Recently came upon a very easy to understand and simple video on the tipping point of Global Warming.

Wake Up, Freak Out - then Get a Grip from Leo Murray on Vimeo.

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Thanks so many supportive people, the Military has conceded not to shoot and kill the dog. However, the last ounce of pride seems still to prevent them from releasing the dog to SPCA. Next week or soon, Sgt. Beberg will be leaving Iraq and if Ratchet is not able to leave by then, he will be left behind, to fend for himself in Iraq.

Here is the update on Digg. Or you can go directly to the updated article. The article details the methods to help Ratchet as well as points to some online petitions. However, having signed the petitions myself, I can see that it can get confusing as there are two petitions.

So I'll list both of them here, hopefully making easier for supporters to just hop in and sign.

Petition 1: Release Ratchet from Iraq Now
Petition 2: Clemency for Ratchet


Other ways to help, as mentioned in the updated article is to do the following:

1. Contact Minnesota Senators
Quoted from GetFreshMinds.com:

Here is the Contact information for the MN Senators and Gwen's Representative:

Senator Amy Klobuchar
(888) 224-9043 -or- (612) 727-5220

Senator Norm Coleman  
(800) 642-6041 -or- (651) 645-0323

Representative Keith Ellison
(West Twin Cities, Minneapolis)
(202) 225-4755

2. Donate to get Ratchet another plane ticket.

3. Digg and pass along their story.

Best Wishes to them and hope our support will help enough.

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 Lately not much good has been coming from the news and the one thing that I heard about today which really rubbed me the wrong way was about the treatment of a decorated US Sergeant serving an extended term due to "Stop-Loss" in Iraq by her own Commanding Officers of the Military.

 This US Sergeant rescued a small puppy in Iraq and raised it for a while until just recently had arranged it to be flown back to the US by a pet agency so that her parents could take care of it. In US bases it is common for soldiers to befriend animals as it helps them hold onto their sanity a bit easier in those tortorous circumstances. While the dog was on the way to the airport, it was intercepted by orders of her Commanding Officers with the rule that soldiers are not allowed to befriend animals. They took the dog away and threatened to shoot and kill it.

 I think, at this current stage in our country, there really isn't a need for something like this. The animal was already leaving (being flown to the US) to be taken care of by the Sergeants folks. It wasn't going to take any of her time anymore, it wasn't going to live on the base, it's just a pet. I really don't see any reason to detain and kill it other than to cause such a decorated soldier more grief and place her at further risk for PTSD.

 Already the suicide rate of soldiers coming back from the Iraq war, if they get to come back at all, is twice the rate of the average American.

For the whole story, here's a press release from the SPCA: http://www.spca.com/press/item/56

I originally heard about it from Digg: http://digg.com/political_opinion/US_Military_threatens_to_kill_pet_of_deployed_US_Soldier

 She already went above and beyond her call of duty for America, in Iraq, first of all. Second of all, it is common for soldiers to befriend animals despite the rule; they are humans with emotions after all. Third of all, PTSD and suicide is a major issue with soldiers returning from war. Last of all, the whole procedure was already in action, the dog was going to be out of there, it was on its way to the airport.

In short these Commanding Officers of her, whoever they are, really don't appear to have any good reason other than exercising a power-trip and griefing a fellow soldier.

We often like to compare ourselves with the rest of the world on how much we value humanity, human rights and animal rights, but few look within to see the true state we are in ourselves.

These Commanding Officers bring shame to America to treat one of their own and a friendly animal with such cruelly needless and emotionally abusive action.

I have already emailed my California Senator, and the Minnesota Senators to ask them for assistance. Hopefully not too late as this news is already several days old.

If anyone wishes to help out, please also do so:

Senator Amy Klobuchar: http://klobuchar.senate.gov/emailamy.cfm

Senator Norm Coleman: http://coleman.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAct ...

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So finally, yesterday afternoon we made it back safe and alive to our comfortable apartment in Hangzhou from Chengdu. When initially entering Chengdu from JiuZhaiGou, we felt the obligatory lack of interest and disgust with polluted cities as most people might feel when they leave a pristine protected natural habitat to enter a bustling polluted human habitat.

However, that was shortly replace by our awe of their exquisite hotpot, which originated from Chongqing (pronounced Choang Ching) and spread to  Chengdu. One of the best hotpots I've ever had, and I'm talking about the spicy one (which I almost never touch, unless I had no choice). 

Besides that, was my awe of how tastefully Chengdu kept it's Chinese architecture and design even with modern buildings, toll booths and such, as if they are truly proud of their ancient culture, architecture and design. What most impressed me was the cleanliness, newness and Chinese style of the shopping streets of Kuan Xiang Zhi (Broad Alley) and Zhai Xiang Zhi (Tight Alley). These allies can be equated to the Hutongs in Beijing and Nontangs in Shanghai, however the Chengdu Xiang Zhi's appear newer and much more well planned, styled and yet, depicted the Tang Dynasty style influence on its new buildings.  When we went to these two allies, it had Chinese style, but modern venues with good lighting, ambiance, environment and all with beautiful Chinese influenced architecture.

Other than Suzhou, Chengdu seems to be the only other city that I have traveled to in China, that seems to be proud of their cultural heritage and has beautifully integrated ancient Chinese design with modern architecture.  Beijing and Shanghai have a lot to learn from Chengdu.

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