Idiots

The holidays are almost here. The end of semester has been filled with the usual challenges and successes. First semester freshman are discovering that they have what it takes, or that things did not go as planned. Staff have been dealing with deadlines for final exams, graduation, commencement, grades, petitions, and insufficient sections of required courses to meet demand. Everyone is tired, the students have gone, and we are all looking forward to spending a little time with our families and friends.

Of course, we all know that somewhere between our now quiet university and some distant locale is that one complete idiot who will decide that December 23 is the perfect date for her perfectly wonderful child to visit the university that he wants to attend "more than anything else in the whole world". And she will stop at nothing to try to make this happen. She will never acknowledge that she has been given all the tour dates, and we don't do them this particular week. She will not consider that if it were really that important she might want to bring her wunderkind to campus when he can actually see something. She won't even admit that she screwed up the office address -- even we don't have what it takes to direct an obnoxious parent to "a pole barn on the Vet Med complex."

Here's how it goes down: Mrs. Idiot I'm-the-Only-One-in-the-World Who Matters, calls a week before the university is closing down to schedule a tour for her baby Einstein. We explain that we'll be glad to meet with her and her son, but that we don't have tours available, the students have gone home, labs are closed for the term, etc. We arrange a meeting with the department that her son just has to meet with, but she can't find a way to program campus addresses into her GPS. So, she contacts the dean - not once, but twice - and says no one will help her. She has to travel "hundreds of miles" to reach us. Oh, dear, your area code is in-state. You gotta love this. She's already pissed off every single person her son will need as a resource if he actually comes here. I hope it made her feel powerful.

So once again, my favorite rant: if you are really interested in a college or university, then plan your freakin' campus visit so that you can get something out of it. If your college visit is so low on the priority list that the only day you can squeeze it in is when "your college of choice" is closed, then maybe it's not so important after all.

We go out of our way every single day for our students, both current and prospective. I suspect that this particular mother either wants her baby closer to home, or is trying to make up for the campus visit being an afterthought on her part.

Have a nice holiday, Mrs. VIP. Bask in the hassle you have created, and understand that you have done your son no favor at all. It's not all about you.

'Tis the Season

Greetings, All, and a Happy Thanksgiving.

As usual, the holidays have arrived without my quite knowing how they sneak up on me each year. Maybe someday I will have everything planned in advance. While I'm waiting for that particular fantasy to come true, I figure I might as well jump into the spirit of the holiday season and try to spread a little goodwill.

Most of you know that I volunteer with H.A.L.O., a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing emergency care for animals. The good news is that we have been successful in getting the word out. In the past few months, H.A.L.O., in cooperation with the Humane Society, has conducted three "trap, neuter, release" missions for feral cats. Many of these cats required additional medical treatment and were cared for post-surgery by volunteers. These missions are great, but what happens most often at H.A.L.O. is that people drop off wounded, sick or unwanted pets. Tomorrow, a beautiful little Shih-Tzu puppy will be placed in the home of my friend and co-worker. The puppy's original family is no longer able to care for him, and his new family is excited about his arrival. This was one was easy -- healthy, cute, purebred, well-cared-for -- lots of people want a pet like that.

Most are not so easy. This morning when I spoke to Stacey, she was on the way to a vet with a cat who had been attacked and seriously hurt by a dog. The surgery and meds will cost hundreds of dollars. This is a typical H.A.L.O. story. In the past 6 months Stacey and Sue have accumulated huge vet bills for the dogs and cats they have saved. So far, no animal has been turned away. But so far, no animal has been dropped off with anything in the way of financial support for the medical care needed.

With a little help from our friends, we can continue to provide care for any animal in need. Please consider making a small donation to H.A.L.O. to keep the lights on and the animals safe and healthy. Everything helps, and every donation is used to care for the animals. We promise not to share your info with anyone, ever.

Thanks, and Happy Thanksgiving!
(Donations are processed through PayPal. You do not need a PayPal account to donate.)

Introducing The H.A.L.O. Chronicles

What do you do when you find an injured animal on the side of the road?

My friends Stacey and Sue were faced with this dilemma last New Year's Eve when the vehicle traveling ahead of them hit a German Shepherd and continued driving. The dog was thrown by the impact. Whether the offending driver had stopped or not, the question still remains. Who do you call?

There are few emergency animal rescue operations. Those that do exist are often overwhelmed, understaffed, and unable to respond to emergencies in a reasonable time. Stacey and Sue rescued the dog, took him to a 24 hour veterinarian, and finally reunited him with his owners. That story had a happy ending. Many do not.

In response, Stacey founded H.A.L.O., a nonprofit organization dedicated to becoming "The Planet's Animal Ambulance." H.A.L.O.'s mission is to network with other rescue operations to provide emergency care and transport in this kind of situation. I am very proud to be a member of H.A.L.O., and hope that you will join me in following the development of this worthy project.

I met Stacey in October 2007 at a weekend seminar that challenged us to let go of old excuses and see the possibilities in life. By Sunday evening, I knew that Stacey would take what we had learned and run with it. A few months later, she had founded H.A.L.O. (Healing Animals with Love Organization), and within weeks had connected with animal rescue groups across the country. She is currently enrolled at the University of South Florida and plans to enroll in veterinary school by 2010. Her goal is to provide free emergency services, and to develop a national network of emergency service providers.

We are proud to have our first animal ambulance, HALO-1. Stacey and other supporters have also attended a multitude of training sessions to prepare them for carrying out our mission.

While we have made connections nationwide, we must start locally. At this time, HALO-1 operates in Pinellas County. We will expand. Our long-term vision includes an institute where we can offer animal rescue training and veterinary care facilities.

We are working on a website. The current one is sparse, but we are in the process of developing a site that will provide complete information about H.A.L.O. Please bear with us, as we are all volunteers working at other full-time responsibilities.

Meanwhile, I invite you to follow the H.A.L.O. Chronicles blog to see what we are up to.

Helping us to get the word out will support the organization and provide care for animals in need.

Thanks for taking time to read this. Please pass the link to the H.A.L.O. blog along to you friends.

The Dark Side of Designer Dogs

With man’s best friend enjoying the current surge of dog popularity, it seems that everyone wants to be in on the act. Celebrities have dogs, politicians have dogs, college students and their professors have dogs. Big, burly men walk Toy Poodles, while pretty girls strut their stuff with Pitt Bulls at their sides. Dogs join their owners at outdoor cafes, and pampered pooches go along on shopping trips, ensconced in elaborate (and expensive) carriers designed for this purpose. The dog world has become a topsy-turvy place. New breeds, questionable registries, and the entrepreneurial spirit have combined to make buying a dog a complicated affair. Do your homework, and hold on to your wallet. You might not be getting what you expect.

DESIGNER DOGS

Designer dogs have become the rage. These new breeds are usually a cross between two standard breeds. Labradoodles, Poo Tzus, Teddy Bears, Pomapoos, Yorkipoos…the list goes on and on. The cute catchy names alone are endearing. Combine the name with a cute little furball, and you’ve got a winner, right? Maybe not. When two breeds are crossed, the result is not guaranteed. The rules of genetics tell us that some offspring will have dominant traits, and others will manifest recessive traits. A good breeder understands how genetics can affect future generations. But amateur breeders often lack the credentials and background needed to ensure healthy offspring. Many lack interest or concern in these areas, preferring to go for the quick cash while popularity drives demand. Breeding a nonshedding dog to a shedding dog does not guarantee a nonshedding animal. Crossing breeds that have similar health problems almost promises offspring who will manifest those problems. So here’s the secret you need to remember: designer dogs are really mutts.

BREED REGISTRIES

If you are looking for a purebred dog with papers, make sure you know which group issued the papers on your prospective pooch. For over 100 years, the American Kennel Club (AKC) has established and maintained the criteria for breed standards in the United States. There are other registries, too, but it is very important to understand what is required for registration. For a $12.00 fee, anyone can register their dog with the Continental Kennel Club (CKC). If you have a witness who will attest that your dog is purebred, then CKC will register it as purebred. And they will provide litter registration for all litters, no questions asked. (Is is just me, or is there an eerie resemblance here to the AKC web site?) It is the buyer’s responsibility to know what registration papers really mean. Just because a puppy is registered does not mean that it is a purebred dog, or even that the breed is recognized as anything more than a “mixed breed”. Do your homework. Don’t pay extra money for something unless you understand what you are paying for.

CHA-CHING!

For some entrepreneurial types, jumping on the dog popularity trend has been very profitable. Take two standard breed dogs, hook them up, then slap a ridiculous price tag on their offspring while touting all the best characteristics of both breeds, advertise on one of the many free internet sites, and watch the cash come rolling in. Over the past 10 months, the prices of these dogs on Kijiji.com have continually increased. Dogs that cost $300-$400 last year, are now listed at $500 and up. Small mixed breed dogs are blatantly advertised with made up names at prices over $800. Because posting an ad to these free sites requires only an email address, it is a simple matter for puppy mills to change the contact info from one litter to the next. It’s no wonder that the same photos get recycled into new ads at different times.

WHAT NOW?

Mutts can make great pets, and it is possible for a purebred dog to fall short of the mark. Hybrids can and do become recognized breeds after meeting specific criteria. Many breeders are knowledgeable, reputable people who take great care and pride in their work. Still, if you are in the market for a new four-legged companion, a little research ahead of time can save a lot of heartache and vet bills later. Know the breeder and ask for references. See the puppy where it was raised, and ask to see the parents, too. If pedigree is not the important thing in your selection, then check the local animal shelters and consider rescuing an animal. Designer dogs are showing up at shelters in record numbers. And exercise great caution in buying sight unseen.

Caveat emptor!

• The Continental Kennel Club (CKC) is not the same as the American Kennel Club. With a photograph and a fee, you could register Scooby Doo as a Toy Poodle and you would receive papers attesting to that. If you paid extra for a dog with CKC papers, you may only have a registered mutt.


• There is no such breed as an Imperial or Princess Shih Tzu. These small animals are “runts” and can be very fragile, often with health problems.


• Truth in advertising does not apply to unmonitored internet ad sites. Let the buyer beware.

Our Right to Vote

Hidden beneath the current economic debacle and the usual noise of the presidential campaign is an issue that potentially affects each of us and should make us all shake in our boots. The right to vote is being withheld from many of our eligible voters, specifically, college students.


In 1979, the Supreme Court guaranteed students the right to vote in the communities in which they attend school. But election officials can make it difficult. In Norfolk, Va., the local registrar has reportedly barred students who live in dormitories from registering to vote.

Virginia is not the only state whose election officials are attempting to disenfranchise young voters. Michigan, considered an important state in the coming election, is also discouraging young voters from exercising their rights. If they live in dormitories, or are out-of-state students, then official say they must go home to vote. That can be a very big burden for a college student.

I do understand that the locals would prefer to not have all these outsiders voting on local issues. Really, I feel the same way. But this is a national election, one that will forge the future of our nation for the next four years. It is an historic election, in terms of race, and gender, and the magnitude of the issues facing us.

How can anyone even attempt to justify impeding the election process for voters who are attending school away from home?

The most recent U.S. elections have been plagued with the kind of corruption usually associated with unstable governments. We have lost our integrity in the view of the world. Now, when we must demonstrate our unity, local governments are denying citizens the right to vote for president.

How much lower can we sink?

Damn, I Need a Job!

Actually, I don't need a job. I am grateful to have one. But Ryan needs a job, so I am tossing this out here just in case someone knows someone who can put him to work.

After completing training as a First Responder, Emergency Medical Technician, Certified Nursing Assistant, Phlebotomist, and EKG Technician, he's having a tough time finding employment in Alachua County. Online job applications don't give you the same chance to present yourself that a personal interview does. He just needs to get a foot in the door.

He completed all his courses with flying colors. This is what he loves, and he is good at it. He needs someone willing to take on an enthusiastic but inexperienced individual. I remember my first job searches and wondering how I would ever gain experience if I couldn't get a job that would let me become experienced. He is in that position now, and willing to take on the challenge of proving himself.

If you have any suggestions or know someone who might be willing to interview him, let me know. He'll follow up right away.

Thanks!

In Support of Jessica's Remarks

Recently I have been reading an economics blog called The Big Picture. I truly believe that as taxpayers and voters we have an obligation to understand as much as we can, and economics seems to be an area where a lot of us fall short of being "well-informed".

In support of Jessica's comments about our tax dollars, let me add my strong support with this cartoon, blatantly stolen from the above referenced blog.

Sarah Palin

The constant partisan rancor that stops us from solving these problems isn't a cause, it's a symptom. It's what happens when people go to Washington to work for themselves and not you.
~John McCain's acceptance speech

It is fascinating to see the reactions to Sarah Palin. A few short weeks ago she was an unknown, today she is a celebrity. People who know little about her are vehemently extolling her virtues, or criticizing her ability to serve as Vice President. Bloggers who recently declared the virtue of giving up college and career to raise families are now screaming that she should not be criticized for pursuing her career despite her young family. People who jumped on the disappointing news that John Edwards had an extramarital affair, are adamantly denying that Ms. Palin could possibly have been subject to the same human weakness.

Why? Why has Sarah Palin become a hero? Her acceptance speech is in direct contradiction to McCain's statement that the bipartisan rancor is what is wrong with our country. Her speech, which electrified the convention, was divisive and not at all in line with McCain's proposal to unite the country despite party affiliations. Her jabs at Obama were not backed up with facts, and the most often quoted element of her speech is the "Pitbull with lipstick" reference that seems to be very apt.

I thought that Sarah Palin was a brilliant choice. Her selection could easily have won the Hillary supporters who do not want to vote for Obama. I watched her acceptance speech with anticipation, but was terribly disappointed by her mean-spirited approach. This is not a woman who sees both sides of an issue. This is a person who's mind is made up, and you or I cannot change it. I don't care much for pit bulls, and don't find this a good analogy for someone in office.

She says she has stood up to Big Oil. How? She wants to lay another pipeline and start drilling in the wildlife refuge. She has voted against wind power and solar energy. While I understand her perspective on producing our own oil, I don't see how this is "standing up to Big Oil". US drilling won't make a significant difference for many years.

She promotes abstinence only sex education for our youth. Apparently, that is not sufficient to keep our adolescents from becoming parents too soon. Not only is her daughter pregnant, it seems that she herself was pregnant before getting married. Does this make her an unsuitable VP candidate? No. Who really cares? Life happens, and this is not what makes a Vice Presidential candidate qualified. Or not.

Once again, we see a situation where voters are reacting emotionally, without actually looking at the facts. Sarah Palin's speech was delivered flawlessly, with all the appropriate pauses, winks, smiles and nods (as were all of the convention speeches). This alone does not make a good candidate.

I encourage each of us, as voters, to identify the important issues that are facing our country, and to vote based on those. Consider John McCain's statement, and let go of party labels and knee jerk reactions. Reread the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. Take another gander at the Declaration of Independence. THEN decide how to vote. Race, gender, and family members should not be our concern. We should be looking for a candidate and running mate who can and will reverse the tragedy of the last eight years and restore us to the internationally respected status that we have deserved for more than 200 years.

Misery Loves Company

Step right up, folks! Come and get it! Your daily dose of misery cheerfully delivered free of charge whether you want it or not!

Did you wake up on the sunny side? Do you feel good today? Don't you worry about a thing! Those high spirits and good mood can be easily dispensed with by the Misery Mongers. You can't hide from them...they may be lurking in your home, your office, or the line at the grocery store. You cannot spot them by their appearance. They look surprisingly average and come from all walks of life. What they have in common is their need to spread negativity and distress to whomever they meet. They are more common than the cold, more contagious than pink-eye, and about as welcome as warts.

The Misery Mongers are distressed by almost everything, and they want to make certain that you are sufficiently worried, too. They are distressed about politics, economics, religion, sex, and butt head drivers. Like Chicken Little, they are in a great rush to spread bad news. Misery Mongers are not just conveying current events, which we acknowledge can often be distressful. They are also intent on convincing you that life is really terrible, we are going to hell in a handbasket, and things can only get worse.

Being Miserable is an equal opportunity honor that must be shared so that others will have a chance to be Miserable, too. Misery Mongers rarely participate in light-hearted or fun conversations. This is partly because they simply have so much rotten news to share, and partly because they believe that anything that is pleasant cannot possibly be meaningful. Misery Mongers do not want to be considered superficial. It is also due to their fear that if they actually allow themselves to enjoy a single moment it could develop into a frightening habit and they would be forced to admit that there could be another way to view the world.

I am very sure that we get what we believe we will get. If we focus on the negative, we'll find plenty of it. On the other hand, it seems that the half empty glass must also be half full. Greater minds than mine maintain that positive thinking brings positive results. Perhaps if we shifted our focus we would discover that the world is equally full of wonderful things.

The world is not a perfect place, and we should work to improve it. One possible place to start is with ourselves.

Think twice before dumping a load of negativity on someone else. You'll improve their day, and quite possibly your own, too.

When you feel dog tired at night, it may be because you've growled all day long. ~Author Unknown

Throwing Stones

So what's up with the mob mentality, people? Did you all forget that here in America we are innocent until proven guilty? Are you certain that every article you see in the media is actual, carved-in-stone fact? And speaking of stones, are we all really prepared to throw them?

I've been on the road a lot in the last two weeks, but when I got home there were three email messages waiting for me, each demanding that I sign a petition to remove an elementary school teacher from her job. The message explained that the teacher had made a student stand in front of the class while his classmates told him what they didn't like about his behavior. He had just returned from being disciplined in the principal's office. The petition also reported that the student "was in the process of being diagnosed with autism."

So here is the problem: this petition does not explain any of the events leading up to this one. Nor do any news articles I could discover. So we have only one side of the story, and it's a sensational one.

Before you get all excited, I agree that the story told in the petition is a horrible one. But that's all I know for sure.

The student "was in the process of being diagnosed". WTF does that mean? Were his parents concerned about his behavior and thinking of taking him to a doctor? Was he undergoing tests to determine if he has a disorder? Had the doctors already decided that he was autistic, but holding off on an official diagnosis until they caught up on paperwork?

It makes me wonder if Wendy Portillo knew anything about Alex and his pending diagnosis. Were the school and the teacher aware that Alex was in the process of being diagnosed? Did anyone discuss - with the teacher - how to handle his behavior?

Did this teacher have any special ed training? Was this a special ed classroom? Or was Alex in a regular classroom, where his behavior was beyond disruptive and making it impossible for the other students to learn?

Excuse me if this sounds politically incorrect, because I am really not being insensitive. I believe that we need to understand autism and provide an education for everyone. I also believe that "everyone" includes students who do not suffer from behavioral disorders, but who DO suffer when their educations are disrupted by other students in the classroom. Regardless of what disorder might be behind disruptive behavior, other students are often placed at a disadvantage when a teacher has to devote more of his/her energy to managing behavior problems than to teaching.

I'm not defending Ms. Portillo. What has been reported seems pretty inexcusable. All I am suggesting is that before lining up to destroy someone's life, we should all be very certain that we have sufficient evidence to wield the death blow.

Wouldn't you want to have your side of the story heard?

If Multi-Tasking is So Great, Why is ADD a Disorder?

I intended to write about multitasking, because it is making me crazy. Then I found this article, and figured I couldn't add anything to it. Take a look. It's really good.

Then take a few minutes for yourself and don't do ANYTHING!

Dog Ransom

Being an optimist, I tend to believe that everything will be OK, that people are basically good, and that the Golden Rule is a pretty decent starting place for getting along in life. Some people think this is a naive approach to the world, but hey, it's worked for me so far. I'm old enough to fully understand that bad things do happen to good people. I don't think I'll ever be old enough to understand why some people go out of their way to make things bad for others.

You remember the case of the missing dog. Two weeks ago, Macsy disappeared. Twenty four hours later, he turned up at a family member's home. Go figure. It was a happy ending, I took down the "missing dog" flyers, and canceled the ad I had posted on one of the internet sites.

Because I've been busy, I haven't been doing a good job of keeping up with my personal email. So I was surprised, and pretty disgusted when I found this message sitting in my inbox:

From: Mike Thomas mike_found202@yahoo.com
To: (me)
Subject: your dog is with me......
Date: Wednesday, April 16, 2008 5:35:30 AM

I won't lie to you i stole this dog....and the reason why i stole is that ..i need help my mum is in Nigeria dieing of cancer ..and i decided to steal it and i know i will found the owner contact addres ..so before i release it ..you are going to pay sum of $600...i swear this dog is with me

My first thought was, Jeez, what a dumbass. If you're going to attempt extortion at least have the courtesy to spell check! (OK, spelling is a pet peeve with me.) That thought was quickly replaced by, This guy is a scum sucking jerk! Then, it occurred to me that Nigeria is getting a bad rap in all this send money for my dying relative spam. I know a lot of people from Nigeria, and not one of them has ever asked me for a cent for medical care for a family member. But that's another issue.

One thing that I detest more than a con man is a stupid con man. Having a professional con man for a relative, I know the difference. "Mike Thomas" is a stupid con man. Even if Macs were still missing, I wouldn't have given this message any credence. It's filled with holes, aside from the dying mother in Nigeria. (I won't list them here, because I don't want to help him improve his efforts, but I'll be happy to go on and on about them at lunch.)

My concern is that some desperate and grief stricken individual might actually send money to this liar, or one of his ilk. Missing dog scams are apparently not uncommon. Dog Detective lists several. Unfortunately, there is little that can be done aside from using common sense and avoiding posting your email address online. If you have a friend with a missing pet, caution them to use care in posting ads, and to beware of responses like this one.

Meantime, I will hope that Mike Thomas and his friends have big chunks bitten out of their asses by angry packs of French poodles.

Now THAT'S optimistic!

The Prodigal Dog Returns

Many thanks to all of you who helped in searching for Macs. He's an old fellow, and not very street smart. At least we didn't think he was very street smart. Somehow, he showed up at my brother in law's house early Tuesday morning. While this is a 1-mile down CR 325 by car, it's about a 3 mile walk between our homes, through mostly heavy woods. We hope he enjoyed his adventure, but we are very glad that he is back at home.

Jess, you have been wonderful. As always, I can count on my very best friends to spread the word when help is needed. You rock.

Thanks again, and keep looking out for our animal friends!

Missing Dog

This morning started the same way that every weekday begins. I got up a little after 6:00, made coffee, turned on the computer, and said good morning to Macs, our Sheltie. At 14 years of age, Macs has been with my husband longer than I have, and he graciously put up with my moving into his home 7 years ago. Every day since then, I have let him out for his morning ritual. Fireball, our cat, comes in when Macs goes out. They then spend the day at home doing whatever a dog and a cat do.

Today, everything seemed pretty normal, except that Macs did not come in when I called him. He never wanders off. He is a herding animal, and he takes his job seriously.

Something changed today, though. Macs didn't come back when I called him. He is still not home. We have scoured the woods and canvassed Cross Creek, but no one has seen him. Our only hope is that he wandered away and some well-intentioned person picked him up. Please go to Find Macs for more info and a picture.

If you have any information that could help us to bring Macsy home, we will be forever grateful.

Many thanks.

Stop the Canadian Seal Hunt

The slaughter of 275,000 baby seals began at dawn on Friday, March 25, 2008. Condoned by the Canadian government, this represents the largest organized killing of marine animals on Earth. There is nothing humane about it. Baby seals are bludgeoned to death. In some cases, they are skinned alive.

Many of us have signed a pledge to boycott Canadian seafood until this barbaric practice is stopped. I think we can take this one step further, and perhaps get the attention of other groups whose livelihoods might be affected.

Last weekend I bought several beautiful tomato and herb plants from Bonnie Plants, an Alabama grower. I was getting ready to plant them when I noticed that their environmentally friendly pots were made in Canada. The plants went back to Lowe's, and I sent a note to the company explaining why.

If we boycott enough Canadian products, and it affects enough other businesses, perhaps the Canadian government will listen. It won't take much of your time. Just read the labels on the products you purchase. If it says "Made in Canada", put it back on the shelf and send an email.

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Blogitis: It's Contagious

As you know, last week I helped my father establish his blog Kermit the Blog. He was worried about being found. (Actually it was Mary who wondered how anyone would find him. I don't think my father ever really considered it.) As luck, and the laws of the Internet would have it, my pal Jess called me this morning and reported that my brother now has his own blog! It's called Frog Spawn. They had met each other via Kermit.

I remember the world before the Internet. It was pretty difficult to meet people from other places unless you traveled a lot. You might have a zillion opinions, and even possess the gift of expressing those opinions, but only a very few would ever be seen or heard or read. Today, it takes less than one week to connect people of differing points of view and in different locales. If we had used Facebook to promote Dad's blog, we could have propelled him into the top rankings even as a newbie.

Despite it's many shortcomings, the Internet continues to provide us with opportunities that were not available just a few short years (OK, a decade) ago. Technology has changed our lives forever.

Has technology helped or hindered your life? Use the comments feature to post your response. Each response must be 200 words or less, and should start with "HELPED:" or "HINDERED:" Only one comment per category per user. (Yes, that means that you get to contribute one "helped" and one "hindered", separately.) Ask your friends to participate. I'm thinking of going back to grad school and need a dissertation topic!

Bam Bam the Blogger Man

Today I set my father up with his own blog. By all rights, this man should have had the very first ever blog. He has been writing letters to everyone about everything as long as I can remember. (I still have a letter he wrote me when I was 2 years old.)

Without doubt, BamBamtheBloggerman will be prolific. Who knows? Maybe he'll end up with a book deal.

Oh, by the way. I support the right to free speech. That doesn't mean I subscribe to all the ideas presented by my blogging associates. I subscribe to some.

The Difference Between Physicians and Veterinarians?

This came up today at lunch in a conversation with my friends Stacey and Sue:

I have worked with hundreds of students whose dream was to complete professional school and become veterinarians or doctors.

When I have asked pre-vet students why they want to become veterinarians, the first response is almost always, "Because I love animals."

When I have asked pre-med students why they want to become doctors, NO one has EVER responded, "Because I love people."

What is that about?