Spring must be coming

The birds are going crazy.

We got buzzed yesterday by what I think was a sharp-shinned hawk. Hard to say really, as he was moving fast and I'm not used to identifying flying hawks from above. Little bugger swooped in and actually hit Bruce with his wing before spinning off and heading away.

Then this morning, I went into the garage and there was an adult flicker (biggest one I've ever seen, I swear) circling around inside. He buzzed me 4 times before I got the door open and he flew out.

NAIS

For those of you who don't know, NAIS is the National Animal Identification Service, the basic idea of which is that if a central database of who keeps what type of livestock where and who sells what into the food chain exists, then disease control and trace-backs of food chain contamination will be easier.

Of course, tons of people immediately threw a fit, because this obviously means that the gub'nment wants to be able to confinscate your aminals. (Please see the rant about the monkey smuggler, as she's fanatically anti-animal identification.)

Anyway, I signed myself up, being the good commie girl that I am. Cost me all of about 5 minutes and a stamp. I've been signed up for over a year now, and am happy to say that the government has not come to take my horses (yet).

However, they did very nicely send me a letter today, warning me that several horses in the state have potentially been exposed to a highly-contagious disease, and explaining what horses are most at risk, what signs to watch for, and what to do if I notice said signs. You know, this is suspiciously like what they said I was signing up for....

Continuing education.

Today's grammar and journalism lesson. This article should never have been published without some serious proofreading.

Quoted from Q13 Seattle Fox News' website.

Army Says Teen's Death At Fort Lewis Barracks Is Possibly Drug Related

Q13 FOX News Online and Associated Press

February 18, 2009

Army investigators say the death of a 16-year-old girl at a Fort Lewis barracks is possibly drug related.

A spokesman at the Criminal Investigation Command headquarters at Fort Belvoir, Va., Chris Grey, wouldn't identify the drug Wednesday as the investigation continues. He says the dead girl and another 16-year-old girl who became unconscious early Sunday were acquainted with a soldier in the barracks.

A Fort Lewis spokesman, Joe Piek, says the surviving girl is in stable and improving condition at Madigan Army Medical Center.

Q13 FOX News has learned the deceased girl was a student at Lakes High School in Tacoma. Sources say she is 16 year old Leah King. According to officials, her family has requested not to release the identity of the girl.

What the Hell, people? How can you just blithely put the girls identity in a public article immediately adjacent to the family's request NOT TO IDENTIFY HER?!? What is wrong with you?!

Her family posted this message on her Myspace page. "Just so everyone knows, we have very few details about what happened to Leah. But what we know, we are not supposed to share just yet. after the investigation I will post a public blog and you can read it." Several of King's friends also posted messages on the Myspace page.

Two of King's friends spoke with Q13 FOX News about the Lakes student. The teen's boyfriend named Jonathan says he is very upset over her death.

"She was my girlfriend, she was my first everything. I did everything with her. She's someone I was able to open up with more so than others. I'm going to miss her a lot," said Jonathan.

Dylan Drennen says his King's death was a shock. "It's a shame, definitely it's really sad," said Drennen.

"his King's"? did he own the girl, or was she his ruler? or Elvis?

Fort Lewis Emergency Response personnel got a call at about 3:30am Sunday morning.

When medics arrived, they found one of the females dead at the scene. Another female was transported to Madigan Army Medical Center with undisclosed injuries. She is currently in stable condition.

Fort Lewis representative Joseph Peik said "There's one soldier who has been questioned by Criminal Investigation Division, he is an alleged acquaintance with the two females."

No, he's not "an alleged acquaintance with" anyone. He allegedly is acquainted with, or is an acquaintance of. I always thought a good grasp of language was a prerequisite for a job in journalism. Apparently, I was mistaken.

Neighbors like Charlie Parrez wonder how the girls were able to get past base security.
"How are you allowed to get a female into your barracks and spend the night with you, how is that possible," said Parrez.

The Army was investigating what the girls were doing in the barracks and whether drugs or alcohol were involved, he said, adding the presence of the teen civilian girls "in the barracks at 3:30 a.m. is likely a violation of any of the units' barracks visitation policies."

The Fort Lewis Criminal Investigation Division was investigating both the circumstances and cause of death. The girls were not identified.

Didn't you just a few paragraphs ago identify the dead girl and interview her boyfriend? How can she now be unidentified? READ YOUR OWN ARTICLE!

A Fort Lewis soldier who was "allegedly acquainted with the two girls" has been questioned, but no arrests had been made, Piek said.

Piek said the Army would not be releasing the names of the girls since they were minors and civilians.

Apparently the Army doesn't have to release the names, since Fox already did that. Oops.

Civilians entering and leaving the base are supposed to be carefully tracked.

A civilian entering the base has to show ID, Army spokesman John Norgren told the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, adding, "You have to have a reason to be on the installation and you have to be sponsored" by a member of the military on base.

"It's quite a comprehensive system," Norgren said.

Piek said it took the Army until Monday to release information on the case because it took place during a holiday weekend and gathering information took time.

The girls did not have a connection with the military but base representatives say people can come on base if they have photo identification and an escort from someone with a military i.d.

In a press release sent to media Monday afternoon, it says, "Fort Lewis extends its heartfelt condolences to the family members of the deceased. Our thoughts and prayers are also with the family of the young lady who is receiving medical care."

Not as comprehensive a system as the brass would have you believe, apparently. Unless fraternizing is an acceptable "reason to be on the installation"--I know I never had trouble getting on base back when I used to go dancing at the e-club. And the never bothered to keep track of who left and who didn't, either; my friends and I spent several nights on base, and none of us was enlisted.

Just to be clear here; I'm not pissed at the military. I AM pissed at the heartless ass that wrote this article, and released the name of the girl despite the family's request. I think that's a schmuck move, worthy of a ball-peen hammer to the side of the head.