Big game, big dogs & Ed Bark

It's the day of the big game. The Green Bay Packers and the Dallas Cowboys will play at Texas Stadium. See it locally on UFH Channel 27.

Our prediction: Sleet arrives during rush hour and by kickoff at 7:15, there's an inch of snow on the artificial turf and the fans are wondering why, if they paid that much for a ticket, there's no heating pad on the seat. And Green Bay wins unless Dallas wins.

And all around, the world will miraculously continue to turn. More later.

THOSE SHEPHERDS: Back on Nov. 6 we mentioned three German Shepherds that had been abandoned in the Corsicana area and taken in by the folks with the Humane Society of Navarro County.

Now, for a brief while it looked like those dogs (that's one on the left) had places to go -- but, as will happen, things didn't work out. And the dogs are back in the care of the folks with the society which has a lot of heart but doesn't have an actual shelter.

So, homes are needed for these three dogs. As our Humane Society tipster Julie Maupin writes, "We are in a terrible bind..."

As usual, there are complicating factors: One dog has heartworms; they are being boarded but the Christmas travel season is approaching and because of previous reservations at the kennel, they'll be out of a place to stay ... You know how this goes, readers. If there's a circumstance that can arise to complicate a rescue, it will appear.

To offer help to the Humane Society of Navarro County, e-mail jhmaupin@sbcglobal.net or call 903-872-3887 or 903-875-4195.

A HOUSTON SITUATION: Take a look at that photo. Is that a soulful appearance? A photo that says, "I'm down on my luck. Now what?"

We got the tip on this big guy from reliable Dana Dicker in Houston and we got in touch with veteran rescuer Cindy Perini who forwards the story of this dog named Hogan. "He was left in a very, very run down trailer park in a very bad area of town -- his family moved and left him behind and poor baby was starving to death. We don't think he would have lasted much longer there and the people at the trailer park wanted him gone one way or another. Hogan is a very loyal doggie who has been waiting patiently for his family to come home to him...When we found him, he was sitting on the porch with his kitten friends waiting."

As you can tell from the photo, at some point in this dog's life someone cut off his ears.

Now, the vet bill for Hogan is expected to hit the $800 mark, Cindy reports. Donations can be made at the Scouts Honor site HERE or you can write to Scout's Honor Rescue Inc., 1302 Waugh Drive, PMB #245, Houston, Texas, 77019-3908.

And if you can help by fostering or adopting Hogan, e-mail cperini@velaw.com or call 832-651-4512.

PRAYER & PASSAGES: On our Prayers & Passages page today you'll find a need for some prayers -- one of our local rescuers is encountering some medical things. Click on the Prayers & Passages button on the right side of this website.

THOSE TURKEYS: You may recall that back before Thanksgiving we gave you the website where you could vote to name the official Thanksgiving turkey that President Bush would pardon in the annual traditional ceremony at the White House. The official Thanksgiving turkey is now named May and the backup turkey is called Flower. Here's the LINK.  I'm not sure why you'd need a backup turkey if the pardon was granted, but, well, this is America. We always have a backup system.

JOLLY OL' SAINT NICK AND CRITTERS: Yep, it's THAT season -- the time of year when Santa poses with pets all over the place. We have just three that we'll mention today, but we'll remind you to pick up a copy of Urban Animal magazine to see a list of Santa photo places. And, you might check with your favorite rescue group to see if they're posing with Santa this year.

            -- Peppermint Pet Pix in Pocket Park. Alliteration aside, this is a photo session from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday in Corsicana's Pocket Park, 118 N. Beaton, downtown. Memories By Melissa will be taking the photos and a portion of the $15 fee goes to the Humane Society of Navarro County.

            -- At Operation Kindness on Saturday, the right jolly ol' elf will be portrayed by people whose voices are familiar. The photo session is from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the shelter, 3201 Earhart Drive in Carrollton. (Prices start at $15 -- and you can buy the CD of the session for $5 more. All money goes to the no-kill shelter.) Famous radio talk show host Russ Martin of 105.3 FM will "suit up as Santa" from 10 a.m..  to noon. Other Russ Martin Show staffers will fill out the rest of the day in the Santa suit: Trey Trenholm from noon to 2 p.m.; J.D. Ryan from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. and Gavin Spittle from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. Operation Kindness continues its' Santa photos on Dec. 8 and Dec. 15.

            -- The Companion Animal Network's Santa photo sessions are scheduled from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Dec. 2 and Dec. 9 - on the 2nd, they'll be at the PetsMart at 12100 Inwood Road and on the 9th at the PetsMart at 5500 Greenville Ave. in Dallas. Prices start at $8.95 for the digital photos.

            That photo is not Jolly Ol' Saint Nick. That is our staff impersonator Inky giving us his skilled impression of a department store Santa, after a day of posing with kids and critters, rushing into the breakroom at the mall and spotting a big steaming platter of Mom's Tiny Reindeer & Mistletoe Meatloaf With Holly Jolly Garnish and a flagon of Calm My Nerves Wassail.

WHO WATCHES THE TELEVISION? Our pal Ed Bark, known far and wide as "Uncle Barky," was TV critic at the big paper in Dallas for decades. Nowadays he's enjoying freedom of the press because at his own journalistic website, www.unclebarky.com, he can write about the way local television is run. (Click HERE for the inside story.)

Moving along: As you can see from the illustration (click on it to make it larger), Ed isn't just sitting at home in the recliner wearing out his thumbs on the remotes. He's out and about and accessible. (He's also a friend to animals -- as you'd expect from a guy named Bark.)

At 2 p.m. Saturday, he'll be at Stratos Greek Taverna, 2907 W. Northwest Highway, for The Uncle Barky Show, a discussion with up-and-coming radio and TV personality Gordon Keith. It's free.

Just FYI: While you're there, enjoy some of the Stratos fare -- it's great Greek stuff, but there's also, I'm told, a dynamite burger. (There are things for vegetarians, too -- things that actually taste good.)

So, there you have it, Uncle Barky, a special guess and thoughtful discussions of  television.

It sounds darned near intellectual -- and if you have watched things in Dallas for a while,  you wonder if that's going to violate some city anti-smart ordinance. Don't let anybody catch you thinking.

THE COLD: Today my cold is making a comeback just in time for the medicine to make me drowsy as the big game approaches tonight. I am wearing my gameday helmet and it is hard to aim a sneeze through the facemask -- the echo is deafening, too.

I don't have faith in the Dallas secondary against Brett Fahvre. As soon as I said that, my son Bart cleverly replied, "Why should you? They're only 10 and 1."

Yeah, but they're 10 and 1 against people other than Brett Fahvre. Of course, Dallas has Tony Romo, also 10 and 1.

OK, time to close today's report. I've got to put snow chains on the tires and shovel the sidewalk. Good thing I'm wearing cleats and pads.