend Maria Caterina di Perugia went to the Festa del Gatto in 2004 (in Perugia, of course!) when she was attending the language school there. These images are from the brochure/schedule that always makes us smile. Maria di P. brought us a lovely original watercolor of a family of gatti rossi (red cats) from an art gallery, the name of which escapes us at the moment. The painting still requires a frame; we'll wait until it can be done properly at our favorite framing shop.

Here is a fun link to the Gatto-Web site (it's amusing even if you don't read Italian). Here's Perugia's official site; we can't find a mention of this year's festa (there are gatto festivals in other Italian cities, particularly Florence & Rome), but perhaps you can. Our head hurts from too much Googling with dial-up. This is a tie-in to Carnevale, ongoing. (Also called Fasching in German-speaking countries.) Can you imagine how wild Venice is right now? Yikes. Michelle Fabio of Bleeding Espresso has a Carnevale in Venice article in Italy Magazine (UK), here.

The "Cubista" kitty painting above does not have a title (on the brochure, anyway); the other painting is Il gatto, la luna, le stelle ("Cat, moon, stars"); both paintings are by Valentina Trona. Bella! The photograph of the person in the maschera is uncredited, however the brochure was created by Umberto Frascione & Rita Persichini for Il Comitato della Festa del Gatto di Perugia. That's some committee name, huh?

Tina Daunt, columnist of the L.A. Times' Cause Celebre has a pre-Awards column on the documentaries, here. Typical of a Washingtonian, Giulia's editor has seen all but one. Hey, free screenings:) In Tina's other life, today her charming The English Muse blog features a gorgeous rose dress photograph about which we are fantasizing. More about Tina & her blog in the future. As everyone knows, GG looks fabulous every day in her version of the LBD (only it's red/orange & white, accessorized by a rose-pink nose.)

ciao-festa-meow!
GG's stylist

Catapalooza! Valentine's Day Cat Appreciation Day

The progressive Washington Animal Rescue League (WARL) is having a special adoption/open house event on Saturday, 14 February 2009 (Valentine's Day for the forgetful!). Catapalooza Day is dedicated to all things feline. Herewith essential info. (And for those unattached, ahem, there's a wine & cheese social hour.)

Ever since WARL opened their new open shelter a few years ago, adoption rates are up for both cats & dogs; the length of time until adoption is shorter, too. There are special rates & available health care for the Silver Whiskers Club for Cats program; a similar program, Hope For Dogs, helps those who adopt older dogs, those with manageable disabilities, & chronic health problems. There's a special place in heaven for people who are willing to adopt these little ones. Please try to help even if you cannot adopt. WARL is very active in animal rescue & became well-known nationally during Hurricane Katrina's aftermath Whenever there is a disaster, anywhere, WARL shows up. Always.

On GG's Adoption Day (4 February 2006!), we were surrounded by "Katrina dogs." So.many ended up here in the DC-area. This was one of the first events in which those pups unable to be reunited with their families were available for adoption. It was simultaenously heartbreaking & uplifting. We saw a few pups & people that we'd met while volunteering at the Washington Armory directly after Katrina. What horrible days those were (& for many have not ended, BTW).

On GGAD, we sat amidst what can only be called a circus. Hundreds of people poured in to the adoption event (which was not at WARL but many animals had been medically treated -- or initially rescued -- by WARL) ready for the challenge of adopting traumatized animals. GG (aka Julie) watched all of this with an openness & equanimity that was impressive, not only to us but to professionals & would-be adoptee families, too. "What a calm, funny little cat" was pretty much what we heard over & over for the next few hours. She had been worth the wait. During this terrible time of economic meltdown, there are many people who need help with their animals; they shouldn't have to give up their dogs & cats (& bunnies, & other lil creatures), too. GG's editor is not ashamed to say that her friends are helping her. Not everyone is so blessed. Please help those who are not so fortunate in your area.

So, we're thinking that this Catapalooza thingy looks like a lot of fun. Even if you have big plans on Saturday, the event is from 11am until 5pm, so drop by! You never know who will be there. (And of course, you can check out the cute dogs, too!)

ciao-woof-meow!
GG's editor

PS: And why post one ridiculously cute photo, when you can post several? It's Catapalooza, people! Also, go to Small Expectations for drawings to squeal over, no matter how cool & hip you (think) you are. No one has the nerve to tell you what we will: you aren't that cool.

(photos via Cute Overload:) & The Daily Kitten/(collage made from GG Hangs Out & 2 Daily Kitten photos)
1-Next week on the Guiding Leash (this is hilarious)
2-There's a Sale at KITTENDALES - we think this is rather Matissean, non?