GorillaOffTopic, Everything But Gorilla Trades

Thinking about buying one of those adorable little puppies from the local pet store? We have all seen them: cute little pure bred puppies in cages or cribs, begging to be loved and touched and cared for. They are so cute you just want to scoop one up before anyone else does- even at the high price of seven or eight hundred dollars. Yes, it is tempting, especially if you love a certain breed of dog. It’s easy, accessible and it’s convenient. But the sickening story about how this puppy came to be lies within the wire cages far away in Missouri, Arkansas, Alabama, Texas, and many other states across the country.  Yes, that beautiful little Pomeranian or Yorkie you fell in love with in that pretty little pet shop came from a place slightly resembling hell, and from a mother dog who had to be subjected to deplorable conditions throughout her entire life. Conditions which made it so that she never once was allowed to leave the wire cage she lives in, with the wire floors that her little feet get caught up in, causing her pain and anguish on a daily basis.  These puppy mills are overrun with cages and cages of breeding dogs that can barely walk, not that they ever get the chance to in their lives. They literally never leave the cages, which are wrought with filth; urine and feces all over the place and never once cleaned. In addition, the cages are exposed to the weather since they are mostly outdoors so in many cases, the exposure to the elements kills them.  Sickening as it sounds, females will actually give birth to 140 babies in her life and often times suffer from tumors and disease due to having too many litters. It is not just females in the mills. There are plenty of males too, just not as many, since one male can be used to impregnate 20 or more females. Their lives are certainly no better. It is a sick, sad world these poor animals suffer on a day-to-day basis, and when these breeders are “done” with the dogs, they shoot them dead.  That is the thanks these precious dogs get in return for all of the money and service they provide to these breeders.  So what about the pet stores that claim to use only “local breeders?” Don’t be fooled. For the most part, this is simply not true- even when the pet store owner insists it is- don’t believe it. They are getting the dogs from the mills. The Gorilla has been behind the scenes of the puppy mill industry and one could never imagine how horrible of a life these innocent creatures have to endure.  Just recently, Oprah Winfrey did a show on the puppy mills in this country. Many people were glad she finally did this to expose the horrors of this industry. Currently, it is believed that there are as many as 10,000 puppy mills throughout the U.S. and almost all of them subject these dogs to horrendous conditions, as it is just the way of the industry.  

So what can you do to help put a stop to the inexcusable conditions of this horrific industry? Well, to start, don’t buy a dog from a pet shop!  With over 4 million dogs and cats being killed every year in animal shelters throughout the U.S., why would you pay $500 and up for a pure bred, while at the same time, patronizing an industry that does this to animals? You can get just about any kind of loving, cute, puppy or older dog or cat from a shelter, and these animals need homes desperately. Why not adopt an animal who needs you? The other thing you can do is write to your governor and ask him/her to take action to help change the laws that breeders must abide by. We can all help do our part, but one thing is for certain in the Gorilla’s mind; we must help put an end to this heinous treatment of the animals, which we are responsible to look after and protect.

What would you do if you had a child who suffered from autism? Life is hard enough for kids, but when you throw in the disorder of autism, it makes everyday life that much more difficult for the child and for the parents too. Life was hard enough for Melissa Barton, who was in the process of having her son Alex evaluated and diagnosed with autism. But Barton is facing an even greater challenge today. You see, 5-year-old Alex was “voted” out of his kindergarten class by his fellow classmates at the urging of his teacher on Wednesday. By a 14 to 2 margin, the kids voted him out, and Alex was told that the class no longer wanted him there and that he would need to leave the class. In addition, each student was allowed to say what they didn’t like about Alex, while he stood in the front of the class! The comments included “disgusting” and “annoying.”  The event followed a disciplinary measure taken by the teacher because of Alex’s disruptive behavior in class, which involved a trip to the principal’s office; a place that the boy frequented often this year. Upon his return to the classroom after the visit, the teacher decided to take action herself to “teach him a lesson.” That is when the vote occurred. Melissa Barton filed a complaint with the school immediately upon hearing about the incident, and says that Alex is “traumatized” by the incident. She says that the event follows a series of disciplinary issues Alex has had because of his condition. He suffers from Asperger’s Syndrome; a type of high-functioning autism.   Alex began the testing process in February at the suggestion of the school and Alex’s teacher- the same one who initiated the vote- was present and was aware of Alex’s condition. Unfortunately, the state attorney’s office concluded the matter did not meet the criteria for emotional child abuse, so no criminal charges will be filed. That won’t stop Melissa Barton, who says that her son “did not deserve this” and that he’s reliving the moment over and over again.  “He was incredibly upset,” Barton said. “The only friend he has ever made in his life was forced to do this.” Melissa Barton has withdrawn Alex from the school for now and is planning on filing a lawsuit against the school.  

Autism is not something uncommon and it is a disorder that affects nearly 1 in 150 kids. The disorder causes children to act in a disruptive manner and is often isolating for the child. So the question is, “what action should be taken against this teacher who acted so inappropriately?” That is exactly what the school board officials are trying decide at this time. In the meantime, the teacher has been removed from direct contact with children in the school, while a debate ensues. People are just outraged by this incident and everyone is left wondering why this happened to this poor little boy. Some think the teacher should be fired, others think she needs to take a leave of absence, and many people feel she should have her teaching license revoked altogether. But this is NOT all about the teacher; it is about an innocent little boy, who was hurt and traumatized forever by the actions of this irresponsible teacher. For more information about autism visit www.autismspeaks.org. Chances are…you know a few kids with this condition!

The Gorilla went to fill up his car the other day and like many of you, he is still reeling from the shock of how much it cost to fill his tank, even though the surprise should be over by now. It’s not- and no matter what you drive or how much it takes to “fill er’ up,” at around $4 per gallon, it is not easy to accept the reality of how expensive gas is right now.  Everyone is doing what they can to conserve, so many companies are cleverly capitalizing on the expensive prices by offering free gas cards to consumers for bringing their business to them. Some banks are offering $50 gas cards to those who open new accounts with them. Car dealers are offering free gas fill ups just to come on in and test drive, (they never had so many people take test drives!), and radio stations across the globe are giving away gas as a prize to the correct number caller! The Gorilla even heard about a wealthy local attorney in his area giving away free gas to the first one hundred people who showed up at an area gas station in a poor neighborhood. Unfortunately, he was only giving away gas to one hundred people, but several-hundred showed up. That is how badly people need the gas!  Probably the most interesting “gas giveaway” by far though, was the one the Gorilla heard today. Free gas to those who donate blood! Blood for gas? This will surely be the tell all to end all of how badly people want free gas! It’s a great idea really, especially since summer is the most difficult time of year for the American Red Cross, when it comes to blood donations. Almost 14% of donors during the year are college and high school students, and when summer comes, the students are gone, leaving much of the already fragile blood supply dwindling. The Red Cross has teamed up with different gas companies to give away gas in exchange for a blood donation in some areas. The promotion works like this: There will be four weekly drawings for $100 gas cards and one grand prize drawing for a $1000 gas card at the end of the month.  It sounds like great incentive to help the already fragile blood supply in this county! Ironically, traumas tend to increase during the summer, and the need for blood is actually worse this time of year than almost any other. Your blood donation is desperately needed and could help to save lives! Not to mention the donation is mutually beneficial to you and the patient right now. People need blood, and people need gas too- more now than ever before, so give a little and get a little! The Gorilla likes the concept and just as he always does, he will be donating blood himself this summer for sure! (Getting a little free gas in the process is just an added bonus.)

“Babies, babies everywhere, but none for us to conceive!” That is sometimes a very real problem for those couples, who have trouble becoming pregnant. It is also an issue for certain single men or women, or gay and straight couples, who would love to have a child, but don’t have all the right “components” shall we say, to do so. For those people who desperately want a child, there are, of course, options. We all know about surrogacy and then there’s always adoption (a great option), but what about those singles or couples who want another avenue?  For them there’s always the option of using a sperm bank. This option is, and has been for many years, a very popular one, and as a result, there are thousands of happy people, who have successfully parented healthy children via a sperm donor or egg donor. In the past, it seemed easy if you were the donor. One could donate anonymously- no strings attached so to speak- without the worry or stress that commonly goes along with actually being a parent, and having to be accountable to anyone, yet doing something good for someone who otherwise would not have been able to experience the joys of having a child. But today, is a new day and anonymity is no longer part of the deal with modern sperm banks.  The picture is a very different one from the days of old, when doctors acted as sperm brokers and parents kept mum to their children. Today, people basically handpick their donors through a screening process, involving pictures and audiotapes of potential donors. This new method of “openness” has shaken up the multimillion-dollar sperm bank industry, which has always been built on anonymity. The focus of this largely un-regulated business was always on the donor- not the offspring- as their well being was never really a factor. But the tides have changed and now sperm banks that have never had to keep a count of the sperm they donate or the children born from them may have to face some accountability.  After years of debate, three of the nation’s largest sperm banks- California Cryobank, Xytex Corp. and Fairfax Cryobank- are proposing the first national registry of sperm and egg donors. California Cryobank’s Dr. Charles Sims says that the industry has “gotten the message loud and clear” and says that, “we have some role and responsibility to do this.” The industry’s goal is to create a voluntary, highly secured nationwide repository for records, thus allowing the biological children of these donors to have an “open door” to know the truth when, and if, they decide to. Sims believes it should include the names of sperm and egg donors, when and where they donated, and the names and birth dates of children they produced. But the proposed repository is raising some critical concerns with some banks, who feel strongly that donors should be protected.  

They feel that if donors don’t have the option of remaining anonymous, they will be deterred from donating. But whose rights are more important; the donor’s or the child’s? That is the question that remains on everyone’s minds. But Wendy Kramer, whose son Ryan was conceive in 1989 via a sperm donor, feels strongly that it is the kids who have all the rights. She believes these children have a right to know their biological parents and so she and Ryan created the Donor Sibling Registry (DSR) online. Using donor ID numbers, children, parents and donors are finding each other and, at the same time, exposing what Kramer calls the “chaos” in the industry. “We’ve got one donor with over 100 offspring,” she says. So far, the DSR has matched more than 5,000 children with others who share the same donor, including her own son, who found his half-sister through the registry. Over 100 offspring? Wow! Imagine if the Gorilla had 100 little gorillas around the globe to call his own! Luckily, there is no financial obligation for these donors to their offspring, or that guy might have a load of child support to deal with! It’s about time someone did something about this mess. In the Gorilla’s mind, it is long overdue.

It’s nothing new that when people in the U.S. want illegal prescription drugs, they order them from other countries. In fact, the list of illegal items obtained from other countries is very long! But now it seems that even a popular Euthanasia pill is available to those who want to “exit” this life peacefully, albeit illegally. According to a report from the Mexican newspaper, Reform AFP, over 200 terminally ill people from Australia, Britain, New Zealand and the United States have visited Mexico since 2001 to purchase the Euthanasia Drug, Nembutol, which is cheap and widely available.  According to the article, Mexico’s 20 or so border towns like Tijuana in California, and Matamoros on the Gulf of Mexico, are premier places to find the drug. What’s more disturbing is the fact that the pro-euthanasia group Exit International, based in Australia, is promoting this option and telling those who want to end their lives “peacefully” to consider using Mexico as an option. Exit International is a non-profit organization, founded by Dr. Philip Nitschke, which promotes the peaceful end of life alternative of euthanasia by advocating a pro-choice voluntary euthanasia/ assisted suicide to those who are terminally ill. Nitschke, was the very first doctor to administer a legal lethal voluntary injection under the Rights of the Terminally Ill Act of the Northern Territory in 1996 (the act was short-lived). Nitschke is also the author of, “The Peaceful Pill Handbook,” which disturbing as it sounds is a guide to creating your own suicide pill at home (among other things). The disturbing instructional guide can also be found on YouTube, with some clips showing step-by-step methods to creating the euthanasia pill in one’s own kitchen.  The drug Nembutol is commonly used to put down animals and is widely available throughout Mexico, making it easily accessible to those seeking it out. Add to that convenience, the fact that it is affordable as well at only $20-$40 per 100 ml bottle, and you have a recipe for disaster- in the form of certain death. According to that same Mexican newspaper article, Don Flounders, a 78-year-old British-born retiree, with a deadly form of cancer, traveled from Australia to the Pacific coast town of Tijuana to get the medicine. Flounders told the newspaper that he found a veterinary pharmacy that had a sign advertising “articles for Australians.”  Although the Gorilla understands completely, the need for those who are terminally ill to not prolong their suffering and go out quietly and peacefully, he is still disturbed by those who advocate intentional use of such drugs and methods for profit. They are capitalizing in essence, on others’ unfortunate circumstances, as well as their state of fear and vulnerability.  Should we call them “heroes” or “Doctors of Death,” just as Dr. Jack Kevorkian is called? Currently, the Mexican government is allowing the sale of these “death drugs,” making it official that you truly can buy just about anything in Mexico- even death in pill form, which in the Gorilla’s opinion, is truly sad!

How many people do you know nowadays that smoke cigarettes? Today, many people know fewer and fewer, and it could be due to the “Pariah Effect” of a society that is quite frankly, starting to shun people who smoke. Smokers, think about the last time you tried to smoke a cigarette; what kind of reaction did you get from those around you who were not smoking? Now, c’mon, tell  the truth here. The Gorilla suspects that the reaction towards you was probably less than warm. You probably had sneers of disapproval from those passersby, who feel disgusted by your smoking habit. Well, keep in mind that with all of the negative radio and TV ads about tobacco and the effects of smoking, those people feel completely justified in their behavior.

Now, you may think the Gorilla is crazy here, but the truth is, other people’s smoking habits don’t really bother him at all- unless, of course, that person chooses to blow smoke in the Gorilla’s face-that’s not okay. But in general, the Gorilla’s feeling about it is simple: to each his own, but if someone wants to smoke then we should leave them alone and let them do it. It is their prerogative to kill themselves if they so choose. After all, they know the risks right? Anyway, it seems that the “Pariah Effect” is working quite well. Though smoking still contributes to the deaths of 435,000 Americans per year, the number of smokers in the United States has been dropping over the past four decades. In 1965, 42.4% of American adults smoked, but today it’s only 20.8%.

So why has the number dropped? Well, that is impossible to say, but perhaps all the sneer and jeers and extremely negative ads are effective enough to make people think- and that is exactly the point. As for the those who still want to smoke and be perfectly accepted for it- there’s always Paris, France. They not only accept it, it is all the rage to smoke cigarettes there!

If you are a fan of the Paralympics, than you already know about the great Oscar Pistorus. Oscar is a double amputee world champion sprinter who has broken his own world record 26 times. He is phenomena, he is and enigma, and yes, he is handicapped. You wouldn’t know it to watch him run. It is exactly like attempting to watching a cheetah running across the vast African Plain; he is so fast, so driven, you can hardly keep your eyes on him. He is so good, in fact, that this South African was banned from competing against able-bodied runners by The International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) on the grounds that his prosthetics are giving him a technical advantage. It was, and still is Oscar Pistorius’ dream to run against able-bodied athletes so now the task at hand was to appeal the decision made by the IAAF which caused international outrage. That was back in January of this year. Since then, Oscar won that appeal but must prove he will qualify.  Pistorius, 21, still must post a time fast enough to qualify for the Games. Pistorius must meet the qualifying standard of 45.55 seconds in the 400 meters to gain an automatic berth in Beijing (or 45.95 seconds for a provisional spot). According to his coach, Ampie Louw, his personal best is 46.33. He has 64 days left to meet those qualifications in order to compete. Many disabled athletes have competed in the Olympics before, but very few have raised the issue of whether their disability, or their compensation for a disability, presents an advantage. It is an issue that has raised controversy and will continue  to do so since the debate has become more about technology than handicap. What happens in the future when we have bionics available is, the question of all questions. This decision could, and most likely has, sent a message that will resonate with all Paralympians who would like to be able to compete against able-bodied athletes in the future.  “It’s not just about me,” Pistorius said in a telephone interview from Milan. “It’s about the extra opportunity for amputee athletes.”  Here here! Congrats to Mr. Pistorus- and the Gorilla will be watching this story closely for an update. Hopefully he meets the qualifications and can compete right along with the other able-bodied athletes at the Summer Olympics. That one will be an exciting one to watch!

Recently, the Gorilla (who is an avid moviegoer) checked out the new Robert Downey Jr. film, “Iron Man.” The Gorilla, being quite the self-appointed critic himself, went to the show with an open mind, but not with high expectations. The movie looked silly and whimsical, and frankly, dumb in the Gorilla’s opinion. After all, we all know how over the top superhero-type movies can sometimes be, right? Wrong! This movie was exceptional, exciting, and although a little unrealistic, the Gorilla was on the edge of his seat with the anticipation about what might happen next. The movie was thrilling and action packed.  The premise was based on the character’s family empire, which deals in the manufacturing and distribution of arms weapons (missiles etc.) to third world countries-mostly- some of which are used against the U.S. More to the point, in the movie, the main character (Robert Downey) creates a metal suit, which acts as a sometimes lethal weapon and a staunch defense against the enemy. In essence, he creates and “Iron Man” to defend himself and to defeat the enemy. The Gorilla was astounded by the capabilities of this “Iron Man” suit, and although it was a little far-fetched (one could take off and fly with jet-like propulsion while wearing the suit), it was truly a phenomenal idea if it could be created. In fact, the Gorilla was thinking that very thought once he exited the theater. How GREAT would it be to actually have those as part of our weapons arsenal for the U.S. Military?

Well, it seems that it is already in the works and a prototype of something very similar is already being tested as we speak. This robotic suit is being produced by Sarco Enterprises in Salt Lake City, Utah and is currently in contracts with the army.  The 150 pound metal suit made by Raytheon, works by sensing every movement of the wearer, and almost instantly amplifies it. The suit is being called the “Super Soldier” and although it cannot fly with jet propulsion, it possesses some extraordinary qualities. Currently the “exoskeleton” of aluminum and electronics multiplies human strength by 20 times! The army believes that the Super Soldiers may be used in combat someday, but for now they are being used to load cargo and to repair heavy equipment.  Sarcos is developing the technology under a two-year contract worth up to $10 million, and the Army plans initial field tests next year. Wow! Currently the suit is not very practical in that it is very expensive to manufacture and currently uses a battery with only 30 minutes worth of power. The army says it envisions the robots eventually being used in the battlefield to repair helicopters, lug heavy equipment such as ammunition boxes across uneven and rough terrain, and even relying on the suit’s super-strength to repair damaged or broken down tanks in dangerous places.  Sarcos foresees the units being used by factory workers and firefighters as well. Now the Gorilla knows why the “Iron Man” movie was such a hit; it is based on a real-life idea that has some very exciting potential! Now that’s a perfect example of art imitating life wouldn’t you say? If you haven’t yet seen “Iron Man,” check it out. The Gorilla guarantees, you will NOT be disappointed!

The Gorilla often gets asked unusual questions and this one is no exception. The question was from a parent of a toddler, and although the Gorilla is certainly no Jo Frost or Dr. Spock, he knows a thing or two about the subject. The question was simple: how old does your child need to be to start using a computer? First and foremost, let the Gorilla just say that in a tech world, it would be a travesty to NOT let your child be exposed to at least some tech early on- after all, there are computers in most pre-schools today. And in fact, just about everything we use in our daily lives involves technology; credit card machines, ATM’s, gas pumps, and although your small kids aren’t required (or equipped) to use those adult items, they will be exposed to the TV remote and a cellular phone at the very least!  Now parents, don’t get yourself in a tizzy over this one, it’s not that difficult to get started- there are plenty of kid-friendly, starter computers you can get your toddler using and they are a great first introduction to the world of tech and computers. One such techie-toy is Leap Frog’s Click Start, which is a kiddie-style computer that is plugged into a TV for easy interaction. This clever toy was touted as one of the “best new tech toys for kids” in 2007 by the Wall Street Journal, USA Today, and the New York Times. This is just one of hundreds of choices for those parents who want to introduce their kids to technology.  In every Toys-R-Us store across the country, you can find the shelves littered with tech toys, from digital puzzles to working, talking robots and everything the mind can imagine. Tech is everywhere, so your kids will be exposed to it whether you like it or not. So what about using a real computer? Well, it is okay for them to just start with punching keys to get used to the idea of typing and looking at a screen, however, The American Academy Of Pediatrics advises against screen time for children ages two and younger, and it recommends no more than one to two hours a day of quality programming on televisions or computers for older children.  Donald L. Shifrin, a pediatrician based in Seattle and the spokesman for the academy, said tech toys cannot replace imaginative play, where children create rich narratives and interact with peers or parents. “Are we creating media use as a default for play?” Dr. Shifrin asked. “When kids want to play, will they ask, ‘Where’s the screen?’  Now, don’t get the Gorilla wrong here, he is certainly not advocating computer use as a replacement for the old stand-bys that we grew up with….the bike, balls, and books. Those are the things great childhoods are made of. Oh, and most importantly, don’t forget to actually play -with kids one-on one. No amount of play can replace a parent’s time, and although it is important today that your child be experienced with using a computer, no screen or tech- toy can replace the direct interaction of you with your children.  

So, how old is appropriate? Well, that is entirely up to the parent. Just make sure you are there to help them out and make it fun, by doing it with them and limiting their play time! With all the great technology out there, your kids are sure to be little Gorilla’s in the making! Hey, how bout’ getting them watching CNBC while you’re at it?

Taxpayers this year were primed and ready for their tax stimulus checks to arrive in the mail. The President’s plan to inject a little life into the economy sounded like a great one. The rebates, are the centerpiece of the government’s $168 billion plan to revive the unstable economy, providing up to $600 for individuals, and up to $1200 for married couples. And some will receive $300 for eligible children under age 17. It is a good plan. After all, who wouldn’t love a little extra money, especially at a time when the economy feels strikingly similar to the 1990’s? With all of the doom and gloom in the air, gas prices being outrageous, and food prices that are ridiculous, some people are literally desperate for some extra cash.  The IRS has already refunded about $27 billion to about 30 million tax-payers. It still expects to pay out another $130 million by the end of June, with the last checks going out around July. But now, thousands of people are saying that the IRS messed up big time, making mistakes with peoples’ checks. The mistakes were not minor, and caused many people to have to contact the IRS to have new checks sent out to them. Many people said they received a check addressed to them, but when they opened it, it was made out to someone else! Other people complained of just the opposite problem; the check was mailed to someone other than themselves, making it likely that some dishonest person may have cashed a check not made out to them. Others simply said they never received a check at all, even though they received a letter stating the check was enclosed with it.  In addition, it is reported that over 350,000 households are not receiving their child refunds of $300 per child owed to them. So what really happened? Why is the IRS making these costly and inconvenient mistakes? The tax agency claims that it is simply human error and computer glitches that are to blame for the mistakes, affecting the small percentage of the over 130 million taxpayers in the U.S.  IRS spokesman Terry Lemons said the agency was “confident it had identified all of the people affected by the mistake.” He said the IRS will send letters to those who missed out on the refund, and that checks for the child credit will be mailed out in July. Well, what can you do? You cannot exactly argue with the IRS, and any excuse they give, as lame as it is, will have to do since we have no other choice but to accept it.  But in the Gorilla’s humble opinion, the IRS should be held to a much higher standard since that is exactly what they expect of you, the taxpayer. It seems wrong that if the shoe were on the other foot and YOU made a similar mistake, your excuse-no matter how great, would simply be unacceptable. Then again, you are entitled to extensions, but then you must pay a penalty. So this begs the question…shouldn’t the IRS have to pay some sort of “penalty” to those taxpayers with whom they made mistakes? After all, they too are essentially being given and “extension” of sorts! Hey a guy can dream, can’t he?