Michael Vick Dog Fighting

Michael Vick has sold the property which he says his family "mis-used" by engaging in dogfighting. He has sold the $700,000 property for about a 50% loss. Whether Vick actually had knowledge of or engaged in the dogfighting remains to be determined but given the trouble he and his brother continually find themselves in, it's not hard to imagine that they would be involved in something like this.

That said, dogfighting is the domain of the moron. Guys (yes, I'm assuming the vast majority of dogfighting "fans" are guys) like that are definitely low on the IQ scale and probably are missing more than a few DNA chromosomes. It's the dogfighting fan that makes professional wrestling fans seem like cultural elites. Yech.

Update: Washington Redskins running back Clinton Portis issues a proclamation on the Mike Vick dog fighting issue: "I don't know if he was fighting dogs or not, but it's his property, it's his dog. If that's what he wants to do, do it. I think people should mind their business." Regardless of the legality and cruelty. To read everything this mental pygmy has to say click here.

Schnauzers on Parade

Went to the Internation Kennel Club's (IKC) dog show at McCormick Place in Chicago. I don't know the difference between the IKC and the AKC as far as standards and whatnot. In any event, we got to the Saturday, February 24, 2007, event at around 10 am in order to see the 11:45 am miniature schnauzer competition. We wanted to make sure we got ring-side seating. Which we did.

Unfortunately, the judge was delay in attending allegedly due to the weather. She was an older woman with harsh and angry gray hair. In short, the 8 and 9:30 am competitions could not proceed at Ring 13 (where the miniature schnauzers were scheduled). When the judge finally arrived around 11 am they were running way behind. From our seats we got to watch neighboring rings and so got to see the Yorkie, Bichon Frise and whippet competitions. And Ring 13 was also home for the Giant Schnauzer competitions which was delayed.

When the miniature schnauzers finally took the ring it was almost 3 pm. But like the gritty little dogs themselves the wife and I persevered. It was comical to see how the miniature schnauzer competitors sized each other up (not the handlers). None of the other breeds we saw that day did that. The schnauzers yapped at each other, at passing people, and inanimate objects. Anything to assert schnauzer dominance. I wonder if that counts against them in judging. It really shouldn't since that is a trait of the breed.

I got lots of miniature schnauzer photographs. They all had docked ears for some reason. I had heard that undocked ears had become more common at competitions. We also saw the rumpled Neopolitan mastiffs, Black Russian terriers and the best in show puppy competitions.

Didn't stick around to see the Best in Group competitions or Best in Show since it is a given that the miniature schnauzer will get snubbed again. So why ruin the moment?

All in all, a great time was had by all. Despite the weather which put a damper on our departure from the Chicago Lyric Opera's presentation of Mozart's Cosi Fan Tutte due to the wife's open toed footwear not being resistant to the 3 inches of slush that had to be negotiated before we could catch a cab. But that's a story for another day.

Lawsuit: Cops shot my dog!

February 21, 2007, 5:51 PM CST

A Chicago man who says police shot and killed his dog last year while chasing a fleeing suspect filed a lawsuit Wednesday against the city and two police officers.Calvin Hale, 68, alleges he was in his backyard when a police officer ran into the yard and stumbled on his 10-year-old Akita, Lady.

"The next I know, I heard a shot, and she started to holler," Hale said Wednesday. " I told [the police officer] 'You shot my dog,' and he just kept running."

The incident occurred at about 5:30 p.m. on Feb. 26, 2006, Hale said.Hale said his dog had no history of biting or bad behavior. The lawsuit filed in Cook County (Illinois) Circuit Court seeks unspecified damages of more than $50,000. City officials offered to pay Hale for the dog, but could not reach an agreement on the amount, Law Department spokeswoman Jennifer Hoyle said. She declined to comment on the lawsuit. Hale's attorney, Amy Breyer of Chicago, is one of a small number of lawyers who specialize in animal-related cases and sometimes seek to expand the reach of animal law.Breyer said police could not shoot a child in the yard without justification, and "my feeling is it's not acceptable with non-human family members" either.

Article by Michael J. Higgins, Chicago Tribune staff reporter

Need to Fear

Well, Hollywood has gone and done it again. Summer of 2007 heralds the release of the Underdog movie. Apart from the fact that it emphasizes how there is no creative juice left in Hollywood, a movie about Underdog sounds good, no? Well, the loveable Shoeshine Boy turned superhero ain't what you remember.

Nope, he isn't animated anymore. Rather, they've gone "Babe" on him. Still, would have been interesting to see how they would get a real dog trained to shine a shoe or open a ring with a pill compartment (or even wear a ring). Of course, they'll work around this and make some sort of experiment gone awry be the cause of his superpowers. So he'll just be a regular dog. And Sweet Polly Purebred won't be an ace reporter, I'm guessing. She'll probably be some tarted up poodle. If they wanted to "improve" the original, they could have at least made Underdog a schnauzer!

Speed of lightning, roar of thunder,
Fighting all who rob or plunder
Underdog, Underdog!


See the Underdog movie trailer: http://home.disney.go.com/movies/

Why NBA Players Suck

Associated Press

SACRAMENTO (AP) - Animal services officers seized a Great Dane from the mansion of Sacramento Kings star Ron Artest, saying the dog was underfed. Neighbors complained for weeks that the dog - named Socks - appeared to be starving inside a gated area on Artest's $1.85 million estate in rural Loomis, according to a county report. On Jan. 30, animal services officers visited Artest's home and issued a "pre-seizure" notice, warning him that the female Great Dane would be taken into custody if the animal care didn't improve.

Placer County animal services officers returned to Artest's home Monday and removed Socks. Artest has 10 days to request a hearing, county spokeswoman Anita Yoder said. Artest's publicist, Heidi Buech, declined to comment when reached by The Associated Press on Wednesday. The episode has so upset neighbors in Artest's gated community that the homeowners' association plans to vote next week on guidelines that would require members to properly care for their animals.

Artest signed with the Kings last January for $7.15 million this season and $7.8 million in 2007-08, with an $8.45 million player option for 2008-09.

See Artest's lame excuses: http://www.kcra.com/news/10956780/detail.html