Road signs for complete morons.

Well folks, here in Dallas it is, "National Stop On Red Week." That means that we simply must stop at the red lights. Damn and blast. And here I thought the lights were there to help make the road side area more Feng Shui.

Never mind that it's a law, apparently we still have the right as Americans or Texans, I don't really know which, to fly through the red lights at break neck speed regardless of other drivers. This is all very road warriorish if you ask me.

Perhaps there should be stricter penalties for red light runners such as repeatedly running over their foot until it looks like Bozo the clowns shoe. Or maybe simply being shot. I think that would probably be quite a good deterrent to doing it again.

Or perhaps a short walk through a mine field. I can see a police officer saying, "Ok Mister, one more stunt like that little red light running incident and it's a trip across the mine field for you."

Someone please, please explain all this to me. Are these people complete and utter morons? Do these light-running loons not see the inherent danger of jamming their foot onto the gas at the very last possible instant?

Oh sure, it might save you the extra two minutes spent waiting for the light to go green but is it worth the risk of ending up as human sushi in a meat wagon? I think not. STOP THAT YOU PEOPLE.

If you can't stop that then please remember that there are other people like myself who actually *gasp* stop at the red lights without the need of my tax dollars going to the state of Texas to fund road signs for National Stop On Red Week.

Pete and I will go on a picture hunt and try to get a shot of that sign before the week is over. That is providing that some half wit doesn't run a red light and smash into us. Keep your fingers crossed but not while you're driving.

Trashing snakes and other reptiles

I just realized that this website has put snake-related ads at the top of my blog. Ordinarily I wouldn't have a problem with that except that the products are for "Snake Away" which states, "Safe for Humans & Animals. Protect Your Yard from Unwanted Visitors!" This might be true but what does it do to the snakes? Information on the ad says that it affects the snakes sensory perception. Is this safe for the animal? Are there lasting affects to the health and well-being of the animals? If anyone knows, please let me know.

Not all and in fact very few snakes are really dangerous. Snakes help rid us of the omnipresent large rodent population which, left unchecked would easily overflow and cause serious health risks. Not to mention the damage rodents do to food crops etc.

The other ad is for "Texas Rattlesnakes" which boasts, "Real Head and Tail Keychains Full Rattlesnakes." The sale of this sort of thing makes me sick. I do realize that rattlesnakes are highly venomous and should always be given a very wide berth, however there is still no real reason to exploit these animals in this way. It's sad and cruel.

I wish Mark OShey or Steve Irwin and Wes Manning could see some of the garbage that is allowed in regard to snakes in this part of the USA. Maybe they could actually help get something done to stop this stuff from happening or at the very least, educate more people about snakes so that the desire to harm them is greatly lessoned.

One thing I know is that if people adamantly refuse to buy things like keychains bearing a rattlesnake head or tail dangling from it, then there won't be as much of a demand for that sort of garbage. That practice is a sad, sickening waste of a beautiful and fascinating animal. It's not only snakes that are in danger from exploitation, but alligators as well.

This past June, I saw an ad in a local sale paper for a well known chain of sporting good stores. Right in the center of the ad there was a page that explained how to enter their "contest". The prize was a trip to hunt and kill your own alligator. Afterward,you could have your own custom cowboy boots made from the skin. I was sickened and appalled that *anyone* would host such a horrid thing!

I don't understand what the attraction is to destroy an animal. I see no glory or manliness associated with it either. With the exception of hunting for food. If it is really necessary, I have little problem with anyone hunting to feed themselves or their family. That however is quite a different matter. The sport of it just isn't in me.

Exploitation of reptiles and animals in general won't stop until people become more aware of what they are losing when those animals are finally extinct. Please, think before you buy animal-related products.