Donna. Dolts. Don’ts.

Ready to dosey doe with delight? (Ignore those dolts and dont’s. Their deal shortly)

Oh, Donna. Oh. Donna. No, not the one in the song or in the Donna Reed show.

1960.Donna Reed was quite a homebody. (Do you think she chose that picture in back herself? Odd foreshadowing.)(Donna Reed Show/US PD:pub.date/Commons.wikimedia.org)

This Donna’s far more liberated.

Working in a man’s world.

Doing the worst assignments, but not one word of complaint.

Always smiling unconditional affection and encouragement for all.

Donna, the yellow Labrador military bomb sniffing dog, is now forever home.

She arrived in Houston over the weekend – a little confused by all the celebrations.

Reassured by her escort, she dared to believe it was true. There was PERSON-who-she-had-bonded-with-but-oddly-left-her. Now holding out arms in welcome.

Here’s the video of the reunion.

Donna will stay with Marine Cpl. Joaquin Aranda’s parents while he finishes up his latest tour of duty. (His mom said they got more pictures of Donna than of their son while he was in Afghanistan. So they feel like they know Donna already.)

Well earned homecoming.(Screenshot: Click2houston.com)

While the military is doing a better job returning trained military dogs to the US and placing them in homes after retirement, there are many dogs provided by contractors that aren’t so lucky. Those retired dogs are still consider “excess equipment” and are often put down or left behind.

Mission K9 Rescue is a group that raises the $800-$900 transport cost per dog, contacts former handlers, screens possible homes, and makes sure dogs that more than earned their keep on the job are given a safe happy retirement.

Check out their website. Spread the word. Adopt a dog? Help anyway you can. Thanks.

Moving on.

The Dolt-o-meter has been zapping like crazy this week. Only a few:

• World Cup nasty. Uruguay’s Luis Suarez bit an Italian opponent during the game Tuesday. Dude. No accident. His shoulder didn’t jump into your mouth. And this the third incident? Even toddlers would be told not to return to play group with this record. Rumor is Suarez may face suspension. Coaches of kid soccer teams are worried – if the super stars do it, will it be imitated by younger wanna-be’s? They are already concerned about NFL stars’ behavior influencing children. Football or futboll. More in common than thought? (Wait. No thought required for either? Worrisome trend.)
• “…dead broke when we left the White House.” “Not truly well off?” Hillary, please. Guess it all depends on your definition of “dead broke” and “well off”. $200,000-per-speech speaking fees (and Bill probably makes more)? Million-dollar book advances?(ghost writer and real authors wincing) Supposedly made more than $100 million since 2001? Their trusts and taxes. Sigh. Despite the “debts”, hush now, Hillary/Bill, you’re just making things worse.
• And someone please grab their daughter Chelsea of the Christian Louboutin red soled peeptoe high heels: “I tried to care about money, but couldn’t” (And how much did your apartment cost? 10.5 million? A $3 million wedding. A $600,000 annual “salary” from NBC? Always awarded top salary at every career jump) Dolt-ism may be an inherited trait.
• Or quite possibly a virus spread by close contact? President Obama speaking about moms supporting kids said he was raised by a single mom who worked hard to provide…” Uh, Sir, no disrespect, but it appears you were conveniently handed off to grandparents and attended private schools in Hawaii. Don’t even know where to start with this one. Hawaii.
• Need some meditation? You may be asking for medication instead. Cheaper. The D.C. Council has approved a plan to add a city sales tax for gym memberships, dance classes, yoga classes, and personal trainers. It’s on the mayor’s desk waiting signature. In a town where there’s so much “concern” for healthy diets and lifestyles for the nation, in a town where there is an acknowledged “serious problem with obesity” (mayor’s office) this seems counter productive. They tax running shoes and sporting equipment. Still seems doltish to tax people who are trying to exercise and stay heathy.

Well-heeled Chelsea Clinton stylin’ in Christian Louboutin. Do you remember the fairy tale of the Red Shoes? She probably doesn’t either. (Image: Anthony Behar.Spipa.USA/Screenshot eonlin.com)

Moving on.

Don’ts. No one likes those. But here they are.

Many good-hearted people were loudly proclaiming “compassion” are now yelling “Not in my backyard”.

It’s the largest human migration into the US in a long time.

By end of the year over 90,000 unaccompanied children are expected this year trudging in from Central America. (Over half way to that number now) That’s in addition to families also arriving.

Rumors in Spanish language media encourage the trek saying those who get here, will be allowed to stay.

“‘They almost never go home,’said Gary Mead, who until last year was director of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement office responsible for finding and removing immigrants living in the country.”

Bigger population relocation than after Hurricane Katrina. On steroids.

About 65% are male and between the ages of 15-17 yrs.

These are tough kids who have witness violence, trauma, lived in poor health conditions, often malnourished, with little or no formal schooling.

Want some background info? (No hope for answers without knowing the story)

• AP. “The Big Story:Child Immigrants“
• LA Times “Seemingly endless surge of immigrants”
• PBS “Explaining the surge of child migrants from Central America”
• NBC. “Too many. Too fast. Border Children swamping agents”
• Reuters. “Waves of immigrant minors present crisis” Humanitarian crisis. Budget dilemma

Currently the new arrivals are being held in old warehouses and military barracks in the border states. But Health and Human Services must process and move unaccompanied children quickly, by law.

That’s the problem: where?

Don’t. The headaches are just beginning.(1919/US PD. pub.date/Commons.wikimedia.org)

There aren’t enough foster homes for kids already in the CPS systems.

(Orphanages were abandoned in many states long ago. Children don’t warehouse well.)

Besides, older foster kids are “difficult”. These don’t speak English.

Seriously, think these kids will listen to foster parents who try to provide structure, discipline, and some guidance? (“No you can’t go out. Finish your homework. Wait where are you going?”) Potential foster parents may rethink.

Just think, at 18 kids “age out” of the Foster Care System (which provides food, clothing, housing, healthcare, safety)

Homeless, limited English, little education, few marketable skills – except how to survive. What are their chances? And soon they will be old enough to vote.

But these kids have to go somewhere. (currently here and here) But not here:

• Washington Times. Residents force feds to scrap plans for housing immigrants at old VA college.
• New York. Buffalo News ““The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and General Services Administration will be conducting an initial assessment of Lexington Commerce Center in Rochester, NY (located at 1600 Lexington Ave.) and the Byblos Niagara Resort in Grand Island, NY (located at 100 Whitehaven Road) to determine whether it may be used as a facility for temporarily housing children who have come into the United States from other countries without an adult guardian,” wrote Cuevas.” Uh, no. Don’t come.
• New York City. NY Times. “Surge in child migrants reaches NY, overwhelming advocates”
• Greece, NY “Opposition builds” (former Kodak International Distribution Center)
• Chicago area/Illinois: “HHS reversed decision to house illegal alien children at Olympic Fields”
• Lawrenceville, VA. Immigrant Center Plan halted. Strong opposition by residents
• Bristol, VA. Virginia Intermont College considered.
• San Diego. (USA Today). “Fed shelve plans to fly migrants to California.” Or some of them….
• Escondido, CA. U-T San Diego. “Congressman blast plans to house immigrant children”
• Murrieta, CA. Village News. “City rescinds offer to shelter immigrants”
• Could go on… Plane loads have already gone to Boston area. Some may be headed to Lansing, MI, and other places…

They have to go somewhere.  So many unexpected don’ts.  

Honestly, some do look like this and will be easy to place. But a whole bunch are headstrong, resourceful, streetwise almost adults who are far older in experience than in  years.(1909. Rackham/US PD. pub.date/Commons.wikimedia.org)

Suddenly, despite all the showy outpouring of compassion, it’s “Not in my backyard.”

There’s going to be culture shock.

For them.

And for the residents and children in the neighborhoods where they resettle.

Some already know. There will be costs.

Money will have to be pulled from other areas to address the unique needs of these new arrivals.

• CBS Boston.”Chelsea Schools Overwhelmed by Sudden influx”)
• CBS Miami. “Children immigrants: impending issue for Miami-Dade Schools” (Miami-Dade shelters are full of unaccompanied children immigrants, too. They saw the same thing with the Cuban immigrants years ago.)
• Detroit. Michigan Congresswoman wants to redirect aid for Central America to impoverished cities like Detroit (nearly half of Detroit water customers can’t pay their bill?)
• “Texas Immigration Center a Magnet for Disease” (crowded living in shelters)
• “Doctors warn of looming health crisis due to flood of young illegal immigrants” (Contagious diseases may be overlooked)
• “Deadly diseases crossing border with illegals” Public health concerns. Economic impact for healthcare.
• “No room left for the homeless or any natural disaster victims”
• Good one to read: “Known gang members among thousands of illegal immigrant children storming US border and officials are now trying to silence officers from talking to the media.”

It is what it is. (And they are not going away. So get ready to deal.)

A crisis that will affect you sooner or later.

Might want to stay informed.

The newcomers need some assist to mesh into society…or else.

Gotta learn the steps. A little help makes getting into the swing of things easier. (between 1938-1950.LOC/US PD/Commons.wikimedia.org)

End of the long and rambling road to here.

Know you’re just de-lighted about that.

Probably dog tired, too

Tales done until the Dolt-o-meter jolts to life again.

Until then, enjoy the paws.

Phil, the Philosopher Mouse of the Hedge.

Tail waggin’ exit. Donna heads home. Forever. (click2houston.com)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

---

Discover more from Philosopher Mouse of the Hedge

Subscribe to get the latest posts to your email.