My goodness, we've hit the end of the traditional work week and we've still got work to do.
I know baseball season is coming though: both The Pride of the Yankees and Bull Durham were on cable TV this morning.
Our phone has been ringing off the hook -- well, out of the cradle...sorry for the 20th century reference. Politics. Lots of political calls. Pollsters. People wanting help. People wanting to make sure they can count on our votes. All pre-recorded.
It makes you think candidates may be afraid to venture into the neighborhoods to actually talk to voters, though, of course, some voters may find the candidates every bit as annoying as the candidates' phone calls.
That photo? That's our resident impersonator, Inky the Cocker Laureate of Texas, giving us his impression of a presidential candidate's aide rushing into a weekly luncheon of the local political party and spotting a big steaming platter of Mom's Happy Delegate Meatloaf. This is also his impression of a candidate's frontman rushing into a big corporation's board room and spotting a heaping platter of Mom's Happy Lobbiest Meatloaf garnished with substantial amounts of lettuce.
OK, let's move on to something that might make the world a better place.
A CHANCE TO HELP SPAY/NEUTER AND A POODLE: OK, lots of folks have heard the term "Spay/Neuter" but the Friends of the Animals at Cedar Creek Lake live it. They operate -- no pun -- a successful clinic in Gun Barrel City.
And here's the challenge. We get this from our ultra-reliable tipster Sydney Busch who reports, "On March 4 we are doing surgery only on over-40-pound female dogs to try to catch up on them before they all get pregnant. We need to borrow about 20 very large crate. They should be clean (thank you!) and we'll return them that way."
To volunteer to help in this mission, e-mail [email protected] or call 903-451-4701 or 214-808-4701 (cell).
As long as we're mentioning needs at the lake, Sydney also tips us to Tango, a "very handsome white standard poodle" that needs a home immediately. The dog has been "living in a small run and the owner has decided to let him go."
Tango is a year old and needs to be neutered and housetrained. He's up to date on shots and good with dogs. (Call 903-87-2602 to ask about Tango. You'll be calling the person who finessed this dog from the owner in order to save his life.)
About poodles -- never met one yet that wasn't smart as a whip and willing to be the perfect companion. All sizes -- toy to standard -- they're bright and loyal.
THE SYMBOLIC SHELTER: Maybe the White Settlement Animal Shelter just has more people 
rooting for it. But I get a lot of e-mails urging people to help this overcrowded shelter find homes for its animals.
A couple of weeks ago we mentioned Sam and Sara -- two big dogs that came into the shelter after helping to thwart a home burglary. I don't know why someone would give up such helpful dogs, but they did and the dogs are on the clock. Sara's the brown one, Sam's the black one. They probably need to go together.
And that dog with the black-and-white wire-haired look is the appropriately named Panda.
There are many more dogs and many cats at this suburban Fort Worth shelter.
It's at 209 Bollinger Blvd. -- a Google map will show you the best route from your house. The phone number is 817-205-8650.
This is a city-operated shelter. So, the clock is ticking on every animal in it.
Remind your critterless friends and neighbors that there are animals that need homes. Geez, there's just a never-ending supply. The best answer isn't "kill 'em faster," it's "Spay/Neuter. Spay/Neuter. Spay/Neuter."
AND THE IRVING SHELTER: We got a note this morning about Roscoe the Dog and another one about two old (not so old to me!) cats that are in the Irving Animal Shelter and need rescuing or adopting. E-mails arrive almost every day pointing out specific animals in shelters that have touched someone. So, if you know someone who needs to be touched by animal, send them to a shelter and save some lives.
At Irving the cats 12-year-old Russian Blue, Spaz, and a 15-year-old brown tabby named Laura Bell. Click here to see their photos.
Or go to the shelter at 100 N. Briery Road, just a little east of Belt Line at Rock Island in Irving, a couple of miles south of Airport Freeway. Call 972-721-2256.
STRUT YOUR MUTT: The SPCA's annual Strut Your Mutt 3kWalk/Fun Run event is Saturday near the Museum of nature and Science in Fair Park. Registration starts at 8 a.m. The opening ceremonies are at 9:45 a.m. and the walk/run begins at 10:15 a.m., we hear from the folks at the SPCA. Registration is $25. Details are at www.strutyourmutt.info.
UPDATE ON A DOG: Last fall we wrote a bit about Deborah Trevino's concern for a dog that seemed to be roaming at will in a Garland neighborhood and putting itself in danger. Here's the update from Deborah a few days ago:
"I just wanted to give you an update on the Belgian Shepherd dog, who had been in bad shape last Fall. I spotted 3-4-year-old Mia this morning roaming the open alley behind her owner's house early this morning. This is the first time I have seen her since Thanksgiving, and, at that time, she still looked in bad shape. She had missing fur all over, had an injured hind leg, was extremely skinny. Well, you wouldn't know she was the same dog. Now, her fur is thick all over, she doesn't limp on her hind leg. She looks beautiful. She's still on the skinny side, but her condition has improved 90% from what it was at Thanksgiving. So, my efforts paid off last Fall, when I decided to contact her owners."
So, maybe, folks a gentle note, a calm conversation -- they may help save a dog.
WOLF NOTE: We've gotten several notes about the fate of gray wolves in the Rocky Mountains. There is a renewed move on to protect them. And here's a LINK to the Los Angeles Times story about the situation.
A NOTE ABOUT THE OSCARS: On Sunday night's broadcast, watch for writers strike jokes, Brittney jokes, steroid and human growth hormone jokes and political jokes. I'm rooting for Michael Clayton though I know good and decent people I admire who are pulling for No Country For Old Men. Surprise of the evening? Oscar takes back the Best Actor statuette it gave Roberto Benigni for Life Is Beautiful and rightly presents it to Tom Hanks for Saving Private Ryan. Oops, sorry. I forgot. Oscar is always right. We cite 1952's Best Picture Oscar which didn't go to High Noon, Ivanhoe, Moulin Rouge or The Quiet Man -- it went to The Greatest Show On Earth, which wasn't.
