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Dogs and Marriage!
The Beautiful Glass Ball
Ron Cruger
This column previously ran on The Spectator
Your comments on this column
are welcome ~ e-mail Ron at
are welcome ~ e-mail Ron at
This column previously ran on The Spectator
Your comments on this column
are welcome ~ e-mail Jeanne at
are welcome ~ e-mail Jeanne at
This column previously ran on The Spectator
Your comments on this column
are welcome ~ e-mail John at
are welcome ~ e-mail John at
Your comments on this column
are welcome ~ e-mail Laramie at
are welcome ~ e-mail Laramie at
What To Do With the Homeless?
What is his big secret?
I Now Pronounce You.....?
I suppose most everyone has heard the latest in jumping on the bandwagon of non-heterosexual marriages.
In this case it was not even a same sex wedding that took place in Palm desert, California, at the Palm Desert Resort Country Club.
It seems that the "bride" and "groom" were canines. That's right, dogs. Looking for a way to get donations for a pet humane society,
the owners of two small terriers, one male and one female, decided to join their mutts in "wedlock" and proceeded to invite 100 or
so guests. An open bar, a wedding cake, and flower arrangements made the event a fun time for all.
The ceremony was officiated by a local golfer, decked out in a white collar for the occasion. Pictures, shown in the local newspaper, were taken of the "couple" and they seemed to enjoy the festivities. Any honeymoon plans made were not revealed. I suppose the "straight" attendees were happy the guests of honor were of different genders, but there were rumors that the gay community thought the whole episode was a slap in the face, seeing as how even dogs could headline in a marriage ceremony, but same sex partners were restricted in most cases. I wonder what sort of pairing up all of this might be leading up to. Man and woman, man and man, woman and woman, now dog and dog? This could get spooky if it gets out of hand, considering the possible cross combinations, statistically speaking.
The ceremony was officiated by a local golfer, decked out in a white collar for the occasion. Pictures, shown in the local newspaper, were taken of the "couple" and they seemed to enjoy the festivities. Any honeymoon plans made were not revealed. I suppose the "straight" attendees were happy the guests of honor were of different genders, but there were rumors that the gay community thought the whole episode was a slap in the face, seeing as how even dogs could headline in a marriage ceremony, but same sex partners were restricted in most cases. I wonder what sort of pairing up all of this might be leading up to. Man and woman, man and man, woman and woman, now dog and dog? This could get spooky if it gets out of hand, considering the possible cross combinations, statistically speaking.
Gambling on the Presidency
“I would like to offer a response to Ron Cruger's article, "Mitt versus Barack, Who Wins?" Ron believes that Obama will win handily, and to disagree with that would simply be guesswork on my part, so I'll let his prediction stand on its merits. Where I can't seem to agree is when he says Romney hasn't given any "definitive answers to our country's problems." Things like unemployment, deficit, Congressional standoff, immigration, taxing the rich, and other "national ailments" are facing the country. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't believe President Obama, in his term of office, has given any answers to these nightmares either, answers that would be "concrete examples of how he would correct these ailments." Did Obama really say he "deserved" another term of office to complete the job he promised to do, and hasn't? “ - Laramie Boyd
The Glass Ball
We were running away from it all; real things and things we imagined. We just couldn’t seem to make
it to the place we were headed for without coming back to where we started from. During one of those attempts to flee we were driving
and drinking, arguing about everything which was usually the case after a heavy bout with alcohol. Darkness and madness rose up between
us as the sun went down. My friend drove “Vasco” off the road with such force he created a tremendous cloud of dust and parked us
in it. Ignition off, lights off, we stewed in our separate juices, pots simmering, until we passed out.
Morning was as merciless as the night; I was shivering myself awake. The price one pays for such stupidity, I kept telling myself. I clambered out of the old De Soto to get my bearings and put a jacket on. My hangover wasn’t as serious as the one I knew my friend was suffering. As if it was supposed to happen this way, we found ourselves parked right in front of a sign marking the trailhead for Point Reyes National Park. The brisk morning found us straggling out toward the beach for a look at the ocean.
John Nippolt
Morning was as merciless as the night; I was shivering myself awake. The price one pays for such stupidity, I kept telling myself. I clambered out of the old De Soto to get my bearings and put a jacket on. My hangover wasn’t as serious as the one I knew my friend was suffering. As if it was supposed to happen this way, we found ourselves parked right in front of a sign marking the trailhead for Point Reyes National Park. The brisk morning found us straggling out toward the beach for a look at the ocean.
Laramie Boyd
Jeanne Carbone
Homeless in America
They looked like my neighbors. His haircut was neatly trimmed; hers still had expensive blonde streaks highlighting
a chic hairdo. Their clothes were clean not soiled or disheveled from nights on the street. But they held a cardboard sign that proclaimed
“homeless, hungry please help.” The forty-something couple appeared newly homeless perhaps victims of the mortgage meltdown or foreclosure
epidemic. I looked away quickly as the sight hit too close to home.
A 2008 study conducted by the U.S. Conference of Mayors found that 12 of the 23 cities surveyed turned people in need of shelter away due to a lack of capacity. The National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty 2004 study of homelessness in 50 cities found that the official estimated number of homeless people exceeds the number of emergency shelter spaces. And neither survey takes into account that there are few shelters in the rural areas. The Council for Affordable and Rural Housing estimates that approximately nine percent of the nation’s homeless are in rural areas.
A 2008 study conducted by the U.S. Conference of Mayors found that 12 of the 23 cities surveyed turned people in need of shelter away due to a lack of capacity. The National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty 2004 study of homelessness in 50 cities found that the official estimated number of homeless people exceeds the number of emergency shelter spaces. And neither survey takes into account that there are few shelters in the rural areas. The Council for Affordable and Rural Housing estimates that approximately nine percent of the nation’s homeless are in rural areas.
What's wrong with me?
In the next few paragraphs I’m going to tell you a secret. A big secret. But first you have to promise not
to tell anyone. Promise? Okay.
Now, I’m not a shopper. All I know about the prices of anything is that they are rising. I take a walk through our local super market and I can see that a box of oatmeal raisin cookies that used to cost $3.95 now costs $4.95. A package of cheese that used to cost $3.00 now costs $4.00. Laundry detergent that was $11.99 is now $13.99. To tell you the truth, I don’t know how a family of four or five earning thirty or forty thousand dollars a year can make it.
But, I’m getting ahead of myself.
Here’s my secret. I love to go to Costco.
I don’t know when my addiction started. Must have been about ten years ago when I first moved to my present address. The local Costco store was within a fifteen minute walk. At first I’d go there and buy the necessities. You know, those giant packages of paper towels and toilet paper. Then I ventured into the gallon size jar of olives and six frozen shrimp scampi dinners.
Now, I’m not a shopper. All I know about the prices of anything is that they are rising. I take a walk through our local super market and I can see that a box of oatmeal raisin cookies that used to cost $3.95 now costs $4.95. A package of cheese that used to cost $3.00 now costs $4.00. Laundry detergent that was $11.99 is now $13.99. To tell you the truth, I don’t know how a family of four or five earning thirty or forty thousand dollars a year can make it.
But, I’m getting ahead of myself.
Here’s my secret. I love to go to Costco.
I don’t know when my addiction started. Must have been about ten years ago when I first moved to my present address. The local Costco store was within a fifteen minute walk. At first I’d go there and buy the necessities. You know, those giant packages of paper towels and toilet paper. Then I ventured into the gallon size jar of olives and six frozen shrimp scampi dinners.
Seattle Train Station
Photo by Josh Lee
