tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-91571370131126013712024-02-06T21:00:12.209-05:00Walking with the AlligatorsWe, the Human Race, are arrogant in thinking that <br>
because we do not understand the language of animals,<br>
that what they are saying is not of consequence.<br>
Indeed, the animals are speaking to us and <br>
for their sake and ours, we must start listening.<br>
<i>Keep Florida Wildlife Wild and Alive~</i>GATOR WOMANhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02876191449927121668noreply@blogger.comBlogger420125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9157137013112601371.post-58453449214105674882016-06-20T15:27:00.001-04:002016-06-20T15:27:04.466-04:00Peace, Love, Pulse.<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img alt="Rainbowflag2" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-7008" height="427" originalw="760" scale="3" src="https://walkingwiththealligators.files.wordpress.com/2016/06/rainbowflag2.jpg?w=760" width="640" /><br /> <span style="font-size: x-small;">Rainbow Flag<br /> Picture credit: Wikipedia</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">A week ago, our world changed in Orlando forever and it has taken this long to be able to write about what has happened here.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Words of love and hope have come to Orlando from all over the World, but for those who live here, we are all still mostly numb.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">It is all still surreal.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Many of you know that I came here from California and have found adjusting to the vast cultural differences between the two states, quite difficult.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">One of the most glaring differences for me personally between the two places, was in the way those of the Gay Community are viewed and treated here.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">California, my home for over 30 years, has an admirable level of acceptance and respect for the LGBT/Gay community.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">My very best friend at Piedmont Airlines was gay and we spent many wonderful hours together, both at and away from work, admiring, and relishing the tremendous Art Culture of Los Angeles.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I had never known anyone like him and when I left LAX, I missed him so very much.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Many of my friends in LA were Gay, even though I was not.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">It was not a choice, it was more like a connection of hearts, spirits and souls that brought us together.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Coming here in 2004 and traveling around Central Florida was so different from LA, as the Gay Community here did not seem to have a well defined presence, nor much acceptance.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">What happened last Saturday night was the stark reality of evil and hate for the 49 victims whose lives were taken.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">For those who were left behind to try to deal with it, it was a cold, bitter truth we were unable to accept or explain, for me, and as of last night, apparently 50,000 others here.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">A Candlelight vigil was held at Lake Eola just as night came and the crowd had been expected to be around 25,000, the News said this morning.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">But love, comforting, and acceptance came from everywhere here last night and if this is any indication of what can and should happen from this point on, things just may be changing for Orlando’s Gay Community, at last.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">We drove down to Orlando yesterday right after eating breakfast in Mount Dora and walked around the Lake.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">The feeling was wonderful, everyone seemed happy to be there and the sense of kindness was palpable.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Disappointingly, we found not one person there who had any of the beautiful flags, shirts, or other things made to honor those who had lost their lives, which we both found shocking.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">The night before we had watched the Lions Soccer game and it seemed every single person there was wearing a shirt with words of hope, inspiration and love for the victims.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">But on this day, one week after the horror, not one thing could be found around the Lake Park, or at the Dr. Phillips Performing Arts Center, where just days before, President Obama and Vice President Biden had laid 49 white roses to remember the victims, at a Memorial that has now grown into a massive place of love and outpouring of affection for those who were lost.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Being there, seeing it, feeling it, was completely overwhelming.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">A reporter was there from one of our local channels, filming the visitors and I went up to her and lamented my sadness at not being able to find a single thing to take/bring home to honor the victims.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">She said that the rainbow pin she was wearing had been given to her the day before and sadly, she only had one left to give away.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">She gave it to me.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I was overcome with emotion and joy.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Then she asked me if I would talk about what I was feeling.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Big mistake.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I was like <em>old faithful, </em> gushing out all of the sadness, anger, and pain from the past 12 years of seeing so little acceptance, support or love for a community that had meant so much to me in California, and that I felt was treated shamefully here by too many.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Yes, I made a fool out of myself.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">We left a bit later and all night I was sad until this morning, when the News came on with a sight that made me so joyful.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">You see, 50,000 people had shown up for the vigil last night at Lake Eola to say:<br /> we care for you, we feel your pain, we love you.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">No judgement, no negativity, just pure love for those whose lives had been taken a week ago in a brutal, senseless act of hate.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Day after day on the News, familiar phrases have become the mantra for all who grieve with the families and survivors:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Somos Orlando.<br /> We are hurting. We are broken. We will prevail.<br /> Love, not Hate.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">And for me personally, Gandhi’s words ring in my head:<br /> When I despair, I remember that all through history the way of truth and love have always won. There have been tyrants and murderers, and for a time, they can seem invincible, but in the end, they always fall. Think of it–always.” – – Gandhi</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">And so, last night as the vigil began, these three words, which now define us and what happened, were chanted by the massive crowd there:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Peace, Love, Pulse.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span>GATOR WOMANhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02876191449927121668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9157137013112601371.post-46597756673838550952016-06-05T15:28:00.001-04:002016-06-05T15:31:06.302-04:00Lifeguard to the rescue…<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img alt="nurse_shark" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-6618" height="480" originalw="760" scale="3" src="https://walkingwiththealligators.files.wordpress.com/2016/06/nurse_shark.jpg?w=760" width="640" /></span>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;">A Nurse Shark near Ambergris Caye, Belize 11-22-2003<br /> Picture credit: Joseph Thomas</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">A Fort Lauderdale Lifeguard, Szilard Janko, rescued/saved a Nurse Shark a few days ago.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">But it only just made our local News here this morning.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Janko carefully removed a fishing line and hook from the 2 foot shark and then released it.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The grateful animal he said, swam away, “without saying a word,” not realizing that not many would have done what this kind man just did!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Two weeks ago a woman in Boca Raton was bitten by the same type of shark.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The woman went to the hospital with it still attached to her.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The woman lived, the shark did not.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">What is being repeated daily after these incidents here, is that the debris in our Oceans is a disaster which helps create the Environment for many of these ” accidents ” in Florida to occur.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">You may have read or seen some of my older postings here about Ocean Trash, it is out of control world wide and the animals are the ones who are suffering the most.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Overfishing, garbage in the water, pollution and people are problems that our Global Marine life simply cannot handle any more.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">An interesting tidbit is that 2 weeks ago, while driving along the shoreline, up in Flagler Beach, we had spotted this same type of shark just behind a young boy paddling on a surf board, not far from the shore.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It appeared to be circling behind the young boy, who may have been unaware of its presence, we think.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">When we drove back later, no sign of the boy, or any trouble.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">This particular Shark is easily recognized by its 2 smallish, round dorsal fins.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">They like to feed in shallow waters and often are seen lying on the bottom near shore.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Regardless of the apparent recent abundance of Shark sightings here in Florida, they remain, as do all Marine life here, at the mercy of our whims.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">We are sloppy and careless with their Ocean homes, the great waters of the world.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">When we show so little respect for their Environment, what does it say abut us?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Thankfully, in this latest case, there was a young hero who took the time and care to ensure that at least this time, this story would end well for the Shark, as he was the lifeguard to the rescue…</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Places to learn more:</span><br />
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<strong><a href="http://www.fox35orlando.com/fast-five/151512689-story" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Nurse shark trapped in reef by fishing line rescued</span></a></strong><br />
<strong><a href="http://www.sun-sentinel.com/local/broward/fl-shark-saved-by-diver-20160602-story.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Underwater video shows off-duty lifeguard rescuing shark trapped by fishing line</span></a></strong><br />
<strong><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nurse_shark" target="_blank"><strong><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Nurse Shark: Wikipedia</span></strong></a></strong><br />
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<strong></strong><br />GATOR WOMANhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02876191449927121668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9157137013112601371.post-52750153785233175442016-05-29T15:10:00.001-04:002016-05-29T15:15:27.932-04:00Eat this, not that!<strong><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9aLe1GrVJjR1latOfEkZ87ykuEQxWQIG3UT68dczyycROlrTpdZWazTQGCe68zn3DuL7Wh62W6uYVtFcRhwSd2O9ffDtDKrzy_OydXDutBPaDcm2nvanM2xfbKw8fp9XAoZCs37xfpz1l/s1600/ediblesixpackrings.jpg" imageanchor="1"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" height="177" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9aLe1GrVJjR1latOfEkZ87ykuEQxWQIG3UT68dczyycROlrTpdZWazTQGCe68zn3DuL7Wh62W6uYVtFcRhwSd2O9ffDtDKrzy_OydXDutBPaDcm2nvanM2xfbKw8fp9XAoZCs37xfpz1l/s320/ediblesixpackrings.jpg" width="320" /></span></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> </span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE6nU6-qVq5eR8Ll7fvXKnU3fK1t77R4wb4pogiRdIpFuVI6U-iWeOn3VW2lF6iXw2zh6LlfkKVB6G595j3jVRbdz5iKf0tkaAos0UBIUOkw0YT3lc_SQ2hJq3fDj4wWMVH7x7c65996s_/s1600/GarbageBeach.jpg" imageanchor="1"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" height="177" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE6nU6-qVq5eR8Ll7fvXKnU3fK1t77R4wb4pogiRdIpFuVI6U-iWeOn3VW2lF6iXw2zh6LlfkKVB6G595j3jVRbdz5iKf0tkaAos0UBIUOkw0YT3lc_SQ2hJq3fDj4wWMVH7x7c65996s_/s320/GarbageBeach.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></strong><br />
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<strong><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;">Human plastic waste now litters Beaches and Waters all over the world!</span></strong><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;">Edible six pack holder picture credit: Saltwater Brewery</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;">Plastic trash picture credit: epSos.de</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">This story was on our news just before we left for Flagler Beach last week.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Meant to share it when we got back, but lost track of it, until today.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">This is one of the most positive ideas to help animals to come along for Marine/Ocean life in years and hopefully it will become widespread and as with so many great ideas, be widely imitated.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">This Florida Company, <strong>Saltwater Brewery</strong> of Delray Beach, has created quite a sensation with this new idea, in partnership with NY ad Company, </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><strong><em>We Believers.</em></strong></span><br />
<strong><em><span style="font-family: "georgia";"></span></em></strong><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Wildlife lovers and many others are excited about the chance to buy their favorite brew and help Sea Life at the same time.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The new rings are a byproduct of the brewing process and are biodegradable and compostable.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Called “<strong>Edible Six Pack Rings</strong>,” they are the answer to the prayers of those of us who are frantic over getting the death dealing plastic ones gone, ASAP.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">These have injured, maimed and killed countless sea animas and the future looked pretty bleak until this innovative Company came up with this fantastic idea.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The best part of all of this is, that the rings are not only<strong> not</strong> going to harm animals, they are a new source of food.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Several other products already exist that are recyclable, but they do nothing to keep the animals safe from tangling, entrapment or ingestion.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">And unlike the others, even if they are not consumed, they will shortly break down, leaving no trash in the water, or on the Beaches to worry about.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Using the exciting new process which has become so abundant here in Florida, due to the ground breaking work done by students at UCF with prosthetics, 3 D is becoming a household word in Central Florida and we could not be prouder of the accomplishments fellow Floridians have made using it.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Over 5o Breweries have already asked to come on board.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">This great news leaves so many of us here in Florida, who are sick of the trash on our miles of beautiful Beaches and watching the tragic rescue attempts to save those who have been harmed, breathing a sigh of relief.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">This is only one small part of the vast over whelming plastic trash polluting our world’s Oceans and Beaches, but it is a start.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Animals everywhere are suffering and dying needlessly because of our plastic trash in their homes.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">We did this, now we need to clean it up.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">These new six pack rings can begin the reversal of a horrible cycle of Human abuse.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Now, we can feel encouraged for our beautiful ocean/marine life:</span><br />
<em><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">look what we are making now, this is safe, go ahead eat this, not that!</span></em><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Places to learn more:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span><br />
<strong><a href="http://www.saltwaterbrewery.com/community-swb/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Saltwater Brewery edible rings</span></a></strong><br />
<strong><a href="http://www.webelievers.com/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">We Believers</span></a></strong><br />
<strong><a href="http://www.foxnews.com/us/2016/05/24/this-craft-brewery-invented-brilliant-edible-6-pack-holder-that-helps-sea-life.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">This Craft Brewery Invented a Brilliant Edible 6-Pack Holder That Helps Sea Life</span></a></strong><br />
<strong><a href="http://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/2016/may/29/florida-brewery-creates-edible-beer-holders-save-marine-life-saltwater" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Florida brewery creates edible beer holders to save marine life </span></a></strong><br />
<strong><a href="http://www.slashgear.com/new-edible-six-pack-holders-are-just-what-the-environment-needs-20440895/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">New edible six-pack holders are just what the environment needs</span></a></strong><br />
<strong><a href="http://www.iflscience.com/environment/beer-brewery-has-created-edible-six-pack-holders-protect-marine-life" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Brewery Has Created Six-Pack Holders That Can Be Eaten By Marine Life</span></a></strong><br />
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<strong><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span></strong><br />GATOR WOMANhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02876191449927121668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9157137013112601371.post-37461445603334380992016-05-28T10:20:00.002-04:002016-05-28T10:20:32.735-04:00Murder most foul!<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img alt="crane-family-a" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-6274" height="204" originalw="760" scale="3" src="https://walkingwiththealligators.files.wordpress.com/2016/05/crane-family-a.jpg?w=760" width="321" /><br /> <span style="font-size: x-small;">This Sandhill Crane family was near our house here in the Forest a few years ago.<br /> Picture credit: Walkingfox</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">There was no intention to write today, it is a Holiday weekend, everyone is already at the Beaches here and happily spending time relaxing with family.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Alas, not so for those who tuned into the local news this morning and were horrified to learn about what happened here yesterday afternoon.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">It seems that Marvin Hicks of Leesburg had had enough and took matters into his own hands.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">He ran over and killed a baby <strong><a href="http://www.gator-woman.com/sandhillcranes.html" target="_blank">Sandhill Crane</a></strong> on the golf course in Spanish Village.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">He was quoted as saying that they were “crapping all over his Golf Course.”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">A witness, Jamie Phillips, who with her son witnessed the gruesome scenes and is a bird lover, said he deliberately chased down the birds, the baby could not keep up with its parents and had stopped.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Hicks ran over the confused, defenseless and innocent baby and killed it.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">The witness also said she heard Hicks girlfriend clapping as he ran over the baby Crane and both appeared to have been drinking.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Hicks denied it all, saying he never meant to harm the birds, but they were wrecking the tees on the Golf Course.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Sandhill Cranes are protected in this state and are a threatened species.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">There would be fines, perhaps jail time ordinarily, but we are talking about a resident of the affluent community of the Villages, where they often make up their own rules.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Golf carts are not allowed on public roads/streets, but you frequently have to dodge them if you are anywhere near the Villages.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Rules don’t apply to some who live here, who believe that they are privileged because of their address.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">FWC is said to be looking into the matter!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">We will be waiting and watching, to see if one of the “special people” who live in the Villages receive the same treatment as the rest of us would in this case.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Keeping in mind of course, the young man in Texas, Ethan Couch, who was cleared of murder charges in 2013, for killing four people because his family was just too rich and he could not be held responsible.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">He was called the <em>“affluenza teen.”</em></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">If this man goes unpunished for this beastly crime, wonder what they will call him in this case of,<br /><em>murder most foul?</em></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Places to learn more:</span><br />
<strong><a href="http://www.wesh.com/news/man-ran-over-endangered-sandhill-crane-with-golf-cart-neighbor-says/39763638" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Man ran over endangered Sandhill crane with golf cart, neighbor says</span></a></strong><br />
<strong><a href="http://www.wftv.com/news/local/neighbors-say-man-hit-killed-baby-crane-with-golf-cart-over-poop-issue/306562305" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Neighbors say man hit, killed baby crane with golf cart over ‘poop’ issue</span></a></strong><br />
<strong><a href="http://www.gator-woman.com/sandhillcranes.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Sandhill Cranes</span></a></strong><br />
<strong><a href="http://www.baynews9.com/content/news/baynews9/news/article.html/content/news/articles/cfn/2016/5/27/man_on_golf_cart_all.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Leesburg man on golf cart killed sandhill crane, witness says</span></a></strong><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span>GATOR WOMANhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02876191449927121668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9157137013112601371.post-70523231760693628832016-05-27T15:10:00.001-04:002016-05-27T15:19:28.344-04:00Help us stop this madness<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img alt="blackbearcubs" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-2759" height="480" originalw="760" scale="3" src-orig="https://walkingwiththealligators.files.wordpress.com/2014/07/blackbearcubs.jpg?w=760" src="https://walkingwiththealligators.files.wordpress.com/2014/07/blackbearcubs.jpg?w=2280" width="640" /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">NO MORE ORPHANS IN FLORIDA~</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">This will be short and ugly/ bitter.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia";"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Today many, many times, they have been blasting all over our local news about the impending, not their words, Black Bear Hunt again in the Fall.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia";"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Numbers were given, with absolutely no evidence to support how these numbers were arrived at however, </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><strong>4350 Black Bears</strong> are now said to be living in this state, with no proof of course, offered.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia";"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The Bears have increased they say, in great numbers, great percentages.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Regardless, these numbers alone, are not a reason to consider doing another Trophy Hunt again in the Fall.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia";"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The last one left orphans all over this state, many of whom are now having great difficulty figuring out how to be a Bear, their role models you see, have all been killed.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia";"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">So they wander aimlessly around, like the one right now in a tree in Orlando, who is causing great concern and fear among those who have seen it.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It is a cub and it does not know where its family is, or why it is alone.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">This beautiful new ad, which by the way cost about $400 to produce, is thanks to Lee Day of Oviedo and his fellow animal activist supporters.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span><br />
<strong><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Activist group releases ad opposing Florida bear hunt:</span></strong><br />
<a href="http://www.wftv.com/news/local/activist-group-releases-ad-opposing-florida-bear-hunt/304714022" rel="nofollow"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">http://www.wftv.com/news/local/activist-group-releases-ad-opposing-florida-bear-hunt/304714022</span></a><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Plz help us stop another Black Bear massacre.</span><br />
<br />
<strong><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Plz call Gov Scott and say NO MORE to the Trophy Hunt here:<br /> 850 488-7146</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="font-family: "georgia";"></span></strong><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I just called and left a message, no Human ever came on the phone!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span><br />
<strong><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Here is the new ad to stop the next Black Bear Trophy Hunt in Florida:</span></strong><strong><br /></strong><a href="http://www.wftv.com/news/raw-ad-opposing-florida-bear-hunt_20160526200143/304671158" rel="nofollow"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">http://www.wftv.com/news/raw-ad-opposing-florida-bear-hunt_20160526200143/304671158</span></a><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">For the love of all the innocents that Scott and FWC intend to murder, if left unopposed, please call him and say: NO MORE DEAD BEARS!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia";"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">My heart remains as always, broken for those who still have no voice.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Places to learn more:</span><br />
<strong><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 100%;"><a href="http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/seminole/os-seminole-county-bear-hunt-opposition-20160521-story.html" target="_blank">Seminole County to FWC: Stop hunting bears in Fla. </a></span></strong><br />
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<strong><span style="font-family: "georgia";"></span></strong><br />GATOR WOMANhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02876191449927121668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9157137013112601371.post-80501884174858873322016-05-04T14:44:00.002-04:002016-05-04T14:46:01.651-04:00Forever Gone!<a href="http://grey2kusa.org/"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" height="88" scale="3" src="https://i0.wp.com/grey2kusa.org/assets/linktous_banner.jpg" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/grey2kusa.org/assets/linktous_banner.jpg?zoom=2 3x" width="500" /></span></a><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Picture credit : <strong><a href="http://www.grey2kusa.org/index.php" target="_blank">Grey 2 K</a></strong></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">For the past two days and for as long as we have lived here in Central Florida, the News has continually covered the various groups opposing the Racing of Greyhounds.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">The pictures on our News yesterday and again this morning, were/are pathetic and tragic.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Dogs were/are shown being forced to run/race to empty stands.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">No one, or very few, it seems, cares about dog racing here anymore.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">But many people do care about the beautiful dogs that are doing the racing/running.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">It as usual, all comes down to money.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">The city of Melbourne has a lot at stake here, not the dogs of course which are merely pawns in an unwilling activity, called sport, and neatly disguised, but the gambling that is done on the property which is a big money maker for the owners.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">This subject is a sore one for me and many who love animals and despise all forms of racing using them without their consent.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">We, who believe all forms of these quasi-sports, or competitions involving unwilling participants, is, or should be, illegal.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">That includes dog and horse racing, bull fighting, dog fighting and a myriad of other cruel forms of evil, being put upon innocent animals.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">All kinds of animal racing does frequently end badly for the animals, and can result in either injuries or death.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Or both.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">The most encouraging sentence seen while researching this story was:</span><br />
<em><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">” Greyhound dog racing across the country is in a declining trend.”</span></em><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">This is sweet music to the ears of animal lovers who have been fighting for years to end these brutal, cruel sports.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Those who are in control at the state level have consistently failed to protect the dogs and ” in 2016, our Florida Legislature failed to pass what would have separated the dog racing sport from Gambling.”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Are they being financially rewarded by the gambling industry to keep rejecting this?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">We all know the answer, don’t we?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">This state has, since the beginning of Scott’s tenure, been both anti-animals and women.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Few expect any changes until he is gone.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">So Dear Greyhounds, we who love you know that you are suffering, but we have no control or say in this, as all of the control to stop or change this, is seated in Tallahassee.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Please know that we will keep fighting to free you from your life of Hell and will rejoice with you, when at last Greyhound Racing here and everywhere, will be forever gone.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Places to learn more:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia;"></span><br />
<strong><a href="http://www.wftv.com/news/9-investigates/should-florida-end-greyhound-racing/253600408" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Forced to run: Forced to run, should Florida end Greyhound racing?</span></a></strong><br />
<strong><a href="http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x3rxvi9" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Greyhound racing may soon end in Florida</span></a></strong><br />
<strong><a href="http://www.cbsnews.com/news/floridas-greyhound-racing-may-be-headed-for-the-finish-line/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Florida’s Greyhound racing may be headed for the finish line</span></a></strong><br />
<strong><a href="http://news.wjct.org/post/gambling-deal-could-mean-end-dog-horse-racing-florida" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Gambling Deal Could Mean End Of Dog, Horse Racing In Florida </span></a></strong><br />
<strong><a href="http://www.grey2kusa.org/index.php" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Grey 2 K</span></a></strong><br />
<strong><a href="http://ahome4greys.org/end-dog-racing/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">End Dog Racing</span></a></strong><br />
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GATOR WOMANhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02876191449927121668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9157137013112601371.post-66864988338552563692016-05-01T11:34:00.003-04:002016-05-01T11:34:31.626-04:00The Promise~<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img alt="CircusProcessionElephants1888" class="alignnone wp-image-5983" height="433" originalh="433" originalw="635" scale="3" src-orig="https://walkingwiththealligators.files.wordpress.com/2016/05/circusprocessionelephants1888.jpg?w=635&h=433" src="https://walkingwiththealligators.files.wordpress.com/2016/05/circusprocessionelephants1888.jpg?w=1905&h=1302" width="635" /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">Circus Elephants<br /> Picture credit: Wikipedia Public Domain</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">This morning on our News was an ugly twist to a story that had not been expected.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">You may remember the post written months ago about the Ringling Bros. Circus retiring their elephants to a Retirement Sanctuary here in Central Florida. This was a source of immense joy for me and many others who love them and have fought to set them free.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">We were all looking forward to this day, thrilled that finally, these long abused, beloved animals would find peace, after so many years of pain and misery at the hands of greedy owners.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Not that this particular circus is the only one, all of them treat animals badly, one way or another and all should be shut down. Only Humans should be in any future performances, as they and only they, are WILLING participants in a dirty little business.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">But back to the reason for this posting today.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">As expected months ago, when the Circus promised to set their elephants free today and send them all to the Retirement Village here in Central Florida.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Today, they were to be finally, forever free.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">All well and good. For the moment all was calm, then this morning came the shoe that fell hard on all who love them, yes they will be coming home to us, but with one very ugly BUT…</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">These beloved, eternally abused, animals will now be even further insulted/assaulted, with testing, experiments and God knows what else, all in the name of Cancer Research.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">It is their extreme bad fortune, that elephants do not contract cancer and scientists are fascinated by this for good reason.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Dr. Joshua Schiffman went to Utah in 2008 to do Cancer Research, then in 2012 he went to a lecture that changed his life.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">He had observed blood testing being done with Zoo elephants and wanted to investigate the possibilities.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Schiffman got permission to use the blood already being drawn weekly from the Zoo elephants and a new lab idea was born.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Like me, he is a cancer survivor, like me, he lost a beloved dog to cancer, but that is where our similarities end.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">If his work/research had stopped here with these younger, not retired elephants, I would not be writing this, but it did not.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">It was expanded and became all inclusive and will be done on the retired elephants in Florida.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I do not object to using blood that was being drawn to assure the health of the elephants. What I object to is that now that they are supposedly retired, they could for the first time in perhaps all of their lives, be allowed to rest, relax and just be elephants.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">It has bothered me for many years that so many millions of dollars are spent on Cancer Research, yet the cure for it still eludes us.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">The return for the expenditures on Cancer Research in this country is meager, if it were a business, it would have been bankrupt years ago.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">As a cancer survivor, I do understand the reasoning behind it all, what I am not happy about is that these particular animals have suffered for a lifetime and should be allowed to have some peace. They have earned it, they were promised it.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">PETA, the Humane Society, countless animal groups and individuals have been fighting for this for so long and it seemed it was about to come to fruition, like the affect of <em>Black Fish</em> for marine animals, the public pressure has had profound affects on those who continue to do harm to animals.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">It actually in both cases, I believe, came down to money or profit, both of these businesses have been losing money because of their treatment of animals in their care and the public outcry to it.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Boycotts and bad press worked on Sea World.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Can we do it again?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I for one would like to try.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">As a collective group of animal lovers, can we all now Boycott the Circus, until the retired elephants here in Florida are allowed to do just that, retire!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">It is up to us, these suffering animals are at the mercy of their owners and have no voice.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">This Blog was created for a singular purpose, to give a voice to those who cannot speak.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Will you join me and speak for them?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">They need to keep their promise~</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><strong>Ringling Bros. Media Line </strong>703 448-4120</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Places to learn more:</span><br />
<strong><a href="http://www.nbcnews.com/nightly-news/video/the-ringling-elephants-are-taking-their-final-bow-676627011967" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">The Ringling Elephants Are Taking Their Final Bow </span></a></strong><br />
<strong><a href="http://www.providencejournal.com/news/20160427/forget-elephants-ringling-bros-is-retiring-big-performers-in-response-to-changing-attitudes" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Forget the elephants: Ringling Bros retiring the big performers</span></a></strong><br />
<strong><a href="http://kutv.com/news/local/ringling-circus-elephants-to-retire-be-used-in-cancer-research-at-university-of-utah" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Ringling circus elephants to retire, be used in cancer research at University of Utah</span></a></strong><br />
<strong><a href="http://legacy.wtsp.com/story/news/health/2015/03/16/elephants-cancer-ringling/24851743/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Could elephants hold the key to cure cancer?</span></a></strong><br />
<strong><a href="http://www.providencejournal.com/article/20160425/ENTERTAINMENTLIFE/160429690" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> Elephants may play a role in preventing cancer, says Brown graduate</span></a></strong><br />
<strong><a href="https://www.ringlingelephantcenter.com/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Ringling Bros. Center for Elephant Conservation</span></a></strong><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span>GATOR WOMANhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02876191449927121668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9157137013112601371.post-43140393211180187152016-02-26T15:53:00.001-05:002016-02-26T15:54:46.603-05:00Secrets<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img alt="schizophrenia1" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-5472" originalw="760" scale="3" src="https://walkingwiththealligators.files.wordpress.com/2016/02/schizophrenia1.jpg?w=760" /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;">Artistic view of how the world feels like with schizophrenia<br /> Picture credit: Craig Finn (schizophrenia patient)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">A story on our news this morning was impossible for me to ignore.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Many of you know that I was Nurse in California years ago, but what you may not know is where I worked and what I did there.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I have been blessed with a variety of wonderful occupations in my lifetime, but the one without a doubt that meant the most to me, were the 4 years I spent at a California Rehab Center.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">My position was that of a Treatment Nurse to over 120 patients there.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Every day, the orderlies brought my patients to me in a little room off of the main corridor to receive their treatments, which varied from of wound care, eye and ear meds, and other, to be taken care of, some came several times during the day.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">At noon we all went to the large dining area and with the assistance of four orderlies we watched over the patients while they ate.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Most days were without incident, but on several occasions there were outbursts and/or physical assaults between the patients.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">On three separate occasions over my 4 years there, I was the victim of an assault.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The first two resulted in only minor injuries and no treatment was received, but by the third occasion, that changed.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">A patient came up from behind me and slammed a lunch tray down very hard on my head, I went down.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I woke up in the ER and my husband was called to come after me.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">On the drive home he was quite adamant and said, “you are all done there.”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It was the end.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Sadly I knew he was right, but I was very distressed about the care of my many patients.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">At that time, I was the ONLY Nurse who went out onto the floor and had interaction with them.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The other Nurses were safely behind closed doors and out of harms way.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">This was many years ago and my heart still hurts about the entire situation.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">A few months later, this facility was closed by the state and the patients were all transferred to a larger one many miles away with a reputation for giving cold, clinical patient care.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The closing was not a complete surprise, there had been a lengthy list of problems and just before my final incident, I had taken a tray of food into the Director’s office and shown him a very large roach on a patients food.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">His response was not one of outrage or concern, just basically a “what do you want me to do about it?”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Nothing changed, I left, it closed.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Now today, seeing this story on the News, it all came rushing back, as I watched in horror as this young woman was attacked in a similar facility here in Florida.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The outrage for me is this, why is Florida’s Mental Health Care spending/funding, at number 50 in America?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Do you have any idea how much money pours into this state from Tourism every day, every year?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It is likely the most of all the other 50 states combined.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Orlando, and Florida, are just about the most visited places in not only America, but likely the entire world by Tourists.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">So why Governor Scott, is there no money for Mental Health Care Facilities?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">This Governor is spending every minute of his time now, throwing a great deal of our money around, making himself look good for his run at the White House, right after he wins a Senatorial Seat here.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">He travels all over this state bragging about all of the jobs he has created.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Yet while he is spending millions everywhere else here, the situation for the desperately ill here, goes not only unattended, but completely ignored.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">No Governor Scott, they will not just go away.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">They cannot, they have no where to go.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">This problem is not just in Florida, sadly this ugly secret is Global.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">No one wants to admit or accept the fact, that there are many mentally unstable and desperately needy people who are not getting the help they need.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">And we have all witnessed the results in our News every day.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Too often, mass killings in schools or workplaces, have become ground zero for yet another person who did not get the help they needed.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">In California and Connecticut, mental facilities are closing, or are already closed, patients are put out onto the streets at the mercy of their own mental disorders, left to fend for themselves, and of course, they fail.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">We can’t keep looking away, we must put our money and our hearts into caring for this portion of our society who cannot help themselves, we must see that they get care.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Governor Scott, your failure to address this dark corner of our society can no longer be just your dirty little secret, it is out in the open now, we all know where OUR money is NOT going and you must do something to end this.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">End the secrets, end their suffering, end their pain.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Places to learn more:</span><br />
<strong><a href="http://www.tampabay.com/projects/2015/investigations/florida-mental-health-hospitals/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Insane. Invisible. In danger</span></a></strong><br />
<strong><a href="http://www.wftv.com/news/9-investigates-state-funding-for-mental-health/52483816" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">9 Investigates state funding for mental health care</span></a></strong><br />
<strong><a href="http://www.wftv.com/news/9-investigates-violence-in-state-mental-health-hospitals_20160225231446/115176607" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">9 Investigates: Violence in state mental health hospitals</span></a></strong><br />
<strong><a href="https://www.mhacf.org/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Mental Health Association of Central Florida</span></a></strong><br />
<strong><a href="http://www.tallahassee.com/story/opinion/2015/10/13/florida-desperate-need-effective-mental-health-services/73887684/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Florida in desperate need of effective mental health services</span></a></strong><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> </span>GATOR WOMANhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02876191449927121668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9157137013112601371.post-55503561242127344762016-02-12T13:28:00.001-05:002016-02-12T13:33:18.140-05:00Invictus in Orlando<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img alt="Archery_at_Invictus_Games" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-5261" height="426" originalw="760" scale="3" src="https://walkingwiththealligators.files.wordpress.com/2016/02/archery_at_invictus_games.jpg?w=760" width="640" /><br /> <span style="font-size: x-small;">Archery at the Invictus Games, September 12, 2014 London<br /> Picture credit: Petty Officer 2nd Class Mark Logico, US Navy</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">There was a joyful announcement on our local News station here this morning that needs to be shared with all of you.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">This year’s <strong>Invictus Games</strong> will be here in Orlando from May 8-12, at the ESPN Disney Worldwide Complex.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">This will hopefully allow those of you who may be farther away, a chance to make plans to attend.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The first one was organized/begun by Prince Harry in London in 2014, with over 300 competitors from 13 Countries.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Now we here in Central Florida have the extreme pleasure and take great pride in hosting the second one in Orlando in May.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">All the details are below.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">My interest in these games is three fold: my son is a paraplegic and he participated in many different kinds of sports in a wheel chair, which was at once, exciting and terrifying as his mother, but I adjusted quickly, after seeing how much it meant to him.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Watching my son crash onto the floor head first in a basketball game, was really hard for me, thank God, he has a hard head. Must be his Genes!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Basketball would be only one of many sports he played, many of the same ones listed for these games, all were when he was much younger and thankfully, he survived!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">My second reason is due to my lifelong, family related, support of Military Veterans, especially those who have been wounded while serving.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">And by the way, not all wounds are visible.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">As a treatment Nurse in a California Rehab Center, I had 4 years to learn and understand this fact quite well.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">For any one not familiar with this exciting event, it is a multi-sport competition and celebration for wounded veterans from around the world.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">This year more than 15 Countries and over 500 athletes have been invited and will be represented here in Orlando.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">This year’s various sports will include: track and field, wheel chair basketball, archery, wheel chair tennis, indoor rowing, sitting volleyball, swimming, wheelchair rugby and a Triathlon.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">If you have the time and/or the funds, I truly hope that you can come here to Orlando in May, to witness, to experience, this glorious celebration and event.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">What better way to say thank you to these men and women, not only for their service, but also for their great sacrifices to their Countries.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">God Bless them all.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">They are some of the bravest people you and I will ever know and perhaps meet.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">My third reason, is the movie <strong>Invictus, </strong>which is one of my all time favorite’s, with Morgan Freeman, Matt Damon and a story about Nelson Mandela, what is not to love!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Did I mention that Prince Harry will be here?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Places to learn more:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span><br />
<strong><a href="http://invictusgames2016.org/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The Invictus Games in Orlando</span></a></strong><br />
<strong><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span></strong><br />
<strong><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Invictus_Games" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Invictus Games – Wikipedia</span></a></strong><br />
<strong><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span></strong><br />
<strong><a href="https://www.espnwwos.com/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">ESPN Disney Wide World of Sports Complex</span></a></strong><br />
<strong><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span></strong><br />
<strong><a href="http://www.orlandosentinel.com/sports/os-invictus-games-0212-20160211-story.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Schedule set for Invictus Games at Walt Disney World</span></a></strong><br />
<strong><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span></strong><br />
<a href="http://www.wftv.com/news/local/prince-harry-to-attend-invictus-games-in-orlando-as-100-day-countdown-begins/46656621" target="_blank"><strong><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Prince Harry to attend Invictus </span></strong></a><a href="http://www.wftv.com/news/local/prince-harry-to-attend-invictus-games-in-orlando-as-100-day-countdown-begins/46656621" target="_blank"><strong><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Games in Orlando as 100-day countdown begins</span></strong></a><br />
<strong><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span></strong><br />
<strong><a href="https://invictusgamesfoundation.org/games" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The Invictus Games Foundation</span></a></strong><br />
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GATOR WOMANhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02876191449927121668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9157137013112601371.post-9110391416410909272016-02-10T13:30:00.001-05:002016-02-10T13:31:07.876-05:00Hiding the Hunters<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img alt="Dead_Florida_Black_Bear" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-5214" height="480" originalw="760" scale="3" src="https://walkingwiththealligators.files.wordpress.com/2016/02/dead_florida_black_bear2.jpg?w=760" width="640" /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;">A beautiful 300 pound Florida Black Bear hit and killed near our home here in the Ocala Forest.<br /> Picture credit: USFS Carrie Sekerak</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">So much for transparency from the King of backroom deals and hidden agendas, or the Governor of what is now known as the sad state of Florida for all wild animals.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Here is the who and what of this deed yesterday: The Senate Governmental Oversight and Accountability Committee backed a measure <strong>(SB 1364)</strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Florida’s Governor Scott, who was apparently, although the proof of this has now somehow disappeared, outed last fall for buying a Bear Hunting Permit, before the murderous rampage began, surely must have had his hands all over this bill that was just passed yesterday, that will now keep the names of any/all Black Bear Hunters who buy a permit to kill them, out of sight, out of mind!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Just finding information about this was VERY difficult, although the story was on our local ABC NEWS Station in Orlando, this morning. It was not on their web site, nor any other local one here.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I finally found the story in the Gainesville Sun and on Fox 13 in Tampa Bay.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It was no accident that last Fall that the names of 103 persons, who were kept off of Florida’s public bear hunt licensee list included: police, judges and public officials.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Now the Governor wants to up the stakes, by hiding everybody’s names.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It was no surprise that the Hunt last fall brought Bear lovers and Animals Activists out of the woodworks, and some idiots even emailed and/or called people on the Permit List.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Two of those well known on the List included, musician Ted Nugent and newly appointed by Scott, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission member and Rancher, Liesa Priddy, who voted to approve the new hunts.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Yes, those protestors were stupid and did nothing to help the already volatile situation.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Of course, the outcry from hunters and gun owners went all the way to Tallahassee into Scott’s loving, attentive ears.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Oh my we can’t have the public knowing who is going to be doing any Bear killing, why those people could be dangerous, a gun owner might be hurt, or worse.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Now armed with these tasty facts, the Governor and his Mounties say, no more to transparency in Tallahassee, like we have ever had any anyway.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">No more public records for gun owners or Bear Hunters in Florida.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Don’t worry, those of you who want to kill Bears again in the fall, if the Hunt is repeated, and I guarantee you it will be, because it was a huge money maker for Scott and Florida, with over 3,778 permits sold at $100 or $300 each, for a grand total of $376,900, your name will be kept secret.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Remember that just a short time ago, this same group of intellectuals in Tallahassee passed a silencer bill that now allows Hunters on any road in Florida to sit on, or in, their trucks and fire at will, into the woods, using riles now legally armed with silencers.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Sadly, their poor innocent victims will never know that they are about to die.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Heads up Snow Birds, Visitors, or families, while walking in any Woods in Florida!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">This Governor has become notorious for the secrets he keeps, so it was not much of a stretch for him to encourage his puppets in Tallahassee, to Hide the Hunters.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Places to learn more:</span><br />
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<strong><br /><a href="http://www.gainesville.com/article/20160209/WIRE/160209660?p=1&tc=pg" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Senators pursue public-records exemption to shield to hunters</span></a></strong></div>
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<strong><br /><a href="http://www.fox13news.com/news/florida-news/87725910-story" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Senators target records about hunters</span></a></strong></div>
<div class="art_head">
<strong><br /><a href="http://www.outdoorhub.com/news/2015/10/23/anti-hunting-protesters-obtain-list-florida-bear-hunters-emails/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Anti-hunting Protesters Obtain List of Florida Bear Hunters’ Emails</span></a></strong></div>
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<strong><br /><a href="http://www.wptv.com/news/state/103-names-kept-off-floridas-public-bear-hunt-licensee-list" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">103 names kept off Florida’s public bear hunt licensee list</span></a></strong></div>
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<strong><br /><a href="http://www.wptv.com/news/state/florida-bear-hunt-foes-use-hunting-license-list-to-email-individuals" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Florida bear hunt foes use hunting license list to email individuals</span></a></strong></div>
<div class="art_head">
<strong><br /><a href="https://secure.friendsofanimals.org/news/2015/september/gov-rick-scott-cancel-florida-bear-trophy-hunt" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Gov. Rick Scott: CANCEL the Florida Bear Trophy-Hunt</span></a></strong></div>
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GATOR WOMANhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02876191449927121668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9157137013112601371.post-6410603671496626952016-01-24T10:45:00.000-05:002016-01-24T10:48:32.728-05:00A River Otter Rescue<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img alt="otter" class="alignnone wp-image-4937" height="579" originalh="536" originalw="592" scale="3" src-orig="https://walkingwiththealligators.files.wordpress.com/2016/01/otter.jpg?w=592&h=536" src="https://walkingwiththealligators.files.wordpress.com/2016/01/otter.jpg?w=1776&h=1608" width="640" /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;">River otters, (not the ones in the story): <em>Lontra Canadensis</em><br /> Picture credit: </span><a class="external text" href="http://www.daphoto.info/" rel="nofollow"><span style="color: #0066cc;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;">Dmitry Azovtsev</span></span></a><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">This morning there was a sweet story on our local TV news about three tiny river otter babies who were rescued recently and right now are fighting for their lives.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It was disappointing that after spending most of the day calling and searching, not one picture of a baby otter was available, or a person to approve their picture being used.<br /> But, thankfully, they are in the stories below for you to enjoy.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The wee ones are being tenderly tended to and nursed by kindly volunteers at the Florida Wildlife Hospital/Rehab and Sanctuary in Palm Shores Florida, which is located between Melbourne and Cocoa Beach on the Atlantic Coast.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Please make sure to look at their Wish list to see exactly what they want and need, to allow them to continue doing their good work.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">This non profit organization is very dependent on volunteers and donations from the public, to continue their work with injured and abandoned wildlife here in Central Florida.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Seeing these tiny babies today, brought back happy memories of the many seen in Monterey Bay years ago.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The otters ongoing frolicking delighted the visitors to the waters all around the Monterey Bay Aquarium who would stand and watch them play for hours.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The river otter is a small to medium sized fur bearing mammal found widely across the Country, usually near food and water sources of their liking, and they usually live in Dens near their chosen food and water sources.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The most common food of choice will be fish or amphibians, yet they can also be omnivores eating a wide variety of available foods.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Attention to water quality in America has helped the river otter stay out of trouble, it is fairly adaptable to many types of water, from rivers and ponds, to lakes and coastal fresh water estuaries.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">In the early discovery years of this country and the encroaching civilization that accompanied it, this sleek beautiful animal had been mercilessly hunted by trappers for their fur, nearly to complete decimation, but at this time, for many reasons, their numbers are a bit more stable.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Their greatest threat today, is their habitat and/or ecological destruction, basically the things that bothers us, bothers them as well.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">After learning more about these beautiful, delightful creatures, perhaps, like me, you will believe that they were indeed quite lucky to be rescued as they were.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Places to learn more:</span><br />
<strong><a href="http://www.wesh.com/news/three-baby-otters-rescued-in-palm-shores/37537692" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Three baby otters rescued in Palm Shores</span></a></strong><br />
<strong><a href="http://floridaswater.com/education/river_otters.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">River otters are playful inhabitants of Florida’s watersheds</span></a></strong><br />
<strong><a href="http://www.wftv.com/news/news/local/wildlife-officials-rescue-otter-pups-found-titusvi/np8Hh/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Wildlife officials rescue otter pups found at Titusville construction site</span></a></strong><br />
<strong><a href="http://www.koco.com/news/three-baby-otters-rescued/37549824" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Three baby otters rescued</span></a></strong><br />
<strong><a href="http://www.statesman.com/news/events/pets-animals/wildlife-officials-rescue-otter-pups-found-titusvi/np8tc/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Wildlife officials rescue otter pups found at Florida construction site</span></a></strong><br />
<strong><a href="http://www.floridawildlifehospital.org/index.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Florida Wildlife Hospital</span></a></strong><br />
<strong></strong><br />GATOR WOMANhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02876191449927121668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9157137013112601371.post-13635422583914236822016-01-20T15:58:00.007-05:002016-01-20T15:59:46.298-05:00Creeping Indigo<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img alt="creepingindigo" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-4619" originalw="760" scale="3" src="https://walkingwiththealligators.files.wordpress.com/2016/01/creepingindigo.jpg?w=760" /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">Creeping Indigo</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">Picture credit: Habitat for Horses</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">If this name means nothing to you, and you own horses, be thankful.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">You are lucky!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">This is the name of a local weed that is quite toxic and has been killing horses and other grazing animals all over Florida for years.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">First the story was on our local News and then later I saw it again on Twitter in a story written by Dinah Voyles Pulver of the Daytona Beach News Journal.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">After reading and hearing about these deadly incidences, I was concerned enough to immediately call our Vet for either a confirmation, or at the very least an educated opinion on the issue.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Then I spent the rest of the day gathering other reference stories for today’s Blog post.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">This has been to say the least, an unsettling 24 hours.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">My fear, of course, was that consuming the weed might be fatal for dogs as well, as it looked like plants we have on our property.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">The plant was brought to Florida in 1925, by the University of Florida for a series of experiments, but after an animal died, the work stopped.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Sadly, even though they ditched the project, apparently the plant lived on and thrived and spread in different directions around the state.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Not only horses, are affected, but cows, sheep, goats, rabbits, chickens and other animals that have eaten it and died.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Pigs it is said, seem to avoid it.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Giving me once again, fodder for my confirmed opinion that pigs are exceptionally intelligent.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">It may also kill local deer who eat it.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img alt="creepingindigowesh" class="alignnone wp-image-4765" height="224" originalh="231" originalw="411" scale="3" src-orig="https://walkingwiththealligators.files.wordpress.com/2016/01/creepingindigowesh.jpg?w=411&h=231" src="https://walkingwiththealligators.files.wordpress.com/2016/01/creepingindigowesh.jpg?w=1233&h=693" width="400" /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">Creeping Indigo</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">Picture credit: WESH TV</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">This toxic weed, owners of deceased animals say, is something like catnip or candy, to the victim.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">They seem to be unable to stop eating it, even when the can barely walk anymore.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">This is heartbreaking for all involved.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">But, what really bothers me the most, is that this plant should never have been brought here to begin with.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Like so many other dangerous Global disasters, in the past, it just all got out of control.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Two things can help you to identify this weed in your own yard or pasture, after a night of cold weather, the weed will likely have tiny salmon/orangish colored flowers on it and most telling, the plant can have a massive tap root.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">This huge root is what makes the plant so very difficult to get rid of.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">The plant also has long runners which enable it to hide or disappear in a field of grass.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Here is what disturbs me and many others including those who have lost their animals. There is no known treatment, or cure for this and a nearly complete lack of support by UF, who brought it here in the first place.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Recently they have started a program for educating the public, but it has been allowed to become so wide spread, control is not likely, ever, across the state.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Please do take the time to learn more about this very toxic weed if you have animals that graze, it may save their lives.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Please educate yourself and Google Creeping Indigo.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Places to learn more:</span><br />
<strong><a href="http://www.horsedvm.com/disease/creeping-indigo-toxicity/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Creeping Indigo Toxicity</span></a></strong><br />
<strong><a href="http://www.habitatforhorses.org/deadly-weed-kills-ruskin-horse-video/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Deadly weed kills Ruskin Horse</span></a></strong><br />
<strong><a href="http://www.habitatforhorses.org/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> Habitat for Horses</span></a></strong><br />
<strong><a href="http://www.news-journalonline.com/article/20160118/NEWS/160119527/101040?Title=Deadly-weed-dooms-horses%20%E2%80%A6" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Deadly weed dooms horses</span></a></strong><br />
<strong><a href="http://plantbook.org/plantdata/weeds/w_indigofera_spicata.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Creeping Indigo</span></a></strong><br />
<strong><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span></strong><br />GATOR WOMANhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02876191449927121668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9157137013112601371.post-65412753896429084632016-01-18T13:14:00.002-05:002016-01-18T13:14:23.804-05:00No Limits!<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img alt="arm" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-4561" originalw="760" scale="3" src="https://walkingwiththealligators.files.wordpress.com/2016/01/arm.jpg?w=760" /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">Alvin Garcia Flores from Nebraska getting a very personal delivery<br /> Picture credit: UCF Today</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">As the mother of a physically challenged son, you have to know how special sharing this story with you is for me.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Until you have walked, or rode/wheeled, in their lives, it would be nearly impossible to understand just how hard their lives can be at times and how gifts like this can make a huge, if not life changing difference to them.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">So let me begin by saying God Bless these students at UCF and Limbitless Solutions, for the joy that they bring and give to all.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">It has been a busy two or so years for the creative crew at this local University, the University of Central Florida here in Orlando.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Always giving us a reason to be proud, this week’s newest recipient was another child born missing a limb, specifically an arm, and was presented by the group, a creation that would make like any child and I’m sure many adults as well, completely over joyed.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">The child was nine year old, Alvin Garcia Flores from Nebraska, who was the exited and delighted recipient of a new bionic arm, personally delivered by none other than ” Darth Vader. ”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Over the past few years locals have watched in awe and admiration, and sometimes even overwhelmed with the level of work that these students at UCF do for those with physical challenges using 3D printing technology.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Recently this Christmas, the group gave new bionic arms to 12 very grateful children.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">But, the presentation that generated the most excitement had to be the one that brought Robert Downey, Jr. to meet with 7 yr old Alex Pring to present him with his <em>” Iron Man “</em> bionic arm in Atlanta in 2014.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">This meeting was part of the <strong>Collective Project</strong> which was arranged/supported by Microsoft, which brings students and technology together to <em>” change the world.”</em></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Oh, did I mention that there is no cost to the children or their families for this unbelievable gift of mobility?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">The group is a 501 c non profit and gladly accepts any and all donations to support their work, please take a look a their web site or Twitter page for more on how you can get involved and lend a <em>” hand.”</em></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">This genius team at UCF, is lead by Executive Director and founder, Albert Manero who says: <em>” Let’s show students that engineering is a tool to help change the world. “</em></span><br />
<em><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">” We engineer hope! “</span></em><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Yes, for these awesome students, there simply are <strong>no limits!</strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Places to learn more:</span><br />
<strong><a href="http://today.ucf.edu/darth-vader-helps-fulfill-childs-dream-delivers-bionic-arm-to-9-year-old/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Darth Vader Helps Fulfill Child’s Dream – <strong>Delivers Bionic Arm to 9-Year-Old</strong></span></a></strong><br />
<strong><a href="http://www.wogx.com/web/wogx/news/75217284-story" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Boy gets prosthetic ‘Stormtrooper’ arm from non-profit group</span></a></strong><br />
<strong><a href="http://limbitless-solutions.org/index.php/en/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Limbitless Solutions</span></a></strong><br />
<strong><a href="http://office.tumblr.com/#TqgXhhlRptqRPkJJ.97" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">The Collective Project</span></a></strong><br />
<strong><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oEx5lmbCKtY&feature=youtu.be" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Robert Downey Jr. and Alex meet </span></a></strong><br />
<strong><a href="http://www.cnn.com/2015/03/12/health/robert-downey-jr-robotic-arm-irpt-feat/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Robert Downey Jr. presents child with his own ‘Iron Man’ robotic arm</span></a></strong><br />
<strong><a href="http://www.today.com/video/12-great-kids-get-robotic-arms-for-christmas-585221187751" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">12 great kids get robotic arms for Christmas</span></a></strong><br />
<strong><a href="https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=10153378009124591" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">The Clearwater Aquarium and Anni</span></a></strong><br />
<strong><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span></strong><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span>GATOR WOMANhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02876191449927121668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9157137013112601371.post-11483754813445817472016-01-12T10:24:00.000-05:002016-01-12T10:24:03.199-05:00Packing Up the Pachyderms~<img alt="Circuselephant1930" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-4390" height="357" originalw="760" scale="3" src="https://walkingwiththealligators.files.wordpress.com/2016/01/circuselephant1930.jpg?w=760" width="640" /><br />
A Circus elephant in 1930, a life spent in silent suffering and servitude!<br />
<br />
It has been painful not being here, but the reasons were clearly out of my control.<br />
2014 was a difficult year for me, but my issues were nothing compared to Breanna’s.<br />
As of right this moment, we are both mended and well.<br />
So, with a clear head, heart and body, today begins a new year and an eagerly awaited return to writing about the animals I care so deeply for on our Planet.<br />
A story on our local news last night, was the best news I have heard about any animals in over a year, so I knew I would be writing this morning.<br />
As with the ongoing clashes against Sea World and the toxic bread additives at Sub Way, once again, you, the dedicated Global Bloggers and Tweeters, have not only influenced, but absolutely crushed a source of wrong and helped to make it right.<br />
Let this latest success be an inspiration for all those who care and want to make changes, be your positive reward for continuing to push on, even when it appears to be either a lost cause, or a battle that simply cannot be won against powerful businesses who harm or kill animals.<br />
This time the Ringling Bros. Circus is claiming, or should we say shouting, “Uncle” at those who have relentlessly pursued them over their mistreatment, or down right cruelty to Elephants for years.<br />
And as of last night, they have publicly announced that they will be retiring all of their Elephants this May, or a year and half earlier than planned, it is hard to believe they admitted this, but said it was a direct result of the endless petitions, blogging and just plain hostile media blitzes against them, that “encouraged” them do this now.<br />
The Circus Community has had Elephants in their shows since at least 1882, but the recent intense and ongoing global outcry for them to be removed has, much like the movie <strong>Black Fish</strong>, been a huge causal factor in their decision to retire all of their Elephants to the <em><strong>Center for Elephant Conservation</strong>,</em> near Tampa in Central Florida, which is NOT open to the public.<br />
This Center has not been completely trouble-free and has had watch dog groups like the Humane Society and other always looking over their shoulders for any abuse or other.<br />
This retirement home for Elephants is fairly near us and we would like to take a trip soon, to see just how they are truly being treated and cared for there, only, of course, if this is permitted.<br />
Hopefully, a report and/or pictures might also accompany the trip.<br />
The millions who have worked so hard for so long to see this come to fruition, can at last know that these magnificent creatures will finally be allowed, after so many years of ill-treatment and suffering at the hands of humans, live in peace and safety in their well-earned retirement here in Central Florida.<br />
Time to pack up the Pachyderms~<br />
<br />
Places to learn more:<br />
<strong><a href="http://www.wftv.com/news/ap/florida/apnewsbreak-ringling-circus-elephants-to-retire-in/np22W/" target="_blank">AP News Break: Ringling circus elephants to retire in May</a></strong><br />
<strong><a href="http://www.wtsp.com/story/news/local/florida/2015/05/21/circus-elephants-to-retire-at-secluded-florida-preserve/27701111/" target="_blank">Circus elephants to retire at secluded Florida preserve</a></strong><br />
<strong><a href="https://www.ringlingelephantcenter.com/feld-entertainment-announces-ringling-bros-and-barnum-bailey-traveling-elephants-to-leave-the-circus-in-may-2016/" target="_blank">Public Announcement from Ringling Brothers</a></strong><br />
<strong><a href="https://www.ringlingelephantcenter.com/home/" target="_blank">Ringling Brothers Center for Elephant Conservation</a></strong><br />
<strong><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Center_for_Elephant_Conservation" target="_blank">Center for Elephant Conservation</a></strong><br />
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GATOR WOMANhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02876191449927121668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9157137013112601371.post-48627708836348130982015-12-10T13:45:00.007-05:002015-12-10T13:52:11.430-05:00They Are My Reason<img alt="daddymept" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-4356" height="150" originalw="760" scale="3" src="https://walkingwiththealligators.files.wordpress.com/2015/12/daddymept.jpg?w=760" width="200" /><img alt="newtree4" class="alignnone wp-image-4359" height="200" originalh="206" originalw="155" scale="3" src-orig="https://walkingwiththealligators.files.wordpress.com/2015/12/newtree4.jpg?w=155&h=206" src="https://walkingwiththealligators.files.wordpress.com/2015/12/newtree4.jpg?w=465&h=621" width="150" /><img alt="frontporch" class="alignnone wp-image-4360" height="150" originalh="200" originalw="266" scale="3" src-orig="https://walkingwiththealligators.files.wordpress.com/2015/12/frontporch.jpg?w=266&h=200" src="https://walkingwiththealligators.files.wordpress.com/2015/12/frontporch.jpg?w=798&h=600" width="200" /><br />
Breanna, Walkingfox and their PT Cruiser<br />
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<br />
<br />
Yes it has been a long time.<br />
The reason is simple, I am not well…<br />
I was sitting here this morning feeling a bit sorry for myself because tomorrow I will have a second blast to get a quite large kidney stone blasted out of a very run down body from over six weeks of endless pain.<br />
For those of you who are mothers, it is like being in labor 24/7 and NOT giving birth!<br />
The procedure is called, Extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy.<br />
This same procedure last month failed to break the stone up, so a re-do was scheduled.<br />
This morning, while only thinking of my selfish self, a beautiful story came on our local news.<br />
Can I say that my selfish thoughts all disappeared in an instant and were replaced with overwhelming sorrow for this precious innocent child.<br />
This child who lost her entire family in an arson fire and who was herself quite badly burned over 75% of her body, was shown on the news today, asking for ONE simple thing for Christmas.<br />
She wants to receive a Card from you.<br />
<br />
Here is her address and if you have a moment, please do consider sending her a card?<br />
Stories about her are below as usual~<br />
<br />
<strong><span style="color: maroon;">Safyre</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: maroon;"> P.O. Box 6126</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: maroon;"> Schenectady, NY 12306</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: maroon;"> USA</span></strong><br />
<br />
And by the way she has already received cards and gifts from all over the world.<br />
Regardless of your religion or attitude towards the Holidays and all that goes with them, this is a child who through no fault of her own, has lost all that she loved.<br />
Her father saved her life by covering her body with his.<br />
And even though her father and siblings all died in the fire, she survived and her simple request reminds me, perhaps you as well, that this season is <em>meant</em> to be about others, is it not?<br />
Please cross your fingers for my procedure tomorrow, because if I am lucky the second time will do it and the bugger will be blown away!<br />
I wish you all a Happy Christmas filled with joy and everything that is dear to you.<br />
Everything that I need and love are here with me right now.<br />
Yes, Walkingfox and Breanna are my reason~<br />
<br />
Places to learn more:<br />
<strong><a href="http://www.msn.com/en-us/lifestyle/mind-and-soul/this-orphaned-burn-victim-lost-her-family-in-an-arson-attack%E2%80%94all-she-wants-for-christmas-is-your-cards/ar-AAgaMB9?ocid=ansmsnlife11" target="_blank">Orphaned Burn Victim</a></strong><br />
<strong><a href="http://nypost.com/2015/12/10/christmas-comes-early-for-8-year-old-girl-disfigured-by-fire/" target="_blank">Christmas Comes Early</a></strong><br />
<strong><a href="http://pittsburgh.cbslocal.com/2015/12/09/christmas-cards-for-safyre-girl-burned-in-new-york-fire/" target="_blank">Christmas Cards for Sayfre</a></strong><br />
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<strong></strong><br />GATOR WOMANhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02876191449927121668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9157137013112601371.post-70248761786342397352015-11-19T10:49:00.003-05:002015-11-19T10:53:41.728-05:00Will Steverson Stay Or Go?<img alt="boatssprings" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-4339" height="400" originalw="760" scale="3" src="https://walkingwiththealligators.files.wordpress.com/2015/11/boatssprings.jpg?w=760" width="640" /><br />
Silver Springs, Nature’s Underwater Fairyland<br />
Picture credit: <a href="https://www.floridamemory.com/" target="_blank">Florida State Memory Archives</a><br />
<br />
<br />
The controversial, Scott nominated, head of the Florida DEP, Jon Steverson, is like a<em> “bird on a wire”</em> at the moment.<br />
He has previously failed to be confirmed for this appointment by the Governor and if he is rejected, or fails to be confirmed the next vote, it is over.<br />
So why the controversy you may ask.<br />
Good question, am happy to point out the many reasons he should NOT be confirmed.<br />
This man wants to help the Parks here in Florida become more profitable.<br />
Remember the story here about <a href="https://walkingwiththealligators.wordpress.com/2015/08/30/paynes-prairies-pain/" target="_blank"><b>Payne’s Prairie</b> </a> not long ago?<br />
And Silver Springs, the location for the old Tarzan movies, is still trying to survive the Canadian Cattle Billionaire who is presently draining their breathtaking beauty dry everyday to provide water for his cows.<br />
The Parks making a profit idea, is not of, or in itself, a bad one, it’s the way that Jon Steverson seeks to do so, that is most certainly objectionable to the millions here, many who love this state and treasure our beautiful Parks.<br />
There are 174 stunning, natural and gorgeous Parks here in Florida and all of them could be at risk, if this man and those who back and support him, are allowed to continue their planned path.<br />
And, these Parks, are all for be evaluated right now, for potential future hunting, logging, cattle grazing and other ways to make money are all on the table.<br />
If he stays, I guarantee you that he and Scott and Company will implement all of these disastrous plans and our Florida Parks will not only suffer the consequences, but there may be Human tragedies as well.<br />
Please do not forget that this group recently passed the gun silencer law.<br />
Hunting in State Parks filled with families, is a disaster waiting to happen.<br />
This group also allowed Bears to be slaughtered and Attorney General Pam Bondi is now under attack for filing a lawsuit to allow air polluters to continue unabated here.<br />
Who can forget her picture on the News releasing a rehabilitated Bald Eagle yesterday.<br />
She in my opinion, is the LAST person who should have been holding that Bald Eagle!<br />
It should have been ANYONE from Audubon, the group who did the rehabilitating.<br />
This Governor and those who follow and work with him, have one agenda: money and how to make it here.<br />
They will all share in the profits and the state and all that is beautiful in it, will be the losers.<br />
Remember Scott came here from Illinois, he is NOT a Floridian, he has little or no concern for all that makes this place Paradise, only what makes money.<br />
And it seems his choice for the head of the EPA is in perfect step with him on this.<br />
Scott’s arms are long, so I am sure that all of the right people have been advised that he wants Steverson to stay put to carry out the plans.<br />
Quick note to the Governor:<br />
How many visitors do you think come to Florida to see cattle eating, or Hunters killing Wildlife?<br />
Just asking, because last time I checked, tourism was our number ONE economic driver!<br />
In conclusion, regardless of objections, guess we all know whether Steverson will stay or go!<br />
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Places to learn more:<br />
<strong><a href="https://www.floridastateparks.org/" target="_blank">Florida State Parks</a></strong><br />
<strong><a href="https://www.floridastateparks.org/park/Silver-Springs" target="_blank">Silver Springs State Park</a></strong><br />
<strong><a href="http://www.gainesville.com/article/20150426/OPINION03/150429768/-1/opinion03?p=all&tc=pgall&tc=ar" target="_blank">Ney C. Landrum, Fran P. Mainella and Mike Bullock: Florida state parks at risk</a></strong><br />
<strong><a href="http://oursantaferiver.org/wp/dep-would-further-exploit-our-resources/" target="_blank">DEP Would Further Exploit Our Resources</a></strong><br />
<strong><a href="http://www.tampabay.com/news/environment/dep-timber-harvest-contract-took-odd-twists-before-blowing-up-in-agencys/2254178" target="_blank">DEP timber-harvest contract took odd twists before it fell apart</a></strong><br />
<a href="http://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics-government/state-politics/article45405642.html" target="_blank"><strong>Amid protests, Florida environmental protection chief Jon Steverson gets Senate backing</strong> </a><br />
<strong><a href="http://www.saintpetersblog.com/archives/245504" target="_blank">DEP Secretary Jon Steverson should be easily confirmed by Senate Enviro Committee</a></strong><br />
<strong><a href="http://floridawaterdaily.com/2015/11/19/senate-committee-moves-steverson-closer-to-confirmation/" target="_blank">Senate Committee Moves Steverson Closer to Confirmation</a></strong><br />
<strong><a href="http://news.wfsu.org/post/new-dep-secretary-gets-mixed-reaction-environmentalists" target="_blank"><strong>New DEP Secretary Gets Mixed Reaction From Environmentalists </strong></a></strong><br />
<strong></strong><br />GATOR WOMANhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02876191449927121668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9157137013112601371.post-73092791428789666122015-11-01T09:44:00.000-05:002015-11-01T10:02:19.526-05:00Breanna's Favorite Day!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://walkingwiththealligators.files.wordpress.com/2015/10/airedaleparty.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><a href="https://walkingwiththealligators.files.wordpress.com/2015/10/halloween1.jpg"><img alt="halloween1" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-4300" height="240" originalw="760" scale="3" src="https://walkingwiththealligators.files.wordpress.com/2015/10/halloween1.jpg?w=760" width="320" /></a><a href="https://walkingwiththealligators.files.wordpress.com/2015/10/halloween2.jpg"><img alt="halloween2" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-4295" height="240" originalw="760" scale="3" src="https://walkingwiththealligators.files.wordpress.com/2015/10/halloween2.jpg?w=760" width="320" /></a><br />
<a href="https://walkingwiththealligators.files.wordpress.com/2015/10/doorhalloween.jpg"><img alt="doorhalloween" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-4307" height="304" originalw="760" scale="3" src="https://walkingwiththealligators.files.wordpress.com/2015/10/doorhalloween.jpg?w=760" width="229" /></a><a href="https://walkingwiththealligators.files.wordpress.com/2015/10/halloweendoor.jpg"><img alt="halloweendoor" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-4308" height="304" originalw="760" scale="3" src="https://walkingwiththealligators.files.wordpress.com/2015/10/halloweendoor.jpg?w=760" width="229" /></a><br><a href="https://walkingwiththealligators.files.wordpress.com/2015/10/blackghost.jpg"><img alt="blackghost" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-4304" height="320" originalw="760" scale="3" src="https://walkingwiththealligators.files.wordpress.com/2015/10/blackghost.jpg?w=760" width="240" /></a><a href="https://walkingwiththealligators.files.wordpress.com/2015/10/airedaleparty.jpg"><img alt="airedaleparty" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-4303" height="320" originalw="760" scale="3" src="https://walkingwiththealligators.files.wordpress.com/2015/10/airedaleparty.jpg?w=760" width="240" /></a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><a href="https://walkingwiththealligators.files.wordpress.com/2015/10/leesburghalloween.jpg"><img alt="leesburghalloween" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-4306" height="241" originalw="760" scale="3" src="https://walkingwiththealligators.files.wordpress.com/2015/10/leesburghalloween.jpg?w=760" style="cursor: move;" width="320" /></a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Breanna’s Halloween Adventures!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Today this house is filled with joyful anticipation by our Airedale Breanna.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">She has waited patiently all year for this day.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Last year because of all my cancer surgeries and countless trips to Gainesville, we all missed this much-beloved day/night.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">But not tonight, not this year!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">We have all the decorations up, thanks very kindly to Walkingfox.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">The big Treat Bucket is full of little Bat and Pumpkin pretzels and ready for Breanna and I to hand out tonight to all who show up at our door.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Yes, many more embarrassing pictures will be taken once again.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">We don’t get as many Ghost, Goblins, AKA little children as those who live in the city, but it does not matter, there are more than enough to thoroughly thrill this dog, who gets more joy out of this Holiday Event, than most children do.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">We all hope that your day/night is filled with joy and happiness and that your treats will hopefully, outnumber your little goblins or visitors~</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">It is very scary when you run out of treats before the Ghouls, I mean kiddies, are gone.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">You can be sure that for the special little girl in this house, who is the very center of our Universe and who has had a very tough year, tonight will be absolutely magical~</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Happy Halloween to all of you from us:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Donna, Walkingfox and Breanna~</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Oops forgot Ishi. She says DITTO!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;"><br /></span>GATOR WOMANhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02876191449927121668noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9157137013112601371.post-74737013494553209222015-10-02T13:16:00.001-04:002015-10-02T13:21:05.181-04:00It Is Over!<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><a href="https://walkingwiththealligators.files.wordpress.com/2015/10/bearcub2.jpg"><img alt="bearcub2" class="alignnone wp-image-4289" height="640" originalh="552" originalw="535" scale="1.5" src-orig="https://walkingwiththealligators.files.wordpress.com/2015/10/bearcub2.jpg?w=535&h=552" src="https://walkingwiththealligators.files.wordpress.com/2015/10/bearcub2.jpg?w=803&h=828" width="620" /></a><br /> <span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">A beautiful Black Bear Cub. Will we ever see another one?<br /> Picture credit: Unknown</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Score Scott and Company ONE, Florida Black Bears Zero!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I had to compose myself before writing this, it took some time.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Yesterday in Tallahassee, Judge Reynolds, who I am reasonably sure was appointed by Scott, said that the FWCC had every right and indeed, every responsibility to order the impending death of likely every Black Bear in the state of Florida.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">They went on adnaseum about their countless reasons, including the laughable point that the Bears were moving away from their food sources.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">That is truly a joke, as the state has been selling the most desired and necessary food of the Black Bear, the Saw Palmetto Berry for big profits, for years now!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">This of course, led to the Bear looking for an alternative food, which in turn led to state-wide conflicts.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">In all of this drama, the Bears have been the innocents, people are the guilty parties.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Over 2,000 Hunting permits have already been sold, so what on Earth would have happened to all of that money, if this had been overturned?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Hmmmmm……</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">They tried to make us believe that they can stop these Trophy Hunters at 320.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Please do recall the posting written recently about these same Hunters on the side of our County Road here near Paisley, laying on the roofs and in the beds of their trucks, as they fire into the woods using rifles armed with silencers.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">If they cannot control these lunatics now, how on Earth do they think that they can stop them at 320 dead Bears?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">It will not happen.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">By the end of the first day of the Hunt, I am confident that every Black Bear in this state, including mothers and babies, will all be dead.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I am done. I give up. I cannot take any more.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Unless this nightmare is reversed, overturned, or stopped, I will have nothing to ever say about these beautiful, beloved creatures again.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">But one last thought to leave you with and this has been percolating for a bit now.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">What if those of us who are 100% opposed to this heinous Hunt, go to every designated part of Florida on that first day and stand in the way of these maniacs getting their trophies?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I am not encouraging anyone to break the law, but I for one, am willing to go into the woods on that day and stand up for what I believe in.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">As for you Nick Wiley, I hope that you sleep well at night, I do not.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">You lied to me that day 3 years ago, when you said that they would never be hunted.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I have written, called and done everything that I can do, to stop this.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">But Scott holds all of the Aces, his power is frightening.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">These Bears should not be allowed to be murdered, the numbers opposed to this Hunt, outnumber those who want it.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">One can only imagine how much money, how many deals and promises have been made and secured.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I am sickened that I must try, or what will happen that day, but regardless of the outcome of my futile efforts, for the besieged, beleaguered Black Bear, I fear, it is over.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Places to learn more:</span><br />
<strong><a href="http://tbtpics.tampabay.com/news/environment/wildlife/judge-wont-halt-florida-bear-hunt/2247986" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Judge won’t halt Florida bear hunt</span></a></strong><br />
<strong><a href="http://www.wftv.com/news/news/local/judge-refuses-stop-florida-black-bear-hunt/nnsWb/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Judge refuses to stop Florida black bear hunt</span></a></strong><br />
<strong><a href="http://www.wtsp.com/story/news/local/2015/09/30/judge-hearing-argument-against-florida-bear-hunt/73103544/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Judge hearing argument against Florida bear hunt</span></a></strong><br />
<strong><a href="http://www.clickorlando.com/news/florida-judge-to-hear-fight-over-bear-hunt/35593076" target="_blank"><strong><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Judge refuses to stop Florida black bear hunt</span></strong></a></strong><br />
<strong><a href="http://www.wftv.com/news/news/local/9-investigates-state-environmentalists-odds-over-b/nkmfZ/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">9 Investigates state, environmentalists at odds over bears and berries</span></a></strong><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span>GATOR WOMANhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02876191449927121668noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9157137013112601371.post-14389156528537268342015-09-29T11:12:00.003-04:002015-10-02T13:21:26.372-04:00Can We Trust You?<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><a href="https://walkingwiththealligators.files.wordpress.com/2015/09/loxodontacyclotis.jpg"><img alt="Loxodontacyclotis" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-4259" height="427" originalw="760" scale="1.5" src="https://walkingwiththealligators.files.wordpress.com/2015/09/loxodontacyclotis.jpg?w=760" width="640" /></a><br /> <span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">Forest elephants (<i><a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Loxodonta_cyclotis" title="Loxodonta cyclotis">Loxodonta cyclotis</a></i>) in the Mbeli River, Nouabalé-Ndoki National Park, Congo.<br /> Picture credit: Thomas Breuer</span>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">If you have been here long, you know that over the past 3 years on WP, I have been bitterly disappointed, frequently deceived and flat-out lied to, by those who are in place to protect Global Wildlife.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">So, on Friday when our President and the President of China met and came to an agreement to stop Ivory Trafficking, I was not in the least impressed, or encouraged.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">As a matter of fact, I was thoroughly disgusted that on the same day the Pope was here spreading joy and love to all, our Country was preparing to wine and dine one of the world’s most prolific Human abusers at the White House.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">As for the agreement to stop Global Ivory Trafficking, there is absolutely no way that this plan/idea/agreement, can work or succeed, without the full and complete, cooperation and involvement of Africa.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Do I personally trust either, or any of them to firmly support and/or uphold this?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Do I believe that these leaders have had a change of heart and become concerned, empathetic or compassionate about Animal or Wildlife welfare?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Only if in some way, they can find a potential financial gain in it for them.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Neither the US, nor China has in the recent past shown much interest in, or overwhelming concern for any Global Wildlife that are currently suffering or are threatened.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">This is, in my opinion, merely political pandering to public perception and making points with which ever group they may need something from at the moment.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">As for Africa’s support, or even interest in this new agreement, consider this:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">What did anyone, including Africa, do to the Monster from Minnesota, who murdered Cecil the Lion, in cold blood?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Absolutely nothing.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">To only add to my depression over this situation, sadly and quite embarrassingly, Florida is reported to have quite a few individuals who buy and sell ivory, for example, this person is right here in Central Florida and quite proudly advertises his wares on the internet for all to see: <strong><a href="http://elephantivorytusks.com/" target="_blank">Elephant Ivory</a></strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">So, here’s the question for those of you who have tremendous power and have spoken the words that could stop the imminent extinction of animals who have the misfortune of having Ivory horns:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Can we trust you?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Places to learn more:</span><br />
<strong><a href="http://www.wildaid.org/news/us-and-china-agree-ban-ivory-trade" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">US and China Agree to Halt Ivory Trade</span></a></strong><br />
<strong><a href="http://www.sapeople.com/2015/09/26/us-and-china-agree-to-ivory-ban/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">US and China Agree to Ivory Ban</span></a></strong><br />
<strong><a href="http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2015/sep/26/china-and-us-agree-on-ivory-ban-in-bid-to-end-illegal-trade-globally" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">China and US agree on ivory ban in bid to end illegal trade globally</span></a></strong><br />
<strong><a href="http://www.theguardian.com/environment/africa-wild/2014/dec/09/china-must-act-but-africa-take-the-lead-in-stopping-ivory-trade" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">China must act, but Africa needs to take the lead to stop ivory trade</span></a></strong><br />
<strong><a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2015/09/25/fact-sheet-president-xi-jinpings-state-visit-united-states" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">FACT SHEET: President Xi Jinping’s State Visit to the United States</span></a></strong><br />
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<br />GATOR WOMANhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02876191449927121668noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9157137013112601371.post-77592898986177758482015-09-20T14:30:00.002-04:002015-09-21T13:10:37.595-04:00So Long Sonar!<a href="https://walkingwiththealligators.files.wordpress.com/2015/09/bluewhalenoaa.jpg"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img alt="Bluewhalenoaa" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-4241" originalw="760" scale="1.5" src="https://walkingwiththealligators.files.wordpress.com/2015/09/bluewhalenoaa.jpg?w=760" /></span></a><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">This awesome picture of a Pacific Blue whale is courtesy of NOAA fisheries!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">The United States Navy has made me a fan once again, with this latest move to save the lives of so many of our threatened and endangered Ocean wildlife.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Over the past few years in this very Blog, I have written ad nauseam about this disturbing issue and for so very long, it looked bleak and as if it would never happen, but it has!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Our planet’s Whales and Dolphins simply cannot and will not survive, if they cannot hear each other, and in the past, Navy activity in their Global Habitats has done just that, it has repeatedly interfered and done so, quite loudly.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Marine mammals need to have the waters that surrounds them quite silent, so that they can talk, or communicate with each other.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">The constant noises made by our very active US Navy, has caused the whales and dolphins, to try to live within the confines of a world in great turmoil, which in turn, has often resulted in countless, unnecessary deaths for these threatened animals.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">But, now after so many years of bitter court battles from both sides, and with many thanks to Earthjustice, NRDC and other concerned Environmental groups, an agreement has finally been reached and the US Navy will set aside areas of the Pacific Ocean, that will allow marine life once again, to safely do what they do best, survive and thrive!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">And they will be doing this in nearly complete silence, well as silent as it can be because, who knows what else is going on down there?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">So for now at least, we can all breathe a sigh of relief and say thank you to our Navy for allowing these beautiful creatures to live safely and hear each other again.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Good by, good riddance and so long Sonar!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Places to learn more:</span><br />
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<strong><a href="http://earthjustice.org/blog/2015-september/navy-sonar-settlement-brings-historic-win-for-whales#.Vf7F-iTwOVc.twitter" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Navy Sonar Settlement Brings Historic Win for Whales</span></a></strong><br />
<strong><a href="http://www.digitaltrends.com/cool-tech/thinking-of-the-whales-navy-limits-sonar-use-in-training/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Navy proves its love for whales and dolphins, curbing sonar use</span></a></strong><br />
<strong><a href="http://www.cbc.ca/news/technology/navy-sonar-dolphins-1.3228642" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">U.S. Navy will limit sonar, blasting near whales, dolphins in Pacific</span></a></strong><br />
<strong><a href="http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/how-does-navy-blasting-affect-marine-mammals-1.2679792" target="_blank"><strong><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">How does navy blasting affect marine mammals?</span></strong></a></strong><br />
<strong><a href="http://www.cbc.ca/news/technology/u-s-navy-sonar-blamed-for-whales-odd-behaviour-1.377027" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">U.S. navy sonar blamed for whales’ odd behavior</span></a></strong><br />
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<strong></strong><br />GATOR WOMANhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02876191449927121668noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9157137013112601371.post-82748087783615681882015-09-05T13:09:00.001-04:002015-09-05T13:24:42.326-04:00This King has left the building!<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><a href="https://walkingwiththealligators.files.wordpress.com/2015/09/baby_king_cobra_front_view.jpg"><img alt="Baby_king_cobra_front_view" class="alignnone wp-image-4215" height="728" originalh="728" originalw="444" scale="1.5" src-orig="https://walkingwiththealligators.files.wordpress.com/2015/09/baby_king_cobra_front_view.jpg?w=444&h=728" src="https://walkingwiththealligators.files.wordpress.com/2015/09/baby_king_cobra_front_view.jpg?w=666&h=1092" width="444" /></a><br /> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">A juvenile King Cobra<br /> Picture credit: Biomedicinal<br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">After living in so many places before coming to Florida in 2004, it was only a matter a time before this would happen.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">And it did.<br /> Within a few months of moving here, there it was one day, curled up on the black mat at our back door, waiting for me.<br /> As it turned out, it was harmless, to humans, at least, it was just a Black Racer, which is a very common non poisonous Florida Snake.<br /> Did that make me any less terrified.<br /> Absolutely not!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">But, after a few years, it has all become nearly routine and the fear gets a little less with each random encounter.<br /> That is, until now.<br /> A few days ago in Orlando, a man who apparently has quite a few poisonous creatures living in his house, lost one of them.<br /> It just ran away.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">But he did not, as required, report it immediately!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">And after seeing the living conditions at this place, I do not blame the snake.<br /> The escape of this snake, has been shown ad nauseum on all of our local channels.<br /> These animals are housed in cages so small, they can barely turn around, let alone get any exercise.<br /> My thinking is, that the snake left to find a better home!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">But here is the scariest part, at least for those poor souls who live in close proximity to this man, this was not just any ordinary snake.<br /> This was an 8 foot long King Cobra, whose venom they are saying, can take down an elephant or 200 humans.<br /> Yes, 200!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">This man, who has a state license to keep these poisonous animals, has a history of “<em>oops”</em> accidents and negligent behavior concerning his charges.<br /> So, you may ask, why does Florida Fish and Wildlife still allow him to have them?<br /> That is the question being asked by his neighbors, who have started a petition and already have 200 signatures.<br /> A previous King Cobra got loose from this man and it turned up in a neighbor’s garage, who killed it.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">This is a very sad situation for the animals ;who have no say in any of it.<br /> The man is a <em>“reality star”</em> the news claims and makes his living with these caged animals.<br /> But, each time I see him on the news, he is putting a snake into a garbage can.<br /> He does not look like someone who is terribly fond of them, just someone who has found a way to profit from them.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">In India this snake is protected.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Schools on this man’s block have kept the children inside all week and moved those in the bungalows, into the main building for safety concerns for the children.<br /> FWC says it is likely the snake, who they and the man, both say is shy, will avoid humans, but how long can you keep these children inside?<br /> This is not fair to them, or the animals that this man is keeping.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">It is at the very least, a sad, ugly situation.<br /> The last news story I watched this morning, gave a link to a web site, where you can see just who and where poisonous animals are being kept in Florida.<br /> If even one child here is killed by a poisonous animal who is being kept for profit or other, there will be <em>“hell to pay.”</em><br />Even one death is one too many.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Now, this is only my opinion but, private individuals have no business, no right, to keep poisonous animals in their homes, considering the tremendous risks that could result from an errant escape, such as this one.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">It is beyond time to stop this, before a tragedy occurs.<br /> So, those of you out there in Florida who think this is a good way to make a living, I say:<br /> You need to find another way to earn your living, one that does not put animals/wildlife or your neighbors and their children in jeopardy.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Please, go get a real job because this “<em>King has left the building</em>.”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Places to learn more:</span><br />
<strong><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/King_cobra" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">King cobra – Wikipedia</span></a></strong><br />
<strong><a href="http://www.wftv.com/news/news/local/fwc-searches-escaped-king-cobra-orlando/nnXQH/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">King cobra that escaped from Orlando home remains missing</span></a></strong><br />
<strong><a href="http://www.wesh.com/news/king-cobra-escapes-in-orlando-area/35071872" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Escaped king cobra on the loose in Orlando</span></a></strong><br />
<strong><a href="http://www.clickorlando.com/news/map-find-venomous-snake-permit-holders-near-you/35108944" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Find venomous snake permit holders near you</span></a></strong><br />
<strong><a href="http://www.clickorlando.com/news/snake-handlers-set-box-traps-for-missing-king-cobra-in-orlando/35101556" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Dead snakes used to lure king cobra that escaped Orlando home</span></a></strong><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span>GATOR WOMANhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02876191449927121668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9157137013112601371.post-7573789923996722852015-09-01T11:00:00.004-04:002015-09-01T11:08:14.707-04:00Exquisite Everglades<a href="https://walkingwiththealligators.files.wordpress.com/2015/09/evergladenp.gif"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img alt="evergladenp" class="alignnone wp-image-4164" height="478" originalh="476" originalw="637" scale="1.5" src-orig="https://walkingwiththealligators.files.wordpress.com/2015/09/evergladenp.gif?w=637&h=476" src="https://walkingwiththealligators.files.wordpress.com/2015/09/evergladenp.gif?w=956&h=714" width="640" /></span></a><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">The Everglades National Park</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">Photo credit: USGS/SOFIA</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">One of the most revered and treasured Ecosystems in the entire state of Florida, perhaps even the United States, the Everglades National Park, has just handed down some tough restrictions for the first time in more than 30 years.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">This is a long, hard-fought, much overdue win for a beleaguered Ecosystem, that has in the past, had to fight off big money, big business and big politics just to stay alive.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">But, no more!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Finally those who run the Park have said <em>enough!</em></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">The Everglades National Park and I do now speak from personal experience, is without a doubt, Florida’s most beautiful and most unique little corner of the Earth.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">May I offer you one tiny bit of advice, before you venture down for your first trip?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Many years ago, on our first vacation here, we took our first trip to the Everglades while visiting my parents in Miami, in the NOT EVER recommended month of August.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Only an idiot, or a tourist from L.A., would ever do this, everyone who lives here knows better.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">August is the heighth of Mosquito Season in South Florida and when they descend upon you in the Glades, they are like a black veil that drops over you, if you are foolish enough to go there in that month.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">As for these new restrictions for the Florida Bay Area of the Everglades, they have become necessary because for entirely too many years, all manner of human abuse have rendered this fragile place nearly crippled with what many believed to be irreparable damage.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">But the tide may be turning in the Glade’s favor and I only wish that Marjory was here today to witness this change of mind and heart for her beloved Everglades, she died in 1998 at the age of 108.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Marjory Stoneman Douglas fought so hard nearly all of her adult life, to save the Glades and today I would like to believe that she is smiling.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">These new restrictions may do what she could not during her lifetime, they may finally and forever, preserve and protect the Exquisite Everglades.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Places to learn more:</span><br />
<strong><a href="http://www.nps.gov/ever/index.htm" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Everglades National Park</span></a></strong><br />
<strong><a href="http://www.everglades.org/about-marjory-stoneman-douglas/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Marjory Stoneman Douglas: Defender of the Everglades</span></a></strong><br />
<strong><a href="http://shipyourboatnow.com/captains-blog-posts/florida-boating-restrictions-in-everglades-park" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Florida Boating Restrictions in Everglades Park</span></a></strong><br />
<strong><a href="http://parkplanning.nps.gov/projectHome.cfm?projectId=11170" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Everglades National Park GMP/East Everglades Wilderness Study</span></a></strong><br />
<strong><a href="http://www.sun-sentinel.com/local/palm-beach/fl-everglades-park-plan-20150831-story.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Everglades Park to restrict boating in Florida Bay</span></a></strong><br />
<strong><a href="http://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/environment/article33009696.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Protecting Everglades National Park ends way of life for Gladesmen</span></a></strong><br />
<strong><a href="http://www.walkingwiththealligators.com/everglades.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">The Everglades</span></a></strong><br />
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GATOR WOMANhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02876191449927121668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9157137013112601371.post-65585310045842132272015-08-31T13:47:00.001-04:002015-08-31T13:51:32.650-04:00Changing Alaska<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><a href="https://walkingwiththealligators.files.wordpress.com/2015/08/denali_national_park.jpg"><img alt="Denali_National_Park" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-4142" originalw="760" scale="1.5" src="https://walkingwiththealligators.files.wordpress.com/2015/08/denali_national_park.jpg?w=760" /></a><br /><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">Denali, the Great One!<br /> Picture credit: </span><a class="external text" href="http://www.flickr.com/people/26406919@N00" rel="nofollow"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">Nic McPhee</span></a></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;"> from Morris, MN, USA</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">President Obama will be in Alaska today for an Arctic Global Climate Summit.<br />
He is the first US President to visit the Arctic while still in office.<br />
His primary objective is likely to shore up support for climate change programs.<br />
But another more important reason is about a majestic mountain called McKinley.<br />
Today it will officially become Denali and for many Alaskans, it is about time.<br />
You see, the locals have already been calling it Denali since the 1970’s.<br />
The bitter battle over this name change has been going on for many years, those who live in Ohio where President McKinley, for whom the mountain was originally named is from, do not want it changed, but the Alaskan Natives do and today, they will get their way!<br />
Denali is the highest peak in the United States at just over 20,000 feet.<br />
This name change is very personal for the thousands of Indigenous, or Native Alaskans, as it is their name for the mountain in their Native tongue and it means <strong>” <em>the Great One. “</em></strong><br />
A separate, but equally important ongoing issue here, is that many of the Indigenous or Native Alaskans in this area, are being forced out of their homes on Kivalina Island, due to recent climate change, namely glacial melting and rising seas.<br />
These Native Alaskans have been desperately trying to save not only the land that they live on, but their Ancestral way of life as well.<br />
Over the years, they have been severely impacted by the Global Warming that has decimated their hunting and fishing abilities.<br /> It has also affected many wildlife species that have either completely disappeared, or been reduced beyond recovery and the situation is alarming to all.<br />
Their culture is just about all that they have left right now and they are determined to protect it.<br />
Global Warming, accompanied by the resultant glacial melting and rising seas, have caused them much pain and grief and given them much to fear for the future.<br />
These people are not at all happy about the way that their Alaska is changing.<br />
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Places to learn more:<br />
<strong><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Denali" target="_blank">Denali – Wikipedia</a></strong><br />
<strong><a href="http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/obama-renames-nation%e2%80%99s-highest-mountain/ar-AAdLF9D?ocid=ansmsnnews11" target="_blank">Obama renames nation’s highest mountain</a></strong><br />
<strong><a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3216137/New-properties-graves-banned-sinking-Alaskan-town-403-authorities-tell-families-s-days-numbered.html" target="_blank">Sinking into the Sea</a></strong><br />
<strong><a href="http://www.nwf.org/Wildlife/Threats-to-Wildlife/Global-Warming.aspx" target="_blank">Global Warming</a></strong><br />
<strong><a href="http://www.eoearth.org/view/article/153781/" target="_blank">Impacts of global warming in Alaska</a></strong><br />
<strong><a href="http://article.wn.com/view/2015/08/31/Weekly_Address_Meeting_the_Global_Threat_of_Climate_Change_C/" target="_blank"><strong>Meeting the Global Threat of Climate Change</strong></a></strong><br />
<strong><a href="http://toolkit.climate.gov/topics/arctic/arctic-peoples-and-ecosystems" target="_blank">Arctic Peoples and Ecosystems</a></strong><br />
<strong><a href="http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/impacts-adaptation/alaska.html#ImpactsAlaska" target="_blank">Climate Impacts in Alaska</a></strong></span>
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GATOR WOMANhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02876191449927121668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9157137013112601371.post-85965810523326690492015-08-30T15:31:00.001-04:002015-08-30T16:43:39.783-04:00Paynes Prairies’ Pain~<a href="https://walkingwiththealligators.files.wordpress.com/2015/08/paynesprairie.jpg"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img alt="PaynesPrairie" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-4122" height="480" originalw="760" scale="1.5" src="https://walkingwiththealligators.files.wordpress.com/2015/08/paynesprairie.jpg?w=760" width="640" /></span></a><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">The Paynes Prairie Ecopassage<br /> Picture credit: </span><a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Ebyabe" title="User:Ebyabe"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">Ebyabe</span></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">This week was our trip up to Gainesville for my latest Skin cancer check up.<br /> It was, as always, a great journey as it goes through the most beautiful part of Central Florida.<br /> My check up went well, no more new melanomas, only two minor things and I was sent off until end of November.<br /> Yeah~</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">But, while we were up there a story came on the news that made both of us furious.<br /> It was about plans to bring more cattle to a place that many Floridians and visitors alike, consider to be the closest thing we have here to Heaven, it is the Paynes Prairie Preserve, a wild ecopassage just before you get to Gainesville on 441.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">We have been through it hundreds of times over the past ten years, and it has always been the highlight of our trip.<br /> It is just after you pass Micanopy, on either side of the road, for as far as the eye can see, glorious wildflowers, wild birds and all manner of other wild things, who know full well that they live in paradise.<br /> There are always bald eagles, scissor-tailed kites and a wide assortment of gorgeous wading birds in the area.<br /> It is literally a feast for the eyes.<br /> <br /> So, as you can imagine, when this story came on the news, it made both of us sick.<br /> Our Governor, you know the one who was just given an environmental award by one of his pals, has without asking, decided that cattle will be allowed to graze and live in this paradise for wild things.<br /> Those who were interviewed in the story were locals who have started a petition, not that it will stop Scott and company, to try to prevent this insanity.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">It is quite insulting to those of us who love the pristine wild areas like Paynes Prairie, that this man and his cattle pals intend to turn Florida into a swampy version of Texas.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Is the reason that Scott is now pushing cows into every corner of the state because his wealthy cow friends are already writing very big checks for his next campaign?<br /> Everyone knows that when his time as Governor is done, he will move on to the next empty seat here.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">You will find the Petition below, please sign it and share it, if you agree~<br /> Please consider that if we can stop this, we can prevent Paynes Prairies’ pain in the future.<br /> <br /> Places to learn more:</span><br />
<strong><a href="http://wcjb.com/local-news/2015/08/petition-opposes-agricultural-expansion-paynes-prairie" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Petition opposes agricultural expansion for Paynes Prairie</span></a></strong><br />
<strong>The Petition: </strong><a href="http://petitions.moveon.org/sign/paynes-prairie-in-danger" target="_blank"><strong>Paynes Prairie in danger</strong></a><br />
<strong><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paynes_Prairie_Preserve_State_Park" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park</span></a></strong><br />
<strong><a href="http://www.alachuaaudubon.org/2015/07/28/government-in-the-shadows-vs-paynes-prairie/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Government in the Shadows vs. Paynes Prairie</span></a></strong><br />
<strong><a href="http://iml.jou.ufl.edu/projects/Fall03/Ede/index.htm" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Paynes Prairie: Home</span></a></strong><br />
<strong><a href="http://www.gainesville.com/article/20150823/OPINION03/150829924/-1/news09" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Paynes Prairie provides valuable services to society</span></a></strong><br />
<strong><a href="https://www.facebook.com/protectpaynesprairie" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Protect Paynes Prairie – Facebook page</span></a></strong><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span>GATOR WOMANhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02876191449927121668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9157137013112601371.post-23478987898078098732015-08-18T13:39:00.003-04:002015-08-18T13:54:52.633-04:00Never Forget Cecil!<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><a href="https://walkingwiththealligators.files.wordpress.com/2015/08/cecil_the_lion_at_hwange_national_park.jpg"><img alt="Cecil_the_lion_at_Hwange_National_Park" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-4107" height="414" originalw="760" scale="1.5" src="https://walkingwiththealligators.files.wordpress.com/2015/08/cecil_the_lion_at_hwange_national_park.jpg?w=760" width="580" /></a></span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">Cecil the lion at Hwange National Park in 2010.<br /> Picture credit: Joe Sutherland/Wikipedia</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Yesterday the Dental office of Walter Palmer, the killer of Cecil the African Lion, re-opened.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">The staff announced that they are now open and serving their patients and that the Dr. is not on the premises.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Not only is Palmer a murderer, he is a coward.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">But, what worries those of us who are outraged by Palmer’s vicious deed, is that when the office re-opened yesterday, there was only ONE person there with a sign to object!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I for one, do not want any of you, or anyone else on this Planet, to forget what this Monster has done.<br /> Complacency is infectious and spreads like wildfire.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Already, many of the web pages/blog pages about this have been taken down, they just disappeared.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">If we forget, if we just go on as if nothing has happened, Cecil will have died in vain and there will be many, many others to follow.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">We must not forget what this Dentist Walter Palmer, has done and we must continue now and forever, to keep up the pressure on him and all others involved in this, including our own Government who must respond to the hundreds of thousands who have signed the petition to have him extradited.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">We must hold firm until Palmer either changes, quite unlikely, or better yet, moves to another Planet, which would be absolutely wonderful.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">This man must be charged with a crime and sent back to Africa to stand trail for it.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">If he is not, all is lost.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Trophy Hunting here and all over the World, will continue unabated.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">But, the biggest tragedy of all, is that those who do it, will have no reason to stop.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Once they see that nothing will happen to them, these Poachers will feel as if they are untouchable and it will get worse.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Please, for his sake, and for all of those innocents who continue to be savagely hunted and killed, only to become a Trophy on a Wall, please never forget Cecil.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Places to learn more:</span><br />
<strong><a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/11806856/walter-palmer-cecil-the-lion-killer-first-pictures.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Cecil the lion’s killer ‘captured’: Walter Palmer pictured for the first time since Zimbabwe hunt</span></a></strong><br />
<strong><a href="http://www.thestar.com/news/world/2015/08/18/office-of-dentist-who-killed-cecil-the-lion-reopens-without-him.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Office of dentist who killed Cecil the lion reopens without him</span></a></strong><br />
<strong><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/office-minnesota-dentist-shot-zimbabwe-lion-reopens-without-081122960.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Office of Minnesota dentist who shot Zimbabwe lion reopens without him</span></a></strong><br />
<strong><a class="postid-9808174" href="http://nypost.com/2015/08/17/dentist-who-killed-cecil-the-lion-re-opens-office/"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Dentist who killed Cecil the lion reopens office</span></a></strong><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span>GATOR WOMANhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02876191449927121668noreply@blogger.com0