Riding the information superhighway to a new home

Each weekend, American interstates and highways become an underground railroad for rescued pets.

They’re on "transports," in which volunteers take turns driving part of the way from point A to point B — usually from a shelter to an adoptive home. Sometimes those two points are many states and a few overnight stops away.

But before these lucky dogs (or cats) hit the road, they’ve already taken a ride on the information superhighway. They’ve probably been the subject of a blog or two, and they’ve most likely graced a message board or mailing list. They probably also have their own Web page at PetFinder.com or other rescue Web sites. (How many of us are this popular?)

In the face of today’s huge pet overpopulation problem, the more exposure a pet can get online, the better. And unlike Britney Spears, they don’t mind the attention.

Betty Dorsey of Knoxville, Tenn., said before the Internet, her rescue efforts to place adoptable dogs in new homes relied on word-of-mouth and local newspaper ads.

"It's definitely more efficient... you get so many more dogs adopted (online)," she said. "We've gotten calls from all over New England, as far west as California and even from overseas."

Of course, overseas transports would be pretty stressful on the animals, but it just goes to show the power of a cute picture and a short blurb on a Web page.

A springer spaniel named Freddie got Amelia Hudson of Baton Rouge interested in rescue in 1990 after she rescued the dog from a neglectful owner. That experience led her to other rescue work both for springers and other breeds. She now helps with transports whenever she can.

She credited the Internet with helping her improve her rescue operations, and since 2002 she has rescued 70 springers.

"I had difficulty finding what I considered to be acceptable adoptive families (for my dogs)," she said.

Then she got in contact with national group English Springer Rescue of America. ESRA had "stringent adoption standards" that included online applications, phone screenings, checks of veterinarian care histories and home visits. Now, instead of waiting for a local family, Hudson can network with people across the country that ensure that her dogs are going to good homes, no matter where they are.

And then the transports begin.

I found a transport list for Mia on Yahoo! group gulfcoast_rescue_n_transport. Mia is a 1-year-old pit bull that was taken off the streets in Houston. Because of her breed, authorities there threatened to put her down. But Mia’s finders wanted to get her back to their house near Tampa, Fla. They just needed a little help in doing that.

Because of traffic and other delays, Mia spent all day — from 7 a.m. to 2 a.m. — on the road. But she is now in a safe, loving home. It's a wonderful feeling to know that just by driving her from Baton Rouge to Slidell, I made her new life possible. It took less than two hours of my time and about a half tank of gas.

This is low-committment animal rescue, but it is vital nonetheless. It's proof that anyone can get involved with some aspect of animal rescue, regardless of how little time or money is available.

Dorsey said that no matter what type of breed or pet, there's a rescue organization dedicated to it. And all of those organizations can be national with the help of the Internet. You can shop online with companies that donate a portion of their proceeds to rescue, you can donate money or supplies to shelters, you can transport animals or you can spend time volunteering at the local shelter. None of those things require you to take an animal into your home.

But if you do have that opportunity, search for a local shelter or rescue on PetFinder.com. They're always looking for people to foster dogs and cats before they are adopted.

So the next time you see a dog happily riding shotgun down the interstate, know that he or she could be riding to freedom and a new life. All they need are a few good volunteers.

Resources:
Dorsey's all-breed rescue can be found at www.grreatdogrescue.com
English Springer Rescue of American can be found at www.springerrescue.org.
Start your search at www.PetFinder.com or groups.yahoo.com.

Election issues.

What are some of the most important issues candidates need to address in the Sept. 30 election?

(There will be races for Hammond mayor, city council seats and Tangipahoa School Board in addition to races in Kentwood and Tickfaw.)

Lot requirements, recreation and traffic are just three hot issues. Are there more?

The rules of blogging...

Blogs are funny things.

They’re an interesting mix of observation, conversation, analysis, opinion, news and sometimes art.

The writer doesn’t have to be witty, nor does the topic have to be all that interesting for Internet controversy to start brewing.

Earlier this year I attended the Southeast Journalism Convention at Emory University in Decatur, Ga. Blogs, or “web logs,” were the hot topic of many sessions. I heard from college professors who analyzed the importance of blogs in modern news reporting and their pros and cons for the average web user.

Overwhelmingly, blogs were seen as a positive force. Yes, blogs were responsible for their fair share of publicizing rumor and urban legend. But they make it simple for anyone who knows how to surf the Internet to upload his or her own content. That fact alone has shifted the way
information gets to the public.

Before blogs, newspaper editors and publishers set the agenda and spread information. Now regular people can do the same thing.

But the other interesting thing about blogs are their ability to record real-time feedback from readers, who can mostly choose to remain anonymous. Sure, letters to the editor are a great way to voice your opinion, but anything you say has to be tempered by the fact that your
name is attached to it.

People get mighty brave under the guise of anonymity. I’ve read some pretty nasty things posted on blogs, and even directed toward me personally, that would never have been said to my face. But that’s the price you pay when you put your thoughts on the digital page.

My recent posts about Britney Spears on hammondstar.blogspot.com have garnered a few snide remarks. Personally, I think it’s everyone’s right to have an opinion on Spears, but a few of my readers think otherwise. I’ve gotten responses that range from, “Who the hell cares about Britney?” to “Who gives a flying flip about Britney?” So I might have been mistaken when I thought readers would care about her. If not for the blog, I might never have gotten those responses.

And there’s been a tiny bit of controversy as of late over something I want to clear up. Someone answered my “should Britney move back to Kentwood?” question with a command to become more “informed” about what our soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan are going through for the promise of a free education.

My columns are entertainment-related and are not about war, death and international diplomacy for a reason. The Daily Star (and for that matter, numerous Internet news sites) does a great job of reporting on those serious issues. Just because I don’t write about “serious” topics does not mean I don’t care about them.

On that same note, please keep in mind that The Daily Star does not upload everything to its website. So please do not think that just because something is not on the website that we have not included it in the paper.

So with that said, I want to invite you to enter the blogosphere. From time to time I’ll be posting some “real news” opinion questions for readers to answer. I’ve already posted a few. There’s one about about lot sizes in Tangipahoa that I wish more people would respond to since zoning is such a vital topic in our expanding parish.

And of course, there’ll be celebrity, entertainment and blogger news from me.

If you're interested in the wider blogosphere...

Try technorati.com. This site is like an index of independent blogs. There are photo and video blogs as well as blogs on just about any topic.

Have fun surfing! :)

Blogging the news from Hollyweird

I knew it was only a matter of time before I wrote a blog about a blog.

Indeed there are many enlightening, artistic and educational blogs out there in the so-called "blogosphere." Web surfers can take advantage of the opinions and insights of intellectuals and swap stories with people who share their hobbies. Public discourse is now a clickable comment away.

But I'm not here to talk about those blogs. I'm here to talk about what's really important — Hollywood gossip. And Internet bloggers have this topic covered even more thoroughly than the war in Iraq or the North Korean missile crisis.

My two favorite spots for all the weird news fit to upload are perezhilton.com and dlisted.com. (A word to parents — these sites sometimes fall on the raunchy side. And that's almost a necessity in order to report about people like Pamela Anderson and Paris Hilton.)

Perez Hilton (AKA Miamian Mario Lavandeira) averages 700,000 readers on his site each day. His blog rose in popularity after he published some of the first paparazzi pictures of lovebirds Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt together. Like most other celebrity blogs, most of Hilton's information comes from weekly magazines (and he somehow manages to get the scoop before they even hit grocery store shelves).

Recent topics include the birth of actor Russell Crowe's second baby boy, a fire at Ozzy Osbourne's mansion and speculation that "Scrubs" star Zach Braff could be dating newly-single singer Jessica Simpson. Not to mention Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes' mysterious baby girl Suri, who's now nearly three months old and has apparently never left Cruise's home.

There's the familiar obsession with naming celebrity couples (do Bennifer, Brangelina and TomKat ring any bells?). Hilton's readers' latest suggestion is "Minnillo BlahNick" for Simpson's ex Nick Lachey and MTV VJ Vanessa Minnillo.

Hilton also attempts (sometimes unsuccessfully) to start language trends.

His last buzzword, "peppered," roughly meaning "really cool" was quickly taunted by readers.

He's buddies with his namesake, Paris, and he also hangs out with troubled young actress Lindsay Lohan. And even though the former journalist claims everything on his site is true, his recent omission of Paris' hit-and-run accident shows where his loyalties lie. (With the money, of course.)

If you've ever wondered who that strange chubby guy was commentating on VH1 or E!, it was probably Hilton.

Then there's DListed, which is put together by New Yorker Michael K. What DListed lacks in "culture" (if you can call a pink layout and digital graffiti on paparazzi photos "culture"), it makes up in sarcasm. Michael K offers the "news" along with his no-holds-barred commentary. It's usually scathing.
DListed also features celebrity birthdays and news on films currently in production. (I learned that July 6 was both President George W. Bush and the Dalai Lama's big day, so maybe these blogs aren't totally useless.)

Michael K's nickname for Paris Hilton is "Parasite." And while he doesn't have any ties to real celebrities, I think his distance from Hollywood makes him a true celebrity observer. He's just like any one of us looking in from the outside, just with better sources. And while that might cost him a few of Hilton's sought-after "world exclusives," I think it makes him more credible.

As credible as a gossip monger can be, that is.

These days the definition of "real news" is expanding, thanks to 24/7 cable news networks, blogs and the public's apparent need to be entertained. Hilton and Michael K are only two of the hundreds of bloggers out there, and with a few clicks, anyone can join their ranks.

These men have made entire careers out of being shameless and adept at finding, stealing or creating information. It also helps that they're not afraid of being sued, but that's another blog altogether.

So go ahead and enjoy the fluffy stuff. With all the depressing things going on in the world and especially southeast Louisiana, I think we all deserve to be entertained by the news every now and then. The great thing about celebrity news is that entertainment is exactly what it's supposed to be.

Renee Allemand should not be held responsible if you actually end up liking Paris Hilton's singing voice. She gets calls at 254-7817 and e-mails at webmaster@hammondstar.com.

Britney Spears fights fire with fire

How do you get a celebrity-hungry public to stop caring about you? For Britney Spears, the best way is to pose nude in a national fashion magazine.

Since Spears’ June 15 interview with Matt Lauer on NBC’s “Dateline,” columnists around the world have weighed in on Spears’ finer points. There was her straw-like hair, her malfunctioning fake eyelash, her see-through maternity top and her horrid denim miniskirt. It’s easy to make fun of her; that’s been established.

It’s been reported that neither of Spears’ publicists (or stylists) were present before or during the interview, and we saw the results. The Kentwood native called herself “country” in what might be construed as an insult to this area.

Being “country” doesn’t give someone a pass to endanger his or her baby by ignoring child safety seat laws. But even if she doesn’t adhere to that reasoning, she’s got to realize that traveling on a rural road in Kentwood is worlds different than zooming around on a Los Angeles freeway.

She’s under a lot of scrutiny, and she’s right — any normal person probably wouldn’t have had to deal with a negative public backlash over supposed baby blunders. But then again, normal people don’t have nude spreads in magazines.

According to a poll conducted by US Weekly, 87 percent of respondents said they had actually lost respect for Spears since her much-hyped interview.

So Spears apparently went into image makeoverdrive. The cover of Harper’s Bazaar shows a black-haired, airbrushed and beaming Spears wearing nothing but an exquisite jeweled necklace. The images are a far cry from the interview, which saw Spears breaking down in tears and begging to be left alone.

But poor Britney is pleading into deaf ears. As long as gossip magazines continue to thrive on pictures and rumors, the paparazzi will never leave her alone. There’s simply too much money to be made.

And now, with the nude photos and another set of pictures she sold to OK! magazine, Spears is fueling the very fire that consumes her. If she wants to be out of magazines, why on earth would she consent to appear in them?

It was the same situation after her 2004 marriage to wannabe-rapper Kevin Federline. She wanted to be left alone, but somehow found it within herself to air “Chaotic,” a reality show mostly composed of Spears walking around with a camcorder during the early weeks of her canceled Onyx Hotel Tour.

There’s got to be a point where Spears just throws up her hands in this battle. Rumors and lies, if that’s what they are, will catch up to those who spread them. The American public, as celebrity-crazed as it is, isn’t stupid.

Spears apparently just gave up her faith in Kabbalah, but I think a belief in karma would suit her better.

In her attempt at damage-control, Spears is only damaging herself more. Forget image, forget record sales, forget celebrity ... if leading a low-key life is what will make her happy, then she should go for it and never look back.

Or maybe her all-encompassing celebrity status will keep her from achieving that.

Either way, Spears needs to start dousing her life’s flames. Inviting more media attention isn’t the way to do it.

Renee Allemand receives e-mail at webmaster@hammondstar.com and voice mail at 254-7817.

Restaurant's new owners won't accept gift certificates

By John E. Schott

In December of last year, I purchased some gift certificates from (a local restaurant). Last Friday night, I went to (the restaurant now operating under new ownership) and was informed by the owner that my gift certificates would not be honored.

The owner explained to me that when they opened, they were honoring the (previous restaurant’s) gift certificates. However, as time went on, too many certificates were showing up and he decided to no longer honor them.

He went on to say that the gift certificates were discussed when the business changed hands but he has now made a decision to cut his losses by no longer taking the certificates. To me, his accountant made a huge error by not including these gift certificates as another liability on the books and include them in the transaction.

At this point, I think the certificates should be honored as a cost of doing business as opposed to the negative good will that will be generated by not taking them.

The owner tried to put the blame on the previous owner and said I needed to take up my issue with him. I have made several attempts to contact him without success. Individually, it’s not much money, but collectively, it is several thousand dollars outstanding with small consumers like me.

Needless to say, my family and I did not eat there but proceed to (a chain restaurant) instead. We were not in the mood to give any locals our business.

If anyone has any suggestions on how to recover my losses and as a public service to others in my shoes, please advise The Daily Star blog at www.hammondstar.com or me at my e-mail address, johneschott@hotmail.com.
— John E. Schott, Tickfaw

Should Britney move back to Kentwood?

An article in In Touch magazine claims that Britney Spears is moving back to her hometown of Kentwood. However, her publicist denies the report.

What do you think? Should Britney move back to Kentwood? Would it help with her problems with the paparazzi, or would it just turn Kentwood into a photographer's paradise?

'Nacho Libre' latest in lackluster summer movies

OK, I admit it. I saw “Nacho Libre” during its opening weekend.

The too-stupid-to-be-funny Jack Black vehicle was pretty offensive, not least because of its skewering of Mexican culture. Black, today’s version of the late Chris Farley, plays a friar-turned-wrestler struggling to win money to feed the orphans in his charge.

Children’s network Nickelodeon produced “Libre.” With a better director, it could have been a heartwarming, genuinely funny tale. But gratuitous farting and shirtless shots of a portly Black derail the film and make the viewer forget the point.

Jared Hess, director of “Napoleon Dynamite,” also helmed “Libre,” and it seems absurdity has become Hess’ calling card.

But perhaps what’s more absurd is the summer movie landscape itself. It’s almost July, and there have not been any real blockbusters. Tom Cruise’s eccentricities seem to have had an effect on the reception of “Mission Impossible III.” “X3: The Last Stand” made $102 million in its opening weekend, but its popularity has dropped off considerably since then. Romantic comedy “The Break-Up,” starring real-life couple Jennifer Aniston and Vince Vaughn, suffered from dismal reviews and media oversaturation.

According to a report by Greg Hernandez of the Los Angeles Daily News, box office receipts are actually up 4.81 percent compared with 2005. So, people are still watching. But that small change certainly hasn’t made the movies any more redeeming.

Movies just aren’t that exciting anymore. One must look no further than ticket prices to understand why. An average movie ticket costs $7. A family of four can expect to pay no less than $30 for two hours of “entertainment,” and that doesn’t include popcorn.

Seeing a movie has become an all-day affair. Going to the theater is no longer a carefree outing. To get decent seats, audience members must arrive at least an hour before show time. I usually buy tickets online a day ahead of time to avoid long lines. That necessitates me scheduling my weekend almost like a work day.

And after the audience has waited an hour for the feature presentation, it gets to see at least 20 minutes of annoying previews. The only good thing about them is that they let viewers decide not to spend any more of their hard-earned money on uninteresting films.

Yet there is one sector in which people are enjoying films again — as rentals. For less than the price of one movie outing, families can sign up for monthly services such at NetFlix, which deliver DVDs right to their doors. With these rental services, there are no late fees and a wide selection of films to choose from. NetFlix alone offers 60,000 titles.

And the best part is, you never have to leave the house. All the peripheral aggravations of going to a theater go away with the ease of totally skipping the DVD previews. Show times begin whenever your signficantly-cheaper popcorn comes out of the microwave.

“Superman Returns,” Hollywood’s next big attempt at a blockbuster, hits theaters today. Perhaps the super hero craze that made successes out of the “X-Men” and “Spiderman” franchises will bode well for “Superman” and its unknown leading man, Brandon Routh. For me, however, “Superman” just marks another unexciting film in a genre that needs a little bit of a rest for now.

But if you’d rather enjoy movies from your couch than from a sticky theater chair, here are some upcoming DVD releases to enjoy.

July 4: “The Matador” (Pierce Brosnan), “Libertine” (Johnny Depp)

July 11: “Basic Instinct 2” (Sharon Stone), “Grilled” (Ray Romano and Kevin James)

July 18: “She’s the Man” (Amanda Bynes), “ATL,” “Edison Force” (Morgan Freeman, LL Cool J)

July 25: “Final Destination 3,” “The Benchwarmers” (Rob Schneider, David Spade), “Ask the Dusk” (Salma Hayek, Colin Farrell), “Hudson Hawk” (Bruce Willis)

Meow? Is anybody home?

Reality TV goes to the cats in Animal Planet's "Meow Mix House"

Riveting reality television has seen its share of catfights. Just tune
in to MTV's groundbreaking hit "The Real World," and there's bound to be a conflict among the housemates threatening to turn physical.

But on Animal Planet1s "Meow Mix House," promoted as a mix of "The Real World" and "The Apprentice," real fur could fly.

Show organizers in New York City devised a kitty penthouse complete with scratching posts, sofas and other scaled-down amenities even some humans can barely afford. Then, with the help of animal rescue organizations from around the country, 10 homeless cats were flown in to populate the feline palace. Passersby can view the cats at 425 Madison Ave., and every lazy move can be seen through Webcams available at www.meowmixhouse.com.

However, all is not catnip and toy mice. Each week competitions are
held, including "best sleeper" and "best mouse-catcher," according to
Reuters news service. Votes from the show's "panel of experts" are then tallied to boot off the least popular feline, who is banished to live with a loving adoptive family while enjoying a year's supply of Meow Mix. Meanwhile, viewers can place online votes for their favorites to win the "viewer's choice award."

Only on "Meow Mix House" can you lose a sleeping competition and be
rewarded with the chance to sleep almost indefinitely for the rest of your existence. That fate almost seems more enjoyable than the grand prize. The winning kitty will become Meow Mix's official "Feline Vice President of Research and Development." (Move over, Donald Trump.)

It sounds like the folks at Meow Mix have done a lot of production work for what amounts to a once-weekly three-minute show. But perhaps they know something about television viewers many of us can't bring ourselves to admit.

According to Reuters, officials with the cat food company say they want the show to promote cat adoption, and, obviously, the Meow Mix brand. But this show, perhaps more than any other show on Animal Planet or elsewhere, sharply focuses on our mostly-ludicrous need to humanize companion animals. And we'll watch every minute of it with enthusiasm.

The show1s Web site is cheery bordering on cheesy, just like the show
itself. It literally looks like a bright yellow animated Meow Mix cat food box. The site's introduction reminds viewers that this is the company responsible for MeowTV, an online television channel for cats, and Meow Café, a New York City feline eatery. I don't know a lot about the world of cat food promotion, but I'm guessing Meow Mix is king (and there's big points for creativity).

Dig a little deeper and you'll find that each cat has a biography page
and his or her own Weblog. Zen is the calm one, Opry is from Nashville and loves country music and Bambi is the feline equivalent of a desperate housewife.

According to Reuter's, Meow Mix's Keith Fernbach said the show's
producers "try to give [each cat] a personality for TV."

It's true that companion animals have personalities to some extent. But at what point does anthropomorphizing become crazy rather than endearing?

We've created a dollhouse for living creatures where we can gawk at them and manipulate them. Someone logs onto the Internet to write a Weblog from a cat's point of view, creating a character and consciousness that exists, yet really doesn1t.

Cats obviously don't know the difference between country and hip-hop,
but we're claiming that Opry loves it.

Am I the only one who thinks this is a little weird?

Weird or not, any show that has the potential to increase cat adoptions is worthwhile in my opinion. I'm just thankful "Meow Mix House" is a three-minute quasi-advertisement instead of a full-fledged production. But I wouldn1t be surprised if that changed in the future.

"Meow Mix House" airs Fridays on Animal Planet for the next nine weeks.

Lot sizes in Tangipahoa Parish

Lot width is only one of many factors that determine the quality of life in a residential area.

Equally important is the quality of the development: layout, streets, walks, utility location and the enforcement of subdivision and municipal regulations.

For example, if a residence is surrounded by junk and abandoned cars, lot size is of small importance.

Smaller lots do not necessariliy mean the end of the world... or do they?

What do you watch?

Hi, I'm Renee. I have been writing a television column for the Star, and I need your opinions!

Obviously, I can't watch everything on TV (even though I wish I could). But I want to make sure what I'm writing is something you guys care about.

So... what shows and/or networks do you love? What do you love about them? Is there anything you really dislike? What would you like to see in my column? Show recaps, information about upcoming programs, etc.?

Also, if you know of any Louisiana or Northshore residents who are going to be featured on a reality show, please leave me a note on the blog or email me at reneechristine@bellsouth.net. It's always interesting to read about locals in the national spotlight.

Thanks a lot!

What store should come to Hammond Square?

The new owners of Hammond Square Mall would like some public participation on the future redevelopment of the shopping center and adjacent property.

If residents could choose just one retailer to come to the mall what would it be?

Need your comments: Deal or No Deal

Does anyone out there watch the game show "Deal or No Deal?" What are your opinions on the show?

(Disclaimer - These could possibly be published in the paper.)

Thanks!

Taylor Hicks destined as American Idol?

Posted by Renee Allemand

Even though none of this year’s crop of “American Idol” finalists hailed from Louisiana, local residents will be paying attention to the show’s Wednesday night finale.

So will the rest of America. The two-hour season five finale pits energetic crooner Taylor Hicks against polished diva Katharine McPhee. Expect drawn-out performances from former contestants and lots of nail biting beginning at 7 p.m. on FOX.

Finalist Hicks’ popularity points to an “Idol” trend that began in 2005 with Ponchatoula native Lindsey Cardinale, runner-up Bo Bice and winner Carrie Underwood. Those three contestants challenged the idea that a successful American Idol should be a pop singer. Cardinale and Underwood’s small-town, country roots resonated with the American public to gain them votes. Meanwhile, Bice’s brand of southern rock proved that the “Idol” stage could be as diverse as its audience.

Hicks is expected to win on Wednesday. (In fact, his odds are 1-2 compared to McPhee’s 9-5, according to online betting sites.) He is an old soul with gray hair at the age of 29, which is ancient for an “Idol” contestant. His heroes include Ray Charles and Van Morrison. His eccentric dance moves bewildered the judges. He calls himself a “funky white boy” on the “Soul Patrol.” Cowell has doubted that Hicks is the definition of an “American Idol,” yet Hicks has been the perennially popular underdog for the duration of the show.

“American Idol” is different from other singing competitions in that the audience is allowed to form opinions about the contestants over such a long period of time. We get to know them on a personal level, and their personalities can either help or hinder their chances of winning.

Increasingly, our idols are more like us. They’re untrained underdogs from small-town America. They’re unique and unfiltered. Singing is still an important part of the competition, but if Cardinale, Bice and Underwood have taught us anything, it’s that personality is guiding voters as well.

We’ve officially thrown out the traditional notion of the “American Idol,” and in doing that, we’ve made this reality show more “real” than it could ever be.