Happy May Day!

Just to be silly, I went out just before dawn and gathered a small nosegay of local wildflowers - I figured that I ought to follow at least one of the old traditions today....   I'd love to see a traditional May Pole dance and Morris Dancers on the village green, but I'm afraid that I'll see the usual homeless contingent asking for a handout at Central Park instead.
  Bits and pieces today....
  Tonight is the season two finale for Vikings on the History Channel.  Nine episodes last year, ten episodes this year.  They've been renewed for a third season, and the writer, Michael Hirst, says he'll cover the sack of Paris in it.  I hope that we get twelve episodes next year!  If you know the saga of Ragnar Lodbrok, you pretty much know how tonight's episode will play out...
  Sam Carter, the ex-Boulder Police officer, was charged with killing Big Boy (aka Edward the Elk) on 1 January 2013.  He has yet to go to trial.  Yesterday, it was reported that in 2008, he responded to a call for Wildlife officers.  A multi-point buck was tangled in a wire fence; the buck was frightened, but not injured.  The man who placed the call was surprised that a BPD officer arrived, and immediately drew his weapon, stating the buck was injured and needed to be put down. (This was the same story Carter gave about the elk.)  The man argued with him until wildlife officers arrived, and the buck was helped out of the fence, emerging with a slight limp.  Both wildlife officers and the citizen who reported the buck stated that the buck had a huge rack - definitely a set of trophy antlers...  Does this sound familiar?
  After the Derby has ended, and before the Preakness fever hits, I think I'll write about the Koch brothers and their astonishing empire...  It's amazing how much this family owns.
  Rosie Napravnik, the very good female jockey, is riding in both the Kentucky Oaks and the Kentucky Derby.  She will be riding two of the horses that are her usual mounts.  However, she has been given a three day suspension for "rough riding" in the Derby Trial Stakes while on Bayern.  She "allowed" him to drift into and bump another horse, while whipping him, near the end of the stretch.  The other horse lost the race by a nose.  That jockey filed a complaint, and the stewards decided that Rosie had compromised the other horse's run.  However, since she is a top-name jockey, and because she does have mounts in the two best known races this weekend, she will be allowed to ride - but then must serve a four day suspension, beginning Sunday.
  Trainer Steve Asmussen, and his friend and top assistant-trainer, Scott Blasi, were hit with very nasty allegations and undercover film footage 43 days ago.  Just before the big coverage began for the Triple Crown races.  The footage was shot by a member of PETA, and is said to show the use of illegal medications and the use of an electric shock device to make the horses run faster.  I have not seen the footage, nor do I wish to.  Steve has had a few bumps in the road about medication.  But I am amazed over the allegations of the electric shock device...  Scott Blasi  left Asmussen's employment the day after the film and report was given to The New York Times.  One has to wonder about the timing...
   Personally, I don't believe in harming any animal for any reason.  But.  I do not believe in the extremes that PETA goes to, and expounds.  If we follow the reasoning of the PETA guidelinesall the way to the end, then all animals, domesticated or not, should be allowed to run free, breed freely, and look after themselves. Humans should never touch nor feed them.  In this day and age, with highways, cities, airports, etc., turning all animals loose is a completely idiotic idea.  PETA needs to re-think their goals.  I totally agree there should be "Ethical Treatment of Animals," but one must also use common sense.