And I know of other vets who demand it for all pets like clockwork.

I would be more inclined not to do it, if another vet hadn't warned me a year ago.

When Senor Sock was about five, his vet would say, "Maybe we'll clean his teeth next year." And then every year he'd say that. So Senor never had his teeth cleaned.

(I was gonna put the accent over the 'o' in Senor, but Senor Sock's Official Home Page doesn't do that, so I'm claiming that as the definitive source on the matter.)

We wrap a little gauze around a finger and rub it on the cats' teeth. Well, we should. We don't do it enough, because it makes Manny mad.

Anyone need a new car?

GM Discounts: Saturn, Pontiac Cars Get $7000 Rebate

The deal is because GM shut down both brands.

I would lose a finger, I fear.

I need to trim their nails soon. And then I do need to get their sugar tested this next year, maybe I'll ask about teeth then.

Perkins the cat has bad tarter issues--always has-- but now his age and overall condition make the under anesthesia cleaning a bad idea, and he hates me trying to clean them enough to bite me when I try, so he's just going to have to have bad teeth.

Feline dentistry isn't just for tartar. Our Max has a problem with tooth resorption -- his body is literally re-absorbing his teeth.

Luckily, he likes moist food. On the other hand, he also likes the crunchy treats....

Top 10 Biggest TV Biz Blunders of the Decade

10. Fox canceling "Family Guy" (and perhaps "Firefly" too)
Axed TV shows usually stay dead, yet two titles canceled by former Fox chief Sandy Grushow in 2002 refused to go quietly. One was Seth MacFarlane's "Family Guy," which was moved around the schedule and was even put opposite top-rated hits "Survivor" and "Friends" before getting yanked. After the show's repeats got strong ratings on Adult Swim and netted big DVD sales, the comedy eventually made its way back to broadcast in 2005. "Family Guy" is now Fox's second-highest-rated scripted series and has produced a successful spinoff ("The Cleveland Show"). As for "Firefly," the show lived on as a theatrical movie ("Serenity") and to this day, no TV series cancellation inspires louder fanboy wails.

...

5. Election Night coverage in 2000...

1. Writers strike
Has there ever been a longer 14 weeks? The 2007-08 walkout was a largely avoidable mutually destructive act that occurred at exactly the wrong time. In addition to almost wiping out an entire pilot season, the strike sent shows into repeats, driving a ratings crash that broadcasters have not been able to recover from thanks to increased DVR use and viewers fleeing to cable. In the end, writers outmaneuvered conglomerates, but few felt as if they actually won.

This is making me want to go home and snuggle the aminals. Well, this and the nasty weather.

I don't know how to explain to people that they don't get a space on the homepage that addresses a tiny fraction of users' needs particularly when that need is addressed elsewhere, and navigation to it is relatively simple.

Oh joy. They've sent another email.

Frosting bag! That saves me a trip to The Container Store, where I'm sure they have just the right vessel, but for more than the organic, sweetener-free toothpaste cost in the first place.

I am a step closer to not paying some confusing unspecified cost for checking luggage. Sweet.