In Memory of Alex

Macaw Foils Pet Store Robbers

Boston, MA - Burglars thought they had an easy score after smashing the front window of a pet store, however they found out shortly afterwards the store wasn't empty. The intruders quickly fled the store when they heard a voice screaming for Rhonda.

Turns out, it was a blue-and-gold macaw named Merlin. "When he hears someone come into the building, or the puppies get riled up or whatever, he'll start calling for Rhonda, who is the woman who used to own him," Store manager Lori Oltman reported.

The crooks efforts were not in complete vain, they did mange to make off with fifteen dollars in change.

Election Fatigue

I wonder sometimes if the purpose of the election media coverage is to turn people off from participating in the process altogether.

Take your dog to work day

Dog Digs Up Dead Cat Companion, Returns Him to Basket

Wigan: After a friendship that extended to sharing a basket, a dog named Oscar has shown he was not content to let the grave separate him from his feline companion Arthur.

Arthur died at the age of 17 and was buried in the back yard of his owners. During the night Oscar dug Arthur up, cleaned him up, and carried him to the basket they had shared. The two were found together in the basket the next morning.

Arthur has been reburied in a grave that is much more likely to let him rest in peace and Oscar has a new companion - a kitten called Limpet. According to owner Mavis Bell Oscar is already very protective of his new friend.

Shortnews

Thanks to Dr. Zaius for pointing this out.

Hilary Clinton Wins New Hampshire Primary

Hilary Clinton wins the New Hampshire Primary much to her surprise. With 99 percent of precincts reporting, Clinton leads Obama 39 to 36 percent. The full results can be found here

Dogs change your life

Pooped

The little dog is pooped! She had a week of sleeping, eating, and chasing squirrels. She just going to sit down, relax, and read a good book.

Happy New Year

Smell of wet dog. Nothing quite like it. At least she's not muddy! She so loves to roll in wet grass and snow. Few things, other than chasing squirrels, give her as much pleasure.

Sunsets

We've had some great sunsets recently. These are from a few weeks ago, just before Christmas.

Oh Xmas Tree

For those who care, here's our tree for this year. Its a bit too red, white and blue. Next year we need to get some warmer colors. Otherwise I think it turned out nice.

Saint Nicholas of Myra is the main inspiration for the Christian figure of Santa Claus. He was a 4th century Christian bishop in Lycia, now in Turkey. Nicholas was famous for his gifts to the poor, in particular giving dowries to three impoverished daughters of a pious Christian so they would not have to become prostitutes...

Numerous parallels have been drawn between Santa Claus and the figure of Odin, a major god among the Germanic Peoples prior to their Christianization...

Odin was celebrated at the native Germanic holiday of Yule and was depicted as a mysterious old man with a beard. Children would place their boots, filled with carrots or straw, near the chimney for Odin's flying horse, Sleipnir. Odin would then replace Sleipnir's food with gifts.