Two more dogs die...reward up to $18K

2 pit bulls added to grisly count

Tips keep investigators busy around the clock in case of 9 slain dogs

BY TRACY DAVIS, Ann Arbor News Staff Reporter

Two more young adult pit bulls were found dead north of Ypsilanti on Monday afternoon, and animal cruelty officials said they expect they haven't reached the end of the grim discoveries that began two weeks ago.

The two dogs, found along Clark Road and MacArthur Boulevard, bring the total number of slain dogs to nine. Unlike the first four dogs discovered along roadsides in rural parts of Superior Township, these two dogs were not decapitated and the cause of death is unclear.

Like the other dogs, these two appeared to have been dead for a couple of weeks, investigators said, but they do not believe that the dogs were all dumped at the same time, given that they have been scattered across a three-mile radius in Superior Township.

Meanwhile, the reward for information leading to an arrest in the case has been upped to $18,000, thanks to donations from people in the area.

Update on the dog murders

The Humane Society of Huron Valley is now offering $12,000 for information leading to the arrest of the person or people involved in the killings of seven dogs found recently in Washtenaw County. If you have a tip, call 734-662-5585, ext. 127, anytime and ask for Julie Curtis, investigator.

This enrages me

Another dog found beheaded
Humane society raises reward offer to $5,000 - BY TRACY DAVIS AND AMALIE NASH
Ann Arbor News Staff Reporters

Another decapitated dog was found in Superior Township on Wednesday, and the reward for the information leading to an arrest in the case has been upped to more than $5,000, officials with the Humane Society of Huron Valley said today.

The 40-pound female terrier mix was found lying in a ditch near Gotfredson and Vreeland roads in eastern Superior Township. Officials were alerted by a caller after news came out Wednesday of a Rottweiler found decapitated with its feet bound.

Julie Curtis, animal cruelty investigator for the humane society, said the terrier mix, clearly a family pet, fit the pattern of dead animals dumped in the area since January.

Tanya Hilgendorf, executive director of the humane society, said the second dog's body was found about two miles from where the Rottweiler was located.

Hilgendorf said humane society officials are pledging to do everything they can to stop the killings of family pets. She said the society received more than 100 calls about the case Wednesday - including tips, offers of donations to support the investigation and concerns from residents about allowing their pets outside in that area.

The humane society announced a $500 reward Tuesday, and private donations had pushed that figure to more than $5,000 by this morning.

"Obviously we're very troubled and saddened by the pain and suffering these animals are going through and the brutality of the acts,'' Hilgendorf said.

The humane society has responded to four other calls since January, but the two latest findings are the only ones where a pet was involved. In the other cases, skinned and decapitated wild animals were found in trash receptacles and alongside the roads.

The female Rottweiler was found last week alongside five skinned coyote carcasses at Harris and Geddes roads, the same location where seven other skinned wild animals have been found since January. A dead deer was lying near the terrier mix, Curtis said, but the deer carcass was so old it was impossible to tell whether it had been trapped.

Curtis said the terrier mix died two to three weeks ago. Unlike the Rottweiler, the dog's feet were not bound by duct tape.

"It was in great health, it actually would have been a little overweight,'' she said. "Clearly, again, a family dog.''

Officials said the wild animals were likely caught in snare traps and skinned by part-time trappers who sell the furs to make clothes and other items. Trapping season for those wild animals runs Oct. 15 to March 1. Curtis said the dogs may have been accidentally caught in the traps, but it was impossible to see telltale marks on the dogs' necks because they were decapitated.

Curtis said it is unclear whether the dogs were alive when they were decapitated, or whether they had already died. She said older snare traps tighten so much the animal chokes to death within minutes, while newer ones do not.

Neither dog had identification, and owners have not been found, Curtis said. The fact that their heads are missing has made identifying the pets even harder, Hilgendorf said.

Mutilating and killing a domesticated animal is a felony punishable by up to four years in prison.

Anyone with information on who is responsible for killing the pets is asked to call Curtis at 734-662-5585, ext. 112. Humane Society of Huron Valley website: www.hshv.org

Why cats are afraid of water - story

This is something I would like to have published someday as a children's book. Anyway, let me know what you think. - S
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WHY CATS ARE AFRAID OF WATER (As told to Katie, by Grandma)

One day Katie asked Grandma, who is the smartest person she knew, why her cat was afraid of water. So Grandma began:

A long time ago, in Egypt, the Queen Cleopatra ruled the land. She also owned all the cats in the world, and they lived with her in her palace on the River Nile.

Cleopatra loved her cats dearly, so she was afraid to let them out of the palace for fear they might get hurt or lost. The cats loved her too, but they always sat at the windows looking out, waiting for the day when they might be able to get out into the world and explore it for themselves. (This is why cats like to look out windows to this day.) They especially were curious about the River Nile and what was in it.

One day Cleopatra met a young man, and they decided to get married, so Cleopatra began planning her wedding. She was so busy choosing her dress and picking out what flowers she would like and what music there would be that she didn’t have time to play with her beloved cats at all.

The cats didn’t understand what a wedding was, so they didn’t know what was going on. The cats just knew that strange people were coming in and out of the palace all the time, and that Cleopatra wasn’t around much for them to play with. They were very sad, because they missed the cat games they used to play with Cleopatra. They started sleeping a lot, and playing by themselves, because they thought that she didn’t love them anymore. (This is why cats sleep so much and play by themselves to this day). But sleeping and playing alone was boring after a while, so they decided to do something about it.

The day before the wedding, the cats had a council. The oldest cat, Nefertiti, took charge of the meeting.

“Okay, everyone, settle down,” she said. “Now, we all would like to explore outside the palace, right?”

“Right,” said the cats.

“Okay, this is the plan. We will wait in the kitchen, and when the kitchen door opens, as many as can fit through the door will run out. Each time the door opens, a few more of you run out.”

One of the cats, Anthony, raised his paw with a question.

“Yes, Anthony?” said Nefertiti.

“Where are we running to once we’re outside?” he asked.

“We are going to the River Nile, of course, to explore what is in it,” said Nefertiti. “So run down the steps and go right to the river. Wait for all the cats to arrive, and we will all play together!” The cats meowed and meowed with happiness. They were finally going to find out what was outside the palace!

That night, the cats went to the kitchen to wait for the door to open. Sure enough, after just a few minutes, one of the cooks, who had armloads of bread for the next day’s feast, opened the door. Because she had so much in her hands she could not shut the door quickly, so all of the cats ran out together. The cook screamed in surprise and threw the bread all over the kitchen. She ran to catch the cats, but it was too late - they were already to the edge of the River Nile.

At the edge of the river, Anthony called the cats together. “I would like to say that because Nefertiti’s plan worked so well, that she should be the first to touch the river.” The cats all agreed, so Nefertiti went to the edge of the water and touched it.

It was very cold, and had a funny way of sticking to her paw. It made her paw darker, and when the wind blew against it, it felt even colder. She decided to lick it, and it tasted very good. (To this day, cats lick their paws often, trying to taste the River Nile again.)

Nefertiti then said, “Everyone, the River Nile is safe! Let’s play!”

The cats meowed with excitement and some ran into the river to swim. However, when they swam out far enough, the fish who lived in the river started biting their paws and tails, and they were afraid. They all ran away from the river, and to this day, that is why cats don’t like water. (This is also why cats like to eat fish, because they were so mad at the fish who bit them in the River Nile.)

“Why Cats Are Afraid of Water (As told to Katie, by Grandma)” -- Copyright 1996

Posting for this weekend

ESCAPE WITH CHOCOLATE

When she looked up from the rolltop desk where she sat writing yet another thank you note, she saw that the rain had finally stopped. Maybe we will get some sun today after all, Sally thought. Bending her head parallel to the smooth surface of the desk again, she wrote four more notes but could not write anymore because of the noise in the kitchen.

She entered the kitchen to see her daughter-in-law, Ellen, perched on a stool by the telephone, crying into a black lace shawl she'd bought for the occasion. Hearing her mother-in-law enter, Ellen looked up with disdain. Roger, Ellen's husband, who'd been left practically everything in the will, laid a comforting arm on Ellen's shoulder as he said, "Really, mother, I can't believe you're wearing that dress today."

Sally lifted her chin and replied, "For your information, this was your father's favorite dress and I wear it for him today, not anyone else." Then she went to the refrigerator for a frozen Hershey bar with almonds. Unwrapping it hastily and taking a crunchy bite, she said with her mouth full, "Your dad loved purple flowers." (The truth was that the dress was now one of the only pieces of clothing she owned, and her late husband didn't have any idea what her wardrobe consisted of, much less did he have a favorite. But her children never did know much about their relationship, so the lie was safe.) This morning she'd packed all the clothing Frank ever bought her - all the housedresses, especially that blue and brown one - into a grocery sack for the Goodwill. She moved her favorites - the yellow, purple and fuschia dresses that Frank had refused to let her wear after she'd had the babies - to the front of the closet again. She also threw away all but one pair of shoes - the yellow, purple and fuschia ones with the gold heels - for going to town. Otherwise she'd go barefoot.

Ellen, though she looked as if she might throw up on the linoleum, defended her mother-in-law, as she had for the past two days. "Oh, leave her alone, Roger. Sally can wear anything she darn well wants to."

With a nod to Ellen, Sally took another large defiant bite of her candy bar, and walked out to the front porch. She smiled as she heard Roger sigh in the kitchen.

She leaned on the porch railing, remembering the day she'd convinced Frank to move out to the "hills," as he called the area. It had taken some work even to get him out to see the house, because he said the dusty gravel road would scratch his car's paint.

Her favorite part of the house, the front porch, looked east over a lush, rolling countryside, and seeing it you'd hardly know there was a highway less than two miles west. The green, gentle slopes stretching almost to the horizon reminded her of England, especially in the spring when the wildflowers bloomed. The rest of the time, there were just weeds. It was so glorious to see the sunrise every morning...each day it was different; sometimes orange, sometimes red, some days it rose faster than others. But it was there every day, ready to be kind to Sally, comforting, telling her it would return for another secret rendezvous tomorrow. Even when an early translucent fog obscured her view of the horizon she sensed its sympathy. It calmed her, preparing her for the long day ahead. Frank never watched the sunrise with her.

She looked over the porch railing at the lawn, which came right up against the porch. He'd always insisted on that. Now she mapped out in her head a walking garden with flowering bushes and fruit trees. Maybe she'd even call that landscaping service to put in stone paths and hybrid roses.

Finished with her candy bar, she wadded up the foil and paper and played with the stiff ball, tossing it from palm to palm. After everyone left tomorrow she'd plant tulips and pansies by the front steps, and paint the mailbox orange, while wearing her yellow striped dress. Nodding to herself and smiling, she could feel the warmth of the early afternoon sun, which had finally come out from behind the clouds. Yes, definitely the yellow dress for gardening.

More poetry

Here are a couple more poems, ones I like especially. Enjoy. -S

Breakup poem:

Back In Michigan

Back then - back there

You loved me

Cried over me even

Now you are over those hills

Out of mind

You know who you are

Back then - back there

You smiled at those people talking

Laughed with your squinty moon eyes, even

Now you are in the movie theatre

Out of sight

You know who you are

Back then - back there

You made cheap fun

Tried to dance even

Now you are down the street with my twin

Out of sight and mind

You don’t know me anymore.

9/92

Observation poem:

School Bus Leaving

As I drive behind

The big yellow bus

Its windy wake

Shakes the last brown leaves from the trees

A storm of crispy flutterings

Ashes

Scatter in pursuit of learning

Round yellow rooftop

Bends branches forward

Forcing them to

Give up the final coverings

Scraps of deer-colored rags flying

Landing

A carpet for the following car

se

10/29/01

One of the funniest raps I've seen

Although I don't watch SNL as much as I used to, I caught this one weekend and it just about made me pee. Two white guys rapping about going to the movies on the weekend. Enjoy!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
An SNL Digital Short by .....Andy Samberg and .....Chris Parnell

Andy Samberg: Lazy Sunday, wake up in the late afternoon, Call up Parnell just to see how he’s doin’.
Chris Parnell: Hello?
Andy Samberg: What up Parnz?
Chris Parnell: Yo Samberg, what’s crackin’?
Andy Samberg: You thinkin’ what I’m thinkin’?
Both: NARNIA!
Andy Samberg: Then it’s happ’nin’.
Chris Parnell: But first my hunger pangs are stickin’ like duct tape!
Andy Samberg: Then let’s hit up Magnolia, and mack on some cupcakes!
Chris Parnell: No doubt that bakery’s got all the raw frosting.
Andy Samberg: I love those cupcakes like Madame loves Gosling!
Chris Parnell: Two!
Andy Samberg: No, six!
Chris Parnell: No, twelve!
Both: Baker’s Dozen!
Andy Samberg: Yo, I told you that I’m crazy for these cupcakes, cousin!
Chris Parnell: Yo, where’s the movie, playa?
Andy Samberg: On the west side, dude!
Chris Parnell: Well, let’s hit up Yahoo! Maps to find the dopest route.
Andy Samberg: I prefer MapQuest!
Chris Parnell: That’s a good one, too!
Andy Samberg: Google Maps is the best!
Chris Parnell: True dat!
Both: Double true!
Andy Samberg: 68th and Broadway!
Chris Parnell: Step on it, sucka!
Andy Samberg: What you wanna do, Chris?
Chris Parnell: Snack attack, muthaf-----!

Both: The Chronic- What? -Cles of Narnia!
Yes the Chronic- What? -Cles of Narnia!
We love the Chronic- What? -Cles of Narnia!
Pass the Chronic- What? -Cles of Narnia!

Andy Samberg: Yo stop at the deli, the theatre’s overpriced!
Chris Parnell: You got the backpack?
Andy Samberg: Gotta pack it up nice!
Chris Parnell: Don’t want security to get suspicious!
Andy Samberg: Mr. Pibb plus Red Vines equals crazy delicious.
Chris Parnell: Reach in my pocket, pull out some dough.
Andy Samberg: Girl actin’ like she never seen a ten befo’.
Chris Parnell: It’s all about the Hamiltons, baby!
Andy Samberg: Got the snacks in the bag!
Chris Parnell: And I’m ghost like Swayze! (Pause) Roll up in the theatre,
Andy Samberg: Ticket buyin’s what we handle?
Chris Parnell: You can call us Aaron Burnes
Andy Samberg: From the way we’re droppin’ Hamiltons.
Chris Parnell: Bust up in our seats, Movie Trivia’s the illest!
Andy Samberg: “What Friends alum starred in films with Bruce Willis?”
Chris Parnell: Answer so fast that we’re scary!
Andy Samberg: Everyone stand to know when we scream
Both: MATTHEW PERRY!
Andy Samberg: Now quiet in the theatre or it’s gonna get tragic.
Chris Parnell: We’re ‘bout to get tickets to a dream-world of magic.

Both: The Chronic- What? -Cles of Narnia!
Yes the Chronic- What? -Cles of Narnia!
We love the Chronic- What? -Cles of Narnia!
Pass the Chronic- What? -Cles of Narnia!

Shaking my head over this one

From the AP wires today:

A defiant Saddam Hussein admitted in court Wednesday that he ordered the trial of 148 Shiites eventually executed in the 1980s, but he insisted that doing so was legal because they were suspected in an assassination attempt against him. "Where is the crime? Where is the crime?" Saddam asked.

I'll answer that one. When you're randomly razing the land and killing poor farmers because you want their property, just because you're the President and you can, that's a crime against humanness.