-
.
Happy Spring!.
FYI... The egg trick does not work.
It is just an old wives tale.
.
Good Morning Everyone;
As some of you already know, Casey's little roller~coaster ride continues...
.
.
.
.
.
?
She had a doctor appointment yesterday (Friday) at the clinic here.
CaseyAnne -Skinny as all get out...
03/18/2009
.
.
Dr. Szabo will speak with Dr. Sutherland on Monday.
I do like Dr. Szabo. He is not arrogant, and is not afraid to say when he isn't familiar with some things. There have been many times since Casey changed doctors that he has said, he would find out for us. (He is also not afraid to say "oh really?").
- He listens.
- He takes notes.
- He cares.
- He doesn't treat her like an imbecile.
- AND, he has a great sense of humor to boot..
She had her testing last Monday at Sutherlands office- (If I were rich, I might have my own little helicopter, or a camper for us).
Anyway...
... having driven back to Minnesota last Sunday, we had to stop and let The Punk go potty.
Seeing an exit in the middle of nowhere, I chose that one as I had seen a little dead end road running almost next to the highway. And separated by the highways fence.
.
.
.
?
And so off we went!
..
I spied a few things on that little dead end road, but Punk had to "GO" first.
("First Things First" applies; especially when a pups bladder is involved).
Taking care of that business, and turning around, I had to pull over and snap a few pictures.
.
.
.
Someone was harvesting Maple sap..
Many maple trees with bags attached for collecting the sap.
These are only a very few of what they had tapped.
.
.
A close up of those bags....
.
Pa made our Maple Syrup- (Or as I have always called it, "SYRPLE").
Daddy didn't have fancy bags in those days. He used a spigot to tap the sap, and hung an ice cream pail on it. To that bucket, he added the cover with a slit in it to keep windblown debris (and bugs) to a minimum. (~Smart. ~Very smart).
***If memory serves right, it takes about 40 or 50 gallons of the sap, slowly dribbling out of the trees, to make one little gallon of syrup.
We had an old wood/cookstove in the basement where Dad would 'cook' it down. ***What comes out of the trees looks like little more than ordinary tap water, and is barely barely sweet.
.
.
.
Our old stove was very much like this one,
though ours was white and had a larger 2nd oven...
Photo from HERE.
.My friend Val (aka Mrs "G"), has written about how Maple Syrup is made today, newfangled contraptions and all..
Read about her outing to Proulx Sugar Bush and Berry Farm, and The History of the syrup- From the native Tribes to the present
CLICK HERE for that story.
.
.
Back to the little pit stop of "Ringle"
Driving up the road a spell, we saw what Ringle was really about.
.
.
.
Casey now wants this truck for her own.
Gee, maybe I could park it right next to the old tiller I have.
(That won't be tilling the garden this Spring unless I get really lucky).
..
.
.
"WELCOME TO RINGLE"?!?!?
(Must be Ringles own "Sugar Shack")!
.
.
Reminds me of this from an email....
...
I think I love these guys, syrple or not....
Maybe they are "The Maple Mafia" hehehe
And so we are back home once again. If you have not yet commented on Casey's blog about her next surgery, please CLICK HERE
She should find out on Monday or Tuesday when her next surgery will be.
(Back to dreaming about that camper).
But the people have been SO good to us at the hotel too. They don't remember me specifically by name when I call, but when they ask "for how many people?" -I say "for myself and Punk."
With the mere mention of "PUNK" they know exactly who's coming!hehehe
.
.
Here we are, living the first full day of Spring.
Thank God it has finally arrived- Winter was TOO long for many of us. While I am not looking forward to the 'hot and muggies', I welcome the arrival of warmer weather.
Before Casey's appointment yesterday I even pulled out a few weeds, (my leftovers from last Fall that I must not have had the energy to deal with).
Punk played around for a bit, sniffing everything and sneezing too- (In the Spring there are just so many important smells that must be attended to ya know)...
I had brought my soda out with me. And in my haste to leave, I had left it sitting outside.
I spied it this morning as I left Punk out to take care of her business earlier...
I came in and grabbed the camera because I knew if I didn't, simple "words" sure as heck would not describe it all...
.
.
.
.
.
Yeah I know. Mother Nature has a wicked sense of humor..
.
Have a "wunnaful" and 'warmish' weekend!
Love to all.
XOXO
Me
Anna~Anna
"Flintville Annie"
© 2006-2015
Saturday's Assorted Thoughts
Will anyone ever listen?
http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2009/01/23/chinese-drywall-a-hazard-to-american-homeowners/
Chinese drywall a hazard to American homeowners
Tom Kraeutler
DrywallOwners of Florida homes built between 2004 and 2005 have discovered dangerous Chinese drywall to be behind heating and air conditioning system failures, as well as air quality issues in their homes.
With the home building industry already in a tail spin, this latest fatal flaw is potentially impacting home values in a big way, as the drywall has been confirmed as the source of both home system failures and air quality issues.
Imported and used in new construction during the Gulf Coast building boom of 2004-2005, the drywall was manufactured in China by Knauf Plasterboard (Tianjin) Co. Ltd. Domestically produced gypsum drywall is generally the first choice of U.S. builders, but supply shortages in the wake of Hurricane Katrina and lower prices ushered the Knauf product into many a new build.
****After a few years of mounting homeowner complaints, testing completed this month by both the manufacturer and high-volume builder Lennar Corp. has confirmed that the drywall is releasing sulfur-based gases that corrode air-conditioner coils, computer wiring and even metal picture frames hung on drywalled surfaces.
****As if that's not enough, there also an odor─a rotten-egg smell that's released when the drywall is cut into for repairs and structural investigations. The Florida Department of Health has tested these gaseous emissions and determined that they don't pose an "immediate health threat," but additional testing continues as homeowners worry about their families' health and the reduced resale potential of their homes.
Tom Kraeutler is the Home Improvement Editor for AOL and co-author of My Home, My Money Pit: Your Guide to Every Home Improvement Adventure.
***************
~
~
***************
----
I took the following from a few links I had clicked from within that article and others
***************
But Florida might not be the only state affected. The head of one consumer advocacy group told BradentonHerald.com that it has received drywall complaints from homeowners in Michigan, Virginia, Georgia, Mississippi, Alabama, Louisiana, Texas, Maryland, North and South Carolina, New York and New Jersey. Given the amount of Chinese drywall that has been imported to the U.S. since 2004, the group estimates that the problem could affect as many as 10,000 Florida homes, and thousands more nationwide, BradentonHerald.com said.
The drywall problems have sparked a number of lawsuits, including a class action complaint filed by, the Bonita Springs law firm of Parker Waichman Alonso LLP. The lawsuit, which was filed late last month in U.S. District court in Fort Myers, charges that Knauf and other defendants negligently manufactured and sold the defective drywall, which was "unreasonably dangerous" in normal use because it caused corrosion to air-conditioning and electrical components, and caused coughing and irritation of sinuses, eyes and throats. It goes on to state that, "when combined with moisture in the air, these sulfur compounds create sulfuric acid."
http://www.newsinferno.com/archives/4758
...consumers are complaining about problems that seem to lift when they are away from the toxic Chinese Drywall. Also, the Florida Department of Health says that current emission levels from drywall testing pose “no immediate health threat.” Those exposed to the problem disagree. Health concerns and health problems reported include an array of respiratory problems, nosebleeds, irritated eyes, and headaches. Of very serious concern is the possibility that the Chinese Drywall is emitting excessive amounts of hydrogen sulfide fumes, which can cause extreme irritation, unconsciousness, and even death.
There are concerns that the horrible smell coming from Chinese drywall is an indication that the material is emitting toxins that could be dangerous to the health of residents. According to a report on Environmental Expert.com, the drywall is made from gypsum, a natural material. The problems appear to be related to the presence of iron disulfide (FeS2 pyrite). Hydrogen sulfide (H2S), carbonyl sulfide, sulfur dioxide (SO2), and carbon isulfide (CS2) are also suspected as culprits, the Web site said.
Health officials are still trying to determine what health problems these fumes might cause. A toxicologist for the state of Florida recently told one newspaper that the odor causes people to experience mild and moderate respiratory irritation that clears up when they leave the homes. Other residents have reported that they are experiencing headaches that also go away when they leave their houses. Other symptoms being reported included irritated eyes, coughing, sneezing, difficulty breathing, and symptoms similar to bronchitis and asthma.
Especially worrisome is the possibility that the Chinese drywall is emitting hydrogen sulfide fumes. Exposure to 50 parts per million of hydrogen sulfide for more than ten minutes can cause extreme irritation. Inhalation of 500 to 1,000 parts per million can cause unconsciousness and death through respiratory paralysis and asphyxiation
http://www.yourlawyer.com/topics/overview/Defective_Chinese_Drywall
If you are a homeowner in California, Nevada, Arizona, Louisiana, or Texas, and are experiencing any of the above-referenced health problems and/or mechanical problems; or have noticed a putrid smell emitted from your walls, please contact Jennifer immediately at (800) 901-5119 or by email at legal_investigations@hotmail.com.
Usually, drywall is manufactured in the United States, but a shortage between 2004 and 2006 prompted many builders to buy drywall from China. Most of the reported problems stem from drywall imported from China during Florida's construction boom years of 2004-2005. Knauf Plasterboard Tianjin Co. Ltd. of China, a subsidiary of German-based manufacturer Knauf Group, is the company at the focus of Florida's drywall problems. Another Chinese drywall maker, Taishan Gypsum, has also been implicated.
http://www.newsinferno.com/archives/4700
***************
So... If you have remodeled or built, please think... Call your contarctor.
Cheap is not always best.
***************
Also if you are in the market to buy a home. (Sweet Pea, are you listening)?
XOXO
Me
Keep in mind the sulfur smell...
Either yourself, or your dog, has obnoxious gas, or there is something obviously wrong!
Chinese drywall a hazard to American homeowners
Tom Kraeutler
DrywallOwners of Florida homes built between 2004 and 2005 have discovered dangerous Chinese drywall to be behind heating and air conditioning system failures, as well as air quality issues in their homes.
With the home building industry already in a tail spin, this latest fatal flaw is potentially impacting home values in a big way, as the drywall has been confirmed as the source of both home system failures and air quality issues.
Imported and used in new construction during the Gulf Coast building boom of 2004-2005, the drywall was manufactured in China by Knauf Plasterboard (Tianjin) Co. Ltd. Domestically produced gypsum drywall is generally the first choice of U.S. builders, but supply shortages in the wake of Hurricane Katrina and lower prices ushered the Knauf product into many a new build.
****After a few years of mounting homeowner complaints, testing completed this month by both the manufacturer and high-volume builder Lennar Corp. has confirmed that the drywall is releasing sulfur-based gases that corrode air-conditioner coils, computer wiring and even metal picture frames hung on drywalled surfaces.
****As if that's not enough, there also an odor─a rotten-egg smell that's released when the drywall is cut into for repairs and structural investigations. The Florida Department of Health has tested these gaseous emissions and determined that they don't pose an "immediate health threat," but additional testing continues as homeowners worry about their families' health and the reduced resale potential of their homes.
Tom Kraeutler is the Home Improvement Editor for AOL and co-author of My Home, My Money Pit: Your Guide to Every Home Improvement Adventure.
***************
~
~
***************
----
I took the following from a few links I had clicked from within that article and others
***************
But Florida might not be the only state affected. The head of one consumer advocacy group told BradentonHerald.com that it has received drywall complaints from homeowners in Michigan, Virginia, Georgia, Mississippi, Alabama, Louisiana, Texas, Maryland, North and South Carolina, New York and New Jersey. Given the amount of Chinese drywall that has been imported to the U.S. since 2004, the group estimates that the problem could affect as many as 10,000 Florida homes, and thousands more nationwide, BradentonHerald.com said.
The drywall problems have sparked a number of lawsuits, including a class action complaint filed by, the Bonita Springs law firm of Parker Waichman Alonso LLP. The lawsuit, which was filed late last month in U.S. District court in Fort Myers, charges that Knauf and other defendants negligently manufactured and sold the defective drywall, which was "unreasonably dangerous" in normal use because it caused corrosion to air-conditioning and electrical components, and caused coughing and irritation of sinuses, eyes and throats. It goes on to state that, "when combined with moisture in the air, these sulfur compounds create sulfuric acid."
http://www.newsinferno.com/archives/4758
...consumers are complaining about problems that seem to lift when they are away from the toxic Chinese Drywall. Also, the Florida Department of Health says that current emission levels from drywall testing pose “no immediate health threat.” Those exposed to the problem disagree. Health concerns and health problems reported include an array of respiratory problems, nosebleeds, irritated eyes, and headaches. Of very serious concern is the possibility that the Chinese Drywall is emitting excessive amounts of hydrogen sulfide fumes, which can cause extreme irritation, unconsciousness, and even death.
There are concerns that the horrible smell coming from Chinese drywall is an indication that the material is emitting toxins that could be dangerous to the health of residents. According to a report on Environmental Expert.com, the drywall is made from gypsum, a natural material. The problems appear to be related to the presence of iron disulfide (FeS2 pyrite). Hydrogen sulfide (H2S), carbonyl sulfide, sulfur dioxide (SO2), and carbon isulfide (CS2) are also suspected as culprits, the Web site said.
Health officials are still trying to determine what health problems these fumes might cause. A toxicologist for the state of Florida recently told one newspaper that the odor causes people to experience mild and moderate respiratory irritation that clears up when they leave the homes. Other residents have reported that they are experiencing headaches that also go away when they leave their houses. Other symptoms being reported included irritated eyes, coughing, sneezing, difficulty breathing, and symptoms similar to bronchitis and asthma.
Especially worrisome is the possibility that the Chinese drywall is emitting hydrogen sulfide fumes. Exposure to 50 parts per million of hydrogen sulfide for more than ten minutes can cause extreme irritation. Inhalation of 500 to 1,000 parts per million can cause unconsciousness and death through respiratory paralysis and asphyxiation
http://www.yourlawyer.com/topics/overview/Defective_Chinese_Drywall
If you are a homeowner in California, Nevada, Arizona, Louisiana, or Texas, and are experiencing any of the above-referenced health problems and/or mechanical problems; or have noticed a putrid smell emitted from your walls, please contact Jennifer immediately at (800) 901-5119 or by email at legal_investigations@hotmail.com.
Usually, drywall is manufactured in the United States, but a shortage between 2004 and 2006 prompted many builders to buy drywall from China. Most of the reported problems stem from drywall imported from China during Florida's construction boom years of 2004-2005. Knauf Plasterboard Tianjin Co. Ltd. of China, a subsidiary of German-based manufacturer Knauf Group, is the company at the focus of Florida's drywall problems. Another Chinese drywall maker, Taishan Gypsum, has also been implicated.
http://www.newsinferno.com/archives/4700
***************
So... If you have remodeled or built, please think... Call your contarctor.
Cheap is not always best.
***************
Also if you are in the market to buy a home. (Sweet Pea, are you listening)?
XOXO
Me
Keep in mind the sulfur smell...
Either yourself, or your dog, has obnoxious gas, or there is something obviously wrong!
Poor Things That I Love...
.
.
.
Mornin' All;
Please comment.
I have made this posting private- To keep these angry feelings of mine away from Casey. (Some on my mailing list will get this, some will not).
If you have not yet gone there, please CLICK HERE to go to Casey's blog and to read her diagnosis from Mondays test. She will be having to undergo more major surgery.
At this point, she is about 97 pounds ~soaking wet. You can see the "skinny" reflected in the photo above. (I took that picture 2 days ago)...
I am having such a hard time dealing with this- As I have come to wrap my mind and my heart around all the other surgeries. And I know this should not have come as a surprise.
Maybe it is shock.
Maybe 'denial'. ?
Screw the effing psychobabble.
Mostly I am so mad about it.
Mad at the world.
Mad at the god who would even do all these things to a young lady who has had to give up so many dreams.
A promising young woman who, at this point is sitting on the fucking sidelines and watching her classmates and friends all graduate from college-
Knowing she would have been finishing up her pre-vet science classes (with flying colors, and probably early too).
It is NOT fair. Not for herself, (and not for those of us who love her).
In the past 3½ years I have read more than any lay person should ever have to.
I am not pre-med, or anything else "med" -
I am not even a damned nurse.
And yet, I CAN tell them their job, what appropriately needs to be done in a freakin' heartbeat.
Most listen. Sure they do, (like rocks).
But once I even got thanked by one of them. ONCE!
Casey thanks me all the time.
Yet, I am undeserving. (Case in point, like now).
There are times I refuse to cry; and never in front of herself.
But she cried as she called to tell me that she will be needing this surgery.
Out of fear.
Out of pain.
And almost out of prayers. Years ago when my daughters were little I would tell them it was kinda wrong to pray for themselves. (Know that I recanted that a long time ago).
She has a doctor appointment this afternoon. I will try to go with her.
Know that my stupid Paxil and Xanax don't do shit anymore with respect to my panic attacks-
On the way home from Mpls on Monday we pulled over probably a dozen times. Sometimes for her as she was in such pain after her tests, and other times for me. (Hey, once even Punk got to "go").
Poor things that I love...
I even now have these anxiety attacks sitting at home! WTfH is that all about?
I don't even know how 'long' of a surgery this is... And it seems like such a long time 'til Monday to be able to get answers to all of my own questions.
It is probably wrong, but I have to ask...
My heart hurts. And it is so very tired of hurting all the time.
Me
.
Mornin' All;
Please comment.
I have made this posting private- To keep these angry feelings of mine away from Casey. (Some on my mailing list will get this, some will not).
If you have not yet gone there, please CLICK HERE to go to Casey's blog and to read her diagnosis from Mondays test. She will be having to undergo more major surgery.
At this point, she is about 97 pounds ~soaking wet. You can see the "skinny" reflected in the photo above. (I took that picture 2 days ago)...
I am having such a hard time dealing with this- As I have come to wrap my mind and my heart around all the other surgeries. And I know this should not have come as a surprise.
Maybe it is shock.
Maybe 'denial'. ?
Screw the effing psychobabble.
Mostly I am so mad about it.
Mad at the world.
Mad at the god who would even do all these things to a young lady who has had to give up so many dreams.
A promising young woman who, at this point is sitting on the fucking sidelines and watching her classmates and friends all graduate from college-
Knowing she would have been finishing up her pre-vet science classes (with flying colors, and probably early too).
It is NOT fair. Not for herself, (and not for those of us who love her).
In the past 3½ years I have read more than any lay person should ever have to.
I am not pre-med, or anything else "med" -
I am not even a damned nurse.
And yet, I CAN tell them their job, what appropriately needs to be done in a freakin' heartbeat.
Most listen. Sure they do, (like rocks).
But once I even got thanked by one of them. ONCE!
Casey thanks me all the time.
Yet, I am undeserving. (Case in point, like now).
There are times I refuse to cry; and never in front of herself.
But she cried as she called to tell me that she will be needing this surgery.
Out of fear.
Out of pain.
And almost out of prayers. Years ago when my daughters were little I would tell them it was kinda wrong to pray for themselves. (Know that I recanted that a long time ago).
She has a doctor appointment this afternoon. I will try to go with her.
Know that my stupid Paxil and Xanax don't do shit anymore with respect to my panic attacks-
On the way home from Mpls on Monday we pulled over probably a dozen times. Sometimes for her as she was in such pain after her tests, and other times for me. (Hey, once even Punk got to "go").
Poor things that I love...
I even now have these anxiety attacks sitting at home! WTfH is that all about?
I don't even know how 'long' of a surgery this is... And it seems like such a long time 'til Monday to be able to get answers to all of my own questions.
It is probably wrong, but I have to ask...
...WHY?
(It is really a simple question).
(It is really a simple question).
My heart hurts. And it is so very tired of hurting all the time.
Me
Please Read -Especially If You Are a Dog Owner!
| Rating: | ★★★★★ |
| Category: | Other |
Thank you Deb for bringing this to my attention...
Please read!!!
If you are an owner of a dog that belongs to a 'dangerous breed' category and you also have a small child please take this as a warning.
Don't leave your dog with the child unattended under any circumstances.
Only a little moment was enough for the following to happen.
See the photo below...
Love to All;
XOXO
Anne
~
Awful, ain't it???
G'Night now.
Short Note
Dr S and Casey!03-16-2009
Hi All;
Yes, we are home, getting here yesterday evening...
We did speak with Dr. Sutherland after her tests, but he had not yet had a chance to go over everything. We should hear from him soon I would think/hope?
At this very moment Greg is once again bringing Casey to the hospital. Maybe she is having reaction to the barium she had?
Just bad pain all over her abdomen.
Not too sure what else is going on now... I just wish I could stop all this suffering somehow for her.
Know we did have a good day here- Highs in the mid~60's-
Casey drove out... I made a bit of meatloaf too. Mostly, we enjoyed sitting outside, and playing with the pooch!
I will blog tomorrow- For now maybe a bit of supper and a nap.
Hope all is well with everyone.
Love to all.
XOXO
Me
What to do when an owner puts an animal in danger
http://www.usatoday.com/life/columnist/pettalk/2009-03-17-animal-rescue_N.htm?csp=YahooModule_News
Pet Talk: What to do when an owner puts an animal in danger
By Sharon L. Peters, USA TODAY
Quick. You've got 60 seconds to make a decision that may help an animal in what could be in a life-threatening situation.
But this case is rather complicated. Deciding what to do may be even more complex than making a decision about whether to put yourself in peril by trying to coax a strange dog out of a dark, dilapidated building slated for demolition, for instance, or trying to rescue a kitten from a toxic-looking pool.
Here it is: A dog seems to be seconds away from grave jeopardy. But its owner is right there. It's the owner, in fact, who's putting the animal in what seems to be harm's way.
That was a scenario I wrote about last week:
{http://www.usatoday.com/life/columnist/pettalk/2009-03-10-dogs-behavior_N.htm}
about how some people, despite having brains about 15 times the size of a dog's, do unspeakably stupid things with or to their pets. In this case, a nervous young Labrador kept jumping out of the back of a pickup, and the annoyed owner kept tossing her back there as a crowd formed and pleas were issued for him to accept the offer of a free leash and transport her safely in the truck cab.
Many readers commented how stupid the man was. Some were outraged that the bystanders (including me) didn't do more to protect a pet that seemed likely to leap into the path of an oncoming car. Some readers wrote that since putting dogs unsecured in the back of a truck is illegal in many states, citizens should have arrested him and called police. Another suggested that someone should have snatched the dog from the owner.
So I contacted a few experts for ideas about how such a thing should be handled. I'm sure every one of the people who watched this incident (and every pet lover who has, unfortunately, been in similar situations — filled with dread over a possible outcome and having, literally, one minute to do the right thing) has worried about woulda/shoulda/couldas.
Here's the experts' thinking about the two most significant issues:
•Issue 1: Laws banning dogs in the back of pickups. Only nine states — California, Connecticut, Hawaii, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Oregon, Rhode Island and Washington — have such laws, according to the Humane Society of the United States. A few municipalities, including Indianapolis, Albuquerque and Miami-Dade, also have such laws. My state (Colorado) and most of the really heavy pickup-truck states in the rural West and the Deep South have no such laws.
Absent such laws, it often falls to animal control to respond, and even when a call gets highest priority, it's 15 to 30 minutes in most towns before an officer arrives on the scene. That said, it's possible in some communities that police will respond, particularly if it's presented as a public hazard issue — a dog flying out of the back will cause wrecks or injure people — but in this economy, when departments have been cut, it's unclear what level of urgency would be assigned.
So this kind of situation is much simpler if it occurs where bans exist (even though many people report that even in such places authorities often turn a blind eye to violators), because there's no lack of clarity about the wrongness of it and who has authority.
Such laws, by the way, came into being out of sensitivity to the enormous risk: About 100 truck-bed-riding humans die in the USA annually, so it's safe to assume many more dogs die or are hideously injured since more dogs than people ride in cargo beds. But no one keeps those records. The American Veterinary Medical Association reports that 141 Massachusetts veterinarians surveyed in 2007 treated 592 dogs for injuries (mostly severe and multiple) after the animals jumped or fell from a truck. Several states have considered legislation but, as just occurred in Maryland, have rejected it.
•Issue 2: Wresting the dog away. "Members of the public do not have the authority to seize a dog," says the ASPCA's Stephen Zawistowski. Do people sometimes take suffering or at-risk pets from owners? Sure, a shelter official told me, but it tends to happen in the middle of the night or when the owner is gone. Authorities warn that confronting an already angry owner could put a person at "risk of bodily harm" and may put the pet at greater risk after the episode because the owner is mad.
So what do you do if you live where there's no ban?
If it appears the situation will take more than a minute or two to play out, call animal control (report animal in possible imminent danger) and the police (making the public safety argument). If you know you have less time than that, call anyhow, give them the plate number and description of the truck. They probably won't arrive fast enough to intercede, but sometimes, though not always, animal control will — if a witness signs a complaint — track down the owner to chat. It may be too late for the dog that was at risk. But I wish we'd done that so the guy would have been confronted by someone other than bystanders.
And finally, Zawistowski says, "Take a picture (of the frantic dog in and out of the truck) with a cellphone. If something does happen to the dog, you have evidence it was his dog. At times I think that seeing someone take the picture may get the person to change his attitude. But you need to keep in mind that it may really tick him off."
Next time this sort of thing happens, I'll have approaches beyond offering help (and hoping the mere intrusion — and knowledge someone is watching — will alter the situation). You will, too.
http://www.usatoday.com/life/columnist/pettalk/2009-03-17-animal-rescue_N.htm?csp=YahooModule_News
READERS: Have you ever witnessed an animal at risk? What did you do?
Pet Talk: What to do when an owner puts an animal in danger
By Sharon L. Peters, USA TODAY
Quick. You've got 60 seconds to make a decision that may help an animal in what could be in a life-threatening situation.
But this case is rather complicated. Deciding what to do may be even more complex than making a decision about whether to put yourself in peril by trying to coax a strange dog out of a dark, dilapidated building slated for demolition, for instance, or trying to rescue a kitten from a toxic-looking pool.
Here it is: A dog seems to be seconds away from grave jeopardy. But its owner is right there. It's the owner, in fact, who's putting the animal in what seems to be harm's way.
That was a scenario I wrote about last week:
{http://www.usatoday.com/life/columnist/pettalk/2009-03-10-dogs-behavior_N.htm}
about how some people, despite having brains about 15 times the size of a dog's, do unspeakably stupid things with or to their pets. In this case, a nervous young Labrador kept jumping out of the back of a pickup, and the annoyed owner kept tossing her back there as a crowd formed and pleas were issued for him to accept the offer of a free leash and transport her safely in the truck cab.
Many readers commented how stupid the man was. Some were outraged that the bystanders (including me) didn't do more to protect a pet that seemed likely to leap into the path of an oncoming car. Some readers wrote that since putting dogs unsecured in the back of a truck is illegal in many states, citizens should have arrested him and called police. Another suggested that someone should have snatched the dog from the owner.
So I contacted a few experts for ideas about how such a thing should be handled. I'm sure every one of the people who watched this incident (and every pet lover who has, unfortunately, been in similar situations — filled with dread over a possible outcome and having, literally, one minute to do the right thing) has worried about woulda/shoulda/couldas.
Here's the experts' thinking about the two most significant issues:
•Issue 1: Laws banning dogs in the back of pickups. Only nine states — California, Connecticut, Hawaii, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Oregon, Rhode Island and Washington — have such laws, according to the Humane Society of the United States. A few municipalities, including Indianapolis, Albuquerque and Miami-Dade, also have such laws. My state (Colorado) and most of the really heavy pickup-truck states in the rural West and the Deep South have no such laws.
Absent such laws, it often falls to animal control to respond, and even when a call gets highest priority, it's 15 to 30 minutes in most towns before an officer arrives on the scene. That said, it's possible in some communities that police will respond, particularly if it's presented as a public hazard issue — a dog flying out of the back will cause wrecks or injure people — but in this economy, when departments have been cut, it's unclear what level of urgency would be assigned.
So this kind of situation is much simpler if it occurs where bans exist (even though many people report that even in such places authorities often turn a blind eye to violators), because there's no lack of clarity about the wrongness of it and who has authority.
Such laws, by the way, came into being out of sensitivity to the enormous risk: About 100 truck-bed-riding humans die in the USA annually, so it's safe to assume many more dogs die or are hideously injured since more dogs than people ride in cargo beds. But no one keeps those records. The American Veterinary Medical Association reports that 141 Massachusetts veterinarians surveyed in 2007 treated 592 dogs for injuries (mostly severe and multiple) after the animals jumped or fell from a truck. Several states have considered legislation but, as just occurred in Maryland, have rejected it.
•Issue 2: Wresting the dog away. "Members of the public do not have the authority to seize a dog," says the ASPCA's Stephen Zawistowski. Do people sometimes take suffering or at-risk pets from owners? Sure, a shelter official told me, but it tends to happen in the middle of the night or when the owner is gone. Authorities warn that confronting an already angry owner could put a person at "risk of bodily harm" and may put the pet at greater risk after the episode because the owner is mad.
So what do you do if you live where there's no ban?
If it appears the situation will take more than a minute or two to play out, call animal control (report animal in possible imminent danger) and the police (making the public safety argument). If you know you have less time than that, call anyhow, give them the plate number and description of the truck. They probably won't arrive fast enough to intercede, but sometimes, though not always, animal control will — if a witness signs a complaint — track down the owner to chat. It may be too late for the dog that was at risk. But I wish we'd done that so the guy would have been confronted by someone other than bystanders.
And finally, Zawistowski says, "Take a picture (of the frantic dog in and out of the truck) with a cellphone. If something does happen to the dog, you have evidence it was his dog. At times I think that seeing someone take the picture may get the person to change his attitude. But you need to keep in mind that it may really tick him off."
Next time this sort of thing happens, I'll have approaches beyond offering help (and hoping the mere intrusion — and knowledge someone is watching — will alter the situation). You will, too.
http://www.usatoday.com/life/columnist/pettalk/2009-03-17-animal-rescue_N.htm?csp=YahooModule_News
READERS: Have you ever witnessed an animal at risk? What did you do?
(Smoking). Name Three.
http://www.davehitt.com/2004/name_three.html
Good Morning All;
Know that I did not write this. Nor do I positively stand by everything in it. To do so would be the height of ignorance
But I sure found this to be almost a perfect example of bogus info that us "sheeples" have been given.
And the only way to answer his question would be with more paranoia.
I already know that this is a "flammable" topic.
If you reply, please be kind and respectful toward each other.
NOT being so is what got us into all this in the first place!
No cussing AT anyone!
XOXO
Anne
PS...
[Next will be my "On the other hand" Smoke].
************************
The Hittman Chronicle by Dave Hitt
Name Three -
Second Hand Smoke Nannies Are Unable to Supply a Single Victim's Name
When I was a kid, my father used to try to get me to eat stuff I didn't like by claiming, "There are millions of starving kids in India who would love that!" One day I replied, "Name three!" I received a quick slap in the head, and later that night he spanked me to sleep.
This taught me two important lessons.
One: don't say that to dad again.
Two: "Name Three" is a great comeback to people spewing bogus numbers.
Several months ago I was visiting the site of the Tompkins County Health Department. After reading the claim that second hand smoke kills for the zillionth time, I decided to have some fun at the expense of the propagandists. I submitted the following question to their contact person:
"On your website you claim that 63,000 people die from second hand smoke every year. Could you please name three or four or them?"
I received this answer from Ted Schiele:
I have attached a report about the dangers of second hand smoke for your reference. I hope this adds to your understanding of the situation.
Thanks for your interest.
Ted Schiele
I didn't bother opening the attached PDF file. Instead, I wrote back:
Thanks for sending that, Ted, but it doesn't answer my question.
My question is quite simple. Name three or four people who have died from second hand smoke.
Anyone can name a dozen people who have died from primary smoking, because it really does kill people. So if SHS really kills people too, it should be possible to identify at least a couple of them.
So I ask, once again, Can you name three or four people who have died from second hand smoke?"
His answer was short and to the point:
"No, I cannot."
I smirked a little smirk and didn't think much more about it, until a few months later when I decided to try it again, on a bigger scale. I wrote to several health organizations and anti-smoker activists, asking the same question. Their responses, and lack of responses, tells us all we need to know about the validity of their claims.
(Note: I've taken the liberty to make some small edits of spelling and grammar errors in some of the following correspondence, both in my own messages and the ones I've received. Some clarifying comments have been added in brackets and italicized text. The original, unedited versions of these messages are available here. )
A request to the American Cancer Society, via a web form, resulted in an auto reply claiming they'd send me an answer within three days. That was over a month ago. I guess they're really busy.
A web form submission to the American Heart Association was ignored.
I e-mailed Joe Cherner, a rabid activist responsible for the ban in New York City. He didn't reply. To be honest, I didn't expect him to, because I've had many e-mail exchanges with him in the past. He got into a snit when I asked him about the murder of Dana Blake. Dana was stabbed to death trying to enforce Joe's ban, making him the only employee whose health really was affected by SHS. Joe hasn't answered any of my e-mails since.
I sent two requests to Stanton Glantz, one of the primary leaders of the anti-smoker jihad. He ignored both of them.
Tobaccofree.org also ignored the request.
The American Lung Association did reply. First they sent an auto responder that begged for money. A few days later they e-mailed a response that didn't answer the question.
"We are sorry but we do not have this information."
I replied:
Why not?
If I had asked for the names of people who died from primary smoking, I'm sure you could name a dozen without giving it a second thought, and could list a hundred or two with five or ten minutes research on the {Internet}. It's an easy project because primary smoking really does kill people.
According to your numbers, a half million people have died from SHS over the past twenty years. That's huge. So if SHS really is a threat, you should have no trouble supplying me with a few names.
{I made a big math error here. 63,000 people over twenty years is well over a million victims, not a half million. Although I made the same mistake several times during this project, none of the numbers "experts" caught it.}
If you can't, then it's reasonable to conclude that SHS isn't the threat you claim it to be, right?
Their answer:
We do not have names, however, we do have scientifically proven studies that document that secondhand smoke exposure has been direct!
Strange. A million deaths in the past twenty years, and they can't name a single one. And that last sentence makes no sense at all. It sounds like something from engrish.com.
I realized I had left out two of the nation's biggest nicotine nannies, Jeffrey Wigand and James Repace. They both make a very good living flying around the country, vilifying smokers and lying about the dangers if SHS. Much to my surprise, I received prompt answers from each of them.
Wigand was the subject of the movie "The Insider," which portrays him as a hero going up against the Big Nasty Evil Tobacco companies. When I sent him the "name three" question, he answered:
I have been involved in only one case where a nurse, initially a missionary nurse who then worked at the VA hospitals holding cigarettes for the VA hospital's patients. She NEVER voluntarily smoked or used any form of alcoholic beverages.
She died of adenocarcinoma of the lungs...the specific lung cancer associated with SHS and smoking mild or light cigarettes.
Her name was Elizabeth Wiley and the case was tried in Muncie, IN.
I told him I could find no reference to the case anywhere on the Internet. He replied with the name of a legal firm, suggesting I contact them.
Then I blew my cover. I answered him, noting that lawyers aren't allowed to discuss their clients publicly. But during this time I had also been talking with Repace, the only person who actually supplied three names. I mistakenly asked Wiggand questions about them, tipping my hand a bit earlier than I intended. When I didn't receive a reply, I sent another e-mail, asking if there were any death certificates, anywhere, that listed second hand smoke as the cause of death. A week passed with no answer. My guess was he looked up my site and discovered I wasn't very friendly to his cause. I was disappointed, because I wanted to bring up several other issues about his integrity. So I waited a bit, then sent him the following, not really expecting it to be answered:
I haven't heard back from you, and realize it's my fault. I've been asking various anti-smoker groups the "name three" question in preparation for an article for my web site, and the last paragraph of my last e-mail to you was intended for someone else. I apologize for the confusion. My last question to you was "Are there any death certificates, anywhere, that list second hand smoke as the cause of death."
I'd like to ask you about three more things, if you don't mind. I realize these are very personal questions, but since you willingly became a public figure, I think it's fair to ask them.
The first is regarding your employment at Biosonics Inc. Jack Paller, the CEO, wrote a rather devastating report about your behavior there. He claims you were very abusive of employees, including his wife, that you were fired from there, and that you then lied to Brown & Williamson in order to get hired. He also says you resigned with a one sentence letter, but provided The Wall Street Journal with a much more elaborate resignation letter. Is he telling the truth?
What I find most interesting about his story is that it used to be in several places on the Internet, and now the only place I can find it is FORCES, a smoker's rights web site. Why did the other sites remove it? Were legal threats levied against them?
The second question is the most troubling. If you only answer one, please answer this one. One of the most dramatic scenes in The Insider was you finding the threatening letter and the bullet in your mailbox. Yet when the FBI investigated, they found some concrete evidence that you had written that letter on your own computer, printed it on your own stationary, and put both the bullet and the letter in your own mailbox. Their report is available on the highly regarded web site "The Smoking Gun." (http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/wigand1.html) Why did you do that, Jeff? And why do you think the FBI declined to prosecute you for the fraud?
My last question is about signature line you use in your e-mail. You use the quote "Thou shalt not be a victim. Thou shalt not be a perpetrator. Above all, thou shalt not be a bystander" and cite the source as the Holocaust Museum in Washington, DC.
A while back I did some research on Hitler's war on smokers. It turns out that he was a rabid anti-smoker too. (http://www.davehitt.com/nov02/nicotine.html) His methods and techniques are eerily similar to those that you and your anti-smoker colleagues use. The phrase "passive smoking" was coined by one of his minions. Therefore, if you're going to compare yourself to anyone in the Holocaust scenario, it's clear which side you belong on, and it's not the side of the victims. With this new information at hand, will you continue to use that quote?
I look forward to your answers.
I didn't expect a reply, and haven’t received one.
My longest correspondence was with James Repace. Repace makes his living cheerleading the war on smokers. He claims hurricane force winds are necessary to clear smoke out of a room. While this comes as a complete surprise to anyone who has opened a window and watched a gentle breeze clear the air, the media, who repeatedly refer to Repace as an expert, dutifully repeats his ridiculous claims. He's also written a paper that claims that SHS doesn't dissipate outside, but instead forms little tornados that hunt down non-smokers.
Repace was the only one to answer with three names:
Sure. Mildred Wiley of Indiana, Burl Butler of Missouri, and Larry Ray Thaxton of Tennessee. You're welcome to check them out on Google.
I wrote back that I found the first two, (more on them later) but couldn't find Thaxton. He replied that the case hasn't come to trial yet. (That shouldn't have mattered - information about pending trials is usually available, especially in high profile cases.) I then asked:
Another question, if you don't mind. I know you worked for the EPA, and I see you listed as a contributor to the 1993 report, Respiratory Health Effects of Passive Smoking. Do you approve of the methodology the EPA used for that report?
Up to now, his replies had been almost instant, taking an hour or two at most. When I didn't get a reply to this one, I figured he had probably goggled me and didn't like what he found. I sent another e-mail asking the same question, and received this reply:
Dear Mr. Hitt, I have visited your website. I note that you are a smoker, and take a decidedly libertarian view of this issue. While this is your right, based on those opinions, I do not think that my professional opinion of the EPA study methodology will be understandable to you, as you are apparently not a science professional. In the event that you ever wish to pursue genuine scientific inquiry on this issue, and are not simply a flack for big tobacco, I suggest you visit the Cal EPA website for an update on the risks of passive smoking. Jim Repace
Ah yes, the old "appeal to authority" trick. He's the big smart researcher, and I'm just some bumpkin who can't understand fraud when I see it. It was time to take off the gloves. I answered:
One doesn't need to be a farmer to know if an apple is rotten.
If you were an *ethical* science professional, and a real scientist, you would be appalled at your name being attached to a study that ignored 2/3s of the data, then doubled the margin of error, then doubled *that* number, to come up with 3,000 imaginary deaths in a population of 300 million people.
For the record, I despise Big Tobacco as much as you do, in fact, probably more.
I spent several years as a consultant for General Electric's R&D center, working with hundreds of the world's best scientists and engineers. Many of them worked with highly toxic airborne chemicals. They protected themselves with ventilation. They didn't need hurricane force winds, and would have laughed at the suggestion that they were necessary. And that was for high concentrations of chemicals that were really dangerous, not the imaginary danger of SHS.
I'm not sure which site you visited - there are actually three under the same domain name. I'm guessing you visited The Hittman Chronicle, where I print opinion articles. You should also check out The Facts, which shows the real facts about second hand smoke. You'll find that here: http://www.davehitt.com/facts/. You're invited to search it for a single error listed as a fact. The third is a Blog I just started, just for fun, and doesn't have anything to do with this conversation. You'll find it at http://www.davehitt.com/blog/
Our conversations are the final step in a project of mine. I've been asking the same question (name three people) to a variety of organizations and individuals. You were the only one who supplied three names, and your choices are quite revealing. One of them is unverifiable. Another, despite the fact that juries love ailing individuals and hate tobacco companies, was unable to convince a jury that his illness had anything to do with SHS. And the first one you cited was an outright fraud - she had pancreatic cancer which spread to her lungs, and she tried to cash in by blaming tobacco.
So thanks, James, for proving what I've known all along. You and your ilk are making a very good living by telling lies about SHS and vilifying smokers. The bans you promote put thousands of small business men and women out of work, all to protect someone from a non-existent danger. And worst of all, you've provided nannies and busybodies of every ilk with a blueprint on how to use Big Brother and Lawyers to interfere with every aspect of everyone's life.
There are all kinds of evils in the world, but the very worst comes from those who sacrifice freedom and facts "for our own good," and for their own profit.
I figured that would be the end of our conversation, but to my surprise he still wanted to chat. He sent back:
Dave, each cigarette you smoke takes 13 minutes off your life. What more do you need to know about the toxicity of tobacco smoke? If a horse drinks out of a well and dies, do you supply the town with the water? Use your common sense, man. Jim
I answered:
Jim, I don't smoke cigarettes. I used to, but quit, because I wasn't comfortable with the risk. I do smoke cigars, but not a lot.
Thirteen minutes? Not nine, not fourteen, but precisely thirteen? Those are the kind of nonsense numbers no real scientist would be quoting. A real scientist would say something like "cigarettes increase the risk of dying prematurely." No one can argue that, because that's a real, honest to goodness fact. But smoking seems to have no effect on some people (everyone knows someone who lived to be 90+ while smoking several packs a day) and a devastating effect on others.
Of course, none of that is the issue at hand. We both agree that primary smoking is risky, but we're talking about SHS, an entirely different thing. We're talking about your "hurricane force winds" statements. And we {are} talking about you having your name, apparently without any objection, appearing on one of the most fraudulent "studies" that ever came out of the EPA. Wouldn't a real scientist speak out against a report that ignored 2/3s of the data, then doubled the margin of error, then doubled THAT number, to come up with an RR that is laughably small? Why haven't you spoken out against that, Jeff? {James}
He copped out with:
I've forwarded your message to the author of the EPA study; if he wants to, he can respond
I replied to his evasion:
I didn't ask the author of the EPA study. I asked you. Why are you evading the question?
It's pretty simple. There's nothing tricky about it. Do you approve of the methodology of the study? Yes, or no?
Once again he pulled out the "appeal to authority" trick.
No, Dave, it's not simple. It's a weight of evidence approach, you just don't consider the EPA studies, most of which are flawed because of poor exposure assessment, which drives the results toward the null. There are 10 different risk assessments, all using different methodology (see "Risk Assessment Methodologies in passive smoking-induced lung cancer." J.L. Repace and A.H. Lowrey, RISK ANALYSIS, 10: 27-37, (1990)) , EPA's is just one; at the time, I reviewed the methods in detail, and I thought {it} was a very nice job, and so did the 16 member external review panel, all of whom had PhDs. All the other 9 risk assessments produce the same estimates as everybody else, plus or minus 50%, including mine. The only garbage submitted at the hearings in 1992 was from the tobacco companies and their stooges. Now before you respond again, why don't you check out some of my publications?
He then listed 71 of his fabrications publications, which, I'm guessing, was supposed to impress me.
I was surprised that the conversation had gone on this long, and guessed he was willing to keep it going. I knew this article was already going to be too long, and since he had already admitted to being enamored with one of the most blatantly dishonest studies ever conducted on the subject, further conversation wouldn't accomplish much. (Although I have to admit, I was really enjoying cornering him.) I ended the conversation with this message:
I checked out the one {publication}where you claim that SHS doesn't dissipate outdoors, but does some acrobatics and then heads for non-smokers. I found it pretty amusing. Perhaps I'll look up some of your other papers when I'm in need of entertainment.
The results are driven toward the null because SHS has no effect on mortality. Kabat just proved that with a 39 year study. A cohort study, no less. One funded mostly by the American Cancer Society.
So you reviewed the methods in detail. Let me make sure I understand this, me being a non-scientist and all. The EPA announced their results ahead of time. Then they committed the fraud of ignoring two thirds of the available data. Then they compounded that fraud by doubling their margin of error to a 90% confidence level. Then they compounded that fraud by doubling the 1500 deaths they calculated. And after reviewing those methods in detail, you say it "was a very nice job"
Thank you James. I think that explains everything I need to know about you. There were two more things I was going to bring up - your ludicrous claims that hurricane force winds are necessary to clear smoke from a room, and the fact that of the three names you did supply, one was unproven, one was unverifiable, and one was an outright fraud. But since your assessment of the EPA study provides such a deep insight into your character, I think those conversations would be a waste of both your time and mine.
So thank you, James, for your time. It has been most enlightening.
In summary, here are the people and organizations I contacted, and the results:
American Heart Association Request Ignored
Joe Cherner
President SmokeFree Educational Services, Inc. Request Ignored
Stanton Glantz
Founder of Americans for Non-Smokers Rights, Tobacco Scam, and other anti smoker organizations. Request Ignored
TobaccoFree.org Request Ignored
Tompkins County Health Department Evaded the question in their first reply. When asked again if he could supply names, their spokesperson responded: "No, I can not."
American Lung Association Evasive reply. Unable to supply any names
Jeffery Wigand
Star of "The Insider"
Professional anti-smoker gadfly.
Supplied one name, which could not be verified.
James Repace
Repace and Associates
Proffesional anti-smoker gadfly. Supplied three names.
One could not be verified.
One had been ruled against by a jury.
One was rejected by a jury because her claim was a massive fraud.
Total Number of valid, verrifable names supplied: 0
There are so many anti-smoker organizations out there contacting them all could be a full time job. But this project wasn't meant to be all inclusive, just to provide a good sample of the blatant dishonesty nicotine nannies rely on.
Of course, this dishonesty isn't limited to nicotine nannies - nannies of all stripes love to spew made up numbers. The next time you hear a one, try this very simple technique: look them in the eye and say "Name three."
Additional Information
All of the e-mails mentioned in this article can be found here, in a formatted, edited version that's easy to read, and here, in a raw, unedited format.
Learn how to spot bogus studies by reading The Facts
Wigand's former employer tells his story here.
More on Wiggand's claims.
Someone else searches for a name.
A reader submitted this review of this article. I love his description of THMC as an "entertainingly ornery" web site, which fits perfectly with my own description of the place. His blog has a distinctive anti-nanny flavor to it, which all too rare these days. Check it out.
April 2004
Comments?
© 2004 Dave Hitt
GIAN TURCI - A CHAMPION AND A HERO
http://cagecanada.blogspot.com/2009/03/gian-turci-champion-and-hero.html
As you all know by now, I am a smoker. For some time now, I have also received "The United Pro Choice Smokers Rights Newsletter" Found here: http://www.smokersclubinc.com/index.php
Taken from the article now:
Gian Turci
1950 - 2009
..."Gian’s specific involvement in smoker’s rights began when he was living in Canada and his children came home complaining that at school, all of the students had been made to line up while a health official proceeded to smell each of them in search of the tell-tale odour of tobacco. Students guilty of having the smell of cigarettes on their clothes were taken aside and interrogated, and notices were eventually sent to the parents. Where most modern parents would have bowed their heads in shame and accepted the dogma that they should feel guilty for smoking around their children, or for having failed to prevent their children from becoming smokers, Gian reacted in righteous outrage over this grossly insulting treatment, and he decided to react rather than allow himself and his family to be walked upon."
CLICK the link at the top to read more...
My apologies in advance, but I will be blogging about this topic soon.
XOXO
Me
PS
Mr. Turci died of a brain hemmorhage-
An aneurysm is an accident of birth. Unrelated to his smoking.
As you all know by now, I am a smoker. For some time now, I have also received "The United Pro Choice Smokers Rights Newsletter" Found here: http://www.smokersclubinc.com/index.php
Taken from the article now:
Gian Turci
1950 - 2009
..."Gian’s specific involvement in smoker’s rights began when he was living in Canada and his children came home complaining that at school, all of the students had been made to line up while a health official proceeded to smell each of them in search of the tell-tale odour of tobacco. Students guilty of having the smell of cigarettes on their clothes were taken aside and interrogated, and notices were eventually sent to the parents. Where most modern parents would have bowed their heads in shame and accepted the dogma that they should feel guilty for smoking around their children, or for having failed to prevent their children from becoming smokers, Gian reacted in righteous outrage over this grossly insulting treatment, and he decided to react rather than allow himself and his family to be walked upon."
CLICK the link at the top to read more...
My apologies in advance, but I will be blogging about this topic soon.
XOXO
Me
PS
Mr. Turci died of a brain hemmorhage-
An aneurysm is an accident of birth. Unrelated to his smoking.
Punks Dream
http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20090314/GPG0101/903140571/1207&located=RSS
Trucks collide; 40,000 pounds of meat spilled
SHEBOYGAN — Two semitrailer trucks crashed Friday on Interstate 43, injuring the drivers and scattering 40,000 pounds of meat products along the road.
One semitrailer rear-ended the other about 1 a.m. in the town of Holland, according to the Sheboygan County Sheriff's Department.
The second semitrailer rolled down an embankment and landed on a road below. The passenger compartment and motor separated from the chassis, and the semitrailer spilled its entire load of meat products, the sheriff's department said.
***************
Boy talk about being NOWHERE NEAR the right place at the right time.
Love, Punk
Mar 14 '09 -Kissing Pigs ~How Did YOU Grow Up?
- "The Full Worm Moon", with clouds.
Picture taken 3-13-09 - .
In this month the ground softens and the earthworm casts reappear,
inviting the return of the robins.
The Northern Tribes knew this as the Full Crow Moon,
when the cawing of crows signals the end of winter.
Or the Full Crust Moon
because the snow cover becomes crusted from thawing by day and freezing at night.
The Full Sap Moon, marking the time of tapping maple trees, is another variation.
.
Good Saturday Morning!
As you know, Casey was back to the hospital on Thursday night. (Technically Friday morning).
She is OK, no better, but no worse for the wear.
We will be keeping our appointment in Minnesota as well.
We lost a whole night of sleep- (Methinks I made up for this last night- getting almost a record setting 9 hours)
Casey's colon is shutting down, probably has been for a year or two. - But this is fixable.
We will know how to fix it come Monday.
I received the following in my email a few days ago. While it is not new to any of us that have been online for more than a month, I thought that maybe it should rightfully be shared with everyone anyway.
Taking my cue from the last line, I believe it would make some wonderful dinnertime/classroom talk for the kids too.
FOR ALL US "KidS" WHO SURVIVED
(the 1930's, 40's, 50's, 60's and 70's).
- First, we survived being born to mothers who smoked and/or drank while they were pregnant.
- They took aspirin, ate bleu cheese dressing, tuna from a can, and didn't get tested for diabetes.
- Then, after those traumas, we were put to sleep on our tummies in baby cribs covered with bright colored lead-based paints.
- We had no child proof lids on medicine bottles, doors or cabinets. Our parents actually took the time to teach us not to mess with things. When we were little, they actually even kept an eye on us.
- Daycare was what Mom did. Or Grandma and Grandpa.
- Dad went to work and made a life for us. We did not keep up with "The Joneses", but we were always happy, loved, warm, and fed.
- As infants and children we would ride in cars with no car seats, booster seats, seat belts or air bags. And our cars were even made strong with American steel.
- When we rode our bikes, we had no helmets, elbow pads or knee guards. Like everyone else, we "wiped out". But we got back up and dusted ourselves off without running home to Mama.
- Not everyone passed the 2nd grade. We dealt with it, knowing that some kids just didn't get it the first time around.
- Some kids even skipped a grade. We dealt with that too, knowing that other kids were very very smart.
- We lived dangerously sometimes; not to mention, the risks we took hitchhiking.
- Riding in the back of a pickup on a warm day was always a special treat.
- We drank water from the garden hose and NOT from a bottle.
- We shared one soft drink with four friends, from one bottle and NO ONE actually died from this.
- We ate cupcakes, white bread and real butter and drank Kool-aid made with sugar, but we weren't overweight because, WE WERE ALWAYS OUTSIDE PLAYING!
- We even got spanked, or got our butts kicked! We lived to tell about it, and to move on from there having learned a bit more respect for our parents, (and for our butts).
- We didn't know dys-fun-ctional. And if we had, we would have just zeroed in on the "fun" in that word.
- We would leave home in the morning and play all day; as long as we were back in time for supper, or when the streetlights came on.
- Due to the diligence of our own parents (and others as well), we knew almost instinctively what we could do, and what would catch us hell when we got home. We usually chose to protect our butts, rather than suffer the wrath of our parents. They actually meant what they said.
- As did our teachers. If we got spanked at school, the principal called our parents, and we would "get it" even worse when we got home.
- When we went out to play, no one was able to reach us all day. And we were OK.
- We would spend hours building our go-carts out of scraps and then ride down the hill, only to find out we forgot the brakes After running into the bushes a few times, we learned to solve the problem.
- We did not have Playstations, Nintendo's, X-boxes, no video games at all, no 150 channels on cable, no video movies or DVD's, no surround-sound or CD's, no cell phones, no personal computers, no Internet or chatrooms. And yet, our lives were full.
- WE HAD REAL FRIENDS. We just went outside and found them!
- We got dirty, and had a great time anyway.
- We wore hand me down clothes, and no one ever made fun of us. If they did we made the best of it anyway.
- If we cussed, we did so in private because we didn't like the taste of soap. (But no one ever died from soap).
- We fell out of trees, got cut, broke bones, and even lost a few teeth. There were no lawsuits from these accidents.
- We ate worms and mud pies made from dirt. The worms did not live in us forever.
- On a related note, some of us even swallowed live goldfish. We lived through it, but the goldfish didn't.
- We were given BB guns for our 6th birthdays.
- We had to mow the lawns, shovel the snow, do the dishes, and take out the garbage. If we complained, we had to do this for a month.
- If we argued among ourselves, the best remedy was to 'finish what we started'. (The other guy always looked worse). But we were still good friends the next day.
- We made up games with sticks and tennis balls (and although we were told it would happen, we did not poke out very many eyes).
- We rode bikes, -or (gasp) even "walked" to a friend's house. We knocked on the door, rang the bell, or just walked in and talked to them!
- Little League had tryouts and not everyone made the team. Those who didn't had to learn to deal with disappointment. Imagine that!
- The idea of a parent bailing us out if we broke the law was unheard of. They actually sided with the law!
- We had freedom, failure, success, and responsibility, and we learned HOW TO DEAL WITH IT ALL!
These generations have produced some of the best risk-takers, problem solvers and inventors ever!
The past 50 years have been an explosion of innovation and new ideas.
You might want to show this to others who have had the luck to grow up as REAL KIDS, before lawyers regulated much of our lives "for our own good."
While you are at it, make sure to discuss it with your kids so they will know how brave (and lucky) their parents were.
Oh yes, this could make for some very lively supper table discussions. Hope you all will have the "fun" in doing so.
As for me, and my Saturday it doesn't take a rocket scientist to know that I have a world of catching up to do with your own blogs.
(Sadly, a blind person could see how messy my house is).
Life goes on!
Casey just brought this one to my attention... Worth a listen for us all.
Lyrics | White Stripes lyrics - Effect And Cause lyrics
Have a 'wunnaful' weekend! - Again I ask, how did YOU grow up?
- A better question...
Not Feelin' Too Groovy
I know many of you are "new" here.
Please do the clicks below if you want to know more about those things.
My comments are always open to all.
Please do the clicks below if you want to know more about those things.
My comments are always open to all.
- .
Your "Innards"
hehehe
.
Good Morning.
(Is it)?
I am chilled today... It is so sunny out, but looks are deceiving. I've been out to feed the birds, my cardinal making such a fuss at Punk when I'd let her out earlier. (Those birds may be pretty, but none too bright to be thinking that Punk might be able to refill that feeder)! Dumb clucks.
Mom would call a few people that, and I have to giggle every time I think on it.
It was Mama's birthday on the 7th.
(To read about my mama, CLICK HERE).
She would have been 93 had she lived...
Reianna's birthday was on the 10th.
(To read about my Reianna, CLICK HERE).
So very hard to believe that she would have been 30 this year!- You will have to scroll down after you click those links since "Reianna", "Mom" and "Methadone" are all included in the tags on this blog.
Also included in Reianna's CLICK is the information about METHADONE.
***If you or anyone else you know is prescribed this drug for pain, or withdrawal, please DO NOT TAKE IT!
Doctors are still prescribing it.- People are still dying.
- Please get the word out.
"According to the National Center for Health Statistics, medical examiners listed methadone as contributing to 3,849 deaths in 2004; up from 790 in 1999."
From here- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Methadone
- Methadone is also prescribed as
- Symoron,
- Dolophine,
- Amidone,
- Methadose,
- Physeptone,
- Heptadon
- -and many others
.I
.
The links above should work for you. If they don't please let me know.
Sometimes I really I wish we wouldn't have had to migrate all of our old Y!360 blogs to Multiply- Hard to find them all, and equally difficult to link them appropriately too. (Maybe that's just me)?- And now on Multiply, without many comments! hehehe The original ones at Yahell 360 had many of your comments, NOT that I can even get to them anymore.
Anyway...
... My top picture??? (Stolen from here).
As many of you have already read on my calendar on Multiply, Casey and I will be returning to Minneapolis once again.
This visit, to "see" what is going on within her colon.
Dr. Sutherland believes that he will have to remove 70% of her colon.
When I asked, he said she would not need the colostomy bag at all.
It would be a surgery to get rid of the hairpin turns in her colon.
Ideally, he would rather wait for 6 months after her TP/AIT, which would bring possible surgery to June or July. We wait now, anxiously, to have the upcoming test results.
I don't know how to wrap my head around her pain some days? Or how to help her anymore. Kind of a horrible and impotent feeling. Wish it was me.
In awful pain, now with vomiting and more diarrhea, and on her doctors advice, I brought Casey to St Marys hospital again on Tuesday. - They were going to admit her, and then did not. wth?
.
.
Casey at St. Marys Hospital.
March 10th, 2009.
.
.
She has blogged about it herself. CLICK HERE to read her own frustrations of it all. (Oh, but do grab a cup of coffee before you do, she has written at length). I don't know where she gets that from!?
She put on a very good and happy face for her appointment for Social Security Disability yesterday. (Not sure if this was a good thing or a bad thing)? But the man was nice, (even a sense of humor thrown in), and I hope smart enough that he saw through what/how she has lived these past three years.
I don't know much, but I do know that "something has gotta give" as they say.
Maybe say a little prayer?
- Thanks to all the garbage at UWGB, at this point she has almost given up her own little hopes for college.
- Remember the nasty apartment hunting, and how she was treated? <-Click those words for those two entries.
- She has lost every job she has had in the past 3 years, save for the tax one (that was temporary; they did not call her back this past year either- Not that she could have worked). One waited to fire her after she returned from surgery. The other 2 "let her go" while she was hospitalized!
- Thanks to all the garbage at UWGB, at this point she has almost given up her own little hopes for college.
- Like I said, something has just got to give for her.
- It all seems to keep "snowballing"...
So there's my rant for today. Not too much newsworthy.
Cold or not I really have to get outside and work off some of this "grrr" energy.
Love to all.
XOXO
Anne
PS
My title? I don't believe I have EVER used the word "groovy" in a blog before.
Have YOU?
CaseyAnne- Back to Minnesota / The Ides of March
| Start: | Mar 15, '09 08:00a |
| Location: | Guess |
Dr Sutherland will be doing a few more tests on her colon.
He expects to have to remove about 70% of her colon, but would ideally like to wait until June or July. Time, and test results will tell.
Prayers anyone?
Love to all.
XOXO
Me
************
A little info on the Ides of March- (Beyond Sweet Peas Birthday). hehehe
************
The Ides of March (Just one of a dozen Ides that occur every month of the year).
by Borgna Brunner
Julius Caesar
As far as Caesar knew, the Ides were just another day.
The soothsayer's warning to Julius Caesar, "Beware the Ides of March," has forever imbued that date with a sense of foreboding.
But in Roman times the expression "Ides of March" did not necessarily evoke a dark mood—it was simply the standard way of saying "March 15." Surely such a fanciful expression must signify something more than merely another day of the year? Not so.
Even in Shakespeare's time, sixteen centuries later, audiences attending his play Julius Caesar wouldn't have blinked twice upon hearing the date called the Ides.
The term "Ides" comes from the earliest Roman calendar, which is said to have been devised by Romulus, the mythical founder of Rome. Whether it was Romulus or not, the inventor of this calendar had a penchant for complexity. The Roman calendar organized its months around three days, each of which served as a reference point for counting the other days:
* Kalends (1st day of the month)
* Nones (the 7th day in March, May, July, and October; the 5th in the other months)
* Ides (the 15th day in March, May, July, and October; the 13th in the other months)
The remaining, unnamed days of the month were identified by counting backwards from the Kalends, Nones, or the Ides. For example, March 3 would be V Nones—5 days before the Nones (the Roman method of counting days was inclusive; in other words, the Nones would be counted as one of the 5 days).
Days in March
March 1: Kalends;
March 2: VI Nones;
March 3: V Nones;
March 4: IV Nones;
March 5: III Nones;
March 6: Pridie Nones (Latin for "on the day before");
March 7: Nones;
March 15: Ides
Used in the first Roman calendar as well as in the Julian calendar (established by Julius Caesar in 45 B.C.E.) the confusing system of Kalends, Nones, and Ides continued to be used to varying degrees throughout the Middle Ages and into the Renaissance.
So, the Ides of March is just one of a dozen Ides that occur every month of the year.
Kalends, the word from which calendar is derived, is another exotic-sounding term with a mundane meaning. Kalendrium means account book in Latin: Kalend, the first of the month, was in Roman times as it is now, the date on which bills are due.
Mother In Law...
| Rating: | ★★★★★ |
| Category: | Other |
I know I need sleep here and will go in search of some very shortly.
But first to share what I found in my email.
I found it hysterical.
My apologies if it offends anyone.
Good Night.
hehehe
XOXO
Me
****************************
You don't have to own a cat to appreciate this one.
You don't even have to like 'em!
****************************
We were dressed and ready to go out for the New Year's Eve Party. We
turned on a night light, turned the answering machine on, covered our pet
parakeet and put the cat in the backyard.
We phoned the local cab company and requested a taxi. The taxi arrived and
we opened the front door to leave the house.
The cat we put out in the yard, scoots back into the house. We didn't want
the cat shut in the house because she always tries to eat the bird.
My wife goes out to the taxi, while I went inside to get the cat. The cat
runs upstairs, with me in hot pursuit. Waiting in the cab, my wife
doesn't want the driver to know that the house will be empty for the
night. So, she explains to the taxi driver that I will be out soon, "He's
just going upstairs to say Good-bye to my mother."
A few minutes later, I get into the cab. "Sorry I took so long," I said,
as we drove away. "That stupid bitch was hiding under the bed. I had to
poke her with a coat hanger to get her to come out! She tried to take off,
so I grabbed her by the neck. Then, I had to wrap her in a blanket to keep
her from scratching me. But it worked! I hauled her fat ass downstairs
and threw her out into the back yard!"
The cab driver hit a parked car.
****************************
Nighty Night all...
Any Gardeners Out There? (Well you SHOULD be)...
http://www.almanac.com/garden/jobs/index.php?month=3
Times like these, even if you don't think you have enough room, you probably do.
I believe we will all benefit from growing a few of our own foods.
Not to mention the $$$ you will save! All that, and it's fun too!
NOTE: There isn't a child over 4 that cannot pull a weed either! Keeps them busy, off the couch or computer, and out of trouble too.
You just have to love yourself enough to do it!
XOXO
Anne
PS
Yes, that is Casey in that picture, picking beans. Picture taken a few years ago.
(Back when she HAD a pancreas)!
hehehe
************************
Gardening Jobs by Month - from The Old Farmer's Almanac
MARCH 2009
***Re-pot houseplants so they will grow well during spring and summer.
***Water gloxinias and African violets from the bottom, avoiding getting any water on the leaves. Dust the leaves with a small, soft brush.
***Consider ordering a few blueberry plants. Not only will they provide delicious fruit for jams, muffins, and pies, but they are also an excellent choice for landscaping plants, offering scarlet fall foliage and creamy white spring flowers. Blueberries serve neatly in a hedge or as specimen plants.
***When choosing fruit trees, remember that apple, apricot, and pear trees need two varieties present to ensure pollination. If space is limited, try peach, nectarine, or sour cherry, which will bear fruit on a single tree.
***Garden work should begin when a lump of soil squeezed in the hand is dry enough to fall apart slowly.
***Uncover bulb beds and hardy borders near the middle of the month.
***Plant deciduous trees and shrubs this month.
***Trim out the old canes from the rows of berry bushes. The bramble fruits are borne on new wood of last year's growth.
***Prune fruit trees until spring buds swell. Maple and birch should not be pruned until they leaf out.
***Sprinkle wood ashes around berries and fruit trees. The potash will enhance the sweetness of the fruit.
***Remove mulches from snowdrops and crocuses so the shoots can come through.
***Uncover mulched perennial and strawberry beds gradually, pressing into place any plants that have been heaved up.
***Dig up over-wintered parsnips as soon as the soil is loose enough. They will not benefit from any additional time in the ground.
***Set out pansies as soon as the ground is ready. They'll happily withstand cold weather and will bloom steadily if the spent blossoms are kept picked.
***Remove the mulch from your perennial beds gradually. Take it off as the season progresses and add it to your compost pile.
***If your compost pile has been frozen all winter, add some manure now and turn it frequently.
***Check trellises, latticework, and fences for winter damage. Repair before spring growth begins.
***Dormant spraying for fruit trees should be done before spring growth begins.
***Resist the temptation to uncover spring-flowering plants such as daffodils and tulips. Mulch may be loosened, but the shoots will still benefit from protection against cold, drying winds.
***Manure can be spread over the garden now, especially on the asparagus and rhubarb beds.
***Be sure that flats and pots used for starting seed are perfectly clean. Likewise, the soil should be clean and sterile.
***Mark and label your sown seeds, indoors and out.
***Water newly started seedlings carefully. A pitcher may let the water out too forcefully. A mist sprayer is gentle but can take a long time. Try using a meat basting syringe, which will dispense the water effectively without causing too much soil disruption.
***Give peas a chance. The earlier they mature, the sweeter they'll be. Sow them right under the snow, if necessary, but save some for a later planting as well.
***Spread dark plastic intended for mulch out over the garden site to hasten the warming of the soil. This will provide for earlier and better germination.
***Keep plastic milk jugs or other coverings on hand to protect the flowers of pansies, crocuses, and other early bloomers against the return of severe weather.
***Start seedlings of annuals in flats -- aster, larkspur, alyssum, and balsam should be started now (or 6 to 8 weeks before the last frost date in your area). If summer season is short, zinnias should be started now. They will need to be potted up in individual pots after 4 to 5 weeks.
***Start some vegetables in flats now: Brussel sprouts, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, peppers, eggplants, tomatoes, and lettuce are good choices.
***Seed alpine strawberries now to make attractive and bountiful hanging baskets for summer.
*****************************
As predicted, the La Niña has lasted through the winter and will linger into spring. This has created severe drought in the western and southern United States.
************* Coping with Drought
Prepare ahead for a dry growing season
Plants drink their food. If your soil dries out, your plants will starve—or wilt. Take these steps to avoid disaster.
**** Improve the Soil
Rainwater sluices through pure sand at the rate of 20 inches per hour or even faster, taking with it everything plants need to survive. Soil with lots of organic matter slows the transition of water from the soil to the subsoil, giving plants a chance to take in what they need. To help retain moisture, mix lots of peat moss and compost into the soil at planting time.
**** Plan a Smaller Garden
Take stock of what you really need to grow and don't exceed your calculations. For example, two or three hills of zucchini and cucumbers will easily meet the needs of a family of four.
****Choose Bush Varieties
Plants that grow low to the soil will lose less water through transpiration than those that spread rampantly (Hubbard squash) or twine up to the sky (pole beans). Check descriptions in seed catalogs for varieties that need little space and can tolerate dry conditions.
****Place Plants Closer Together
Leaves from neighboring plants will shade the soil, helping to conserve surface moisture and reduce weed growth. Plant beans about an inch apart, tomatoes about 18 inches apart.
****Mulch Well
Mulch prevents moisture from evaporating directly from the soil surface, and it can greatly reduce weeds. Use whatever you have at hand--newspaper; black plastic; old carpet; large, flat stones--and apply it when the soil is wet. (Don't mulch with peat moss; it dries out and forms a mat on the top of the soil that easily sheds water. Instead, work peat moss well into the soil.)
**** Weed Diligently
Smother weeds or pull them out--roots and all. Don't make your plants compete with weeds for moisture.
**** Reduce Evaporation
Water your garden in the late afternoon or early in the morning--times when the least amount of water will evaporate from the leaves. To encourage roots to develop, soak the garden thoroughly rather than watering it lightly several times.
**** Use a Drip System
Drip irrigation provides greater water savings than sprinklers. (Consult your county extension agent for tips on setting up drip irrigation.) If you install a drip system, allow for different beds or separate parts of the garden to be on separate sets of commands. The water needs of plants differ widely, and a system that delivers one rate of water to your entire plot can be wasteful.
**** Strip Off Leaves
Large, bushy tomato plants lose a lot of water through their leaves. Once the green tomatoes reach their full size, strip off most of the leaves to reduce evaporation and keep water going to the ripening fruit.
**** Harvest at Once
As soon as a fruit or vegetable is ripe, remove it from the plant. Pull up any plants that aren't productive or that are past their prime.
http://www.almanac.com/garden/starting-garden/watering-garden
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)