Lone Star Hiking Trail, TX. Best Place to Walk and Walk. Krakatau. Michael Vick. ‘Vickory’ Dogs.

 

For “Travel Tuesday”:  Let’s visit The Lone Star Hiking Trail in the Piney Woods Region of TX:

“Experience the warmth and Southern hospitality of the Texas Piney Woods Region. This beautiful forest land offers visitors a glimpse of the history of the Republic of Texas and early statehood times. The Texas Piney Woods offers some of the best fishing, down home cooking, championship golf and family activities in the Lone Star State. Discover the Southern Hospitality of the Texas Piney Woods Region.”

Lone Star Hiking Trail, Texas in the Sam Houston National Forest

“East Texas’ Lone Star Hiking Trail runs for over 128 miles through the Sam Houston National Forest, but that’s too much hiking for me. I can handle, though, the challenging 27-mile section between Evergreen and Cleveland, which is a designated National Recreation Trail. Tree tags 25 to 50 yards apart mark the narrow path, but I suggest picking up a map from the Sam Houston National Forest district ranger’s office in New Waverly. Pines and magnolias shade the trail, which also blazes through thick brush and swampy areas, and crosses several creeks and the East Fork of the San Jacinto River (twice). You might also see white-tailed deer, turkey, quail, and rabbits. Foxes and bobcats live here, too, though you’re unlikely to see them. Old stumps covered in shades of green moss, strange fungi growing on fallen logs, and a variety of mushrooms lend an otherworldly, untamed feel to the landscape.

USDA Forest Service, Sam Houston Natl. Forest, 936/344-6205

“Driving Directions to Richards Trailhead: From Houston, go north on I-45 about 40 miles to Exit 87, Conroe/ Highway 105. Turn left (west) on Highway 105 and go 13 miles to Montgomery. Go north on FM 149 14.3 miles to Forest Service Rd 219. Turn right, go .1 miles and trailhead parking lot is on right.”

 

Smooth and easy hiking deep in the heart of Texas.

“They say everything's bigger in Texas, so a 140-mile trail should come as no surprise. The Lone Star Trail jaunts through the Sam Houston National Forest, deep in the heart of southeast Texas. Here densely packed pines and hardwoods tower overhead, and a rusty-red carpet of pine needles crunches underfoot. The going is smooth and easy, leaving you free to scan the forest for endangered red-cockaded woodpeckers or bald eagles.

One of the trail's highlights is the Big Creek Scenic Area off FM 2666 in the eastern portion of the forest, where the path is laced with gently flowing streams and sprinkled with springtime flowers. Three developed recreation areas along the way (Double Lake on FM 2025, Huntsville State Park just west of I-45, and Stubblefield on FS 215 near New Waverly) offer convenient access.”  More at:  http://www.backpacker.com/february_1998_destinations_texas_lone_star_trail/destinations/792

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“A voice-over introduction to the Lone Star Hiking Trail in the Sam Houston National Forest north of Houston, Texas presented by the Lone Star Hiking Trail Club. http://lonestartrail.org/. Karen Borski Somers Guide to the Lone Star Hiking Trail is available at http://www.wildernesspress.com/produc....”

 

 



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Best Place to Walk and Walk and Walk and Walk

“The Lone Star Hiking Trail is more than 120 miles long and runs from the tiny town of Richards at the west end to Montague Church (just east of Cleveland) at the east end. Much of it goes through the Sam Houston National Forest, and very little of the trail is “road walking.” The trail crosses rolling hills of tall pine forest and hardwood bottomlands with magnolias and rare beechnuts. It crosses two rivers, one named bayou, a number of swamps and flowing springs, and some very big creeks. The trail passes through both Huntsville State Park and the Double Lake campground, and is a joint effort of the Sierra Club and the National Forest Service.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lone Star Hiking Trail:

“The National Recreation Trail meanders the breadth of the Sam Houston National Forest passing through the eastern edge of the forest near Montague Church on FM 1725 close to Cleveland, Texas to the extreme western edge near Richards, Texas.

Sections of the trail cross private property and public road rights-of-way. Therefore, visitors should show good trail manners, so private property owners will continue to allow foot passage across their land.

The terrain is relatively flat with some wet areas; and bridges allow for easy creek crossings. The southern portion of the trail follows an old railroad tramway.

Trailhead parking areas are at the main access points, but because the trail is intended to be primitive, there are no restroom facilities.  View these maps for trailhead locations:

East side Map    West side Map

At a Glance

Fees:  None

Best Season: Spring and fall

Busiest Season: Spring and fall

Closest Towns: Cleveland, Texas; Richards, Texas; Coldspring, Texas; New Waverly, Texas

Water: Fresh water is not reliable and hikers generally carry their own or obtain it at one of the two campgrounds (Stubblefield or Double Lake) along the trail.

Water Availability: Carry one bottle and use a purification pump the rest of the way. Plenty of Creek water flowing, untreated of course.

Recommended Clothing: long pants light jacket

Suggested Accessories: Need a walking stick to help over all the fallen trees.

Restroom: None

Activities

Hiking, Day Hiking,  Backpacking

Camping is permitted anywhere along the trail except September 15 through February 1. Overnight camping is allowed in designated camping areas only during that time period.

Off-road vehicles and horses not allowed on hiking trails.

“No trace” backpacking methods are recommended.

LAKE CONROE

 

 

 

 

 

 

- Location includes a detailed write-up:

Lone Star Hiking Trail - Big Creek/Double Lake Section
Lone Star Hiking Trail - Big Woods Section
Lone Star Hiking Trail - Four Notch Section
Lone Star Hiking Trail - Huntsville Section
Lone Star Hiking Trail - Kelly/Caney Creek Section
Lone Star Hiking Trail - Magnolia Section
Lone Star Hiking Trail - Phelps Section
Lone Star Hiking Trail - Stubblefield Section
Lone Star Hiking Trail - Tarkington Bayou
Lone Star Hiking Trail - Wilderness Section
Lone Star Hiking Trail - Winters Bayou Section

I hope you enjoyed another visit here in the state of TX.

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On This Day:

Krakatoa erupts, Aug 27, 1883:

“The volcanic island of Krakatoa, (also called Krakatau), near Indonesia erupts on this day in 1883, killing thousands in one of the worst geologic disasters of modern times.

The beginning of the amazing events at Krakatoa in 1883 date to May 20 when there were initial rumblings and venting from the volcano, which had been dormant for about 200 years. Over the next three months, there were regular small blasts from Krakatoa out of three vents. On August 11, ash started spewing from the small mountain. Eruptions got progressively stronger until August 26, when the catastrophe began.

An 1888 lithograph of the 1883 eruption of Krakatoa.

At noon, the volcano sent an ash cloud 20 miles into the air and tremors triggered several tsunamis. This turned out to be just a small indication, however, of what would follow the next day. For four-and-a-half hours beginning at 5:30 a.m. on August 27, there were four major and incredibly powerful eruptions. The last of these made the loudest sound ever recorded on the planet. It could be heard as far away as central Australia and the island of Rodrigues, 3,000 miles from Krakatoa. The air waves created by the eruption were detected at points all over the earth.

The eruption had devastating effects on the islands near Krakatoa. It set off tremendous tsunamis that overwhelmed hundreds of villages on the coasts of Java and Sumatra. Water pushed inland several miles in certain places, with coral blocks weighing 600 tons ending up on shore. At least 35,000 people died, though exact numbers were impossible to determine. The tsunamis traveled nearly around the world--unusually high waves were noticed thousands of miles away the next day.

The volcano threw so much rock, ash and pumice into the atmosphere that, in the immediate area, the sun was virtually blocked out for a couple of days. Within a couple of weeks, the sun appeared in strange colors to people all over the world because of all the fine dust in the stratosphere. Over the ensuing three months, the debris high in the sky produced vivid red sunsets. In one case, fire engines in Poughkeepsie, New York, were dispatched when people watching a sunset were sure that they were seeing a fire in the distance. Further, there is speculation that Edvard Munch's 1893 painting "The Scream" depicting a psychedelic sunset may have actually been a faithful rendering of what Munch saw in Norway in the years following the eruption of Krakatoa. The amount of dust in the atmosphere also filtered enough sun and heat that global temperatures fell significantly for a couple of years.

Krakatoa was left only a tiny fraction of its former self. However, in the intervening years, a small island, Anak Krakatoa ("Son of Krakatoa") has arisen from the sea. It is growing at an average of five inches every week. This island is receiving a great deal of scientific attention, as it represents a chance to see how island ecosystems are established from scratch.”

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NFL star Michael Vick pleads guilty in dogfighting case, Aug 27, 2007:

“On this day in 2007, Michael Vick, a star quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons, formally pleads guilty before a Richmond, Virginia, judge to a federal felony charge related to running a dogfighting ring. That December, the 27-year-old Vick, once the highest-paid player in the NFL, was sentenced to 23 months in federal prison.

In April 2007, law-enforcement officials raided a 15-acre property owned by Vick in rural Surry County, Virginia, and discovered dozens of pit bulls, some of them neglected, along with evidence of illegal dogfighting activities. That July, Vick and three other men, Purnell Peace, Quanis Phillips and Tony Taylor, were charged with engaging in competitive dogfighting, obtaining and training pit bulls for fighting, and carrying out the enterprise across state lines.

All four men pled not guilty to the charges. However, Vick’s three co-defendants later changed their pleas to guilty and agreed to testify that the quarterback had participated in the execution of a number of dogs and had bankrolled the gambling and operating funds for the venture, known as Bad Newz Kennels, which had reportedly been in existence for about five years.

Animal-rights organizations as well as the general public expressed outrage against Vick and the barbaric details of the case—dogs that underperformed in fights were put to death by such means as drowning, electrocution and hanging.”

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Michael Vick Pit Bull Euthanized After Dogfighting Career

TMZ Sports. Breaking News, 6/20/2013

“Sad news in the dog world -- the top pit bull from Michael Vick's dogfighting ring has been euthanized.
The dog -- named Lucas -- was humanely euthanized Wednesday at the Best Friends Animal Society in Kanab, Utah because of accumulating health problems. He was around 13 years old.
Lucas -- who was Vick's grand champion -- was one of nearly 2 dozen dogs that were rehabilitated at BFAS after they were rescued from the ring in 2007. Unfortunately, Lucas was not allowed to be adopted because of his vicious fighting history -- and therefore had to remain a lifetime-care dog at the animal sanctuary.
We're told Lucas was one of the friendliest dogs at the sanctuary -- and never stopped grinning.
Best Friends CEO Gregory Castle said, it was "a blessing in every way to be around him and to witness the wonderful effects on everyone he met."   Read more: http://www.tmz.com/2013/06/20/michael-vick-pit-bull-euthanized/#ixzz2cwF0zfRB

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Where the Former Michael Vick Dogs Are Now

“Since their rescue, they have gone on to find peace in the best ways they could.

Sox and Hector

“Sox and Hector both received therapy dog certification, and spend their days at hospitals, nursing homes, and schools. Sox, who came into rescue as one of the worst of the low-response cases, has improved dramatically since being adopted by her foster family. Hector, with scars over his chest and legs bearing testament to his past life, was adopted into a home with a pack of six dogs, and has made many friends, canine and otherwise.”

 

Zippy

“Zippy, a small, energetic dog, has found peace and companionship
with the Hernandez
family, spending her days romping and rolling around the floor with two fellow dogs and three young children under the age of 10.”

 

 

Jonny Justice

“Jonny Justice was adopted by a foster family who discovered his love of children, and he participated in a program called Paws for Tales, where dogs provide a nonjudgmental audience for children struggling with reading. Jonny excelled at it, until the librarian banned Pit Bulls from the program after receiving some complaints from parents. Jonny and his family resigned from the program in protest, and volunteers from BAD RAP looked into state law, finding the breed-based discrimination unlawful. When they brought this to the librarian’s attention, however, the library withdrew from the Paws for Tales program.”

 

Bonita

“Bonita, who was used in the dog-fighting ring as a bait dog for others to practice on, came into Best Friends rescue with scars, worn or broken teeth, and an instinct to flee from other dogs. She also had babesia, a blood-borne condition common in fighting dogs, and nerve damage in half of her face, so when she smiled nervously, it was crooked. She learned to crave warm laps to sleep in, and found a little bit of peace there. In 2008, she required dental surgery and never woke up from anesthesia.”

More about the other ‘Vickory’ dogs at:  http://blogs.bestfriends.org/index.php/2013/03/08/the-michael-vick-dogs/   and http://vickdogsblog.blogspot.com/

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Yesterday:

Misty and I went to get Jay, and a job that Jay and I thought wouldn’t take long, took almost all morning.

Ray and Shay live in my guest house, next to my house, and a couple of months ago, Shay’s sister had moved in with Ray and Shay’s son, who lives in the big mobile home on the other side of my house.  The two sisters have never got along, and they have worn a pathway across my grass going backwards and forwards, usually in a huffy gait.  Well, the sister found another place to live, and had a nice dining table and wooden daybed for sale, which I bought. The daybed has a new $380 mattress on it, and is in perfect condition.  The sister wanted me to leave the daybed in there for Shay to use and pay for it ‘later’.  BTDT. The sister still owes me $500 from many years ago!  Shay didn’t want to pay me the $100 that I had paid for it.  Sod her!

When I turn my Grooming Room into a bedroom, the daybed will be good for ‘staging’ the house.  The table matches my dining chairs and it is a foot longer than my table.  It will show how big my dining area really is.  All Jay and I had to do was move the table and daybed out of the mobile home, and store them in Pugsy, (my vintage motor home) which has a big wide back door.  The table and daybed were both put together with hex screws, and some of them were stripped.  I have a full set of Allen keys, but we also had to get vise-grips on the screws. It took a lot longer than anticipated. 

Also, I had just got a computer desk with file drawers, and we were supposed to move that into my guest house for Shay’s room.  It was a bit too long to go in the space that Shay had designated. It would have gone on another wall, but she didn’t want to move all that stuff.  So Shay decided that she wanted it in the newly vacated bedroom in the mobile home, and we had the job of moving that heavy thing up the tall steps.  Ray and Shay splitting up again?  I don’t know, but I know Shay’s overbearing ways, dramatics, and drinking get on Ray’s wick, and he might be glad if she moves. They argue all the time.  It was so peaceful when she wasn’t here for a year. 

By the time we had done all that, it was too late for Jay and I to start working on my screen porch roof.  Then the rains came, soaking the screen porch yesterday.

Dog Diabetes. Pet Foods. Please Click. Feral Cat Hoarding. Dog v. Wolf. Michael Vick's Dogs. Cutest Frog. Baptist Pastor on Easter. April Fools. First Weather Satellite. Tobacco Ads Banned. “Food Matters”.

 

For “Mammal Monday”:

A Single Treatment Cures Diabetes - How to Protect Your Pet Now

“Researchers in Spain have successfully used gene therapy to treat type I diabetes in dogs.

Type I diabetes, known as juvenile diabetes in humans, is the form of diabetes that most often affects canines. It occurs primarily in adult dogs as the result of lifestyle factors, including over-vaccination, diets high in carbohydrates, and lack of exercise.  The gene therapy treatment is given in a single session, and the dogs in the study recovered their health and showed no further signs of the disease – some through over four years of monitoring.

The dogs experienced good glucose control whether fasting or eating, with no episodes of hypoglycemia, even after exercise. The dogs also had improved body weight and developed no secondary complications four years after treatment.

Dog diabetes is almost always avoidable, so while the news of a cure is exciting, preventing disease in your pet should remain the focus of your efforts.

Obesity in companion animals is becoming an epidemic. And obesity stems from two sources:

1. Lack of movement
2. Diet, which is the underlying and most obvious reason behind weight gain and the development of diabetes 

The majority of pets in the U.S. consume a high calorie, high carb diet. And yet, dogs and cats have no physiological requirement for grains like corn, wheat, rice, soy, millet or quinoa as sources of energy.

Dogs are scavenging carnivores, cats are obligate carnivores – they are designed by nature to burn fat and protein very efficiently. The majority of commercially available dog and cat foods in the U.S. use grains or potato starch as filler.

Your pet’s body doesn’t need those carbs, and certainly not in the quantities contained in most commercial pet foods. You should really only give carbs as treats, if at all.

All the carbohydrates in your pet’s food – which can be as much as 80 percent of the contents – break down into sugar. Excess sugar can result in diabetes.  Too much sugar in your pet’s system can result in pancreatic failure, insulin production deficiency or insulin resistance, a condition in which the body’s cells stop using insulin efficiently and become starved of essential nutrients.

To avoid feeding carbs, transition your cat or dog to a species-appropriate, preferably raw diet.”  More at:   http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2010/04/07/causes-of-pet-diabetes.aspx

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How to Tell If a Pet Food Manufacturer is Untrustworthy

“Recently a DVM and professor from Tufts University's Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine, Dr. Lisa Freeman, gave a lecture based on her research on companion animal nutrition.

During her presentation, Dr. Freeman showed images of various pet food labels. One label for a cat food showed flaxseed on the ingredient list. Flaxseed can be metabolized by the human digestive system. It can also be marginally digested by dogs. However, cats can't digest the stuff at all – but there it was, big as life, on the ingredient label.

In Dr. Freeman's view, this is a sign the pet food manufacturer doesn't know much about canine and feline nutrition. I would take it a step further and suggest the company also doesn't care much about pet nutrition. How can a maker of cat food use an ingredient wholly indigestible to cats and still give a hoot about feline nutrition?

It is shocking how many pet food companies do not have a nutritionist on staff. She would prefer companies spend less money on marketing and more on research and development and experts in animal nutrition.

Animal by-products are rendered ingredients in pet food. The rendering process is designed to blend anything and everything – from clean muscle meat … to slaughter floor waste … to roadkill … to euthanized shelter pets – into ingredients pet food manufacturers can include in their formulas.”  More at: http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2012/04/27/pet-food-label-guidelines.aspx

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How to Know if the Poultry in Your Pet's Food is Chicken... or Roadkill

“The pet food rendering industry exists for one reason – to turn animal and food waste not fit for human consumption into ingredients pet food manufacturers will buy.

What most pet parents who buy popular commercial pet foods don’t know is exactly what type of “raw materials” wind up at rendering facilities and ultimately, in the food they feed their beloved dog or cat.

Plenty of pet food consumers also don’t realize there’s a huge difference between “chicken” and “poultry” on pet food ingredient labels. There’s also a huge difference between “chicken” and “chicken by-products.” And these differences are extremely important when it comes to the health of dogs and cats.

The sad fact is, most of the biggest pet food companies are consumed with increasing profits, not your pet’s health. That’s why every pet parent should learn to read pet food labels and know the difference between good, acceptable, and poor/dangerous pet food ingredients.”   More at: http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2012/04/11/pet-food-contains-poultry.aspx

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It's High in Protein, High in Fat - But Should You Feed It to Your Dog?

“Unfortunately, the ingredient lists for these new diets aren’t impressive. Chicken did top the list (before processing), but the next several ingredients in all three formulas were primarily grains – including plenty of corn/corn derivatives -- and byproducts.”  More at: http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2013/03/20/new-dog-food-formula.aspx

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Please Click every day.

“Angie asks all ANIMAL LOVERS to pass this on. The Animal Rescue Site is having trouble getting enough people to click on their site DAILY -www.theanimalrescuesite.com  It is the only way they can meet their quota of getting free food to be donated every day to abused and neglected animals.  Their corporate sponsors/advertisers use the number of daily visits to donate food to abandoned and neglected animals in exchange for advertising.

Just go to their site and click on the purple box 'FUND FOOD FOR ANIMALS' for FREE.”   Thank you.

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Florida Legislature Poised to Approve Public Cat Hoarding

(Washington, D.C., March 29, 2013) “Despite public opposition, the Florida legislature is moving towards approving legislation that would authorize the public hoarding of cats by feral cat activists, in the face of potential public health and property value impacts, as well as predicted high mortality for native animals. The cost of cleaning up these areas could also fall on Florida taxpayers.

“Even if the threat of serious disease is not off-putting, the fact is that one in five Americans - about 48 million people - engage in birdwatching. None of those people will want to live in an area that has a state-sanctioned cat hoarding area. We continually get calls from people asking what they can do to get rid of the feral cats that kill the wildlife in their backyards that they so enjoy watching. It is not inconceivable that when word gets out to the wildlife community, birdwatchers may begin to avoid Florida as a birding destination with potentially significant economic impacts to small businesses."  More at: http://www.abcbirds.org/newsandreports/releases/130329.html   

On ABC’s Facebook page many have said that they will boycott FL if this approved!!

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Born to Be Wild: Why Wolves Are and Dogs Aren’t

“Based on exciting new research, it seems we’ve made some incorrect assumptions about how wolf pups mature. Their senses of sight, sound and smell develop very similar to those of dogs, but there’s one important difference – wolf pups begin walking and discovering their world two weeks sooner than their domestic counterparts.

This means wolf pups enter the all-important socialization period at just two weeks of age, when they cannot yet see or hear. Only their sense of smell is functioning as they begin to explore their world. This is a vastly different developmental experience than that of dog puppies, and is very likely the reason the behaviors of adult wolves and dogs are dissimilar.

It seems nature has designed wolf pups to be prepared to survive out in the world at a young age... but with that readiness comes a greater level of fear and aversion to other species and unfamiliar sights, sounds and smells.”  More at: http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2013/03/27/dog-wolf-differences.aspx

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Michael Vick's former dogs celebrated at reunion

“Six of the 22 dogs taken in by Best Friends Animal Society from Vick's notorious 'Bad Newz Kennels' gather for an event sponsored by the animal sanctuary.”  Pictures and more at:  http://www.mnn.com/lifestyle/arts-culture/blogs/michael-vicks-former-dogs-celebrated-at-reunion

 

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I know it’s not a mammal, but it sounds like a dog’s squeaky toy.

Worlds Cutest Frog - Desert Rain Frog

“The Desert Rain Frog’s natural habitat is in Namibia and South Africa along a 10 kilometer stretch of land along the ocean. The frog is nocturnal and enjoys moist areas, which the ocean fog helps provide.”

“Is he crying for his mama?   A viral video that was released earlier this week of a tiny, squeaky-voiced frog has won the hearts of many, including dogs, some of whom can’t get enough of the clip. The so-called “world’s cutest frog,” a South African desert rain frog, has a voice like a squeaky toy, drives dogs wild.

The frog was found and filmed by naturalist Dean Boshoff, who was walking past a sand dune in South Africa when he heard an insistent squeaking.   “I found him, I knelt down,” said Boshoff. “I couldn’t believe the little sound that he was making.”    Neither, apparently, can many dogs.

When Dean posted the video, he asked others to share their pets’ reactions.  The resulting video clips have shown dogs butting computers with their heads, running around in circles and even trying to make off with one user’s smart phone.”

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Should Christians Celebrate Easter?  By Pastor Jeff Alexander,    Pastor Calvary Baptist Church of Lamar, Colorado

“Easter is commonly understood to be a Christian holiday celebrating the resurrection of Jesus Christ. The date for it is set as the Sunday immediately following the fourteenth day of the paschal (Passover) moon, which happens on or after the vernal equinox. However, as is explained in the Schaff-Herzog Encyclopedia of Religious Knowledge (Vol. 2, p. 682), “The present variable time [for fixing the date of Easter] was appointed by early Romanism in amalgamation with the very ancient pagan spring festival to the goddess of the spring.”

As a result, pagan symbols have been so thoroughly embedded that they are now generally thought to be Christian in origin. An example is the Easter lily. Where is there biblical authority for its prevalence at Easter? Merrill Unger (Archeology and the Old Testament, pp. 173, 174) describes the Canaanite goddess “as a nude woman bestride a lion with a lily in one hand and a serpent in the other.” The lily “bespeaks the grace and sex appeal of the bearer” and the serpent “symbolizes her fecundity” (fertility).

The Roman Church incorporated the egg as an emblem of Christ’s resurrection. Pope Paul V taught people to pray at Easter, “Bless, O Lord, we beseech thee this, thy creature of eggs, that it may become a wholesome sustenance unto thy servants, eating it in remembrance of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Again, where is the biblical authority to support such a notion?”     More at: http://www.inplainsite.org/html/easter.html

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On This Day:

April Fools tradition popularized, Apr 1, 1700:

“On this day in 1700, pranksters begin popularizing the annual tradition of April Fools' Day by playing practical jokes on each other.

Historians have also linked April Fools' Day to ancient festivals such as Hilaria, which was celebrated in Rome at the end of March and involved people dressing up in disguises. There's also speculation that April Fools' Day was tied to the vernal equinox, or first day of spring in the Northern Hemisphere, when Mother Nature fooled people with changing, unpredictable weather.”

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First weather satellite, Apr 1, 1960

“The first weather satellite to be considered a success was TIROS-1, launched by NASA on April 1, 1960. TIROS operated for 78 days and proved to be much more successful than Vanguard 2. TIROS paved the way for the Nimbus program, whose technology and findings are the heritage of most of the Earth-observing satellites NASA and NOAA have launched since then.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weather_satellite

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Nixon signs legislation banning cigarette ads on TV and radio, Apr 1, 1970:

“On this day in 1970, President Richard Nixon signs legislation officially banning cigarette ads on television and radio. Nixon, who was an avid pipe smoker, indulging in as many as eight bowls a day, supported the legislation at the increasing insistence of public health advocates.

Tobacco has played a part in the lives of presidents since the country's inception. A hugely profitable crop in early America, Presidents Washington, Jefferson, Madison and Jackson owned tobacco plantations and used tobacco in the form of snuff or smoked cigars. Regulation of the tobacco industry in the form of excise taxes began during Washington's presidency and continues to this day. In 1962, Kennedy became the first president to sponsor studies on smoking and public health.”

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Yesterday:

After watching the sermon program on WGN TV, I tried to take care of Misty and Terry’s breakfast.  Misty is easy, she’ll eat anything, though I try to feed her only the best.  She is still spry and happy at 18 years old.  But Terry was not his usual ravenous self.  He had finished the amoxicillin antibiotic for his URI on Saturday, but he has been sick for nearly a month, and he is still having trouble with his breathing.  Now, he doesn’t want to eat.  I tried different foods, but he didn’t want them, so I poked some Nutri-Cal in his mouth to keep him going. 

DD had left a comment about a health show called "Know The Cause", so I found it online and watched some of the episodes.  But to me, they had the tone of infomercials for the products that they sell. 

So I started looking at some of the sites from the well-known health doctors, (some are non-profit sites), like Dr. Andrew Weil, Dr Mark Fuhrman, Dr. Weston Price, Dr. Mercola and Dr. Andrew Saul, and came across the documentary “Food Matters”.  It is very interesting, and everyone should see it.  It could be one of the most important 1¼ hours of your life.  http://www.filmsforaction.org/watch/food_matters_2008/

 

While the video was playing on my computer, I did dishes, removed sheets, did laundry, dusted, put sheets back on, (doesn’t everyone have their favorite sheets?), and caught up with a few household chores. But I was anxious to get back to it, to hit ‘play’ each time.

In the afternoon, I had just finished drinking some homemade veggie juice and getting ready to take Misty for a walk down to the mailboxes, when it got humid and started raining.  It didn’t last long, but then the grass was all wet. So much for that.

Terry had been hiding in my closet most of the day and still didn’t want any dinner.  I mashed up some canned cat food with some Whiskas cat milk, and got it down him with a feeding syringe. I know I have to take him back to the vet today.

Lyme Disease. Tainted Beef. Pet Vaccines. Hounding Wildlife. 2-Legged Kitty. HSUS $5K Reward. Baby Turtles. Mountbatten. Michael Vick.

For “Mammal Monday”:

A New Explanation for the Steep Rise in Lyme Infections

“Cases of Lyme disease have skyrocketed in North America over the last decade.  A new study seems to prove that monitoring deer populations to assess Lyme disease risk is ill-advised. In fact, reducing the number of deer in an area has little or no impact on the number of Lyme infections.

The study shows fox and coyote populations determine the rate at which Lyme disease spreads.  Up to 90 percent of infected ticks pick up the Lyme bacteria from small mammals, primarily rodents. Red fox prey on these small mammals. Coyotes are natural predators of foxes.

Where coyote populations have increased, fox populations have decreased, and Lyme disease has proliferated.

Richard Ostfeld, a disease ecologist at the Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies in Millbrook, NY, believes introducing wolves in areas of high coyote populations would control not only the spread of Lyme infections, but also other rodent-related diseases.

While that is unlikely to happen, the new study illustrates just how important predators are to healthy ecosystems.”  More at: http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2012/08/20/lyme-disease-symptoms.aspx?e_cid=20120820_oldPetsNL_art_3

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From me:  One more reason not to mess with Mother Nature! The wolves DO contribute to our well being, and should not be hunted to extinction.

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USDA Eyes Whether Tainted Beef Entered Food Supply

FRESNO, Calif. (AP) — “Federal regulators who shut down a Central California slaughterhouse after receiving an animal welfare video were investigating Tuesday whether beef from sick cows reached the human food supply.

The video appears to show workers bungling the slaughter of cows struggling to walk and even stand. Under federal regulations, sick animals cannot be slaughtered for human consumption.

The USDA said investigators are trying to determine whether the cows in the video were just lame or sick, which would render them unfit for human consumption.

The video taken by an undercover investigator for Compassion Over Killing also shows cattle lying in pens unable to move, and at least one unable to stand to leave a stock transportation trailer.

Some clips show cattle with swollen udders that are unable to keep their legs under them. Other footage shows a downed cow trembling and unable to stand even as workers try to pull her up by the tail.”     More at: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=159455043

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Plant Closed by USDA Supplied Beef for In-N-Out Burger and Schools.

"That investigation resulted in the nation's largest meat recall.”

“Central Valley Meat is also a supplier of beef to the USDA national school lunch program. It currently holds a $3.8 million, two-month contract with the government.

Portions of the video will be on "ABC World News with Diane Sawyer."

More at: http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/plant-closed-usda-supplied-beef-burger/story?id=17051866#.UDQgPkScSwU

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Dog and Cat Vaccines are Not Harmless Preventive Medicine

“Vaccinosis is a condition recognized almost exclusively by the holistic veterinary community. It is not generally acknowledged by traditional veterinarians.

Dr. Richard Pitcairn defines vaccinosis this way: “Vaccinosis is to be understood as the disturbance of the vital force by vaccination that results in mental, emotional, and a physical change that can, in some cases, be a permanent condition.”

Vaccines are composed of modified live viruses, killed viruses and a number of potentially toxic substances. They also enter the body in an unnatural way (by injection) compared to real viruses. They bypass the body’s first lines of defense and are delivered directly to the blood and lymph systems.  Vaccine reactions, or vaccinosis, are wide-ranging. Some reactions are relatively minor, while others are life-threatening.

Fortunately, the traditional veterinary community is slowing becoming aware that vaccines are not the benign disease-prevention tools they were once thought to be.

Most importantly, I don't recommend automatic re-vaccinations at prescribed intervals for any pet.”              More at:  http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2012/08/20/pets-over-vaccination-disease.aspx?e_cid=20120820_oldPetsNL_art_1

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Stop the Hounding of California’s Wildlife

 

“The Los Angeles Times reports on the HSUS-backed bill to stop the inhumane, unsporting, and high-tech practice of hound hunting of black bears and bobcats—where trophy hunters release as many as 20 dogs, often fitted with radio transmitters on their collars, to chase, attack, and corner a panting animal who may in the end be shot from a tree branch. That bill, S.B. 1221, which has passed the state Senate and two Assembly committees, is slated for a vote on the Assembly floor as soon as this week. Every California voter should call his or her Assemblymember in support of S.B. 1221 today.

There’s no question that the final act of the hunt—where the hunter, following the signal emitting the hounds’ collars on a handheld directional antenna, shoots the animal at point-blank range—makes a mockery of any notion of sportsmanship or fair chase. It’s more of a high-tech killing than it is a fair-chase hunt.

Spokesmen from the trophy hunting lobby claim that it’s actually humane to shoot the cornered animal, since the hunter can just about guarantee a killing shot. That’s the same, weak rationale for shooting any kind of animal in a fenced enclosure in a captive hunt, or any animal that is lured to bait.”  More at: http://hsus.typepad.com/wayne/2012/08/california-hounding-update.html

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Anakin The 2 Legged Rescue Kitty!

“Anakin is a rescue kitty without hind legs…against all the odds, she’s grown up to be a playful, happy, strong and lovable kitty!”

http://videos.theanimalrescuesite.com/?p=1029

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The HSUS Assists in Rescue of More Than 200 Dogs from Ohio Puppy Mill.     HSUS Offers $5,000 Reward.

“The Humane Society of the United States and other animal rescue organizations were called in by the Humane Society of Richland County to assist in the rescue of approximately 250 dogs from a Shelby, Ohio, property. The owner of the dogs surrendered them to the Humane Society of Richland County earlier this week, and rescuers quickly mobilized to provide the dogs with food, water and veterinary evaluations. The dogs were mainly Chihuahuas and Shar-Peis and were found living in cramped wire cages and pens, covered in their own waste, without access to veterinary care or proper socialization. Many of the dogs suffered from skin irritations, eye infections and severe flea infestations.   “We were shocked to see that these dogs were living in squalid conditions for quite some time, so we are glad that the owner called us in to help.”

“To help improve the lives of dogs and protect consumers, The HSUS has established a reward program to offer up to $5,000 to anyone who provides any information leading to the arrest and conviction of a puppy mill operator for illegal animal cruelty. Persons wishing to report a valid tip are encouraged to call 1-877-MILL-TIP and will remain anonymous.”

From: http://www.humanesociety.org/news/press_releases/2012/08/ohio_puppy_mill_rescue_081712.html?utm_source=post082412&utm_medium=facebook&utm_campaign=art12

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These aren’t mammals, but they are cute, anyway:

Brave Baby Turtle's Journey From Nest To Sea

“Go, little guy, go! With the help of some charitable humans, they just might make it.”   Pictures at:  http://www.buzzfeed.com/gavon/brave-baby-turtles-journey-from-nest-to-sea

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On This Day:

Mountbatten killed by IRA, Aug 27, 1979:

“On August 27, 1979, Lord Louis Mountbatten is killed when Irish Republican Army (IRA) terrorists detonate a 50-pound bomb hidden on his fishing vessel Shadow V. Mountbatten, a war hero, elder statesman, and second cousin of Queen Elizabeth II, was spending the day with his family in Donegal Bay off Ireland's northwest coast when the bomb exploded. Three others were killed in the attack, including Mountbatten's 14-year-old grandson, Nicholas. Later that day, an IRA bombing attack on land killed 18 British paratroopers in County Down, Northern Ireland.

Louis Mountbatten, the son of Prince Louis of Battenberg and a great-grandson of Queen Victoria I, entered the Royal Navy in 1913, when he was in his early teens. He saw service during World War I and at the outbreak of World War II was commander of the 5th destroyer flotilla. His destroyer, the HMS Kelly, was sunk off Crete early in the war. In 1941, he commanded an aircraft carrier, and in 1942 he was named chief of combined operations. From this position, he was appointed supreme Allied commander for Southeast Asia in 1943 and successfully conducted the campaign against Japan that led to the recapture of Burma.”

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NFL star Michael Vick pleads guilty in dogfighting case, Aug 27, 2007:

“On this day in 2007, Michael Vick, a star quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons, formally pleads guilty before a Richmond, Virginia, judge to a federal felony charge related to running a dogfighting ring. That December, the 27-year-old Vick, once the highest-paid player in the NFL, was sentenced to 23 months in federal prison.

In April 2007, law-enforcement officials raided a 15-acre property owned by Vick in rural Surry County, Virginia, and discovered dozens of pit bulls, some of them neglected, along with evidence of illegal dogfighting activities.

Vick’s three co-defendants later changed their pleas to guilty and agreed to testify that the quarterback had participated in the execution of a number of dogs and had bankrolled the gambling and operating funds for the venture, known as Bad Newz Kennels, which had reportedly been in existence for about five years. Animal-rights organizations as well as the general public expressed outrage against Vick and the barbaric details of the case—dogs that underperformed in fights were put to death by such means as drowning, electrocution and hanging.

In May 2009, Vick was released from prison in Leavenworth, Kansas. That July, he was conditionally reinstated by the NFL and the following month signed a two-year deal with the Philadelphia Eagles. While his public image remained tarnished, Vick went on to make a strong comeback on the football field.”

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Yesterday:

When I woke up I thought it was Monday, the day to put out the trash.  The events of the last two long days of the missing cat made me think that I had lived through an extra day, I guess.  Then I was too engrossed in going through emails to realize what day it was.

One of the male puppies is already in his new home, and settling down well. The other three are being taken care of in other SPCA foster homes, until their new ‘parents’ can pick them up, as the female pups have to have a little more post-op care before they can go.

When I did grasp that it was Sunday, I had missed the Church of God sermon on WGN TV, and watched it later on their website  http://www.ucg.org/beyond-today .  I did the laundry, some of which is still waiting to be folded, and a little advance cooking for the next few days.  I don’t eat much meat, and there is always too much in a package for just one meal, so I can eat some, then freeze the rest for later.

In the afternoon, as my Grooming Room is operational again without puppies running all over it, I cut down Misty, and put her back in her ‘Town and Country’ pattern.  She isn’t bathed or finished yet, but she is old, like me, and doesn’t like to have too much done all in one day.

Pit Bull Facts. In Memory of "Stallone". Cargo Trailer. Adoption Day.

"This video was made at the request of a citizen of Denmark. I was sent an email asking to do a video addressing the myths around Pit Bulls as Denmark is getting ready to ban them."

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Description:   "His name was Stallone. Rescued during a dog fighting raid, this pit-bull terrier won the love of everyone around him. The heartbreaking story of this victim sheds light on the extreme cruelty he, and other dogs like him, endured - fight after fight."

"As horrible as this is, try to imagine what Michael Vick's pit bulls went through both during a fight and afterwards when Vick would torture them to death if they lost. And he's playing for the Eagles now, making a multimillion dollar salary.
For anybody who thinks Vick has "served his time", I want you to look at Stallone's face in this video, and remember that Vick did this to not one, but dozens of dogs. Possible HUNDREDS, over the years.
There is no sentence long enough for Vick."
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Fighting Dogs Finally Free Video:
http://video.humanesociety.org/video/780726296001
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Today,   It is cold and windy.  Coats and socks today, with 60% chance of rain.

The larger window has arrived, but we didn't want to try to install it, in case it rained before we had it done.  It is going to take some different framing than the "dreaded" window.
This is an egress window with a hinge at top outside.  I chose this, as it can be left open, even when raining.  BUT, it didn't come with the frame for the inside, so we knew we would have to make our own.  We looked up in my attic, and found a nice piece of wood that will match the paneling after Ray has done his magic with stain and poly.
So we used a jigsaw and made the frame thus:














Now we have a template for cutting the outside siding, too, when the weather is better.

We turned out attention back to the dinette, and cut the top out of some 5/8" plywood that came out of the 1947 Westcraft Coronado travel trailer that we worked on a while back. (https://picasaweb.google.com/LakeConroePenny/47WestwoodCoronadoSOLD?authkey=Gv1sRgCOaG36jG_qbwbw&feat=directlink)
We haven't put a hinge or anything on it yet.  There has to be access to the 12v. fuse panel, and the converter, which will be under there.
Then we carefully measured and cut the frame for the dinette booth on the other side before it was time to quit.

I am getting my foster animals ready to take to Petco for SPCA Adoption Day.

Egypt. Gipper. Vick's Award.

"Without Egypt, they would find their options for shipping air and sea cargo, refueling and repairing aircraft and consolidating troop movements narrowed to those along the Persian Gulf. The loss of landing rights in Egypt, for example, might mean that in a crisis, wide-body jets, each carrying hundreds of troops, would have to fly directly into congested Persian Gulf airfields, rather than into Cairo West, from which smaller transports would ferry troops into action."
More at: http://www.politicsdaily.com/2011/02/05/at-risk-in-egypts-turmoil-u-s-military-access-to-the-middle-e/?icid=main%7Chtmlws-main-n%7Cdl3%7Csec1_lnk3%7C199536
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100 years ago, on Feb. 6, 1911.

"President Ronald Reagan shares a laugh with singer Ray Charles at the conclusion of the Republican National Convention on Thursday, August 23, 1984 in Dallas. Charles sang "America the Beautiful" in the finale.
Ronald Wilson Reagan -- actor, governor of California and 40th president of the United States -- was born in Tampico, Ill., 100 years ago, on Feb. 6, 1911. "

"Why Do They Call Ronald Reagan The Gipper?

Ronald Reagan starred in many movies before beginning his political career. He got the nickname of "the Gipper" when he played the leading role in “Knute Rockne, All American" in 1940, portraying George Gipp, a college football player."


________________

Michael Vick Named AP's NFL Comeback Player of the Year

DALLAS (AP) -- February 5 2011. "Michael Vick took a most unusual path to The Associated Press 2010 NFL Comeback Player of the Year award he received Saturday night."
From:  http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2011/02/05/michael-vick-named-aps-nfl-comeback-player-of-the-year/?icid=main%7Chtmlws-main-n%7Cdl5%7Csec3_lnk1%7C199605

So, what about the Vicktory dogs:

When the President Calls About the Vick Dogs

December 29, 2010 - By Francis Battista -
"Now that President Obama has jumped on the Michael Vick bandwagon with an official call to Eagles’ owner Jeffrey Lurie to congratulate him for giving the quarterback another chance, all of us here at Best Friends are waiting for a call from the White House to congratulate us for giving Vick’s dogs a second chance. I’m quite sure that the other organizations that also took on some of the canine survivors of the football star’s dogfighting operation are similarly poised.


While we no longer wait by the phone for a call from Mr. Vick asking after his dogs, the likelihood of a call from the president has brought new esprit to the switchboard team and I’ve put together some notes on those we call the Vicktory dogs in case someone puts the historic call through to me by mistake. The conversation will go something like this:
“Mr. President, what a surprise! Thanks for taking the time out of your busy schedule to commend us for giving the Vicktory dogs a second chance. Sure, I’ve got a few minutes to fill you in … kind of a presidential briefing, I guess.

“To be quite honest, sir, it’s kind of a mixed bag as far as how the dogs are doing. After all, these critters were right there when Michael Vick and his friends were body slamming some of their doggie buddies to death and electrocuting, drowning and hanging others. Unlike Mr. Lurie and the NFL, Bad Newz Kennels wasn’t into second chances. What’s that, sir? Yes, he’s having a great year … yeah, a terrific arm."
More, and an update on the dogs at: http://blogs.bestfriends.org/index.php/2010/12/29/when-the-president-calls-about-the-vick-dogs/
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You think you had it bad during this cold spell, then read this: Joe fell in his driveway during a powerful blizzard and couldn't get up.  Then a snowplow buried him:  http://www.aolnews.com/2011/02/05/buried-in-snow-for-hours-wisconsin-man-saved-by-neighbors/?icid=main%7Chtmlws-main-n%7Cdl6%7Csec1_lnk3%7C199472

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Today:

I will be grooming Maddie.  Her 'Mom' wants me to leave her hair long, but have her ears, face, butt and feet trimmed.  Then she wants to put her in a topknot, like this:













It is is still chilly, but a cheery, sunshiny day.

Where Are the Vick Dogs Now?

If you are sick of Michael Vick, and want to go straight to the part about the dogs, it is at the end.

A New BET TV Series Treats Michael Vick Like Heroic Figure.
“Maybe all anyone needs to know about BET's 10-part " documentary series" on Michael Vick is that the NFL quarterback's production company, MV7, is one of the producing partners.
That's one cultural fault line on which he stands: the one that divides people who feel the lives of animals are precious vs. those who believe there is something wrong with people who think that way.” From: http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/zontv/2010/01/bet_michael_vick_project_hero.html

If you have any inclination to watch it, so you can judge for yourself if it is just a gimmick to get on the right side of animal lovers, and/or a way to make more money.  When it is on: http://television.aol.com/show/the-michael-vick-project/11601784/upcoming
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“New documents obtained by an Atlanta television station reveal more graphic details about NFL quarterback Michael Vick's barbaric dog fighting activities.
Vick slammed dogs who refused to fight to the ground and beat them with a shovel, plunged dogs' heads in buckets of water while another held their hind legs to drown them and got an "adrenaline high" doing so, witnesses told federal interrogators in documents obtained by WSBV-TV.

There were also reports of dozens of dogs hanged at his Virginia property.
Vick threw his own pet dogs and pets belonging to an unidentified woman into the ring and thought it was "funny" to watch pit bulls severely injure or kill these dogs, witnesses said.
The testimony portrays Vicks as a ruthless killer. In one case, one of Vick's associates said he wanted to give away a non-performing dog, but Vick said the dog "had to go" and he was killed.”
From:
http://www.philly.com/philly/blogs/pets/More_graphic_details_emerge_about_Vicks_dog_fighting_ring.html
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How about volunteering on game days:
From:http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/unleashed/2009/09/pet-rescue-group-offers-to-donate-dog-food-to-shelters-in-exchange-for-tackles-of-michael-vick.html
“The ads (one of which has already run in the Washington Post) urge animal lovers to "Consider volunteering at your local shelter on the day of the game. Spend some time walking, or brushing, or bathing, or hugging a homeless Pit Bull." Future ads are scheduled to appear in San Diego, Chicago and New York.

Beyond the call to volunteerism, the ads also feature a pledge from Main Line: For every time Vick is tackled during the upcoming game, the group will donate five bags of dog food to an area animal shelter.  (Since Vick is hard to catch, Main Line founder Bill Smith says the group will donate a minimum amount of food, even if he isn't tackled at all.) 
"Rather than slamming the guy for the next couple of years, we thought, 'Why not come up with something funny?'" Smith explained in an interview with the Philadelphia Daily News. "We're not stupid," he added. "We're using Michael Vick to get attention." As long as some needy dogs also get attention as a result, that's good enough for us!”
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“The group calling itself BAD RAP said it extended the invitation through the Eagles to Vick last week to view his former dogs that were part of the dog fighting operation at Bad Newz Kennels in southeastern Virginia. Vick declined.”
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Michael Vick's Second Crime Almost as Bad as his First
“April, 2009 the U.S. Department of Labor accused Vick of making a series of transfers totaling about $1.3 million out of a pension plan that a celebrity marketing company which he owned maintained for nine employees. Further adding insult to injury, he used the funds to pay court-ordered restitution for the damage caused by the dog-fighting. Even though Vick had signed a ten-year contract worth $130,000, due to an extravagant lifestyle and poor investments, money was a problem for him even before he was arrested.
In other words, he was looting his company’s pension fund. Even without taking the current economic climate into consideration, this crime approaches brutalizing dogs in shamefulness.”
From:http://www.huffingtonpost.com/russ-wellen/michael-vicks-second-crim_b_183405.html

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So what is next?
“Many studies in psychology, sociology, and criminology during the last 25 years have demonstrated that violent offenders frequently have childhood and adolescent histories of serious and repeated animal cruelty.
The FBI has recognized the connection since the 1970s, when its analysis of the lives of serial killers suggested that most had killed or tortured animals as children. Other research has shown consistent patterns of animal cruelty among perpetrators of more common forms of violence, including child abuse, spouse abuse, and elder abuse.

In fact, the American Psychiatric Association considers animal cruelty one of the diagnostic criteria of conduct disorder.” From: http://www.pet-abuse.com/pages/abuse_connection.php

"A man who can look a dog in the face and deliberately pick the most brutal and prolonged way of killing that dog, for nothing more than being insufficiently vicious – I think most people could reasonably wonder if such a man could ever genuinely be rehabilitated."
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Endorsements

“During his NFL career, Vick became a spokesperson for many companies; his endorsement contracts included Nike, EA Sports, Coca-Cola, Powerade, Kraft, Rawlings, Hasbro and AirTran.^[13][14]
Before the animal cruelty case surfaced in 2007, Vick's corporate status had deteriorated. Among the negative incidents was his middle finger gesture to Atlanta football fans in 2006.^{[15][16]”.
From:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Vick}


NFL has really gone down in my estimation, and I am glad that most of his endorsers and those that were going to advertise on his ‘Project”, have withdrawn their support.
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There is even a Vick Dog's Blog:   http://vickdogsblog.blogspot.com/

But this about “Where Are the Vick Dogs Now?”     Especially this one re-named Ted:

“Ted was named by a toddler who helped acclimate him to his new life in CA. This dog, Ted, now a social boy has many canine friends and continues to defy every stereotype about dogs from fight busts. Now in a pending home with a female pit bull named Lizzy, he is inches away from earning his Canine Good Citizen award. His biggest hurdle: learning how to stay brave and focused during the sounds of gunfire and trains - both of which used to make him very anxious.

He stills ducks from raised hands; a gesture that indicates former abuse”
From: “Where Are the Vick Dogs Now?” http://www.badrap.org/rescue/vdogs_now.pdf

It sure looks like Ted on this ASPCA petition to stop dog fighting: http://www.thehungersite.com/clickToGive/campaign.faces?siteId=3&campaign=DogFighting 

I seen and have fostered many abused animals, and it takes a lot of love to get them re-habilitated.  I am still working on my foster cat "Patches", who used to run from everybody.  Now, she still narrows her eyes when you come near, as if to say "Don't hurt me", but enjoys knowing that it will be petting and stroking now.

“Where Are the Vick Dogs Now?”
http://www.badrap.org/rescue/vdogs_now.pdf     made my day.