Kibbles 'n Bits®

"I had rather have a fool to make me merry than experience to make me sad."*

This is one canine that knows her Shakespeare.

"A retired greyhound disrupted a professional soccer game in England when the floodlights and crowd noise brought back memories of her racing days. Fool's Mile escaped from owner Jane Holland and ran four circuits of the pitch, halting play between Blackpool Reserves and Burnley Reserves and prompting a standing ovation from spectators."

This is why God invented me—and all other herdin' type canines.

"Police in the northern German village of Güster had their hands full on Monday when they were called out to catch an escaped sheep. "They gave chase in their vehicle but the pursuit didn't prove easy because the animal at times ran at speeds of up to…28 miles per hour," police said in a statement.

"They finally caught up with it when it briefly got its leg stuck in a fence. An officer carefully lifted the uninjured animal from the fence and placed in the field. But the sheep evidently didn't like its new home because it made a daring leap straight over the hood of the police car.

"Police didn't catch up with the sheep until it had reached the next village where it was persuaded to move into a more comfortable field, police said. They are now trying to locate the owner of the "adventurous animal," the statement said."

Twisty holiday traditions. Faint heart ne'er won fair lady…but some guys in Buffalo think icy water from Lake Erie might.

"A winter-related shortage of pussy willows may take the sweet sting out of this year’s Dyngus Day fun. Icy, snowy weather over the last month has delayed the budding process, meaning that there probably won’t be enough locally grown switches for the flirting ritual that highlights the traditional Polish celebration. You know, the one where girls swat boys with pussy willows to win them over, and boys respond by dousing them with water."

Money quote: "Without the willowy whips “there might not be as many romantic outcomes,” fretted Marty Biniasz, founder of Dyngus Day Buffalo."


And in the oh-yeah-this-should-end-well-category, the winner is…

"An Iowa mayor takes extreme measures to get wild cats off the streets. It's a plan that's drawing a lot of criticism…

"After several complaints [about the number of stray cats] Randolph city leaders are now asking for help. The mayor's plan is to put a bounty on all cats. If you can lure one to you and catch it, it will earn you five bucks."

*As You Like It Act iv, Scene 1

posted by Harrison at 11:23 PM