pruin1

In the next few years I will be building a home on the East Coast of Canada on a waterfront property and I am looking to make it as energy/self sufficient as possible without breaking the bank...anyone have any experience with this? What are the best ways to build a home like this without spending a fortune? Do you know any builders who specialize in this?

All suggesstions welcome! Thanks.

who actually has an honest question or wants to have an honest debate/conversation with someone about religion or lack thereof?

Just curious as its hard to weed out the normal people from the atheist preachers...I see lots of actual coversations about God from religious folks, but not many from non religious.

I dont believe in God by the way so its a serious question.

Then why all the arguments? What makes one person more right then another? NOBODY knows all the answers so why do so many claim to?

Serious question: What part of your religion or lack thereof makes you feel the need to change others or makes you feel more right? (ie. Im a non practising Catholic but couldn't care less if someone agrees with me or not and dont remember any part of the bible that tells me I have the right to judge...I also have explored other religions, know my religious history, dont judge others on their lifestyles, dont hate, am not intolerant etc).

Serious question 2: Do you think ignorance comes from religious beliefs or ignorant people hide behind their religion? ( I personally think people who are naturally ignorrant hide behind their religion since I dont know any religions that practice hate and intolerance...)

I've read both yes and no in terms of safety and I no longer have the manual...

Soooooo we read a lot about BSL (Breed Specific Legislation) and I know I have been involved in my area when those laws were considered and we had the bill thrown out (thank god). In a town close by a judge threw a case out the window and said it was the most ridiculous thing he'd ever heard when the town tried to remove a senior APBT from a home where it had never actually caused any problems (the neighbors just didnt like it). I believe in better solutions to BSL, pro active instead of reactive, etc. So you all know where I stand but youll recieve no TD's from me either way.

Im curious, as I see a lot of APBT's owners on here (I have owned them myself) how many get involved in BSL in their town or city to try and offer better solutions, lobby to have it stopped etc. I dont want to beat the "Pitbull" subject to death so to move focus to what BSL really means and to avoid an argument about individual breeds, I am adding the 75 dog breeds currently not covered by various insurance companies across the US...I couldnt find an up to date list for Canada where I am...

1. AIREDALE TERRIER

2. AKBASH

3. AKITA

4. ALAPAHA BLUE BLOOD BULLDOG

5. ALASKAN MALAMUTE

6. ALSATIAN SHEPHERD

7. AMERICAN BULLDOG

8. AMERICAN HUSKY

9. AMERICAN PIT BULL TERRIER

10. AMERICAN STAFFORDSHIRE TERRIER

11. AMERICAN WOLFDOG

12. ANATOLIAN SHEPHERD

13. ARIKARA DOG

14. AUSTRALIAN CATTLE DOG

15. AUSTRALIAN SHEPHERD

16. BELGIAN MALINOIS

17. BELGIAN SHEEPDOG

18. BELGIAN TURVUREN

19. BLUE HEELER

20. BOERBUL

21. BORZOI

22. BOSTON TERRIER

23. BOUVIER DES FLANDRES

24. BOXER

25. BULLDOG

26. BULL TERRIER

27. BULL MASTIFF

28. CANE CORSO

29. CATAHOULA LEOPARD DOG

30. CAUCASIAN SHEPHERD

31. CHINESE SHAR PEI

32. CHOW-CHOW

33. COLORADO DOG

34. DOBERMAN PINSCHER

35. DOGO DE ARGENTINO

36. DOGUE DE BORDEAUX

37. ENGLISH MASTIFFS

38. ENGLISH SPRINGER SPANIEL

39. ESKIMO DOG

40. ESTRELA MOUNTAIN DOG

41. FILA BRASILIERO

42. FOX TERRIER

43. FRENCH BULLDOG

44. GERMAN SHEPHERD DOG

45. GOLDEN RETRIEVER

46. GREENLAND HUSKY

47. GREAT DANE

48. GREAT PYRANEES

49. ITALIAN MASTIFF

50. KANGAL DOG

51. KEESHOND

52. KOMONDOR

53. KOTEZEBUE HUSKY

54. KUVAZ

55. LABRADOR RETRIEVER

56. LEONBERGER

57. MASTIFF

58. NEOPOLITAN MASTIFF

59. NEWFOUNDLAND

60. OTTERHOUND

61. PRESA DE CANARIO

62. PRESA DE MALLORQUIN

63. PUG

64. ROTTWEILER

65. SAARLOOS WOLFHOND

66. SAINT BERNARD

67. SAMOYED

68. SCOTTISH DEERHOUND

69. SIBERIAN HUSKY

70. SPANISH MASTIFF

71. STAFFORDSHIRE BULL TERRIER

72. TIMBER SHEPHERD

73. TOSA INU

74. TUNDRA SHEPHERD

75. WOLF SPITZ

So looking at these "dangerous dogs" (the insurance companies words, not my own) as our best example of breeds that are discriminated against...

How do you feel about BSL?

Is there a better solution?

Advice for people who want to get involved?

Reasons why you dont get involved?

How does your town deal with BSL? Does it exist where you live?

For those who dont get involved I thought these questions might get them thinking about why they dont or how they could, for those who think its just APBT's that are targeted I thought this might get them thinking about how those "dangerous breeds" change over the years (ie it used to be Dobes and Rotties that got a hard time) and how their favorite dogs could be next.

I rarely ask questions, looking to generate some thoughtful discussion and generally kill some time at work.

Like I said, no TD's from me, I know where I stand, just interested to know peoples opinions and ideas.

My five year old cat was diagnosed with asthma about a year ago. She has a typical daily inhaler (actually the exact same as my grandmothers inhaler) and she has prednisone for when she gets really bad. She consistantly has an attack about once a month and sometimes the inhaler takes care of it, sometimes (although I try to avoid it) she has to go on a round of prednisone. Im wondering if anyone out there has a cat with asthma and if you have any tips. I have heard that feeding fish oil can help decrease inflammation and Im open to holistic options. Food wise she will be staying on the Hills cd that she is on (I know, Im not a vet food fan either and my dog is currently on Orjen as were the cats but they both have chronic UTI's and I would have had to put both down had the Hills cd not worked wonders for them). I try to keep anything that may trigger the asthma to a minimum (candles, air freshener etc), looking more for things that might help control it better.

Thanks!