Guard Dog

I'm starting to realize I'll be out of a job soon. with just two projects remaining and four months on my contract it's about time to update the ol' résumé and reset my Linkdin password.

Much as I'd like to vote Russians just to stick a finger in Oby's eye, the time I spent living in South Florida gave me a really negative opinion of the French. For some reason Miami is a popular tourist spot for them. Fat, arrogant, pasty white old men have no business walking into a bar wearing nothing but flip flops & a speedo. At least I think it was a speedo. With that belly hanging over it was hard to tell. Of course, they could have been Canadians too I guess.

You gotta love Nawlins

Now reading All the Light We Cannot See. Just started it but so far it's pretty engrossing.

That's a big variety of stuff. All the world in one flea market.

I went fishing with the dogs all day today. It was awesome. I caught 3 river bream, turned them all loose. I fell asleep for a while too. Sort of a Huck Finn kind of day.

FONV, this time I'm on Mr. House's side. I've already tried Caesar, NCR, and just taking over myself.

For a chain restaurant Saltgrass is pretty good. I believe you said you were going through Abilene, if you see a Texas Land & Cattle on they way it's worth a stop. Saltgrass has nothing on them.

Well if anyone is wondering WTF happened to the Rays this year, hows this: Most runners LOB in the majors, leading the AL in most DPs against, highest OBP against lead off hitters in the MLB and 3rd highest oAVG on hitters with 2 outs. Only the Astros & Rockies were worse on that one. Did anyone else get that sense of finality from David Price's last start against the Pirates on Wednesday? I'm betting his next start will be in San Francisco.

Motorized or Calax powered? Inquiring minds want to know!

Injuries, underperforming pitchers, no hitting. It's just a perfect storm of crappiness.

Hurlshot's US Tour 2014: He goes on vacation so you don't have to!

I stand corrected. But back bone certainly is no requirement for politicians. In fact few successful ones possess one at all.

Does this make anyone else feel old? Congrats Krook! ... And I'm sadly still in school v.v I should be done in december though but what I'm going to do after I have not a clue. That's not helping Calax! I Remember YOU as a HS kid too! As for what you are going to do how's this career path for a political science major: you wind working as a paid staffer for a State Rep back home in California (democrat of course). He'll get elected to Congress and take you along. Next thing you know he moves on to the Senate and you are running for his seat, and you win. You are full of ideals about how government can help people. Then 10 years go by. You're filthy rich because you've been taking bribes the whole time and stealing from taxpayers. You've been banging on of your 19 year old staffers but that's ok because your wife despises you now anyway and is spending your money as fast as you can steal it. Finally you move on from the 19 year old to an even hotter 20 year old that was answering phones during your last campaign. The 19 year old gets pissed and goes to the Washington Post with details of your affair and your financial dealings. It's a huge scandal but the House Majority Leader refuses to investigate because you are the same party as they are. But your constituents vote you out of office anyway and your wife divorces you. But that's ok because you were stealing taxpayer money from slush funds and hiding it off shore and it makes a nice supplement to your $200k post-elected office lobbyist job convincing congress to cut down the Redwood National Forest. Proving that politics is a hideous bitch-goddess that turns good people into bad ones and idealists into hypocrites! I'm joking of course. But given your education and intelligence why don't you consider politics? It beats working for a living!

Wow, TG was far too young.

Does this make anyone else feel old? Congrats Krook!

That's a nice story. Can you share what game you train them with and also isn't Sunny too old to be trained? I thought you had to train a dog from the puppy stage or the training isn't effective so I am keen to understand how you train your dogs. Sunny is between 2-5 but you can train a dog at any age. You CAN teach and old dog new tricks! But I'm not teaching her anything complex. We're starting with leash etiquette and basic obedience. Once she has that we'll move on to teaching her how to behave off leash. I can take Tommy anywhere with no leash and he won't leave my side or wander off. That is just learned behavior. That's all. You make it a game by making it seem fun to you. Remember they are watching you and pick up on EVERYTHING. Smile, praise, play tug with a toy or give a little treat when they do the right thing. Ignore them when they do the wrong thing. That's all there is to it really. Reward the desired action and ignore the rest. For off leash training I use a 15' lead with a thin choke chain around her neck. Then I wrap the leash around my waist so she will see it is not in my hands. Then I just walk without making eye contact with her. When she heels I slip here a little treat. When she wanders off the chain tightens and there is the correction. But it is important that I show no reaction when that happens. It lets her know following me is the right thing to do. I usually work with her for 15 minutes or so twice a day then we play ball or Frisbee or something else fun. The key is for the whole experience to be positive for her. That's how I've always done it and it's worked really well.

I started Sunnys training today. I had to leave Tommy in the house so she wouldn't be distracted. So far she's eating it up but I make a game of it so dogs usually respond well to that.

That was bound to happen sooner or later.

What? I thought we were a writer! Booze and writing go hand in hand, just ask Joyce, Hemingway, Vonnegut, I could go on all night! Besides, Wild Turkey is so harsh and flavorless. You should try some single barrel small batch bourbons like 4 Roses or Woodbridge.

The Dutch have been waiting 4 years for that whooping. Plus isn't is sweet to defeat a country they have historical bad blood with? Yeah I know that was centuries ago but still. Kansas and Missouri college games are still a big deal here for that very reason.

I'm no fan of the Heat but you have to admit, appearing in for straight finals and winning two of them is nothing to be ashamed of.

Not the biggest mistake of all but still a mistake was not breaking Iraq up into different countries once the fighting was finished. The entire nation itself was an artificial construct of the post WWI peace and has only been held together by brute force. First the British, then Hussien. The flaw in the US thinking was that Kurds, Sunnis & Shias would all be able to live together in the magical land of republican democracy where they would share power and be nice to each other. Not act like savages. Because, there are so many examples around the world where that is happening right?

Thank you everyone! I know I said I'd never get married again but it just goes to show... Never say never.