Bits and Pieces

Lots of bits and pieces today... It's 30 degrees and partly sunny out. Lovey and Nedi have been outside playing, but have settled down in bed right now. Remy's hips seem to be OK for a few days and then he has a a few bad days - yesterday I had to help support his hind end all the way home. If I hadn't used the hand grip over his hips, he would have been walking on his hocks... it was sad. But he was back to normal (for him) within an hours time - he took a nap, and then his legs worked pretty well again.

  Frankel is the Cartier Horse of the Year in Europe; the first time a horse has won back-to-back titles in Europe. ... Jockey Frankie Dettori, who has recently ridden exclusively for Godolphin Stables, has been released from his contract. He tested positive for a banned drug at Longchamps in September, and will have a hearing before the French Racing Board (Galop) later this week. ... Summer Bird has been sold and will soon be shipped to Japan to stand at stud there. ... Shackleford will be standing at Darby Dan Farm upon his retirement.

  There was a panic here in Boulder during the weekend: a 17-year-old CU student from Kuwait walked into a movie theatre to see "Sinister" wearing a Joker mask and wig. A lot of people, mostly female, ran out of the theater in terror - dropping their belongings as they ran. The young man said he he been in the US "only about a month" and, when asked if he realized why he frightened people, he said, "Oh. You mean that thing in Aurora?" Police say the young man was extremely flippant in his responses to questions. He has been barred from attending any movie theater in Boulder, and will be charged with "Menacing." .... Then there's the man who was arrested yesterday and is in federal custody - he wants to be remembered as "the guy who killed Obama." He had plans to kill children during a Halloween party in Jessica Ridgeway's neighborhood. And he had applied to attend West Point, saying he wanted "training and a carte blanche to kill anyone." (His application was denied.) This man is mentally ill and has been seeing a therapist for the past 9 years. Thank goodness the therapist contacted the FBI...

  Several weeks ago I posted an article about the BLM and the Adopt-a-Horse Program. It mentioned that the man accused of purchasing mustangs at $10 per head said that he was good friends with Ken Salazar. The reporter who wrote that expose appeared at an Obama campaign office (with a camera crew) on Election Day and started asking questions of Ken Salazar, who was there to boost the vote for Obama. Salazar told the reporter that he was there to show support for Obama, and didn't want to discuss the BLM Adopt-a-Horse article. The reporter insisted,and approached the Secretary of the Interior very closely. So closely, in fact, that the Secretary raised his arm and "pushed" the camera-man away. The reporter kept repeating his questions, and finally, Ken Salazar told him, "... if you do that again, I'm going to punch you out." Once a true cowboy, always a cowboy....