New Installment and the Internet...
May. 27th, 2014 11:28 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
lydamorehouseFirst of all, the newest installment in my serialized work-in-progress UNJUST CAUSE is up on WattPad. This one is called "Maggots and Magpies" and follows as Alex and Jack investigate the second drop victim who was found on the side of a county highway by Mac's motorcycle gang.
http://www.wattpad.com/51990582-unjust-cause-part-10-maggots-and-magpies
Secondly, you know that thing that goes around the internet that says: "How to Start a Fight on the Internet: 1) post and opinion, 2) wait"? Yeah, well, after yesterday, I feel like I could change it to just, "1) post, 2) wait" because SOMEHOW I managed to press the OMGYOU'REANUNREPENTANTPUPPYKILLER button by mentioning that I'm a klutzy gardener.
Really, I was posting about how I managed to dump mulch THROUGH the hole in the knees of my jeans and how funny it was that I had to use my leg as a mulch spreader, but, apparently, by mentioning the type of mulch I happened to have bought I became the target of three separate, well-intentioned... let's call them 'advice-givers.' One of whom even felt the need to stalk me on IM and harangue me about my mulch choices.
The problem I have with this is not with these people's passion. You love your dogs. I love your dogs. You don't want your dogs getting hurt. I don't want your dogs getting hurt. But, I don't have a dog, my backyard is fenced, and, MORE IMPORTANTLY, St. Paul has very clear leash laws.
You are very worried about my mulch hurting your dog because it smells like yummy, forbidden chocolate and it has trace amounts of the same poison. Okay. Fair. But, if your dog is in my backyard eating my mulch right now it's either because you're standing there watching them do it while holding his/her leash... or your dog is roaming leash-free.
My VERY urban neighborhood has much, much more serious hazards to puppies and dogs who are off their leash than my mulch, namely: cars!
Yes, we both agree that keeping dogs safe is a HIGH PRIORITY. If you have a dog, don't buy this mulch! BUT ALSO, KEEP YOUR PUPPY IN YOUR FENCED BACKYARD OR ON A LEASH AS THE LAW REQUIRES!!! St. Paul also has plenty of safe places for urban dogs to play off-leash. Go there. Avail yourself of those parks and playgrounds. If they have this mulch, you have my permission TO FREAK OUT. I will help you organize a letter-writing campaign. I will sign your petition.
Buying this mulch and using it is not illegal. It *is* illegal in St. Paul to let your dog roam free without a leash (for its own safety.)
*sigh*
I probably shouldn't even post my re-cap of this. Because people are wrong on the internet and I'm one of them.
http://www.wattpad.com/51990582-unjust-cause-part-10-maggots-and-magpies
Secondly, you know that thing that goes around the internet that says: "How to Start a Fight on the Internet: 1) post and opinion, 2) wait"? Yeah, well, after yesterday, I feel like I could change it to just, "1) post, 2) wait" because SOMEHOW I managed to press the OMGYOU'REANUNREPENTANTPUPPYKILLER button by mentioning that I'm a klutzy gardener.
Really, I was posting about how I managed to dump mulch THROUGH the hole in the knees of my jeans and how funny it was that I had to use my leg as a mulch spreader, but, apparently, by mentioning the type of mulch I happened to have bought I became the target of three separate, well-intentioned... let's call them 'advice-givers.' One of whom even felt the need to stalk me on IM and harangue me about my mulch choices.
The problem I have with this is not with these people's passion. You love your dogs. I love your dogs. You don't want your dogs getting hurt. I don't want your dogs getting hurt. But, I don't have a dog, my backyard is fenced, and, MORE IMPORTANTLY, St. Paul has very clear leash laws.
You are very worried about my mulch hurting your dog because it smells like yummy, forbidden chocolate and it has trace amounts of the same poison. Okay. Fair. But, if your dog is in my backyard eating my mulch right now it's either because you're standing there watching them do it while holding his/her leash... or your dog is roaming leash-free.
My VERY urban neighborhood has much, much more serious hazards to puppies and dogs who are off their leash than my mulch, namely: cars!
Yes, we both agree that keeping dogs safe is a HIGH PRIORITY. If you have a dog, don't buy this mulch! BUT ALSO, KEEP YOUR PUPPY IN YOUR FENCED BACKYARD OR ON A LEASH AS THE LAW REQUIRES!!! St. Paul also has plenty of safe places for urban dogs to play off-leash. Go there. Avail yourself of those parks and playgrounds. If they have this mulch, you have my permission TO FREAK OUT. I will help you organize a letter-writing campaign. I will sign your petition.
Buying this mulch and using it is not illegal. It *is* illegal in St. Paul to let your dog roam free without a leash (for its own safety.)
*sigh*
I probably shouldn't even post my re-cap of this. Because people are wrong on the internet and I'm one of them.
no subject
Date: 2014-05-27 06:21 pm (UTC)1. A dog off-leash in your neighborhood is going to be hit by a car.
2. Or a train.
3. Seriously, cocoa mulch is the absolute least of this hypothetical dog's problems.
4. The warnings about not using cocoa mulch are for DOG OWNERS so that they do not use that mulch in THEIR OWN YARDS.
5. Not so that they can self-righteously harangue people who DO NOT OWN DOGS about using the mulch in THEIR OWN YARDS.
Holy. Crap.
It kind of reminds me of all the consciousness-raising posts about "dogs in need of space." I conscientiously taught my children not to approach dogs without the permission of the dog's owners, and then later taught them to look for the dog's permission as well (because an amazing number of idiot dog owners out there will say "oh, sure" even when their dog is clearly shy and does not want to be touched by a strange kid). Nonetheless there are a whole lot of dog owners who have never worried about getting MY permission when their dog wants to approach my CHILD (which was a problem during Kiera's dog-phobic phase, back when she was a toddler and young preschooler).
Basic consideration is great. But it's not the job of the world to keep dogs safe. It's the job of the dog owners (and they also need to realize that it's their job to keep people safe from their dog).
no subject
Date: 2014-05-27 06:44 pm (UTC)I could get quite worked up about other people and their dogs, but most of my friends with dogs are really, super-awesome conscientious dog owners and if I got on my high horse I'd probably unintentionally offend one of them by painting every dog owner with too broad a brush. And this whole thing is stupid enough without me making it stupider.
I noticed that one of the people who added to (as Shawn and I are calling it:) MULCH FAIL was Shari, who has two dogs and a garden. She just said, "I hear cocoa bean mulch smells nice."
At least I got my own FAIL out of it.
no subject
Date: 2014-05-27 06:53 pm (UTC)(sorry, I couldn't resist)
Anyway. MULCH FAIL. Love it.