Faster than a speeding bullet...

When you hear the word "hero", what immediately springs to mind? A figure in a military uniform, standing strong against the enemy? A man in a cape and tights, ready to take on the world with super-human powers? Well, today's post has both of those with a healthy dash of the world's most un-disgruntled postman thrown in there. Although "Un-Disgruntled Postman" sounds more like a band name then a member of the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen...

CBS News told the story of a group of heroes recently reunited after a stint in Iraq. However, this isn't your usual Army buddy story. National Guardsman Chris Duke befriended three Afghan mutts during his last tour of duty. But the dogs did a whole lot more than help him fend off homesickness. Serena, Rufus and Target set off a ruckus and attacked a suicide bomber when he tried to break into the barracks one night last February. Serena had to be be put down after suffering severe injuries, but Rufus and Target were nursed back to health and received tickets state-side to be reunited with Duke.

Asylum reported on the real-life rescue of a family by Superman. Well, a Superman comic, anyway. After the bank foreclosed on an anonymous family, it began to pack up its belongings for the move. Buried in the basement was an original Action Comics #1 issue - the first appearance of the Man of Steel. Expected to fetch $250,000 at auction, the family will now be able to keep the home which they have had since the 1950s.

And finally, the postal service has had its share of poor press with bankruptcy looming and unhappy employees - the latter of which inspired the phrase "going postal." But Keith McVey, a postal worker in Akron, Ohio, is both a model employee and human being. Over the last 20 years, McVey has saved three lives while on his route and each time, he has simply continued on with his day afterwards and delivered the mail. According to MSNBC, the most recent example of his derring-do was last week when he performed CPR on a man who wasn't breathing and didn't have a pulse. Improbably, the man came to before the ambulance arrived.

(Photo courtesy of Asylum.com)

The deep blue sea...

Just a couple of ocean-themed tales for today...

This is another example of how my themes just sort of come together. I'd been holding this first story for a couple weeks since it didn't really seem to fit into my recent posts. I suppose I could have just dumped it in somewhere since it's an update to a story I posted awhile ago, but I just didn't pull the trigger for some reason.

The Boston Globe did a follow-up to the story about Baltic, the dog found floating on an ice floe in Poland. He was safely rescued, but they were trying to figure out who he belonged to and how he ended up in the middle of the Baltic Sea. While it is unfortunate the second question probably won't be answered, the first has been...sort of. After meeting with several impostors, Baltic has been adopted by the seaman who saved him.

My friend Michelle sent me the next story from a website called Gadling.com. This is one of those random stories that makes you sit back and think, "Who does this happen to? Really?"

In Oct. 2008, the Gregorys were on the Queen Mary 2, taking photos of the Queen Elizabeth 2 which was sailing beside them. The article isn't specific on how, but their camera soon fell into the ocean off the coast of Ireland. The article also doesn't say exactly where Benito Estevez was when the fisherman netted more than just his seafood. Estevez fished the camera out of his nets, tracked down the couple and returned the camera and the memory card, which was remarkably undamaged.

...

Yahoo! Sports' Olympic blog posted a story on Tanith Belbin, the US ice dancer, yesterday. Blogger Maggie Hendricks notes Belbin's change in eating habits which has added 10 pounds to Belbin's frame and improved both her strength and her lifts. The post includes a quote from Belbin about her eating issues, which I think is important to get out there. The more eating issues are talked about, particularly by famous women, the more they become de-stigmatized.

(Photo courtesy of the Boston Globe)

Jet-setting...

I knew it was supposed to be cold this weekend. But that didn't prepare me for the high of 19 today. It's not supposed to get much better over the weekend, and that does not factor in the wind chill of the gusts of 30-40 mph we're having today...Super.

All of this definitely had me second-guessing my decision not to take that cheap trip to Portugal advertised by @cheapgirlboston on Twitter in the past couple days. Round-trip $474 (plus taxes of course, but still). Anyway, I guess I'll have to make do by turning up the ol' office space heater and taking a gander at the following articles.

Baltic the dog definitely had it worse off than I do. Somehow, and no one is sure how, he got stuck on an ice floe and ended up in the Baltic Sea. Polish firefighters tried to rescue him originally, but it took an inflatable raft and some pretty intrepid researchers (who were for something entirely different) to pull the dog to safety. They had a couple of misfires, including one where Baltic ended up in the water under the boat, but persistence paid off, and he is now warm and safe. The first link is to the story on the Boston Globe. This link is to the British paper The Guardian, which has a video interview with the researchers. You'll have to turn your volume up kinda high (or at least I did), and it's in Polish, but there are subtitles.

My parents are headed on a little European vacay later this year, and I've been doing my level best to give them more places to go to than they possibly have time for. However, I think this next suggestion is an absolute must-see, knowing you, knowing me...Even if you are no dancing queen... Thanks Boston Globe! :)

This past December, my mom and I took a day trip to NYC. We must have walked almost 60 blocks all told, but somehow we missed the Library Walk on east 41st Street. Since we're both book nerds, it is a bit of a disappointment. In fact, I would argue with E.B. White that it was as discouraging as both literature and chickens. The Papercuts blog on the New York Times has a link to see actual plaques and the quotes on them.

I've traveled a lot, but I'm sure if I ever sat down to make a bucket list, more travel would be on it. I feel like I'm too young to make such a list, but a group of college-aged, Canadian men felt no such limitation. I suppose that is why they now have a show on MTV, and I don't. Ben Nemtin and Duncan and Jonnie Penn teamed up, asked for donations and hit the road in a purple RV to do the things on their bucket lists. Along the way they realized it is just as gratifying to help others do things they've always wanted to do as well. The Frugal Traveler blog on NYT interviewed Nemtin on the genesis of the idea and what the trio has been up to since starting out in 2006.

Little ones...

see more Lolcats and funny pictures

This past Christmas was the first in which my Christmas cards were divided equally between traditional holiday images and photos of my friends' children and/or pets. Being single and in a no-dogs apartment building, I have neither of those things. I've also noticed as more friends get married/have children, their Facebook statuses (stati?) now revolve entirely around what their child or children have said or done recently.

So with that in mind, today's post has a "little loved ones" theme. Because really, babies and puppies have an about-equal "omghowsupercute" rating.

When I first read "Polar Express," I was entranced. The possibility of hopping a train to the North Pole sounded amazing. And the movie made from that book is awesome (Can I have my copy back now that you've retired, Mom?). I mean, really, the North Pole in that film is great. I want to go there now as a full-grown adult. Children all over the US had a chance to get on a flight bound for Santa this past Christmas. MSNBC reported on plane-loads of seriously ill/disadvantaged children headed to Santa's workshop from cities all over the US thanks to airlines, the TSA and lots of "elves."

Jumping ahead to New Year's, identical twins Marcello and Stephano Velasco may just have been the last baby of 2009 and the first of 2010 in their hospital. The brothers were born just before midnight on Dec. 31 and just after on Jan. 1, respectively, according to MSNBC. Their father hit on the highlight of the twins being born in separate decades: two birthday parties.

And because some people's children are four-legged and furry, I had to include this last story from MSNBC. Due to movies like "Beverly Hills Chihuahua" and "Legally Blonde" and a certain hotel heiress, the state of California went Chihuahua loco over the last few years. However, as people realize these dogs are not the best with small children or as family finance dictates, they are dropping the wee pups off at shelters in droves. But thanks to lots of generosity, some of 4700 little dogs taken in over the last 12 months have found homes back east due to a slowly growing doggie relocation program.

A home for the holidays...

Today I returned my foster cat Salem to the MSPCA. He lived with me for a month, recuperating from conjunctivitis and limited use of his back legs as well as a possible sore front leg. Yeah, I didn't know cats could get pink eye either...

Personally I think my wily little former stray concocted all those maladies just to get a vacation from the shelter. Once home, he was our little dustbuster, zooming around the room, exposing me for the pathetic housekeeper I am. I adored having the little guy, and I was a little sad giving him back.

So you'll have to indulge me for today's spate of stories on adopted animals. ABC News ran several connected stories on dogs found in Iraq and turned into soldiers' pets as well as working military dogs who've retired to the good life. They tugged at my already soft heart.

In the first story, Major Brian Dennis socialized a former alpha from a pack of desert dogs during daily missions out and about looking for insurgents. After a few months of coddling and reaching out, Dennis' unit was moved away from the area. Nubs, earning the moniker for his cropped ears, wandered 70 miles in below-freezing conditions to find his way to Dennis' new area of operations. That journey spurred the 36 year-old Marine to contact friends and family to raise the money needed to send Nubs to the States. His family stepped up, and once Dennis finishes his current tour, he will return home to his best friend.

The 101st Airborne, 159th Aviation Brigade found a newborn puppy in the midst of an Afghan battlefield, and despite military rules, brought her home to the base with them. Ally did physical training and stood in formation with them. Army Cpl. Michael Lemmons emailed his mom, who brought her home to the US two weeks before Lemmons and his comrades came home.

ABC News' story about retired bomb-sniffing dogs caught my attention because my uncle, a retired state trooper, adopted a former police dog after the dog retired. I hadn't realized the military used dogs in the same way police officers do. Compared to Navy SEALs, "war dogs" sniff for bombs and tackle militants in Iraq and Afghanistan. They are the first line of attack when clearing out houses suspected of harboring terrorists. These are high stress jobs, even for animals, and in the past, war dogs were euthanized after retiring. Now, a new program helps adopt out the dogs which have been tested to be able to fit into civilian life.

Your morning adorable...

Okay, so I'm totally stealing this blog title from the Unleashed blog at the LA Times. I already had a couple of stories involving dogs in the reserve, but when I saw this adorable video of a snowball/bichon frise on the Unleashed blog, I had to include it. Cutest. thing. you'll. see. today.

MSNBC provided the next two stories, and aside from being cute, they will warm your heart. Rev. Tom Eggebeen took over the Covenant Presbyterian Church in Los Angeles and wanted to build a younger parishioner base. So he decided to do something priests and pastors have long been reluctant to do - embrace four-legged community members. Eggebeen now holds a weekly 30-minute doggie service - humans more than welcome - with canine prayers and doggie treats as offerings. While this does go against traditional church teaching, which says animals do not have redeemable souls, Rev. Eggebeen has acknowledged the love shared between pet and owner should be recognized by church leaders.

The following link leads to a video interview with the dog handler for the Broadway production of "101 Dalmatians." While most of the doggie "stars" of the show are cardboard cut-outs, fifteen former shelter dogs take center stage in the production. Rescued from all around the country, the dogs have been trained to perform simple tasks and follow cues. They now travel around the US in a tour bus better kitted out than some musicians'. The show is responsible, warning theatergoers that Dalmatians are not for everyone or as trained as those on stage.

Another well-trained dog is getting a hero's welcome this week. Sabi, an Australian bomb-sniffing dog, returned to her unit after spending the last 14 months lost in Afghanistan. The black Labrador disappeared during a firefight between Australian-Afghan troops and militants in Uruzgan Province. Sabi turned up on an isolated patrol base elswhere in the province, found by a U.S. soldier. She appears in good condition, so military officials speculate someone has been looking after her.

(Photo courtesy of Yahoo! News)

R-E-S, er, C-U-E (my apologies, Aretha)...

A lot of people have weighed in on Michael Vick and the fallout from his prison sentence and subsequent reinstatement to the NFL. As a football fan, an animal lover and inveterate believer that people are basically good, I don't know what to think. On one hand, his actions were despicable and disgusting. But on the other, I do agree with what a Phildelphia woman told the Philly Inquirer - if you don't allow someone a second chance, why should they try to better themselves? I wish he'd apologized more directly and seemed truly committed to animal welfare, but I guess I'm just going to wait and see with that one.

However, my moral quandary did not keep me from laughing out loud at a story on FoxSports on MSN. The Main Line Animal Rescue League (based in DC and just outside Philadelphia) has begun placing ads in the newspapers of each of the cities the Philadelphia Eagles play, offering to donate five bags of food to animal shelters for every time Vick is tackled. Bill Smith, founder and CEO of the shelter, did say that since Vick is hard to catch, a minimum donation will be made even if the new Philly QB is not tackled.

Another major news network, ABC News, featured an initiative by the organization Pilots N Paws. This week, the rescue group aims to transport 5000 homeless animals from death row at their respective shelters to other shelters or foster homes across the country. Founded in 2008, Pilots N Paws helps alleviate the problem of transporting shelter animals long distances. When an animal is transferred from a shelter in one state to another, the journey by car or truck is long and requires frequent stops and vehicle changes, all of which is traumatizing to a group of animals who have enough to deal with. Volunteer pilots are giving their time, and some flight schools are donating their planes so the organization can fulfill its goal by Sept. 20.

PetSmart Charities has a similar mission to Pilots N Paws - the Rescue Waggin'. How cute is that?? According to The Canadian Press (via Google Hosted News), the tricked out trucks (specially constructed with air conditioning, piped in music and video cameras so the dogs can be monitored) have transported over 29,000 animals from communities with high euthanasia rates to ones with high adoption rates since 2004. The animals are moved from shelters all across the US to the Washington Animal Rescue League in DC, where they receive medical examination, social and behavioral training and, hopefully, new homes. The facility sounds like doggy Eden - a full service hospital, behavior school and cageless facility complete with cascading waterfall.

(Photo courtesy of doggienews.com)

Odd little ends...

It's not terribly often I can say I was inspired by a pink grasshopper. No, I'm not talking about an "adult beverage" or a character in a children's book. Daniel Tate, an English schoolboy on an outing with his great-grandfather, spotted a common grasshopper who was born a little special. The 11 year-old boy was looking for grasshoppers at a wildlife event last week at Seaton Marshes Local Nature Reserve and at first thought he spotted a flower. He changed his tune when that flower hopped. The Yahoo! article also has photos of other pink insects found in nature. I'm not a bug-lover, but the pics are pretty cool.

Today's "weird but true" theme pretty much unspooled from there.

MSNBC.com posted a feature on its green technology page about the Chevrolet Equinox. I know absolutely nothing about cars. I can tell you the make and model of my car, but when one of my male friends pause in mid-sentence to drool over a passing vehicle, I'm at a loss. However, Chevy's hydrogen-fueled test car recently reached its 1,000,000th mile driven. Nearly 5000 everyday people have driven more than 100 pollution-free Equinoxes in the past 25 months, and many report they cannot tell a fuel cell car from a gas-fueled one. The only thing emitted from these "green" cars is a wisp of water vapor out the tailpipe. Once they start putting hydrogen fuel stations in more than 70 places in the US, sign me up.

Anything that helps shelter dogs I'm in favor of, as I'm sure you've all glommed onto through this blog if not by impassioned soap box speeches by yours truly. The San Francisco Chronicle's City Brights blog by Ken White highlighted the organization Working Dogs for Conservation, a Montana-based group utilizing some of nature's best sniffers in conservation efforts. Many dogs are turned over to shelters because they are too active for families (doing research on breeds before adopting or buying would be the smart option here, but do not even get me started...). Dr. Megan Parker and her research team find uber-focused dogs in shelters and train them to help her and her team in conservation efforts. The dogs are minimally invasive to nature and excellent and exuberant trackers. Seven of the nine dogs working for the WDC are rescues, and mind you, these are the dogs that are usually unadoptable, labeled "out of control," "obsessively active," and "crazy."

(Photo courtesy of APEX and Yahoo!)

The more boys I meet, the more I love my dog...

I first heard that Carrie Underwood song on Pandora.com a few months back, and it makes me laugh because of the whole "funny 'cause it's true" aspect. With another good weekend gone too quickly and another return to the grind, this week with the boss present, I found myself having an "I hate people" morning that only intensified with the morning commute and the realization it's back to school this week, which means more traffic and more clueless/careless pedestrians. 

So I thought I'd turn my thoughts to the one species who has never let me down - dogs. Last week I found a story on a furry, four-legged Iraqi refugee who finally found a happy ending. Laia, a stray from Basra, was adopted by Major Steven Hutchinson after he shared a lunch with her while away from his base. Maj. Hutchinson adopted her despite the Army's policy on pets. Laia rode in trucks with him and slept on his feet at night. On May 10, 2009 Maj. Hutchinson was killed by a roadside bomb. He'd left Laia at the base that morning. Sgt. Andrew Hunt, a friend of the late major, stepped up and worked with the US Embassy and the SPCA to send Laia to the States where she now has a loving home with a man who worked with Maj. Hutchinson in Iraq, according to the Charleston Examiner. 

The Tulsa World had a story on a local rescue dog who made the top 10 in Purina's "Rally to Rescue" contest, which tipped me to the contest in the first place. People can go to the website and vote for their favorite rescue story. The contest was created to honor rescue pets and the organizations who dedicate their time and resources to helping animals. The winning pet, owner and rescue organization win a trip to the National Dog Show and the winning rescue group will get $5,000 in Purina products. 

And finally, one last plug for the strays - my favorite animals on the planet. The Animal Rescue Site donates 0.6 bowls of food to rescued animals for every click at their website. They also have a gift shop that donates part of its proceeds to rescues (if you are so inclined or have a friend/relative who is into animals).

(Photo courtesy of the Examiner)

Four-legged and furry...

As most of you know, I volunteer at a local humane society to satisfy my jones for having a dog while living in a no-pet apartment building. But for the last couple of weekends a bridal shower and moving house have kept me occupied on the weekends. As a result, I found myself ogling a dog park this morning on the way to work. About six or seven people were out with about as many dogs, tossing sticks and balls or just having a cuddle. I really wanted to pull over and go play too, but I soldiered on, to the relief, I'm sure, of both my boss and a bunch of pet-owners who would have found my dog-less presence suspicious. 

While at the shelter, I'm constantly amazed at the intellectual abilities of the dogs there. The fact our pits are among the smartest (while family favorites like labs and retrievers are the dumbest) is usually one of the selling points I use when talking to dubious visitors (or my mother). Recently I went through training, so I could start clicker training with the dogs. That's basically when you use a little metal clicker to get animals to get used to the following process: clicker sound ->good behavior -> cookie. 

My enthusiasm for animal intelligence is usually treated with the verbal pat on the head, but now Yahoo! News has published  story to back me up. Stanley Coren, a leading dog expert at the University of British Columbia found that dogs have the overall intelligence of a two year-old human in terms of language and have better math and socializing skills than three to four year -olds. 

The dog in the following story used his intelligence to save a boy's life (thanks, Michelle, for passing this along). The Segovias took in a stray dog initially for a day, but when no one claimed him, he stayed and became somewhat attached to Yolanda Segovia's 10 and 21 year-old sons. Her elder son suffers from severe Down Syndrome. One afternoon while Yolanda was outside, the dog came crashing through the screen barking up a storm. Raelee the dog led her back to the elder son's room, where he was having an epileptic seizure. Segovia's neurologist said the young man would have died if no one had found him. (The story on pawnation.com is the third one down...)

Some people think pets are just dumb animals, but I think that dog and the cat in this next story might go a little ways to disproving that. The photo from today's post is of Casper, a 12 year-old British cat who has caught the No. 3 bus at 10:55 a.m. once a day for four years. According to the Daily Telegraph, Casper hops on at the stop in front of his house and rides the whole 11-mile circuit before being deposited back at his stop. He has become such a regular that drivers in the company are told to look out for the little one, making sure he gets off at the right stop in his advanced age. Apparently Casper gets on and likes to curl up in the back seat during the ride.

Two by two...

We're in the midst of Noah rain up here, and there is no end in sight. Last year we had two days of spring - TWO. This year it appears spring will last until July. Really? Seriously? I mean, come on. 

But the expression "Noah rain" got me thinking about the ark and the whole pair of animals thing. So I decided to look for animal stories to brighten my gray, cloudy and, oddly enough, humid day. 

I tried to embed the following video from the AP, but Blogger was having none of it. It's a little two-minute piece on an elephant sanctuary out in San Andreas, Calif., which houses former performing pachyderms. 

The columnist Ask Ollie in the Chicago Post-Tribune had a column last week on a happy ending at a rescue shelter. It seems a runaway dog found his way to the shelter, and through a series of adoptions and returns, the dog actually his way back home. 

My last four stories all come from MSNBC.com. Clicking on one tale about turtles led me to the mother lode of animal videos. These are all brief clips (usually 30 seconds) on cute little animals. : ) The first is a short on how the Thai navy is doing its part to save endangered baby turtles. The next is a rather ingenious solution to both saving money and keeping up on lawncare - wallabies. The last two both concern penguins. One is a little clip on the newest residents of a Milwaukee zoo, while the other is actually rather timely considering last weekend was Gay Pride around the country. It seems there is a pair of gay penguins in a German zoo who have been raising a chick together after a heterosexual penguin couple abandoned it. 

(Photo credit: MSNBC.com)

I cheered up when I just realized it's not Monday...

I am a very sleepy girl today despite the fact a train could have chugged through my room last night, and I would not have heard it. I guess it doesn't help the weather is kinda gross, but I have been dragging more and more as the day has gone on. You, my unfortunate readers, now have to put up with my lacklusterness (yes, I did just make that up), which will probably come through your computer in bits and bytes. For that, I apologize.

Nevertheless, skimming through my stories to pick which ones to post today did lift my spirits somewhat. The adorable little boy at left is featured in theislandpacket.com's story about him receiving a specially designed tryke to help him negotiate his way in the world. He was born with all sorts of medical problems, but "L.B." has gained confidence and improved in motor skills and learning because of this little bike.

Another remarkable young boy recently graduated from a Los Angelos college...at age 11. I'm pretty sure I still hadn't learned to type by then. The story on NBC Los Angelos' website talks about how Moshe Kai Cavalin started classes at East LA Community College at 8 and then began tutoring his classmates (19 and 20 year-olds) shortly thereafter. He's also a martial arts whiz.

You all know I'm a sucker for a good news story about animals. WWLTV.com in New Orleans posted a story last week about a man and his dog. Jessie Pullins and J.J. were separated when Katrina rolled into town, and Pullins was forced to leave J.J. behind. He left food and put the dog up high thinking, like most other residents of Louisiana, that he'd be back in a day or two. Four years later, Pullins and J.J. were reunited after the dog was rescued and accidentally put up for adoption in California.

Fun in the sun...

Recently I was trying to explain a uniquely Baltimore concept to someone who had never been there - "Hons." I eventually had to show the movie "Hairspray" to help illustrate my point. But that "hon" discussion led to a chat about Baltimore accents with examples. The one I have actually been guilty of, despite never having lived in "Bawlmer" proper, is telling someone I'm "goin' downy ocean." 

So I was delighted this morning to read a story in the Baltimore Business Journal on Ocean City, Maryland having its largest-ever May crowd. I have many fond family vacation memories of the real OC - take that California and New Jersey! It is terribly kitsch and probably bordering on seedy in some parts, but I used to love goin' downy ocean with all my family for a week.

Something I have been dragged - often kicking and screaming - into doing since moving to New England is going hiking. Despite being an athlete, I have never been what you call an "outdoorsy" girl. I am a country girl at heart, but I like me some 600 thread count sheets, unlimited hot water and central AC. Don't get me wrong; I love the outdoors. But I like to love them from a chaise with an umbrella drink in my hand, preferably brought and made by someone else. However, in the past two summers I have been guilted or cajoled into going hiking in and around the area, so when I saw in the LA Times the national parks will be free for three weekends this summer, I was tempted to search a little deeper to see if any of them included parks around my area. I then concluded that I would simply mention this to my hiking friends and let them do the "leg" work. : ) 

The last story has absolutely nothing to do with summer activities, but was just too darn cute to pass up. MSNBC.com had a story about an Australian Shepherd in South Dakota who took over mothering duties for four newborn kittens after their kitty-mom was struck by a car and killed. The seven year-old dog feeds and bathes the kittens, and, in an example of her dog heritage shining through, tries to herd the itteh bitteh kitteh committeh around the house.

(Photo credit: msnbc.com)

Reunited and it feels so good...

I'm sorry; I've been trying to avoid using that title for pretty much as long as I had this blog. But this morning I'm sleepy and my defenses are down. I'm...powerless...to...resist. You will have guessed by now my theme for today is reunions. It still makes me marvel even this far into doing this blog how stories sort of seem to show up in themed groups even though they almost always come from different sources. 

The first one today is from the Times Online in Britain. In 1982 a woman lost her son after her ex-husband took him for the day, supposedly to the zoo. In reality the man fled with the boy to Hungary. Since that country was, at that time, on the wrong side of the Iron Curtain, the woman had little recourse in tracking down her boy, but with the fall of Communism and the rise of social media, an aunt reconnected her and her son via Facebook.

Part of the fallout from the economic crisis I see on occasion at the animal shelter where I volunteer is people having to give up their pets due to finances or losing a home. KPHO.com in Phoenix, Ariz., featured a story on a man who was evicted and was forced to board his two cats since he was living in his car. The owner of the pet resort where the cats were staying heard about the man's situation and offered him a job working the night shift. The man has gotten a daytime job since and is working toward finding a place to live.

My uncle was a state trooper for years and at one point adopted a former police dog who had "retired." The Visalia Times-Delta reported on a local K-9 policeman who did something similar. Detective Andy Garcia worked with German shepherd Tigar for three years before being promoted out of the K-9 unit. Tigar rode everywhere with the officer during patrols. When the dog suffered an injury in training and was forced into early retirement, Officer Garcia bought the dog from the department and brought him home as the family pet. 

(Photo credit: Visalia Times-Delta)

A crusader, minus the cape...

I will fully admit to having completely taken up the cause of pit bulls. Working at the shelter I see so many come through who are smart, sweet, loving and energetic. They sit there forever while aged cocker spaniels, biting chihuahuas and bull mastiffs with hip dysplasia are adopted left and right. I actually had one pit bull there so long I taught him to take a treat out of my mouth without so much as a lick to my face. Yes, this was the breed of dog that is perhaps the most feared on the planet, particularly by SUV-loving moms with 2.3 soccer-playing kids. I had one "little" girl who got jumped by the other dogs in her house crawl into my lap for pets when I sat down in her cage. 

I stole the December 29 issue of Sports Illustrated, pictured at left courtesy of livejournal blogger rinalia, from my dentist's office, so I could mail it home to my mother for her to read. Michael Vick's Bad Newz Kennels were the talk of the sports and the dog world for awhile as well as the general public (for about 15 seconds). I found a story yesterday from the Washington Times that followed up on Gracie, one of the 47 pit bulls rescued from that hell hole. 

ABC News' web site had a story with the family of the three year-old who wandered into the Missouri woods for three days, which you should check out if you're really looking for irresponsible "ownership." I still think people should be made to take tests before they are allowed pets or children. Granted, this child did unlock a deadbolt, but these parents, from all the accounts I've heard, do not seem like the brightest bulbs. I suppose I should actually get to the good news bit - the child was found in very good shape by a volunteer searcher who was only out looking because he was rained out of his construction job. The child suffered only a few scratches before being returned to his parents. 

Scripps News Service reported on the graduation of a very special Clemson student last week. Meredith Harper, diagnosed with Grave's Disease in high school, worked through her health condition until junior year of college when she suffered a stroke and basically had to relearn everything - walking, talking, math and science, how to eat with utensils. But two weeks ago, she graduated at age 25 with a bachelor's degree in health science.  Harper had a lot of ups and downs, but she had a great attitude and a large support group to help her through, many of which were at her graduation to cheer her on.

Sometimes you just gotta go with it...

I know I recently did a blog on animals, but for some reason all the stories I found today that were substantial enough to use seemed to center on man's best friend. The spring-y weather has really come out in full force lately, so everyone and their sister are out walking their dogs, pushing babies in strollers or both. The whole baby thing can wait, but I am very keen to get a dog. It feels a little cruel, this seeing dogs everywhere. It's almost like the universe is having a laugh at my expense. But one day I will have a pup of my own, more probably a full-grown one since I don't fancy potty-training. 

In the meantime, I will have to settle for playing with my boys and girls at the MSPCA and reading stories like these. Britain's Daily Telegraph had a story the other day on the First Dog, Bo. The result of a much-publicized campaign promise that was actually pretty sweet, Bo is a Portuguese Water Dog and right now a very cute little ball of fluff. He is also the star of a new children's book, "Commander in Leash," about his adventures in the White House. 

I have a special place in my heart for "underdogs" (sorry, I had to) of the four-legged persuasion. Perhaps that part of my reason for adoring pit bulls. But heraldnet.com had a story on Smiley the dog, who looks to have a little pit bull in him, and his narrow escape from death after ending up in a shelter and unplaced after a bitter custody battle. Happily, he was transferred to a new shelter and is now being trained for adoption. 

The last two articles are more on the reunion front. In Florida, according to nbc-2.com, Monte, a 10 year-old, blind Golden Retriever somehow got out of his house without his collar. The dog was devoted to his 23 year-old owner while the young man was recovering from a bad car accident. Luckily a network of strangers stepped in to bring the dog home to his boy. 

Newsok.com reports on the "dognapping" and subsequent return of Pumpkin the Chow. Trapped in a car, Pumpkin was snatched when the car was stolen. Pumpkin's owners paid the ransom (yes, someone did demand ransom for the dog and not the car), but the dognapper never told the owners where the dog was. Pumpkin's new owners called the old ones after seeing Pumpkin's picture in the paper and returned the dog voluntarily. 

(Photo credit: newsok.com/The Oklahoman)

Okay, so I dislike Simon Cowell a little less this morning...

This blog has helped me have a more positive attitude in general, but I discovered this morning I'm still fighting with a cynicism I developed when I moved to a city for the first time. I have heard about Sally Boyle, the woman who sang on Britain's Got Talent last week. I saw all the video links to her performance, but I never clicked on them because I figured they would have a mean tone to them, especially since Yahoo! had a teaser that highlighted she was 47 and had never been kissed. But my friend Katie sent me a YouTube clip of the performance and the judges' reaction with the subject line "Watch this and I DARE you to tell me it didn't brighten your day". 

So I figured I'd click on this one. And I would be lying if I said it didn't brighten my morning. Yes, it starts out a little embarrassing for the woman, but by the end, you just feel so happy for her. 

And while I'm on video clips that made me warm and fuzzy, I have to include the following story from FoxNews in Detroit, Mich. Normally I don't like FoxNews since I lean in the other direction politically, and I have not seen much good news coming out of Detroit since the recession started. But this report about the return of two stolen pomeranians to their five year-old owner is great. You have to play the clip to see his absolutely precious smile. 

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Sorry... I just kinda had to...

More immediate good news...

So lately it seems like I've been surrounded by people who've had good things happen to them. That's fun for me because I get to see how happy they are and help them celebrate. Recently, one of my co-workers announced she is pregnant and another got married. Then this morning I received a phone call from a college friend who told me she is pregnant. Weddings and babies, who doesn't love that? : ) 

Two men in the Boston area are being hailed as heroes after they caught a toddler who fell three stories out of her house in Lawrence last night, the Boston Herald reported. Toys flying out of the window attracted the first man's attention, and that man's screams brought a second one out of a Bible study. 

Most of the stories I find involve people helping people. Which is great - especially right now when a sense of community is vital. But this next story from greatpetnet.com involves the "Mother Theresa of Dogs" and I think it's fantastic. I've heard that you need to treat animals as animals; they do not have human feelings and thoughts. But Jasmine the greyhound is one of those cases that simply has to be an exception.

The Environment News Service reports on President Obama signing the Omnibus Public Lands Management Act of 2009 into law yesterday. The legislation contains 164 separate bills, but the one that stands out is the piece that will protect two million acres of wilderness in nine states and a 1000 miles of rivers - a 50 percent increase in the wild and scenic riverway system. Interior Secretary Ken Salazar had a great quote that's buried near the end of the story - "... for America's national character - our optimism, our dreams, our shared stories - are rooted in our landscapes."

Sometimes when big corporations do giveaways, particularly freebies, people look for the hidden catch. It just seems to be that you can never trust a big company to do something totally for a little guy. CBS News highlighted several businesses who have discovered doing the right thing can pay big dividends.

heart-warm-ing: adj. Causing gladness and tender feelings: a heartwarming tale

I love reading these stories every morning because they put me in a better, happier frame of mind. Today's articles had a little something extra that went beyond simple enjoyment. Good news brings momentary cheer, but heartwarming stories make you feel a little better about society and life in general.

I'm not entirely sure how this ended up in the Singapore Enquirer, but it mentioned people who are being called "recession angels." The story starts off with a man who is a nice reminder that those at the tops of banks and corporations aren't all greedy, horrible people. After selling his bank, he gave $60 million of the profit in bonuses to current and former staffers at all levels. 

It's always nice when a community pulls together and not just to help people dig out from a tornado or some other large-scale problem. In Canada, a loosely bound group of strangers in neighboring towns worked together to help one couple with a baby on the way find their dearly loved pooch who took off chasing a rabbit. (Edmonton Journal)

The Iraq war has been going on for over five years now, and you hear all about the big conflicts and battlefield success stories. But sometimes the everyday life back in the US for soldiers' families gets lost. You forget these people have more to their lives than picking up a gun and patrolling hostile countries. WOWK 13 News in Hungtington, W.Va. reported on a simple wish coming true: a 3 year-old soldier's son wished for his daddy to pick him up from school. 

Sometimes the justice system in this country can seem a little unjust. Laws are in place to protect us, but sometimes they have unintended consequences for those who are just trying to do the right thing. The Orlando Sentinel reported on a happy ending for a grandmother who had tried repeatedly to get custody of her great-grandson only to be denied by the Florida courts. 

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Hello, hello. Happy St. Paddy's Day to you all. : ) Since it is that lovely American-Irish holiday that everyone uses as an excuse to get blitzed, I've granted myself permission to use a terrible play on words to start this post instead.

This story about a lay missionary nurse who travels all over the world to help those in need even while holding down a home with a husband and children in Galway certainly makes Irish eyes smile (Boston Globe). My other Irish story I found today isn't specifically positive so much as it's a continued step in the right direction. When I studied abroad in Ireland in 2003, I got a good look at the Northern Irish peace process and the dynamic between the two groups there. The Boston Globe had a story this morning about Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams calling for an open dialogue and continued unity in the face of militants trying to rip apart the peace process. 

On a slightly related note, it turns out there is another holiday in Boston today. People from home make fun of me for Patriot's Day, saying it's just a day we get off so we can drink and watch the Boston Marathon. But today's holiday is even more esoteric than Marathon Monday, in that only Suffolk County in all of Massachusetts', like, 30 counties celebrates it. Today is Evacuation Day. Yep, who could forget that? Liquor stores, state agencies, schools and libraries are all closed to celebrate the day Revolutionary soldiers hauled 50 cannon up a hill and drove the British out of Boston. Yeah, I'd never heard of it either, and I've lived her for seven years (Boston Globe).

Here's one for the "you're not going to believe this" files. As Yahoo! Sports reports, a 62-year old novice golfer hit a hole-in-one on her first-ever swing. The kicker was she didn't realize not every golfer does it, even while her golf pro was jumping up and down next to her.

Turns out those Harvard kids are as smart as they're supposed to be. Business school students devised a contest to encourage the use of non-disposable containers and a way to measure usage and reward those teams that were the most green. Who says MIT has a monopoly on experiments? (Harbus.com)

This last one is a nice-feel good story to end on. As reported in the Chicago Tribune, Bashur was a seeming mutt rescued from an Iraqi roadside and shipped home to a father from a paratrooper son. A coincidence helped the father learn a little more about the "mutt" who found a new home in America. 

I will leave you with one final thought...

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