dog crap

I live on a street with quite a bit of foot traffic. There are alot of people walking their dogs around here. Consequently I am often finding dog crap in my front yard or the sidewalk in front of my house. Last week I found a small mountain right by my front door. I had no idea there was a horse in the neighbourhood.

I think there should be a better law. Forget the fine.....people who don't scoop should be forced to eat it. Cruel and unusual...maybe?....but don't do the crime if you can't do the time.

I often wait and watch, hoping to catch someone in the act. I have decided that I will either grab and throw it at them screaming "You forgot THIS!!!" or I will just follow them to their home. Then return later and smear their house and car windows with their gift, leaving them a note so they know exactly why their mailbox is full of crap.

Happy Thought #1

You cannot save a life....only postpone a death.

Letter to the Editor - May 2001

Back in May 2001 our local (Thunder Bay, Ontario) District Jail went smoke free. The following letter to the editor appeared in the local paper (Chronicle Journal):

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Inmates at the District Jail, don't forget who runs the institution. You do - like cleaning, food preperation, laundry, etc. In short, without your co-operation, the jail would fold.

If there are non-smokers in the jail, I'm sure we can accomodate them in a non-smoking range designed strictly for the cause. The benefits of smokers being allowed to smoke would far surpass the consequences of banning smoking.

I'm an ex-inmate from the District Jail. While there, I and four other inmates had to make a stand in order to be heard. Unfortunately, we grabbed all the guards hostage and yes, we had our demands heard.

I'm not suggesting a hostage incident, in fact, I'm totally against it.

All the inmates must unite for the cause. There will be repercussions but we have to stand up and maintain the strength of our convictions. Many men have died or shed their blood for the causes.

Don't ever think that what little you have today was because Correctional Services Canada wanted to give it to you.

If you allow the administration to take away the little luxury of smoking, what will they take next?

Trying to stop the inmates' actions by threatening their medication is horrendous, cruel and unusual. People do have the right to strike and the jail has no right to threaten their actions.

In closing, my family has over 150 years in provincial and federal prisons. We all did our time and shed our blood for the cause. In fact, I had one who was "found hanging" in Prince Albert Prison back in 1979.

Don't let the C.S.C. take awy any more than they have already because they'll take everything they can in the name of safety or security.

Unite or lie down and die.

If you want a layer to fight for your causes, money talks.
-James Hogan
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I responded with my own letter:
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Inmates can't smoke in jail. Tough luck. It's not a pleaure cruise. In other words: "if you can't do the time, don't do the crime".

Mr. Hogan suggests that the inmates go on strike. He figures that the prisoners run the institution. He feels that if they don't do the cleaning, food preperation and laundry the jail will "fold".

This is not the case. If the inmates refuse to do the work they will be sitting in their dirty cells wearing dirty clothes and starving. It would be their choice.

Mr. Hogan also states that his family has spent 150 years in federal and provincial prisons. That's some badge of honour. Sounds like a family of winners to me. I just he doesn't have any children to carry on the "family tradition". If not, let me be the first to sign the petition to have him "fixed".
- Tony Gallo

this weekend?

I occasionally respond to letters to the editor in my local paper with letters of my own. I like to add a touch of sarcasm and sometime even take digs at folks unrelated to the topic at hand. My friend and coworker Robin Harbron suggested that I post my past letters as well as new ones as I write them. So I will be doing that periodically. I'll probably throw one up here this weekend.

Speaking of this weekend. "This weekend" on a Monday usually refers to the weekend that just ended while "this weekend" on a Friday usually refers to the upcoming weekend. When (do you feel) this crossover takes place? Wednesday at noon feels like the fair time for this to happen. However I think it happens around 2:34am Wednesday morning. By the time you get to work Wednesday morning "this weekend" is the upcoming weekend. Any thoughts?

chocolaty chips?

I was eating Nestle Parlour Ice Cream (Heavenly Hash) the other day and noticed the ingredients listed "chocolaty chips". To me "chocolaty" says "much like chocolate but legally we cannot call it such".

I did find it listed in Dreyer's ice cream as well:
http://www.dreyers.com/brand/grand/flavor.asp?b=133&f=1590

First Blog Post

Well this is my first blog post.....more of a test post I suppose. I will be posting here whenever the urge moves me to do so. Until then.....