Archive for February 27th, 2008
Wednesday, February 27th, 2008
Uncle Jay Explains the News
My Boss turned me on to this it is hysterical!
He also has his own website:
No Comments » - Posted in Potpourri by Julie
Wednesday, February 27th, 2008
Chimp not a Person
ruled, activists said Tuesday.
declared a person in hopes of gaining guardianship of the animal.
threatening to leave him homeless. Donors have offered to help support him, but
under Austrian law, only a person can receive personal gifts.
declared a person and petitioned to be appointed Matthew’s
trustee.
Wiener Neustadt rejecting the petition, the group said Tuesday.
Rights.
Sierra Leone in 1982 and smuggled to Austria for use in pharmaceutical
experiments. Customs officers intercepted the shipment and turned the chimps
over to the shelter.
Matthew, whose life expectancy in captivity is about 60 years.
Austria.
target="_blank">www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/01/15/europe/EU-GEN-Austria-Chimp.php
No Comments » - Posted in Reviews and Comments by Julie
Wednesday, February 27th, 2008
Greetings from LA!
No Comments » - Posted in Travel and Adventures by Julie
Wednesday, February 27th, 2008
Billy Joel History Lesson
THIS IS GREAT…I LOVED IT
Whether you are a Billy Joel fan or not, you probably remember his great
song “We Didn’t Start the Fire.” Here it is, set to pictures— someone had
the patience to give us a quick history lesson
Turn up volume, sit back and enjoy a review of 50 years of history in less
than 3 minutes!
Thanks to Billy Joel and some guy from the University of Chicago with too
much time to Google!
Direct link to the creators site
No Comments » - Posted in Potpourri by Julie
Wednesday, February 27th, 2008
Dog, Cat, Rat
No Comments » - Posted in Potpourri by Julie
Wednesday, February 27th, 2008
Message from Dr. Stinson
Legislature has introduced Senate Bill 626 to prohibit certain dog races for the
purpose of wagering or gambling. Since the bill does not define “dog racing” or
“wagering” or “gambling” the Michigan Association for Pure Bred Dogs believes it
“opens the door” to protests from animal rights groups to challenge certain dog
show events such a “agility, fly ball, lure coursing races, sled dog racing,
coon dog races, etc. Please read the position paper in light of the following
quote from the
her agent or employee who, directly or indirectly, takes, receives, or accepts
from any person any money or valuable thing with the agreement, understanding or
allegation that any money or valuable thing will be paid or delivered to any
person where the payment or delivery is alleged to be or will be contingent upon
the result of any race, contest, or
upon the happening of any event not known by the parties to be
certain, is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment
for not more than 1 year or a fine of not more than
$1,000.00.”
asked of your legislators “does the act that prohibits “certain dog races,” some
of which put the many competitive events such as fly ball racing, lure coursing,
agility trials, coon hound water races, etc. at peril by the “vague” definitions
in the act.
and ask this question: what is the motivation behind SB 626? Please forward
any response you receive from you Senator. Thanks.
Director of Legislative Affairs,
No Comments » - Posted in Reviews and Comments by Julie
Wednesday, February 27th, 2008
Position Paper Michigan Senate Bill
Position
Paper
626 (S-5)
legislation prohibits certain dog races; prohibits the simulcasting of certain
dog races; and prescribes penalties. “A
person shall not hold, conduct, or operate dog racing for the purpose of
wagering or gambling.”
gambling in the bill is not clearly defined [Sec. 1 (c)] even though it does
make a statement of what the law does not include. (Does not include the payment of a purse or
prize to the owner, manager, or trainer of a dog in connection with a race in
which the dog races.)
owner, manager, or trainer to understand what other activities may be prohibited
as wagering or gambling as defined in a standard dictionary. Does MCL 750.307 Gambling: prima facie evidence
apply?
DICTIONARY of American English (
copyright 1994:
1. Bet: 2. a pledge to do something or abide by an
outcome:
2. to take a risk in order to gain some advantage. vt. to risk in gambling; bet,
wager; n. an act or undertaking involving risk or a
loss.
industry, one of the most economically important animal industries in
dog racing, and others that meets the definition “to take a risk in order to gain some
advantage.” What are some of these
advantages?
owning an animal of distinction.
performance, appearance and/or of the owner’s breeding
program.
opportunities for recreational activities with their dogs.
opportunity to increase the reputation of their dogs by demonstrating their
performance in competitive events, resulting in increased sales of dogs. Cash entry fees (risks) are a general
requirement for participation. This cost
is used to finance the cost of the competition and pay the costs of the awards
to the winners.
competitive public events sponsored by
require the entrant to pay a fee. There
is no guarantee of a win with such a fee.
Thus all that money is essentially at risk to the exhibitor of any dogs
entered in the competition.
Association for Pure Bred Dogs and the Michigan Hunting Dog Federation are
composed
clubs that are located throughout
by the club, their exhibitors or guests, depending upon the interpretation of
the words “gambling” and “betting” and “wagering.” The events attract entries from throughout
the
A very important
information provided by the proponents of the bill at the hearing of the
Committee on Commerce and Tourism on
Information Sheet - no author given)
SB 626 - Selection of Relevant News
Articles (no author
given)
disturbing questions about the true purpose of this legislation and its effect
on other forms of recreational and competitive activities of the dog
industry..
within SB 626 - Information Sheet,
[the paragraph entitled “What this legislation is NOT intended to
do: - Represent the interest or further the cause of any particular
organization, animal rights group, rescue or other animal welfare entity”]
plus the text of the document [“SB
626 ? Selection off Relevant News Articles”] is a more plausible explanation of the
real intent of the legislation’s supporters.
The thrust of these documents is mainly related to propaganda from
anti-racing organizations with a biased animal activist view of the risks dog
are exposed to in the “racing
sports.”
perils of greyhound racing are no different from those of other forms of
competitive activities. Similar risks
are encountered in other racing events such as sled dog races, coon hound races,
lure coursing and agility trials, If
this legislation is enacted in Michigan in the current session (it was rejected
in the 1996 session) the animal rights lobby’s next effort will be to stop sled
dog racing, then coon hound racing. All
under the guise of preventing gambling and cruelty. The animal rights proponents
are already trying to stop sled dog racing events with accusations of it being
cruel to sled dogs. Next to be
prohibited will be hunting events (dogs used in large game hunting are at
considerable risk.) Then, the
legislature will be asked to outlaw hunting, one of the ultimate goals of the
animal rights agenda.
Association for Pure Bred Dogs and the Michigan Hunting Dog Federation urge you
to defeat SB 626. If the sport of dog
racing is detrimental to the public as a gambling and wagering event, then ban
other forms of gambling supported by
boat racing would be considered cruel and should be prohibited (to save the fish
who are at risk for damage from propellers.)
These bans could also be extended to training and competing with horses
in timed international Olympic events.
They too have risks of serious injury (cruelty?)
advice:
light of the benefits it will convey if properly administered, BUT, in the light
of the wrongs it would do and the harm it would cause if improperly
administered.
Johnson
President of the
Prepared
by:
Stinson, BS,
, Phone: 517-655-5363, Fax: 517-655-3724,