Thanking the Monkey - Latest Comments

Re: On Vick, Pitbull Penitence, and Paula Dawn

fertility medicine — Mon, 28 Feb 2011 12:39:32 -0000

But turning an occasion that calls for penitence and soberness to a carnival of sorts is a disservice to Nigeria, and a clear signal that the wobbly anti-corruption war of the Goodluck Jonathan administration is finally dead. It also ridicules Nigeria ...

Re: Remembering Buster Dawn

Mark Vice — Sat, 12 Jun 2010 20:31:08 -0000

I love it!

Re: Remembering Buster Dawn

Natasha — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 17:26:38 -0000

I'm so sorry . I know what it's like to lose animal friends. It hurts so much.

Re: Remembering Buster Dawn

pat — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 18:15:08 -0000

thats a very touching tribute to buster. thanks for sharing it with us. i am very sorry for your loss.

Re: Remembering Buster Dawn

Lisa Marqueling — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 21:43:55 -0000

How beautiful!!!! I would hope that everyone would create this type of bond with their own furry friend. I love how you were able to get your doggie to sing! :)

Re: Remembering Buster Dawn

Lisa McKay — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 23:33:12 -0000

Karen,
What a beautiful and loving tribute to your best friend. Thank you for sharing. Hugs and peace for you....
Lisa

Re: Remembering Buster Dawn

Suzanne — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 12:04:24 -0000

Dear Karen,
Please excuse any errors in my typing - it is hard to do when one's eyes are full of tears. Yes, your wonderful tribute to Buster Dawn left me weeping. I have lost so many wonderful best friends over the years. I can understand how you feel. God has truly blessed us by His creating animals and filling them with the ability to give and recieve love from us. How bleak this world would be without them. God's blessings to you and Paula as you both mourn Buster's loss.

Very sincerely,
Suzanne

Re: Remembering Buster Dawn

Juliette — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 15:02:05 -0000

What a beautiful tribute. A friend passed this along. I lost my Buster this year too. (http://www.buster-unleashed.co..., so I had to write.

May the spirits of our angels fill a special place for us this year.
Sincerely, Juliette

Re: Remembering Buster Dawn

Janice Blue — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 11:51:40 -0000

Dear Karen,

This is the most loving tribute to a loyal friend I have ever read. I am grieving with you while happily remembering being entertained by the two of you singing a duet in your Pacific Palisades living room, New Year's Eve, 2002. My howls of laughter were drowned out by Buster's as he passionately serenaded the love of his life. He adored you!!! It was so dear to watch Buster follow you from room to room and sit by your side out on the terrace and how Buster and Paula, like excited rock star fans, waited anxiously for Mom at the front gate.

I hope all the precious memories help your heart to heal.

Much love to you and Paula,
Janice and Lollipop and Many Furry Friends
xoxoxox

Re: Remembering Buster Dawn

Kim — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 09:03:00 -0000

Karen,

That is beautifully written and I celebrate your relationship with Buster Dawn - and mourn your loss. I just lost my best friend, a GermanShepherdmix that shared my life for nearly 15 years - and I, too, have never loved anyone the way I loved him. After losing his "sister" to cancer last Thanksgiving, I am dreading the Holidays a bit . . . but the memories of a lifetime do bring some comfort.

Thanks for sharing. --K

Re: Remembering Buster Dawn

Brennan Kingsland — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 07:12:40 -0000

Dear Karen,

Thank you so much for sharing Buster's impact on your life. I know when I lost my Tux (Feb.3, 2003), I had difficulty breathing. There didn't seem to be enough air in the world without him.

Now I am watching my Cinnamon and Wizard weaken as they age and your lesson of recording day-to-day interactions is an inspiration. I know they will leave me eventually, after years of devotion and love, but I will be certain to record my daily "exfoliations" and other shared moments.

You have my sympathies and my gratitude for your sharing and for the good work you do with DawnWatch.

Your friend,
Brennan

Re: Remembering Buster Dawn

Maryn — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 23:36:39 -0000

Karen, I'm so sad for your loss. But what a lovely tribute (even though it made me cry).

Re: Remembering Buster Dawn

Jill — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 12:34:41 -0000

Thank you so much for sharing Buster Dawns story...

Re: Remembering Buster Dawn

Liz Dealey — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 19:22:14 -0000

Karen

What a wonderful story of love and life as only those who have shared this with an animal can understand. Your heart must be broken, and Buster will have taken a little piece of it to the Bridge with him when he left. It was our Dana girls first birthday at the Bridge yesterday and I told her make sure she invited the 'new boy' Buster in for a drink or two!

Re: On Vick, Pitbull Penitence, and Paula Dawn

mary lukowski — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 15:31:01 -0000

The only organization I suscribe to is The Humane Society...and my grandaughter...I am dissappointed with the HUS....that they would consider her a spokesperson for their organization...go figure...the only thing he is sorry for is that he got caught. He still would be doing it. Lets face it..he enjoyed torturing his pets...killed them with his own hands..yikes...and feeling no remorse...sounds like a devil to me...I do not like him or ever will...shame on him...he only has God now to answer to.

Re: On Vick, Pitbull Penitence, and Paula Dawn

sandra742 — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 10:37:28 -0000

Hi! I was surfing and found your blog post... nice! I love your blog. :) Cheers! Sandra. R.

Re: On Vick, Pitbull Penitence, and Paula Dawn

CQ — Sat, 29 Aug 2009 22:59:24 -0000

Paula is a cutie, alright.

Jon Stewart is a brilliant wit.

This may sound like a non sequitur, but last night I watched "Jockeys" for the first time on Animal Planet. I was disgusted by how the majority of these "athletes" cared much more about winning than about the welfare of their steeds. And why's that, do you s'pose? No surprise: MONEY. Everything they did was about the MONEY: whipping their horses unremittingly to make them win, bumping each other to get an advantage and win.

Similarly, with Vick and his buddies, even though they got a sick thrill, an adreneline rush, from watching the poor dogs fighting and from killing those who lost or who backed out, I think it's the MONEY they hoped to make on the dogs that blinded them to the sickness of their souls and the horror of their acts.

Re: Welcome

CQ — Sat, 29 Aug 2009 22:23:30 -0000

Almost four months after your first blog, I'm finally catching up! What a cute alliteration "The Beautiful Kind" came up with: the blogging banana!

Now I'm going to read your other entries between May 4th and now :-)

Re: On Vick, Pitbull Penitence, and Paula Dawn

thankingthemonkey — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 02:00:10 -0000

Miranda, while I totally understand the sentiment, I think the difference between Michael Vick and the guy who tortured Loco is in Vick's ability to influence urban youth and thereby potentially save thousands of other dogs. I don't think anybody at HSUS is trying to give Vick a second chance -- they are just doing everything they can to save dogs, even if that means taking up the stomach turning option to work with somebody who used to torture them. I don't think it is easy for anybody there, but I think they think it is the best thing they can do for the dogs.
Besides that, you are right, there is no difference between Vick and any other animal torturer and I am distressed that he is soon again to play in the NFL.

Re: On Vick, Pitbull Penitence, and Paula Dawn

Miranda Stone — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 00:07:11 -0000

I'm really disappointed in the HSUS. I have supported them for many years, and I recently received a request for a donation which featured a dog named Loco, who had been brutally tortured. The person who committed this atrocious act has not been caught. My question to the HSUS is: If/when this person is caught and is brought to justice, after he is released, do you plan to team up with him to fight animal cruelty? I don't see any difference between the person who tortured Loco and Michael Vick. They both tortured, and in Vick's case, killed animals and enjoyed it. Why would the HSUS give Vick a platform so that he can pay lip service to how he's changed? There are wonderful organizations out there who are much more deserving of my donations.

Re: On Vick, Pitbull Penitence, and Paula Dawn

Dan — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 15:01:30 -0000

Give him a 2nd chance? He served his time? Would people feel and say the same if he had molested a child? Would they want him living next to them and their child? People don't just magically become 'reformed'. Today in an interview, Vick said that 'to some extent, what he did was wrong'. Exacty what extent? It's all PR for him. If he REALLY TRULY wanted to make a difference, he would not have waited for the Humane Society to ask him. He would have stepped up to the plate himself and started making a difference. His only interest is in football...mostly we can all see right through him...and we are NOT fooled for one second.

Re: On Vick, Pitbull Penitence, and Paula Dawn

Dave From Concord — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 14:42:16 -0000

Thanks for the cute vid of your sweet Paula Dawn, and the Jon Stewart clip should be replayed every day on every channel in the world. He shows so clearly how foolish and thoughless the whole sports world is.... by their own words. Vick promised to help the HSUS anti-dogfighting program-- while he was in prison-- now I will be waiting and watching to see if he actually doesn anything... when not busy playing football and making lots of money again.

Re: On Vick, Pitbull Penitence, and Paula Dawn

Diana Neu. — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 00:14:51 -0000

My personal belief is that Vick should not have been allowed the privilage to be in the NFL. Those dogs suffered terribley before they died and this jerk will be rewarded with star status and good money. What is wrong with the sports industry anyway. Are they all numb nuts. He served a lousy two years in prison and I bet he was not treated like a regular joe either. Our nation has really gone to hell in a basket.

Re: On Vick, Pitbull Penitence, and Paula Dawn

Karen — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 21:46:29 -0000

Some people say Vick did his time and deserves a 2nd chance. What about the innocent dogs that died an awful death? Where is their 2nd chance? I am wondering exactly what supposedly 'turned Michael Vick around'? Of course he has to say and do all the 'right' things. Everyone is watching him. Yes, killing that mouse was awful but there is NO way you can compare what you did to Michael Vicks actions. He was selfish and greedy over and over and over. You redeemed yourself immediately. Personally I cannot give Vick any credit or hope. (remember when Paris Hilton was in jail..she found God and was also going to do great things when released. Ooops, she must have gotten busy and forgot.)

Re: Meet Your Man-Made Meat

thankingthemonkey — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 19:50:53 -0000

Amanda, I think your last line sums it up for me: " I have a hard time even calling this a step in the right direction, but I suppose you could say it is since the number of animals suffering and dying would be greatly reduced, at least for a little while." My main interest in this is in saving the animals (and the earth) which generally, but it now seems not always, involves working on changing the way people think. But changing the way people think is a long slow road, and many animals suffer horrendously as we travel it. I am all for any shortcut we can take, especially since my only interest in how other people think about animals is in regard to the impact it has on the animals.
There is an oft quoted line: "You teach the child not to hurt the butterfly, as much for the child as for the butterfly." Uh... nice sentiment. But in truth, the butterfly has a lot more to lose. If you can stop the child from hurting the butterfly, regardless of whether the child understands why, you have saved the butterfly's life.