Month: July 2017

The latest pro-life news (07/31/17)

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From Pro-Life Wisconsin.

Pro-Life News:

MEDICAL DECISION-MAKING: Charlie Gard, the baby at the center of a legal row over his treatment, has died, a family spokesman has confirmed. The 11-month-old was moved to a hospice following a High Court ruling. In a statement issued on Friday evening, Ms. Yates said: “Our beautiful little boy has gone, we are so proud of you Charlie.” PLW: Along with people of good will around the world, Pro-Life Wisconsin offers our condolences and prayers for little Charlie Gard and his loving parents.

PLANNED PARENTHOOD DEFUNDING: The U.S. Senate voted 51 to 49 to reject a “skinny” repeal of Obamacare and defund Planned Parenthood in the early hours of the morning on July 28. Rep. John McCain, R-AZ, cast the deciding “no” vote. Two other Republicans, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Susan Collins of Maine, also voted “no.” Murkowski and Collins have previously expressed support for Planned Parenthood. PLW: The Republican Congress MUST find another avenue this session to defund Planned Parenthood Federation of America. Failure is not an option!

CONTRACEPTION/STERILIZATION: Officials in White County, Tennessee, have given inmates the option of ending their jail sentence early if they voluntarily agree to have a vasectomy or birth control implant. The program works like this: Both sexes can volunteer to participate, which is free of charge. Women are given a Nexplanon contraceptive implant, which works for up to four years, in their arm. The Tennessee Department of Health will provide vasectomies for men who volunteer for the program. Those who participate will receive 30 days of credit toward their jail time. PLW: Judges should encourage parental responsibility and drug-free births, but not by sexually maiming incarcerated men and women.

ABORTION: The legalization of abortion in Chile- which bans all abortion and has the lowest maternal mortality rate in Latin America-was stopped by one vote. The stunning pro-life victory surprised observers, except those kneeling in prayer and praying for victory. The win took place in the 120 member Chamber of Deputies following action in the Senate approving the legislation to amend Chilean law to allow abortion for three exceptions: a risk to the life of the mother, in cases of rape or incest, or in case of a negative prenatal diagnosis. PLW: God certainly answered prayers to protect and preserve Chile’s total abortion ban.

To stay up-to-date all week, follow Pro-Life Wisconsin on Twitter.

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From WI Right To Life:

ALSO:

Charlie Gard to be buried with his ‘beloved’ cuddly toy monkeys, parents reveal

Charlie Gard, Single-Payer … Both Dead

Four moms say no way to transgender bathrooms invading their kids’ school

OPINION: Pro-life movement taking images of aborted fetuses to new heights: Jumbotrons

AND FINALLY, LOVIN’ LIFE…

35 Fellow Cops Finish the Treehouse a Slain Officer Was Building For Daughter

So, why Franklin? In short, how about it?

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Image may contain: 6 people, people smiling, drink and outdoor

While at German Fest Sunday our family stopped at a beer/wine/ stand right by the German Fest Pizza booth. It’s an annual tradition for us…the pizza with bratwurst and sauerkraut with a glas, yes, glas of champagne.

We know the volunteers at the tent so it’s a lot like…

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The volunteer we usually spend the most time talking to, a fellow conservative, we learned lives in Oak Creek. Our conversation quickly turned to how booming Oak Creek has become and how Franklin has been pretty much dormant.

“Why is that?” our friend asked as he started to make his way to another patron. I had but one  millisecond to respond before his total attention was gone.

One brief moment to reply.

How to quickly answer such a loaded and not so easy answer that could fit on a bumper sticker.

Why is Oak Creek a glittering Vegas and Franklin the Vegas desert?

Just as we were about to lose eye contact as he headed to fill a giant stein I politely gave him my comeback knowing I had less than a fraction of second.

“Politics.”

After more than 24 hours to think about it, I stand  by my answer.

Franklin freaks over news of crime

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More awareness about more crime in Franklin has divided residents into two factions.

I’ll get into that but first some brief background.

Franklin has always had crime, but nothing consistently major or violent.

As of late adding to the list that’s usually had garage break-ins is an alarming increase in automobile thefts. No one wants to see such victims, but how do you leave your car on the drive way with doors open, key in the ignition, and wallet filled with personal info on the front seat, and then cry foul and beg for sympathy?

In the fight against crime you don’t spot the bad guys points.

What has folks really jumping is news of shots fired early Sunday morning on the far south end of S.27th Street.

There could be consensus among the citizenry wondering what in tarnation is going on?

But there seem to be two separate camps.

1) This is the OMG group. They are outraged and are suggesting residents take every single precaution because crime in no longer an urban dilemma, it has swept into the suburbs and isn’t going away.

Of course if you take this position you’re not simply trying to be precautionary and lending a good-intentioned warning to your neighbors. You are:

A) Too negative.

B) Engaging in hyperbole.

C) Inexcusably trying to scare people.

D) Too frightened so you need to pack up and move if it’s too dangerous here.

Not exactly the most respectful response to folks who truly mean no harm. That brings us to group number…

2) This is the group you see on T-shirts. Keep Calm.

It’s not the end of the world. We’re not going to Hell in a hand basket. Crime is a given, as well as an increase given the rise in population over the years. And crime isn’t all that bad here. We are not the central city of Milwaukee.

Finally, how dare you even think of criticizing Franklin? Just move, will ‘ya!

Throughout my media life on any given issue I’ve gotten to a black or white reaction 99.9% of the time. On this item, it’s my view that both sides are correct, to a degree.

Some points are undeniable.

There is more crime in Franklin. And crime is definitely moving from the city to the suburbs. Some legislators have attempted to bring that to the public’s attention with the usual suspects making the usual racial accusations.

Back in April three Milwaukee aldermen announced their support for a package of bills being pushed by suburban Republican lawmakers aimed at toughening penalties for violent offenders.

“The crime is spreading out of Milwaukee. It is like a cancer and, unless steps are taken, that cancer will continue,” said Milwaukee alderman Tom Donovan.

Franklin has a well-deserved reputation of being quiet, clean, and safe. News, and there’s certainly more of it, of crime on the rise uncharacteristically in Franklin has some folks worried and upset. And that’s okay. They shouldn’t be vilified online or dismissed as negative critics.

However, to totally equate the city of Milwaukee with Milwaukee County (i.e. Franklin) is utter nonsense.

No one in Franklin is getting held up in banks or grocery stores or in their parking lots. Automobiles are not being carjacked.

I moved into Franklin in 1992. That’s 25 years ago. If there’s been a homicide during that time, forgive me, I don’t recall.

People feel so secure that yes, they do let their guard down and leave cars out and garage doors wide open. The mere suggestion that Franklin has a crime problem is met with, well, ridicule.

Somehow there needs to be some balance.

Franklin is not unlike other communities its size. This is no Camelot. Criminals are lurking. It’s serious. People who had no reason to be scared, but who now find themselves uneasy, are not to be scoffed at.

Crime might be everywhere (you’re not guaranteed safety anywhere), but you can’t live in your life in a bubble, in terror, fearing a crook behind every corner, or in Franklin’s case, in every courtyard.

Let’s not lose our minds when a car drives slowly down our street. Let’s not sit with binoculars trained outside our windows to record their license plates and then dash to our computers to report them on chat sites.

But let’s not bury our heads in the sand. Crime reports suddenly surfacing in Franklin? No big deal, right? Wrong.

Be vigilant? Yes. But don’t hide under the mattress expecting the worst either.

My Most Popular Blogs (07/31/17)

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Today’s highly interesting read (07/31/17): President Chaos and the Keystone Kongress

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In the event that you were enjoying the dog days of summer and missed the news of last week in Washington, well, to put it mildly, crazy.

Chaos reigns. The White House is imploding. The sky is falling.

The Washington Post writes with, I’m sure, inner glee:

“Every new White House has its rocky moments and personnel readjustments, some more than others. Every White House suffers from factionalism and infighting, to some degree. But Washington, and the country, has never seen anything like this.

“This president appears incapable of allowing his presidency to be saved, primarily because he is incapable of and unwilling to change. He will not allow himself to be governed; he cannot govern himself. Perhaps things will settle down, but that is hard to imagine. The past six months feel like prologue to even more turbulence.”

So if somehow you need a refresher course of that wild, wacky, Washington week, we turn to Andrew Klavan for today’s read.  Klavan provides a recap, followed by this:

“You know what’s the funniest thing about all this? The funniest thing is that…”

To see what that is, here is Klavan’s column.

Culinary no-no #526

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Culinary no-no began on Father’s Day 2007, a beautiful summer day, when I wrote about grilling brats. And eating brats. And topping those brats. I was inspired by my wife, Jennifer who, in my admittedly unscientific opinions, ruins brats by squirting ketchup on them. Other dining taboos quickly came to mind. The original idea was to take this concept only a few months, till the end of summer and then pull the plug. Then the unexpected happened. People started reading Culinary no-no. Lots of folks. So we keep doing the no-no.

I’ve blogged in the past about…

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The California Grill that sits high atop the Contemporary Resort in Walt Disney World, the 15th floor to be exact. It’s incredible, one of Disney World’s so-called “signature” restaurants. That means best, popular, get your reservations in long before you board your plane for Florida.

What’s great about the California Grill is that this top dining destination in the Mouse House boasts many WOW factors. One of them is wine.

You just don’t show up at the California Grill. Proper protocol requires checking in on the 2nd floor of the Contemporary Resort. No reservation? See ya.

Once you check in you are taken via controlled elevator up to the 15th floor. When the elevator door opens you see…

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A virtual wall of wine with 1,600 bottles displayed in a state-of-the-art temperature controlled cabinet.

On the restaurant wine list: About 250 selections, 80 wines by the glass, up from 50 choices on the wine menu that was used before the California Grill went through a seven-month renovation a few years ago.

In this next photo check out the very end of the California Grill bar.

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Bottles at the ready, waiting to be poured. A great draw for the California Grill is they’re not shy about wines by the glass. They offer extensive options.

When we visit Disney World we always, always patronize the California Grill, sometimes more than once.

I generally go with a Brandy Manhattan, and since this is Florida and not Wisconsin, brandy sales are not anything to write home about. So Disney contracts with E & J to supply their brandy. Not exactly my first choice, but Disney makes up for it with top notch sweet vermouth.

Jennifer, my wife, is the sommelier in the family. She loves the stuff. Even has a shirt that says the following…

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Here’s just a partial list of wines by the glass at the California Grill.

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Jennifer on our last trip chose the Chalk Hill Viognier under “Interesting Whites.” You will note the price.

On our vacations to costly Disney World we never worry about prices. We don’t examine every receipt and tally up every purchase. So I always have a little fun with Jennifer, teasing her at the end of another wonderful Disney meal.

“Did you enjoy your $15 glass of wine?” (My Manhattan was $7).

Jennifer usually wittily responds, “Yes, both of them.”

She readily admits there’s definitely a difference in taste between the Viognier and anything bought back home at Sendik’s.

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No, Jennifer doesn’t have that shirt…yet.

So what’s this week’s no-no?

Since 1914 Coles, a supermarket chain,  has continued to deliver quality products, outstanding customer service and great value to millions of Australians.

Their Liquorland stores sell St Andrews Cabernet Sauvignon 2016 that they describe as “the perfect well priced pizza night wine, it offers black cherry, plum and cranberry aromas with a soft easy going finish.”

The wine was entered in the recent Melbourne International Wine Competition.

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How did it do?

Check out this photo…

St Andrews Cabernet Sauvignon 750mL

St Andrews Cabernet Sauvignon 2016 won the prestigious “double gold” medal from a panel of sommeliers, retail buyers, distributors and exporters,  beating out 1,100 wine submissions from more than 10 countries around the world.

The judges were unanimous in their selection of the supermarket wine.

And get this…

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$6. That’s for a whole bottle!

Liquorland exclusive wines won eight more medals at the show, including one gold, two silver and five bronze.

Eli Greenblatt, a business reporter for the Australian writes, “It’s enough to make wine snobs cry in their expensive Riedel glasses, but the result shows the growing strength and quality of supermarket private-label wines that were once viewed as barely drinkable.”

And from retails sales expert Gary Fisher, “If you like it, it’s good. You don’t have to spend $50 on a bottle to get good wine. People are making good wine all over the world, and not all of it is expensive.”

Ahem. So, on our next trip to the Happiest Place on Earth, dear love of my life…

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“Do you have anything by the glass for 6 bucks?” 🙂

Photos of the Week (07/30/17)

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1) President Donald Trump, accompanied by Gov. Scott Walker, left, Vice President Mike Pence, House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Janesville, Terry Gou, president and chief executive officer of Foxconn, and Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Oshkosh, pauses while speaking in the East Room of the White House, Wednesday. Trump announced the first U.S. assembly plant for electronics giant Foxconn plans to locate in southeastern Wisconsin. Photo: Alex Brandon, AP

2) Gov. Scott Walker touts the Foxconn agreement to build in Wisconsin last week in Washington, D.C. Photo: CAROLYN KASTER, ASSOCIATED PRESS

3) Terry Gou, president and chief executive officer of Foxconn, shakes hands with Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, accompanied by Vice President Mike Pence, left, and House Speaker Paul Ryan of Wis., as he speaks in the East Room of the White House, Wednesday, July 26, 2017, in Washington. Photo: ALEX BRANDON, ASSOCIATED PRESS

4) President Donald Trump embraces Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, as Vice President Mike Pence, House Speaker Paul Ryan of Wis., Terry Gou, president and chief executive officer of Foxconn, and Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., also stand on stage in the East Room of the White House in Washington, Wednesday, July 26, 2017. Photo: CAROLYN KASTER, ASSOCIATED PRESS

5) Scott Walker speaks during the Foxconn announcement at the Milwaukee Art Museum on July 27. Mark Hogan, second from right, secretary and CEO of the Wisconsin Economic Development Corp., and Gou’s translator, Louis Woo, look on.  Photo: Mike De Sisti / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

6) Foxconn Chairman Terry Gou brings Tonette Walker, Governor Scott Walker’s wife, on stage.  Photo: Mike De Sisti/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

7) Foxconn Chairman Terry Gou (left) and Gov. Scott Walker sign a memorandum of understanding regarding Foxconn’s plan to build a $10 billion factory in Wisconsin. Photo: The Milwaukee Independent

8) Foxconn Chairman Terry Gou and Gov. Scott Walker hold up a signed memorandum of understanding during the Foxconn announcement.  Photo: The Milwaukee Independent

9) Foxconn Chairman Terry Gou  and Gov. Scott Walker hold the Wisconsin flag to celebrate their $10 billion investment to build a display panel plant in Wisconsin, at the Milwaukee Art Museum on Thursday. Photo: MIKE DE SISTI, MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL

10) Foxconn Chairman Terry Gou shows off 8K screen technology. An eye operation is shown on the screen.  Photo: Mike De Sisti / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

11) White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus talks with White House senior adviser Jared Kushner in the East Room of the White House in Washington on Wednesday. Priebus resigned on Friday. (Carolyn Kaster/AP Photo)

12) People look at a forest fire in La Croix-Valmer, near Saint-Tropez, France. Firefighters battle blazes that have consumed swathes of land in southeastern France for a second day, with one inferno out of control near the chic resort of Saint-Tropez, emergency services say. Photo: AFB

13) Authorities ordered the evacuation of 10,000 people as fires hopscotched around the Riviera last Wednesday.  Photo: Jean-Paul Pelissier / Reuters

14) A man holds smoke bombs during a protest by Spanish taxi drivers unions in Madrid. They called for a 24-hour strike to protest the increase in cars run by private companies offering cheaper, mobile ride-hailing services. Photo: AP

15) A sculpture made from sand and mud depicting a First World War soldier is on view in Trafalgar Square to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the battle of Passchendaele. Made by Belgian artist Damian Van Der Velden it will slowly dissolve by artificial rain in four days. Photograph: Matthew Chattle/Barcroft Images

16) Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., spent last weekend outdoors, relaxing. Last Sunday afternoon, McCain, 80, who underwent blood clot surgery this month and was diagnosed with glioblastoma, tweeted a photo of himself with a friend.

17) People gather to watch as the Hoa Binh hydroelectric power plant releases water after heavy rainfall caused by tropical storm Talas in Hoa Binh province, about 70 kilometers from Hanoi, Vietnam on July 22. The Hoa Binh hydroelectric power plant has opened flood gates for five days, in order to balance the stream flow and protect local reservoirs, as well as downstream rivers. This is the first time in the past 21 years that the Hoa Binh hydroelectric power plant had to open 3 out of 5 flood gates, as the dam water levels were over five meters above the limit, according to media reports. Photo: Luong Thai Linh / EPA

18) A king cobra snake is seen coming out of a container of chips in this handout photo obtained by United States Attorney’s Office Central District of California. The animal was in a package that was en route to the home of a man, later arrested, in Monterrey Park Photo: Reuters

19) Fireflies seeking mates light up in synchronized bursts inside a forest at Santa Clara sanctuary near the town of Nanacamilpa, Tlaxcala state, Mexico, July 24, 2017. Photo: Reuters

20) Filmgoers watch an open-air screening of The Lego Movie at Brooklyn Bridge Park. Movies with a View takes place every Thursday in July and August. Photograph: Anadolu Agency/Getty Image

21) A British Airways aeroplane flies near a rainbow on its way to Heathrow Airport in London, Britain. Photo: Reuters

22) Chelsea pensioners John Kidman, 87, right, and Bill “Spud” Hunt, 83, wear virtual reality headsets during an exhibition at the Household Cavalry Museum in London. Photo: AP

23) Mail Rail train driver Penelope Veck drives through the underground eastbound Mount Pleasant Sorting Office station on July 28 in London. The Postal Museum is now open to the public and features artifacts from 500 years of postal history. Mail Rail, which opens September 4, is a 1 kilometer long section of the underground railway network, which was built to transport letters and parcels between 1927 and 2003. Photo: Jack Taylor / Getty Images

24) A girl looks at 700 teddy bears, placed on the steps of St Paul’s Cathedral by international aid agency World Vision UK to represent the 700 children per week that flee conflict in South Sudan. Photograph: Matt Crossick/PA

25) Participants of the Santa Claus World Congress visit the Little Mermaid statue in Copenhagen, Denmark. Photo: AFB

26) At the world bodypainting festival 2017, a melange of faces. The main events are open to the general public, in a park known as Bodypaint City in the small town of Klagenfurt, Austria. Photograph: Jan Hetfleisch/Getty Images

Week-ends (07/30/17)

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A look back at the people and events that made news the past week. Week-ends is a regular weekly feature of This Just In…

HEROES OF THE WEEK

Everyone associated with the Foxconn deal

Jarrell Freeman

VILLAINS OF THE WEEK

Mexican resorts

Sergio Jose Martinez

James Matthew Bradley

“Today, I am pleased to announce that Foxconn, a world leader in manufacturing for computers, communications, and consumer electronics — one of the truly great companies of the world — will build a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility for the production of LCD panel products in Wisconsin, investing many, many billions of dollars right here in America and creating thousands of jobs.  And I mean American jobs — that’s what we want.

“Foxconn will invest in southeast Wisconsin while a larger facility is constructed over the coming years.  And that facility is currently under negotiation.  It will be about the biggest there is anywhere.  The company’s initial investment of more than $10 billion will create 3,000 jobs, at a minimum, with the potential for up to 13,000 jobs in the very near future.  The construction of this facility represents the return of LCD electronics and electronics manufacturing to the United States, the country that we love.  That’s where we want our jobs.”
President Trump

“I’ve never seen this type of governor or leader yet in this world.”
Foxconn chairman and founder Terry Gou referring to WI Governor Scott Walker

“One of the clips that touched me the most, someone showed me on my phone on the way over. It was a story from one of the local affiliates who had gone down to a bar and grill in Racine called Pudgy’s. What a name, right? What touched me was, just after 4:00 central time, in that bar, they had the TV on. And usually, unless there’s a Brewers or Packers or Bucks game on at a place like that, people aren’t paying a whole lot of attention to what’s on the TV. But not yesterday. You see, these folks in Racine, many of whom had been unemployed in the past, many of whom had been laid off from previous employment, were looking up, in absolute silence, watching as Terry and I joined the president and vice president and Congressman Ryan up on that stage — and what touched me the most, I gotta tell you what, I’m not afraid to admit, made me cry a little bit this morning. To see them cheer…as we talked about a $10 billion investment in their community, in their region, in their state — that’s what it’s all about.”
Gov. Scott Walker about a story Wednesday night by FOX6’s Ben Handelman, who spoke with bar patrons at Pudgy’s in Sturtevant — who cheered the Foxconn announcement Wednesday in D.C. as they watched FOX6 at the bar

“Any senator who votes against repeal and replace [is] telling America they are OK with the Obamacare nightmare, and I predict they’ll have a lot of problems.”
President Trump

After consulting “with my generals and military experts,” the U.S. government “will not accept or allow transgender individuals to serve in any capacity in the U.S. Military. The U.S. military “must be focused on decisive and overwhelming victory and cannot be burdened with the tremendous medical costs and disruption that transgender in the military would entail.”
President Trump

“With North Korea, Syria and the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria posing serious threats, the U.S. military needs to be focused on defeating these enemies and not locker rooms, restrooms and reassignment surgeries.

“The military is about success and preparedness; it is about national security and uniformity. The idea that the military can be part of a grand egalitarian utopia is not only pie-in-the-sky, it is a dangerous proposition that does little to keep America safe.

“Trump has to make decisions for the nation, not one group, and sometimes that means you don’t get what you want.

“When it comes to LGBT politics it is sexuality first, country second. It is just the opposite when you are POTUS. Trump’s decision may be unfair, but it was not incorrect.”
Joseph R. Murray II is a lawyer, conservative commentator and former campaign aide to Pat Buchanan. His book, Odd Man Out, is about his life as a married gay man in the Christian right. 

“If any state does not want to share this information, one has to wonder what they’re worried about. And I asked the vice president, I asked the commission, what are they worried about? There’s something. There always is.”
President Trump, at the first meeting of the Presidential Advisory Commission on Election Integrity, which asked states to share personal data — including partial Social Security numbers and voting histories — about all of their voters. Most states rejected part or all of the request, citing concerns about privacy, reduced voter participation and election cybersecurity.

“When you lose to somebody who has 40 percent popularity, you don’t blame other things — Comey, Russia — you blame yourself. So what did we do wrong? People didn’t know what we stood for, just that we were against Trump. And still believe that.”
 Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) on Hillary Clinton whose upcoming book will double down on Russia’s interference and James Comey’s involvement in her stunning election defeat, according to sources familiar with the memoir

OUTRAGE OF THE WEEK

The Barking Lot – America’s Finest Dog Blog (07/29/17)

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The Barking Lot is a regular weekly feature of This Just In…Written by my lovely wife, Jennifer and me.  It opens with the weekend dog walking forecast followed by the main blog from dog lover, Jennifer. Then it’s DOGS IN THE NEWS and our close. Enjoy!

THE WEEKEND DOG-WALKING FORECAST: We grade the weather outlook for taking your pet outdoors.

TODAY:  Sunny. High of 77. “A”

SUNDAY:  Sunny. High of 82. “A”

Before we get rolling, some reaction to Jennifer’s blog last week about why dogs are so happy and what makes them so.

“Just remember, dear Jennifer, that there can be exceptions. I have a
painful scar and memory to prove it—I who love most creatures on
sight! I who know all the rules about approaching any strange
four-legger– who would have loved to adore my adopted son’s German
Shepherd on sight and was bitten badly on the arm while I was sitting
quietly and allowing HIM to make the first move. (The dog that is, not
the son.) Well, he did! I the mutt lover! I who have been lovingly
sat upon by two Pit Bulls at once in adoration! I-I-I! ….and assorted
groans of mistreatment etc etc…”

Life just isn’t fair.

Now, here’s my lovely wife, Jennifer with this week’s main blog.

There are times when I think we should adopt a puppy puppy, as in two months old or so.  There is something so amazing about puppy breath, a pink and round fuzzy tummy, and little yips before they develop into a full-fledged bark.

Then there are other times when I think “Why would I want to deal with housebreaking, chewed furniture, and basic training and commands?”  It would seem that adopting a dog around a year old would for the most part have those issues taken care of.  (Yes, I do realize there are exceptions to that theory.)

Truthfully, those are the only two age categories I ever consider for our future dog:  puppy or just out of puppyhood.  Yet I understand that there is an entire group of dogs this mindset overlooks:  the aging dog.  Bucket Lists for terminally ill dogs are becoming something more and more dog owners try to do.  It’s a bittersweet time for them to do some final bonding and send their friend to the rainbow bridge with as little heartache as possible.  Unless your family is hit with an unusual situation, you probably don’t think about a list like that until diagnoses of a fatal illness late in the dog’s life.  But if you’ve owned your dog its entire life, you have awhile to prepare for the inevitable.  Unless…

Unless, as I mentioned above, you adopt a senior dog.  You might be thinking “Why on earth would I adopt a dog that only has a few years left on earth, is most likely riddled with health problems, will probably cause me additional expense, just to have to say goodbye that much earlier?”  If I’m completely honest with our readers I would have to admit that’s pretty much my way of thinking.

Well, I’ve been given paws – er, pause – for thought.  While some people could justify the arguments against adopting an elderly dog there are just as many reasons you should consider it.  Author Laura Coffey looks at it from a different perspective:

“And when it comes time to say goodbye, there’s something about having given them a safe and happy final chapter that softens the hardest part,” she says. “Let’s face it, for any dog of any age, when the end comes it’s always too soon.”

She gives heartwarming testimony about adding a dog of advanced years to your family.  I can’t argue any of her points…  I just don’t know if I’m strong enough to follow her suggestions personally.

If you DO feel that your heart is ready to open itself to a senior dog, there’s an upcoming event just for you.  If you’ve ever watched Animal Planet’s Puppy Bowl instead of that NFL thing of a similar name, you know how amazing it is to watch that action-packed game of puppies.  If, however, you’re apt to adopt a dog on the other end of the age spectrum, you now have your chance.

I’m looking forward to hearing all the success stories of the senior dogs who find their loving, forever homes.
—Jennifer Fischer

Thanks, Jennifer!

Time now for DOGS IN THE NEWS, canines that made headlines the past week.

How your pet could make you a target for scammers.

Maryland police officers get training to save their drug-sniffing dogs from overdoses.

Dogs Can Now Have Gender Reassignment Surgery.

Decoding Your Dog: How Owners May Be Misunderstanding Their Pet’s Behaviors.

More Evidence That Owning a Dog Is Really Good for You.

Dog Walking Can Help Your Health in Your Golden Years.

Fitness for Fido: Dog gyms, workouts flourish in DC area during ‘dog days’.

Harley the blind therapy dog, who lost eyes at age 5, warms hearts.

Those wacky Millennials are influenced more by dogs than marriage, children when buying a home.

If you had to choose: your dog or your boyfriend?

THAT’S IT FOR DOGS IN THE NEWS.

HERE’S OUR DOG PHOTO OF THE WEEK:

Fine photo. But what’s the explanation?

A serious one.

We close as we always do with our closing video.

This week, hundreds turned out to say goodbye to the hero dog, Cena,  a black lab who served three tours in Afghanistan as a bomb-sniffer with the Marines.

On a much lighter note, Sunday (tomorrow) at Milwaukee’s German Fest it’s the Dachshund Derby Race.

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Last Saturday a record crowd came to see some big racers on some short legs. About 10,000 people showed up for the 22nd Wiener Nationals at Los Alamitos race course in California. They came to see 90 dogs take each other on in a 50-yard race.

That’s it for this week.

Thanks for stopping by.

We’d really appreciate it if you forward this on to other dog lovers you know. Let them have some fun!

See ya, BARK, next Saturday!

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