Saturday, January 31, 2009

MAD DOG ALERT!


Today's PPP is about fighting for your rights for a good life against the greedy corporations (banks and credit card companies) that have got American (and most of the world) by the cojones.

This week my Uncle Travis went for his first day of work. He had been hired to be a cook at an Indian casino in southern California. It was his first job since he graduated from his culinary school. We were so happy to hear that Uncle Travis got this job because cooking is his passion and it meant that Mema could then retire in a few months if she wanted to as Uncle Travis relies on her for his health insurance. He needs some medications which are very expensive and my Mema's health insurance covers him for now. So to hear that Uncle Travis got a job doing what he loves in this bad economy that will let him become independent, pay for his own health insurance, get a car and then move out on his own, we were so excited and grateful!

However when Uncle Travis went to start his job this Wednesday, he was told that he will not be hired because of an incident that happened when Uncle Travis was fifteen. He was hired by Rite Aid for his first job. He liked going to work and making his own money, however he did something regretful and was caught giving his friend ice cream for free as he worked at the ice cream counter. He was fired from this job. Yes, it wasn't right, but he paid the price by being fired. He wasn't arrested, it wasn't a crime, it was one of the many bad judgments we make when we are young and hopefully learn from.

Now Uncle Travis did not put Rite Aid on his resume but the casino found out about this incident anyway, I suspect since he gave his social security number to the casino. Now is my Uncle Travis to suffer the rest of his life for a mistake he made at 15! He wasn't arrested, he doesn't have a criminal or JD record. Uncle Travis did well at his culinary school and graduated with awards. He comes highly recommended by his teachers and he did not miss a day of school and was never late for class. Yet this casino chose to ignore all that for this Rite Aid incident that happened when he was 15.

Now maybe this is a good sign that he shouldn't work at a place like this if these are their policies so I hope when Uncle Travis gets his next job this unfortunate incident is treated for what it was, a lack of judgment from a 15 year old who learned his lesson long ago and wants to continue with his life and be a contributing member of society and have health insurance so his mother can retire in peace.

Lately I learned that if your credit card scores are running low, this can disqualify a person from getting a job. Maybe their credit card score is low because they are unemployed and need to eat? Don't get me wrong, the PPP does not condone living above your means but these are particularly hard days and credit card reports should not stop a person from trying to improve their station in life. Things happen, especially in this economy.

When banks raise the APR rate because your payments are getting smaller because you are unemployed or your job just asked you to take a big raise cut is ridiculous! That is when they should be helping you, not putting the knife to your throat. And aren't these the same corporations where they have plans to acquire corporate jets for their executives in this economy? Where the executives are given bonuses ahead of the scheduled time before the company quarterly reports come out stating how badly their company is doing? I know from my mommy that she did not get a bonus if they did not hit her company's financial goals yet these executives get billion dollar bonuses contributed by people struggling to eat and put food on their table. People are dying because they cannot heat their homes in the winter from fuel costs and there are executives getting bonuses from our government's bailout even thought they did not perform successfully! I can't believe a man can be put in jail for being a small time drug dealer on the streets, yet you can bankrupt America and treat people worst than a Mafia loan man and walk around Scot free.

President Obama definitely has his pulse on this problem let's hope he has a real solution. My mommy and I are tired of hearing stories of all the injustices going on these days and we hope with a new president that there WILL be real change cause fish gotta swim and a dog's gotta eat. Chow for now!

Friday, January 30, 2009

Gossip Friday - January 30rd 2009






TGIGF! Yes, thank God it's Gossip Friday! I know from my mom that when Friday rolls around most people just really call it in to work and we here at the PPP are no different. That's is why on Gossip Friday we just do a little hunting and gathering of celebrity gossip as the readers of the PPP are into the high and low. Yup! My readers care about both Zimbabwe's cholera epidemic and Paris Hilton. For today's easy, breezy news we have:

- This is more in the realm of politics but it is still interesting enough to make today's gossip news. It seems Iceland is making lots of news in the world the last few months. First the country went bankrupt, then the government fell apart and now they are going to have the world's first openly gay PM. Iceland is expected to name 66-year-old Johanna Sigurdardottir as their new fearless leader. Johanna Sigurdardottir is a former flight attendant who worked her way up the political ladder. See, American is not the only country in the world where you can come from nothing and get to the top (although the top here is a poor country surrounded by ice). Somewhere Sarah Palin is taking note.

- While in London promoting her project du jour, Paris Hilton tried to convince everyone that she is not as dumb as everyone thinks she is. She said, "For five seasons I was stuck doing this character. It was kind of hard always having to play that character when it's not who I am. I just say jokes but they think I'm serious, which I think is funny...and I think I kind of play up the image sometimes because – whatever – it's just entertainment." When she was asked who the Prime Minister of England was, she answered, "I had lunch at his restaurant yesterday – Gordon Ramsay." Hey I know what you are thinking, it's the same thing I am thinking, "Wow, at least she got the Gordon part right!" BTW, correct answer is Gordon Brown, I as a responsible dog journalist must know these facts. Also I don't live under a rock.

- Billy the Elephant, the only elephant left at LA Zoo was involved in a celebrity tug of war. There are plans to built a $42 million dollar elephant exhibit at the zoo. However some celebrities (those darn celebrities) thought that he would be happier retiring in Northern California in an animal sanctuary. They even offered to fit the bill for Billy. These celebrities included Bob Barker, Lily Tomlin, Cher, Kevin Nealon, Goldie Hawn, Halle Berry and Tippi Hedren who have all been known for fighting for animal rights. On the other end of the tug of war were Betty White and Slash who thought Billy should stay in the LA Zoo so he can housed in the future elephant exhibit. Well the LA City Council voted and Billy the Elephant stays in the picture (I mean zoo). Sorry Billy, so close yet so far. Damn you Betty White! I am going to get PETA on your ass now I don't care that you remind me of my grandma!

- Crocs, the bane of my existence has decided to further make the world an even uglier place to live and has entered the animal kingdom by designing a Crocs dog bed or as they decided to name it the "Sasquatch Pet Bed". Why oh why!! Oh the humanity!! (I like writing that phrase and will find a reason to insert it into just about every post from now). Now this is definitely PETA territory as this is animal cruelty?

- My last news is a parody of a video post Ashton Kutcher did yesterday complaining about his neighbor's early morning construction noise. Hey Ashton, welcome to my life for the last 8 years! This parody is LOL as it makes fun of the diva-like Ashton and his poor life as he has to deal with noise while the rest of the world has to deal with financial meltdowns, war, cholera, etc. It's a good laugh as puppets with a cockney accent are always a fun way to start your weekend.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iaSo18X7NrE

Have a great weekend and chow for now!

Thursday, January 29, 2009

To Clone or Not to Clone, that is the Question



Last night I was not feeling well. I kept on jumping off the bed thinking I had to go to the bathroom but it was mostly false alarms and I since I didn't feel so well I really needed to snuggle really close to my mommy. I basically kept her up most of the night and she was worried that I was sick and would get sicker since I was acting particular. She gets really worried when I am sick as she couldn't stand to lose me. We are still reeling from the lost of Q-Ball.

That is why when I was made aware of this article in the Daily Mail about a wealthy American couple who had their beloved dearly departed Labrador Retriever Sir Lancelot cloned it hit close to home. You see, we have some of Q-Ball's hair as a keepsake and I am not sure if that is enough to get DNA to clone her but it is something that crosses our mind (not that we can afford it right now).

The couple, Edgar and Nina Otto decided to have DNA samples of their pooch Sir Lancelot frozen six years ago, after he was diagnosed with cancer. After he died last January in 2008, the wealthy pair then paid a biotech firm $150,000 to create Lancelot Encore.

BioArts International created Lancelot Encore in South Korea, where he was born 10 weeks ago. The Ottos are thrilled and say he's the first single-birth, commercially cloned puppy in the United States.

The Ottos already have nine other dogs, 10 cats, six sheep and four parrots on their 12 acres in West Boca, but they insisted Lancelot was special.

'He was a human dog,' Ed said. 'He read your emotions. He knew when to be with you and when to leave you alone.' This is very touching to me and mom as Q-Ball was very much like that, she was one of the most smartest, empathic beings I have ever known and we miss her so much. When you are childless, as the Otto's and my mother are, your pets become your children.

However Q-Ball was a great spirit too, so I wonder if she was cloned if it would really be the same experience or the equivalent of having one of her puppies? Can you clone the spirit, the essence of a being? The Otto's are very well off so they can afford the luxury of cloning (although they say their next pet will be a rescue dog). If something was to happen to me and my mom can afford to clone me I would give her my blessings as she would definitely find comfort from having a little replica of me or Q-Ball around but I think it wouldn't be my spirit as in our death our energy is released into the Universe and I don't think cloning would bring it back.

Some people would argue that with the money spent on cloning this couple could have funded an animal shelter or adopted a rescue dog. That's true. However it's their hard earned money so we shouldn't judge how they chose to spend it. My mom and I understand why the Otto's did what they did and we hope that Lancelot Encore will bring the joy that Sir Lancelot the Original did.

Yup, don't ever let it be said the PPP stays away from the heavy questions! Chow for now!

Wednesday, January 28, 2009

Don't tell the Mormons...



Last year I read a story about two gay male penguins in a zoo in China who were separated by the zoo keepers from the rest of the colony because they were putting stones at the feet of straight penguins couples and taking their eggs in hopes of raising little penguins of their own. The gay penguins were given their own version of "Prop 8" by the zookeepers and this created an outcry by animal rights's groups who decried the gay penguins being isolated for following their natural instincts and wanting to be fathers. It seems being gay doesn't mean you don't want to be a father in the animal world as well as in the human world.

Not only were the gay penguins allowed to come back into the colony, they were given two eggs from an inexperienced mother who turned out to be a poor parent along with her partner. The zookeeper noted that not only did they do a good job taking care of the eggs, they actually turned out to be the best caretakers in the whole colony.

Well, the zoo decided to celebrate the gay penguin couple by giving them a big gay penguin wedding. In the photo you will see they gave the "bottom" a traditional red blouse to wear and the "top" a bow tie. The wedding feast consisted of a big plate of fish. Congratulations!! This is a big moment for gay animals marriage rights everywhere as society finally acknowledges that not only are some animals gay, but they can stay in committed partnerships and raise offspring just as well as any straight animal couple. It is a brand new day! Can this be 'Obama Fever' spillage? I PP think I will stay single just like my mom, but if I were to decide to wed (to either male dog, bitch or Prada shoe) I would hope my mom would use all those hours of watching wedding shows to throw me a great doggie wedding. Umm, maybe if she plans my wedding she will get it out of her system and we can start watching more Animal Planet instead of WE Wedding Channel.

In other news, when I did some Googling today, Jackson Pollock's painting was in place of the Google logo. I did some research and today is Jackson Pollock's birthday. Jackson Pollock is one of my mom's favorite artists so we decided to give him a shout out today on the PPP, Happy Birthday JP! You brought the world action painting and millions of museum goers every where saying, "I can do that!" Here we have an image of his "Lavender Mist".

Well, the weather is crappy outside today and I am stuck in which is boring but at least it makes my day interesting working on the PPP. Chow for now!

Tuesday, January 27, 2009

Pet Finder Pet of the Week - Sweet Buddy


It's that time of the week where we highlight our pick for "Pet Finder of the Week" and this week it's a sweet male Pug. Now we at the PPP look through many profiles on the Petfinder.com website but we like to highlight the pets that need a little extra special help from the universe on getting them adopted.

Sweet Buddy is a male adult pug who had some health problems in the past but is much better now with daily medication. His current foster mother wrote his bio and did such a great job describing this incredible being that we decided Sweet Buddy is out Pet Finder of the Week. His bio goes:

Buddy cannot understand why no one will give him a chance-he wants a new home of his own so very badly. His last owners were unloving and neglectful people-he wants someone to take care of him and love him forever. If that might be you please apply to adopt this WONDERFUL little guy today!------------------------------------------ March 14, 2008 Update:~~~~~~~~ - His belly swelling is way down, still bloated a bit, you can see in the photos, but much much better. - He does needs his daily medication, from what his foster mom Cathy describes it's similar to a Maalox type med to coat his stomach. Plus his eye drops. His monthly meds cost about $100.00 a month. -He's been on better food and with special attention to his diet, the routine fluid draining is NO LONGER NECESSARY!!!!!!! - He's doing great, happy and shiny! - He has a great spirit and loves to be by people, a true lap dog who needs a little extra tlc. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Here is a short video of the very handsome Buddy:--------- http://www.gigglepug.com/links/ --------------------- The following is from Buddy's foster mother:------------- If Buddy were a human, I would marry him. He is a real loving, sweet and gentle natured little man. He loves human companionship and follows me around everywhere. He loves to be held and petted and he enjoys giving kisses in return. He loves warm baths and is great in the tub. He is also great in the car. He is excellent with other dogs, cats and children. He does not have any food, toy or treat aggressions. He is very smart and listens to me. When I ask him to go to his bed and take a nap, he goes to his bed without hesitation. What a hoot! (He listens to me better than my ex-husband!). He also loves to play with plush squeaker toys and hang outside in the sunshine with my two female pugs. --- This sweet, gentle little man needs a special person or family where someone is home for a good part of the day because Buddy is a special needs pug. He would make an excellent companion for an “empty nester” or retiree. You see, this “marrying man” has a congenital condition called “protein losing entropy.” It is a disease of the stomach which causes Buddy to receive very little nutrition from food. The disease also causes Buddy’s tummy to fill up with fluids as he cannot process and distribute the digested food into his system in a normal way. As a result, he looks like he is overweight, but he is not. The excess fluids causes Buddy’s tummy to expand. The fluids need to be drained at least once a week by a vet. Without the draining, Buddy becomes very uncomfortable and even simple things like lying down to sleep and getting in and out of the house are difficult. After the fluids are drained, he is a puppy again. When the fluids are drained by a vet, it is painless to Buddy. The fluids can be drained as often as needed without harming him. The condition is not contagious and it cannot be cured. The condition can be managed with medication and diet. If the disease was caught early on and treated, it would only be a minor inconvenience to Buddy. Because it was not, the disease has become a way of life for him. However, this does not dampen his spirits and he has an incredible will to live. Every day is special to Buddy in the same way he is special to everyone he meets. Everyone at my vet’s office just loves him. --- To keep Buddy in the best possible health, he is on special dog food that is available from a vet. He cannot eat regular dog food from a pet store or supermarket. He also takes three medications twice a day to control the inflammation in his stomach that is caused by the disease. The medications are not expensive. One of the medications comes in a powder form and needs to be “compounded” by a regular pharmacy into capsules. Buddy will not eat his food if this one medication is mixed into it. This particular medication is very bitter. Buddy will take the medication if it is in a capsule. --- Buddy came to rescue because of a divorce in his family. They could not take him with them, so Buddy’s heart has already been broken. We are looking for that special family/person to help him heal his heart as well as his body.--- Please consider adopting this wonderful little man. Please be that ”special someone” to provide Buddy with his forever home. ---------E-mail KLKL@ix.netcom.com if you are interested in adopting our sweet Buddy!---------------------------------------------------- If you cannot adopt Buddy but would like to be a sponsor for him, Buddy would be very appreciative. Any donation, small or large will enable us to continue helping Buddy. Donations can be sent to: ADOPT-A-BUDDY PUG RESCUE, PO BOX 66, HO-HO-KUS, NJ 07423.

This pet is up to date with routine shots.
This pet is already house trained.
This pet has been altered.

Sweet Buddy is one of the love lessons we are put on this earth to learn about. To love and take care of a being who will love us back so unconditionally is why we are here so if you are interested in adopting Sweet Buddy or know someone who is please, please get in touch with his foster mother and give Sweet Buddy the life he deserves while on this earth. Yes he will need some care but it is minimal. Please past this post to all your friends so we can see if we can get Sweet Buddy a home.

From one pup who is much loved and has a home as long as his owner is alive, Chow for now!

Monday, January 26, 2009

Looking for Mr. Dog Bar




I am a really lucky pup in that for now my mom works from home and I get to hang with her in the daytime as I really miss her when she works in an office. However as she so likes to remind me on a daily basis, she deserves a social life to make her happy and you know when momma's happy everyone is happy (rolling my eyes as I write this).

Well, thanks to one of our PPP readers we found out places in New York City that welcome dogs in bars. So now when my mom says, "Gotta go PP and meet my friends for drinks!" I am going to remind her of this post as she really has no excuse to leave me home alone if she is going drinking. Here are some of our favorite "dog friendly bars in the city":

- SoHo Grand Hotel: 310 West Broadway, The Grand Bar and Lounge. Lush houndstooth sofas, inviting leather chairs, this room looks straight out of Clue. No only are dogs welcomed here, they are treated like celebrities as management gives them top priority. This is a little far from the Upper East Side but we get downtown I am going to insist on visiting the bar here at the Soho Grand. It shouldn't be too hard as my mom loves the Tartini's there. The little tart!

- Tribeca Grand Hotel: 2 Sixth Ave (between Walker and White Street), is the sister hotel to the Soho Grand so it's no surprise that they too give doggies the five-star treatment. Hartz Mountain Industries, the pet product company actually owns the two hotels (I did not know that) so that explains their kindness to pets. I have actually been to this hotel when we lived in Tribeca (those were the days). I love how it looks like a cross between a Chinese Bordello and Bladerunner.

- Tom and Jerry's Bar: 288 Elizabeth Street (corner of Houston), this was actually one of my old drinking haunts as my Uncle Adrian would take both Q-Ball and I drinking with him on his boys night out. This is were I had my first taste of dark ale (licking my chops as I write this). Q-ball and I were both quite popular here. Mental note, must visit again when we move back downtown.

- d.b.a.: 41 First Avenue (between 2nd and 3rd Street), my mom likes going to this bar because it is almost a beer garden. Anyway she can get her German beer here and now that she knows dogs are welcomed I am sure we will stop by (even though the average age here is 25 years old). dba also has a sister restaurant on 113 North 7th Street on Williamsburg.

- Fetch: 1649 3rd Ave. (Between 92nd and 93rd Street). There aren’t many places where you can order a beer and a dog, but at Fetch, it’s possible. This doggie-devoted bar keeps ASPCA and Stray from the Heart adoption applications on hand for patrons who double as pup rescuers. Framed pooch pics cover the walls, and the staff swears they’ll find a place for your dog’s photo if you bring one in. Happy hour specials include $3 draft beers and house wine, and Fetch’s traditional pub grub has a sophisticated flair. This cozy, laid-back bar attracts young and old dog-lovers alike, so bring family, friends, girlfriends, or boyfriends—but not Fido. Pets aren’t allowed inside. Irony is a bitch.

This makes me wish for Spring to come quickly as so many restaurants who serve outside let dogs partake of the restaurant but I will take what I can for now. So if you are planning to ask my mom out for a drink I suggest you entertain going to the places above so I can come along and your evening will be that much better as I attract the babes. I am the wingdog! Chow for now!

Sunday, January 25, 2009

Sunday Sermon - Life is Short


I was trying to think about what my sermon is going to be about today on the PPP which has given me a small taste of what a preacher has to go through every week as they tend to their flock. When they first start out they must have dozens of sermons in their head but it must be really hard to come up with new topics after preaching for a few decades. Maybe a preacher should just come up with 52 sermons and just preach those sermons every year. Otherwise it's like trying to find a new route to go to work everyday. I remember when I went to Trinity Church on Wall Street the Rector use to get the topics of his sermons from the science section of The New York Times so I looked around for any signs to tell me what to write about today and I found my topic from another newspaper, The Daily Mail, a tabloid published in the United Kingdom. Today's topic is about how short life can be.

In today's paper, they showed the beautiful English actress, Natasha McElhone as it was the first time she went out in public with her new baby which was born a few months after her surgeon husband died suddenly of a heart attack while she and their two boys were away shooting a film. He was only 42 years old and her childhood sweetheart. Her husband did a lot of charity work as he was a plastic surgeon and humanitarian. When he died she wrote this very touching tribute to him. I read this last year and I thought even though her husband died and left her and their family way too early she is actually one of the lucky ones. So today I am posting her tribute as I am sure when you read it, it will make you aspire to find the kind of love they had as we all have only one life to live here and why should you not experience all the best that love and life have to offer. Here is her tribute to her husband:

"This is near impossible for me. Anything I want to say is from such a personal perspective and, even though it's no one's business, I do want the world to know how incredible this man was.

I'm hesitant, also, because we live in a world of superlatives, and words like 'incredible' have become hollow and meaningless, which is everything my husband was not.

I know anyone who was in his sphere felt a strange electric current chase across the room as he entered it. I know he was the love of my life, the dearest, most exciting and witty friend I have ever had.

I remember once I was asked a question by a journalist: "Who would you most like to be stuck in a lift with?" I think I was meant to respond with a name like ‘Einstein’ and I said "Martin Kelly". They said: "Who’s that?"

"Well, he happens to be my husband, but I promise you, if you met him you’d also want to be stuck in a lift with him." (Said journalist was female.) "As well as being gorgeous, he’s the most exciting, stimulating person I have ever met."

They said that was ridiculous and couldn’t be my answer as no one would believe it. I agree, it seems implausible that someone I’ve known since I was 15 still thrills me to the core. He pushed me to do things I didn’t think I wanted to do. Or at least, I didn’t think I did until I had tried and was through the hoop of fire and then, of course, I felt a foot taller, living and breathing at his breakneck speed.

It seems he had this effect on everyone who was his friend. You were touched by fire, it scalded sometimes.

I worried about that for my boys. Would he push them too much when they were up that mountain? I would watch him effortlessly swoosh down the slope on his snowboard as they struggled on skis to keep up, only to realise by the last day his methods had triumphed again.

They, of course, were now leading him, fearlessly shooting down black slopes with him chasing them, grinning from ear to ear, and, yes, even holding a video camera to capture the triumph of his ‘pups’.

Rightly or wrongly, he wasn’t available to everyone. I think this was more to do with an inherent shyness than any kind of snobbery. But, as a result, the treasures he shared with me were for me and me alone - selfish, I know, but how loved he made those he loved feel. I can’t begin to describe that feeling.

I would be on a crowded busy street running an errand or picking up the boys from school near his hospital and my stomach would do a somersault at the sight of a man in my peripheral vision. I would instantly feel shame that my eyes had wandered or my loins been stirred by another and would quickly turn away, only seconds later to hear someone laughing and saying: "My darling, you just walked straight past me!"

I would explain how I thought I’d seen another sexy man and all along it was him and he would blush like a schoolboy and bury his face in my neck.

I just can’t believe I won’t feel his skin any more, how is that possible? I loved and touched him every day, and thank goodness I did. Bizarrely, we never raised our voices to one another, not a good or a bad thing – that just didn’t
happen between us.

I can’t believe that that magical, beautiful creature is not here any more. He was too good to be true. There was never a day when we didn’t say: "It’s ridiculous how lucky we are, look how blessed our life is." I frequently felt undeserving of this; he, however, never.

He was so sure of his place in the world and his right to everything he’d been blessed with, but without ever being complacent about it. I suppose it was because unlike most of us he never squandered a second of his life, every breath he took was full to bursting.

I still feel like the luckiest woman alive, even though he’s not here. To have been given such a love, to have had ten years of utter bliss waking up next to someone who made my heart flutter, I could never in my wildest dreams have wished for more than that.

I don’t know why I’m not surprised that his life came to an abrupt end. I didn’t think, "Why us? Why me?", I just thought, "Thank God I’ve lived like this thus far. Whatever happens, it was worth every ounce of pain I’m going through now."

I hope this isn’t nauseating, I know he’s beginning to sound like some kind of deity, but he was the most unique father, as well. Always giving our two beautiful ‘pups’ the alternate answer to any question, stimulating them, provoking them, peeling open their young minds to drop in magical statistics and facts, facts that I was always ignorant of.

He hugged, squeezed and kissed them for an hour a day, tumbled about the floor with them, taught them chess, surfing, drawing, foreign languages, his version of truth, what it is to risk, to have integrity, manners – beautiful manly manners – and how to leap into the unknown at least once a day, because NOT knowing what you might find was the real gift of life.

I could write about him for the rest of my life. The part that saddens me most is that, whatever I can try to give my boys, their world for now has been halved, I cannot become him. All I can hope is that the seeds have been sown already in their short lives – their gardens will flourish and I will tend to them assiduously and find any way I can to fill the gaping crevices.

I know his work has been covered by his colleague and friend Norman Waterhouse, with whom he co-founded the charity Facing the World.

All I know is that aside from us, his patients came before any pleasure in his life. In particular, those ones that were brought to the UK by Facing the World. I hope to be able to carry on the charity as those children gave him more than they ever took.

That is what made his heart sing, those little faces being put back together as nature usually intends, that’s where he got his kicks.

Any amount of time and labour was never too much; he did not know how to do things by halves, he couldn’t.

In fact, that’s my explanation. He lived several lives in what is usually only half a life – I suppose we’re back to a ‘deity’ again. He would die again if he read this because, although supremely confident in his ability, he was modest and understated in everything.

He was the wittiest person I ever met, making me howl with laughter at some quip even when it was one of those agonising child-induced 5am wake-ups. Whether there was vomit all over the floor, a fried computer, cat poo all over his best suit – his first response was to diffuse the drama with a brilliant joke.

I feel so ill-equipped right now in my sleepless, shocked state to write anything coherent, but I want to get in there and shout aloud his name, make sure no one misunderstands him.

I want to celebrate him not only as my love but as a human being whose lust for living could infect so many people. A surgeon, a healer, a painter, a musician, a passionate sportsman, his curiosity was insatiable, exhaustingly so at times. Relentless in his pursuit of living and discovering.

I hope my sons will never be daunted by the legacy of his spirit but instead inspired to do exactly what it is they want to do. That was his philosophy, we read it somewhere once: "Work hard, expect nothing, celebrate!"

Chow for now!

Saturday, January 24, 2009

Weird Saturday











Hey there! It's Saturday and I am chilling out today with my mom, Uncle Adrian and Aunty Annie. I had a B-A-T-H and I am nice and fluffy. I've already traveled from borough to borough in crowded trains, had people almost step on me whilst walking on the sidewalks. Today the PPP is going to take it easy and just chill with some weird photos I found on the Internet.

Here we have some images of dogs with bow ties, dog sandals, dog rhinestone cowboy boots, toilet covers, a spider with a makeover, a cat and a rat and a stuffed military squirrel. Hope you enjoy. Yes, the Internet can be a scary place to live. Chow for now!

Friday, January 23, 2009

Gossip Friday - January 23rd 2009






The weekend is here and while you are getting ready to go out and about to socialize with your friends, we here at the PPP have your tidbits of gossip so you can contribute to small talk when meeting up with your friends as we know you are either too busy to too embarrassed to admit you read certain celebrity gossip sites. Fortunately we here at the PPP have no shame. On with the news!

First news, OMG! Former President of France Chirac was attacked by his dog Sumo a Maltese/Poodle mix. What! Did he lay down on the floor and slather himself in meat sauce? I can barely break skin so I can't see how this happened. If Sumo was half pit bull maybe I can visualize it but Sumo is half Poodle. His wife said that he was hospitalized and is expected to make a full recovery in the next few weeks. Um, I had assumed that unless Sumo managed to tear his heart out. My mouth span is 2 inches wide at most so I think that is not the case here. Mr. Chirac's wife said that Sumo had been depressed lately and had been on anti-depressants. We don't know the full extent of his injuries but it sounds like doggie menopause to me. Never approach a bitch having a hotflash, I learned that from living with my mom (which she will deny till death).

Other news is celebrity news from President Barack Obama's inauguration. During the swearing in ceremony, Mariah Carey was escorted to sit in the section with all the other celebrities. However she did not want to sit with the "little people" (Bruce Springsteen, Bon Jovi, Mary J. Blige) she wanted to sit next to the first family! When she realized this was not going to happen, she bailed! It never fails to astound me the super egos of celebrities and how they suffer from very bad cases of high self esteem.

If you weren't at the inauguration ceremony and watched it on television, here is something you might have missed; apparently there was some censorship done by the networks as when Former President Bush came out on the stands the whole mall started booing and singing, "na na na na goodbye!" And when the helicopter carrying Bush flew over the capitol every one jumped up and waved screaming expletives that we at the PPP are not allowed to print. Thanks Brian for the insider info!

In other celebrity news (or news about people associated with celebrities), Brittany Spear's former husband Kevin Federline (aka K-Fed) has gone from being a buff and almost handsome dude (not my opinion, I'm a male dog) to a fat tub of lard. It's like Freaky Friday and he and Brittany changed lives. She is now in fighting shape and he has gone to pot (forgive the pun). I included a picture of the before and after. Apparently he has eaten his way through his divorce settlement.

And for some hilarious celebrity news; Heather Mills, Mucca's former gold digger ex-wife has been spending a lot of time in New York lately. She has a new hairdo (you know the kind of haircut women get when they decide to divorce their husbands and start a new life) and has been bragging that the men of New York City can't get enough of her. She goes on to say; "I've got so many stunning girlfriends who can't get a boyfriend. But when I go out here, I get asked out all the time, and my girlfriends - who are better looking than me - say, 'How the hell does that happen?!' Maybe it's because I'm comfortable with myself." Um, honey, this is New York City. My mommy get propositioned just about everyday. Sometimes they seem nice, mostly they are not worthy of her (don't worry, I know how to make these men disappear). Lady, this is a town full of male gold diggers that just lost their fortunes in the last few months, I wouldn't be so ready to brag about the men of NYC asking you out. I wonder if this is going to be a case of karma and some man will take her to the cleaners, time will tell.

Well anyway I am off to go to Chelsea and check out some galleries with my mother. I hope you have a great weekend. Chow for now!

Thursday, January 22, 2009

Company!




How lucky am I? I got a visitor today from my Auntie Annie! It has been too long since I have seen her. It was a very nice surprise. I of course went crazy at the door spinning around and barking. She came and spent a few hours with me and mommy. I cuddled with her and mommy as they spoke of life, men, love and the economy. We all had a great time and Aunty Annie convinced my mommy that when we move, we should move downtown to be nearer to our friends and take advantage of their good energy. I am now excited to move downtown, hopefully it will be near someplace that has a nice park for me to go to and I don't have to jump over needles left behind by junkies.

In other news, a California company has been selling wigs for pets! Yup, you heard it here first at the PPP. For $30 dollars you can transform your dog or cat and turn them into a mini Dolly Pardon. It is no surprise this comes from California, capital of the fake and bake. What next? Breast implants? Fake tan? Contact lenses? Botox? I hope my mom doesn't get any ideas from this and puts a toupee on my head. I am NOT Elton John.

In super cute animal news of the day staff at Besancon Zoo in eastern France have named a newly born Madagascar lemur Tahina - one of only 17 Propithecus coronatus lemurs living in captivity worldwide.

She is being cared for by vets, who must feed her around the clock with a tiny syringe filled with a mixture of cat and baby milk. She as seen in this photo has adopted a teddy bear as a mother figure to hug and cuddle with. Lemurs were wiped out from other parts of Africa centuries ago by bigger and more aggressive primates. In the wilds around Lake Aloatra in eastern Madagascar, the lemur is still under threat from the villagers who eat them as a local delicacy. Imagine that! How can you eat something so cute and sweet? I definitely would not be safe in Madagascar as I am equally as cute, I don't care how many cute movies Pixar makes of the country.

Anyway I hope when Tahina grows up she doesn't have to go to a pet therapist to deal with issues of having a distant mother who never hugged her back.

Chow for now!

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

How to be a Happy Pappy (or puppy)!





Yesterday mom and I were out running some errands around town. We were in a pretty good mood because Barack H. Obama had just been sworn in and we were feeling pretty optimistic about the future.

We were browsing at the Gap, minding our own business and I really started to notice how some people act with each other. Some are very nice; they smile, they play with me and are friendly and courteous with others. Some are indifferent and that's okay, we all can be in our bubble and not really notice the world around us. However what shocked me yesterday was this woman who was mean to a salesgirl at the Gap. She obviously was very angry about something in her life and was taking her anger out on a stranger. Then when she passed me and mom she said out loud for us to here, "I can't believe they allow dogs in here". Mom then said, "My dog and I wish you joy, peace and happiness." The woman was shocked and just rushed away.

This made me and mom think. We meet so many people in our lives and although many are polite and civil, it's easy to see if someone is happy in their lives by the way they treat others. One of the foundations of Christianity is "to treat others as you would want to be treated". This philosophy is followed by many of the world religions and spiritual practices. I am always friendly to everyone I meet (except big, black, hairy dogs and horses). I am happy so I tend to see the good in all which makes me want to reach out and share my joy. I am now realizing that I can tell amongst the people around me who is happy and who is not. I can tell who is faking being happy by how they treat others and I am a little shocked as some people can put on a good show in pretending they are happy and everything is going great in their life. Yes, I know these are hard times but it's not an excuse to be mean and lack generosity towards others. In these times we should especially be overly generous with our time and good company. I found these tips for being happy by Nitha Shanti and I wanted to share them with you so you can be more conscious about being happy as I hear it is quite contagious. We at the PPP are also going to do our best to follow these tips.

Tips for being happy!
By Nithya Shanti


1. Take a 10-30 minutes walk every day. And while you walk, smile.
2. Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day.
3. Sleep for 7 hours.
4. Live with the 3 E's -- Energy, Enthusiasm, and Empathy.
5. Play more games.
6. Read more books than you did the previous year.
7. Make time to practice meditation, yoga, and prayer. They provide us with daily fuel for our busy lives.
8. Spend time with people over the age of 70 & under the age of 6.
9. Dream more while you are awake.
10. Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants and eat less food that is manufactured in plants.
11. Drink plenty of water.
12. Try to make at least three people smile each day.
13. Don't waste your precious energy on gossip.
14. Forget issues of the past. Don't remind your partner with his/her mistakes of the past. That will ruin your present happiness.
15. Don't have negative thoughts or things you cannot control. Instead invest your energy in the positive present moment.
16. Realize that life is a school and you are here to learn. Problems are simply part of the curriculum that appear and fade away like algebra class but the lessons you learn will last a lifetime.
17. Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a beggar.
18. Smile and laugh more.
19. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone. Don't hate others.
20. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
21. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.
22. Make peace with your past so it won't spoil the present.
23. Don't compare your life to others'. You have no idea what their journey is all about. Don't compare your partner with others.
24. No one is in charge of your happiness except you.
25. Forgive everyone for everything.
26. What other people think of you is none of your business.
27. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
28. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends will. Stay in touch.
29. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.
30. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.
31. The best is yet to come.
32. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.
33. Do the right thing!
34. Call your family often.
35. Your inner most is always happy. So be happy.
36. Each day give something good to others.
37. Don't over do. Keep your limits.
38. Share this with someone you care about

Oh btw, it's Squirrel Appreciation Day so for today I will forgo chasing NYC squirrel.

Namaste and chow for now!

Tuesday, January 20, 2009

It's A Brand New Day!


Yeah! We have a brand new President today! President Obama was sworn in today and here is his inauguration speech.

"My fellow citizens:

I stand here today humbled by the task before us, grateful for the trust you have bestowed, mindful of the sacrifices borne by our ancestors. I thank President Bush for his service to our nation, as well as the generosity and cooperation he has shown throughout this transition.

Forty-four Americans have now taken the presidential oath. The words have been spoken during rising tides of prosperity and the still waters of peace. Yet, every so often the oath is taken amidst gathering clouds and raging storms. At these moments, America has carried on not simply because of the skill or vision of those in high office, but because We the People have remained faithful to the ideals of our forbearers, and true to our founding documents.

So it has been. So it must be with this generation of Americans.

That we are in the midst of crisis is now well understood. Our nation is at war, against a far-reaching network of violence and hatred. Our economy is badly weakened, a consequence of greed and irresponsibility on the part of some, but also our collective failure to make hard choices and prepare the nation for a new age. Homes have been lost; jobs shed; businesses shuttered. Our health care is too costly; our schools fail too many; and each day brings further evidence that the ways we use energy strengthen our adversaries and threaten our planet.

These are the indicators of crisis, subject to data and statistics. Less measurable but no less profound is a sapping of confidence across our land - a nagging fear that America's decline is inevitable, and that the next generation must lower its sights.

Today I say to you that the challenges we face are real. They are serious and they are many.

They will not be met easily or in a short span of time. But know this, America - they will be met. On this day, we gather because we have chosen hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord.

On this day, we come to proclaim an end to the petty grievances and false promises, the recriminations and worn out dogmas, that for far too long have strangled our politics."

"We remain a young nation, but in the words of Scripture, the time has come to set aside childish things. The time has come to reaffirm our enduring spirit; to choose our better history; to carry forward that precious gift, that noble idea, passed on from generation to generation: the God-given promise that all are equal, all are free, and all deserve a chance to pursue their full measure of happiness.

In reaffirming the greatness of our nation, we understand that greatness is never a given. It must be earned. Our journey has never been one of short-cuts or settling for less. It has not been the path for the faint-hearted - for those who prefer leisure over work, or seek only the pleasures of riches and fame. Rather, it has been the risk-takers, the doers, the makers of things - some celebrated but more often men and women obscure in their labor, who have carried us up the long, rugged path towards prosperity and freedom.

For us, they packed up their few worldly possessions and traveled across oceans in search of a new life.

For us, they toiled in sweatshops and settled the West; endured the lash of the whip and plowed the hard earth.

For us, they fought and died, in places like Concord and Gettysburg; Normandy and Khe Sahn. Time and again these men and women struggled and sacrificed and worked till their hands were raw so that we might live a better life. They saw America as bigger than the sum of our individual ambitions; greater than all the differences of birth or wealth or faction.

This is the journey we continue today. We remain the most prosperous, powerful nation on Earth. Our workers are no less productive than when this crisis began. Our minds are no less inventive, our goods and services no less needed than they were last week or last month or last year. Our capacity remains undiminished. But our time of standing pat, of protecting narrow interests and putting off unpleasant decisions - that time has surely passed. Starting today, we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and begin again the work of remaking America.

For everywhere we look, there is work to be done. The state of the economy calls for action, bold and swift, and we will act - not only to create new jobs, but to lay a new foundation for growth. We will build the roads and bridges, the electric grids and digital lines that feed our commerce and bind us together. We will restore science to its rightful place, and wield technology's wonders to raise health care's quality and lower its cost. We will harness the sun and the winds and the soil to fuel our cars and run our factories. And we will transform our schools and colleges and universities to meet the demands of a new age. All this we can do. And all this we will do.

Now, there are some who question the scale of our ambitions - who suggest that our system cannot tolerate too many big plans. Their memories are short. For they have forgotten what this country has already done; what free men and women can achieve when imagination is joined to common purpose, and necessity to courage.

What the cynics fail to understand is that the ground has shifted beneath them - that the stale political arguments that have consumed us for so long no longer apply. The question we ask today is not whether our government is too big or too small, but whether it works - whether it helps families find jobs at a decent wage, care they can afford, a retirement that is dignified. Where the answer is yes, we intend to move forward. Where the answer is no, programs will end. And those of us who manage the public's dollars will be held to account - to spend wisely, reform bad habits, and do our business in the light of day - because only then can we restore the vital trust between a people and their government.

Nor is the question before us whether the market is a force for good or ill. Its power to generate wealth and expand freedom is unmatched, but this crisis has reminded us that without a watchful eye, the market can spin out of control - and that a nation cannot prosper long when it favors only the prosperous. The success of our economy has always depended not just on the size of our Gross Domestic Product, but on the reach of our prosperity; on our ability to extend opportunity to every willing heart - not out of charity, but because it is the surest route to our common good.

As for our common defense, we reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals. Our Founding Fathers, faced with perils we can scarcely imagine, drafted a charter to assure the rule of law and the rights of man, a charter expanded by the blood of generations. Those ideals still light the world, and we will not give them up for expedience's sake. And so to all other peoples and governments who are watching today, from the grandest capitals to the small village where my father was born: know that America is a friend of each nation and every man, woman, and child who seeks a future of peace and dignity, and that we are ready to lead once more.

Recall that earlier generations faced down fascism and communism not just with missiles and tanks, but with sturdy alliances and enduring convictions. They understood that our power alone cannot protect us, nor does it entitle us to do as we please. Instead, they knew that our power grows through its prudent use; our security emanates from the justness of our cause, the force of our example, the tempering qualities of humility and restraint.

We are the keepers of this legacy. Guided by these principles once more, we can meet those new threats that demand even greater effort - even greater cooperation and understanding between nations. We will begin to responsibly leave Iraq to its people, and forge a hard-earned peace in Afghanistan. With old friends and former foes, we will work tirelessly to lessen the nuclear threat, and roll back the specter of a warming planet. We will not apologize for our way of life, nor will we waver in its defense, and for those who seek to advance their aims by inducing terror and slaughtering innocents, we say to you now that our spirit is stronger and cannot be broken; you cannot outlast us, and we will defeat you.

For we know that our patchwork heritage is a strength, not a weakness. We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus - and non-believers. We are shaped by every language and culture, drawn from every end of this Earth; and because we have tasted the bitter swill of civil war and segregation, and emerged from that dark chapter stronger and more united, we cannot help but believe that the old hatreds shall someday pass; that the lines of tribe shall soon dissolve; that as the world grows smaller, our common humanity shall reveal itself; and that America must play its role in ushering in a new era of peace.

To the Muslim world, we seek a new way forward, based on mutual interest and mutual respect.

To those leaders around the globe who seek to sow conflict, or blame their society's ills on the West - know that your people will judge you on what you can build, not what you destroy. To those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrong side of history; but that we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist.

To the people of poor nations, we pledge to work alongside you to make your farms flourish and let clean waters flow; to nourish starved bodies and feed hungry minds. And to those nations like ours that enjoy relative plenty, we say we can no longer afford indifference to suffering outside our borders; nor can we consume the world's resources without regard to effect. For the world has changed, and we must change with it.

As we consider the road that unfolds before us, we remember with humble gratitude those brave Americans who, at this very hour, patrol far-off deserts and distant mountains. They have something to tell us today, just as the fallen heroes who lie in Arlington whisper through the ages.

We honor them not only because they are guardians of our liberty, but because they embody the spirit of service; a willingness to find meaning in something greater than themselves. And yet, at this moment - a moment that will define a generation - it is precisely this spirit that must inhabit us all.

For as much as government can do and must do, it is ultimately the faith and determination of the American people upon which this nation relies. It is the kindness to take in a stranger when the levees break, the selflessness of workers who would rather cut their hours than see a friend lose their job which sees us through our darkest hours. It is the firefighter's courage to storm a stairway filled with smoke, but also a parent's willingness to nurture a child, that finally decides our fate.

Our challenges may be new. The instruments with which we meet them may be new. But those values upon which our success depends - hard work and honesty, courage and fair play, tolerance and curiosity, loyalty and patriotism - these things are old. These things are true. They have been the quiet force of progress throughout our history. What is demanded then is a return to these truths. What is required of us now is a new era of responsibility - a recognition, on the part of every American, that we have duties to ourselves, our nation, and the world, duties that we do not grudgingly accept but rather seize gladly, firm in the knowledge that there is nothing so satisfying to the spirit, so defining of our character, than giving our all to a difficult task.

This is the price and the promise of citizenship.

This is the source of our confidence - the knowledge that God calls on us to shape an uncertain destiny.

This is the meaning of our liberty and our creed - why men and women and children of every race and every faith can join in celebration across this magnificent mall, and why a man whose father less than sixty years ago might not have been served at a local restaurant can now stand before you to take a most sacred oath.

So let us mark this day with remembrance, of who we are and how far we have traveled. In the year of America's birth, in the coldest of months, a small band of patriots huddled by dying campfires on the shores of an icy river. The capital was abandoned. The enemy was advancing. The snow was stained with blood. At a moment when the outcome of our revolution was most in doubt, the father of our nation ordered these words be read to the people:

"Let it be told to the future world…that in the depth of winter, when nothing but hope and virtue could survive…that the city and the country, alarmed at one common danger, came forth to meet [it]."

America. In the face of our common dangers, in this winter of our hardship, let us remember these timeless words. With hope and virtue, let us brave once more the icy currents, and endure what storms may come. Let it be said by our children's children that when we were tested we refused to let this journey end, that we did not turn back nor did we falter; and with eyes fixed on the horizon and God's grace upon us, we carried forth that great gift of freedom and delivered it safely to future generations."

I am one proud puppy. Chow for now!

Monday, January 19, 2009

Dogs of War




Whilst The Powder Puffington Post looks to make people aware of all types of causes out there (not just animal causes), sometimes we stumble upon a story that mixes all of our causes together and we are happy to put a spotlight on them.

Today's post is about war and how animals are also the victims too as this is also their planet. Sergeant Pen Farthing has written a book based on his experience of being stationed in Afghanistan in the town of Now Zad and eventually creating by no plan of his own a dog sanctuary in the autumn of 2006.

Sergeant Farthing first started creating an animal sanctuary by rescuing a dog that was caught in a barbwire noose. Risking his life and crossing a road that had minefields, Sergeant Farthing cut the dog loose. That was his first dog rescue.

After awhile more opportunities for saving dogs came as the local Afghan police were using the stray dogs for dog fights. Sergeant Farthing would cut the dogs free from the barbwire collars used to keep the dogs trapped and mean. The dogs would then run off and join a pack of strays that numbered approximately 50 dogs.

Because Sergeant Farthing was the owner of two dogs back home he did his best to discourage dog fights even though as a soldier it was just his job to be there as a protector of the local people. However witnessing the dog fights and seeing dogs with stubs for ears, Sergeant Farthing was moved to do more and used his gun to scare away the spectators and save the dogs. A few days later one of the dogs that Sergeant Farthing saved showed up at the soldier's compound. At first Sergeant Farthing thought the dog was going to attack him but when he fed the dog he started to make a friend for life. Over time the dog kept on showing up at the compound and he was named Nowzad and because a sort of mascot for the soldiers.

Sergeant Farthing asked his wife Lisa back home if she could research any animal rescue centers in Afghanistan so he could have Nowzad rescued as he had grown attached to the dog and wanted to make sure when he and his troops left in the coming months Nowzad would be safe. He created in their compound a sort of a dog run. Then not long after another dog made his way to the compound. He was a very erratic dog but good natured and played well with Nowzad. It was decided he could stay and he was named RPG as he was as crazy as a missile (just like we named Q-Ball after a billiard ball as she moved like cue ball on a pool table).

After that Sergeant Farthing saved a female dog who was tied to a post so other fighting dogs can breed with her. She also became a member of the animal sanctuary and was named Jena after the American porn star. Soon after Sergeant Farthing became aware that Jena was carrying a litter of puppies. The number of dogs that he had to have rescued was growing by the day. Soon after a dog that had been bitten by a snake in the neck was treated by the medics. They kept her and named her AK. Nowzad decided to start acting like a mad dog and started misbehaving with the other dogs. He was kicked out of the compound for one night, however one night outside the compound being pounded with shells from the Taliban was enough for Nowzad to decide to behave again and he was let back in.

The last dog to join the group was Tali (named for the Taliban). Tali had just given birth to a litter of puppies and found a small hole at the bottom of one of the compound walls and worked all day to stuff her puppies through the tiny hole as she somehow knew that her puppies would be safe from the war in the compound. All the soldiers wondered if there was some secret language that the dogs relayed to each other to let each other know that the compound was a sanctuary for them. The compound now had 5 adult dogs and 14 puppies. Sergeant Farthing's wife Lisa however came through and managed to find a animal rescue shelter hundreds of miles away.

There were strict rules and the animals could not have been transported with military vehicles. The soldiers raised the money to have the animals transported to the shelter using civilian assistance. The soldier's time at the compound was soon coming to an end and Sergeant Farthing was waiting everyday to hear of when the dogs would be transported but the days kept on passing with no news of the transport. Sergeant Farthing was worried about letting the dogs stay on their own as he felt he would be leaving them to certain death by shells, starvation and certain cruel villagers who wanted to use the dogs for dog fights. A villager named Rosi had promised he would feed the dogs when the troops left Nowzad and he had to have faith in man that Rosi would take care of the dogs.

The last day of stay in Nowzad came and the troops all got ready to leave the town when a local policeman came running to Sergeant Farting yelling, "Taxi, taxi!" The transportation had come to take the dogs to safety and Sergeant Farthing was able to see for himself the dogs being rescued.

Sergeant Farthing's book One Dog At A Time, describes his and his troops humane actions towards animals in their time in Afghanistan and comes out in February. Now this is a must read in our household. I've included some pictures of the dogs Sergeant Pen Farthing saved along with a shot of the hero himself. This story makes me have faith in humans. Chow for now!

Sunday, January 18, 2009

Sunday Sermon - Respecting all animal life



Yesterday's post included a demonstration from W.A.R. (Win Animal's Rights) in Central Park as they protested Huntingdon Life Sciences as they are a contract animal-testing company founded in 1952 in England, now with facilities in Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire and Eye, Suffolk in the UK; New Jersey in the U.S.; and in Japan. Huntingdon Life Sciences conducts tests on around 75,000 animals every year — including rats, rabbits, pigs, dogs, and primates — testing pharmaceutical products, agricultural chemicals, industrial chemicals, and foodstuffs on behalf of private clients worldwide.

On Huntingdon Life Science's Wikipedia page they state: "Huntingdon is criticised by animal rights and animal welfare groups for documented instances of animal abuse and for the wide range of substances it tests on animals, particularly non-medical products.

The company's labs have been infiltrated by undercover animal rights activists several times since the 1980s. In 1997, film secretly recorded inside HLS in the UK by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) showed serious breaches of animal-protection laws, including a beagle puppy being held up by the scruff of the neck and repeatedly punched in the face, and animals being taunted. The investigation led to the company's Home Office licence being revoked in April 1997 for six months. At the time, the company's shares stood at £1.13: within three years they were worth 2.5 pence. Huntingdon officials said that the breaches were isolated cases.

Since then, the company's labs have been accused by animal rights supporters of a similar offence in the United States. In 1998, an undercover investigator for PETA used a camera hidden in her glasses to make 50 hours of videotape of the HLS laboratories in Princeton, New Jersey. She also made four 90-minute audiotapes, photocopied 8,000 company documents, and copied the company's client list. Some of the film she shot showed a monkey being dissected while still alive and, according to PETA, conscious. The president of HLS in New Jersey, Alan Staple, said the monkey was alive but sedated during the dissection."

Because of the work of many animal rights activists groups like W.A.R and S.H.A.C. (Stop Huntingdon Animal Cruelty), Huntingdon has been financially chased out of the UK and is now financially set up in the U.S. Besides the purpose of the barbaric act of testing on animals, the constant cruelty and disregard of the life and dignity of the animals is what gets my gruff up! This is when I believe in karma and know that these people will come back as the very animals that are tortured so they can learn the lesson to respect all life forms. How can you stare a fellow creature in the eye and do this to them? I don't understand the cruelty of humans and I don't want to understand.

So this PPP is dedicated to all animal rights activists who fight so diligently everyday for our rights as they act as our voices. Mom and I had made it one of our New Year's resolutions to fight for animal rights amongst other causes and we will participate in the next New York W.A.R. demonstration. If you are interested in participating please look at their site: http://www.war-online.org/index.html

On Sunday from now on I will act like a priest, pastor, rabbi, shaman etc, and get on my little soapbox and preach about causes and why we should find it in our hearts to become apart of the world. So from now on my post on Sunday will be called, "Sunday Sermon". Have a great relaxing and thoughtful Sunday! Chow for now!

Saturday, January 17, 2009

Pet Finder Pet of the Week - Baby




No one puts Baby in the corner! But they did put him in an animal shelter.

As you know once a week the PPP will put a spotlight on one dog from Petfinder.com who needs a home. I like to pick dogs that can really, really benefit from the love and care of a human and has been rescued. Once the PPP starts experiencing more abundance to help pay bills we will adopt so I can have a companion and perhaps be a mentor as I think I can be a good role model. Until then I hope if you are looking for a companion that will love you, be loyal to you and provide countless hours of entertainment you will look at our spotlights and consider adopting a pet from Petfinders.com. You have to admit that a pet will give you much more than you will get from the floozy you met at the bar last night, or the idiot that tried to feel you up at the movies.

Baby is a 3 year old neutered male Bichon Frise/Maltese mix dog. The pound which originally took him in thought he was a Shih Tzu and the vet thought he was a Lhasa. Whatever he is, he has had a troubled life. His initial behavior clearly showed he has an expectation that he will be kicked. He did not tolerate being crated for the trip to his foster home and bit. That said, he clearly wants to bond with people, and once he got to know his foster caretaker, he exhibited separation anxiety by whining when he was alone. He seems to have been housebroken and likes to fetch a plastic toy. If he is treated well, and in the hands of a very experienced dog owner, he can probably become a wonderful, devoted companion. However, because he sometimes "reverts" to his former expectation of how he will be treated, he is suitable only for an adult home, with no children. Baby has been completely shaved down, due to severe matting of his coat. He thanks the New York School of Dog Grooming in Manhattan and recommends them for any dogs needing to be groomed. He apparently was a very good boy there and the students were able to work on him without problems. Baby is seen in the second photo with his favorite well chewed toy, which he likes to fetch.

This pet is up to date with routine shots.
This pet is already house trained.
This pet has been altered.

Louis Animal Foundation Inc.
New York, NY
(212) 685-3858

Wow! Look at those pictures of Baby! He is sooo cute! He reminds me a little of me (especially after the shave down). So please consider bringing Baby into your home or if you know someone who is looking for a pet that just wants to love them please let them know about Baby.

On a sad note, there was a protest today in Central Park on 90th and Central Park West. People were protesting against Andrew Baker, CEO Huntingdon Life Sciences. His lab still kills multitudes of dogs and rabbits for testing their product. I can't believe this still happens in the United States. I hope Obama is against this! The group who organized this protest is W.A.R. (Win Animal Rights) and for any information on how you can help W.A.R. in their protests and causes please look at their website: http://www.war-online.org/index.html. Hopefully we can use the help of W.A.R. to bring upon change in Central Park for better signage so dogs aren't killed by bicyclists and roller-bladers like our dear Q-Ball.

Chow for now!