Monthly Archives: January 2011

Cruisin' Companions

CALI

6 year old domestic shorthair
Cali is a beautiful tortie who is looking for a new forever home. Her greatest wish, aside from a home with unconditional love, is to be the only animal in the house. She would be the perfect companion for a single person or a family with no other pets. When she’s not around other animals, Cali is free to pursue her favorite activity: being a lap cat! If you’re looking for a special cat to be the center of attention in your house, why not visit Animal Friends and ask to meet Cali? She would love to meet you!
The Machine

Finally, a chain lube that won’t attract the mess!

If you have a bike with a final drive chain, street or dirt your biggest gripe is the maintenance of the chain and the filth that goes along with it. Well things are about to change….Spetro oil announces Z-Clean Chain Lube, a dramatically effective new chain lube that does more of what you want done, and less of what you don’t.
Spectro Z-Clean Chain Lube’s special zinc formulation provides unsurpassed anti-wear protection, resulting in longer chain and sprocket life.
Now for the best part…… the zinc formulation of Z-Clean does not attract dirt, sand or grit, and so will not fling off when used as directed. Suitable for O-ring and roller type chains, both for on-road and off-road use, Z-Clean is the next generation in chain lubrication.
So if your sick of the grime form your chain, head over to the Spectro website and check this stuff out…
The Machine

Ducati recalls older Multistradas for potential fuel leak

We personally know some of you are Ducati riders, so please be sure to check this out and see if it affects your model and year!
Ducati is recalling certain older-model Multistradas because fuel leakage can occur at the fuel tank pump flange seal. The potential number of units affected is 3,911.
The following years and models are involved: the 2003-2006 MTS1000, the 2005 1000S, the 2006 MTS620, and the 2007-2009 MTS 1100.
Dealers will replace the fuel pump O-ring with an updated part free of charge. Ducati has not yet provided an owner notification schedule. Owners may contact Ducati at 800-231-6696.
Cruisin' Companions

PLYMOUTH

4 year old German Shepherd/Rottweiler Mix

Plymouth came to Animal Friends as a transfer from another county. He is quite a social guy who loves people as well as most other dogs. He is affectionate and gentle and will warm your heart with one glance into those big, beautiful brown eyes.

Plymouth enjoys taking long walks on the leash and is well-mannered while doing so. He dreams of a forever home where he can get plenty of exercise, feel safe & secure and discover what it is like to be a cherished member of a loving family.
Plymouth knows the basic commands of “sit”, “down”, and will raise his paw for a friendly “paw-shake”. It seems he doesn’t know what to do with dog toys, or how to relax and just have some good old fashioned doggy fun.

So, if you have room in your heart and home for a sweet guy who would love to continue learning stop by our adoption desk at Animal Friends and arrange to meet him. He will be forever grateful.

The Body

Don’t forget to value your friendships!

Is there anything better in life than good friends?  Who we ride with, who we hang with, those relationships are the best and here is why……
1.  When you are sad ~  your friend  will help you get drunk and plot revenge against the  sorry bastard who made you sad.
2.  When you are blue ~ your friend  will try to dislodge whatever is choking  you.
3  When you smile ~ your friend will know you are thinking of something that he/she would  probably want to be involved in.
4.  When you are scared ~ your friend  will rag on you about it every chance he/she gets until you’re  NOT.
5.  When  you are worried ~  your friend  will tell you horrible stories about how much worse it  could be until you quit whining.
6.  When you are confused ~ your friend  will try to use only little words.
7..  When  you are sick  ~  your friend  will say “Stay  the hell away from me until you are well again. I don’t  want whatever you have..”
8.  When you fall ~ your friend will laugh at your clumsy ass, but will help you  up.
Cruisin' Companions

LILY PAD

2 year old shorthair
Lilly Pad’s striking orange eyes match her beautiful calico coat. She is eager to go home with somebody who wants an affectionate playmate. She can be sugar and spice. If you have ever been owned by a calico you know that sometimes they can be sweet and charming and at other times their “calico-tude” comes out and they can be a bit moody. She would enjoy a home where she could be the center of attention. She has lived with other cats here at Animal Friends but I think she would enjoy a home where she could reign supreme as the ” queen” Stop by Animal Friends today to meet her.
The Machine

Toyota announces new global recall

If you are driving a Lexus, Listen Up…….  From the LA Times
Problems with the fuel systems of several models prompt Toyota to issue another large recall. In the U.S., about 245,000 cars from the Lexus line are affected. Overseas, about 1.3 million vehicles will be recalled.
Toyota Motor Corp. announced another large global recall Wednesday, this time for a variety of problems in the fuel systems of many different models produced by the Japanese automaker.
“When it comes to recalls, all the manufacturers are on high alert. They are quick to announce recalls because they all want to make sure they are not caught hiding something,” said James Bell, an analyst with auto information company Kelley Blue Book. “But unfortunately for Toyota and Lexus, it has become a story on its own.”
In the United States, Toyota said it will recall about 245,000 cars from its upscale Lexus line to inspect a fuel pressure sensor. The vehicles include the 2006 through 2007 Lexus GS300/350, the 2006 through early 2009 Lexus IS250, and the 2006 through early 2008 Lexus IS350.
Toyota said that the pressure sensor could loosen over time and cause a fuel leak. Owners will be told of the recall by mail. They can also call (800) 255-3987 or look up details at http://www.lexus.com/recall.
The automaker also said it will recall about 1.3 million vehicles not sold in the U.S. to fix different fuel system problems. Almost 400,000 of those autos have two different defects to be inspected or fixed.
Many of those recalls will take place in Europe, where Toyota is considered another Asian brand rather than a market leader as in the U.S., and could hurt the automaker’s image, Bell said.    “They probably can’t do any more damage to the brand in the U.S.,” he said.    This new wave of recalls come almost a year after Toyota briefly stopped building some of its most popular models in the U.S. and suspended sales of the cars to fix a problem with sticky gas pedals. The company has recalled well over 10 million autos over the last 18 months.      Hampered by the recalls and the record payment of nearly $50 million in federal fines for failing to promptly inform regulators of defects in its vehicles and delaying recalls, Toyota saw its share of the U.S. auto market fall to 15.2% last year, from 17% in 2009.      Toyota was the only major auto company to see U.S. sales decrease last year from 2009.     Chevrolet outsold the Toyota brand for the first time since 2007 last year. The American brand sold almost 1.6 million vehicles in 2009, compared with 1.5 million for Toyota. Ford had sales of just under 1.8 million vehicles in 2010 and outsold Toyota for the first time since 2006.     Analysts say that GM, which owns Chevrolet, could catch Toyota to once again become the world’s largest auto company. GM’s global sales rose 12.2% to 8.4 million vehicles last year. Global sales for Toyota rose 8% to 8.42 million.
The Body

Empty Calories, Stay Away

There are 2 main ingredients to losing weight and achieving fitness goals.  Exercise and Nutrition.  For some, one can be much easier over the other.  For instance someone may have no problem staying away from bad foods and eating all the right things but can’t for the life of them can’t drag themselves to the gym or get outside and walk, run or do anything active.  Then you might have someone who is so committed to working out and exercising, but if you put any junk food in front of them they will gobble it down.  For most it’s going to come down to finding that perfect balance.    Today we wanted to talk about empty calories and helping those who have trouble with the nutrition side of this recipe for success.
You may have read the term “empty calories,” or heard it used by nutritionists. But what does it mean?
Empty Calories = High Calories but Low Nutrition
“Empty Calories” describes foods high in calories but low in nutritional values (also known as junk food!), lacking the health-promoting micro-nutrients
Examples of foods containing mostly Empty Calories
•French fries, fried chicken, chips and all other deep-fried foods
A large order of fries from a fast food chain can contain up to 570 calories with a whopping 30 g of total fat and 8 g of trans fat! Tons of calories from fat and very few micro-nutrients.
•Candy, Soda and other sweetened packaged foods
A can of soda contains about 130 calories as well as additives and colorings. Again, lots of calories from sugar but no micro-nutrients.
•Beer, wine and all other alcoholic beverages
A can of beer contains about 150 calories from sugar and not much of anything else. In addition, calories from alcohol tend to be stored as fat in the abdomen (leading to a “beer belly”).
•Refined grains such as crackers, cookies, white rice and white bread
Refined grains do provide some B vitamins, but that’s it.
How to Avoid Empty Calories?
•Avoid deep-fried foods. Instead of deep-frying, use other methods of cooking. For instance, have a baked potato with skin instead of fries, or a piece of baked skinless chicken breast instead of fried chicken.
•Avoid sweetened drinks and canned drinks.
•Try whole grains instead of refined grains. Whole grains are packed with beneficial fiber and antioxidants. For instance, have a slice of whole-wheat bread instead of white bread. Have a bowl of whole-grain breakfast cereals or unsweetened oatmeal instead of corn flakes.
•Snack on fruits! Instead of prowling for a box of crackers in the mid afternoon, snack on fruits. Better yet, dip them in low-fat yogurt to get additional calcium and protein.
A very good rule to use to help you stay on track is to ask yourself one question every-time before you put something in your mouth. ….  “Will this help me reach my fitness goals? Does that have any nutritional value, or is this just full of empty calories.”  You’ll be surprised at how this will help you choose what you eat!  Make what you eat count!