Lots of people like to say "Stubby" was the first war dog, but we canines have been helpin' you humans (good and bad) for thousands of years. There's a reason a breed is called the Pharoah Hound, ya' know.

"In 1935, a burial tomb of a dog was found in the great cemetery west of the Pyramid of Cheops at Giza with the following inscription recording the ritual burial ceremony, "The dog which was the guard of His Majesty, Abuwtiyuw is his name." This was a "Pharaoh Hound" type dog. His Majesty did this for him in order that he (the dog) might be honored before the great God Anubis."

And Shakespeare mentioned that war dogs business when writin' Julius Ceasar--"Cry “Havoc,” and let slip the dogs of war." (Julius Cæsar, Act III Sc. 1)--so there must have been some serious canine combatants back then.

Okay, maybe Stubby should be called the first United States war dog, but that wouldn't be quite true either. Benjamin Franklin wanted dogs to be part of the colonial militia, and we did our bit durin' the Civil War as well.

"One of the best-known dog mascots was "Jack," the brown and white bull terrier mascot of the 102nd Pennsylvania Infantry. This unit of volunteer firemen claimed that Jack understood bugle calls and obeyed only the men of "his" regiment.

"Jack's career spanned nearly all the regiment's battles in Virginia and Maryland. The dog was present at the Wilderness campaigns, Spotsylvania, and the siege of Petersburg. After a battle he would seek out the dead and wounded of his regiment. Jack himself was wounded severely at Malvern Hill and was captured twice. The second time, he was exchanged for a Confederate soldier at Belle Isle. Jack disappeared shortly after being presented a silver collar purchased by his human comrades, an apparent victim of theft."

Geeze…you humans are a real piece of work.

But back to "semi-official" war dogs and Sergeant Stubby.

"…[O]ne night Stubby made doggy history. It was an unusally quiet night in the trenches. Some of the boys were catching cat naps in muddy dugouts, and Stubby was stretched out beside [Corporal Robert] Conroy. Suddenly his big blunt head snapped up and his ears pricked alert. The movement woke Conroy, who looked at the dog sleepily just in time to see him sniff the air tentatively, utter a low growl, then spring to his feet, and go bounding from the dugout, around a corner out of sight. A few seconds later there was a sharp cry of pain and then the sound of a great scuffle outside. Conroy jumped from his bed, grabbed his rifle and went tearing out towards the direction of the noise.

"A ludicrous sight met his eyes. Single-pawed, in a vigorous offensive from the rear, Stubby had captured a German spy, who'd been prowling through the trenches. The man was whirling desperately in an effort to shake off the snarling bundle of canine tooth and muscle that had attached itself to his differential. But Stubby was there to stay.

"It took only afew moments to capture the Hun and disarm him, but it required considerably more time to convince Stubby that his mission had been successfully carried out and that he should now release the beautiful hold he had on that nice, soft German bottom."

When the war ended, everyone in the AEF knew Stubby. He had shaken hands with President Woodrow Wilson and been made an honorary sergeant by the Marine Corp. At home, Stubby became a national hero. He met presidents Harding and Coolidge, and had General John "Black Jack" Pershing, commander of the American Expeditionary Forces, pin a gold medal made by the Humane Society on his chest, declarin' him a "hero of the highest caliber."…

In 1921 Robert Conroy headed to Georgetown law school and took Stubby along. While there (accordin' to a 1983 account in Georgetown Magazine, Stubby "served several terms as mascot to the football team." Between the halves, Stubby would nudge a football around the field.

Hmmm… I know a couple of football teams that could use him today.

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posted by Harrison at 10:36 PM

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People are still livin' with the tragedy of Katrina and Rita, and so are lots 'n lots of lost pets. Safe Haven Helping Hands is expandin' into helpin' paws--and claws, and wings, and…well…whatever pet is lost.

They're startin' a website for uploadin' pictures and descriptions of all the animals who were separated from their humans and need some help. They need volunteer photographers for one…

"One reason there are so many unclaimed animals, is there is no one taking good photos, with different views and cross referencing a full description and location of the animals. Safe Haven Helping Paws will help in this effort. We will provide the web site for immediate uploads and details, and we will make sure the web site can be seen by anyone searching for their pets."

…and some cheap digital cameras.

We have lined up some volunteer photographers to assist with photographing animals in need of reunification. Simple cheap digital cameras will do, no need for high quality, just acceptable for the task. Please email.

In another couple of weeks all the animals in the shelters will be put up for adoption. And…those not adopted in time could be put down.

Other good stuff from Safe Haven:

"We have opened our SECURE online shop for purchasing Wish-U-Well Paks, including items of need and survival kits. Financial donations can be put to immediate use. Please help. Please visit www.safehavennetwork.org and click on the shop icon. We will be offering a Pet Care Package as well."

If ya'll can help, contact Chubby Angel

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posted by Harrison at 8:26 PM

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Or perhaps this little terrier named Fuchsi was really a WWI POW. Apparently he was a mascot of British troops, chased a rat into No Man's Land, jumped into a trench full of 'em, and ended up bein' caught himself.

But by whom?…

(Leave your answer--if ya' have one--in the comments.)

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posted by Harrison at 6:59 PM

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The Dog Who Inspired the Iditarod.

"January 20, 1925 was a desperate day for the town of Nome, Alaska. Several cases of diptheria had just been diagnosed, and no antitoxin serum was available with which to treat the town's children. The only hope of avoiding a full-blown epidemic was to receive a shipment of serum from one of Alaska's cities from the south.

"But in the depths of winter, Nome was only accessible by dogsled. Balto was the lead dog of the final sled team that raced through hurricane-force winds and minus-50-degree temperatures to bring serum to the diphtheria stricken town."

Most of ya' know the Disneyfication of Balto. Just in case you were wonderin', no, he was not part wolf, and sure didn't need to find his "inner wolf" to complete the 1925 Serum Run from Nenana to Nome. In fact, the Disney studios probably got their information from the original Balto movie, a 20 minute short produced by Sol Lesser.

"In Lesser's version, Balto not only saved the team from running into ice water on the serum run [true], he saved [Gunnar] Kaasen's life when the driver fell through the ice!

"According to Lesser, Balto wasn't Kaasen's first choice as leader -- or his second, third or even fourth choice! Balto was promoted to the lead position only after the team encountered a fierce blizzard and the lead dog -- unnamed in Lesser's press release -- "hesitated, then stopped."… "Balto literally dragged the exhausted and dispirited team until they staggered into the streets of Nome."

Never mentioned was the fact Balto & Co. were only one of a whole series of mushers who carried the serum, and, instead of carryin' it all the way, had only traveled 53 miles one way and 53 miles back, with a good long rest in between.

Balto did conquer snowdrifts and high winds for more than three black hours, arrivin' in Nome just before dawn to find everyone sleepin'. When the news spread that the serum had arrived, however, the town celebrated and Kaasen obligingly reenacted the sled team's entry for a French film crew.

Though Kaasen's mentor (and Balto's actual owner) Leonhard "Sepp" Seppala and his champion lead dog Togo had traveled farther through greater difficulties, Balto and Kaasen got to Nome first, and that was that as far as the public was concerned. Togo's contribution and those of the other mushers were ignored.

The hero-dog team and driver promptly went Hollywood, then, when the movie was done, onto the Vaudeville circuit. They arrived in NYC durin' the dog days of summer, 1925--pre air conditioned NYC. It was there the famous statue (still standin' in Central Park near 66th Street) was done and unveiled in December of that year.

What Disney left out was the next eight years of Balto's life. Within two years, only seven of the original 12-dog team was left (the others bein' sold off at various times) and the driver, Gunnar Kaasen, had vanished.

While Balto toured the country, baskin' in his fame, some promoters decided to bring Sepp and Togo to New York where, at Madison Square Garden, Roald Amundsen--the man who was first to reach the South Pole--would formally decorate Togo with a gold medal for his heroism in the serum run.

Amundsen would change Balto's life forever.

"Amundsen was set to board a train for New York, where he was to present Togo with his medal. On his way to the station, he stopped by the [Chicago] theater and followed Kaasen backstage after the show. The much younger Kaasen was understandably awed by his much more famous fellow countryman and listened carefully to what he had to say. Amundsen gently but firmly told Kaasen to go home to Nome, that it was time to get out of Seppala's way. Kaasen left the next morning, stranding the dogs and bringing the Vaudeville tour to a screeching halt."

No Kaasen, no show. Abandoned, Balto and his teammates were sold off to a man named Sam Houston who put 'em on display as sideshow curiosities.

"The converted store was a "dime museum," a cheap sideshow wedged among gambling dens, illegal drinking dives and other sleazy joints. For 10 cents, visitors -- mostly out-of-town businessmen -- could ogle an "animal curiosity'' -- seven famous Alaskan sled dogs. The dogs were Balto, Fox, Alaska Slim, Billy, Sye, Old Moctoc and Tillie, the only female."

Then Cleveland businessman George Kimble arrived. Appalled by the condition of the remainin' team, he enlisted the help of the Cleveland Plain Dealer and all the citizens of 1927 Cleveland, Ohio to raise money to rescue the abandoned dogs.

"Balto's fund took another leap towards its goal of $2,000 yesterday as children, invalids and employes of several companies, and workers in offices, public libraries, banks and the Museum of Natural History got behind the movement."

Ironically, even Roald Amundsen, whose big mouth had caused the problems in the first place, weighed in.

"Roald Amundsen, who was to speak in Cleveland on Friday, had sent a telegraph to the paper the previous day in support of the campaign… "Do what you can for these brave dogs and secure them a bright future. They certainly deserve it."

Yeah, right.

Anyway, the money poured in. Balto and his companions were shipped to a specially constructed dog yard at the Brookside Zoo where they lived out their lives baskin' in the adulation of thousands.

On March 14, 1933 Balto rejoined his team where we dogs all go to wait for our humans.

Balto's story, told by Patricia Chargot, can be read in its entirety here.

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posted by Harrison at 9:38 PM

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"Let his loyalty and devotion be a lesson to us all."

Greyfriars Bobby

"John Gray. a gardener, together with his wife Jess and son John arrived in Edinburgh around 1850. Unable to find work as a gardener he avoided the workhouse by joining the Edinburgh Police Force as a night watchman.

"To keep him company through the long winter nights John took on a partner, a diminutive Skye Terrier, his ‘watchdog’ called Bobby. Together John and Bobby became a familiar sight trudging through the old cobbled streets of Edinburgh. Through thick and thin, winter and summer, they were faithful friends. The years on the streets appear to have taken their toll on John, as he was treated by the Police Surgeon for tuberculosis.

"John eventually died of the disease on the 15th February 1858 and was buried in Greyfriars Kirkyard. Bobby soon touched the hearts of the local residents when he refused to leave his master's grave, even in the worst weather conditions. The gardener and keeper of Greyfriars tried on many occasions to evict Bobby from the Kirkyard. In the end he gave up and provided a shelter for Bobby by placing sacking beneath two tablestones at the side of John Gray’s grave.

"Bobby’s fame spread throughout Edinburgh. It is reported that almost on a daily basis the crowds would gather at the entrance of the Kirkyard waiting for the one o'clock gun that would signal the appearance of Bobby leaving the grave for his midday meal...

"The kind folk of Edinburgh took good care of Bobby, but still he remained loyal to his master. For fourteen years the dead man's faithful dog kept constant watch and guard over the grave until his own death in 1872…

"Bobby's headstone reads "Greyfriars Bobby - died 14th January 1872 - aged 16 years - Let his loyalty and devotion be a lesson to us all."

Sounds like a real Reagan Republi-canine.

Since we're discussin' loyality, here's a story 'bout a man's loyality to his dog--the Old Drum trial.

"Senator George Graham Vest won a court battle and the ears of dog lovers everywhere when he paid his famous tribute to [Old Drum] during the 1870 Burden vs. Hornsby court case in Warrensburg [MO]. The speech included the line, "The one absolutely unselfish friend that a man can have in this selfish world, the one that never deserts him, the one that never proves ungrateful or treacherous, is his dog."

"The "eulogy to the dog" won the case for Charles Burden whose favorite hound, Old Drum, was shot by a neighbor, Leonidas Hornsby, who had sworn to kill the first dog that came onto his land. Although Hornsby had hunted with Drum and acknowledged him to be one of the best hunting dogs he had ever seen, he carried out his threat when one night a dog was found prowling in his yard. That dog was Old Drum.

And so the expression "A man's best friend is his dog" was born.

Be sure to check out Machelle's National Dog Week posts at Quality Weenie.

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posted by Harrison at 7:24 PM

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  Bein' an Australian Terrier, ya' know I had to find   an Aussie war dog hero--one you might not have   heard about.

  Horrie, the Wog-Dog was discovered in the   Egyptian desert by Private J. B. ["Jim"] Moody,   VX13091, of the 2/1st Machine Gun Battalion,   A.I.F. Horrie became mascot of the battalion,   traveling with it from Egypt to Greece, Crete,   Palestine and Syria. He was a guard dog and early   warnin' system for incomin' enemy planes;   survived the sinking of the Costa Rica when the   batallion was evacuated from Greece to Crete; was   wounded by a bomb splinter in Crete; and suffered   the effects of the severe cold in Syria.

  Horrie arrived in Australia, hidden in a packback,   in 1942. At the Australian War Memorial in Canberra, in the WWII display, they have that travelling pack along with his uniform, which is the least they can do for him, considerin'. From Jim Moody's diaries, as written by Ion L. Idriess in Horrie, the Wog-Dog:

"There is not much more to tell. I got Horrie safely home to Melbourne where he is very happy with the old Dad, a better man than I. We, the Rebels and the signallers and the battalion in our wanderings since have missed his cheery company very much. But we all look forward to the reunion, the great reunion when the Wog-dog and Murchie and we all meet again after the war.

"Until then the little Wog-dog sends greetings and wishes for a safe return to his very many friends. The little out-cast of the Desert, Corporal Horrie of Egypt, Greece, Crete, Palestine, Syria, is a dinkum little Aussie-dog."

Horrie lived there happily for three years until, while doin' his bit for the Red Cross, he was discovered by the Quarantine Gestapo.

EPITAPH
"Well, Horrie, little fellow, your reward was death. You who deserved a nation's plaudits, sleep in peace. Among Australia's war heroes, we shall remember you."

As mandated by Quarantine Regulations, Horrie was shot on March 12, 1945.

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posted by Harrison at 7:56 PM

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Patton the Turncoat vs. Cosmo the…ah…ummm…whatever.

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posted by Harrison at 3:48 PM

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"The world likes dogs because dogs are nearest to moral perfection of all living things." ~ Captain Will Judy, founder of National Dog Week.

Remember that!

In honor of our special week, I thought ya'll might like to read 'bout some real hero dogs. 'Course all canines are heroes. Some are just more heroic than others. And definitely more heroic than fe-lyings!

So, first--for my cousins and the Grouchy Old Yorkie Lady--here's a little somethin' 'bout Smoky, the 4 pound Hero of WWII.

"[20-year-old PFC Bill] Wynne said another soldier in his unit found the tiny terrier in a foxhole in the New Guinea jungles [in 1944]. How she got there is anyone's guess. But she was starving.

"The guy who found her really didn't like dogs all that much. He needed money to stay in a poker game so I bought her from him for two Australian pounds,'' Wynne said. Smoky, as the tiny terrier came to be know, was a super-talented critter and a much-loved mascot for Wynne's unit, an Army Air Force photo reconnaissance squadron. She entertained wounded troops in hospitals. "She was one of the first therapy dogs on record,'' he said.

"Wynne said Smoky's great service was in pulling a string through a long and small drain pipe under a busy fighter plane airfield that allowed a communications line to be set up under the field without ever disrupting traffic on the field. "Only a tiny and rather courageous dog could have done it,'' he said.

"Smoky died in 1957…"

From the Yorkie Rescue site.

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posted by Harrison at 11:30 PM

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Grooming attack! Grooming attack!

Wait a sec… Okay, a bushin'. The brush is good. Like the brush...just not backwards up the spine. Sheesh…I'm not a chia pet, ya' know. Lose the comb, though. Lose it lady! Yeah, that got tangled durin' my last roll in the grass, what of it--ow! No, I did not roll in "somethin'." That's how I always smell…

WHAT! A BATH! But…but…it was just a mud pack--mud--honest--just mud--for my skin. Better for my skin than…water. Oh crap. Wet crap. Wet, soapy shampoo crap. No, I do not like smellin' like coconuts. I like smellin' like a frickin' dog. Shower massage? That's no shower massage. It's a weapon of mass destruction. GET. IT. OUT. OF. THERE!

Wet dogs shake. It's what we do. Get over it.

A haircut? Wha'da' I need with a haircut? I like my hair the way it is. Put down the sissors and move away from the groomin' table and no one'll get hurt. Argh! Get away from my tail with that sissors, woman! There's important things down there I'm sorta' attached to… Yeah…those are my teeth and I know how to use 'em.

What's the matter with fuzzy ears? I can hear ya' just fine--I just ignore ya', that's all. Won't do it again--promise--never--ever--hey! Knock it off! That tickles. Watch the eyeballs--I got enough trouble seein' at my age… Oh, come on--so I sneezed. It was just a little snot. That's what ya' get for trimmin' my bangs.

Aacccckkk! The feet! Forget it, lady. Nuts to that "cat-like feet" description the AKC pushes. I'm a dog. OH NO!! The clippers! No way--not the toenails… I like chewin' my nails! Nooooooo…oh, the humannnnniiiityy…

[Act like this again and I'm renaming this blog "Dead Dog Talkin'."--AHM]

[Bite me.--Harrison]

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posted by Harrison at 9:47 PM

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…you've got nothin' to lose but your--

bee costumes?



Aaaaarrrrggghh!

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posted by Harrison at 1:15 PM

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This was an interestin' email to receive, but…why am I hearin' from an Oklahoma Senator and not from anyone in my own state?

"Senators Tom Coburn (R-OK), Jim DeMint (R-SC), John McCain (R-AZ), Lindsey Graham (R-SC), John Ensign (R-NV), and John Sununu (R-NH) announced at a press conference earlier today that they plan to produce a legislative proposal to find savings and called on the president to work with Congress to help those in need without passing the fiscal burden on to future generations…

"Significant savings can be found if the federal government curbs its lavish spending habits. [This] table shows the differences, in billions of dollars, between the August 2005 Congressional Budget Office (CBO) "baseline" spending estimates and different spending scenarios.

They give some good examples of why Washington's always wantin' more

"At least $45 billion each year is being wasted in improper payments by the federal government – and that amount only covers a limited number of federal agencies. If the 3.9% rate of known improper payments is applied to the entire federal government, elimination of these improper payments could save taxpayers at least $100 billion each year."

Now, I know about this one first-paw. Soon as ya' start givin' away billions to every Tom, Dick, and Silly Human Female for doin' nothin', people will start--ah--doin' nothin'--or spendin' those "gifts" on vacation travelin' and visitin' strip clubs. I imagine that budget would already be balanced if the right agencies started shuttin' off the drippy faucets.

"The General Services Administration, the chief procurement agency for the entire federal government, charges “middle-man” fees of almost $20 billion to purchase $66 billion worth of goods and services for the government. That equals a “middle-man” fee of nearly 30%, even though the private sector usually charges less than 5% for the same services.

Sounds like it's time the GSA was introduced to that "we eliminate the middle-man" motto.

"The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the nation’s accounting watchdog, has seen cost overruns of $47 million on its building projects. The SEC’s building project costs, estimated to total $22 million, have instead tripled to $69 million."

Hmmm… Guess that answers the question: "Who's watchin' the watchdog?" No one.

"The U.S. Agency on International Development spent less than 10% of its $90 million malaria budget to purchase products that treat or prevent malaria. The agency spent less than 1% of its malaria budget on drugs to prevent or treat a curable disease that is the leading killer of children in Africa."

Can you say bring back DDT? 'Course--speakin' of blood-suckin', malaria-spreadin' usless insects--you'd have to spray down the EPA first…

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posted by Harrison at 12:10 AM

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Yeah, AHM has been playin' with the blogplace again--sorry for the non-update pings. 'Course if she actually knew what she was doin' it would go a lot faster. (It's called read the effin' instructions, woman!) But she claims she's got it lookin' better in IE--like that matters…

Whatever crunches your kibble…

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posted by Harrison at 1:07 PM

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Not that I'm braggin', 'cause there's no way I can take any credit, but…the "pack" (not the herd) is winnin'.

"Legislation would require pet to be included in evacuations.

"Federal disaster grants to state and local governments should be conditioned on how they accommodate pets in their evacuation plans, say lawmakers disturbed that some Hurricane Katrina victims refused to leave home because they couldn't take their animals with them…

"[Rep. Tom] Lantos and Reps. Christopher Shays, R-Connecticut, and Barney Frank, D-Massaschusetts, are sponsoring a bill that would require that state and local disaster preparedness plans required for Federal Emergency Management Agency funding include provisions for household pets and service animals."

Took ya' long enough!

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posted by Harrison at 4:33 PM

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From Katrina Found Pets.

I got this from the assistant to the dean of the TX Vet Med school in College Station, TX. IT's 3 hours from Galveston, 100 miles from Austin.

Hurricane Rita Information
(Current as of Wed, 9/21/2005, noon)

I. Shelter for Humans and Pets.

Must go to BRAZOS CENTER off of Briarcrest Drive or GATEWAY(near speedway off of Hwy. 6 bypass). There are direction signs posted along the highway to Gateway.
Will receive an assignment for pet and themselves in close proximity

II. Shelter for Pets Only.
THE CVM is NOT taking any animals for shelter.

Small Animals
Go directly to Pearce Pavilion on George Bush Drive

Large Animals (Livestock, Equine, etc.).
Triage Center is being set up at Gateway, just south of Pebble Creek. Directional signs on the Highway. At that point(large animal side) livestock will be identified and directions will be given at that time.

The following people are also coordinating efforts to find shelters for large animals. Questions may also be directed to the following persons regarding large animal shelters:

1st Contact: Danny Williams 979-324-6269
2nd Contact: Doug Householder 979-777-2070
3rd Contact: Helen Treat 979-589-3184

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posted by Harrison at 11:49 AM

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Herman has filled the Michael Brown chair at FEMA.

Hmmmm… Wonder how he'd do combatin' this critter?

And since we're talkin' dangerous creatures on the loose, isn't two more of these floatin' around Massachusetts considered overkill?

(Gotta' admit, though, the picture does bear a strong resemblance to the Sr. and Jr. Senators.)

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posted by Harrison at 8:12 PM

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I love bacon--all sizzlin' and crunchy and crispy. Well, I love it until all the fat congeals and gets rancid. Then it's somethin' not even a fe-lyin' would eat. Okay, a Demo-cat will eat it--they love it. And some Republi-canines seem to be developin' a taste for the disgustin' stuff, too.

N.Z. Bear and Glenn Reynolds have gotten together to encourage bloggers to dig up the pork in their states and post it to the Porkbusters Page. Well, AHM and me went sniffin' around to find a bunch of places Virginia could use some serious liposuction. This pdf link shows all those special, "high priority" projects. Here's a few mil to start ya' off.

Now, my first suggestion for the Commonwealth…ditch anythin' havin' to do with Northern Virginia. They've got plenty of rich people up there to pay for their own stuff. So just redline anythin' with "Arlington, Alexandria, Falls Church, Fairfax County, Fredricksburg, and Charlottesville" in the description, and we might get down to a size 24W.

For starters…

$1,320,000 - Vienna, VA. Maple Avenue Improvement Project. For a single street? What the hell are they improvin' it with?--gold bricks?

$800,000 for Northern Virginia Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail. Sheesh. They must be getting funded by the word! Guess if ya' stick in enough "heritages" and "nationals" and "scenics" people'll think it's important or somethin'.

And since we're talkin' single street fundin'…

$580,000 - Revitalize Main Street in Dumfries. Ya' might wanna' work on revitalizin' that name first.

$400,000 - Haymarket, VA. Washington Street improvements. C'mon guys. Just slap a little gravel and asphalt into those potholes and you've got your improvements.

And these guys are double dippin' in the Ole' Taxpayer Mill Stream, leavin' us all up the creek without a paddle.

#3404 - $1,280,000 - Old Mill Road Extension.
#5062 - $2,000,000 - Construct Old Mill Road Extension.

Ummm… Does anyone know where Old Mill Road is?

Movin' on to Parks 'n Recreation… I love recreatin' as much as the next canine--'specially if it involves chasin' fe-lyings. But…

$3,400,000 - National Park Service transportation improvements to Historic Jamestown, VA. There's a whole bunch of bacon bein' fried up for Jamestown. Considerin' the place has been around for--what?--400 years?--I think they can manage to wait a few more.

$2,560,000 - Daniel Boone Wilderness Trail Corridor. Acquire site; design and construction of interpretive center; enhancement of trail corridor. Daniel Boone blazed his trail without the feds. Let the visitors "interpret" his feats by doin' likewise.

$1,200,000 - Rocky Knob Heritage Center--planning, design, site acquisition, and construction for trail system and visitors centers on Blue Ridge Parkway. (Rocky Knob. I once knew a bulldog named Rocky Knob. Meanest son-of-a-… Oh. Sorry.) Ya' know, I always figured people drove along the Blue Ridge Parkway to look at the actual Blue Ridge Mountains--not look at pictures of the Blue Ridge Mountains in some "visitors' center."

$1,200,000 - Blue Ridge [VA] Music Center; install lighting/steps, upgrade existing trail system and equip interpretative center with visitor information. It's in the Blue Ridge Mountains. It's music. What other information does a visitor need?

$1,000,000 - The Journey Through Hallowed Ground, Rt. 15 [VA], scenic corridor management planning and implementation, FY 2006. If this is anythin' like "Journey to the Center of the Earth" I might be interested, bein' a terrier and all. But that was a privately funded expedition, wasn't it? And since most of the Commonwealth is considered "hallowed ground" to the folks 'round here, this could be a reeaaallll expensive proposition.

$1,000,000 - Construction and improvements from [VA] Rt. 60 to Mariners Museum and the USS Monitor Center. Mariners. Ocean. Water. 'Nuff said.

$1,600,000 - Construct I-95 Interchange at Temple Ave., Colonial Heights, VA. This is no chump change for a place that already has an interchange with I-95. Maybe the money should be spent teachin' the idiot drivers how to use it so there won't been constant accidents.

$1,600,000 - Conduct planning and engineering for Mayo Bridge in Richmond. This sounds like a Wilder clinic on how to line city councils' deep pockets.

Someone tell me what's the deal with refurbishin' old train stations? I mean it's not like they're gonna' use 'em for anything useful like, oh, real live train travel.

$1,400,000 - Bristol Train Station--historic preservation and rehabilitation of former Bristol, VA train station. Hell, for that kinda' money, they should be rehabilitatin' trains, tracks, 'n trestles from Bristol, VA to Bristol, England!

$919,600 -- Richmond, VA. Renovation and construction for Main Street Station. Think they've been at this for the past decade. Wonder who's takin' whom for a ride?

$800,000 - Fries Train Station and Trail restoration of former train station for use as visitors center and construction of trail along New River, VA. Uh huh. They just wanna' have it their way usin' our money.

$229,000 - Bealeton, VA. Intermodal Station Depot Refurbishment. Now we're payin' for a model railroadin' layout? Geeze. I know a local hobby shop where ya' can buy a depot model for $6.99 plus tax. Email me and I'll give ya' the number.

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posted by Harrison at 10:59 PM

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I be always talkin` like a seafarin' hearty...arrrrggghh!

Hold 't!

Seafarin`? Ya` gotta` be seafarin` t' talk like a sea dog? Seafarin` as in sailin` th' boundin` main? As in water?? As in ocean??? I dasn't need nay stinkin` ocean t' talk like a sea dog! Now ye blackguards knock 't off! wi' th' scurvy dog cracks! Arrrrggghh!

All right! I spoke like a pirate. Now can I have those damn liver bits?!

Thanks t' Sydd Souza for translatin'.

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posted by Harrison at 6:17 PM

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With another hurricane wanderin' toward the Gulf coast--hopfully to veer away from Katrina's path--there are still thousands of abandoned animals who need help.

Check out Katrina Found Pets. Life is goin' on for the blogosphere, and attention shiftin'. But for many of those who lost their animal companions, life is on hold while they keep searchin'.

South Plaquemines Parish, LA is in a bad way.

"I have been in contact with the New Mexico National Guard that has been assigned to southern Plaquemines Parish (Which is south of New Orleans)- and they are in dire need of help with the animals down there. Thousands of dogs, cats, goats, horses, cows, & other livestock are dropping dead or stumbling around everywhere."

The mystery of "Snowball" deepens. He/she was not found and now people are wonderin' if the news reporter Mary Foster made up the whole story inflate her ratings. Follow the various links for more.

One bit of good news from the "Snowball" incident. Displaced, relocated people from the hurricane area are now bein' allowed to take their pets with them. And it should push the Red Cross and others to establish pet friendly shelters.

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posted by Harrison at 6:41 AM

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…to follow an Ass.

Democracy delivered by donkey

Readin' that headline nearly made me toss my Liver Snaps® this mornin'. For a second I thought this guy had been elected again and we were in real trouble.

But, no…

"HERDS of mountain donkeys have been helping to bring democracy to some of the remotest areas of Afghanistan. The democracy donkeys have been co-opted for the task of delivering 40 million ballot papers because they can penetrate mountain passes and muddy valleys beyond the reach of other transport.

"More than 400 international observers are in Afghanistan to monitor the elections, and some of them have had to follow the trail of the donkeys to ensure that the precious ballot papers are not lost, stolen or damaged."

Isn't that Housebuilder in Chief big on doin' those election observation things--didn't he "observe" democracy in action Cuban-style? Seems to me this particular observin' job is taylor-made for him--make the ass follow an ass.

Dug up at Instapundit.

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posted by Harrison at 11:23 AM

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…Mississippi was the state that got the direct hit from Hurricane Katrina, and Alabama didn't get off either. Since both have responsible Republi-canine govenors, they've sorta' dropped off the "help me" radar. Bearin' that in mind, here's an amazin' tale of whitewater raftin' in Mississippi --without the raft.

"Waveland, Mississippi: In shattered town, man and dog survive ride of a lifetime

"Brian Mollere looked Hurricane Katrina right in the eye, thumbed his nose and lived to tell the tale. The 50-year-old marine construction worker was one of several residents of the Mississippi beachfront town of Waveland to ignore evacuation warnings and survive.

"He did it by swimming off the roof of his home as it collapsed in the storm surge. He then rode a torrent of water over the tops of trees 1,000 feet inland before he managed to grab onto a house. And all the while he was holding onto his beloved pet Chihuahua, Rocky.

"The soon-to-be legendary story of Brian Mollere is perhaps the only bright spot for this once picturesque town of 6,737 residents in Hancock County on the Gulf Coast. The tree-lined community of family homes was completely destroyed by Katrina, which sent monstrous waves crashing ashore, obliterating everything from beachfront mansions to City Hall…

"Holding Rocky with one hand, he maneuvered past debris and the tops of trees, losing a shoe and his shorts in the process. "I'd climb in, out and around trees. I was going over power lines and got tangled in some power lines once," he said. "I was really afraid of getting electrocuted."

"The flow took him over the railroad tracks. At one point he heard someone shouting and looked up to see people waving from a rooftop. "I just kind of smiled and waved and pointed to indicate that I was going thisaway," he said. "Finally I came to a big yellow house and grabbed onto the side and pulled myself up the back steps." To his shock, a family opened the door, fed him and clothed him.

"The first thing I said to them was, 'Can I get some water for my dog?' " he said. "Then I just collapsed in their house."

"Mollere's mother, Jane Mollere, 80, died in the hurricane. She had evacuated Waveland and went to stay with relatives in an inland town. But their house was flooded, and she couldn't swim to safety."

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posted by Harrison at 7:30 AM

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Study launched on why cats attack.

Because they're fe-lyings.

"Animal behaviour experts are launching a study into why cats sometimes bite their owners when stroked…"

Because they're fe-lyings.

"Professor Daniel Mills said: "Many owners are bitten or threatened by their cats when they play with them or when they are stroking them. "There are many theories as to why so-called 'petting aggression' occurs."

Because they're fe-lyings!

"It could be a sign that the cat is simply getting fed up with the owner, or it could be a response to the ecstasy of being stroked, or it could be the cat trying to assert control."

Or it could be BECAUSE THEY'RE FE-LYINGS!! Geeze! Wise up, already.

'Course those fe-lyings could have been flyin' high from sniffin' catnip…

"Judith McCullough is the owner of Blue Rat, a Hatboro, Pennsylvania company that sells organic "Ratherbee" catnip, which the company and many pet stores claim is the world's strongest. McCullough said the growing and harvesting of catnip also improves its potency."

Ratherbee catnip? Well, that certainly explains why the Demo-cat-slanted MSM has been publishin' so many hallucinations.

Or…it could just be a "syndrome." Isn't everythin' a syndrome? Wait for it--in a coupla' months aquaphobia will become "Katrina Syndrome." There's even a "syndrome" for dumb fe-lyings…

"High-rise syndrome claims the lives of less fortunate felines."

Notice the obligatory panderin' to the "…less fortunate felines" trapped in the poverty and despair of the "high-rise" projects.

"What happened? "We kept the litter box on the balcony," explained Vides. The cats had seemed to know not to go near the edge - where access was blocked by clusters of plants, bicycles and odds and ends stored against the railings. Apparently, after a potty break, Rajah's curiosity literally sent him over the edge."

Sheesh! Ever hear 'bout "curiosity," Rajah? 'Specially when it's combined with "cat?"

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posted by Harrison at 7:31 PM

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…to alleviate the energy crisis!

"A German inventor says he's found a way to make cheap diesel fuel out of dead cats.

"Dr Christian Koch, 55, from Kleinhartmannsdorf, said his method uses old tyres, weeds and animal cadavers. They are heated up to 300 Celsius to filter out hydrocarbon which is then turned into diesel by a catalytic converter..."

Catalytic converter. Hahahahahaha!

"Koch said the cadaver of a fully grown cat can produce 2.5 litres of fuel - meaning around 20 cats are needed for a full tank."

Dug up by Cosmo.

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posted by Harrison at 5:34 PM

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You knew it was gonna' happen, didn't you? Your donation/tax dollars at play.

"Profiteering ghouls have been using debit cards distributed in the wake of Hurricane Katrina - intended to buy essentials for evacuated families - in luxury-goods stores as far away as Atlanta.

"We've seen three of the cards," said a senior employee of the Louis Vuitton store at the Lenox Square Mall in affluent Buckhead, who asked not to be named. "Two I'm certain have purchased; one actually asked if she could use it in the store. This has been since Saturday."

"The distinctive white cards were distributed by the Red Cross and the Federal Emergency Management Agency and carry a value of up to $2,000.

"It doesn't say anything on the card other than alcohol, tobacco and firearms cannot be purchased with it," the store employee told me. "There's nothing legally that prevents us from taking it, unfortunately. Other than morally, it's wrong."

Morals, hell. Gimme' those free Liver Snaps, FEMA!

And then, of course, there's this first hand report.

"In addition, my mother and I were urged strongly by the wife of another cousin of mine (who works for the Tangiphoa Parish government by the way) to apply for Disaster Food Stamps. My mom went back to her job at Wal-Mart Tuesday and while I'm out of a job right now, I've still got plenty of money in savings and checking accounts. These food stamps are meant for those who do not have a job, have no income at all, and are displaced. We only meet one of three. My cousin's wife told me that she did it and she's recieving food stamps. The problem in their case is that both my cousin and her are back at work and never left their homes. I expect more cases of fraud to pop up in the coming months and years."

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posted by Harrison at 7:59 AM

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Rescued Dogs Airlifted From Gulf Coast

Coffee, tea, or milk bone?

"The first major airlift of dogs from the hurricane-battered Gulf Coast left Louisiana on Sunday, carrying about 80 pets to new temporary homes in California.

"The Continental Airlines flight from Baton Rouge, La., was chartered for about $50,000 by Texas oil tycoon Boone Pickens and his wife, Madeleine, in a movement dubbed "Operation Pet Lift."

About half the dogs on Sunday's flight were headed for San Diego, with the rest bound for San Francisco. Sunday's move was being organized by PetRelocation.com, based in Austin, Texas.

"The goal was to help rescue 200 dogs," Pickens' spokesman Jay Rosser said. "They're overjoyed that they were able to rescue 80, but clearly disappointed and dismayed at the bureaucracy, which prevented them from taking the full 200." Organizers complained that some legal requirements were impractical, such as waiting 30 days for owners to claim their pets before transporting the animals.

Kelly Harrington, director of disaster response services for the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, said a makeshift shelter for up to several thousand dogs had been set up at the Lamar-Dixon Expo Center in Gonzales, La., about 45 miles northwest of New Orleans. She hoped additional dogs would be flown out in the coming days, but said the effort was taking time.

"Every animal has to be vet checked, vaccinated and microchipped ... so we can track these animals in case an owner does find them," Harrington said. Petfinder.com was setting up a database of pet pictures to help reunite owners with lost animals.

"Andrew Rowan, executive vice president of operations for the Humane Society United States, said animals must be moved out of the Gonzales facility quickly to make room for "maybe 50,000 or more dogs and cats in New Orleans that need to be rescued."

"There are vans and cars and trucks all over the place," he said. "Dogs are barking, cats are meowing. It's a tremendous logistical operation to provide the care that these animals need."

"The Humane Society's Dave Pauli, director of the Gonzales facility, said 200 animals were shipped out Sunday by truck to Houston, but rescue teams expected to bring in about 300 more in the afternoon. About 200 animals have been reunited with their owners at the facility. "That's what keeps us going," Pauli said. "Every one of them brings a tear to your eyes and makes these sleepless nights worth it."

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posted by Harrison at 10:26 PM

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New York

Photo by Robert Swanson

Virginia

Photo by Michael Garcia

Pennsylvania

Photo by Terry Shaffer

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posted by Harrison at 3:05 PM

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Why People Use the WaPo for House Training.

'Suppose that's what I get for havin' to depend on a human to do my bloggin'.

Marc Fisher… I whizz on your shoes--twice. (Via PostWatch and Cosmo)

Ya' know, people, I wrote about this pet evacuation issue last year when all those hurricanes were hittin' FL. There was an on-line petition to get the Red Cross to set up pet-friendly disaster shelters. On of the reasons AHM won't give money to the Red Cross is--it still hasn't been done.

"Thousands of Pasco [County, Florida] residents were ordered to evacuate last year for Charley, Frances and Jeanne. But many of them stayed home for Fido, Fluffy and Tweetie. The problem: Pasco County's emergency shelters don't allow pets. Owners have to take their furry friends to a kennel or a friend's house or ride out the storm at home.

"That's why Pasco officials are working on a plan to provide pet-friendly shelters for owners and their animals. Nothing is finalized yet, but officials hope to work out something before the hurricane season ends Nov. 30, said Jim Johnston, the county's emergency management coordinator."

Guess what--you're too late, sucker!

"The issue is not as simple as it might seem. For one thing, Johnston said, officials must decide whether all animals would be welcome, or whether some creatures would be barred for safety reasons. "My boa may be a pet to me," he said, "but it may pose a risk at the shelter if you brought your bird."

Can you say "cages" fool?

"Cleanup is another concern, he said. The most likely shelters would be schools, county buildings or civic association buildings, Johnston said. After the storm passes and the pets go home, he said, the buildings would need to be cleaned so the pet dander doesn't cause allergies for the regular occupants.

Oh, yeah. I'm sure pets will make a hell'v'a bigger mess than say…oh…the people in the Superdome.

"As Hurricane Charley barreled toward Florida last year, Pasco officials ordered evacuations for 168,000 residents in mobile homes and coastal areas. Only 3,100 went to county-run shelters. Even assuming some folks went to motels or a friend's house, officials estimated only a quarter of the affected residents heeded the evacuation orders. The evacuation rates for hurricanes Frances and Jeanne were equally paltry. Johnston suspects a good number of those who stayed behind were pet owners."…

"If you don't (have pet-friendly shelters), the perception is you're not addressing the public's needs," Johnston said.

Gee…d'ya think? People stayin' in old houses and trailers just 'cause they won't abandon their pets sure aren't havin' their needs met.



I say let the people decide--which animal would you have preferred seein' in the Superdome? Me--



--or the human animals they invited inside?

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posted by Harrison at 12:21 PM

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posted by Harrison at 6:32 AM

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Since this is about the third time I've read this kind of story, I'm hopin' this one's the charm.

"Snowball, a small white dog taken by police from a sobbing little boy as he and his family were boarding a bus at the Superdome, has been located, USA Today reported Thursday.

"Snowball is now at the Louisiana SPCA in Gonzalez, La., and will be reunited with his owner, U.S. Department of Agriculture veterinarian Terry Conger told the newspaper."

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posted by Harrison at 10:52 PM

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From Mary Jane Goodrich posting at the Katrina Found Pets site.

"Please help.

"Here is information regarding access to New Orleans for animal
rescue. My daughter is a nurse there and said there is a desperate
need to rescue these animals immediately. There is only 1 ASPCA
truck for a whole city of animals.

"Take I-10 as close to New Orleans as possible. Pull over and call this contact number (paramedics) 919-259-0281. There are people that care about the animals there and will get you in. They are expecting our help.

"She witnessed (tonight) over 150 dogs on the roof of the American Can Company that need immediate help and many animals that are tied up in houses. The temperatures in these places is over 140 degrees. The animals can’t hold on much longer.

"They need leashes, cat carriers and FOOD."

Don't forget help is still needed in Waveland, Miss.

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posted by Harrison at 4:21 PM

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Ingenuity in action.

"Deep in St. Bernard Parish, just south of New Orleans, a man stubbornly refused to leave his home, insisting he must stay with the only things he had left in the world — his two bulldogs and eight young puppies. And three friends wouldn't go anywhere without him.

"So a Navy crew built a kennel at the nearby base and, with the dogs safely secured, finally persuaded the group to leave their homes. By Wednesday they were headed to a shelter in Texas — dogs and all, Navy Commander Mark Scovill, captain of the USS Tortuga, said Wednesday…

"So, one winning argument, said Scovill, revolves around people's pets, since many rescuers won't allow residents to take their beloved animals with them. "The guy didn't have much to begin with and his dogs were more important than anything he had," said Scovill, in a telephone call from his ship. "He would rather stay there and be uncomfortable and miserable with his dogs, than be comfortable without them."

"As of Wednesday, sailors from the Tortuga had brought in about 50 pets, including dogs, cats and a few parrots, and put them in the newly built kennel at Naval Station New Orleans. After the pet owners were given food, water, medical attention and some rest, they were reunited with their animals and usually put on buses to shelters that would accepts the pets or to meet up with other family members."

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posted by Harrison at 6:48 AM

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…criminals. Blanco, Nagin, and Ebbert. Huge Hewitt interviews FOX's Major Garrett.

HH: Any doubt in the Red Cross' mind that they were ready to go, but they were blocked?

MG: No. Absolutely none. They are absolutely unequivocal on that point…

HH: Of course they are. Now Major Garrett, what about the Louisiana governor's office of Homeland Security. Have they responded to this charge by the Red Cross, which is a blockbuster charge?

MG: I have not been able to reach them yet. But, what they have said consistently is, and what they told the Red Cross, we don't want you to come in there, because we have evacuees that we want to get out. And if you come in, they're more likely to stay. So I want your listeners to follow me here. At the very moment that Ray Nagin, the Mayor of New Orleans [and Terry Ebbert, head of Louisiana's Homeland Security were] screaming where's the food, where's the water, it was over the overpass, and state officials were saying you can't come in. [Emphasis mine.]

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posted by Harrison at 6:34 AM

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HELP PLEASE SOMEONE HELP

Date: 2005-09-06, 2:46PM CDT

"I CANNOT BELIEVE WHAT IS GOING ON.

I was in Waveland [MS] this morning (I'm a news reporter). There are
dozens of injured and emaciated dogs and cats roaming the streets
and the beach, and NO animal rescue is doing anything for them. The
Waveland shelter is closed, the animals have no food and water. When
I stopped my car, I was immediately surrounded by half a dozen
friendly dogs - labs, australian shepherds, dachshunds - who have
been abandoned by their owners and now are looking for help since
seven days now!!!

I took two of the most serious injured to the Humane Society shelter
in Gulfport, but they are already at capacity.

I will bring a trunk full of dog and cat food and water tomorrow
early morning into Waveland again and will try to help those pets as
good as I can. But I`m basically on my own. I intend to bring out two more injured dogs/cats on my way back to Mobile.

Is there ANYONE in Mobile or surroundings willing to take one or two
and foster them back to health? I will even bring them to Mobile. I'm from Phoenix and have to return Friday. I cannot understand why NO rescue organisation is present down there.

Anyone able to help email me today or call my cell 602-690-6657.
God bless!"

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posted by Harrison at 10:42 PM

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UPDATE: Sarah G. directed me to this link which has more on the Aquarium.

"A small team of staff is working around the clock to care for the collection and is preparing to move some animals out of the facility. Unfortunately, without a fully functioning life support system, most of the fish in the collection were lost. But the good news is that the sea otters, penguins, leafy and weedy seadragons, macaws, raptors, an electric eel, and the white alligator are fine. Midas, the infamous 250 lb. sea turtle, survived and has been coaxed into the holding area in the Gulf of Mexico Exhibit. Please keep the Aquarium staff in your thoughts and prayers. This is a heartbreaking time for all of them."

Reuniting pets and their humans:

"The 56-year-old woman from Fort Lauderdale, Fla., runs puppymillrescue.com and launched another site, katrinafoundpets.com, to help pair Snowball and other lost pets with their owners. She also started a reward fund _ which hit $1,775 as of Monday _ hoping money might persuade people to help out."

It was mistakenly said (by me and others) Snowball was a Yorkie (picture at link), but is probably a toy poodle or poodle/terrier mix.

Also, the "Interdictor" has reported the sad new all the fish at the Aquarium of the Americas have died.

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posted by Harrison at 5:17 PM

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UPDATE 9/6/05: Floritta Greve and her dog Dusty were picked up in a boat by Geraldo Rivera within hours of her call to FOX NEWS. Sean Penn still bailing…


UPDATE: There's still time to donate to one of these organizations.

Greg Hlatky and the borzois recommend the AKC Companion Animal Relief fund. Along with the pet victims, they're aidin' the Search and Rescue dogs and their handlers helpin' with the relief effort. 100 percent of your donation goes to help. Sadly, we're gonna' be needin' those S&R volunteers a lot in the next few weeks.


Post from Rich Lowry at NRO's The Corner

"[Pet lovers] were probably disproportionately among those who decided to stay. On Fox [this afternoon] a 71-yeard old woman called in who is trapped in her house. She stayed there because she had no way to take her 15-year old dog Dusty with her and wasn't going to leave him behind to starve."

While we're on the subject…does anyone have information about what happened to "Snowball" after he was callously ripped from the arms of his little human by NO police? He was a Yorkshire terrier (sorta' our cousins) and I'd really like to hear they were reuinted.

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posted by Harrison at 8:11 PM

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Miss Garbo guest blogging here. (No, that's not really me because AHM doesn't have a picture. But it's very close.) Harrison began to put together the information below, until he started ranting and threw up his paws in disgust with what he was hearing. As he said to me "one too many idiots are pullin' my tail."

I must say I agree with him. Listening to how some of you are whining and trying to cover up your poop with kitty litter, I don't understand how you humans managed to find this country much less band together, fight a revolution, and build any sort of nation.

Oh well. Here's what he wrote earlier.

What is wrong with you humans? You should be workin' together and all I'm hearin' is a bunch of fe-lyin' crap.

What took so long? Well, the Feds didn't get into the Hurricane Andrew area until 9 days had gone past. They were in NO in five days. Do you know the difference between 9 and 5?

Why did Bush fly to San Diego and not Louisiana? Maybe because of the 10 feet of floodwater that no one expected (read last Monday's headlines how "NO Dodged a Bullet"). Oh and there's that little matter of armed thugs roamin' the streets. I didn't see the heroic Mayor Nagin waltzin' around down there. Did you?

And Senator Mary Landrieu was actually thankin' the administration for what they were doin' until her Demo-cat handlers started jerkin' her leash.

But here's my personal favorite…where was FEMA?

That seems to be on everyone's lips, from young whippersnappers--without enough American History teachin' to tell a litter box from a sand box--to big name pundits--who apparently think God's real name is FDR and His plan of salvation is the New Deal.

If we in the animal kingdom sat around waitin' for the pack across the way to help out, all of us would be extinct. Come to think of it, the dinosaurs were probably waitin' for FEMA to pull 'em out of the La Brea Tar Pits.

(OMG! One of the pups just whizzed on a chair leg! Where's FEMA to clean it up!!??)

Okay, fire Michael Brown if it will save more lives and make everyone feel better. Fire everyone in FEMA. But tell me one thing…

(Continued in Read the Rest!)

Where Was FEMA…

…in 1816, the year without summer?

"In May of 1816, however, frost killed off most of the [New England] crops that had been planted, and in June two large snowstorms resulted in many human deaths as well. In July and August, lake and river ice were observed as far south as Pennsylvania. Rapid, dramatic temperature swings were common, with temperatures sometimes reverting from normal or above-normal summer temperatures to near-freezing within hours. Even though farmers south of New England did succeed in bringing some crops to maturity, corn and other grain prices rose dramatically. Oats, for example, rose from 12 cents a bushel the previous year to 92 cents a bushel."

That, by the way, was caused by a massive volcanic eruption the year before. Today they'd claim man-made global warmin'. It's also said that experience began the great westward migration of wiped out NE farmers lookin' for better land.

…on March 14, 1870, when the media first used the word "blizzard?"

"Legend says Spencer's Lephe Wells Coates read a story about a violent-tempered Mr. Blizzard in her Free Baptist paper. During a nasty snowstorm in 1866 she remarked "My, this is a regular old man Blizzard of a storm." A state newspaper [the Easterville (Iowa) Vindicator] later repeated the term.

"In 1870…storms surprised settlers like lions ambushing prey in the bush. On March 13 of that year was one such disaster. That morning, the men of rural Hillsdale [Iowa] took advantage of the warm weather and went into town. By noon, the sky had clouded, and a bitter chill had descended. Though just reaching their destination, they decided to turn around.

"Big flakes had split up into a million little pieces and were coming at us stinging and slantways," one man in the party later wrote. "Every second it was growing blacker and thicker and colder." Most of the men made their way back home as a group. But two left a mere 15 minutes later. Three days passed, after the storm had dropped temperatures to 35 below zero, and search parties were dispatched. Both men - brothers - were found frozen to death in snow drifts."

…on October 8, 1871 during the Chicago fire?

"Before the fire died out in the early morning of Tuesday, October 10, it had cut a swath through Chicago approximately three and one-third square miles in size. Property valued at $192,000,000 was destroyed, 100,000 people were left homeless, and 300 people lost their lives."

…on May 31, 1889 after the Johnstown, PA flood?

"There was one small drawback to living in the city. Johnstown had been built on a flood plain at the fork of the Little Conemaugh and Stony Creek rivers. Because the growing city had narrowed the river banks to gain building space, the heavy annual rains had caused increased flooding in recent years.

Sound familiar to anyone?

"There was another thing. Fourteen miles up the Little Conemaugh, 3-mile long Lake Conemaugh was held on the side of a mountain - 450 feet higher than Johnstown - by the old South Fork Dam. The dam had been poorly maintained, and every spring there was talk that the dam might not hold. But it always had, and the supposed threat became something of a standing joke around town…"

Uh huh. Where have I heard that before?

"It was over in 10 minutes, but for some the worst was still yet to come. Darkness fell, thousands were huddled in attics, others were floating on the debris, while many more had been swept downstream to the old Stone Bridge at the junction of the rivers. Piled up against the arches, much of the debris caught fire, entrapping forever 80 people who had survived the initial flood wave.

"Many bodies were never identified, hundreds of the missing never found… The Nation responded to the disaster with a spontaneous outpouring of time, money, food, clothing, and medical assistance. The cleanup operation took years, with bodies being found months later in a few cases, years after the flood. The city regained its population and rebuilt its manufacturing centers, but it was 5 years before Johnstown was fully recovered."

…on March 27, 1890, cleaning up after the Louisville (KY) Cyclone?

"The early accounts tell us that telegraph dispatches came from Washington, D.C., on the afternoon of the 27th, warning of possible violent atmospheric conditions within the next few hours. All through the day the barometer steadily sank lower. How much advanced notice people received is unknown, but it is likely that news did not reach them in enough time to take proper shelter."

The storm lasted about 5 minutes.

"One of the most tragic sites of the storm’s wrath was the Falls City Hall on West Market Street… Located in the same building on the lower floor were 50-75 children and their mothers, who were taking dancing lessons… The building collapsed, burying about 200 people, many of whom perished.

"One of the great concerns was the destruction of the Waterworks stand tower, which could have resulted in cutting off the water supply to the whole city. The standpipe through which all water was forced into the reservoir was demolished; there was only enough water available to last six days… The Union depot railroad station on Seventh Street completely collapsed.

"Charles D. Jacob, mayor of Louisville, and General Taylor, the city’s chief of the police, ordered the Louisville Legion to patrol the affected streets, to watch for thieves and looters, and to control the crowds of curious onlookers who had converged onto the city to see the devastation."

The Mayor and Police Chief took it upon themselves to do that? Without FEMA?

"The Courier-Journal reported on March 28, 1890, “Thieves this morning, hearing of the cyclone, came down the river in boats to rob the ruins of the Union depot, which was full of valuable luggage and money. The thieves were warned that they would be shot on site, and not arrested.”

Dammit! Why didn't they let 'em loot! They were poor and oppressed and they deserved to grab what they could.

…on Sept. 8, 1900, in the aftermath of the Galveston Hurricane?

"Historians contend that between 10,000 and 12,000 people died during the storm, at least 6,000 of them on Galveston Island. More than 3,600 homes were destroyed on Galveston Island and the added toll on commercial structures created a monetary loss of $30 million, about $700 million in today's dollars. By 10 a.m. Sept. 9, Mayor Walter C. Jones had called emergency city council meetings and by the end of the day had appointed a Central Relief Committee…

"In the first week after the storm, according to [historian David G.]
McComb's book [Galveston: A History], telegraph and water service were restored. Lines for a new telephone system were being laid by the second.

"In the third week, Houston relief groups went home, the saloons reopened, the electric trolleys began operating and freight began moving through the harbor," McComb wrote."

6,000 dead, $700 million (today's money) in losses and almost everything was restored in three weeks. Without FEMA! How in God's name did they manage? Not only that, when they rebuilt, they literally raised the island!

"The city paid to move the utilities and for the actual grade raising, but each homeowner had to pay to have the house raised. [gasp] By 1911, McComb wrote, 500 city blocks had been raised, some by just a few inches and others by as much as 11 feet."

…on April 18, 1906, when refugees needed rescuin' from the San Francisco Earthquake and Fire?

"The terrifying rumble of an earthquake shattered the early morning silence of April 18 at 5:15 AM. The quake lasted only a minute but caused the worst natural disaster in the nation's history.

"The greatest destruction came from the fires the quake ignited. These ravaged the city for three days before burning themselves out. The maelstrom destroyed 490 city blocks, a total of 25,000 buildings, made over 250,000 homeless and killed between 450 and 700. Damage estimates topped $350,000,000…

"The most terrible thing I saw was the futile struggle of a policeman and others to rescue a man who was pinned down in burning wreckage. The helpless man watched it in silence till the fire began burning his feet. Then he screamed and begged to be killed. The policeman took his name and address and shot him through the head." ([witness] Adolphus Busch)."

Get a backbone, people, and some old-fashioned American gumption. Oh, and in case you were gonna' wait… FEMA isn't gonna' provide you with either one.

Miss Garbo again. I'll be going home soon, but I am sure Harrison will return with updates about lost animals and rescues, and eventually with his usual weird/funny stuff. (Yes, I did have a very pointed discussion with him about how he portrayed me during a gardening event last year.) However, for right now…

Harrison has left the show ring.

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posted by Harrison at 1:19 PM

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From one of Arthur Chrenkoff readers via that Big Im-por-tant Blogger.

"Free tip - contrast the Louisiana situation with the one next door in Mississippi… What's been lost in all the blather over New Orleans is that it was really Mississippi that took the big hit. The buildings in New Orleans are still standing; the Gulf Coast of Mississippi basically has been scrubbed, like God took out a pencil eraser and just erased it…

"Once the weather settles, you need to immediately declare marshal law and send in the MPs. That's basically what Haley Barbour did in Mississippi - there were a few early problems but very quickly the MPs were patrolling what was left of Biloxi and Gulfport and keeping a lid on things…

"Amidst all the hyperventilating that's going on, it's actually a good time for a civics lesson, particularly watching the competence of the people in Mississippi and the gross incompetence of almost all concerned in Louisiana. Who was responsible for what?

Go get your civics lesson.

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posted by Harrison at 11:39 AM

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Meant to post this sooner. Go here and donate.

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posted by Harrison at 12:00 PM

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"A horse stands in floodwaters from Hurricane Katrina in St. Bernard Parish near New Orleans, Louisiana September 3, 2005."

Mat Drudge had this Reuters picture front and center on his site this evenin'. 'Course, bein' Drudge, there was no link to it or credit cited so it took some time to find it on the 'net. Hope someone from a horse rescue organization gets to the poor guy. Hope people know there even is a horse rescue organization they could donate to--with a hotline (225-578-9501) for those who had to leave their horses behind when they fled.

Hey, I tried gettin' out the news. Even tried to join in the big ole' Bloggin' for Katrina Relief Day. And tried, and tried, and tried. But… Guess the big honchos weren't interested enough in pets to include my little link. Too to busy obsessin' over pictures of a bunch of flooded school buses, I suppose. Okay, I'm just a little guy, and used to bein' ignored. Most of the time I don't care 'cause I'm havin' fun makin' fun of you humans and fe-lyings and Demo-cats. This time I cared.

Yeah, yeah--save humans first--blah, blah, blah. Then I surf around, hear 'bout what's happenin' and wonder--why? So you can whine at the rescue workers that your free meal wasn't frickin' hot!? So you can go to another city and rob and rape and murder? And while we're on that subject--why isn't the MSM carryin' reports of all the robbin' and crap goin' on over in Mississippi and Alabama? I mean, there were huge casinos washed ashore. Talk about rich pickin's. Or is it that there isn't any of that stuff happenin'? No reports from the on-the-spot blogger I read.

You think savin' pets isn't important, I suppose. Lots of people do--read a blog where some were suggestin' those people still stuck in NO should start eatin' 'em. So maybe that picture up there should be captioned "Dinner is Served." 'Course you humans might wanna' think about havin' to deal with packs of feral dogs abandoned and real hungry about now. The best you can say about them is--at least they don't have guns…

And thank the Dog God I won't have to be dealin' with the stench. That won't be goin' away for months. When AHM was a wee pup, her great-grandmother (who was over 700 years old in dog years) told her stories about when she was a wee pup--livin' in Gettysburg, PA--in 1863! AHM doesn't remember much 'cept that her great-grandma kept talkin' 'bout the smell of the dead horse in front of the house. And the flies--and other crawly things that come from flies.

Hmmmm… Speakin' of crawly things… Don't see PETA anywhere near NO, do you? They're askin' for money for themselves at their website, but I don't see one itty, bitty little mention of them sendin' crews down to help. But if you send 'em money, they'll be more than happy to issue a news bulletin tellin' ya' when bad weather is approachin'.

Anyway--I hope all the various organizations are getting' the volunteers and donations and money they need. They better really be usin' it to rescue and shelter the animals--and reunitin' 'em with their humans--or I'll find 'em and give their legs a good humpin'.

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posted by Harrison at 12:27 AM

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In case anyone was worried about honest-to-God wild animals runnin' the streets of NO--ya' know--the kind with hoofs, and fangs and fur… This was reported as of noon August 30th.

Audubon Nature Institute
The staff of the Audubon Nature Institute is safe. The physical plants at both the Zoo and the Aquarium suffered little damage. The staff will continue to assess the impact on the animal collections at all the Audubon facilities.

BREC's Baton Rouge Zoo
The Zoo has no electricity, there are lots of trees down, but there were no animal losses. They are already working on clean up.

Alexandria Zoo
No information.

Jackson Zoo
The Zoo suffered very slight building damage and has about 35 trees down. There was no injury to any staff or animals. About half of the zoo has power. They will be closed for about a week while they clean up the trees.

Birmingham Zoo
The Zoo is without electricity, had some trees down but they suffered no animal losses.

Montgomery Zoo
The Zoo is without electricity, had some trees down, but they suffered no animal losses.

Dug up at Metroblogging New Orleans

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posted by Harrison at 12:13 PM

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UPDATED 9/3/05

GENERAL:

A pet shelter has been opened at Blackham Coliseum in Lafayette, right next to the Cajundome. Evacuees may bring their pets their for housing. They post there is PLENTY of food, water, crates, cages, bedding and newspaper. BUT the owners are responsible for feeding, watering, walking and medicating their own pets. Interested parties may call Lafayette Parish Animal Control. Phone: (337) 291-5644 for more information.

Jennyfer Keohane (Email) who runs a dog rescue in East TX posts:

"If anyone can foster dogs OF ANY BREED please email me or call my rescue number at (903) 825 2925. I have been informed that there is an extreme need for foster homes to take in animals from the La areas. PLEASE HELP. If I have some foster homes to put animals in the East TX area and my organization can take some animals. EVEN IF SOMEONE WOULD DONATE ANOTHER LARGE OUTDOOR KENNEL WE CAN ALSO TAKE ANIMALS IN…I need volunteers to help animals.

"Also.... The Dallas Animal Control is in need of volunteers to answer phones. If you can and live around there please call them. If you do not live in TX and want to help email me and I will get you to the right people."

Pet Smart Donations

Safe Haven Helping Hands. General clearinghouse. Offer donations. Ask for help.

Best Friends Animal Society. If you need help, Email them here. If you're offerin' help, Email them here.

North Shore Animal League. Phone: 877-4SAVEPET M-F 8 a.m.-8 p.m. EST/10 am-6 pm on weekends. NSAL Katrina Rescue Blog

i-pets.com. Free shipping on all orders for animal rescue/welfare organizations. Email: J. Corsi.

E.A.R.S. Phone: (916) 429-2457 EARS-trained volunteers go here to sign up to help. Non-EARS-trained volunteers and those who have supplies or services to donate go here.

ASPCA® www.aspca.org/disaster. Phone: (212) 876-7700 Ext.4516.

Noah's Wish

Humane Society of Northwest Louisiana

American Humane Association

DOGS:
American Kennel Club Email: seekhelp@akc.org. Phone: (800) 252-7894.

CATS:
Cat Fanciers Association Email: disaster-relief-request@cfa.org.

HORSES:
Lone Star Equine Rescue. To donate goods email: Terry Fitch. PayPal donations at the link above. Snailmail: "…please make your check payable to LSER/HFH Disaster Relief Fund and mail…to: LSER/HFH, PO Box 1069, Carencro, LA 70520

Donations of supplies: Rose Westover, Habitat for Horses/Lone Star Equine Rescue, Inc. Phone: (713) 467-3444/(713) 594-1177. Email: Rose@wishouston.net Online donations can be made either here or
here Snailmail donations: Habitat for Horses/Lone Star Equine Rescue, P.O. Box 213, Hitchcock, TX 77563

REPTILES:
Chaos and Critters reptile rescue. Email: critters@ondogriver.net

BIRDS:
Feathered Friends Forever Rescue/Refuge, Inc. Email: birdrescueron@aol.com Ron and Tammy Johnson, 612 Byrd Drive, Harlem GA, 30814 Phone: (706) 541-9316.

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posted by Harrison at 11:30 AM

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Posted in the comments of Metroblogging New Orleans by an LVMA Vet.

PLEASE NOTE: THE PHONE NUMBER FOR THE LOUISIANA VETERINARY MEDICAL ASSOCIATION IS 1-800-524-2996 OR 225-928-5862.

BATON ROUGE- The Louisiana Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (LA/SPCA), the Louisiana Veterinary Medical Association (LVMA), the Louisiana Animal Control Association (LACA), and the LSU School of Veterinary Medicine (SVM) are managing animal evacuations and recovery plans for New Orleans pets and displaced animals.

PETS TRAVELING WITH OWNERS

The LVMA is currently accepting pets at the Blackham Coliseum in Lafayette; LSU in Shreveport; the Monroe Civic Center for small animals and the Ike Hamilton Center for large animals in Monroe; the Farmer's Market in Alexandria; and the LSU Agriculture Center/Parker Coliseum in Baton Rouge.

Owners must be housed in a Red Cross shelter; owners are responsible for caring for their animals, including feeding and cleaning. Animals will be accepted 24 hours a day. Veterinarians will be on hand to handle any medical needs.

While owners are responsible for the feeding and cleaning of their pets at the Parker Coliseum in Baton Rouge, the SVM, along with volunteers from the Baton Rouge Veterinary Medical Association, will provide veterinary care.

If for some reason, an owner is unable to care for a pet sheltered in the
Parker Coliseum (e.g., the owner is housed in a special needs shelter), SVM student volunteers will provide primary care, such as feeding and cleaning.

The East Baton Rouge Animal Control Center will be taking stray animals.

The Parker Coliseum will be staffed 24 hours a day by a supervising
veterinarian and student volunteers from the School of Veterinary Medicine.

Pets in the Coliseum will be given physical exams and Bordetella (kennel cough) vaccinations. If a pet requires medical attention and veterinary monitoring, it will be sent to the LSU School of Veterinary Medicine's Veterinary Teaching Hospital.

PEOPLE WITH PETS WHO ARE CURRENTLY EVACUATING NEW ORLEANS

The LA/SPCA will transport animals from pick-up points in New Orleans to the Lamar-Dixon Expo Center. The pick-up points have not yet been determined and are being coordinated with the agency charged with transporting people from New Orleans to other areas.

The Lamar-Dixon Expo Center, 9039 St. Landry Rd., Gonzales, La., will serve as the primary staging area. Once the shelter is full, animals will be moved to temporary shelters in other areas of Louisiana and Texas.

The LA/SPCA Dorothy Dorsett Mobile Veterinary Center will be at the
Lamar-Dixon Center to treat incoming animals as needed.

CONFINED PETS STILL IN DISASTER AREA

Beginning on September 1, residents who left pets in their homes may call a hot line to leave information about the number of animals, species, and their confined location. As soon as the hotline number is obtained, we will advise the media. WE CANNOT ENTER NEW ORLEANS UNTIL APPROVAL IS GRANTED BY STATE OFFICALS.

DONATIONS

Financial donations are being accepted to fund the animals' care through the Dr. Walter J. Ernst, Jr. Veterinary Memorial Foundation at the LVMA at 1-800-524-2996.

A regional donation center is being established. Our needs include: large air kennels and metal cages, leashes, disposable bowls, canned cat and dog food, disposable litter pans, spray bleach, paper towels, sheets, towels, locks, hoses, bottled water, trash cans, trash bags, pooper scoopers, cat litter, extension cords, fans. The most urgent needs are kennels and monetary donations. The media will be advised of the address once determined. At least 175 animals are currently en route to Baton Rouge.

For more information or to make donations of the materials listed above, please call the LSU School of Veterinary Medicine at 225-578-9900 or the LVMA at 1-800-524-2996.

ANIMAL EVACUATION AND RECOVERY PLAN CONTACT INFORMATION

Louisiana SPCA contact Laura Maloney
225-413-8813

East Baton Rouge Animal Control Center Hilton Cole
225-774-7700

LSU School of Veterinary Medicine Dr. Becky Adcock
225-578-9900

Louisiana Veterinary Medical Association
225-928-5862

Locations for Animal Evacuation:
Alexandria - Farmers Market - Large & Small 318-442-4222

Baton Rouge LSU Agriculture Center

Lafayette - Blackham Coliseum

Shreveport - LSU-S (pets only, no livestock)

West Monroe - Ike Hamilton Coliseum - Large Animals

Monroe - Civic Center - Small Animals

Hurricane Katrina Hotlines at LSU SVM

Equine Hotline 225-578-9501

Companion Animal Hotline 225-578-9900

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posted by Harrison at 2:08 AM

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Oh great. They can't even win a war against frogs!

"A day earlier, French President Jacques Chirac sent a message of solidarity to U.S. President George W. Bush, saying France was standing by the victims of the hurricane."

Maybe it's time to return that Purchase. I think we still have the receipt somewhere…

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posted by Harrison at 10:30 PM

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Dog Bloggin' for Katrina Relief

List of Pet Rescue Links Here.

That ole Pard's Swift's Dog Food ad from the '40s really says it all. When everythin' else is gone, often the one comfort left is a pet companion. Our little family's lived through a bunch of near disasters. The oldsters talk about sittin' on the ranch house porch in CA watching a wildfire eat its way closer 'n closer, while lumberin' great tanker planes almost took off the roof en route to drop gallons of water on the blaze. They were ready to go--food, water, kennels loaded in the car, harnesses on, leashes 'round AHM's neck in preparation… We were ready a couple of years ago, too, when we ended up as the center red dot on a hurricane's bullseye.

And we had a place to go to--somewhere we were as welcome as AHM. But the people of New Orleans aren't so lucky. They've lost everything. Now they could lose their pets as well, since many hotels and shelters won't take 'em.

Which is where E.A.R.S.--Emergency Animal Rescue Service--comes in. (Contact: (916) 429-2457. Check 'em out here.)

"[In 1987] EARS [was] formed to rescue and care for animals left behind during natural and man-made disasters. Called the "Red Cross for Pets" by the Wall Street Journal, thousands of animals have been saved during more than 50 disasters."

EARS coordinates relief and shelterin' services for pets who must be separated from their companions--or who have lost their humans and have no where to turn.

"The EARS leadership team has notified emergency management officials in Alabama, Mississippi, Florida and Louisiana of our free animal disaster relief and sheltering services.

"…already 500 volunteers from all 50 states and one Canadian province have told us they are willing and able to respond when EARS is deployed. These volunteers include 12 large animal rescuers, 27 veterinary technicians, 8 veterinarians, 15 wildlife rehabilitators and 9 animal shelter managers/directors. Additionally, 6 people have offered land in the area to serve as an EARS staging area, 15 will provide transportation, and 16 horse trailers have been offered along with 2 mobile veterinary clinics, 48 trucks and 20 RVs.

"We were just notified this morning [August 31] that we are being activated to respond to Louisiana. Our first goal is to assist with the rescue of a reported 175 animals who are at a Metairie animal hospital, which is now flooding. [We are] determining how best to reach the area, where [we] will assess the specific needs - of both skills and equipment - necessary to safely transport these animals, and others who require rescue - from the area to a safer place."

Sure humans always come first. But if you've got an extra dollar or two, EARS could sure use your help. If ya' wanna' donate supplies or services, sign up here.

And give your pet an extra treat tonight--just because…

Thanks to Glenn Reynolds and NZ Bear for doin' the heavy liftin' on this blogburst.

Technorati Tags:
Flood aid Hurricane Katrina

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posted by Harrison at 6:28 PM

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