A sad story to be sure

How do you explain to your two year old son that the family dog is never, ever going to come home? That is what this family was faced with when Gennese County (Michigan) Animal Control officials "accidentally" euthanized their family pet. 

The dog was in quarantine for observation when he escaped his home and bit a woman. He was days way from release when a hand written card was misread and he was lead away to his death.

So, how does this shelter make amends for this indescribable event? The Animal Control Interim Director offers to let the family adopt a new animal and will only charge them the cost to spay or neuter the animal. I'm surprised that they didn't charge the family a fee for the killing of their family member.

I hope this Interim Director is not given the job. I understand accidents happen, and yes the dog was an offender, but regardless, they should be bending over backwards to do whatever they can to make this awful situation better. And most certainly not insulting them by causing more pain. Shame on them in every aspect of this regrettable situation.

An excerpt from this week's New Yorker

This is from Animal Tales by Simon Rich

DALMATIANS

"Hey, look the truck's stopping."

"Did they take us to the park this time?"

"No-it's a fire. Another horrible fire."

"What the heck is wrong with these people?"

I often wonder what dogs must think of us. It looks like Simon Rich does too.

Incidentally, this is how a dalmatian smiles. Who knew?

Is lettuce an animal, vegetable or mineral?

Now here is a conundrum for vegetarians. What will I eat now?

Michigan is considering repealing the helmet law

In the last 10 years, the number of motorcycle fatalities has increased 125% (and 300% for riders over age 50), with more than 4800 deaths in 2006. Of those killed, 42% were not wearing helmets.

"About 700 lives a year could be saved if people wore their helmets," says Secretary of Transportation Mary Peters, an avid biker. 

Currently, just 20 states require helmets for riders of all ages. Michigan and Louisiana are considering repealing its helmet law. Proponents of change say the decision is a matter of personal freedom and will increase tourism. 

I don't buy the personal freedom argument. Wouldn't personal freedom extend to not wearing a seat belt then? I see a connection between the two arguments and don't see a win for the helmet folks. Besides, whose going to foot the bill for the increase in injuries that would result from the change? 

The health, safety and welfare of the individual is always our first priority. This change, if implemented, would go against the premise. A bad idea for sure.

Update on past shame

Prostitute takes trespassing plea

A woman accused of having paid sex with the husband of Michigan U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow has pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of trespassing.

Prosecutors dropped a prostitution charge against 21-year old Alycia Martin in exchange for Thursday's plea.

Investigators conducting surveillance Feb. 26 at a Troy hotel stopped 46-year old Thomas Athans. They say Stabenow's husband acknowledged meeting Martin through the Internet and paying her $150 for sex.

Authorities didn't bring charges against Athans.

Troy District Judge William Bolle sentences Martin on August 12. The Westland woman faces up to 90 days in jail but could avoid jail and a record under s state law for young defendants.

From the Associated Press

Don't send your kids to Oceanside California school system

This photo shows one kid bullying another kid. Now replace the bullier with an adult and you have the premise for the following:

On a Monday morning in May 2008 highway officials from California visited an Oceanside school to deliver a talk to the students. They reported that several of the students class mates had been killed in car accidents involving alcohol. The students where understandably upset; some became close to hysterical. 

What the students didn't know was that this was a tactic to "scare them straight". School officials had enlisted the help of the officers to play out this scenario for part of the day until the school was holding an assembly when they would be told it was not real. 

This plan backfired when students became so distraught that teachers spilled the beans and fessed up that it was all a lie. This triggered rumors throughout the school as some kids knew the truth and others didn't. Imagine the chaos and distrust this must has brought to the environment. 

School officials at the 3,100-student school defended the program. "They were traumatized, but we wanted them to be traumatized," said guidance counselor Lori Taube. "That's how they get the message."

I'm glad I'm not a student, parent or teacher at this school. What were they thinking? Clearly they weren't. Didn't these "educators" remember the lessons from the boy who cried wolf? Let's hope we hear more about this and that there are some consequences for the actions of a few who made some very poor judgement calls.

Serious weeds

In Michigan we have an invasive weed called Mustard Garlic. It grows several feet tall and crowds out other plants. Different parks solicit help in having them removed. They have to be hand pulled for several years in a row in order to eradicate them. I found this three foot tall pile at Nichols Arboretum a while back. I have never seen so many in one area that had been pulled. It was quite the sight. I wonder who was responsible for this and how many hours it took? 

Black is Beautiful, but not for animals

An animal shelter in Georgetown, Texas that is over run with black cats and black dogs has cancelled it's "Black is Beautiful" adoption campaign.  They had planned to run it at the same time as Juneteenth which is a holiday commemorating the freedom of enslaved blacks. They received criticism for the timing of the event and decided to cancel it indefinitely. 

The director of the facility stated, "It's just a known fact that black cats and black dogs are difficult to adopt." Sadly it looks like they will have a little harder time ahead of them. I hope they find another option to educate the public about their plight.  

RIP Tim Russert

Tim passed away of an apparent heart attack at age 58 today, Friday June 13th. Maybe there is some truth to the mythological date afterall.

I respected and liked him. Who is going to guide us through the next few months of this election? Who will take on the role of moderator of "Meet The Press"? I feel similar to the way I did when Walter Cronkite retired, only the loss is greater as we will not have guest appearances. 

RIP Tim Russert. More people will miss you than you know.

Tough Neighborhood

While in Boston, I saw this sign and felt compelled to document it. It didn't seem like such a tough neighborhood while I was in it, but perhaps that is because this sign had been affective. It captured my attention as I've never seen anything quite like it before. I wonder how often the beeper is called? Any by whom? 

This American Life

One of my favorite radio shows is called This American Life. It runs on the weekends on various PBS stations. It recently decided to branch out into TV. You can watch the show on Showtime at 10 PM on Sunday. I have not seen the show but I listen to it on the radio regularly.

This is a short from the season two TV version (this year, right now). It is a story about a couple and how they remember the same event. An interesting take on relationships....

Bard in the park

For the past several years, the University of Michigan has staged different productions of plays by Shakespeare in Nichols Arboretum.The park is 123 acers large and the play moves from location to location for scene changes. It's become quite a success.

 Since we walk in the park regularly we have to be careful where and when we go. Often we will come across a play in progress and have to be cognisant of this so as not to interrupt. 

My first clue that the event will start soon is the appearance of the porta-johns to the park. They are such a startling discovery in this otherwise unspoiled nature area. Not to mention, a tad bit stinky. As expected, my dog Cooper, checks them out each time we are at the Arb. 

I'll be glad when they disappear....

More on the polygamist sect....

The Texas supreme court has ruled that the state did not have a justifiable reason to remove the children from the FLDS compound. They found that the children where not in danger of an eminent threat to their well being. 

I wish I could trust what I read. Experience tells me about 50% of what is reported is the truth. It makes me wonder what reality is. 

How reliable where the figures listing the female children who had given birth or where already pregnant prior to their 18th birthday? (See prior post.) Does this political cartoon depict reality? It seems so to some extent, but what is the exact situation? 

I'm frustrated by how this situation is unfolding. I felt certain that the state had justifiable cause, but perhaps not. Perhaps they jumped the gun, didn't do their research, made generalizations not understanding the implications. How will this affect the outcome? I'm still watching as this unfolds. I hope that investigating this "religion" isn't foregone in unwrapping the melee.