Today, several friends sent me this link to a New York Times piece on Asian “fighting” dogs. I put “fighting” in quotes because the practice of testing wolf-guarding flock dogs, non-lethally, is an ancient one in Asia, pre-dating the mostly Islamic societies that now practice it, and is more akin to wrestling than fighting. The …
Around the Web…
… first, then a bit more. Some new work completed to deadline– more about it when accepted. And maybe it is time to announce that there is a book contract in play. Or maybe I’m crazy to even mention it, since it has been in negotiation since September with no resolution (I will NOT answer …
Around the Web
I am deep in writing a (paid!) piece on among other things the help dogs gave to Clovis man in his invasion of North America, so will still be posting lightly. But there are some things out there you should see. Blog wonkery: we are now on “New” Blogger. I (miraculously) have not had much …
Letter from Istanbul
Our foreign correspondent, Phillip Grayson (a Magdalenian, I say with pride) is finally settled in Istanbul and sends a letter on the Hrant Dink matter. Dink was an ethnic Armenian and a liberal in the best and true sense. He insisted on his Turkish as well as his Armenian identity and was no mere spokesman …
Riding High
This picture of Lauren age 13 and Travis age 9 on Connie’s mare Squirt was taken just off of our front porch in Tehachapi. It’s one of my favorite family pictures.I was reminded of this by Heidi’s post about horses and her family. Of course, I said before there have been other horsemen in my …
Old Drum
I was thinking about my unsuccessful hunt on Sunday, and how totally unaffected by my failure was my dog Rina. She was just as happy at the end of the hunt as she was at the beginning, and was still busy finding birds long after my hawk had given up trying to catch them. I …
Winner
…..of the January odd-ball band name contest. Salt Martians?
Glimpse of the Future
Have Toyota Prius taxi-cabs made it to your town yet? This is the first one I’ve seen here. Actually, my previous general observation about taxis in this town has been what a high percentage here are made by Mercedes-Benz.
More Public Art
Last Fall I posted on some unusual sidewalk art that we sometimes see here in town, but I was taken aback at this inflatable, multi-tentacled, organic-looking thing installed on the top of an art gallery downtown. I suppose it might have been put up in honor of the annual Santa Barbara Film Festival that had …
Letter To a Friend
Like catch-and-release fly fishing, there is such a thing as catch-and-release falconry. It is not so widespread a practice among falconers as it is among anglers, but its practitioners espouse many of the same arguments in support of it. For what it’s worth, I strongly disapprove. This week I received a very cordial letter (actual …