Idiot of the Week- "News Anchor" Thinks Toronto is in the U.S.A. - Twitter has a field day

On July 17, 2020 Fox News “Anchor” Laura Ingraham tweeted that Joe Biden should protect religion in Toronto. She doesn’t know Toronto is in Canada. Therefore, she returns as IDIOT of the week. 

  If you're supposed to be a journalist, knowing geography is critical- you should know what is and isn't part of your country.  If you want to bash someone in politics, you need to know that he/she doesn't have jurisdiction over a foreign country. 

    Here’s what the idiot Tweeted: “Will Joe Biden do more to protect religious liberty than Donald Trump? Not a prayer. “City of Toronto Bans Catholic Churches From Administering Holy Communion” 

HERE ARE THE HILARIOUS  RESPONSES ON TWITTER  

my name is literally stephen king  @alsostephenking

“toronto is in canada” is trending because a fox news anchor blamed biden for something related to toronto churches. it’s too early for this shit i’m going back to sleep 

Tom Tilley @ttilley64 · @IngrahamAngle

1) If Trump wanted churches to be able to safely function he should have taken the virus seriously. He didn't, what does that tell you?

2) Toronto is in Canada, which is a different country.

3) Were you dropped on your head as a child?

José  @yoruguaenusa

 Omg Laura could you be any stupider?  TORONTO IS IN CANADA

TheEndOfTheErrorIsNear@NearEndOfError

Toronto is in Canada and #BrownAcidAndOrangeKoolAid apparently do not mix so good. At this point, seriously,  to still support trump shows a sign of mental illness.  Not that supporting him ever showed good signs

Tg  @terezglenn

Toronto is in Canada look at a fucking map.

Stupid Should Hurt  @StupidShdHurt

The City of Toronto is in Canada. Canada is a sovereign nation, a member of the British Commonwealth. Canada is not the 51st state of the USA. Either get an education or shut up.

@IngrahamAngle is an embarrassment to the US education system.

Good Deeds: Wild horse rescued from bog in Alberta

Earlier this week I shared a video of people helping a bear cub by removing a plastic jar from his head. Here's another example of how people are genuinely good. People who help and save animals are my favorite people. This video comes from Alberta, Canada. This video shows the rescue of a wild horse who found herself in a muddy bog and was unable to get out. Had this group of people not come along the horse likely would have died of starvation. Instead, this group of volunteers pulled the horse from the mud in the foothills of Alberta, Canada.
STORY/VIDEO:

Interesting Book: Secret Service Dogs by Maria Goodavage

As a dog dad I love books about dogs. Recently I came upon the book "Secret Service
Dogs" by Maria Goodavage and enjoyed it. The book  gives great insight into how dogs are chosen and trained. The author was given permission to follow along on some training, and interview some of the men and women who partner with these amazing dogs. The book identifies the different types of jobs dogs are assigned, from "friendly dogs" to bomb sniffing dogs. They scope out parade routes, buildings, even go down cliff faces with their handlers!
    They don't just go into a kennel at night, they go home with the handlers, which forms a special bond. In some of the chapters the author allows you to meet the handlers and the dogs, and show their attachment is much, much deeper than co-workers. These dogs become family members and when when gets hurt or passes, its devastating to the humans. The last couple of chapters were especially moving.
    Read this and you'll gain an appreciation for these dogs and the Secret Service men and woman who work with them and face all kinds of threats. Highly recommended!  - Rob

Hurricane and Marshall M. 

ABOUT THE BOOK:

In an age fraught with terrorism, United States Secret Service canine teams risk their lives to safeguard the president, vice president, their families, visiting heads of state, and a host of others. Unprecedented access to these heroic dog teams has allowed a fascinating first-time-ever look at a very special breed of heroes.

Wherever the president goes, there will be dogs. They’ll be there no matter what the country or state. They’ll be there regardless of the political climate, the danger level, the weather, or the hour. Tactical dog handlers on the White House lawn, handlers whose dogs sniff for explosives around the world, and those who walk their amiable floppy-eared dogs up and down Pennsylvania Avenue all live one common mantra: Not on my watch. Or my dog’s.

Secret Service Dogs immerses readers into the heart of this elite world of canine teams who protect first families, popes, and presidential candidates: the selection of dogs and handlers, their year-round training, their missions around the world, and, most important, the bond—the glue that holds the teams together and can mean the difference between finding bombs and terrorists or letting them slip by.

Secret Service Dogs celebrates the Secret Service’s most unforgettable canine heroes. It is a must-read for fans of Maria Goodavage, anyone who wants a rare inside view of the United States Secret Service, or just loves dogs.

Quick Trip to Ellicott City #4 - Howard County Jail (tie to Underground Railroad)

The old Howard County Jail

This is the fourth and final blog about our short walk through the streets of Historic Ellicott

Rob and Tom mask wearing in Ellicott City

City on July 5. We discovered a building associated with the Underground Railroad that we had never seen before. It was on one of the hills overlooking the city. It appeared that it received a brand new historic marker (which is why we didn't remember it).  It was the 1851 Howard County Jail.

ABOUT THE HISTORY AND TIES TO UNDERGROUND RAILROAD -
The Howard County Jail, located at 1 Emory Street, in the Historic District of Ellicott City, Maryland, was the location where freedom seekers and those charged with encouraging enslaved persons to run away or rise up against their masters or similar charges during the age of enslavement were held from January 1852 through the end of slavery in Maryland on November 1, 1864. 

The Maryland General Assembly passed an act authorizing the Board of Commissioners of Howard District to levy taxes to create the jail. The jail was accepted for use on December 16, 1851. Among the prisoners held were runaways like Augusta Spriggs and Richard Martin, held as a fugitive without a pass.

INSIDE ALMOST TOTALLY RENOVATED- According to the Maryland Historical Trust, "The interior has been completely altered, with concrete floors, new metal cells, and a commercial kitchen in the ell. The only historic feature found was a barred door between the ell and the main block on the basement level."

back side of the Old Howard County Jail (1851) 

ABOUT THE ARCHITECTURE - The Howard County Jail is a two-story, five-bay by three-bay structure of a coarse granite ashlar that faces southeast and has a gable roof with slate and a southwest-northeast ridge. There is an ell on the rear that is two stories tall, with a raised basement that is banked into the hill on the southwest, and is three bays by two bays. It is of rubble stone on the basement and first story and frame with German siding on the second story. It has a gable roof with asphalt shingles and a northwest-southeast ridge. The site is a hill that has been excavated, with two-story tall rubble stone retaining walls built to the northwest, southwest, and northeast of the jail. The main block of the jail, on the southeast elevation, has a pavilion front in the center bay that has finely-cut
quoins and a cross gable roof. The first story has double doors of iron bars. The second story of the center bay has a large, round-arched window with a finely-cut, plain granite surround and iron bars.

STONE CITING DATE AND ARCHITECT - Above the 2nd story window is a marble date stone with "John Laing C. E., Architect; James Rowles, Robert Wilson, Builders; 1878."

Quick Trip to Ellicott City #3- New Wall Mural "Car Dealership: Looking into the Past"

 "Car Dealership: Looking Into the Past" mural

This is the third blog about our short walk through the streets of Historic Ellicott City on July 5. We noticed a couple of new murals painted on the sides of buildings, and one in particular caught our eye because it cited an historic business and was beautifully done. Of course, it had 2 dogs, a cat and a little mouse in it, too, so the animals caught our eye as well.

THE BEAUTIFUL MURAL - It's called "Car Dealership: Looking Into the Past" and it was painted by Antonia Ramis Miguel in 2019.  The mural was painted on the side of a building that was a former garage and Ford dealership built in 1921. It was a Model T building.
It's located on the east wall of Sweet Elizabeth Jane at 8289 Main Street, Ellicott City, Md.

Dog and bicyclist - right side of the mural

ABOUT THE ARTIST - According to the Baltimore Sun newspaper, Miguel, 56, was selected in June as part of a mural competition organized by the Fund for Art in Ellicott City, a nonprofit founded in 2017 to bring public art to the community. She has lived in Ellicott City for 16 years.
Here's a Baltimore Sun newspaper story link about her and the mural: Baltimore Sun-Mural

Quick Trip to Ellicott City #2 - Taylor's Row, Manor Hill Tavern and Tiber River

Taylor's Row, Ellicott City, Md. 

This is the second blog about our short walk through the streets of Historic Ellicott City on July 5. One of the historic buildings we looked at was actually a group of them called "Taylor's Row." We also walked by the Tiber River which flooded in 2016 and 2018.

Taylor's Row Plaque

WHAT IS TAYLOR'S ROW? - The inscription on the historic plaque reads: This row of 19th century utilitarian structures has been the architectural orphan of Ellicott City. Referred to on early maps as barns or sheds, these buildings were built between 1830 and 1870 to serve the livery trade. Because of their relative obscurity, they have been untouched and today very much resemble the original structures. They have withstood the threat of demolition and, wearing new faces, will continue to play a role in this historic community.

WHERE IS IT LOCATED? Marker is on Old Columbia Pike (Maryland Route 144) 0.1 miles from Main Street, Ellicott City, Md.

MANOR HILL TAVERN IS NOW IN THE SERIES OF BUILDINGS- Manor Hill Tavern occupies the historic Taylor’s Row in Old Ellicott City.  Built in the mid-19th Century, this iconic series of buildings initially served the livery trade of the area.  Our bar and dining areas feature original architectural elements such as exposed stone walls, barn doors, and beams.  Local artwork hangs throughout the Tavern’s many rooms and a newly commissioned mural adorns a main wall, a nod to the eclectic and vibrant artistic community of Old Ellicott City. The result is a unique and memorable atmosphere unlike any other.

Their Menu is available here.

REVITALIZING THE TIBER RIVER- When we walked by the Tiber River, we noticed it appeared wider (since it flooded over in 2016 and 2018), so we imagine it was widened on purpose to accommodate run off and prevent more flooding.

The Tiber River

WHAT IS THE TIBER RIVER? - The main Street of Old Ellicott City, Md. follows the narrow valley formed by the Tiber River, one of four tributaries that converge in Ellicott City before emptying into the Patapsco River. Many of the buildings on the lower end of the street actually straddle the stream. The history of Ellicott City is a history of harnessing the flow of water.

Quick Trip to Ellicott City #1- Envy Salon (History and Haunting)

On July 5, we decided to finally take a short ride about 30 minutes north and briefly walk the streets of Historic Ellicott City (which is still being renovated after massive, destructive flooding a couple of years ago). One of the historic buildings we looked at now houses the Envy Salon.
  It's known as the "Day-French-Puhl" house, named for the man who built it and the families that lived in it. In today's blog you'll learn its history and see a video about its haunting (which I am included in)!

IT WAS THE "DAY-FRENCH-PUHL HOUSE" - This brick house was built in 1842. It is located at 3723 Old Columbia Pike, Ellicott City MD 21043. The sign on it reads: Day, a master stone mason, purchased this lot from the Ellicotts (2 brothers who founded Ellicott City) and built this federal style home, one of the oldest brick structures in the district. Rear and side additions were prior to 1887. Later home to the French’s for many years, then beginning in 1957 the Puhl’s, who restored it. In 1999 new owners carefully adapted it as Envy Salon.

Rob in 2017 Short Video: A Few Odd Minutes: Ghostly Cat in Envy Salon!

The Video series "A Few Odd Minutes (in Howard County) just published their latest video about a Ghost Cat at the Envy Salon in Ellicott City, Maryland. Rob Gutro, author/medium was interviewed about why the cat may linger 

VIDEO: https://youtu.be/a7-0IUOqoFw

Idiots of the Week: Alabama students throwing 'COVID parties' to see who gets infected

This week's idiot is actually a HUGE body of idiots who are supposed to be getting an education to not be idiots. How Ironic.
  They are  Tuscaloosa, Alabama students throwing 'COVID parties' to see who gets infected. Seems like there's absolutely no hope for these students to graduate. Even if they survive COVID19, it's likely some of their relatives will die from it after they infect their families.
  Here's the story from ABC News on July 1, 2020:

Alabama students throwing 'COVID parties' to see who gets infected: Officials

https://abcnews.go.com/US/alabama-students-throwing-covid-parties-infected-officials/story?id=71552514&fbclid=IwAR0z7raRAHXXrKI3z5-mWu7FjdYx9Bj2OHCrVbQ4ytqpqIKdcdkHrOwX8ME
July 1, 2020 ABC News

Students in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, who have been diagnosed with COVID-19 have been attending parties in the city and surrounding area as part of a disturbing contest to see who can catch the virus first, a city council member told ABC News on Wednesday.

Tuscaloosa City Councilor Sonya McKinstry said students have been organizing "COVID parties" as a game to intentionally infect each other with the contagion that has killed more than 127,000 people in the United States. She said she recently learned of the behavior and informed the city council of the parties occurring in the city.

She said the organizers of the parties are purposely inviting guests who have COVID-19.

"They put money in a pot and they try to get COVID. Whoever gets COVID first gets the pot. It makes no sense," McKinstry said. "They're intentionally doing it."

Tuscaloosa Fire Chief Randy Smith told the City Council on Tuesday that he has confirmed the students' careless behavior.

In a briefing to the City Council, Smith expressed concern that in recent weeks there have been parties held throughout the city and surrounding Tuscaloosa County, "where students, or kids, would come in with known positive," according to a video recording of the meeting obtained by ABC affiliate station WBMA in Birmingham.

"We thought that was kind of a rumor at first," Smith told the council members. "We did some research. Not only do the doctors' offices confirm it but the state confirmed they also had the same information."

In his presentation, Smith, who wore a face mask, did not say what is being done to curb the behavior or what schools the students were from. Tuscaloosa is the seventh-largest city in Alabama and home to The University of Alabama and several other colleges.

Just hours after Smith's briefing, the City Council unanimously passed an ordinance requiring people to wear face coverings when out in public.

How was the "Hamburger" Named? /About Hamburg, Germany

Last weekend, I provided the history of how "hot dogs" were named. This weekend, since it's grilling time again, you can learn about the origin of the word "hamburger." Dictionary dot com provided this information. So grab your burgers and fire up the grill this weekend.

The history of the hamburger
The word hamburger also owes its origins to a German city: in this case, Hamburg.

Food historians believe that around the same time sausage-makers were refining their meat products, cooks in Hamburg served up a cooked version of steak tartare. For awhile, the dish was known in English as hamburger steak.
********************************

Since the Hamburger originated in Hamburg, Germany, now you can learn a little about it here.
ABOUT HAMBURG, GERMANY -  
Hamburg, a major port city in northern Germany, is connected to the North Sea by the Elbe River. It's crossed by hundreds of canals, and also contains large areas of parkland. Near its core, Inner Alster lake is dotted with boats and surrounded by cafes. The city's central Jungfernstieg boulevard connects the Neustadt (new town) with the Altstadt (old town), home to landmarks like 18th-century St. Michael’s Church.

One of Germany's 16 federal states, it is surrounded by Schleswig-Holstein to the north and Lower Saxony to the south. The city's metropolitan region is home to more than five million people. Hamburg lies on the River Elbe and two of its tributaries, the River Alster and the River Bille. Hamburg is Europe's third-largest port. The population in 2019 was 1.899 million people.

Fascinating: The Origin of "Windsor" in the Castle

Recently, Windsor Castle in Windsor, England came up as a topic of conversation, and I wondered if
the castle that stands there today was the original. It turns out it was not! I checked with our friend Paul Fogg, who manages the awesome Langton House Bed and Breakfast (where we had 2 great stays). He told me that the first Windsor Castle was a wooden fort. He also told me what the theory is about where the name came from. In today's blog, you'll read about the first Windsor Castle, courtesy of an article from the UK Independent newspaper, and then a note from Paul about the origin of the name.

Our friend Paul said, "The castle is here because its 1 days horse ride from the City of London...thats the original part of London with the square mile and the Tower of London... and near the river and on a hill so a good safe defensive position. Original "castle" is an old wooden fort in Old Windsor (just an earthwork now) which eventually moved up to current position - apparently the Windsor bit may have come from "windlass" which is a type of winch that was used on the river in some way... perhaps there was a drop here that they had to winch boats up... eventually Windlass became Windsor - this is just a theory as I'm not sure anyone really knows." 

An artist's impression shows for the first time what Windsor Castle would have looked like in around 1085 – just a decade and a half after it was constructed ( Royal Collection Trust/Bob Marshall )

THE FIRST CASTLE- The UK Independent newspaper said, " William the Conqueror ordered that three major new fortresses should be built along the Thames – in Oxford, in Wallingford and at Windsor. That first Windsor Castle, built in 1071 to deter Anglo-Saxon rebels, is thought to have consisted of a multi-story wooden keep on top of a large earthen mound flanked to its north and west by a two-and-a-half acre palisaded triangular courtyard (known as a bailey or ward).

Our pic from 2013 of Windsor Castle & the Queen Victoria statue

It was probably built there for three very specific reasons. Being on a hill it was easier to defend and, because the Thames was unusually narrow at that point, it could be easily bridged. Indeed, it is now thought that the very first Windsor Bridge was probably built by William the Conqueror at the same time that the castle was erected. The third reason was its proximity to an Anglo-Saxon royal palace at Old Windsor – just one-and-a-half miles away.

Today all that is left of the original 1071 castle is the great central mound and around 100 metres of the line of part of the original timber palisade (now the stone-built north wall of the so-called Middle Ward – largely the original triangular courtyard).

You can read the full article here, and learn the rest of the history of the castle: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/archaeology/windsor-castle-original-size-reconstruction-medieval-fortress-a8321766.html

Actor Dean Cain: Once Portrayed Superman, Now He's the Opposite

I'm a huge Superman fan and I am saddened and even disgusted with actor Dean Cain who portrayed my hero in a 1990s series, because he now stands opposite the qualities of the Man of Steel.
   Last week, Cain went on Fox News and complained about wearing a mask on a flight, and discouraged people from wearing them during this Pandemic! How stupid. How careless. How reckless.
    THERE'S MORE - He demonstrated he's intolerant of immigrants and people of color (and I bet LGBT people). He told Fox, "I promise you, as Superman, I wouldn't today be allowed to say 'truth, justice, and the American way." WTH?
    The words come at the end of one of Superman's most iconic catch-phrase, that he fights for "truth, justice, and the American way." It's a phrase that's been associated with the character for decades, and despite what Cain things, it's still being used.
   AN IMMEDIATE RESPONSE FROM SUPERMAN COMICS WRITER: Prominent comics writer Tom King quickly took Cain to task for his claim, sharing a photo of a comic he'd written and published in 2020 ("Superman: Up in the Sky") that uses the iconic phrase "and the American Way." He also used some choice words to get Cain's attention ... and it worked! King also slammed Cain for telling people not to wear masks during the pandemic.

Superman vs. Hitler (DC Comics) 

REMEMBER THAT SUPERMAN HIMSELF IS AN IMMIGRANT-  Superman is an Alien from the Planet Krypton. Throughout comics history, Superman has stood for ALL people. He has fought for immigrants like himself, stood up against oppression - battling the Nazis and the Klu Klux Klan.
SUPERMAN BATTLED THE KKK AND NAZIS -  Sadly, Dean Cain is totally opposite. He said he voted for Trump and supports intolerance of immigrants and apparently has no issue with Nazis or the KKK.

    The Evening Standard reported:

Superman battles the KKK (DC Comics 2020)

    Ex-Superman actor Dean Cain has left fans scratching their heads after a bizarre interview in which he compared “cancel culture” to George Orwell’s dystopian novel 1984. Cain, 53, is best-known for starring in a TV series about the superhero in the nineties and during an appearance on Fox News, he claimed the show would be censored if it was airing nowadays. "This whole cancel culture thing that we're living in right now is crazy," he said. "It's like an early version of George Orwell's 1984. Up is down, war is peace, freedom is slavery, ignorance is strength.” Continuing with his Orwellian comparison, Cain added: “You know, that's newspeak, and it's crazy... This stuff just all drives me insane."
    CAIN'S RIGHT-WING STANCE - In 2018, he was elected to the board for the National Rifle Association.  Cain is a frequent guest on Fox News and while he has previously described himself as “not a Republican, I am an Independent,” he endorsed Donald Trump’s presidential run in 2016. In the election prior, he supported Republican candidate Rick Perry.

1960s DC Comics- Superman stands for all people

Remembering Sprite: a New Memorial!

Our little Dachshund Sprite passed away 7 years ago today, on July 8, 2013, and we decided to get him a new memorial for the yard. When Franklin passed on May 8 of this year, he found a place that makes the best looking pet memorials, by etching your pet's likeness in granite. So, we decided to do it for Sprite (and Buzz, which you'll see on his birthday at the end of this month). 
  The company that made them is called  Engraved Reflections
www.engravedreflections.com.

  Below is the blog posting about Sprite. What's cool is that he still lets us know he is around.. I wrote about his many signs in my "Pets and the Afterlife" 1 and 2 books. 

About Sprite:  

Sprite July 8, 2013

Sprite in 2010 with a growth on his neck

    When he came to us as a foster dog through Coast-to-Coast Dachshund Rescue in early December 2010,  he was homeless. Sprite belonged to an elderly couple in Ohio. The wife passed in September  and the husband  passed in November 2010, leaving Sprite homeless (until the Rescue heard about him). Sprite wasn't housetrained and hadn't been a vet since 2006, and when we got him he had fleas, worms, we had to have 22 rotted teeth removed, get all his shots, blood tests, heartworm tests, neutering, and we had a large growth removed off his throat.  
  Sprite was obviously NEVER HUGGED, and NEVER HAD TOYS. When we got him he didn't know what a hug was, and Tom said Sprite was unaffectionate and he was right. It wasn't until Dec. 2013 that Sprite would come to me to get his head rubbed. He never played with toys, though. In 2011, Dr. Yates told us that because of his Heart Murmur, if he were to go to another home it would've killed him (the stress), so we ADOPTED SPRITE.
 Story about his teeth removal: http://rob-tom-dolly-franklin.blogspot.com/search?q=sprite+foster+dog