Go in before Monday and buy the Forever

A&E Psychic Children, Monday nights, NM [2008-08-06]
z

Family does last forever and it's not [2008-07-08]
about whether you do something that upsets your child. It As for the girl throwing herself at the boy, the boy obviously caught her and should have had enough decency not to be caught under the covers with her in a house he is being permitted to stay in. It works both ways. This isn It I personally would not have left the 18-yo boy live in my house with my 16-yo daughter, regardless of the daughter I agree with the other poster that stated it I have a feeling this is just the beginning of the problems you will have to endure.

Only if you have Forever stamps....look on [2008-05-28]
xx

Happy Monday [2008-05-19]
Just wishing everyone a happy Monday! Is it Monday already?? I worked all day Saturday, but was off yesterday. Whew. Just stretching the old back muscles a bit and then getting back to the keyboard. Lynn

Stamps go up 1 cent Monday [2008-05-09]
I first heard of it today, they At least this time I wona stupid1 cent more postage, like happened last time.

Go in before Monday and buy the Forever [2008-05-09]
stamp, you buy it at the current rate and it is good no matter what the postage goes up to.

It was scary. Felt like it lasted FOREVER. Heard [2008-04-18]
s

It's Monday...What's for dinner tonight folks? [2008-04-07]
Cat here....Been wondering what you Been kinda lost as well considering my computer diedover amonth agoand was finally resurrected this morning. Tonightpot roast style(about 4 hours on top of the stove)with string beansand potatoes side, hot water cornbread and strawberry jello for desert. Cat

Why does today feel like a Monday? [2008-03-25]
This morning after washing my face I picked up a cream I put in my hair so it is a bit more controllable, and rubbed it all over my face thinking it was my moisturizer. The 2 containers look nothing alike. After I got dressed and went to wash my hands I used my new foam soap dispenser and the soap shot all the way across the sink and all over my clothes. Then when I went to take one of my dogs to the groomers the other dog got out the front door and I spent 20 minutes chasing him all over the neighborhood. Got to the groomers and they did not have my dog down for an appointment. They did keep him, but can DS has a tennis match at 4:30. SIGH! I am tired already and it is only 10:45. Someone please send some strength my way!

beauty fades, dumb is forever [2008-03-22]
.

Good Monday Morning [2008-03-10]
Good morning all.Haven't looked at our weather yet, so I don't know what we will have today.I just cuoldn't sleep, so up I am and just put the coffee on. Come on over and have a fresh cup of coffee and I'll make us some breakfast.Just turned T.V. on and so now I can watch it an hour longer. I'm going to have a problem with this time change.I should be working on our income tax, and it's a little overwhelming even thinking about it.Just a little laundry today and that's about it.Have a great day all of you.

"Stupid" isn't forever [2008-03-05]
the same as intelligent isn't forever.

Unless you stay on it forever, you will regain any weight you lose. [2008-02-18]
People I used to work with went on that diet once. Weight loss varied (nobody lost a lot, just a couple of pounds) and nobody kept it off.

We have snow flurries and 20s today. It was 65 Monday...sm [2008-02-13]
gotta love this crazy winter we

"If it's metal, it'll last forever"...sm [2008-02-07]
That's one of my dad's favorite sayings. He's a retired sheet metal fabricator. I had a plastic wheelbarrow that got a hole in it when loading it with wood to stack back in my prairie-woman days. He took a square piece of sheet metal, riveted it to the plastic, much like your chair, and 15 years later I am still using that wheelbarrow! Carrying on here, but I just think this is so neat: When I moved in to my house I was lacking cabinet space. The kitchen had one of those closets with an ironing board in it. My father opened the closet and said you ever gonna use this? I only iron for weddings/funerals so I said no, had no need for it. He took the ironing board out, made 6 stainless steel shelves with 90 degree bent ends and drilled them into the cabinet. Canned goods and spices are now in there. Sorry. Went from chairs to ironing boards. I am avoiding work today.

Had lapband surgery on Monday and [2007-12-20]
To anybody out there that has had or is thinking about having lapband, the first three days are very hard but they get much easier as far as the pain goes. Now, it's a matter of learning what I can and cannot eat. IMO, it is very much worth the hard work before, during and after the surgery that goes into this whole life changing process. Do not let ANYBODY discourage you if this is the path of weight loss that you choose for yourself.

I agree with you. Did you see all of the "fans" on Monday? sm [2007-12-12]
Totally sickening!!! And even worse is the Falcon players who had Vicks number on their face and other visible signs on team players. Personally I feel all Falcon players who made a public show on Monday night football should be fined or suspended, and if that means the whole team is suspended then so be it!! Truely disgusting!!!!

Diamonds are Forever song [2007-12-03]
Thought you all might want to listen to the whole song that plays on the Diamonds are Forever ad. Name of the artist is Landon Pigg. Name of the song is Falling in Love in a Coffee Shop or Coffee Shop. Style, voice, melody remind me of Harry Nilsson. Song will play once page loads. Enjoy. http://www.myspace.com/landonpiggmusic

Well, if I am it is unintentional - I know they won't live forever (sm) [2007-11-20]
and I don't want to have regrets. I know one day if I have grandchildren I will want them to spend time with me. But I think I would be hurt to know they were crying not to spend time with me, and I would think if I knew that, I would try to spend time with them in other ways until they were happy and comfortable being with me. I have many friends whose children bounce up and down with joy over going to stay with their grandparents and I would love for it to be that way with mine.

Definitely understand that - you shouldn't have to have your property be forever a memorial! (sm) [2007-11-19]
you were VERY kind to leave it there and take care of it for six months. So ridiculous that people gave you a hard time. I'm sorry that happened to you! Bad enough that you have to know something so awful happened in front of your home without a constant reminder and strangers coming up to your house all the time. And it is not your job to maintain it for them. If the family understood, then certainly no one else should have any say whatsoever.

Wish we could keep them forever. SM [2007-11-08]
My cat Dante only lived 11 years. I believe he had multiple strokes, but vets could find nothing definite. In the last 3 months of his life, he cried loudly all night, had staring spells. But in the last month of his life he seemed to want to squeeze into tight spaces, between bookcase and wall, and one night he jumped up on the kitchen counter and then down behind the fridge. My bedroom was behind that wall and I heard him jump down, and my daughter and I got up and pulled the fridge out, I brought him to my bed. My younger daughter took him to her vet, but still no diagnosis. He just faded away one long Saturday afternoon, wrapped in a baby blanket in my daughterlittle man, and came to work in my office faithfully every day. I will say a prayer for you Hayseed, I know you are sick at heart. (Hugs) Wise

What a boring Monday!!! (sm) [2007-11-05]
My line count is low today even though I am working my butt off to try to bring it up. I come over here for a break and it looks like no one has posted anything new for hours. Doesn was hoping you did!) LOL

Monday would be a great day to have off!! (sm) [2007-11-05]
Hope your daughter feels better soon - those antibiotics usually kick strep pretty quickly!

Zip. Hub's and bud are reshingling the roof on Monday. nm [2007-08-31]
s

Maybe FOREVER! That's encouraging. Don't want HRT and physician [2007-05-30]
said long term HRT is a thing of the past, which I didn't know. Now, they only give them for 3-6 months. Mine went away for a couple of months, but back again, 15-20 a day, but no night sweats. I thought this stuff only lasted a year or so.

Another thank you - sm [2008-08-18]
Yes, I intend to stay on a low-carb diet forever. My metabolism is sluggish and this is the only way I can lose and keep the weight off. The tradeoff for better health is so very much worth it. I had a total knee replacement on June 10th and the weight I have lost has helped my recovery so much. Glad to hear that the ketosis will pass. I did some googling and decided that I can handle this by eating an occasional higher fat meal and some carbs. I will check with my doctor, but my health status (as checked prior to my surgery) is very good. Thank you again.

Marie - I was ROFL reading your post [2008-07-29]
Sorry I know its not funny especially for you. That is totally disgusting. They sound like the nieghbors we had in Reno, but they didn't have pets - it was their stinking food and stuff they left all over. Why do people live like such nasty ho's. Well we may not have the dog poo but they did do something with their back yard and fertilizer and it really stinks and now we are infested with flies here. I won't call Animal control because they really are not cruel to their dog, they just let it bark all the time then it goes inside once it gets dark out. They do play with their dog too (its constantly getting loose and they are running up and down the street yelling for it - dog comes back). None of our neighbors have their dogs tied up, they just let them roam free. I like the solution that Jim Carey did in a movie called Me, Myself and Irene when he kept telling his neighbor to stop letting the dog poo on his lawn. He went over to his neighbors lawn and took a dump on it in broad daylight while the neighbor watched. I thought that was hysterical. Well sounds like you needed to vent more than I did. I'll count myself lucky reading about you. Four years probably seems like forever to you too. Wish you best.

That's the one I was thinking of! [2008-07-26]
Rules of Engagement. That show is SO funny. Just crackes me up every time. I like the other shows on the Monday night lineup too but they have had a LOT iof repeats so I stopped recording them. Except my hubs knows if he sees Christine or Rules of Engagement he will record them for me.

What's your favorite TV show? [2008-07-25]
That I record and watch them at night when I get off work or when I happen to find a free moment. Its nice to record because then I don I like the Young and the Restless and have been watching for years. It I also like Old Christine but that has not been on lately. There Its about a husband and wife, girlfriend and boyfriend, and a single guy. I

Okay, I think you are my new best friend LOL [2008-07-25]
I can't believe she is going to die! I can, cause she's way too nice for a soap, but I really like her and want her and Vicki to be friends again. Oh, how that death will put Vicki into a tail spin. She's going to feel so horrible for how she treated her. This will definitely push Nikki and Victor back together again too I think. Wonder if Victoria will take over the art gallery?! Wow, lots to think about. Yes, Heather was going through Ji Min's belongings and found a picture of him with Walter. Paul just saw it as she asked him for help on the Ji Min thing. (not sure, you may already know all of this). Anyway, Paul asked for the complete photo as it was cropped and I'm sure David will be in it. Then all of this will go down in a hurry with the Nikki thing. Wondering if I should watch today's or tape it and watch it WITH Monday's episode, cause I know it will be a cliff hanger today. Thanks for the website, I will have to check it out.

Ok, now I definitely have to watch it tonight [2008-07-25]
and not wait until Monday. :)

This happened to me [2008-07-16]
I kept threatening my mom that I would move out if she didnthreat believing that you will back down and let her do what she wants if she threatens you with leaving. My momYou want to leave so bad? You think you have it horrible here and I. When I knew she wouldnHehang out. Heparty where there were no adults. He was drunk and the police were called in because there was underage drinking.

best friend is not family - he may only be his [2008-07-08]
best friend because he needs a place to live. Some friends are for life, others not, but family is forever.

I think that the OP needs to do what she [2008-07-08]
thinks is right for her family. There is no reason to justify that or feel bad because her daughter is upset. When you are a parent, it is not your job to be a friend, it is your job to teach your children what you feel, morally, is right and wrong. If the OP feels that it is wrong to have the daughter's best friend over, then so be it. It is her house! This whole talk about family lasts forever is the dumbest thing I've ever heard. So, you're going to let your teenagers do what they want to do, even though you are responsible for them, because you don't want them to be mad at you because they are family???? Granted, that is the way I would have seen it WHEN I WAS 16!!! Now that I am a mother, I do not take for granted that it is my responsiblity to care for them and do my best to teach them right from wrong when they are in my house, whether they like it or not. I'm off the soapbox now!

Next door neighbor's teen having parties [2008-07-07]
I am sooo sick of the next door neighbors. It is a mom and 2 teenage daughters. They have been having a party going on 5 days now. Tons of cars over partially blocking our driveway, loud talking and laughter, underage drinking, throwing their litter (beer cans) onto our side of the yard...etc. I just want to sit out on my porch and not have a gang of teens a few feet away. What kind of mom lets this kind of thing go on and these kids (boys and girls) have spent the night every night. I am sick of it. I thought it would end with today being Monday and the holiday weekend being over. But they continue to hang out over there. I just want peace and quiet like it is usually here. What would you guys do? I would love to call the cops on them but have never done anything like that before. I just feel like this is ridiculous especially since we live in apartment homes and not houses so our duplexes are very close together.

If it was really significant, I would [2008-07-01]
think the final cost would be more than $800. My niece was mauled by a dog and spent about a week in the hospital. She was 4 years old at the time. It was the saddest thing seeing her in that hospital bed with her whole head swollen up. The dog bite ripped out a couple of her still-forming permanent teeth and she ended up with quite a nasty scar along one cheek. Most of the stitches were in her scalp. My sister and her husband had to sue the homeowner It took quite a while to sort it all out. They ended up with a settlement that would after 15 years of very modest growth pay for her college and also any future medical bills. She has had revision of that scar on her face, but she is 19 years old now and still hasn She ismissing bone where theimplants need to go and so will need grafting to be able to accomplish it. She was not emotionally scarred forever by the incident. She is fine, and it didn Just keep loving your daughter and shebe back to her old self. Money won Try not to let your anger overtake you. I know they are responsible, but there is no need to try and take them for as much as you can. You could conceivably ruin their future. Accidents happen. What exactly were the circumstances surrounding the bite?

If it was really significant, I would [2008-07-01]
think the final cost would be more than $800. My niece was mauled by a dog and spent about a week in the hospital. She was 4 years old at the time. It was the saddest thing seeing her in that hospital bed with her whole head swollen up. The dog bite ripped out a couple of her still-forming permanent teeth and she ended up with quite a nasty scar along one cheek. Most of the stitches were in her scalp. My sister and her husband had to sue the homeowner It took quite a while to sort it all out. They ended up with a settlement that would after 15 years of very modest growth pay for her college and also any future medical bills. She has had revision of that scar on her face, but she is 19 years old now and still hasn She ismissing bone where theimplants need to go and so will need grafting to be able to accomplish it. She was not emotionally scarred forever by the incident. She is fine, and it didn Just keep loving your daughter and shebe back to her old self. Money won Try not to let your anger overtake you. I know they are responsible, but there is no need to try and take them for as much as you can. You could conceivably ruin their future. Accidents happen. What exactly were the circumstances surrounding the bite?

Ever say the wrong thing [2008-06-22]
Ever say the wrong thing, and you realize as your talking trying to say something that would make them feel better that that what your saying doesn�t quite sound right so you keep trying to explain and it just gets worse and worse. Today I was talking to someone whose wife has cancer and she started chemo a few weeks ago. I�m always caring as my mom had cancer so I know a bit of what they are going through, but of course I don�t want to say that because it would sound as though what they are going through is not that important compared to what my mom went through (which of course is not true � I love both these people). Anyway�last night his wife passed out and they had to bring her to ER (she�s better and was released). He told me it gave him a scare and made him realize how fragile life is. I told him that�s true. He then was laughing and said something in regards to life isn�t forever and we all have to move on but nobody ever wants to (or something like that) and he was laughing about it (he�s not a very serious person and usually laughs at everything), and I told him that reminded me of a movie I saw called Kingdom of Heaven when someone said you don�t� seem upset that I�ve killed your master and the guy said to him �it was his time to go�. Talk about knowing immediately that was one of the stupidest things I could have said and I�m sure sounded insensitive. So, I tried to think of something less equally stupid to say (if such a thing was possible). But I told him sometimes its really depressing typing reports all day because there are so many people with such serious illness that it just get depressing typing them all day. Then I was thinking to myself that that made it sound as though what she is going through isn�t as important as everyone else. Not quite sure if all this was in my mind as I�m sensitive to others feelings and always want to say the right things so they will feel better (even though it may not always come out that way). I ended the conversation letting him know that what they were going through is very hard and that I was glad his wife was better and tell her that I�m thinking of her and wishing them the best. He said in an upbeat tone, thanks I will. He didn�t seem upset, but it was just a very awkward conversation and I wanted to get off before I said anything else. I don�t think he took offense to what I was saying but in these circumstances you never know and it just proved to myself that from now on its better to keep my mouth shut and not sound stupid than to say anything that makes me look so. Has anyone else been in a similar situation and do you think I�m being oversensitive. From now on a simple concerned and understanding �uh-hum� will be in my vocabulary.

Sort of. sm [2008-06-16]
I had root canals on my front teeth and could never get the money to have them capped. On a Sat night before I was to start a new job the following Monday, I bit into a BLT and a front tooth shattered into pieces. A dentist saw me on Sunday emergently and was able to built it back up - I certainly was not going to start a new job missing a front tooth. Good luck.

I'm on vacation this week, so ... [2008-06-13]
brought some movies along to catch up on. I watched 27 Dresses, which was just okay. I loved PS I Love You. Also been watching The Office with my sister and DS, and Emergency!, which aren It Almost hate going back to work on Monday!

If you would like to further educate yourself on this issue [2008-06-12]
INTERESTING ARTICLE I realize this is very long, but as an expert in this field, I want to re-post information I sent, in September, to another blogger concerned about the Best Friends summit. I want to emphasize that the following information is based on years of dedicated research, and decades of dog training experience. I do not simply pass along information I've heard or read somewhere...which is sadly what most people, on all sides of dog-related issues, do. I recognize that some of your readers may find parts of it quite controversial. That's okay. Facts are facts, even if they conflict with some other [expert's] unresearched opinions. As such, I've opted to leave those sections in, because they're vital in refuting unfounded notions about dogs, canine genetics, and dog behaviour, which lead to myths about canine aggression. Any individual point of controversy should not take away from the overall message of fact and reason that does not support the view that any entire dog breed could be considered dangerous. Only once people stop repeating inaccurate information (no matter how good it may sound), will we ever hope to get to the heart of this issue, and start reducing the number of unprovoked dog bites. The following was written off the top of my head, in response to concerns about the Best Friends' agenda. It is not a composed article meant for publication. Please also keep in mind, it has a decidedly Canadian perspective, although there is ample U.S. data referenced. This is what I wrote (with a few minor clarifications): Dear (blogger), As you know, I am an expert in Canadian dog bite statistics. After years of research, there are a number of interesting facts I right here, in one place. The situation with unprovoked dog bites is not what nearly everyone believes it to be. If I had one pet peeve, it is that most people merely repeat things they�ve heard or read. They don�t really know if what they�re saying is true or not. They merely �believe� those things to be true, and that�s enough for them, I guess. You know what I say, �No matter how often or loudly a myth is repeated, it is still just a myth.� Some people simply like agreeing with others. Some like to pretend they�re especially knowledgeable or have unique insight. Whatever the source for so many of these myths, years of research has proven the majority of beliefs I encounter about dogs are simply untrue. Whenever discussing the issue of dangerous dogs, it's always important to remember a few key points about the dog bite statistics (especially as they pertain to Canada): 1. The most dangerous breeds in Canada are, in order: German Shepherd, Cocker Spaniel, Rottweiler, and Golden Retriever. Why do I say this? Well, this is not dog bite data, but rather dog attack data based on the reporting information from the Canadian Hospital Injury Reporting and Prevention Program (CHIRPP). The CHIRPP members (hospitals, and reporting physicians and nurses) have no reason to lie about the information they receive, surrounding the breed of dog that has attacked. Why do I say the most dangerous? Well, because the CHIRPP data only applies to the most severe dog attacks (i.e. those injuries serious enough to require treatment in hospital). These are not little nips that can be treated with ice or even a band aid. These are severe dog bite injuries that need to be treated in hospital. The dogs that cause the most serious injuries in Canada belong to the above-mentioned breeds, more than any others. Unlike municipal dog bite data (where any bite, no matter how inconsequential, or even against other animals, is counted), the CHIRPP data only relates to the most serious dog attacks against human victims. 2. 'Pit bulls' are rarely in the #1 spot in dog bite statistics. Any measures to restrict or ban the #2, #5, or #37 'breed' of dog in the dog bite statistics, but not #1, is pure hypocrisy. As faulty as the logic may be, if you're going to ban or restrict a type of dog in an attempt to reduce the number of dog bites, then it must be the ones who bite the most and/or cause the most serious injuries. Either way, that 'breed' is not 'pit bulls'. 3. There hasn't been one confirmed death of a child attributed to an unprovoked attack by a 'pit bull' in Canadian history. (There has been one unconfirmed death.) 4. The very first human fatality attributed to an unprovoked attack by a 'pit bull' in Canadian history occurred in May of 2006. Until then, every insinuation or claim about Canadians being in danger of being killed in unprovoked attacks by 'pit bulls' was totally unfounded. (In the Ontario case in May, the dog was actually only part 'pit bull'. It was a Labrador Retriever/'pit bull' cross, and the dog's owner was the victim.) (It should be noted that there have been at least two human fatalities in Canada attributed to unprovoked attacks by Labrador Retriever crosses, yet this was the first for a 'pit bull' cross.) 5. Municipal dog bite statistics often combine reported dog bite data against both humans and other animals. While I don�t have any problems with doing so, those citing combined statistics must be aware that the majority of the dog bite reports aren�t against people. To imply otherwise is, at best, misleading and, at worst, dishonest. For example: Toronto has arguably the largest municipal �pit bull� population in Canada. In 2004, 12 of the city�s estimated 30,000+ �pit bulls� had been reported for biting. (That�s about 0.04% of the population, by the way; leaving 99.96% of Toronto�s �pit bulls� completely innocent of such allegations.) However, the majority of those reported bites were against other animals. Only 2 of the 12 could even begin to be called �attacks� against humans. So, when 2 out of at least 30,000 dogs of a loosely-defined type are involved in attacks in an entire year, is that really justification for not just trying to ban or restrict them, but for making sweeping generalizations about all the rest? 6. No matter what dog �breed� tops the dog bite statistics, the vast majority of bites are still attributed to other breeds. To better help people understand the absurdity of a breed-based approach to dog bite prevention, let�s imagine that �pit bulls� are responsible for a virtually unheard of 10% of bites in some Canadian city. That still leaves 90% of biting dogs unaffected by any breed-based approach. This is the primary reason why breed bans have been such a colossal failure wherever they�ve been tried. The majority of biting and attacking dogs are not affected, so their owners are free to continue to behave negligently. 7. All dogs can bite. There is no such thing as a breed of dog that has never bitten, never attacked, never maimed, or never killed (a person or other animal). 8. It is the size of the victim, not the dog, which best predicts severity of injury in an attack. While even the very smallest dog breeds have killed humans, the very largest dog breeds are rarely involved in attacks. 9. Adults are rarely seriously injured by dogs of any size, while children are the most common dog bite victims. Their attackers range from the very smallest to the very largest dog breeds. 10. The dogs actually involved in attacks are not genetically related in any meaningful way. This goes right to the heart of common, yet completely unscientific, baseless claims about allegedly inheriting aggressive behaivours or being bred for aggression. In short, the dogs involved in attacks are not closely genetically related to one another. This tends to refute the idea that the attack was due to some aberrant inherited gene. Think about it. What could the Dalmatian that bit off a boy�s nose 10 years ago and the Golden Retriever that left 76 stitches in a girl�s face, just a few years ago, possibly have in common, from a genetic standpoint? Is anyone really trying to suggest they�re genetically related, and both inherited some sort of as-yet-undiscovered �attack gene�? Even the Rottweiler that killed a child in New Brunswick and the Rottweiler that killed a child in Ontario don�t share any common ancestors in their pedigrees; making the whole notion of a shared genetic cause for attacks completely ludicrous. Put simply, the individual dogs involved in unique attack incidents are not genetically related in any way other than that which makes them dogs. 11. Psychology defines aggression as learned behaviour. I�ve been researching dog biting incidents since 1999. I have yet to find a dog involved in an attack that didn�t have a known history of aggressive behaviour. Aggression has to be learned and practiced before it is perfected. I have yet to come across a case of a dog that attacked unprovoked, without ever having barked menacingly, growled, lunged, snapped, or what have you. This completely refutes the (quite silly) urban myth that �some dogs just turn�, or that dogs can be THIS unpredictable. (i.e. friendly family pet with no history of ever having behaved aggressively one minute; then savage, unprovoked attacker the next) As an experienced dog trainer (one who has spent many of those years SUCCESSFULLY re-training aggressive dogs), I can attest that dogs are not all that unpredictable. Sure, they might do something out of the ordinary, every now and then. However, for a dog to suddenly behave aggressively in a way that is truly threatening or injurious, it must have practiced those behaviours in the past. This is the nature of all learned behaviours. Only practice makes perfect. (I can elaborate more on that, if you wish.) It�s as though people can�t imagine any other form of aggressive behaviour, other than biting. To help them along, I must point out that aggressive behaviours follow a fairly predictable scale of escalation. It may begin with staring or raised hackles (all merely indicating discomfort with a situation). That can lead to raised lips, growling, stiffened body posture, menacing barking, lunging, and attempted bites. Long before an unwarranted bite ever occurs, there are a litany of warning signs that the dog will eventually bite. Even the most die-hard dog fighting breeders admit they have to start their puppies very young (often at six weeks), to turn them into superior fighters. When asked why they have to spend so much effort training their (allegedly bred-to-fight) dogs, none can provide a scientifically or practically sensible response. Most use made-up terminologies to emphasize what they believe are inherited traits, while playing down the daily training they force on the dogs. Yet it is clear that, without this ongoing encouragement, the dogs don�t become proficient fighters. I�ve researched so many cases where the owner has allegedly claimed the attack was the first time the dog behaved aggressively, I now pay little heed to such statements. The neighbours almost always tell a very different story. To use a more famous case as an example, little Courtney Trempe was killed by a dog the owner claimed had never behaved aggressively before. The owner went on to say he �couldn�t have known� the dog would attack, because it had never tried to bite a person. Well, it turns out the dog had not just attacked previously, but had actually killed two neighbourhood dogs in the past. That is an aggressive dog, by anyone�s standards. But it does bring me to my next point� 12. Aggression is aggression is aggression. The idea that aggression can be species-specific is not based in any kind of scientific, statistical, or practical data. It seems to be little more than wishful thinking. Those perpetuating this notion tend not to have even attempted to validate this theory in any way. There is a very disturbing myth being promulgated by a number of groups that should know better than to perpetuate unfounded myths. The idea that aggression towards other dogs is markedly different than aggression towards humans is scientifically and statistically baseless. (But I realize a lot of people learned this myth, and repeat it as though it is true.) I have to point out that the real-world data, in no uncertain terms, clearly refutes such theories. Of the dogs involved in their first aggression incident towards a human, the vast majority had behaved aggressively towards other animals (usually other dogs) in the past. Of the dogs involved in their first bites against humans, where the dog had no history of aggression towards humans, the majority had behaved aggressively towards other animals (usually other dogs) in the past. Of the dogs whose first bite against a person resulted in that individual�s death, and where the dog had no history of aggressive behaviour towards humans, every one of the cases I�ve investigated involved dogs that had behaved aggressively towards other dogs in the past. (see the Trempe case example, above) So, while some aggressive dogs may, for now, limit their aggressive behaviour to other animals, it in no way guarantees it will remain that way forever. Most, if not all, the first-time human biters had only behaved aggressively towards other animals, in the past. Their owners, having believed the myth that aggression is species-specific in dogs, are always surprised when their dog-aggressive dogs bite someone. Again, dog-aggression could remain contained, for a number of social and environmental reasons. Statistically, these dogs are equally as likely to bite a human, one day. Dogs with histories of aggressive behaviour (towards either humans or other animals) are almost exclusively involved in unprovoked biting incidents. 13. Nearly all unprovoked dog bites would not be prevented by dog control laws. Since dog control laws typically only apply to the conduct of owners (and their dogs) when they�re on public property, it completely negates their ability to affect the circumstances that lead to the vast majority of unprovoked dog bites. When it comes to total dog bite numbers, almost all take place on the owner�s property. When it comes to reported dog bite numbers, the overwhelming majority take place on, or directly adjacent to, the owner�s property. Supervised dogs in a public place account for less than 1% of all bites. This makes public restraint laws especially ineptly-aimed and ineffective in reducing dog bites. Most unprovoked biting incidents involve (typically an unsupervised) dog known to the victim. Whether or not the victim knows the dog, the bite usually takes place on the owner�s property (where the dog is either loose or tethered), or directly adjacent to the owner�s property (where the dog was either allowed to venture off the owner�s property, or �escaped�). Very few unprovoked biting incidents involve a supervised dog. Simple supervision appears to be very effective in preventing dog bites. When bites take place far from the owner�s property, the dogs involved were most likely loose, roaming, unsupervised dogs. Simply put, public restraint laws don�t target the situations that actually lead to unprovoked dog bites. 14. Cities that address the real causes of unprovoked dog bites (i.e. lack of supervision & lack of socialization and training) are hugely successful in reducing the number of dog bites. Calgary is the best example we have in Canada. They reduced dog bites by 70%, even during a period where the population doubled. Calgary�s approach was to first enforce existing laws. They strictly enforce licensing, and boast a licensing rate of 90% (compared to most cites� 10-20%). In this way, they have a better handle on the dog population in their community, which helps in making decisions and drawing conclusions. They also have a zero tolerance policy for acts of aggression. (Something I�m personally totally in favour of. Dogs are not weapons, and anyone who unethically uses a dog for that purpose shouldn�t be allowed to own one.) Any report of aggressive behaviour of any kind results in a visit from animal control and a warning. City officials are clear, in that they agree one of the biggest aspects of their success was the creation of ample off-leash areas for dogs to be exercised, socialized, and trained off-leash. With reportedly the largest number of off-leash parks in Canada, it�s no coincidence that Calgary also has the lowest dog bite rate of any major city in Canada. Several years ago, I made this prediction, �When the studies are done, we�ll find the cities with the best access to off-leash parks are also the cities with the lowest percentage of dog bites.� Calgary certainly suggests my prediction was correct. Finally, Calgary increased the penalties for some transgressions. Combined with increased enforcement, the large percentage of licensed dogs, along with the higher fines, has led to Calgary�s animal control department becoming financially self-sufficient. It�s win, win, win, in Calgary, all because they addressed the real causes for unwarranted aggression in dogs. 15. Breed-specific approaches to dog bite prevention have failed. There isn�t one region that can claim a reduction in the number, or severity, of dog bites as a direct result of banning a breed of dog. In Winnipeg, officials promoting the city�s long-time ban on �pit bulls� often misleads the public by stating ��pit bull� attacks� have been eliminated. Well of course they�ve been eliminated. �Pit bulls� are banned in Winnipeg. You don�t have to be rocket scientist to figure that out. There are also no wooly mammoth attacks or saber toothed tiger attacks, either. When Winnipeg banned �pit bulls�, German Shepherds, and their crosses, were far and away the most common biters in that city. After �pit bulls� were banned, there was an average of close to 50 more bites per year, for the following decade. In addition to the rise in overall dog bites, the number of bites by German Shepherds and crosses, Labrador Retrievers and crosses, Terriers crosses, and Rottweilers and crosses, skyrocketed. Kitchener is another example. The city of Kitchener banned �pit bulls� in 1997, without ever having done an analysis on the city�s dog bite data. Only after �pit bulls� were banned was it discovered they were #8 in the 1996 dog bite statistics, �right behind #7 Poodles,� as it is commonly said. In what could only be a deliberate attempt to mislead the public, officials immediately halted the collection of dog bite data by breed. Even so, while we don�t know which breeds have been doing the biting, we can still determine if the �pit bull� ban has been effective in reducing dog bites in Kitchener. Every animal bite is required, by law, to be reported to the Medical Officer of Health. With a sleuthing, it was discovered that dog bites haven�t been reduced at all, since �pit bulls� were banned in 1997. They�ve remained pretty constant. According to a BBC report, hospitalizations due to dog bites rose 25% after �pit bulls� were banned in England. Officials from most of the cities that have repealed breed-specific laws have used terms like �ineffective� and �unenforceable�. 16. All dog breeds are genetically identical. Even DNA can�t distinguish between a Chihuahua, a �pit bull�, a Great Dane, and a wolf. (Yes, while there are occasional claims of in-roads, in this area, using markers, all dogs are still considered genetically identical.) Those rare individuals with the personal expertise necessary to accurately attempt to determine a dog�s breed based on appearance alone typically are not employed in the various occupations charged with enforcing most breed-specific legislation. This leaves the subjective determination of a dog�s breed to the very inexpert animal control and shelter workers. In some cases, police officers must decide the dog�s breed, yet not one police officer is trained to (accurately) differentiate between dog breeds. The same can be said of veterinarians. A veterinary license infers expertise in diagnosing and treating illness, for the most part. Neither practicing veterinarians nor veterinary students are required to prove any expertise in breed identification in order to obtain a license. Any expertise an individual veterinarian may possess, in terms of breed identification, or even dog training and behaviour, was most likely acquired outside the requirements of licensing. Because the people enforcing breed-specific laws are not dog breed identification experts, the likelihood of misidentification is unconscionably great. (In Ontario, several dogs have already been misidentified, under breed-specific ordinances.) 17. The public is not in danger of unprovoked dog bites. For instance, every recent dog-related fatality in Canada has involved dogs and victims residing within the same home. The same could be said for the majority of bites and attacks, as well. This is very important information, in terms of quelling the public�s hysteria. �The public� is rarely involved in unprovoked biting incidents. Most bite victims knew the dog and were voluntarily interacting with it at the time of the bite. Most bite victims are bitten by their own dogs. If you don�t own a dog, your risk of being bitten is very low. If you also don�t interact with dogs, or live next door to a dog that is routinely left unsupervised, or one that is known to behave aggressively, then your risk of being bitten is virtually nil. Even when we don�t account for contributing factors (such as proximity) you are still more than 100 times more likely to be hit by lightning than killed by a dog. (In Canada, the likelihood of being killed by a dog you don�t know or live with is virtually zero.) 18. �Pit bulls� are, if anything, less likely to bite. In the U.S., �pit bulls� are estimated to make up 9% of the dog population, yet they typically only make up 2-4% of dog bites, nationwide. In case your readers don�t understand what that means, it would be expected, purely on population alone, that 9% of dog bites would be attributed to �pit bulls�. Since less than half (even a third) of bites are reportedly caused by �pit bulls�, this suggests they�re much less likely to bite than should be expected. 19. �Pit bulls� are less likely to kill than people. In the U.S., even extremely conservative estimates suggest that only 0.00002% of the �pit bull� population has killed. This is much lower than the human population (men, in particular). Whatever someone�s views about �pit bulls� might be, it can�t change the fact that at least 99.99998% have never, and will never, kill anyone. 20. 99.9% of all dogs, from all breeds, will never be involved in an attack. Huge generalizations about dog breeds is not only unscientific, it�s not even practically accurate. I like to put it this way, �If any �breed� were genetically programmed to attack, certainly more than 0.1% of them would.� 21. The media. While I don�t want to get into a protracted discussion about the lack of honesty in media reports of dog bites, I will summarize by saying that reviewing media reports of dog biting incidents is not �research� because the media is extremely biased in regards to which stories it chooses to cover. The media reports dog biting incidents involving �pit bulls� to the near-exclusion of all others. In addition, they use other tactics to exaggerate the details, such as salacious language, or references to other dog biting incidents involving �pit bulls�. There are countless incidents of media bias. In Ontario, a �pit bull� killed another dog, and it was front-page news, that reappeared in the media for weeks. The owner was swiftly taken to jail. Around the same time, two Labs killed another dog, and attacked a �pit bull� without any real media interest. The owner of the Labs was not charged with any serious offence. There are other blatant incidents, as well. One weekend, two off-leash dogs (one of them being a �pit bull�) got into a squabble, and every major media agency reported the incident. That same weekend, a child was mauled by the family�s Golden Retriever, and not one media outlet covered the story. A child was mauled so savagely by his grandfather�s Labrador Retriever, he required treatment at two Ontario hospitals. Only one media outlet covered this story in just one broadcast. Again, relying on the media for the facts of dog biting cases is not advised. Naturally, I could go on. But there you have a pretty good primer (off the top of my head), regarding the facts about the who, what, where, when, how, and why dogs bite unprovoked. Because I kept encountering the same story, over and over and over again, in my research of dog biting incidents, I was led to create a dog bite prevention strategy that deals with the factors common to nearly all the cases I�d investigated. I made it simple, and easy to remember. And I made sure not to include anything that would require an individual to develop some kind of expertise. People who don�t own dogs or aren�t experienced dog trainers still have a right to protect themselves from unprovoked dog bites. The following is what I call, the �3 Simple Steps to Dog Bite Prevention�: 1. Avoid unsupervised dogs. 2. Never leave children unsupervised with dogs. 3. Ensure our own dogs are properly trained and adequately supervised at all times. By following these �3 Simple Steps�, we could virtually eliminate unprovoked dog bites in Canada. It is not just important, but vital, to know what ACTUALLY causes dogs to bite unprovoked, if we ever hope to reduce those numbers. Obtusely theorizing about possible causes or solutions is not helpful and, as in the case of breed-specific legislation, is often harmful to both humans and dogs. If you would like more information, please don�t hesitate to contact me. Sincerely, Marjorie Darby Founder,

Do any of you have probs with your stepkids? [2008-06-08]
I absolutely cannot stand my stepchild. I know it sounds evil but that is the most spoiled, selfish brat I have ever come across. I did not know that marrying someone with a kid would be so difficult. I married my husband after having known him for only 2 months so we moved fast, but his little boy seemed to be sweet in the beginning. After we got married, things changed. My husband makes me sick over him. He lets him do as he pleases. He is almost 6 years old and I hate to see how hateful and defiant he is going to be when he gets older. My husband never disciplines him. His son is disrespectful, backtalks, does not listen and my husband does not seem to care. I have come to the point now where I cannot and do not say anything about the child because if I do my husband jumps down my throat. It I will never be as important to him. I There are so many times that his son has done something that does not make any sense and the most recent was yesterday. My husband was in the bedroom napping and his son was sitting on the couch playing video games. A few weeks ago I got a puppy. Now his son is here Thursday evening through Monday morning and anytime he wants to play with the dog or take her outside I let him. All he has to do is ask. Well she went to the door and wanted to go out. So I put her on her leash and we went outside. I tie her up outside so she can run and play around without me having to hold her leash. I come back inside and see hubby I did not really pay that much attention to it because I thought he was playing or something. I grab the phone b/c I am gonna call my mom. My hubby gets up and goes in there and his son is crying for some reason. I could not hear everything b/c I was on the phone. I hear him asking why he is crying and he won Next thing I know, my hubby gets mad (he has a terrible temper, when he does get mad he feels the urge to hit something which really scares me), kicks something and goes outside. I tell my mom I need to go. I He comes back inside and I ask him what is wrong and he says nothing. And I tell him he is scaring me b/c he is hitting and kicking stuff and he just says he is sorry and won I go outside b/c I want to get away from both of them. When I come back inside, hubby and stepson on couch cuddling (i think it I walk by hubby and he tells me to come to him. He apologizes for losing his temper. I told him he scared me acting that way and he said that he does not like being told that someone does not want to be here. So I guess stepson implied he did not want to be here. He prolly just said he wanted to go to his grandma See my husband is so weirdly jealous over him. He does not want his son to say he cares about his real mom, or say he wants to stay at his grandma I ask my hubby why stepson was crying in the first place and he says well the dog scratched him. Wait a min. how could the dog scratch him when she is outside??? And secondly, there were no scratch marks on his son. So i tell my hubby that when I took the dog outside his son was playing video games and everything was fine, so the dog couldn But he does not say anything. Doesn I don He does it every time. I think that his son has him trained. He knows that if he does the crying crap, my hubby gets mad, loses his temper b/c his son is crying for no apparent reason, and then he will feel bad and get his son a toy or something. Early yesterday his son was asking for a toy and my hubby told him that after he goes to grandma But his son wanted one yesterday and I think that is why he did that crying stuff. I swear one time before when he did the crying stuff (he will do it for no apparent reason and I think he does it just to make my hubby feel bad) afterwards he had this look of satisfaction on his face. I don I think they are both bipolar. I can I am always the heel around here anyways when his son is here. I would like your thoughts on this though. I feel like I am going to go crazy. When it is the days that his son is not here, things are great and fine.

Thanks! Excellent website! Unfortunately, I've [2008-06-02]
plastic sheet (my cat PREFERS plastic, so it attracts her), and the hamster bedding. Considering the amount of litter I go through in a week, the hamster bedding may be a bit pricey, but at this point anything is worth a try. One thing I should point out is that she used to poo in the box, and pee on the floor. Recently she's begun to do the opposite. Things I've done include: - Vet: Blood & urine done, no evidence of infection or kidney problems. - Crate training. (Effective for a while, but not forever. She's on her 4th crating session right now.) - I'm anal about the litter boxes - scoop them out (I have FOUR!) every time I walk past & see something in them. - Currently using Feliway Comfort Zone, don't see any improvement. - If I stand there and watch her, I can say in your box, and she'll use it. The minute I leave the room, though, or in the middle of the night, then she's back to messing on the floor at night. She is currently being crated all night so that I don't have to spend the first hour of every morning cleanin up after her. - Re: Stress, it's probably a factor. She's a naturally tense & wary cat. (Adopted from a rescue, which she ended up in because of her litter problem. Original owner was going to euthanize her at the age of 1 year, & vet called rescue.) - I don't use ammonia-containing cleansers on the floor (ammonia encourages repeat offenses), but do use vinegar alternating with Nature's Miracle For Cats. - Have tried tossing out older cat boxes and replacing with brand-new ones. Have also tried using a VERY big box for more elbow room, but she liked that the least. - Have been using rewards when I see her even set foot in the box. It works, but only when I'm there watching. She's a wiley little devil. Another thing I haven't tried yet (because of the expense, and also because the Feliway has proven to be a bust) is something like Prozac. Has anyone out there tried an SSRI for their floor-peeing cat? Did you find it effective?

stamps [2008-05-28]
have to have the liberty bell on them and the pack will say forever stamps

weekend [2008-05-23]
Decorate graves Saturday, daughter's wedding reception Sunday, take it easy day Monday.

One of my fav holiday weekends, second [2008-05-23]
Saturday, we have a huge craft show to go to, followed by 3 baseball games of my boys', followed by some serious picnicking Saturday evening. As for Sunday, fairly relaxing, a little work in the morning and evening, visiting family in the afternoon and picnicking some more. Monday should be a fairly quiet day - a little work in the morning and evening, a late morning Memorial Day parade and early afternoon picnicking, maybe a movie with the kids! Love this weekend -- gets me started on a great summer!

Happy Monday [2008-05-19]
Just wishing everyone a happy Monday! Is it Monday already?? I worked all day Saturday, but was off yesterday. Whew. Just stretching the old back muscles a bit and then getting back to the keyboard. Lynn

2 weeks? [2008-05-15]
I just had bloodwork last Thursday and I got the results on Monday. I guess it just depends on the physician/lab. They used Quest Diagnostics.

2 weeks [2008-05-14]
as it sounds like routine blood work. If no call by the 23rd I would call the office and leave a message and then you will probably hear back on that Monday.

Mortgage? You gotta be kidding. - sm [2008-05-13]
Dont know 'bout the rest of y'all, but I live in a very tiny apartment. My car is 13 years old, and is going to have to last me forever. It guzzles gas, but it's paid for. I never eat out, I eat 2 meals a day instead of 3, and I buy my clothes at the Goodwill. A vacation? Fuggetaboutit! A 'vacation' is when I occasionally allow myself the luxury of watching the evening news on TV.