Now the Pentagon tells Bush: climate change will destroy us

Bush Dog Put to Sleep Due to Health Woes.
The 15 year old springer spaniel suffered a number of strokes recently. As springer lovers ourselves we feel sorry for the Bush family. Springer spaniels are a very loving breed of dog. They're always eager to please. The other Bush dog, Barney, a black 3-year-old Scottish terrier is sure going to be lonely without his pal.

Our dog, Moosh, is 12 years old and still a great dog, but has bad arthritis. As Kevin Costner said in Open Range, a movie we saw last night and recommend, she "still has the heart but not the legs".

Prenant woman taken to hospital in Bridgewater NS (my former hometown) with the help of snowplows. I just heard about this story on CKNW the radio station I listen to here in Vancouver.

I was just talking to my friend Ken who lives back there. He said there's 6 to 7 feet of drifted snow around his yard and his truck is buried. He won't be able to get out unless someone comes by with a backhoe to help him. he said he would take some photos tomorrow when the sun comes up and email them to me. I hope he does.

Storm shuts down Nova Scotia
Just when I need a reminder about why I need to stay in BC and not move back to Nova Scotia one of these stories hits. Yikes! My friend Ken sent me a weather radar picture yesterday in which you could see the storm approaching. It doesn't look much better right now. I think 50 cm of snow in one night would really suck. My guess is that Dad has the snow blower out today. I'll have to call him tonight.

Another tragic ending to story of a criminal who was given second chance after second chance. At least the guy is in custody and the authorities are saying he will pay the 'ultimate price'.

However, it doesn't change the fact that an 11 year old girl is dead. She and her family have already paid that price with absolutely no return.

Foster Child Allegedly Forced To Take Meals To Corpse
People do some messed up things. It seems like foster kids get the crappy end of the stick a lot. It's bad enough that a kid ends up in a foster home in the first place, often as a result of child abuse or neglect, but to be abused when you arrive in what's supposed to be a 'safe place' is horrendous. We've all heard the stories.

Don't get me wrong. I don't believe that all foster parents are like this. I know a number of good people who are foster parents themselves and would never do this to a child.

As an infant prior to my adoption, I was in foster care. For the first three months of my life I was placed in a caring home. My adoptive parents said that the woman who was caring for me at the time was a good hearted soul.

I know that abuse in foster care like the article above is the exception and not the rule, but it does happen.

Why does it happen? Greedy sadists who don't really care about kids apply to be foster parents as they see the kids as meal tickets or something to torture.

How does it happen? A lack of improper screening due to the inattention of governmental regulatory bodies as a result of ultra-high demand for more and more foster families. If they were too stringent, no one would apply to be a foster parent. If no one applied to be a foster parent where would these kids go?

Quite the dilemma. There has to be a better way to find suitable foster homes for kids in need.

For more information on foster parenting in Canada go here and in the US go here. You can also check out the Canadian Child Welfare League and the Child Welfare League of America.

Which one do we believe. The Groundhogs are all confused this year. Shubenacadie Sam in Nova Scotia didn't see his shadow this morning, so he predicts an early end to winter. Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow (and was booed for it) meaning he says there'll be 6 more weeks of winter. Wiarton Willie (as of this writing his website is down due to high volume), the other Canandian groundhog says 6 more weeks of winter. So two out of three groundhogs say six more weeks of winter. But what if Willy and Phil are wrong and Sam is right on the money? I'm confused. How the hell do groundhogs know anyway?

Does everyone have a groundhog? Look at all of these friggin' things...

UPDATE: Make it 3 out of 4 saying more winter counting Alberta's Balzac Bille (who comes up with these gay names?)