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A Cat With An Eerie Tale

Happy Halloween. We'd all be scrambling for costumes at our house, but, of course, when it comes to frightening appearances, well, I saw the mirror this morning.

When trick-or-treaters come to the door, there may be no need for make-up, bad wigs or fake teeth. Turn on the light and terrify the tykes.

Now, I'm posting this photo of our lone household black cat, Annabelle Bob. She's a foundling. Martha screeched to a halt in rush house traffic on Zang Boulevard a few years ago and acquired this little kitten when she scrambled from the pavement into a nearby yard.

The little kitten waited for Martha to pick her up -- almost as if both had been assigned to be in that specific place at that key time in the history of the universe.

Annabelle was tiny when she was picked up. And this occurred as we were mourning the loss of Martha's beloved big black cat, Bob The Cat, who'd died at an advanced age.

Bob loved Martha more than food. More than catnip. Bob slept on Martha each night. When it was time to be fed and Martha didn't stir, Bob would creep up by Martha's face and bite the soft fleshy divide between her nostrils. The subsequent scream awoke all in the house.

Six weeks to the day after Bob died, Martha rescued a kitten that was identical to the kitten who'd grown up to be Bob -- except for the, er, personal equipment, of course. It was only natural that this little black kitten would also be named Bob. Annabelle Bob.

The original Bob was Martha's primary love interest -- you may know how that goes. The emotional bond is unbreakable and it certainly can't be disrupted by sudden adult onset matrimony, i.e., arrival of a husband. It's a bonding of spirits.

I don't want to go Houdini's Ghost on you or get way eerie, but inexplicably there's quite a bit of Bob the Cat in Annabelle Bob. We have several other cats around the house and they all have distinct personalities, habits and tendencies. Annabelle Bob has Bob the Cat's tendencies. His favorite places are her favorite places. She sleeps in his old positions. She swaggers when she walks. She might even have nipped Martha's nose a time or two. (That's Annabelle, bright-eyed on Martha's jacket -- no other cat sleeps on Martha's jacket. Cue the spooky music.)

I'm sure it's all just coincidence and there's no chance of Feline Reincarnation.

Meanwhile, this morning it was time for Annabelle Bob to put on her halloween costume. So that's her photo. She's wearing her Smiling Dog Mask. Thinks it'll put a chill into the ghosts and goblins. It's so real. The tongue moves and the ears wiggle and ...

That was Bob's favorite costume, too. I'm kidding. And that eerie dog face is really Annie the Dog. Halloween -- nothing is really what it seems. We're almost certain Annie is a dog. But, dogs that are born under storage sheds rarely carry official papers outlining their family trees. Annie could have some rabid politician in her. That's scary enough for Halloween.

OTHER PHOTOS, OTHER PLACES: If it's Halloween, it must be time for costumes.

I've been saving these photos for a few weeks. The folks at Lone Star Miniature Schnauzer Club (www.lonestarmsc.org.) held their round-up a few weeks ago and apparently many schnauzers and schnauzer mixes are prone to dancing. As you can see from the photo, there were quite a few ballerinas in the mix.

Now, while the Lone Star schnauzer folks have an annual round-up, the folks with Lone Star Bulldog Rescue have an annual Bull-o-Ween celebration. Among the partiers was this tuxedoed bulldog.

You have to figure that any bulldog who'll gleefully don a tuxedo and a top hat has to have a good personality and, maybe, even has a little bit of continental flair in his background.

He certainly is able to carry off this attire without being an affront to polite society.

I wish I could look that good in a monkey suit.

Kelly Andrus sent us the link to a photo gallery and we're going to pass it along to you: http://cards.webshots.com/invite/pickup/106247713dIry/album/473880412CYWkTu

You just have to click on the "view the pictures" part to see the gallery.

AH, HALLOWEEN: Yes, whether you dress up your critters or dress up yourself, have a safe and sane halloween. We're anticipating a nice quiet evening at our house. We hope the expected rain won't wreck the trick-or-treating for the kids. And we hope to keep our animals unpanicked by the sight of ghosts and goblins, but the truth is, if they don't panic when they see me in the morning, they're not going to get jittery over some kid dressed as Batman or a little princess dripping blood from her fangs.

We will, of course, keep the dogs away from the picture window, make sure the cats are not at peril and keep the candy stored far from our reach.

Halloween was always fun when I was a kid. I hope it's still fun for today's kids. One of my fondest memories of Halloween was the year I dressed as a hobo (not much of a stretch), my baby brother dressed as a cat and our middle brother dressed as a middle-aged woman.

The hobo and the cat were convincing, but the middle-aged woman was persuasive. I mean, honest, he could have served tomato surprise at a church luncheon and nobody would have blinked an eye. He grew up to be a lawyer. We think his Halloween costume may have affected his mind.

Enjoy your Halloween and try not to get a run in your pantyhose, sir.

A 'punkin' and a 'train wreck'

Ah, frightfesters, this is the weekend before Halloween. We'd be remiss if we didn't mention a "Little Punkin" and, in this case, the "Little Punkin" is merely a prelude to our weekend feature, "Let Sleeping Dogs Lie & Napping Cats Nap," a celebration of the cuteness of slumbering critters.

Micki Jenkins, who lives in North Dallas with hubby David, says she "couldn't resist sending you two pics. The first is not a sleeping dog, but the 'heartbeat at my feet.' "

Isn't that a wonderful way to refer to Mollie the Maltese? "The Heartbeat At My Feet." Sounds like a book of poetry or a warm inspirational biography.

As for Mollie, Micki says, "Obviously, she's my 'little punkin' -- all 3 lbs, 4 oz. of her. She's going on 15 and is a retired therapy dog (having spent 5 years of bringing smiles and happy tears to all she visited in nursing homes and hospitals).

"This second picture is of a sleeping dog....My little 'train wreck' Mattie (also a Maltese).

"She's a rescue with the added bonus of being blind and epileptic. Contrary to what this picture might lead you to believe. Mattie does not have the key to the liquor cabinet. She just likes to sleep with her head lower than her body."

Now, that's an interesting sleeping position. I'm not sure those fancy beds have a "number" for that.

Micki says Mattie "came from a Maltese rescuer outside of Houston (now retired). He is 6 years old (Mattie--not the rescuer--Ha!). While I do refer to her as my 'train wreck' I like to think of her as the 'little caboose.' She may be the last to come around, but I consider it the best and happiest part of the train."

Mattie is "Daddy's Girl," Micki says.

So, have some fun this weekend and, as you celebrate, try not to wind up sleeping like a Maltese train wreck. It'll wrinkle your costume and your chocolate candy will spill out of your pockets.

(It's easy to nominate your slumbering critter for spotlighting in "Let Sleeping Dogs Lie & Napping Cats Nap." Just e-mail a sleepy photo and the who, what, where and how to reach you to dallrp@aol.com. Remember, this feature is read by people around the globe -- your sleeping animal could be world famous!)

Finding a new home & other challenges

NEEDING A HOME: OK, rescuers, I know that most of the time you run across dogs that have been dumped or "set free" or "turned loose" and left to manage for themselves in a world where even the allegedly more intelligent humans can't cope.

Here's is a different case. A perplexed human seeking help. This is Raja. She's 9 and she's a good dog and she needs a home. John Head, her human, is looking for someone who can take up the slack in human contact. His business has been forcing him to travel more and more to the West Coast. "I have tried to maintain a good environment for my lab, Raja ... but it's getting to the point I can't make both work. So, on that note, I am searching for a new, good home for her. This will be a really tough thing for me to do as she has only had one owner, but she needs a better environment than I can give her with this travel situation."

Here's the skinny on Raja, according to John, who says "many people think she is still a puppy considering her size and energy." She's 40 pounds, a Lab/terrier mix, sometimes goes running with John, enjoys being around other dogs, doesn't mind kids 10 and older and has "never had a health problem."

In a tender e-mail about his dog, John writes, "She's an amazing dog and she deserves a better home environment than I can provide right now considering my travel schedule...." (To apply to adopt Raja, e-mail John at jhead@navigatorsystems.com.)

A REMINDER TO ALL ORGANIZED GROUPS: I realize the word "organized" narrows it down -- I'm kidding! I'm kidding!

If you are as relaxed as my cocker spaniel Inky, straddling the back of the couch and sunning today, then you probably are nearly about to doze off. But before you do, make a note to yourself to send your group's December and January events to dallrp@aol.com for listing in the monthly magazine, Urban Animal. It's free and it gives your group some publicity. If you've got a benefit coming up, an awards banquet, a special event for dogs or cats or rabbits or guinea pigs or horses or pigs or whatever, e-mail that announcement to dallrp@aol.com.

ABOUT THAT RATE HIKE: I understand from news reports that the Texas Public Utility Commission has OK'd TXU's 24 percent rate hike. Ain't that dandy. I think I see the problem now. It's a matter of punctuation. The real name of the agency is Texas Public Utility's Commission. It's obviously not the public's commission.

Yeah, yeah, I know. The commission's hands are tied.

Apparently, in Texas, everybody's hands are tied except the consumers -- we need ours free so we can reach into our wallets and pull out more money.

I'm now going to try to harness the energy of my cocker spaniel (see photo above) and redirect it into our family energy storage unit. First someone will need to invent an energy storage unit. But if they ever harness Inky's energy, no doubt TXU will get its Public Utility Commission to outlaw cocker spaniels.

A Friday assortment

Before I go any further, remember to fall back this weekend. Spring forward, fall back. It's time change time.

Your computer will change its time for you. Your cat and your dog will not. Breakfast time is breakfast time. Good luck.

HELPING A FORT WORTH DOG:

This is one of those things that happens. Family circumstances change and a great dog faces a tough situation.

The dog in question is Baby, a female Schnauzer/Cocker mix who is 9 years old, spayed and medically sound. Baby's family, because of unexpected, overwhelming medical problems, must find a new home for the dog, reports her "grandmother" Cristene Smith, one of our longtime readers.

Cristene says, "Baby rides well in a car, walks on a leash, loves to be petted."

Baby is a house dog. Always has been. And she's good with other dogs, but has never been around cats.

"Baby is fluffy white, looks a lot like a big cuddly stuffed dog. She has short legs and a long body, floppy ears and a fluffy tail. She loves to roll over and have her stomach rubbed. She is very sweet. She doesn't bark a lot and usually lies under the dining room table during the day when the family is away at work."

So you'd think such a swell dog would be able to find a good home or at least a place to stay until a good home is found.
"Baby lives in Fort Worth," says Cristene. "We don't know of any 'no kill' shelter over here like Operation Kindness in Dallas. We don't want to take her to the pound or the Humane Society. Do you have any suggestions on how to find a new home for Baby?"

So, readers, there's the situation. Complicating it is that no-kill shelters (and others) are full, thanks in part to the hurricanes (and not to mention the "normal" traffic of homeless animals around here.) If anyone has an idea for Cristene or a place for Baby, please e-mail her at cristene@swbell.net.

Cristene says she hopes readers might be able to help Baby. And she says something many of us have said before while trying to help animals that we never expected would need help. She writes, "It's really hard to know what to do."

Bless the family and bless Baby.

A HAPPY ARRIVAL:

Four Spanish Greyhounds, known as "Galgos," arrived at DFW Airport Thursday evening after about an 18-hour flight from Madrid.

They'll soon be available for adoption, reports Susie McQuade of the Greyhound Adoption League of Texas. (www.greyhoundadoptiontx.org.)

GALT worked with SOS Galgos (www.sosgalgos.com) in Madrid to get these dogs to safety. (The dog in this photo is Pluto whose leg was broken when he was tossed out of a moving car onto a service station parking lot.)

In Spain, says Susie, the Galgo is used for hunting -- "coursing for hare," in fact. When the ol' dog won't hunt, well, awful things happen. Americans haven't cornered the market on animal cruelty, I guess.

Arriving with Pluto were Edu, Rayas and Ricardo. They'll all be neutered and, in a couple of weeks, they'll be available for adoption through GALT.

The Greyhound Adoption League of Texas will handle all the adoption details -- to get one of these Galgos, you'll have to undergo the usual rigorous GALT audition process.

GALT often "markets" its dogs as "retired athletes." Many of these Greyhounds have spent careers as racing dogs, then been discarded.

If you've ever been around a Greyhound, you know they move with grace and soul and prefer a comfy couch to a kennel.

AN AUTUMN EVENT:

Margaret Morin of the Animal Connection of Texas sends word that ACT and the Animal Guardians of America are inviting the "public to celebrate kindness to animals at a fun, autumn sidewalk festival and dog adoption." It's from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday at PetsMart, 12100 Inwood Road, Dallas.

There'll be goody bags for the first 200 kids. And there'll be fortune-telling and an animal behaviorist at the event.

A DEDICATION:

At 10 a.m. Saturday, Operation Kindness will host a "dedication and blessing" of a Memorial Garden created at Operation Kindness by volunteer Christina Marmol for her Girl Scout Gold Star project. The Greenhill School student raised money, hired a design firm and recruited family and friends to clear off Operation Kindness property and create the garden.

It is "dedicated to the homeless animals who were brought to the no-kill shelter but, because of illness or old age, passed away before they were adopted into new homes."

We're not beyond getting misty-eyed at www.readlarrypowell.com -- one little pup that comes to mind was not very old, probably 10 or 11 weeks. She was left behind at the scene of a house fire. All the people, all the TV crews, all the reporters and neighbors had walked away from the burned home. She'd suffered some burns and her little lungs had been filled with smoke, but she stayed "at home" until someone, on behalf of Operation Kindness, picked her up and took her to an emergency vet clinic deep in the night. Several days later, though she appeared to be making recovery, her little heart gave out. But, she was loved. She was Hope. Her memory lives on. And she's one of the animals whose story falls perfectly into the Memorial Garden's mission.

TIPS FOR ANIMALS AT HALLOWEEN:

OK. Let's remember to put up our black cats and, heck, our other casts, too, as Halloween approaches. And let's make sure our dogs are not in a position to frighten the little trick-or-treaters. And let's make sure no dog gets fed any chocolate. Bad for pups, they say.

You probably already know all these suggestions from the SPCA of Texas (www.spca.org), so I won't belabor them. But the deal is, protect your animals from the trick-or-treaters and protect your trick-or-treaters from the animals. You never know who'll spook whom on Hallowhoom, er, Halloween. (Sorry, keyboard ran wild there for a second.).

The SPCA's spokeswoman Maura Davies sent out the reminder about Halloween cautions and one of them includes "Don't let the family dog accompany the kids on their tick-or-treat outing." No kidding. This is a surefire invitation to disaster -- some dogs are protective, some dogs are confused by costumes. And, this isn't the world Norman Rockwell painted for The Saturday Evening Post. People are mean. They'll do mean things to your dog. Why put your dog at risk?

I remember that when I was a kid a half-century ago, our border collie Queenie enjoyed popcorn balls -- I hated 'em, the stickiness was too yucky, especially when people didn't wrap 'em in wax paper but just dropped 'em into your paper bag and smiled. At the Halloween Carnival, Queenie just didn't have the patience for the cakewalk -- tended to try to herd the kids. (I'm assuming you youngsters know what a cakewalk is.)

DIAL TONE:

I'm sort of glad SBC is becoming AT&T because every time I see SBC I am reminded of my thoroughly Baptist childhood when SBC meant Southern Baptist Convention. Even the Southern Baptist Convention couldn't dream up the extra fees the phone company has come up with. There is the fee for exceeding vowel limit, for standing in the wrong room, for helping goat farmers in West Texas reach talk shows, etc.

A SUGGESTION REGARDING THE DOGS OF SUMMER:

We truly live in strange times. The AP reports that Cuba (Fidel Castro!) has decided to accept post-hurricane aid from the United States. This has never happened before.

The door is open. For America? No! For the American League! Perhaps the front office of the Texas Rangers can volunteer for delivery duty and while they're on the island, scout for pitching.

A pup's ride; honoring the 1027s

Well, with the exception of Harriet Miers, it looks like we're all back in the running for Supreme Court Justice again. Keep your phone lines open.

If the president chooses me (and I have been available for one year today!), I'd like to swear all of you to secrecy. Thanks. We don't need a series of long, disgusting hearings.

I am qualified, however: I'm not a lawyer, I have few strong opinions (thoughts on cheeses and mustards, notwithstanding) and I have never been politically active. I also wouldn't mind dressing each day in a nice comfortable robe -- I guess my life wouldn't change that much. I'll let you know when the White House calls.

THE COCO STORY: In the Oct. 17 post on this site, I wrote, "There must be something extra special about this dog Coco" and outlined her story thanks to longtime rescuer Tawana Jurek. Coco had been living in a Dallas animal shelter for seven months -- since she was a puppy. "Her time was up and I went to save her," Tawana told us. Tawana got her into a rescue group.

Here's what has happened next.

The first note came over the weekend from Barbara Richardson of Homeward Bound Animal Rescue. "Coco will be going to Phoenix. Michelle [Smedema] has made arrangements for transport and someone else that had called me when they read her story is picking her up tomorrow and meeting the transport person so the little black dog Coco has a home. Thanks Tawana for all you did to get her out of 'prison at DAC' and Larry for putting her write-up on your website. I got calls from all over the country." (Aside: We're going to pause in Barbara's note to explain Coco's situation. Then we'll finish up with Barbara's next challenge.)

Wednesday morning, this note arrived:

"My name is Michelle Smedema and I have adopted Coco. She is being picked up from a woman's house in Dallas this evening by a trucker who is bringing her to Phoenix ... Just wanted to let you know that she has a big yard, swimming pool, sister (Abber Labber) and brother (Moosey Goosey) waiting for her.

"Thank you so much for bringing her plight to our attention. No dog should be killed because they are not 'adoptable' -- in the opinion of one person."

Amen, Michelle, amen.

Now, intrigued by those names, I asked Michelle to tell us a little bit about Coco's new family situation.

Here's Michelle's response:

"Abber Labber (a.k.a. Miss Abigail Rose) is a 3 1/2 year old spoiled rotten cream yellow lab. She is standard at about 56 pounds but thinks she is a lap dog and has no respect for human body parts like feet, arms and legs.

"Moosey Goosey (a.k.a. Moose) is an 8 1/2 year old Catahoula Leopard dog who I rescued when he was 5 weeks old. He acts like an old man and runs the roost.

"Most months we feel like we are just paying the mortgage for them to live in luxury.

"They love to sit on the couch and watch TV. Abber Labber sleeps with us in bed and Moosey Goosey right beside my side of the bed.

"We have a summer place in Northern Arizona (Prescott) that we go every other weekend and they both love 'road trip' days because I bring them with me to work on Friday and we leave from here.

"I sure hope Coco likes to travel as all winter we go to the sand dunes near Yuma, to ride our dirt toys.

"Abber Labber loves to swim and we cannot keep her out of the pool. Since Moosey Goosey likes to get in the water but not swim, we bui8lt our pool with a huge top step so he just gets in and lays down to cool off. We designed our yard for dogs with a huge dog run on the side (unfortunately, it only took them five minutes to figure out how to open the gate) and all our plants are pet friendly (except one cactus which they discovered quickly is not a fun to thing to run into). Coco should fit right in with our traveling zoo -- I sure hope she likes to swim because in Phoenix it is still swimming weather and we spend a lot of time outdoors in the pool or at the barbecue.

"When we are in Prescott, we talk long walks and hikes and frequently visit the 'bark park' where we can let them off their leashes and throw tennis balls until our arms are worn out."

So, that's what Coco, formerly a dog living in a cage in a shelter, will face when she gets to Phoenix sometime Friday.

Michelle says she should arrive "just in time for road trip day. I am so excited it has been hard for me to sleep. This is definitely a happy ending!"

And this brings us back to Barbara Richardson and Homeward Bound Animal Rescue (See the foundlings at www.petfinder.org/shelters/TX122.html .)

Barbara, of course, is overjoyed to see Coco headed toward a great home. There are other animals awaiting good homes. And as Barbara says, "Maybe when my Isis, the mange Dalmatian I got from the woman who was living in her car with 8 dogs, finally gets some hair, you can put her in your column with her story and she might find a home."

Folks, there's your first notice regarding Isis the Dalmatian. There's a good home out there just waiting for its new Dalmatian. If you want to get a jump on the adoption process, e-mail srich@flash.net or call 817-792-5122.

And, thank you Tawana and Barbara and Michelle for working hard to give Coco the good life. Good news in an era that needs it.

SPOTTING THE SIGNS: Regular reader "Sandy sends a note about something spotted over the weekend. "I noticed these on every pole along Coit. However ...you CAN'T STOP on Coit. I finally found a pole on a side street that I could pull over...I don't know if either of these dogs have been found/claimed but here goes:

"'FOUND: FEMALE PIT BULL [picture shows mostly white with few spots] 469-644-2620.'

"'LOST YORKIE Family misses her. Reward. 469-585-4450.'"

Sandy writes that all the sign are between Beltline and Campbell on Coit.

Maybe someone will recognize these pleas and match them with a missing dog or a found dog.

BORROWING EQUIPMENT: The Friends of the Animals at Cedar Creek Lake will be doing a "surgery catch-up day" on Nov. 13, says Friends spokeswoman Sydney Busch. Friends is fighting the spay/neuter battle with enormous enthusiasm. And on this particular day, at least 40 large female dogs are scheduled for surgery. The clinic doesn't have room for all of those and will be needing some help. "If you have a large airline or folding wire crate we can borrow for that day, please let me know ASAP," says Sydney. And, yes, the cage or crate will be cleaned before it's returned to you. (Call 903-451-4701 or e-mail sydney@edbusch.com.

Remember, in most cases, no matter what the question is, the answer is spay/neuter. (I'm just kidding about that "no matter what the question is." Spay/neuter is the answer to animal overpopulation. And, maybe, its the answer to averting some political crises.)

BOOK 'EM: Oh, yes, the American Association of University Women (Arlington Branch) book sale opens at 5 p.m. in St. Stephen United Methodist Church, 1800 W. Randol Mill Road. I've mentioned it before this week. It runs through Saturday. And it has all sorts of enjoyable books, records, tapes, CDs -- most priced at 50 cents to $2. And there's "ephemera" such as an autograph from Charlton Heston on a promotional flyer for his book Charlton Heston Presents the Bible -- that's priced at $32.

Do you wish, sometimes, that you could re-read some of the short stories you read in high school? In those stacks at this Book Fair, I have, over the past few years, managed to collect copies of the literature textbooks I had in high school. So, yes, with a handful of coins I have returned to my youth to re-visit great poets and authors!

I hope you'll take some time to visit this Book Fair. Proceeds from it go to literacy programs and to education grants for women. If you've got a daughter or granddaughter or a wife or a mom or a sister or grandmom or a real swell friend who happens to be a woman, stop by and spend some money in their honor. To borrow from another woman, "It's a good thing." (Yes, there may even be Martha Stewart books in the stacks!)

THE SAGA OF THE 1027S (FORGIVE ME A VERY PERSONAL NOTE): This is an anniversary for my fellow "1027s" and I want them to know that I am thinking of them. Many of us worked together for decades until the big paper company threw us out last year in a sudden fit of alleged fiscal responsibility.

It's never been clear how many of us were dismissed on 10/27 last year. No official announcement of "who" was ever made -- that explains why people still ask me how things are going at the paper. I don't have a clue -- I am not the only clueless individual who was involved in the Massacre of 10/27.

Some of my fellow 1027s have moved on to other papers. Some have moved on to other professions. One guy left the continent. One woman moved to Alaska -- she's had to face an unexpected expense: mandatory moose collision insurance for her car. One year you're worried about hitting deadlines, the next you're worried about hitting a moose.

My blood pressure escalated along with my weight -- maybe that was depression, maybe it wasn't. Maybe it was just the real me showing up at the dinner table! But folks say I'm a lot more relaxed and that I'm not as testy as before the layoffs when I was coping with a newspaper traveling on a path away from its traditional responsibilities. Maybe I'm not as testy -- you want to argue about it? (I'm kidding.)

Writing this blog every day -- with the wonderful help of you readers -- and writing for Urban Animal Magazine have helped me remember that I'm still a journalist, still using my skills to help my community by dispensing information in a responsible and sensitive manner. The big difference now is that when you read my stuff, you don't get news ink on your thumbs.

Some people, dumped from their jobs, were allowed to creep back into the paper to work part-time or at lower-paying positions. A person's gotta feed the dogs and cats, I figure. I cut 'em some slack. We all have our price, I guess. They didn't ask me back, though at the exit interview one of the news execs told me there would be low-level editing jobs opening the next spring "though not at the same rate of pay."

Bless his heart. He is a smart guy. I don't know if he had a vote in who was dismissed. I know some of the people who did. And I just hated being dismissed by people who can barely find their alphabets with both hands.

If you like what the Reigning Geniuses of the 21st Century have done to your paper, then, I guess they did the right thing for you. Or maybe you're one of those people who says "I take the local paper because my family always has, but I read the Dallas Observer and take the New York Times because I want to know what's going on."

Still, I hear things -- complaints, you know? Mostly I hear things from people in the wrong demographic -- yep, it's way too dry behind their ears. The company isn't interested in the opinions of the mature set, it's just interested in the money of the mature set. Not to be an old codger, but when I signed on at the big paper, the product was journalism, not stock certificates.

Oh, heck, the world changes. I know that. You know that. Some people will tell you that the paper must change to survive -- that's probably true. A caterpillar changes to survive. It, however, becomes a butterfly.

You just hate to see people in power treating other people as if they mean nothing, as if they're just an expendable line in a ledger -- existing purely because the management team needs "wiggle room" in the re-tooling budget.

There's a load of immorality in that layoff-and-thrive philosophy. It says, "We don't care how dedicated you are or how much you love us, you're just a piece of cheap furniture to us." Such a "business plan" renders the human experience and the human heart worthless in the job place.

For crying out loud, this was a newspaper. It must have heart. After all, it has a key mission related to the nation's freedom and protection of democracy. This isn't a company that's turning out some gadget most people can live without.

Or, looking at circulation figures across the country, maybe it is, after all.

Nowadays, like so many people, I get my news on-line. It's easier. It's allows me to keep up with big issues and I can still watch the careers of friends and of people whose continued employment is surely a mystery even to God.

Candice Bergen's has done some ads for the big paper with the theme "Live better here." Live better here? What does that have to do with the price of newsprint in China? I'm told some of the disgruntled current employees, now aware of their true worth to the company, adopted the informal theme of "Live bitter here."

Meanwhile, as I look around my "office" here at home, there's a loyal cocker spaniel napping near me and a big Great Dane/Lab mix ready at a moment's notice for a romp in the park. We're certain the Funspouse will come home this evening and deliver a whole new load of fresh laughter and joy.

Unburdened by numb-your-brain meetings, goofball company-wide pep rallies extolling the virtues of the French and Russian revolutions (I'm not kidding), official circulation investigations by federal and local authorities and memos that read like pranks but turn out to be deadly serious, we're managing to live better here.

I hope my fellow 1027s have found that they, too, can live better where they are. And good luck dodging the moose and other lumbering beasts.

Pups, people and things in the bayou

Periodically I get an e-mail with the subject line "Ephedra is back." The first time I saw it, I thought, "Who would name a dog Ephedra?"

I get so many e-mails with subject lines relating to the disappearance or appearance of a lot or found dog that when I first saw "Ephedra is back" I was momentarily buoyed at the thought of a canine reunion. But, it turns out it's just some kind of diet pill. In my lifetime I've seen many diet pills, many diets and many pounds. Some things are eternal.

I also got an e-mail last week that began "There's a new breed....." and I thought "Don't we have enough already" and I read on to see the rest of the sentence "of stockbroker in town." None of them are hounding me for my business.

COMING AND GOING: In this little spot on the World Wide Web we recently published a plea from Tracey Matthews to help find homes for a quartet of puppies rescued from the Cedar Creek Lake area. Two of those pups are still available.

The other two, as demonstrated in this photograph, don't know if they are coming or going, but they do know that they are home.

Consuelo Murray offered to pet-sit the whole quartet for a day while Tracey ran errands and, son of a gun, if she didn't just up and decide to keep two of them. The former Buster is now known as Dudley and the former Sassy is now Daffy. (See Oct. 12 post for the backstory on the pups.)

"I wanted to keep all four," Consuelo confesses, but there were financial considerations. Dudley and Daffy join a number of other dogs on the Murray estate. "The nice thing about a multiple dog household," Consuelo says, "is that even though it is like living in a tree full of squirrels sometimes, the adults tend to take over lots of the parenting role. Doggo has become quite the Bachelor Uncle -- interested but not really sure what to do with the puppies. Doodle has appointed herself the Puppy Mistress, disciplining the adults when they try to get too rough, and demon -- well, he really is acting like the Nasty Older Cousin who doesn't like sharing his toys. Mr. Drum, well, he is confused, but he spends much of his time confused. That is normal for him."

Demon, by the way, is a Blue Heeler, who "has accepted the pups as his 'flock' " and will herd them when the opportunity arises.

Consuelo also reminds us that Tracey still has those remaining two pups up for grabs and she has a "beautiful Husky she rescued that needs a home. He is neutered, heartworm negative, sweetly disposed and another example of human stupidity. This dog was microchipped!" (To see about giving a home to the pups or to the Husky, e-mail Tracey at tracey@traceymatthews.com or call 903-288-0725.)

Why did Consuelo pick two pups? "I was only going to get one pup," she says, "but, well, I just could not stand to separate just one. Like pup-tato chips?" Can't have just one.

FROM HIGHWAY 175: Oh, my, life on the road can be so "iffy." In this case, something good happened.

Sydney Busch of Friends of the Animals, the spay/neuter minded group from Cedar Creek Lake, reports that this dog, Spot, probably about 3 months old, "was picked up on Highway 175 dodging cars....She is spayed, has had her first set of puppy shots, is working hard on housetraining, walks great on a leash and loves other dogs and people. She has not been around cats yet."

(Oh, what 17-pound dog doesn't love a good cat to annoy now and then!)

The only adoption fee will be to reimburse the vet clinic for her car. She's in a foster home now. (To audition to adopt Spot, call 903-451-4701 or e-mail sydney@edbusch.com

Amazing that such a dog would just turn up on a highway. Amazing, but not unusual, darnit.

One more lake-area note:

An abandoned 30-pound dog was rescued and rewarded her finders by giving birth to 8 lab mix puppies -- 3 males, 5 females. The folks who found the mom are going to keep her, but they need help placing the offspring. (Call 903-887-5845 to help. Personal endorsement from your host: We have a lab-mix or two -- we're not sure -- at our house and you cannot beat these guys for being gentlemen and ladies. And, my, oh, my, do they love to be hugged!)

WHAT'S THAT NOISE? Goodness, gracious, that Texas Bigfoot Conference was such a success a couple of weekends ago in Jefferson, Texas, that some of the key presenters and enthusiasts will present a 3-hour program, "Bigfoot in Texas and Oklahoma," on Friday in League City at the College of the Mainland Learning Center, reports Craig Woolheater of the Texas Bigfoot Research Center (www.texasbigfoot.com)

Seriously, what is that noise late in the night when you're camping in the bayous in that spooky area where Texas, Arkansas and Louisiana run together? Could it really be a Sasquatch-like creature that roams the undeniably spooky landscape of eerie old trees and brush so thick that flying bugs can't penetrate it? Honest, in my youth, I camped in that area and there were sounds that would have sent Daniel Boone running to mommy.

Craig once kidded me that he's looking forward to the day he actually captures a Bigfoot and I can write the story about his new pet!

Of course, Bigfoot may not be an animal. It might be some sort of missing-link human. Or it might be some ol' boy from Arkansas who took one too many sips of the homemade brew and went off into the woods to recover. I've seen relatives at family gatherings who, when standing knee deep in water in the shadows of a bayou cypress, might just be mistaken for another species or something from another planet. Once you talk to them, that theory is pretty much confirmed.

A day in America

We're dragging along a little slow today. It's trash day in our neighborhood and when I was bagging the kitchen stuff this morning, I dropped a can and bent to pick it up and ... oh, my, if you've ever had a back problem you know that the slightest innocent move can set off a dynamically unsettling situation.

It's not so much the pain, it's the anticipation of the pain. Oh, yeah, that very first time it's the pain that gets you. But the next time you feel an odd tweak, it's the anticipation of the pain -- and that pain may never come. But you remember the horror of the first pain. Oh, it sticks with you like an apple fritter sticks to your thighs.

So, as I type this, there's a little odd "discomfort" just above my left hip pocket. It could be nothing. It could be something. I shall heed the sheriff's warning to the bad guy: "Don't make no sudden movement."

Next time I drop something, either the cocker spaniel can have it or I'll leave it on the floor until Martha gets home.

Speaking of Inky the cocker spaniel: Last night I was sitting at the desktop computer answering e-mail and Martha was in the recliner with the laptop. She said something like, "Finally. A good use for this dog." I turned to look and there was Inky, asleep in Martha's lap and being used as a "lap desk" for the "lap top." Inky -- he's good for something

A SLEEPING DOGS ALUMNUS NODS OFF: It's a pleasure to post these photos. A couple of months ago we featured Nemo the Beagle in the "Let Sleeping Dogs Lie & Napping Cats Nap" weekend spotlight. Nemo knows how to sleep.

Over the weekend, Nemo and his mom, Melissa Boesch, went to the Foxy Paws Growloween Party at NorthPark shopping center.

As you can tell, Nemo was awake for some of the contest, then, after parading as The Cowardly Lion from the Wizard of Oz, he found that Melissa's shoulder was just comfy enough to enhance a nap. So he took one.

BORDER COLLIE NEEDS A HOME: Amazing, isn't it, that someone would dump a border collie. This note comes from Friends of the Animals out where many dogs get dumped, Cedar Creek Lake. Here's the note: "Abandoned near the home of some very kind people, a precious 2-year-old border collie boy has been medically and emotionally cared for and is now ready to find his forever home." He's yet to be neutered, but he is heartworm free and up to date on his shots. (Call Lavita Cundiff at 903-498-7135 to see about adopting this fellow.)

NAME FROM THE PAST: Just after noon, the MSNBC reporter covering the storm at Belmar, N.J., is Vivian Lee. Not Vivian Leigh, but one does wonder about the parent's devotion to cinema.

DON'T FORGET THE BOOK SALE: Here's a selling point for that American Association of University Women Book Fair in Arlington this week: In general, all items cost just 50 cents to $2. That's way cheaper than a gallon of gasoline!

Our reliable Book Fair tipster Diane Feldman says that for the second year, the Fair will have a Collector's Corner table for "Catalog-Worthy Late Arrivals." Those are treasures that didn't make it into the annual catalog. And there's a new category called "What Ever" for "nice books which we can't squeeze into our regular categories," says Diane. "For example, a book on Chinese foot-binding, which we had some years ago, would have fit perfectly."

The sale runs from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday and it costs $2 to get in opening night. On Friday, shop from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. and on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (half-price day -- they want to clear the stacks!) The location? St. Stephen United Methodist Church, 1800 W. Randol Mill in Arlington.

And here are some more items from the sale catalog:

Racemackers' Cartoon History of the War, Volume I -- that would be from 1918 and the war is The Great War, the War to End All Wars, World War I. It's priced at $12.

If you want something harmonious, there's a 1943 volume, The Curious History of Music Boxes. That's $28 for you collectors.

And if you really wanted to study James Whitcomb Riley when you were in school and couldn't stay awake in class, the fair is offering several volumes of his poetry, including Riley Child Rhymes with Hoosier Pictures by Will Vawter -- it's $175, but the other volumes are in the $35 to $45 range. These are, indeed, collectibles. Put one on a visible shelf in your house and your relatives will think you're a lot smarter than you are.

From 1936, the Texas Centennial year, there's the book Texas Flowers in Natural Colors. It's priced at $40.(There are also gardening books throughout the sale if you want some natural colors for 2005 and beyond.)

And, for your railroad collectors, in the "Ephemera" category there's a "Timetable for Kansas City Southern Railway/Louisiana & Arkansas Railway" from Sept. 2, 1940. It's priced at $15. That'll take you for a ride back in time.

Just remember, you may not want any of the "collectibles," but you may need something interesting to read -- there are stacks and stacks of books at this sale that aren't priced higher than a fashion model's skirt at the Eiffel Tower. Good reads, good and cheap.

ROSA PARKS: It wasn't about the ride, it was about the journey.

Dec. 1, 1955, she doesn't go to the back of the bus. I'm in the 2nd grade at an all-white school. We don't know any black kids. Jackie Robinson broke baseball's color line in 1947. Brown Vs. Board of Education had been filed in 1951 -- that would, eventually, desegregate the schools. My Class of 1966 in Texarkana grew up in the age of white only entrances to movie theaters and white and colored water fountains and white and black sides of town and never went to an integrated public school.

Without Rosa Parks and without those courageous people filing that suit more than a half-century ago, without a common love of the game of baseball, many of us would never have made the friends we have today. Our worlds would simply have never met.

A whole lot of us owe a whole lot to these heroes of America. We should honor them by living good, peaceful lives of love and decency.

Jackie Robinson broke baseball's color line. Rosa Parks broke America's barrier to just plain polite decency. It's a crying shame that it has been so difficult to get Americans to be nice to each other. But every day since that bus ride, I like to think that we Americans have moved a little closer to being "one nation."

No, it wasn't just one bus ride, it was the journey of a nation.

Fair cookies, fine dogs and opportunity

Ah, there's a chill over North Texas and it feels good.

That's the kind of weather report that boosts my spirits.

Frankly, I'm sick of watching TV reporters holding up cell phones with camera capability and yelling over a storm, "Look, the wind is really blowing in this hurricane. And there's a lot of water, too."

What else are they going to say? I just heard a TV voice -- I don't know who -- there's no ID on the screen -- say of Wilma, "This is not the first hurricane to hit Florida." I'm not sure who within the sound of her voice would have thought otherwise.

OK, enough commentary on the state of disaster journalism.

We had a big weekend and I'm not ashamed to admit it.

DATE NIGHT: Friday night we had our regular date at the fabulous Sam's Pasta & Pizza (or maybe it's Pizza & Pasta -- this is Monday and I'm bewildered).

We cut back on pizza that night. Instead of two slices, I had one (cheese and peppers). Martha had one (sliced meatball). I had a salad. She had a salad. Then, to make sure our meal was nutritionally balanced, we split a slice of chocolate cheesecake.

(Sam's is in downtown Cedar Hill. It's the only building with neon, as I recall. But the real glow is on the inside. Sam's also has calzones and all sorts of Italian dishes you have to eat with a fork! Lasagna, chicken pizzaola, etc. I love the fettucini alfredo and the spaghetti with the garlic and oil....I should be in a 12-step program for people who love too much, er, love Italian food too much.)

COME SATUDAY MORNING, COOKIE: This Sam's "date" is directly linked to our Saturday activities. You'll notice I said we watched what we were eating (up to a point) Friday night.

That's because on Saturday morning, we rolled to the great State Fair of Texas to help judge the cookie contests. (You can see the names of the winners at www.bigtex.com. Click on Creative Arts, then click on the cookie contest results.)

My palatespouse Martha and I tasted 5,000 bar cookies. What? Oh, I'm sorry. That was just 32 bar cookies. After the first 10 or so, the sugar sets in and you lose touch with the planet earth.

The good thing about judging a cookie contest at the great State Fair of Texas is there are no bad cookies. (We've also judged cakes and other items. Martha judges in the arts and crafts stuff -- I have no art, I have no craft, but I do have taste.) I can even remember the names of some of the entries. Cherry Mash. Jim's Lemon Bars. I'll dream about them. We were really fortunate to draw this category.

For the "severalth" year in a row, our cookie server was Jo Bowen (left)-- we often swap grandparent tales and photos. She's a cool grandma though you can't tell she's "grandma age." And she is an entertaining server who keeps her cookie judges from, at the peak of their sugar rush, jumping to their feet and belting out show tunes.

Barbara Jones and the folks in the Creative Arts Division do such a good job of not just running the contests, but of displaying the entries, that when you enter the Creative Arts Building it's like walking onto a movie set. It's simultaneously yesterday and today.

Well, it's time to swear that I won't eat cookies for six months. Let's move on to our doggy duties.

THE MUTT MASQUERADE: After the last cookie was judged, I raced across town to Stratos Global Greek Taverna for the Howloween Mutt Masquerade fundraiser for Operation Kindness. Martha left the fairgrounds after the best-in-show cookie was announced. We were, buzzed on sugar and State Fair vibes, emceeing the assorted contests at the Howloween. Among the costumes were Diesel, a big ol' poodle dressed as a member of the band KISS and a sort of chunky white boxer decorated like a dairy cow.

When it comes to having fun, you can't beat being with people who love showing off their critters. These folks were absolutely thrilled to show how their little dogs or their big dogs loved to be dressed up. One group even had three dogs dressed as the Three Musketeers.

Another family -- "We're from Louisiana!" the mom announced -- had dressed as a scene from Peter Pan, complete with a dog costumed as Tinkerbell and a Dad wearing a crocodile head mask. I've never typed that sentence before and I've never seen a guy wearing a crocodile head mask, either.

It was a pretty swell time. The judges were media/showbiz types, including our KLUV (98.7 FM) buddy, DJ Larry Dixon, a veteran of this sort of thing and a guy who often steps up and helps Operation Kindness. He, too, appeared to be astonished at the guy in the crocodile head.

Dawn, Nick and Joanne Rizos, the hosts, did such a great job -- they underwrote the entire event, meaning Operation Kindness gets the total proceeds. The food was spectacular, the conversation lively, etc. I'm not sure how they managed to order up such a great day of weather for the event, but, there it was, a great day for dogs and cats, for listening to Steve Hulse's artistry on the piano and just plain having a good laugh with friends. Now, seriously, if you're interested in some music that'll set a good tone for your day, check out some of Steve's work at www.cdbaby.com/cd/hulse1/from/evor. It's cool.

Sometime around mid-afternoon, Martha and I, still reeling from our Encounter With Bar Cookies, left Stratos, drove home and crashed. One of our dogs even said, "Finally, they understand the beauty of an afternoon nap." The others continued napping.

So thanks to everybody who made our Saturday so wonderful. Look, this is the beauty of our lives: We have dogs, cats, kids and grandkids. AND we get to judge cookies at the State Fair and mingle with dogs and their people at the Halloween Mutt Masquerade. If our life got any better, the Texas Legislature would call a special session to outlaw it.

ASSORTED NOTES: Jamie Brunner, foster mom to Molly the Great Dane, reports that the big dog is a little smaller after her hip-repairing surgery last week, but she is back in her foster home and enjoying a nice period of recuperation. (Molly's a ward of Great Dane Rescue of North Texas -- see www.danerescue.net.) Jamie writes, "Molly asked me to thank everyone who donated to her cause -- without its generous benefactors, GDRNT would not be able to survive and without GDRNT it's likely Molly wouldn't have survived, either. Now this super special, super sweet girl will get to brighten the lives of her forever family for a long time. She also wants to give special thanks to all those who sent healing thoughts and prayers her way. She swears she could feel all the love, warmth and care and that's where the spark in her eyes comes from -- yes, she's a very sappy dog."

..."Lady is a wonderful dog," begins the note. But Lady needs another home. She's a year-old yellow lab who won't stay in her yard. She's a fence-climber, fence-leaper, or fence-digger-underer (that's not a real word, but if you've dealt with such a dog, you know it's a real problem.) Sue Wilson says this congenial dog consistently puts herself in harm's way, so she needs a home that can curtail her wandering ways. She's spayed an healthy and is a digger. So, if you can give this Lady the proper amount of constructive attention, call Sue at 903-432-4448.

... This little guy is Milagro, a 10-year-old Shih Tzu mix who is a tad blind and "mostly deaf." And he needs a home. The folks at A Different Breed want to either find a foster home or a permanent home for the little guy, says Nancy Scheps of ADB. The story goes that it is "helpful to him to 'feel' sound, such as tapping the floor to let him know yo're there. He love to walk, but finds it helpful if you walk slowly and direct him gently Milagro is a sweet sensitive dog. He wags his tail to let you know hee's enjoying your company." (To volunteer to help Milagro, call 214-676-5824 or e-mail moniquevoelker@attglobal.net.) The official note about Milagro reads, "His new home should be nothing less than patient, loving and utter devotion. He stole our hearts."

Interesting. He can't see where he's going, but he managed to find the right direction. Another reason to envy dogs.

A sleeping dog with a history

We're pinpointing a good ol' dawg in our weekly feature, "Let Sleeping Dogs Lie and Napping Cats Nap."

And, when you see the mugshot of this dog sleeping you just nearly have to say, "Oh, my, he is so human."

No insult meant to the dog.

But, seriously, that look on his face, the mouth slightly open, maybe a little drool spilling out onto the couch -- well, just maybe there's a slight resemblance to an uncle or aunt in the recliner in the late minutes of a Cowboys game on a warm Sunday afternoon.

Now this dog happens to be Daeland, or, to quote Cary Birdwell, "This is my boy Daeland." Just a little pride in that "my boy" declaration.

Cary has been cited here before as a reliable Canine Assessment Guru. He often gives a "trial run" for dogs in assorted rescue groups and reports back about their nature and their tendencies.

He didn't really have a chance to do any of those tests on Daeland. Why? Because Daeland hooked his heart right away. Daeland is "a rescue from East Dallas," says Cary.

"I was working at an adopt-a-pet one Saturday but had walked away to go to my car for something. A family noticed my animal rescue t-shirt an told me that they had found a puppy in a ditch -- in the rain -- that could not walk and asked if I could help them.

"After I got home I made a few calls for help, but then left on my own to meet with the puppy.

"He was on their front porch -- clean, happy...well fed, but, sure enough, could not walk or even holds his own body up.

"There were no signs of injury or illness and he didn't seem to be in any pain. With an apartment already full of dogs and not knowing what he had, I was hesitant to take him home.

"The family, however, was not willing to help him out any more and refused to even bring him indoors (though they had no other pets.)

"I returned home to make some more phone calls to see who could help me, but soon turned around and went back after him anyhow. I just could not in good conscience leave him there with no one to help him.

"I brought him home and placed him on some towels in my large walk-in shower so that I could keep him quarantined. Over the weekend I had to carry him outside to relieve himself, clean him and treat a urine scaled he had developed.

"He was such a trooper and never once showed the slightest hint of self-pity or anxiety over his condition."

A trip to the vet determined that the pup was suffering from Ehrlichia -- that's a tick-borne blood disease. As we all know, Dallas is lousy with ticks.

Next to rescuers who already have a houseful of dogs, ticks find the most dogs in this town.

After two days of antibiotics, the pup was up and moving again.

And, Cary says, "I fell in love and just could not part with him. That was a year ago."

He named the dog Daeland -- that links him to a dog Cary rescued a year or so ago, Senta. Their names come from Der Fliegende Holländer, or for those of you who need help with the translation, the opera The Flying Dutchman by Reekhard Vahgnar, er, Richard Wagner. (See http://patriciagray.net/Operahtmls/WSounds/wag.aiff.)

Cary says, "Senta was the woman whose sacrifice released the Captain of the Dutchman from his curse. Deland was her father .... And I modified the name Deland to Daeland to convert the soft 'e' to a long 'a' sound."

Now, opera aside, Cary says, I love all my dogs deeply, but Daeland is truly the light of my life. I owe a big thanks to Kindness Small Animal Hospital who diagnosed him, to Gail Whelan of Companion Animal Network and her volunteer Claudia Sprowso, and also to Monique Voelker with A Different Breed for their help and support with Daeland."

So, this sleeping dog is the happy product of a team effort. And though the family that found him didn't want him, we still must thank them for doing the right thing and seeking out someone who could help the little guy.

And now, as you look at these photos -- taken at different times but at the same favorite sleeping place -- you may want to ask yourself: Does a sleeping dog hear opera in his dreams? Or is he just content to enjoy nodding off in a favorite place in a home where he's loved?

(To nominate a critter for inclusion in "Let Sleeping Dogs Lie and Napping Cats Nap," e-mail a slumber photo and information about the animals and the humans to dallrp@aol.com. We're happy to give any sleeping animal world-wide exposure.)

The Tale of the Cat

Maybe you've had one of these ol' cats hanging around your house for a while -- the Cuecat. Remember that red-eyed gadget -- a cat-shaped barcode scanner given to you by the big city paper? You hooked it up to your computer -- get it, cat and mouse? -- and used it to read barcodes in stories and ads in the paper and in some magazines and on TV. 

It has been named one of the worst computer gadgets of the decade. No kidding. Read on.

Unfortunately, it seems that the Cuecat was obsolete the moment it appeared. It also depended on people always sitting at their computer desks to read their paper. "I can't find anybody who does that," I told one of the editors and he, corporate to the core, told me I was full of kitty litter.  He alleged that the secret surveys declared people would love to  sit at their computer desks while holding the broadsheet newspaper with one hand and  rolling a cuecat over it with the other while working the computer with their third hand, or something like that.  Hah.  The secret survey turned out to be wrong. Yeah, I got laid off a couple of years later, but the stain of the Cuecat isn't on my record.

Get the skinny on this Cuecat development at the techno writer link on the new Dallas site www.dallasblog.com.  (You'll find a few of your old newspaper friends at that site, among them witty, insightful and tall cartoonist Bill DeOre and the fabulous writer/reporter Carolyn Barta.)

Here' s the link to the Cuecat tale:  www.dallasblog.com/techno-file-bedell/

This report is written by Doug Bedell, a guy who knows his beans about technostuff. He also had first-hand experience with the Cuecat. I think he turned his into a Christmas ornament, but I'm not sure.

I've got two of the Cuecats boxed away somewhere. They've been completely inert. You can check the financial records at the Belo Corp. -- those guys managed to find the only Cat in the world that wouldn't multiply, the Cuecat.