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.

R.I.P. Sydney

"You think that not being caught in a lie is the same thing as telling the truth." So went Sydney Pollack's favorite line of dialogue, which he reused in various forms to ideal effect in a number of subtly tense, slightly off-kilter movies that he made over nearly half a century. The filmmaker - a director and producer by trade but an actor by training - died of Cancer Monday May 27, 2008 at his home in Los Angeles, at age 73. He leaves behind a body of work in cinema and television virtually unparalleled in modern movies, one that inspired audiences (and me) while crisscrossing genres. Rest in peace, Sydney, we'll miss you.

My new office

So, These photos show my new office. Isn't it beautiful? It is right 

along a river that runs through 

town. My office is located on the 

ground floor. The second floor is 

an apartment with a large deck 

and a pool table on it. Pretty nice 

place to live. Now, if only I could 

finagle living upstairs and only 

having to walk downstairs to work!

For now, the nature view is my view 

when I'm sitting at my desk ( I 

look through another office that 

has plate glass windows, but you 

get the idea). If you look closely 

you'll see a damn. All day long, 

I watch fishers, folks walking 

dogs, runners, bikers, and when 

I look far to my left, I can see 

crew teams practicing. Pretty 

cool! However, I have to admit 

that it is a little hard to watch 

all day long and not participate.

My office space is offered at a 

discount and I am grateful for 

all of the amenities. Hard to beat 

these working conditions. Plus 

I really like my job. It is a 

perfect fit for me!

Funny looking kitties...

"Please don't play with the black and white kitties!"

This is my plea to my dog Cooper who thinks they are ever so cute. She has played with several of the tiny and not so sweet creatures. I keep tomato juice on hand at all times.

Fortunately for these girls, baby black and white kitties aren't developed enough to make a stink about being played with yet! 

My sister's column

My half sister lives in Mumbai, India and works as a graphic artist for Rolling Stone, India (just released in the last year). The image above is one of her first pieces that was published. It is titled, City of Ghosts and has cultural references that don't make sense to me, but nevertheless, I'm proud of her. She is currently working on a graphic novel that I am anxiously awaiting.  Stay tuned!

An odd form of customer service...

This photo was taken from the window of a "beauty salon" that is next to an Indian grocery store that I shop at. The sign reads, 

'Attention Patrons

There is no loitering outside of the salon

Please smoke in the back!!

Thank you

Management'

Hmmm. I haven't been inside, and frankly, I'm a little scared. So, I just move on inside to the grocery store grateful that I gave up cigarettes years ago! 

Then, da-da-da-dum-da-daaa!  My hair stylist moved to a new location! Imagine my fear when he told he moved to a location on the same corner as this "salon". I was ever so thankful when I learned that it was NOT this salon. When I called to make my first appointment I was told that this salon had not had their lease renewed. Huh, wonder why?

Americas plastic surgery obsession

Americas obsession with plastic surgery is creepy. We have become a society obsessed with youth to the point that normally intelligent people loose their ability to actually SEE themselves. All you have to do is look at what celebrities are doing to themselves. Check out this piece I found on YouTube. The music that accompanies it is very apropos. The video is mesmerizing, yet horrifying. It shows celebrities in early photos and later photos and emphasizes that they have been under the knife. It becomes very clear that there is something extremely wrong with their self image. Interestingly, the men show the craziness the most. Look for Micky Rourke and Tony Curtis. These guys are scary looking. 

Then in this piece (which does not have appropriate music) you'll see a bit more of the same, but in side by side, before and after photos. It's just all so sad. How have we convinced people who by all definitions are good looking, that they aren't good enough?

'If only I had a smaller nose... smoother forehead... larger breasts... less wrinkles... etc.' 

Finally, this slide show put together by Dr. Tony Youn, a Michigan-based board-certified plastic surgeon is of special interest. He notes what surgeries have worked and which didn't work by showing before and after photos with commentary about what may have been done. It's interesting to make your way through this at your own pace. It is unsettling how something so creepy, is also so hard to turn away from. 

I hope we see a change in this trend soon before we all end up like the episode on The Twilight Zone titled 'Number Twelve Looks Just Like You'. Anyone remember that one? Here's the premise: A totalitarian state forces people to all look like the same few people. A girl tires to keep her identity but eventually confirms and changes her appearance to be accepted and beautiful. I miss The Twilight Zone. That was a thought provoking show.

Don't you just love 'em!

ANIMALS!!

And in particular this elephant? I love this photo!

Do you know how intelligent elephants are? And that they form social networks? They have family structures just like humans. They care for their extended family members and mourn their passing. They even preform a burial type service for their lost members. Knowing all of this, how can you not love and respect them? 

"They are a large, funny animal, and they seem to know when they have done something dumb. they convey a sense of knowing how they fit into the world." 

-J. Poole quoted in The Fate of the Elephant

Oh, if only us humans had a better understanding of the world. That we are just visitors for a short while.

Here is a lovely fantasy video about an elephant and a trampoline. Take a look.

The evil Starbucks corporation!

Starbucks has a new logo! It features a bare-chested mermaid with the tail fin split in half (the brown image). This is actually the original logo for the company. The previous green logo showed less of the mermaid. This change has prompted a Christian group from San Diego called The Resistance has raised issue with it. They want you to complain to the company or at least boycott the company. 

Oh, the horrors! 

Of all the issues in this world, this is the one they choose as the most important one to champion. Imagine what could be accomplished if the energy that was expended making issue with this, was redirected to something of importance. What a waste of time and energy.

Braille drugs

This is a close up of a drug package I purchased from a Canadian pharmacy. If you look closely, you can see the raised bumps, which are actually braille. How come the US isn't this progressive? In so many ways Canadians surpass us in technology and insight.

5 seconds of fun!

5 seconds of fun! I love this! 

I have an affinity for small animals. Probably comes from my first pets (not family pets) which were two female mice. The idea was they wouldn't fight, plus we wouldn't have lots more baby mice. Problem was they were already pregnant. All of a sudden we had something like 12 mice! Which wasn't crazy enough, but they would get loose and head for the big bag of food in my bedroom. I'd come home from school and find them feasting on mice mix. And in my dreams this is what they would look like when I opened the bag. 

My mom made me give them to the local pet store because we couldn't keep them all, besides who could afford to fix all of them? So, I took Cocoa, Mocha, and the gang to their eminent deaths to become snake food. It broke my heart when I realized what was going to happen to them. Every day I'd walk to the pet store on my way home from school and look into their cage. Every so often one would go missing, I'd look in the snake cages for the tell tale bump. Sometimes it was there, sometimes it wasn't. I'd like to think some of them got adopted....

It was one of the hardest lessons I had ever learned. It broke my small heart.

But not to leave you on a sad note. Watch this and you'll cheer up!

Smoking ban closer to reality

From a previous post you would think that I would support a ban on smoking in bars and restaurants in Michigan. A bill is making it's way thought the house and senate right now that would make this law. Well, I have to say that I do not support this bill and here's why. 

No one makes you eat in a restaurant that has a smoking section. If you don't want to be around smoke then eat somewhere else. 

But you ask, what about the employees? I have two things to say on this. First, let's face it, restaurant work is easy to find. If you don't want to work where smoking is permitted, then find a new job. Second, from my experience speaking with employees who work in a restaurant that went from a smoking section to non-smoking only, they prefer the latter. Why? You ask. Because they make more money in tips from smokers. These folks saw a dramatic reduction in the cash they were taking home after the change.

Besides, shouldn't the choice be up to the owner? Ultimately the owner knows his or her business best and should be able to make the right policies for the continued health of their investment. (Please no health comments. I'm well aware of the issues with smoking. That word was selected on purpose.) 

I object to to this potential law for many reasons, the final observation being the continued regulation of the public by government. If the law makes sense (no smoking in public places) then yes. When there are other options, (go to a different restaurant) then no. In my eyes, it is as simple as that.

If only it were this easy....

This photo came from fridgewatcher.com which I have written about previously. The site is dedicated to the contents of refrigerators from around the world. 

This picture came from Kentwood, Michigan. If only I could post a notice and have my refrigerator filled! It probably doesn't work for this person either, but I like the concept! This would be a good trick for a cat or dog to learn. If only....!