Book Embargo

The NEA put out an interesting article about the reading habits of today. It varies through all age groups, though from what I could find is limited to the United States. Foreign readers will probably not be surprised by the downward trend in… everything, because even though we are part of the developed world, if there is a list, the US is at the bottom of it. Unless the top is the worst, then we are there.

Regardless, this is a really interesting article about the trends that we are seeing. There are some nice graphs and charts if you don’t want to read thoroughly. Enjoy!

PDF available here

I really enjoy this video. I hope you will too!

There are so many training manuals for our furry friends. From the “perfect puppy” to the Monks of New Skete. The newer excitement was with Cesar Milan. I agree with some parts of his training methods, though not all. Tamar Gellar (a=at Loved Dog.com) is Oprah’s new dog trainer (as Millan was her former trainer).

So what is your experience? I read “Cesar’s Way” and took a few things from it and just loved them. Walking your dog (one of the basic tenants) is so simple and SO important. When a dog uses its energy, it is mentally as well as physically healthier. We got a little rat terrier who has more energy than he has ANY IDEA what to do with. Going for thirty minute walks twice a day, and we had a different dog.

My only strong problem or issue with Cesar Millan is not completely with him. He can do things that I can’t. I accept that. I saw the clip with the psycho shepherd and he had to use a tennis racket so that it couldn’t bite his legs. I don’t want to do that. But the problem is that people think that they can do a dominance roll on a red zone pit bull. I’m sorry, but not everyone can do that. What Cesar does is awesome, but regular people need to keep in mind that they are NOT him. The work that he has done, and the individual stories of dogs who’s lives have been brought back from the edge of death (literally in some cases as they were to be put to sleep within days), makes his work worth it to me.

I try to be consistent with my dog. We go on hikes when we can. I teach him a few tricks. I know that we have more to work on (dealing with other dogs and with strangers… and some car manners) but he is completely worth it in the end. Give me a shout with what your experience has been. I’m interested.

A while back I read a BBC news article on an interesting, though not new, book. Here is the link to the full article.

In 1919, a young British army officer, Francis Stockdale, was deployed to the Waziristan area of British India. The title of his book, “Walk Warily in Waziristan” seems no less appropriate now than it did 90 years ago, because today the autonomous Pakistani tribal region of North and South Waziristan is the centre of militancy orchestrated by pro-Taleban and al-Qaeda militants. It is also an area where many believe the al-Qaeda leader, Osama Bin Laden, may be hiding after the September 2001 World Trade Centre attacks.

If the same situation is happening now as sixty years ago, where is the knowledge? The gain?

The concept of learning from past mistakes and history in general is so important, and yet… where are we?