WOTD: Howl-a-Day
Today's word of the day is Howl-a-Day, combining two parts holiday with one part full moon.
I'll be signing copies of THE PENGUINS OF DOOM today (Saturday) at the Howl-a-Day Craft Event in Waltham, Massachusetts, from 10AM to 4PM to benefit Greyhound Friends, a non-profit organization dedicated to saving racetrack greyhounds and placing them in responsible loving homes. Come on by if you're looking for crafty-gifty items and like to support a noble cause.
As a general rule, I've never been much of a dog person, but greyhounds are all right. They're quiet, non-aggressive, medium-sized, playful, good with children, and only a little slobbery. They're also fast, fast, fast! That makes them a logical choice for bus company mascots and a prime target for exploitation by the gambling industry.
One of our ballot measures during this past election was whether greyhound racing should be banned in Massachusetts. Proponents of the ban claimed that dog racing was cruel and inhumane. The other side claimed that it wasn't. And that's pretty much how the TV commercials went:
"Is not!"
"Is too!"
"Is not!"
"Is too!"
"Is not, is not, is not!"
"Is too, is too, is too, infinity-squared, no backsies!"
Maybe dog racing is inherently cruel. Maybe racing regulators have been lax in their duty to protect the dogs. Maybe certain trainers or owners pushed their dogs to the point of injury, neglected their health, or pumped them full of drugs. Maybe the track kennels are inadequate and unsanitary...
Or maybe not. I've never been to a dog track, so all I have to go on are those "is not" and "is too" politically-motivated commercials.
What I do know is that when racing dogs pass their prime and start to slow down, they get kicked to the curb--or worse. That's where Greyhound Friends comes in, finding homes for as many of these former racedogs as they can.
My sister and her fiance recently adopted a greyhound through Greyhound Friends, a very sweet dog named Susie who has really become one of the family--and I'm saying that as someone who's never been much of a dog person, so you know it's true.
That Massachusetts dog racing ban passed, incidentally, so over the next few years Greyhound Friends will help rescue some of the last-ever racing greyhounds in our state, until the dog tracks either shut down or switch to another animal. Like maybe cheetahs. Dude, cheetah racing! That would seriously rock, except they'd probably go through jockeys like crazy.
I'll be signing copies of THE PENGUINS OF DOOM today (Saturday) at the Howl-a-Day Craft Event in Waltham, Massachusetts, from 10AM to 4PM to benefit Greyhound Friends, a non-profit organization dedicated to saving racetrack greyhounds and placing them in responsible loving homes. Come on by if you're looking for crafty-gifty items and like to support a noble cause.
As a general rule, I've never been much of a dog person, but greyhounds are all right. They're quiet, non-aggressive, medium-sized, playful, good with children, and only a little slobbery. They're also fast, fast, fast! That makes them a logical choice for bus company mascots and a prime target for exploitation by the gambling industry.
One of our ballot measures during this past election was whether greyhound racing should be banned in Massachusetts. Proponents of the ban claimed that dog racing was cruel and inhumane. The other side claimed that it wasn't. And that's pretty much how the TV commercials went:
"Is not!"
"Is too!"
"Is not!"
"Is too!"
"Is not, is not, is not!"
"Is too, is too, is too, infinity-squared, no backsies!"
Maybe dog racing is inherently cruel. Maybe racing regulators have been lax in their duty to protect the dogs. Maybe certain trainers or owners pushed their dogs to the point of injury, neglected their health, or pumped them full of drugs. Maybe the track kennels are inadequate and unsanitary...
Or maybe not. I've never been to a dog track, so all I have to go on are those "is not" and "is too" politically-motivated commercials.
What I do know is that when racing dogs pass their prime and start to slow down, they get kicked to the curb--or worse. That's where Greyhound Friends comes in, finding homes for as many of these former racedogs as they can.
My sister and her fiance recently adopted a greyhound through Greyhound Friends, a very sweet dog named Susie who has really become one of the family--and I'm saying that as someone who's never been much of a dog person, so you know it's true.
That Massachusetts dog racing ban passed, incidentally, so over the next few years Greyhound Friends will help rescue some of the last-ever racing greyhounds in our state, until the dog tracks either shut down or switch to another animal. Like maybe cheetahs. Dude, cheetah racing! That would seriously rock, except they'd probably go through jockeys like crazy.