Whistler adventure company turns over sled dog massacring business

Following the 2010 Winter Olympics, it was discovered that a whistler sled dog company shot about 100 dogs to death and dumped them into a mass grave. The sled dogs were killed after company bookings slowed down following the 2010 winter games. The news of the story broke out when the sled dog tour operator of Outdoor Adventures Whistler, Bob Fawcett, was compensated by WorkSafe BC after he suffered emotional trauma after receiving dozens of threats. The owner of the business, Joey Houssian, has turned over the sled dog portion of the business, including its benefits, to a non-profit foundation he created, called the Sled Dog Foundation. He was shocked by the allegations about the treatment of his sled dogs and wants to support educational programs and animal welfare work.

When I first heard of this story last year, I was appalled. The slaughtering was inhumane and irresponsible. Quite honestly, in my opinion, Bob Fawcett deserved the threats he received and his actions towards the innocent dogs are inexcusable. I am glad to hear the dog sled portion of the business has been turned over for a better cause that will hopefully improve sled dog practices and educate other operators. The company has taken a serious hit as many people will now be drawn away from the company by its former actions. By turning over the sled dog portion, they have done the right thing and are on their way to rebuild their reputation.



Whistler company embroiled in sled-dog massacre donated to charity
December 14th, 2011
http://www.theprovince.com/news/Whistler+company+embroiled+sled+massacre+donated+charity/5861858/story.html




Sled Dog killings prompt vigilante threats

February 11, 2011

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/story/2011/02/01/bc-dog-sled-regulations.html

U.S. ends Iraq War

The Unites States of America officially declared an end to its mission in Iraq on Thursday. During a formal closing ceremony at Baghdad airport, in a fortified compound, they called an end to the war that resulted in 4,500 American and more than 100,000 Iraqi deaths. It began before dawn on March 20th, 2003 in an airstrike aimed at the location where Saddam Hussein was believed to be in hiding. The war cost more than $800 Billion US from America's treasury in what some believed was a fight against terrorism after the 9/11 attacks.

It is about time this war, George Bush's so called "War on Terror," came to an end. The term war on terror is quite ridiculous. Why would you fight a war on terror? Terror is the use of fear to intimidate people and that is precisely what the U.S. military is doing; producing mass amounts of arms to create intimidation. The money the country has used to create terror has been draining funds that could be used to produce jobs or go towards charities. Priorities and opinions vary vastly from person to person but you wouldn't think that national Government priorities would intentionally ruin the lives of so many of its own population.






U.S. marks end of Iraq War
December 15th, 2011
http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/story/2011/12/15/iraq-war-last-day.html

NFL Player building drug network

Sam Hurd, a National Football League player with the Chicago Bears was arrested and charged with conspiring to distribute cocaine. He was arrested on Wednesday, December 15th, after a five-month investigation that started in Dallas, where the NFL wide receiver used to play for the Dallas Cowboys. Authorities said that he was trying to build a drug distribution network in Chicago. He was set up by an undercover agent whom he met in order to purchase a large quantity of narcotics. Hurd was looking to buy 5-10 kilograms of cocaine and 1,000 pounds of marijuana for distribution per week and introduced himself as the person in talks with a confidential informant. The cocaine, worth $25,000 per kilogram and marijuana, worth $450 per pound, would have cost at least $575,000. Hurd told the agent that his supplier couldn't supply him the large quantities he was looking for and also that he makes his drug arrangements at night after his NFL practices. He was arrested in the parking lot of a restaurant in possession of the kilogram of cocaine and faces a maximum penalty of 40 years in prison and a $2 million fine for possession with intent to distribute at least 500 grams of cocaine.

This is shocking news that has shaken up the Chicago Bears organization. Not many people would expect a professional athlete, with a wife and a daughter, to be a distributor of large quantities of narcotics. In 2009, Hurd formed his own charity, "Running with the Hurd," that aimed at mentoring youth. He is also paying to fix his parent's home and cover his younger brother's college tuition. It is hard to believe somebody with that much generosity and kindness would do this, but then again, I can understand the attraction to “easy” money. I simply cannot understand why a man making $1 million a year would need another monetary source. It is a shame that he is showing such a bad example for the youth in his charity and tarnishing the image of athletes.


NFL player arrested on federal drug charges
December 15th, 2011
http://www.cnn.com/2011/12/15/justice/nfl-player-arrest/index.html?hpt=hp_t2

Horse starved and killed by two Victoria men

Two men from Victoria have been condemned for causing unnecessary suffering to a 27-year-old horse named Jalupae in 2009. The men failed to provide the horse with adequate care and then hung the horse from an excavating machine. David Whiffin and Clayton Cunningham were found guilty of not providing the horse with proper veterinary care or enough food during its life. The most shocking part of the story is that the two were not found guilty of killing the horse. Apparently there is a loophole that makes it nearly impossible to convict people of killing animals and these men didn't have enough evidence against them to prove that the horse was suffering before its death. The judge ruled they are never allowed to own another animal again and are faced with a maximum fine of $10,000 and up to 18 months in jail.

This story is disgusting and really questions our Criminal Code. As SPCA spokesperson Marcie Moriarty said, "it is ludicrous that, in this country, someone who intentionally kills an animal by hanging them from a backhoe cannot be convicted under our Criminal Code.” To have people heinously slaughtering animals and get away with it is ridiculous and really proves that there is a requirement for tougher legislation. The authorities should know that if these men were innocent they would have euthanized the horse humanely instead of hanging the emaciated horse. Acts like these crimes should be dealt with the same as crimes against humans and should be dealt with accordingly under new laws.



Victoria men convicted of starving horse before hanging
December 14th, 2011
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/story/2011/12/14/bc-horse-hanging.html

B.C. Salmon Virus

Biologists from the Department of Fisheries (DFO) in British Columbia have revealed that more than two decade-old fish samples have tested positive for a wild sockeye fish virus that is potentially life-threatening. Frozen samples dating back to 1986 have been tested positive for Infectious Salmon Anemia (ISA) and show that this virus has been in the waters of B.C. for at least a quarter century. It was detected by Simon Fraser University Professor Rick Routledge and has put the Canadian Food Inspection Agency and the fish farming industry of B.C. on high alert. This has prompted the Canadian Food Inspection Agency to create a surveillance program for ISA that could be in place by next spring.

Considering that this disease has been considered lethal is quite scary to me. I have been eating salmon, and other fish for my whole life which is obviously within this 25 year span. Not only have I potentially been eating fish with this harmful virus but I have been swimming in the B.C. waters that are said to be infected as well. It is alarming to know that we have all been exposed to this virus, but the fact that we are just hearing about it now and we haven’t heard of a single case of someone dying from ISA gives me some relief. Hopefully it will stay this way and with more knowledge there will be some protection against it.

Salmon virus in B.C. for decades, say biologists

December 15th, 2011

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/story/2011/12/15/bc-salmon-virus-claims.html

Vancouver Marijuana Prohibition

Vancouver mayor Gregor Robertson recently joined 4 former Vancouver mayors in the legalization of cannabis. On November 24th, he tweeted that he agrees with these past mayors, "we need to be smart and tax/regulate." They believe it will result in less gang violence in the public streets of Vancouver and create a safer environment. Apparently the mayors’ support legalizing Marijuana dates back to 2009. The four former mayors all signed a letter saying that the failed policy of marijuana prohibition is resulting in violence, gang crimes, and increasing financial costs for the government.

I have to agree with this proposition that the former mayors and Gregor Robertson made. One reason why Marijuana hasn't been legalized globally is because it cannot be patented. Marijuana is a plant that can be grown at home and wrapped in a small piece of paper and therefore will never become controlled by corporations much like the tobacco industry is. Cigarettes are not prescribed for medical purposes like marijuana is, and yet they are legal. Uneducated people argue that Marijuana causes lung cancer without ever having researched the topic. They are completely inaccurate in this belief. Although Marijuana contains three times the amount of tar contained in tobacco smoke, no study has ever been able to prove that reefer causes lung cancer. Reefer should be legalized, with restrictions, in order to reduce violence and make everyone (18 and older) "chill, man."




Vancouver mayor tweets support of legalizing marijuana
November 25th, 2011
http://www.vancouversun.com/news/Vancouver+mayor+tweets+support+legalizing+marijuana/5769300/story.html

Greensboro Woman kills 5 youth in her family

A 17-year-old boy from Greensboro, North Carolina died on Friday November 25th after being shot by his aunt. This death brought the total to six, including the shooter, after a horrible killing spree. Mary Ann Holder had shot 17-year-old Richard Brian Suttles, along with four other minors and one adult on the previous Sunday before Richard finally died on Friday. Holder killed Richard Suttles, her two sons, her eight-year-old niece, one of her son's 15-year-old girlfriends, and shot her married lover in the shoulder before she killed herself. Holder was 36 years of age and had been having an affair with Randal Lamb for four years. After months of accusations between Holder, Lamb and Lamb's wife, Holder shot Lamb Sunday morning. Half an hour later, police found Holder dead in her car and her 14-year-old son dead in the back seat. After going to her home, authorities found her 17-year-old son dead and 3 people suffering from fatal wounds; Suttles, 15-year-old Makayla Leigh Woods and Holder's 8-year-old niece, Hannaleigh Suttles. There were two notes written by Holder that admitted to the killings in the house.

It is a disgusting story that is hard to believe. What would make a woman kill 5 young family members, including two of her own sons? Why kill them because your affair with a married man was discovered? Affairs and stories of cheating always lead to horrible things so why would someone take part in them? If one desires to have a cheating relationship, there should be no relationship at all. Your children and family should not be harmed because of your foolish actions of love. Holder was 36 years old and responsible for two kids – she should not have been involved with a married man. This is not the way a role model should act and it is very disgraceful to the human population.




Teen shot by aunt dies; death toll at 6
November 25th, 2011
http://usnews.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/11/25/9022853-teen-shot-by-aunt-dies-death-toll-at-6

Curiosity

On the morning of Saturday November 26th, NASA's Atlas 5 rocket took off from Cape Canaveral, Florida around 10 a.m. ET. The Atlas 5 is an unmanned rocket carrying a six-wheeled, car-sized rover vehicle that will explore Mars. It is a $2.5 Billion US mission that will land on Mars in about 8 1/2 months after it travels roughly 570 million kilometres. The Mars Science Laboratory rover, nicknamed "Curiosity", is designed to collect samples of Martian rocks and soil and be able to analyze them on location.

This will be one of the largest NASA experiments ever and could answer the question that most people have thought about at least once - "are humans alone in the universe?" As children, we all grew up thinking about aliens and UFO's. We watched movies about aliens and heard stories of UFO's which all contributed to our imagination. After years of doubt and no signs of other life out there, I have given up believing in other life forms. If NASA is able to find traces of organic compounds on Mars, it will create new interest in exploring the universe for other life forms. I hope they are successful so my, and so many others childhood fantasies can continue.

NASA launches Mars-bound spacecraft

November 26th, 2011

http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/story/2011/11/26/mars-rover-liftoff.html

Josiah's Dream

Josiah Vierra is not your average Little Leaguer. He is 7 years old and only 27 inches tall, weighing a mere 15 pounds. Josiah has a genetic disease known as Progeria, meaning “prematurely old.” He just wants to live a normal life and play organized baseball. On May 5th 2010, Josiah got the opportunity he dreamed of. He was allowed to play one game with the Tri Valley White Sox. Josiah got one chance at bat and managed to hit the ball. He didn’t hit it very far, but he sure hit it. His mother thought at that time that it would be his first and only game, but at least his dream had been achieved. After the game, Josiah was crying and told his coach, “I don’t want it to be over.” Later in the season, after a series of mini-strokes, Josiah was able to rejoin the team and play for the last month of the season. Word had spread about Josiah and at the team’s final game of the season, 1,000 people came out to watch.

It is a great story not just about baseball, but about life. Josiah refuses to let his physical boundaries stop him. He wants to play baseball and live a normal life regardless of what he can and cannot do. When he’s playing baseball he doesn’t even have to think about his disease and the fact that his life could be over in only a few weeks. Watching him run the bases is a sight to see and can bring joy to anyone. The triumphs for Josiah may be nothing special to the average person but when you take his condition and disabilities into account, he can be considered a hero and inspiration to all.

E:60 Josiah's Time
November 10th, 2010
http://search.espn.go.com/josiah-e60/videos/6

Penn State College

Breaking news this week out of the college world was that Penn State College fired their head football coach and also the college's President. The story broke out about a sexual abuse scandal by the football team's former assistant coach, Jerry Sandusky. Joe Paterno, the now former head coach, is the winningest coach in college football history and had a 62 year tenure with Penn State that included 46 years as the Head Coach. The President, Graham B. Spanier, was also one of the longest tenured and highest-paid presidents in the nation and helped to raise the profile of the College to an internationally known status. Jerry Sandusky, the focus of the controversy, is a serial pedophile who was charged with sexually abusing 8 boys over 15 years. Both Spanier and Paterno were dismissed because they knew of the incidents but failed to report them to authorities. Paterno planned to retire at the end of the season anyway but the Board of Trustees refused to allow him to finish. In 2002, a graduate assistant from Penn State, witnessed an assault by Sandusky involving a young boy in the football building's showers and reported what he saw to Paterno. Instead of telling the police, Paterno told the graduate assistant to tell the athletic director. Mr.McQueary, the graduate assistant, claimed to have seen Sandusky having anal sex with the young boy.

This news came out of nowhere to shock the sports world. It is being regarded as one of the most controversial events in sports history. It has completely destroyed the legacy of a prestigious coach and a very recognized athletic program. Some people don't agree with the school's decision to get rid of Paterno but, quite frankly, knowing about what has happened and not reporting it, is an offence within itself. Paterno's amazing reputation has been hit quite hard with this horrific incident. It would have been nice for him to finish off his final year but his firing needed to happen. I feel bad that Paterno's legendary run had to end this way as it wasn't he who committed the crime, but it was very foolish of him not to report his knowledge of the incident. Knowing that an alleged pedophile was walking around on your campus is unacceptable. Had the news been reported earlier, it could have saved many young boys from being sexually abused. The main concern of many people is the boys who are now men that have to deal with what happened for the rest of their lives. Paterno will now be remembered for what happened this week rather than all he has accomplished in his illustrious career. I will end this with Kirk Hebrstreit's quote that will now define Joe Paterno's career: "It's not so much what Joe did, it's what he did not do."

Paterno is Finished at Penn State, and President Is Out

November 9th, 2011

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/10/sports/ncaafootball/-joe-paterno-and-graham-spanier-out-at-penn-state.html?_r=1&pagewanted=2

ESPN effective, nuanced in coverage of Penn State game

November 12th, 2011

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/columnist/mccarthy/story/2011-11-12/mccarthy-on-tv-espn-penn-state/51179546/1