Lions & Tigers & Bears, Oh My...
--Revisiting the situation regarding the (formerly) escaped Bengal tiger out in Albion, I just wanted to add part of the story as an epilogue.
To say that having a 350-400 pound "wild" animal loose for a few hours was an emotional *E* ticket roller coaster ride would be an understatement.
Fate stepped in and literally saved this tiger's life.
1 - A volunteer firefighter that first spotted the escaped cat USUALLY carries a gun with him, but was weaponless at the time of the sighting, so he could only call authorities.
2 - Of the SIX Bengal tigers rescued and kept at the Black Pine Animal Park, the ONE tiger that was least likely to be aggressive would have been INDIA, the 18 year old female, raised from 2 weeks old at the park.
3 - A tranquilizer dart shot at the animal bounced off of her hide.
4 - A trail of meat left out by park personnel lured India back to her home around midnight.
It was all of these factors that helped in no small way to ensure that this beautiful animal did not wind up dead.
Fate is like that sometimes...
Had any ONE of these 4 facets in ANY way been altered, the ending would likely NOT have been as happy.
The Dept. of Agriculture is investigating the escape, and should be able to determine if the lock to the pen was faulty or a keeper neglected to lock the enclosure. The investigation will also include the park's records, staff interviews, and inspection of all enclosures.
Whatever the outcome, I'm sure that one must entertain the notion that FATE was indeed the major player in this scenario.
And like I said yesterday, some Guardian angels can have FOUR feet, instead of TWO.
If one were to use the saying that "cats have nine lives", then India still has EIGHT GOOD ONES left...and that's not a bad deal, even at her age.
--Talk about things that aren't all that "bearable"...
City Council President seeks to veto "light" addendum to ordinance.
Tom Didier will ask Mayor Henry to veto the current proposed "glare law" that was voted (and narrowly approved 5-4) this past Tuesday. Citing the law was "vague" will be the major arguing point, as well the ability to properly ENFORCE the ordinance.
How's about we just say the damn law is dumber than a bag of rocks, and let it go at that?
Call it "STOOPID"...period.
--Those thuggy "young lions" are at it again...
Used to be a time when you could actually walk to the school bus stop and not have to worry about anything (except if you studied well enough for the 1st period English test coming up soon enough). Not anymore, apparently.
In the good old city's SOUTHEAST side, being a middle school student is getting riskier.
Two Northwood students were approached by three teenagers Tuesday, who tried to rob them as they were going to the bus stop. It was near Warsaw and McKinnie Sts that the two boys were grabbed and forced into a nearby alley. The teens than asked if the boys had any money. When one replied they didn't, one of the teens pulled something from his pocket that looked like a handgun (wouldn't surprise me...seen one kid loading a .25 caliber Raven a few years back on the damn corner of MY street - he was caught very soon after that). The teen with the weapon told the boys: "You didn't see or hear anything". A complete description of the assailants was not available.
Hey, if ANY kids in my area read this blog...tell you what...you have ANY trouble with ANY thugs, you knock on my door, and I'll make sure NO harm comes to any of you until your parent or the police arrive, fair enough?
I'm sorry, but that pisses me off to no end.
Here are kids trying to get a damn education (the first necessity in life these days when you want to be more than a pimple on society's ass), and some lazy-ass quick-buck seeking teen thugs think it's OK to roll some youngsters for a dollar or two.
Makes me want to go PAUL KERSEY on them...
Cripes, the only thing these 2 boys are guilty of is wanting to be better persons than the thugs trying to rob them...where the hell is justice when you need it?
Finally, when it comes to the holiday season, the last thing I like to hear is something BAD. Let's face it...we've got enough "bad" to go around several times over. I prefer to hear some "warm n fuzzy" stuff...take my mind off of my "surroundings" for a spell.
And I like to really "get into" the festive spirit of Christmas, but circumstances dictate otherwise. We had one neighbor that placed one of those spiral lit wire framed trees out front. You guessed it. It was stolen several days later. but they DID leave the extension cord (how nice of them - hope they electrocuted themselves). We tend to play it down these days, if for no other reason than to make our house less "noticeable" to the "locals".
If they think you've got something they might "want"...you're a target. If you call the police when they break the law or are annoying as the day is long...you're a target. If you don't want to play by "their rules"...you're a target.
Got news for those "people"....you target my house...you're probably already in MY cross hairs.
Yeah, it tends to tarnish an otherwise beautiful holiday season at times, but you have to do what is needed to survive.
Still, we can snatch a few minutes of Christmas cheer over the course of the season.

And by God...we ENJOY it.
Like many would have to admit...

That's always a good thing.