lindaland

It's been a long time

2010-03-24T08:27:00.000-07:00

What Happened to Joe the Plumber?

2008-12-10T09:09:00.001-08:00

OMG - Should Freeze her to the sidewalk

2008-12-05T09:56:00.000-08:00

Obese dog survives frozen night; owner arrested

A border collie weighing more than 120 pounds survived being frozen to a sidewalk because he was insulated by layers of fat.

The Sheboygan County Humane Society says the "morbidly obese" dog froze to the sidewalk when he was left out overnight Wednesday in single-digit temperatures. Shelter manager Carey Payne says few dogs could survive that.

Sheboygan Police Lt. Tim Eirich says Jiffy's 59-year-old owner was arrested Thursday morning on suspicion of animal neglect. She told police she tried to get the dog inside but couldn't, and instead checked on it every few hours.

Payne says shelter workers had to pour warm water over Jiffy's back end to unstick him from the sidewalk. She says it's too soon to say whether the elderly animal suffered any long-term effects.

Beamers in Rough Board

2008-12-05T09:45:00.001-08:00

Ruby Weighs in On Johnny

2008-02-27T07:36:00.001-08:00

TUGS and LOVE

2008-02-26T19:14:00.001-08:00

Be Still my Heart

2008-02-26T14:48:00.000-08:00

Doyle confirms portions of Depp movie to be shot in state

Mastiffeagle

2008-02-26T12:58:00.001-08:00

Courtesy oh The Onion

WI Humane Society Benefit

2008-02-26T11:10:00.001-08:00

The Social is having a benefit for the Humane Society on Friday night and the roller derby team, the Brew City Bruisers, are waitressing & donating tips. This should be a fun way to support the Wisconsin Humane Society!

Do Statistics Lie?

2008-02-26T09:52:00.000-08:00

"In addition, public opinion data indicate Americans at least understand that it is socially unacceptable to voice negative sentiments about blacks or women in the White House. Just 5% told Gallup pollsters that they would not vote for a black, and 11% said they would withhold support from a woman.

Such was not always the case. In 1958, 53% admitted to Gallup that they would be unwilling to support an African American and 41% would refuse to back a woman. Even today, voters appear comfortable confessing certain prejudices -- 24% claimed they would not vote for a Mormon, for instance; 42% would not vote for a 72-year-old, and 53% would oppose an atheist."

Rest of the article is @

OMG!

2008-02-26T08:57:00.000-08:00

Beepster - Is this our Starbucks?

Coffee break for Starbucks' 135,000 baristas
Coffee chain to close all 7,100 stores for employee training.
Dunkin' Donuts offers 99 cent promotion.

February 26 2008: 8:09 AM EST
NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- Warning to Starbucks junkies who usually get a fix on their way home from work: You're out of luck on Tuesday.

Starbucks, which last week announced 600 layoffs, plans to temporarily close its 7,100 U.S. stores on Tuesday for three hours of employee training.

The coffee chain said the in-store training program which will begin at 5:30 p.m. local time, would foster enthusiasm in its 135,000 U.S. employees and improve the quality of drinks made by Starbucks baristas.

"We believe that this is a bold demonstration of our commitment to our core and a reaffirmation of our coffee leadership," said chief executive Howard Schultz in a statement.

Stores that normally stay open beyond 8:30 p.m. will resume service after the training session is finished.

But for those who still need their afternoon dose of caffeine, there is a cheap alternative.

Dunkin' Donuts - "to ensure that no coffee lover is denied a delicious espresso-based beverage" - announced that it will offer small lattes, cappuccinos or espresso drinks for a promotional price of 99 cents on Tuesday from 1 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Starbucks (SBUX, Fortune 500) has seen rising competition from privately-held Dunkin' Donuts and McDonalds (MCD, Fortune 500) recently, and welcomed founder Schultz back as CEO in January after a lackluster performance by the company in the latter half of 2007.

Starbucks lays off 220 employees

Starbucks puts the brakes on new stores

Chili Dog Farmer @ it Again! aka Joe Fidel - More

2008-02-26T08:42:00.000-08:00

Titles, read left to ride, and scrolling down:
Wolfguy, yeti, gumboy, mess, turtlesrule, and snakeman

Chili Dog Farmer @ it Again! aka Joe Fidel

2008-02-25T19:42:00.000-08:00

Check out the show at

Dog Shoes

2008-02-25T16:26:00.001-08:00

We just have to figure out how they keep the shoes on.....

From the AP:

German police dogs to wear shoes

Mon Feb 25, 4:14 PM ET

Police dogs in the western city of Duesseldorf will no longer get their feet dirty when on patrol — the entire dog unit will soon be equipped with blue plastic fiber shoes, a police spokesman said Monday.

"All 20 of our police dogs — German and Belgian shepherds — are currently being trained to walk in these shoes," Andre Hartwich said. "I'm not sure they like it, but they'll have to get used to it."

The unusual footwear is not a fashion statement, Hartwich said, but rather a necessity due to the high rate of paw injuries on duty. Especially in the city's historical old town — famous for both its pubs and drunken revelers — the dogs often step into broken beer bottles.

"Even the street-cleaning doesn't manage to remove all the glass pieces from between the streets' cobble stones," Hartwich said, adding that the dogs frequently get injured by little pieces sticking deep in their paws.

The dogs will start wearing the shoes this spring but only during operations that demand special foot protection. The shoes comes in sizes small, medium and large and were ordered in blue to match the officers uniforms, Hartwich said.

"Now we just have to teach the dogs how to tie their shoes," he joked.

Bob's Brilliance

2008-02-20T20:42:00.000-08:00

JUST LIKE TOM THUMB'S BLUES
(Words and Music by Bob Dylan)
1965 Warner Bros. Inc
Renewed 1993 Special Rider Music

When you're lost in the rain in Juarez
And it's Eastertime too
And your gravity fails
And negativity don't pull you through
Don't put on any airs
When you're down on Rue Morgue Avenue
They got some hungry women there
And they really make a mess outa you

Now if you see Saint Annie
Please tell her thanks a lot
I cannot move
My fingers are all in a knot
I don't have the strength
To get up and take another shot
And my best friend, my doctor
Won't even say what it is I've got

Sweet Melinda
The peasants call her the goddess of gloom
She speaks good English
And she invites you up into her room
And you're so kind
And careful not to go to her too soon
And she takes your voice
And leaves you howling at the moon

Up on Housing Project Hill
It's either fortune or fame
You must pick up one or the other
Though neither of them are to be what they claim
If you're lookin' to get silly
You better go back to from where you came
Because the cops don't need you
And man they expect the same

Now all the authorities
They just stand around and boast
How they blackmailed the sergeant-at-arms
Into leaving his post
And picking up Angel who
Just arrived here from the coast
Who looked so fine at first
But left looking just like a ghost

I started out on burgundy
But soon hit the harder stuff
Everybody said they'd stand behind me
When the game got rough
But the joke was on me
There was nobody even there to call my bluff
I'm going back to New York City
I do believe I've had enough

Never Trust Anyone Under 30

2008-02-19T19:52:00.000-08:00

(dog years, that is)

Juxtaposition

2008-02-19T06:10:00.000-08:00

State of the Union Address and Ground Hog Day

This is a year when both Groundhog Day and the State of the Union address occurred in the same week.

And as it has been pointed out, "It is an ironic juxtaposition of events: one involves a meaningless ritual in which we look to a creature of little intelligence for prognostication, while the other involves a groundhog.

CPR to Baby Tiger

2008-02-06T07:46:00.000-08:00

German Mom Administers CPR to Baby Tiger

Johann, a four-month old tiger at a zoo in the German city of Halle nearly choked to death Thursday on a chunk of meat.

A medical student visiting a Halle zoo on Thursday used CPR to rescue a baby tiger choking on a piece of meat. The cub survived -- making him just the latest carnivore cub in Germany to be saved by human hands.

First came Knut, then Snowflake fever (more...). Both baby bears would have died if humans hadn't stepped in. But Germany's recent obsession with fuzzy white cubs might be just the tip of the iceberg.

The German penchant for saving infant carnivores from certain doom spread to a new, striped species of megafauna on Thursday, when a 24-year-old woman visiting a zoo in the city of Halle leapt into a cage to resuscitate a baby tiger choking on a piece of meat.

Janine Bauer was watching the zoo's big cats with her son, Johann, when the four-month old tiger began to choke. "The little baby tiger was gnawing meat off a bone. All of a sudden he couldn't breathe and lost conciousness," said Bauer, according to the daily newspaper Bild.

A zookeeper rushed to the cub's side, but his hands were too big to pull the offending strip of steak out of the young tiger's throat. So Bauer, a medical student, left her one year-old son in his stroller and rushed into the enclosure.

She was able to pull the 10 centimeter chunk of meat out of the tiger's windpipe, but he did not regain consciousness on his own. So Bauer performed CPR on the cub, using heart massage to jump-start the young tiger's pulse and locking lips to chops to breathe air back into his lungs.

"It was like just like an infant," said Bauer. "It took four or five endless minutes, but then the tiger was growling again."

In gratitude, the zoo's director announced that the tiger would be named Johann -- just like Bauer's son.

From this news-source

Furries being cuddly

2008-02-04T08:45:00.001-08:00

and, yes, contrary to their expressions they love it!

More From Chilidogfarmer

2008-02-03T13:39:00.001-08:00

What would Mel do?

2008-01-29T11:39:00.001-08:00

Test for Dementia - Take at your Own Risk!

2008-01-23T12:02:00.000-08:00

The answers are at the end - don't cheat!

Q1. You are participating in a race. You overtake the second person.
What position are you in?

Q2: If you overtake the last person, then you are...?

Q3. Very tricky arithmetic! Note: This must be done in your head only.
Do NOT use paper and pencil or a calculator. Try it.

Take 1000 and add 40 to it. Now add another 1000. Now add 30. Add another 1000. Now add 20. Now add another 1000. Now add 10. What is the total?

Q4. Mary ' s father has five daughters: 1. Nana, 2. Nene, 3. Nini, 4.
Nono. What is the name of the fifth daughter?

Q5: A mute person goes into a shop and wants to buy a toothbrush. By imitating the action of brushing his teeth he successfully expresses himself to the shopkeeper and the purchase is done. Next, a blind man comes into the shop who wants to buy a pair of sunglasses; how does HE indicate what he wants?

A1: If you answered that you are first, then you are absolutely wrong! If you overtake the second person and you take his place, you are second!

A2: If you answered that you are second to last, then you are wrong again. Tell me, how can you overtake the LAST person?

A3. Did you get 5000? The correct answer is actually 4100.

A4: Did you Answer Nunu? NO! Of course it isn't. Her name is Mary. Read the question again!

A5: He just has to open his mouth and ask...
It ' s really very simple.

Today, I won't mind being a baby Polar Bear

2008-01-23T11:54:00.000-08:00

Talking Dogs

2008-01-22T11:04:00.000-08:00

More Flake Photos

2008-01-22T08:25:00.000-08:00

Who own's America's economy?

2008-01-20T10:38:00.001-08:00

Tom Toles
Friday, January 18, 2008
Washington Post

2008-01-18T11:12:00.000-08:00

A tourist walks into a curio shop in San Francisco. Looking around at the exotic things, he notices a very lifelike, life-sized bronze statue of a rat. It has no price tag, but is so striking he decides he must have it. He takes it to the owner and asks: “How much for the bronze rat?” “$12.00 for the rat, $100.00 for the story,” said the owner.

The tourist gave the man $12.00. “I’ll just take the rat. You can keep the story.” As he walked down the street carrying the bronze rat, he noticed that a few real rats had crawled out of the alleys and sewers and had begun to follow him down the street. This was disconcerting and he began to walk faster. But within a couple of blocks the herd of rats behind him had grown to hundreds, and they began squealing.

He began to trot toward the Bay, looking around to see that the rats now numbered MILLIONS, and were squealing and coming towards him faster and faster. Concerned, even scared, he ran to the edge of the Bay and threw the bronze rat as far out into the Bay as he could.

Amazingly the millions of rats all jumped into the Bay and were all drowned!

The man hurried back to the curio shop. “Ah ha,” said the owner. “You have come back for the story?”

“No,” said the man, “I came back to see if you had a bronze Republican.”

— Posted by Menelek

Flake the PB

2008-01-18T09:58:00.001-08:00

The bear, which lives at Nuremberg City Zoo, will be known as "Flocke," which in German means "flake."

Weekend in NYC

2008-01-17T20:10:00.000-08:00

Time with friends and relatives, excursions to Achilles, Fishes Eddy, and Korean restaurants. Topped with a Hillary '08 Rally near FIT. Starbucks and 30 Rock surrounded by The Office bobbleheads. Too bad I was so excited in Mood, that I couldn't get my camera to work. New York! New York! Yes to bling! Hello Kitty. Hello Moo-bling the cow. The Bentley Hotel on the 20th floor over looking the East River. Cuban and Japanese restaurants. Move theaters and movies. Thumbs up for Juno. The critics can have There will be Blood. Charlie Wilson's war. Vintage stores. Gertrude Stein and Alice B. Toklas.

Go! Gloria!

2008-01-08T09:55:00.000-08:00

January 8, 2008
Op-Ed Contributor
Women Are Never Front-Runners
By GLORIA STEINEM
www.nytimes.com

THE woman in question became a lawyer after some years as a community organizer, married a corporate lawyer and is the mother of two little girls, ages 9 and 6. Herself the daughter of a white American mother and a black African father — in this race-conscious country, she is considered black — she served as a state legislator for eight years, and became an inspirational voice for national unity.

Be honest: Do you think this is the biography of someone who could be elected to the United States Senate? After less than one term there, do you believe she could be a viable candidate to head the most powerful nation on earth?

If you answered no to either question, you’re not alone. Gender is probably the most restricting force in American life, whether the question is who must be in the kitchen or who could be in the White House. This country is way down the list of countries electing women and, according to one study, it polarizes gender roles more than the average democracy.

That’s why the Iowa primary was following our historical pattern of making change. Black men were given the vote a half-century before women of any race were allowed to mark a ballot, and generally have ascended to positions of power, from the military to the boardroom, before any women (with the possible exception of obedient family members in the latter).

If the lawyer described above had been just as charismatic but named, say, Achola Obama instead of Barack Obama, her goose would have been cooked long ago. Indeed, neither she nor Hillary Clinton could have used Mr. Obama’s public style — or Bill Clinton’s either — without being considered too emotional by Washington pundits.

So why is the sex barrier not taken as seriously as the racial one? The reasons are as pervasive as the air we breathe: because sexism is still confused with nature as racism once was; because anything that affects males is seen as more serious than anything that affects “only” the female half of the human race; because children are still raised mostly by women (to put it mildly) so men especially tend to feel they are regressing to childhood when dealing with a powerful woman; because racism stereotyped black men as more “masculine” for so long that some white men find their presence to be masculinity-affirming (as long as there aren’t too many of them); and because there is still no “right” way to be a woman in public power without being considered a you-know-what.

I’m not advocating a competition for who has it toughest. The caste systems of sex and race are interdependent and can only be uprooted together. That’s why Senators Clinton and Obama have to be careful not to let a healthy debate turn into the kind of hostility that the news media love. Both will need a coalition of outsiders to win a general election. The abolition and suffrage movements progressed when united and were damaged by division; we should remember that.

I’m supporting Senator Clinton because like Senator Obama she has community organizing experience, but she also has more years in the Senate, an unprecedented eight years of on-the-job training in the White House, no masculinity to prove, the potential to tap a huge reservoir of this country’s talent by her example, and now even the courage to break the no-tears rule. I’m not opposing Mr. Obama; if he’s the nominee, I’ll volunteer. Indeed, if you look at votes during their two-year overlap in the Senate, they were the same more than 90 percent of the time. Besides, to clean up the mess left by President Bush, we may need two terms of President Clinton and two of President Obama.

But what worries me is that he is seen as unifying by his race while she is seen as divisive by her sex.

What worries me is that she is accused of “playing the gender card” when citing the old boys’ club, while he is seen as unifying by citing civil rights confrontations.

What worries me is that male Iowa voters were seen as gender-free when supporting their own, while female voters were seen as biased if they did and disloyal if they didn’t.

What worries me is that reporters ignore Mr. Obama’s dependence on the old — for instance, the frequent campaign comparisons to John F. Kennedy — while not challenging the slander that her progressive policies are part of the Washington status quo.

What worries me is that some women, perhaps especially younger ones, hope to deny or escape the sexual caste system; thus Iowa women over 50 and 60, who disproportionately supported Senator Clinton, proved once again that women are the one group that grows more radical with age.

This country can no longer afford to choose our leaders from a talent pool limited by sex, race, money, powerful fathers and paper degrees. It’s time to take equal pride in breaking all the barriers. We have to be able to say: “I’m supporting her because she’ll be a great president and because she’s a woman.”

Correction: An earlier version of this Op-Ed stated that Senator Edward Kennedy had endorsed Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton. He has not made an endorsement in the 2008 presidential race.

Gma with Stef

2008-01-07T10:45:00.001-08:00

Weird Wedding

2008-01-07T10:17:00.001-08:00

Grandpa

2007-12-28T18:03:00.000-08:00

Parkside to present retrospective on Vasy

Kenosha - The University of Wisconsin-Parkside, 900 Wood Road, will present a retrospective on the life and art of alumnus Steve Vasy during October in the Communication Arts Gallery.

Titled "Steve's Show," the exhibit will feature a wide range of prints and sculptures created by Vasy, along with examples of the processes he used to create the artwork.

The exhibition will begin with a reception from 1 to 4 p.m. Oct. 6. Regular gallery hours are 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays and Thursdays; 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesdays and Wednesdays. The show and reception are both open to the public.

From www.jsonline.com

Racine County Entertainment

From the Journal Sentinel

Posted: Sept. 29, 2002

Stimmung Stunde

2007-12-28T17:36:00.001-08:00

Myla DalBesio appearance on Stimmung Stunde

krak!

2007-12-27T19:13:00.001-08:00

Fingered Dvdzine Releases ‘Winter/Spring 2007 Issue’ Featuring Erase Errata and fellow Bay Area Acts and Artists

Opening with a kinetic video capturing Erase Errata’s performance of their song, “Another Genius Idea from Our Government,” the second offering from Fingered Dvdzine seeks to focus attention on the activities of the ever-fertile artistic community in the San Francisco Bay Area. A video tour diary put together from self-shot footage from their 2003-04 U.S. and European tour, gives a candid, and often hilarious glimpse at Erase Errata’s original four on and offstage. The disc also features performances by the band’s friends and cohorts Fuckwolf, Black Fiction, Clipd Beaks, and Tussle, who, like E.E. have undergone recent line-up shuffling and a revamped sound. Along with the band videos, the dvdzine presents the work of visual artists Olivia Park, Joe Roberts (aka Krak!), and Clipd Beaks bandmates, Nic Barbeln and Greg Prichard.

Fingered Dvdzine provides a unique look at leading creative voices and a medium for new and emerging artists in their hometown to reach out to audiences around the world. The previous issue documented the artistic output coming from Brooklyn, New York, highlighting such bands as Excepter, Mazing Vids, and Telepathe. Fingered will move beyond U.S. borders with the Mexico City issue next summer, followed by Montreal early next year.

SFBG online and chili dog farmer

2007-12-27T19:09:00.000-08:00

Rock's black back pages

Black Fiction take us for a Ride

By K. Tighe

a&eletters@sfbg.com

Tim Cohen sits at a table cutting up playing cards.

The Black Fiction vocalist-guitarist-songwriter has convinced himself that the meaty torsos of every jack, queen, and king are spelling out something big. He flings the disembodied heads into a pile and arranges the stately bodies to spell out Black Fiction Ghost Ride. Across the table keyboardist Joe Roberts is gathering the heads. Arranging the sovereign noggins into a gruesome and fantastical pile, Roberts sketches out the story: it is Raphael the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle who has cut off these heads, and he stands over his trophies, his sais dripping red. Ghost Ride (Howells Transmitter), the debut from San Francisco's Black Fiction, wins points for whimsically macabre album art.

They've been called everything from "the Arcade Fire on a peyote-laced vision quest" (FlavorPill SF) to "pop music for little kids on acid" (an audience member). It seems that Black Fiction are simply too wriggly to rest under any thumb or umbrella. Online reviewers are drowning in genre jargon — psych-soul, freak folk — and struggling to wrap reason around the light that Ghost Ride emits.

I caught up with Cohen on his lunch break from Amoeba Music in San Francisco to get his take on the response. "I'd hate for someone to have an idea of what they are going to hear and not be open to us sounding like something else," he said. In one sweeping sentence Cohen nailed it. Black Fiction is "something else." Or to make it snarky, if you please, "else-fi." The plain truth is that it is difficult to speak for this album because it speaks so loudly for itself — though it may be speaking in tongues.

The apocalyptic "Great Mystery" plucks, bounces, and drags at once, ripening with lyrical delicacies like "Farmers in the fields will grow the world's weight in corn/ We will cream it for the babies that have yet to be born/ We will leave it in the sewers for the rats and the worms/ We will store it in the cupboards for the coming storm."

"Carry Him Away" feels as urgent and hopeless as rushing into a tidal wave before it slams down on top of you. The harmonica- and glockenspiel-laced tune taunts with the invasively ironic refrain of "music is a terrible thing." The phrase might not be so tongue-in-cheek, considering that Cohen, Black Fiction's primary songwriter, has some reservations about music industry conventions.

For starters, the notorious multi-instrumentalist has a flimsy history of formal musical training. "Basically, if I can figure out how to make a sound on an instrument, I can figure out how to play it," Cohen explained before deadpanning, "I can play the recorder as well as any eight-year-old." Conservatory learning isn't the only grain Cohen is going against. October will bring a minitour stretching over parts of California, but the year-old band — which includes percussionists Jon Bernson and Jason Chavez, multi-instrumentalist Anthony Marin, and bassist Evan Martin — is being patient about planning a longer route. "If we are going to tour, we want to do it right," said the bandleader. "You need to know about the evils of the industry and guard yourself from them. I have a lot of apprehensions about asking people to help us out — I don't do a lot of schmoozing. I'm a musician at heart, and that's all I want to do."

The tracks of Ghost Ride were painstakingly recorded on a Tascam 388, a reel-to-reel eight-track. The idea was borrowed from local songwriter Kelley Stoltz, who recorded Antique Glow on the same machine. The 388 is unique because it is essentially an entire sound console complete with EQ built into an easily transportable recorder. "I appreciate the qualities of analog recording over digital," Cohen explained. "Digital recording isn't as challenging — you can just cut and paste your stuff together." As I upload the tracks of Ghost Ride into the inner sanctum of my iPod mini, my cheeks begin to sweat a bitter taste of shame — I can only ascribe it to the way an amateur wine connoisseur must feel after plopping a few ice cubes into a well-crafted sauvignon blanc.

Live, Black Fiction take the form of a whirling dervish minstrel show. Intensely cerebral and bubbling over with epileptic grace, the album projects a whimsical playfulness in full force onstage. They will melt off your musical preconceptions. You will run to the merchandise stand to buy this album.

They toppled Noise Poppers last year like a house of vandalized playing cards, leaving the audience with the same "what the hell just happened?" epiphany that early Velvet Underground and Talking Heads audiences must have felt. Black Fiction are laying down some new bricks. I can't wait to see where they lead. SFBG

BLACK FICTION

With Tussle and the Dry Spells

Sat/26, 9 p.m.

Cafe du Nord

2170 Market, SF

$10

(415) 861-5016

www.blackfictionband.com

Tuesday August 22, 2006

Dorm Rooms in the Age of Innocence

2007-12-27T18:57:00.000-08:00

September 5, 1999

The Way We Live Now: 9-5-99: Salient Facts, Student Housing; Luxury 101

By JULIAN E. BARNES

THE BASICS
For decades the design trend in college dormitories could be summed up in one word: cheap. In the 1960's, when the Federal Government subsidized dorm construction, some frugal universities even bolted the furniture to the floor in order to write it off as part of the building's infrastructure. But in recent years that trend has reversed itself, led by cash-rich universities in search of a competitive advantage. At the head of this class is Boston University, which is now building a superdorm at a cost of $100,000 per student, double the national average. The glass-and-steel tower looks less like a rooming house than a sleek yuppie condo, with sweeping views of the Charles River and the Boston skyline. All bedrooms are private, sharing carpeted suites and genuine kitchens -- adult-size fridges, built-in microwaves, garbage disposals, the works. Over the river in Cambridge, M.I.T., concerned about the well-being of students living in unsupervised housing, has commissioned a new dorm from the avant-garde architect Stephen Holl. Currently under construction, it will have pocket parks, a rainwater fountain, suicide-preventing windows (they open only 45 degrees) and solar-powered fans that blow air down light shafts. ''The building has lungs,'' Holl says. ''It breathes.''

THE EXTRAS
Some urban schools have sought to overcome their lack of grassy expanses by loading as many campuslike amenities into the dormitories as possible. In the fall of 2001, N.Y.U. will unveil a $95 million 16-story tower just east of Union Square Park. The third in a series of lavish new dorms, it will house a recreation center with more than 100 state-of-the-art exercise machines, a mirrored dance studio with a maple suspension floor, a pool, a gymnasium, a juice bar and a two-and-a-half-story $100,000 climbing wall. All the food at the in-house cafeteria will be cooked to order. Kevin Roche, the architect, admits that his own dorm tastes run to ''a spare room with an exposed bulb,'' but is well aware of the demands of the marketplace. ''Parents want to be satisfied that their loved ones are well cared for,'' Roche says. As for the students, some take the long view. ''It's nice to look at, but I know people who have left school because of financial reasons,'' says Camile Gayle, a senior from Florida. ''I'd much rather see the money going to scholarships than the fancy-schmancy stuff.''

THE PERSONAL TOUCHES
At the same time, other schools are phasing out TV lounges, game rooms and study areas because students bring so much of their own equipment (from stereos and TV's to powerful computers, scanners, color printers, fax machines and satellite dishes) that there's dwindling demand for shared facilities. Instead, colleges focus on putting in a lot of new electrical outlets -- as many as four times what older dormitories had -- not to mention extra data jacks and cable TV plugs. But after spending all this money on new dorms, universities are less tolerant than ever of students applying their own quirky home-design visions to their rooms. Melinda Roberts, a Yale senior, used lots of green paint, plants, wall hangings and stuffed monkeys to transform her dorm room last year into ''a jungle room.'' She's disappointed by this year's digs: a brand-new suite with private kitchen and bathroom. ''In the new dorm you can't paint the walls and you can't bring furniture -- it is all supplied,'' she says. ''All the rooms are identical. It will be a challenge to make it livable.''

SAFE AND SOUND
In keeping with the larger societal trend, colleges have been vigilantly cracking down on crime. Often, this has simply meant more surveillance cameras and guards. But U.C.L.A., seeking less intrusive methods, is constructing a new dormitory along the principles of ''defensible space'' -- small villagelike clusters of dorms (rather than impersonal high-rises), with highly visible public areas and doormen rather than security guards. ''The way in which the space is designed allows self-policing,'' says Charles W. Oakley, the campus architect. Other schools are experimenting with higher-tech security devices. In N.Y.U.'s new dorms, for example, students gain admission to the building by placing their hands against an optical scanner that takes 96 measurements and checks them against a database. On a couple of campuses in the South, students are opting for a Walkmate, a beeper-size device with three panic buttons to contact university police officers and alert them to any of the student's pre-existing medical conditions ($54.95 a semester, plus a $25 activation fee). ''My dad has given me dorm alarms, stun gun, pepper spray, mace,'' says Elizabeth L. Logan, a University of South Florida student who has signed up for the Walkmate service. ''I am not paranoid. But I think my dad is.''

Stroke Inspiration - 4 years ago

2007-12-27T18:43:00.000-08:00

Stroke changes others' perceptions

By JAMAAL ABDUL-ALIM
jabdul-alim@journalsentinel.com

Posted: Nov. 9, 2003

It came out of nowhere.

Michael had been in his bedroom doing his daily yoga routine when it struck. It knocked him to the floor.

He reached for the dresser to pull himself up but wound up pulling the dresser drawers down on his body.

When his wife, Linda, arrived home, she didn't know what to think.

She immediately dialed 911.

"They said, 'It looks like he had a stroke,' " she recalled.

The paramedics were right.

Michael, suffered an attack on the right side of his brain that reduced the former University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee librarian to a left-hemiplegic.

That day, Dec. 16, 1999, forever changed Michael's life and the lives of his wife and three children.

And the way he is seen.

Based on what they have been through, Michael's family can easily spot other stroke survivors.

They can tell who suffered a stroke based on the person's slowed gait. Or the way the person talks. Or maybe the way the person's fist will be clenched the way Michael's fist is clenched - one of the telltale signs that the person has suffered a stroke.

To put it simply, the stroke that Michael suffered has made his family more aware of what strokes are and the damage they do.

Rasing awareness

Awareness of strokes is what Michael's wife and his daughter, Allegra are trying to raise.

They are also training and raising money to do so. And, in January, Linda and Allegra are going to fly and run to raise awareness of strokes.

Specifically, the two women are going to board an airplane and fly to Hamilton, Bermuda, for the Jan. 18 Bermuda Marathon as part of the "Train To End Stroke" program. They've been in training since the summer, when the American Stroke Association sent Michael a letter about the event.

At first, he thought the American Stroke Association wanted him to participate in the marathon.

"I said, 'Maybe I could walk 13 miles,' " he said. But he entertained the notion for only about two seconds.

The family ultimately realized the letter was directed at them. Linda and Allegra thought about it and concluded they should fly to Bermuda to run in the marathon.

They've been training for the marathon ever since.

Michael would like to return to his job as a librarian. He has a master's degree in library and information science. He also has a master's degree in creative writing.

Fortunately, the stroke didn't take away his ability to communicate and write. Or to learn more about the Oneida language that his ancestors spoke.

Overcame the odds

There was a time, though, when his future didn't look too bright. One neurologist, Linda says, predicted that her husband would be virtually blind and would never walk again.

His vision was blurry for a while. But today Michael can see. As a matter of fact, he finds books at the library faster than the average person.

If you need proof, consider all the library books in his living room that he checked out from a local library.

His family still sends him to the library to find books.

"He's the family librarian," Allegra says.

But even though Michael can still get around and talk and write and find library books, which is about all you could expect from a librarian, no one will hire him, the family complains, even though he has the credentials.

"He's incredibly qualified," Linda says.

Michael counts among his many accomplishments his design of the library at the Indian Community School.

His family says his job hunting goes well until the interview takes place. But once prospective employers meet Michael, rejection letters never fail to follow, Linda says.

That's part of the reason why Linda and Allegra are flying to Bermuda to run a marathon and raise stroke awareness.

They want to see society devote more resources for research on strokes. And they want people to accept Michael and all the other stroke survivors of the world for who they are.

"When strokes happen to people, their lives shouldn't be over," Linda says. "We should still value them."

She wants people to treat her husband the way they would want to be treated if they had suffered a stroke.

The possibility that anyone could suffer is a stroke is very real.

With Michael, for instance, there was no presence of risk factors, such as high blood pressure or old age, or a history of strokes.

"Every 45 seconds," according to the American Stroke Association's Web site, "someone in America has a stroke.

"Every 3.1 minutes," the Web site says, "someone dies of one."

You could meditate on those figures if you want. Or, you could simply come to understand, as Linda says: "You never know when it could happen to you."

Or, as Michael says now that he is among America's stroke survivors: "You realize how fragile and vulnerable you are."

Christmas Dinner

2007-12-27T10:05:00.001-08:00

A is for Airplane

2007-12-21T09:29:00.001-08:00

Little m and Tug-Real-Midwest are winging eastward to sophisticated, sexy, NYC January 11

C is for Cookie

2007-12-20T11:45:00.001-08:00

A little music

Minus Ruby

2007-12-20T11:42:00.000-08:00

Golden Retrievers in Need - Santa

2007-12-17T12:12:00.001-08:00

An ambassador for the group G.R.I.N. (Golden Retrievers In Need), Otis greets visitors to the Crown Classic Dog Show dressed as Santa Claus on Saturday, Dec. 15, 2007 in Cleveland.

G.R.I.N. is a northeast Ohio group which rescues and finds homes for Golden Retrievers.

(AP Photo/Amy Sancetta)

Tug and Roxy! Tugnificent!

2007-12-13T19:50:00.000-08:00

Max, the Lab

Sponsored by:

Roxy Hart & Tug

Message from my angels:
Thank you to Roger, Ruby, Molly and LindaR (Tug)

You are my inspiration!

Sponsored:
December 12, 2007

Puppies are not Soybeans!

2007-12-13T12:57:00.000-08:00

This is immoral

Horses in Love

2007-12-11T18:24:00.001-08:00

c/o Hoofers Riding Club - their photos and their horses!

December Sponsored Dog - Lucy

2007-12-11T18:15:00.000-08:00

Lucy

Sponsored by: LR

Sponsored:
December 10 , 2007

WHS will be open for two special Mondays! Come in seven days a week and help animals like me find homes for the holidays. Special holiday wishes to my angel; thank you for helping so many of us mature dogs!

Ruby is Everywhere - what a DIVA

2007-12-06T13:33:00.000-08:00

Ruby Thumbprint is an early American pressed glass pattern. The pattern was first made by Adams & Company of Pittsburgh in 1891. The pattern was originally called Excelsior, and was listed in catalogues as the XCLR pattern. Pieces were sold either plain or engraved. Thumbprint was also produced in all-clear glass and called King's Crown.

Violin Playing Robot by Toyota

2007-12-06T11:46:00.001-08:00

Sophisticated Storm Troopers?

Happy First Birthday Knut the PB

2007-12-06T11:36:00.000-08:00

Hadley Hooper and Dogs in Cyberspace

2007-12-06T11:12:00.000-08:00

Chili Dog Farmer @ it Again!

2007-12-05T11:02:00.001-08:00

Rosie - the Golden Palimino

2007-12-03T15:14:00.000-08:00

Getting Ready 2 Run

2007-11-30T13:09:00.000-08:00

Roger is center, Ruby is background, and Molly is foreground.
Roger and Ruby are wearing their day-glo safety vests for running in the dark.

The Tug Chili Thanksgiving in NYC

2007-11-27T10:53:00.001-08:00

November 2007 Sponsored Furry, Freya

2007-11-27T10:33:00.000-08:00

Freya
Sponsored by: LR
November 8, 2007
Wisconsin Humane Society

I'm a three-and-a-half year old Siberian Husky. My breed is known for being talkative. We express joy and happiness in gleeful “AROOOOOS,” although we are generally not excessive barkers. I have a good sense of humor and like to be a clown!

Horse Riding in Autumn of 2005

2007-11-27T08:32:00.001-08:00

Mostly Ruby with a dash of Roger

2007-11-08T20:14:00.000-08:00

Ruby says CLICK HERE

Rogie pining 4 roxyHart - ruby's blue "I"

2007-11-04T08:40:00.001-08:00

Heidi Collins and Little M

2007-11-04T08:31:00.000-08:00

Monkey Business

2007-10-15T10:17:00.003-07:00

Doggy Halloween!

2007-10-15T09:53:00.001-07:00

Fact or Fiction?

2007-10-15T08:45:00.000-07:00

October 2007 Sponsored Furry, Boundy

2007-10-08T13:57:00.000-07:00

Boundy

Sponsored by: LMR
Sponsored: October 8, 2007

It has been said that one should not give an animal as a gift, but recent research has shown otherwise. The Wisconsin Humane Society is one of the animal welfare agencies nation-wide to test conventional wisdom and to offer the carefully designed Gift of Companionship program. It's really cool!

September 2007 Sponsored Furry, Bingo

2007-10-08T13:55:00.001-07:00

Bingo

Sponsored by my fabulous PAW Star Angel:LMR

Sponsored: September 9, 2007

Roger is in Love

2007-10-05T14:10:00.001-07:00

Doggish to English Xlation:

"Woof! woof!" to "I woof you, RoxyHart"

Ruby's Doppelganger - Rare Red Panda Bear

2007-10-05T13:59:00.000-07:00

dop·pel·gäng·er or dop·pel·gang·er (dŏp'əl-gāng'ər, -gěng'-)
n. A ghostly double of a living person, especially one that haunts its fleshly counterpart.

[German, a double : doppel, double (from French double; see double) + Gänger, goer (from Gang, a going, from Middle High German ganc, from Old High German).]

Mr. 4-Is

2007-09-26T11:58:00.001-07:00

Puppy Mill Round Table

2007-09-06T12:08:00.000-07:00

Help End Puppy Mills in Wisconsin!

Help puppy mill victims by attending an important meeting to discuss legislation that could end the suffering that these dogs endure. Local legislators will be present. Voice your concerns and ask them to support legislation and funding to license pet dealers, pet breeders, kennels and animal shelters in Wisconsin!

WHAT: A Round Table Discussion on Puppy Mills

WHEN: Monday, Sept. 10, 2007 at 7:00pm

WHERE: Nathan Hale High School, 11601 W Lincoln Ave., West Allis, WI 53227

For directions and more information, please go to:

http://www.nowisconsinpuppymills.com/roundtable.html

Jill Kline

Community Initiatives Coordinator

Wisconsin Humane Society

(414) ANIMALS

www.wihumane.org

Louis - August 2007 Sponsored Dog

2007-09-04T13:04:00.000-07:00

Louis Sponsored August 8, 2007

Very soon OHS and WHS will be Raising the Woof at their annual gala. You should attend!

In Memory of Stevie

2007-09-04T12:56:00.001-07:00

Tessa & Jake

Sponsored by:
Roger, Ruby, and Molly

Message from our angels:
In Memory of Stevie, a little dog who in her short life experienced extreme animal cruelty, but was fortunate to find her way to the Wisconsin Humane Society and end her life in dignity and kindness.

Sponsored: August 31, 2007

The Press Release on Stevie:

Thursday, August 30, 2007
For Immediate Release
Media Contact: Angela Speed
(414) 431-6104 aspeed@wihumane.org

Stevie Struggles to Survive

MILWAUKEE – When you first see Stevie, your eyes well up with tears and you have to choke back a sob. She is a frightful sight with maggots crawling out of her body, a hole in her neck and bones protruding through her thin skin. An employee at the Wisconsin Humane Society found her next to the dumpster at WHS this morning.

Stevie was immediately taken to the veterinary clinic where she was administered antibiotics, shaved and treated for her open wounds. An Animal Care Technician removed as many maggots as she could find from the little dog’s body, but they continue to emerge from under her skin.

Perhaps the most disturbing and tragic aspect of Stevie’s story is that she was left to die by a human being who totally disregarded her immense suffering. This example of animal cruelty is not an isolated incident. Earlier this week, a puppy was surrendered to WHS who had been discovered in a dumpster in the Riverwest neighborhood; he is also in treatment.

Amazing transformations occur with every animal at the Wisconsin Humane Society and hopefully, Stevie will be no exception. She deserves to be healthy, loved and treated with the utmost respect and kindness. For now, WHS veterinarians are doing everything they can to make that possible.

# # #

Interview/Photo Opportunity: Stevie is available for photos and filming at the Wisconsin Humane Society on Thursday, August 30; a WHS Representative will be available for interviews. To schedule an interview, contact Angela Speed at (414) 431-6104.

Stef and her new coffee shoppe - bar

2007-08-20T22:13:00.001-07:00

The Princess in High School

2007-08-20T22:09:00.001-07:00

Birthday Celebration

2007-08-20T21:59:00.001-07:00

In Chicago with the Girls

2007-08-20T19:56:00.001-07:00

Molly's "Doppelgänger"

2007-08-09T07:08:00.000-07:00

or her "Bad Hair" Day

The Simpsons et. all

2007-08-01T07:51:00.001-07:00

Joe's Night!

2007-07-26T20:40:00.000-07:00

Where To: Artists Implore a Cab

Curated by The Lower Back Tattoo Collective

Featuring: Crockett Bodelson, Elias Crouch, Tara Lisa Foley, Matt Furie, Beth Gardner, Andrew Junge, Eric Landmark & Liz Walsh, Joe Roberts, Mariah Robertson, Heather Renee Russ, Niki Ulehla, Sophia Wang, Brent Weinbach, and Mary Elizabeth Yarbrough.

July 27 – August 25, 2007
Opening Reception: Friday, July 27 from 6-9 PM
Stand-up Comedy Performance by Brent Weinbach at 8 PM
Gallery Hours: Wednesdays—Saturdays, 1-6 PM

The taxicab is like no other location in modern urban society; it is both public transportation and private space. From the passenger seat, fifteen artists navigate their way through the city and this awkward social space. Each artist in this show has ridden at least one evening shift in a San Francisco taxi during a typical ten to twelve-hour shift, ending at 4:30 AM.

Where To: Artists Implore A Cab represents that timeframe. Neither transient fare nor cab driver, the artist acts as a separate observer, a uniquely positioned fifth wheel in it for the ride. Each artist’s reaction is unpredictable and particular, much like a night in the urban cab. One moment can bring solitude and reflection on the passing cityscape, the next can bring a posse of coked-up partiers and Saint Patrick’s Day pukers, seconds from either erupting or passing out. The artists respond to their shifts with a diverse spectrum of work, including genres as broad as painting, puppetry, installation, and stand-up comedy.

Within a nightly taxicab shift, fares of all social strata and walks of life step in and travel from one place to the next: businesspeople, drag queens, Marina-ites, hipsters, tourists, bartenders, addicts, and others. A cross section of racial, sexual, and class identities collide. The results are unscripted: sometimes they challenge preconceived notions and sometimes they reconfirm them. The taxicab, in this show, works not only as a mobile social laboratory, but also a vehicle of happenstance. Chance and luck influence the cab’s route, the cab driver’s evening income, and the outcome of this exhibition.

Tugs cards in summer of 2007

2007-07-26T09:59:00.000-07:00

NYC cows are so sophisticated - they spend the dog-days of summer at the beach!

And a super yes - I must figure out this digi camera!!!!

Family Reunion - July 21 2007

2007-07-24T19:20:00.001-07:00

Ruby's Take on Mike Vick & Dog Fighting

2007-07-20T11:58:00.000-07:00

Per the impeding indictment:

"According to the indictment, Vick and associates obtained a property near Smithfield, Virginia, for the purpose of staging dogfights, bought dogs and then fought them there, and in several other states, over a 6-year period.

Dogs that didn't show enough fighting spirit, or lost matches, were put to death by methods that included shooting, drowning, hanging and electrocution, according to the indictment. Prosecutors allege that on one occasion earlier this year, Vick participated in killing eight dogs."

Fun in Galena with Cousins

2007-07-16T08:57:00.001-07:00

Gigi - glamour girl in Madison

2007-07-16T08:53:00.001-07:00

Stef and Gma in Madison at Stef's house

2007-07-16T08:49:00.001-07:00

Michael at Freedom Bus in Madison

2007-07-16T08:41:00.001-07:00

The Tug-PB rug at the Office on the Wall

2007-07-12T17:14:00.000-07:00

What would Mel say?

2007-07-12T13:33:00.000-07:00

Though Honeybunch was not a dog, Mel said this sponsorship was a nice way to remember her.

Petula
Sponsored: June 15, 2007

In memory of Honeybunch - a beloved family cat.

There are two means of refuge from the misery of life - music and cats. -- Albert Schweitzer

Ruby's Bath

2007-07-12T10:41:00.000-07:00

Turn on your sound - don't know how my camera works (yes, am techie) - so I was accidentally (though Freud says there are NO accidents) in movie mood.

Ruby Bath

Sailing, sailing, July 11 on Lake Mendota

2007-07-12T10:22:00.000-07:00

July 2007 Volunteer SpotLight

2007-07-10T12:53:00.001-07:00

“I am signed up for a volunteer email list which presents volunteer opportunities and saw the entry for Achilles. It seemed like a neat idea and I decided to volunteer.”
- Stephanie

"We are so fortunate to have Stephanie as a volunteer; she brings such happy and positive energy to our group. It's just awesome having such young adults working with this Achilles team - it gives everyone a smile just seeing her help out and giving so much of her time each week. Stephanie is always there when we need her - she was just incredibly helpful and fun at the Hope and Possibility races in Minnesota and New York, we can't thank her enough. Her smile is so very contagious - thank you for lighting up our lives with it." - Kimmer

Our Wisconsin Achilles Club would not be so successful and enjoyable without the generosity of our volunteers. Each week we will be posting an online “Thank You” for one of our exceptional volunteers. First up, Ms. Stephanie.

Stephanie started volunteering with Achilles in September of 2005. She is working in Minnesota this summer-that’s how she got her magnificent tan- and will be back in Madison, volunteering with us August 12, 2007 – also she’ll be back in school at the UW.

Happy, gracious, willing, empathetic, honest, go-getter, sunny, enthusiastic, and fun are just a few words to describe Stephanie.

Stephanie was at the Hope & Possibilities Run/Walk in Minnesota in June of 2006. She was also with us in June of 2007 for the Hope & Possibilities Run/Walk in New York City!

Now some information about Stephanie:
• She is a junior in Physical Education at UW
• Favorite color is GREEN
• Favorite movie is “Love Actually”
• Favorite book: Harry Potter
• Favorite food: grapes
• Favorite play: “Phantom of the Opera”
• Favorite male hunk: Bob Cromer

A little known fact about Ms. Stephanie is that she spent time abroad for school in India. She also won third place in the 2006 Study Abroad Photo Contest. She placed third in the People and Culture category with "Study" Hyderabad, India 2007

"Study"
3rd Place: People and Culture
By: Stephanie
October 2006
Studied abroad in Hyderabad, India
Monks-in-training.

June 2007 Sponsored Dog - Cowboy

2007-07-09T11:52:00.000-07:00

Sponsor an Animal!

Saving just one dog won't change the world but it surely will change the world for that one dog.

COWBOY - Sponsored June 7, 2007

I'm a handsome six-year-old Rough coated Collie and Shepherd mix. I've got something of a soft spot for my fellow canines. I think it's just fantastic that folks like my angel Linda and the Wisconsin Humane Society work so hard to help animals. With the support of people who love animals, thousands of lives are saved every year!

Hot Walk in July

2007-07-09T11:43:00.000-07:00

Ruby in her bath

2007-07-09T11:33:00.001-07:00

Balto in CP

2007-06-26T13:02:00.001-07:00

Art from favorite son

2007-06-19T15:20:00.001-07:00

Edward Hooper at Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

2007-05-31T10:33:00.000-07:00

"Edward Hopper” opens on Sunday and runs through Aug. 19 at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, 465 Huntington Avenue; mfa.org. The exhibition travels to the National Gallery of Art in Washington (Sept. 16 through Jan. 21, 2008) and the Art Institute of Chicago (Feb. 16 through May 11, 2008)."

Hairless Breed Shines at World Dog Show

2007-05-25T11:35:00.001-07:00

MEXICO CITY (AP) -- The star of the World Dog Show is not the soulful Labrador, the bulldog with attitude or even the manic Chihuahua. This year, the hairless Xoloitzcuintles (show-low-ee-SQUINT-lees) are stealing the show in their native Mexico.

Sleek with bat-like ears, the rare breed looks more like a cartoon character than a canine. But its history dates back to the Aztecs, and it has a special allure for asthmatics or those who just don't like cleaning up after a shedding dog.

Nicknamed ''Xolos'' by breeders and known in Mexico as ''Itzcuintles,'' the breed has yet to come into its own. But the dogs are becoming more popular around the world. They can sell for up to $2,500 for a show dog, and past owners have included the Mexican artists Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo.

Breeders say Xolos were on their way to extinction in the 1940s when a group of Mexicans began searching for the dogs in remote, mountain villages and forgotten desert outposts, building a breed that numbers around 5,000 worldwide today.

Patty Hoover, a breeder from Selah, Wash., said she began breeding Xolos almost 20 years ago because she ''married a man who didn't like dog hair on the floor.''

There weren't many other Xolo owners around when she started, but that is changing.

''They are getting a lot more recognition,'' she said, videotaping Xolos as they pranced by at a Mexico City convention center. ''The breeders are working really hard to promote them.''

Stephanie Mazzarella, an asthmatic 44-year-old from Loxahatchee, Fla., began breeding them after her doctor told her she could never have a pet -- unless it had no hair. Now, she spends her free time trying to get others interested in her dogs.

''I put them in a puppy stroller and take them to the mall to try to get the public interested,'' she said as her 9-month-old puppy, Chabella, watched his competitors.

Xolos were common throughout Mexico at the time of the Spanish Conquest. They were considered sacred by the Aztecs, who sometimes ate their meat as a cure-all for illness or buried the dogs with their owners to help guide the human spirit to the afterlife. The dogs are still believed by many to have healing qualities.

Brenda Armstrong, who has four Xolos at home in Vancouver, British Columbia, said she had a friend whose Xolo was trained to wake her up if her diabetic husband's blood sugar fell in the night.

''Mayan women still hold the dogs up to their stomachs to cure cramps,'' she said, playing with the leash of her friend's Xolo at the show.

Some 70 Xolos are competing in this weekend's World Dog Show. It remains to be seen whether the Xolo selected as best of breed can hold its own against the more than 5,000 dogs and 300 breeds competing Sunday for ''best of show.''

Even if they don't win, the Xolos have taken center stage in a sea of Great Danes, German Shepherds and fluffy lap dogs.

The dogs have long been popular in rare-breed dog shows, and can be found as pets around the world. Russians dress them in special down coats, while Mexicans slather light-skinned Xolos in sunscreen.

The dogs have warm, soft skin, and keep their coat oiled with glands found between their toes.

Some have a wiry shock of hair at the top of their head, and about 25 percent are actually born with a thick coat of fur, a genetic quirk.

Xolos range in weight from 10 to 50 pounds and come in three different sizes: mini, a little larger than a Chihuahau; intermediate, about the size of a beagle; and standard, roughly the size of a Labrador.

Armstrong says the breed is hearty, having survived thousands of years in Mexico. Once, her dog ate two barrel cactuses.

''I thought, 'Oh, this is going to be expensive,' '' she said. ''But somehow she didn't have one spine in her mouth, and an hour later she coughed up all the spines and she had no trouble digesting the cactus.''

Gotta Love Pop Art

2007-05-25T09:13:00.001-07:00

Amazing...

2007-05-25T09:11:00.000-07:00