PETA vs. Elephant Car Wash - But that sounds cool right?

It was actually pretty cool. When I came to visit Larry in July, we went to the Wildlife Safari in Winston, Or. Call it a tourist attraction, but it was pretty cool. We drove through it, taking pictures from the car window. There were giraffes, deer, bears, monkeys, camels, all kinds of animals roaming around right around your car. It was a pretty cool experience. We had the option to get our car washed by elephants for $20 but we said nah, and did the tour. As we were driving, we saw the elephants washing the cars. It was pretty cool. Two elephants stood side by side with sponges and then rinsing with water from their long snouts. They pretty much only did one side from where we saw but their snouts went right up against the window, spewing water and squeezing the sponge. If you were sitting on the passenger side or in the back seat, kid or adult, it would've been a cool sight. We took some pictures and carried on.

This morning Larry and I were having coffee, checking out emails and such and I came across this story. PETA is throwing a fit. Check it out. What's your opinion? If they are surly using these hooks for an inhumane purpose (which the Safari claims they aren't), then I agree but I don't believe so. I think the elephants are having fun. When we were taking pictures, they didn't seem mad or upset. It was a routine for them and it seemed as if they were having fun with the water.
Either way, pretty funny PETA is serious about this.

Here's the news story:

Oregon elephants shouldn't wash cars, PETA says

11:32 AM PDT on Thursday, October 29, 2009

Associated Press

WINSTON, Ore. (AP) -- People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals wants an Oregon wildlife park to stop using elephants to wash cars.

An Oct. 22 letter from the animal rights group to Wildlife Safari calls the elephant car wash a "gimmick that does nothing to foster respect for endangered species." The letter urges executive director Dan Van Slyke to discontinue the spring-and-summer attraction.

Lisa Wathne, a Seattle-based PETA spokeswoman and the letter's author, said the practice is potentially dangerous to the public, and the elephants are forced to wash cars under the threat of pain inflicted by trainers. The organization is particularly concerned with the use of a traditional elephant training tool known as an ankus or bullhook. The device is a rod with a metal hook and spike at one end.

"It's the threat of the pain that those bullhooks will cause that makes the elephants do what they're told," Wathne said.

Wildlife Safari officials contend the attraction is safe, and the elephants are trained using positive reinforcement. In an interview with the News-Review newspaper of Roseburg, general curator Dan Brands said the bullhooks are used as an extension of the trainers' arms.

"The terminology we use is 'guides,"' Brands said. "They are not used in an abusive way."

Brand said trainers modified a behavior the elephants naturally do by offering them encouragement and treats such as carrots or yams.

"These are 2-ton animals," he said. "You can't force them to do anything they wouldn't want to do."

The park has been accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, which requires zoos to find a way to intellectually stimulate their elephants.

Association spokesman Steve Feldman acknowledged the elephant car wash is an unorthodox interpretation of the requirement, but didn't see the activity as detrimental.

Meh...

I got a job. Seasonal at Macy's. We'll see how long this lasts. I don't really feel like working but I always want to have money sooo.... it's just something I feel like I have to do... I guess. Until I have a baby and have something to keep me busy ;o)

Other than that, life's good. I don't have to go back to that until Nov. 3. I hope I remember.
Last Friday, Larry built a perch for Meows and he loves it. I catch him sitting on it all the time. I'm glad because you know, we humans put all the work in and the animals never care for it. The plastic milk ring or candy wrapper is Meows favorite toy, not the $10 one at the store.. soo. Needless to say, I am really happy he loves it.

:)

Life's good

We went to Portland on Saturday and hung out with Deramo! It was a lot of fun! Deramo toured us around Portland, we took the max a couple times, experienced the Saturday market, saw a lot of bums but still felt safe, walked our butts off.... I got my picture taken with a guy playing the guitar with his stubb.. (we gave him $1).. and he stopped and posed :) haha... Some random (who was perhaps a good suiter for my mother) asked us outside the bar where a good
place to smoke a bowl was.. haha.. (I have to admit, at first I thought he was a cop - per usual Detroit thinking. Then I realized that he was just another being looking to smoke a bowl in peace during his smoke break outside the bar.) People are friendly. Although, you might rethink that statement if you were us standing outside the bar when mobs of zombies rolled in. There were tons of them. Larry said it was like 28 Weeks Later coming to life... haha. They were coming from all over. We went inside the bar and they were acting like they were biting each other. Then Thriller came on. I felt like I was in the music video (imagine hand movements now). Turns out, people were having a Zombie walk or something and they all met up at bars and went out together. This blew my mind for a second. All these years, for Halloween, I never thought to rally my friends, us all be sexy zombies, and work on taking over the scene. (like sexy 28 Weeks Later.... haha)

All in all, we had a lot of fun. I definitely want to do it again soon. It was nice to feel a real downtown again, which I can't say I ever really felt in Arizona. Much love Detroit :)

There were a few times during the weekend that I thought about writing letters to places but now that I'm here, I can't think of them. Grr. I can say that I wish people would serve Pepsi and that's it. I'll drink Coke but I prefer Pepsi. It seems every where I go and ask for a Pepsi, they serve Coke, or vice versa. Only one place I got it right and that's Wild River Brewing Co. because they have both. Talk about having options :) Until next time.

Still alive and kicking

So August 25 of last year was the last time I looked at this? How funny. I love when I want to start something and I do.. then I don't keep up with it. Everyone has those projects. Haha.

Well I'm back.

For those of you who don't know, I moved from Arizona on Sept. 27 and drove up the coast to Oregon to be with my soul mate. Chuckle all you want but it didn't take long for me to realize Larry was the one for me. I don't want to keep it keeping with mush so I'm going to get to the point. This is a place to document our lives and travels. Time to use it.

I also say that I'm going to write letters to places when I have a problem with them. This is a place to keep track of those . . .

Let's see how well I do.

A breath of fresh air

So.. I had a really good day today.

Work went great. The cover of our newspaper is going to look great tomorrow. I wrote a story on professional volleyball coming to Glendale in Sept., which means both gold medal beach volleyball teams will be in town along with other Olympic beach volleyball contenders and top-notch players. I'm proud of this one.... and there's a select few stories that you really feel proud of after writing them.

I had training for Saddle Ranch Chop House - Glendale - tonight, which went awesome. We broke into groups of six and role played with a trainer from the Scottsdale location. I was named best in my group!! That was awesome. I have training everyday this week and opening is on Saturday. I hope I make opening night! Gosh, it almost feels like I am trying out for a play or something.

Sooo.... I am going to cut this one short because I am really sleepy.. but I will leave you with this.

I took this picture across the street from Hockeytown Cafe when Rachel and I went down to the Red Wings Stanley Cup parade in June. Enjoy!

End of the world

Mike just showed me this really funny video at work.

Enjoy!

http://www.ebaumsworld.com/flash/play/710

Trying to focus

There are too many things I need to focus on.... rather than what my mind is currently focused on.

The mind and body work in strange ways... and I mean strange. Just when I think I know myself and what I want and why I do the things that I do, and then I confuse myself.

Ultimately, I think I think too much. What was the first clue? Haha.

So things I need to focus on: The work I must get done tonight... before my eyes uncontrollably close on me. I have two things to write, along with planning and some brainstorming to complete before I can cuddle with my pillow.

Also, I need to focus on how busy I am going to be starting next week. For those of you who don't know, I've decided to get a waitressing job (nights and weekends) here in Arizona for some extra loot. Hey, and maybe I'll meet some cool peeps or cute boys along the way?!

So orientation is this weekend and I start on Tuesday :). The place is Saddle Ranch Chop House at Westgate, right next to the hockey arena where the Coyotes play and the football stadium where the Cardinals play, so I am expecting it to be crazy! Not to mention, it's in an entertainment district where there are several other restaurants and clubs.. it's going to be hoppin'. Did I mention there's a mechanical bull?!! Hopefully on my break I can ride it ;)

Most importantly, I have to focus on getting ahead at work so I don't get behind when I start my second job.

Well, time to get some done tonight. I will leave you with a funny comedian that I love and a tribute to Bernie Mac and Issac Hayes.

Gabriel Iglesias - 102 MPH


Bernie Mac - Sex and Kids ( Oct. 5, 1957 - Aug. 9, 2008)


Issac Hayes - voice of Chef on South Park as well as American soul singer and songwriter (Aug. 20, 1942 - Aug. 10, 2008)