Fashionistas you have arrived 3-25-03 - 10-3-03

[SlaveNoMore]

GWINK
I am pleased to report that the trusty INS, afteryears (not kidding) of contemplation, has seen fit to approve my green card petition.

I sincerely hope that part of your petition required you to state, under oath, that "Chretien is an Asshat "

not7y(Friend to the North, my eye)S

[purse junkie]

Originally posted by sebastian_dangerfield
My concern with getting a dog is making sure we get a smart one. We have one very smart cat and one idiot. Its comical to watch them interact. I'm afraid, however, that a dumb dog lumbering about knocking shit over would be intolerable.

If the wife makes me go to the burbs, however, I may get a dog asap. My uncle's got a wonderful lab which he uses as an excuse to leave the house for long walks... to the pub. I hear dogs are a great cure for screamin children in this regard...

There are several really smart breeds. Some though are only smart at what they're bred for--labs, for example, are brilliant at retrieving, but lord are they stupid for anything else.

Watch out for the big smart ones, however--they can completely rule your household. Or at least have the brains to destroy only something valuable when you tick them off.

p(big-dog fan)j

[spookyfish]

Originally posted by sebastian_dangerfield

When I get more space, I'll probably get a dog. Gotta have wide open acreage for the sucker to run... probably a Golden. Can't beat a Golden - killer pet.

When you get one, you might then also want to get one of these:



Oops. That's probably not what you meant.

From smartdecals.com [Spree: Goofy Signs]

Originally posted by sebastian_dangerfield
Can't beat a Golden

My sister has had three over the years, and she's wanted to beat them on occasion. Goldens are nice pets, excellent with children, but be warned:

1. Chewing (clothes, furniture, shoes, toilet paper rolls, disposable razors) can be a big issue.

2. If you lead an active lifestyle and want to include the dog, they are fine, but if you are more sedentary, they may not be a dog for you.

3. Some of them can be as neurotic as Paigow.

spooky(just my $.02)fish

[taxwonk]

Originally posted by sebastian_dangerfield
Wonk,

If you dig Mann, then maybe you'll agree at just how underrated Insider was, or about how Christopher Plummer should have received an oscar.

My favorite movie quote:

Plummer to Gina Gershon:
"What are you going to do now? Are you going to 'lawyer' me?"

I love that scene - Plummer is so utterly condescending.

S(and I'm still waiting for the right moment to deliver it in earnest myself)D

It was a very good movie and Plummer did an excellent job in it. I just hate Russell Crowe so much that it's hard to get past him.

[greatwhitenorthchick]

Originally posted by SlaveNoMore
I sincerely hope that part of your petition required you to state, under oath, that "Chretien is an Asshat "

not7y(Friend to the North, my eye)S

It's good these days to be a citizen of the UK.

[purse junkie]

Originally posted by spookyfish

My sister has had three over the years, and she's wanted to beat them on occasion. Goldens are nice pets, excellent with children, but be warned:

1. Chewing (clothes, furniture, shoes, toilet paper rolls, disposable razors) can be a big issue.

And actually, from a liability perspective, I read Goldens I have a very high rate of biting people.

p(my dog only tried to attack all other dogs)j

[ThurgreedMarshall]

Originally posted by sebastian_dangerfield
If the wife makes me go to the burbs, however, I may get a dog asap.

Whipped.

TM

[Bad_Rich_Chic]

Originally posted by greatwhitenorthchick
I am pleased to report that the trusty INS, afteryears (not kidding) of contemplation, has seen fit to approve my green card petition. Now it's just a matter of processing (should take about another year), but yay!!! Happy news!

Congrats! Out of curiosity, did you go lottery, or family, or did your employer sponsor you?

BR(really curious as to whether any firms still sponsor people)S

Oh, and I liked Manhunter better, but marginally. That opening walk-through was terrifying and Brian Cox was, IMHO, a much more interesting Hannibal Lecter without all the show-boating, though in both versions they whimp out and don't let the tooth fairy mangle the hero's face (which is how the book ends). But Emily Watson was wonderful (so was Joan Allen in the same role), they stuck closer to the original ending in RD, and I understand that Ralph Finnes schlong is so HUGE that, despite his willingness to do scenes nude, they had to digitally obscure it because after the test screenings it was all anyone could remember about the movie.

The one good thing one can say about the movie Hannibal is that it was better than the book.

[leagleaze]

Originally posted by purse junkie
There are several really smart breeds. Some though are only smart at what they're bred for--labs, for example, are brilliant at retrieving, but lord are they stupid for anything else.

Herding dogs tend to be very smart. The different belgians, the different shepards, corgis etc.

Working dogs range from smart to thick as a brick. Goldens and Labs while two of the sweetest breeds tend to be extremely dumb for everything, but as PJ says, retrieving.

Terriers can be smart, but they are aptly named. Generally not a good idea to have them around kids. They normally have tough personalities.

[Mmmm, Burger (C.J.)]

Originally posted by Bad_Rich_Chic

BR(. . . )S

Don't tell us you're getting a dual personality too.

Or is that the really bad spelling problem cropping up?:brick:

Originally posted by leagleaze
Herding dogs tend to be very smart. The different belgians, the different shepards, corgis etc.

Working dogs range from smart to thick as a brick. Goldens and Labs while two of the sweetest breeds tend to be extremely dumb for everything, but as PJ says, retrieving.

Terriers can be smart, but they are aptly named. Generally not a good idea to have them around kids. They normally have tough personalities.

Several thoughts:

I wanted to point out to followup on ther person who said labs were dumb for most things that werent retrieving. Labs are the most ocmmon guide dogs for the blind. I have to assume this takes some intelligence to pull off.

As for shepherds, I had an australian shepherd/doberman mix that was dumber than a box of sunny bonnies. She actually got hit by a car and died. Maybe the doberman half was the stupid half but I thought dobies were wizards.

THere is a ranking of intelligence in breeds available online. http://www.petrix.com/dogint/

[purse junkie]

Originally posted by leagleaze
Herding dogs tend to be very smart. The different belgians, the different shepards, corgis etc.

Terriers can be smart, but they are aptly named. Generally not a good idea to have them around kids. They normally have tough personalities.

Herding dogs are great if you have kids because the dogs will tend to organize and contain them just like sheep.

I agree on terriers. Too high-strung to have around rugrats, especially ones in the 'exuberantly grab and pull everything' stage.

[greatwhitenorthchick]

Originally posted by paigowprincess

THere is a ranking of intelligence in breeds available online. http://www.petrix.com/dogint/

That is very funny that poodle ranks #2. Growing up we had a big beautiful elegant standard poodle (that we did not clip into those godawful pom pom cuts, so she retained her dignity) who was the dumbest creature I have ever encountered. She was wonderfully friendly and good natured, but the stupidest dog ever. She was very narcissistic too. Loved to look at herself in the mirror from all angles.

[leagleaze]

Originally posted by greatwhitenorthchick
That is very funny that poodle ranks #2. Growing up we had a big beautiful elegant standard poodle (that we did not clip into those godawful pom pom cuts, so she retained her dignity) who was the dumbest creature I have ever encountered. She was wonderfully friendly and good natured, but the stupidest dog ever. She was very narcissistic too. Loved to look at herself in the mirror from all angles.

Just goes to show there are exceptions to everything. We have some corgis that are so smart it is like having a young child. Others are so dumb you wonder how they manage to even move.

I think it is the case with most animals (including humans I imagine.) I have a cat that is incredibly smart, I have watched her figure out how to get up to areas she couldn't jump to, and it was clear she was puzzling it out. The other one is pretty darn stupid. Sweet, but stupid.

Genetics definitely comes into play. Show dogs are bred for certain characteristics. Those labs paigow mentioned that are guide dogs are also bred and carefully selected for the job.

Some breeds are more bred for brains, others for looks, and others personality. If you go to a breeder for your dog, as opposed to a puppy mill or a pet store, you have a better chance of getting a sense of what your dog will be like. Just look at the parents, and the siblings, as well as any other relatives the breeder might have around.

[Greedy,Greedy,Greedy]

Originally posted by purse junkie
Herding dogs are great if you have kids because the dogs will tend to organize and contain them just like sheep.

They're right on on border collies. Incredible dogs for kids. But they have dissed the humble bassett hound, a most intelligent, obediant and pleasant dog. And even a toddler can out run them.