Thor’s Hall

Political satire and editorializing through cartoons is a tradition that goes back a very long time.  We see it is alive and well in 21rst Century America as well.  While some of the work is very biased and is really providing a viewpoint that is centric to the imaging there are some that transcend the message.  It really doesn’t matter who you are, or what you political opinion is the artist manages to strike a chord that is plain funny.  Here is one of those images.

I really can’t stop chuckling every time I see this.

You know that whole best friend, worst enemy saying that hangs around Marines.  Well, it looks like that attitude never goes away and I am really glad about that.

SANTA ROSA – A boy in his mid-teens learned Wednesday afternoon that it is not a good idea to try to rob a former U.S. Marine at knifepoint, even if the former Marine is 84 years old, police said today.

Santa Rosa police Sgt. Steve Bair said that’s what happened around 2 p.m. in the 1600 block of Fourth Street. The elderly man was walking with a grocery bag in each arm when the boy approached him with a large knife, Bair said.

The boy said, “Old man, give me your wallet or I’ll cut you,” Bair said. The man told the boy he was a former Marine who fought in three wars and had been threatened with knives and bayonets, Bair said.

The man then put his bags on the ground and told the boy that if he stepped closer he would be sorry. When the boy stepped closer, the man kicked him in the groin, knocking him to the sidewalk, Bair said. The ex-Marine picked up his grocery bags and walked home, leaving the boy doubled over, Bair said.

The man reported the attempted robbery to police 45 minutes later.

This one has been floating around out there for a few days.  I would like to think that this is true.

Nothing deep and meaningful in this post. Just need to vent a little bit as I am really depressed about my dog’s (Tasha’s) deterioration.

Tasha is over fourteen years old, and a black Lab. She is not a show dog, not a breeding dog just my friend. We got her from a breeder halfway across the country that was a family friend of a colleague. Reputable, champion dogs, all that good stuff and she has been with us a long time now. When I picked her up after a plane ride across the country (14 yrs, and 2 months ago) she sat in the car next to me howling for her siblings and the farm. A bath, and a few hours on the floor with her curled up next to me and she became an integral member of the family. A year or so later we got a second lab to round out the clan. His life’s path was shorter than Tasha’s but no less joyful. The decision time with him was not this hard.

Given Tasha’s age I think I have known that this day would come sooner than later but she has deteriorated rapidly over the last couple of weeks, and days. She is not able to walk without pain, she is incontinent and her quality of life has been drastically reduced as has that of those around her.

The kids don’t really understand (they are all 6 and under). Tasha will be the fourth pet that we have had euthanised in the oldest one’s lifetime. I knew that this would happen, and I know that it is the right thing to do under the circumstances too. It just isn’t easy to know when. Is there anything reasonable left in the veterinary arsenal to try or are we really at the decision point?

Personally, I think we are to the point where the pain cannot be controlled. She cannot keep her legs under her sitting or standing. Yet a week ago she was playing and running (as best she could) with the rest of our canine pack.

Damn it, why do I become so damn attached to my pets? Why can’t they just pass easily in their sleep, overnight?

The doc just changed her meds around. Not sure if we will be able to control things any better or not. If we can, we’ll have to evaluate her quality of life. If she is not able to get around the house, and around the yard I know what the decision has to be. I am ready to make that call. I just need to know that we are at the end of the road when I do. I just need to give the meds sometime to work some magic, or not.

I am going to be relatively rude here and keep the comments closed. I am sure that everyone has wonderful thoughts and comments but right now I will not enjoy them.

UPDATE: 22 May – She stuck with us for a while longer. But today was Tasha’s last living day on this planet. We’ll meet again old girl, it will be a while yet but I will see you on the other side.