When music sharing on the Internet became popular the record companies were scrambling, trying to find a way to stop file swapping and illegal distribution of their music. They spent millions, even pursuing the tract of suing individuals (the top pirates) while millions went ahead and downloaded Napster and grabbed some music.
We all knew it was crazy to try and stop it. Yeah, they had to try, but the demand was way too high; the convenience of the mp3 format was coming and the record companies were seen as out-of-touch corporations trying to stop inevitability. Raise your hand – how many of you illegally downloaded music even though you typically consider yourself above thievery?
Then Steve Jobs came along with iTunes, a perfectly simple solution that the corporate record company machines should have come up with initially themselves. Songs were 99 cents. Now law-abiding music lovers – you can put your hands down now – like yourselves could download music and enjoy it on the go. And the rest is history.
Why bring this up as I sit in a perfectly welcoming bed and breakfast in Amsterdam. Well, Amsterdam has taken a similar approach to soft drugs and prostitution. Last night we went for a tour of the red light district of Amsterdam. There is a main street with the peep shows, sex shows, sex shops, etc. But there is also all of the side streets, alleys, etc. with red lights. These red lights are windows with women (and a few other varieties) posing and advertising themselves. Behind them is a bed. When they are busy, the drapes are closed. Prostitutes here have a union, they are regulated; they make up to 60,000 Euro a year. If they happen to contract AIDS during their work they will receive a subsidized apartment to encourage them to leave the business.
Now, I know this approach isn’t palatable to everyone and many conservatives would never be able to accept this sort of approach to a moral violation. But, it definitely is a different way to approach controlling a problem that seems inevitable. Similarly, Amsterdam has taken a similar stance on soft drugs – they turn a blind eye – but are still tough on hard drugs. As such, they have less problems with hard drugs.
Anyway, enough political philosophy, we’re in Amsterdam and enjoying ourselves. The B&B we are staying at is incredibly inviting run by Peter Boogard (http://www.boogaardsbnb.com/), an ex-New York opera singer. He is very hospitable and social and instantly makes you feel at home. Yesterday we put in a full day with Canal tours, the Van Gogh museum, a tour of the Anne Frank house, and a lot of walking. The weather isn’t great but the rain held off most of the day.
Monday, March 31, 2008
Saturday, March 08, 2008
Rosa Lynn Walch: 8/20/1994-3/6/2008
We adopted Rosa from the Ramsey County Humane Society in St. Paul, MN after being married about 7+ months or so. Amanda met her but I'm the one who picked her up and brought her home. She had been in "custody" for about 6 months and they figured she was only about 9 months old. So, for convenience, we put her birthday on our anniversary. She was nearing the end of her stay at the shelter... 6 months is pretty long. She'd been on tv and was their obviously their oldest resident. They just knew she'd get adopted.
It took the first year or so to get her stable and adapted into our life. But, she quickly became a family fixture. Those years in Minnesota we did a lot of driving - Iowa, Wisconsin, Colorado. She went everywhere with us, laying in the back seat, resting her head on our shoulders. She drove the Alaska Highway a few times with us, rode a plane from Anchorage to Seattle, lived with several different families while we found a permanent place to live, and narrowly avoided being sent back to the doggie slammer one Labor Day weekend in Madison.
Whenever a visitor came over that didn't necessarily like dogs, she scoped them out. She'd go over to them and gently rest her head on their lap, working to win them over. Many of them she did. She would chase Chunky (the cat) down from the counter on command. Chunky would jump up, we'd yell "get the kitty" and off she'd go to nose and cajole the cat off the counters quickly.
She was well trained - would not only come, sit, and stay for an hour or more. She would go the bathroom on command. She was very smart and so eager to please that training her was easy and it stuck, even when she was off leash. Her name was Rosa, but Amanda always called her Rosa Lynn, so that's her unofficial middle name.
She only had two flaws. One, she had the worst breath imaginable... dead fish breath, is what we labeled it. And, every once in a while she would have a nervous attack and eat or lick everything in sight - blankets, carpet, plants, dirt. It would come up later, or out, for that matter. We were never sure what triggered these attacks, but we thought it was something between an upset stomach and a large part of her early life spent in a shelter. Luckily, we still have a blanket with a corner missing due to one of her episodes.
She loved running free and I loved it that she seemed most excited being an Alaska dog. When we took trips to Flat Top, she'd run all over the hill chasing the chirping ground squirrels. She'd always come back and check on us, but then hear a "chirp" and take off again. She loved Big Lake, also, and was a great swimmer. We could throw the ball out as far as we wanted and she'd go get it.
In fact, there was an infatuation with tennis balls. She loved them. The funny thing is she'd find one no matter where we were at. Sometimes we'd take walks by a tennis court and that was just torturous for her. Other times we'd go for a walk in some random spot and she'd go off for a while only to return with a tennis ball.
She introduced all four of our kids to dogs. She was great with our boys, as they were infants and toddlers and pulled, jumped, and layed on her. She was gentle as Jenna and Carli both learned how to have a pet. Our cats loved her and Cody often curled up and slept next to her. She loved chasing dogs, or being chased, but was pretty picky about the dogs that she'd be friends with and the ones she'd turn up her nose at. She liked Pepper because she'd bark and Pepper would go running. Even in her old age, she could do a pretty good job of keeping up with Pepper.
In the end, she had cancer and likely pretty severe internal bleeding. The kids got to say goodbye. While at home, with all of us crying and telling her we loved her, she looked scared and uncomfortable. At the vet, I took her in and laid her on the table. She looked much more at peace, more relaxed like she knew it was time. However, even though she knew and I knew it was time, it is so hard to say goodbye to such a dear friend. I know all dogs go to heaven and I told her about all the friends she'd see up there. I miss her so much and am thankful that she was so good to us.
It took the first year or so to get her stable and adapted into our life. But, she quickly became a family fixture. Those years in Minnesota we did a lot of driving - Iowa, Wisconsin, Colorado. She went everywhere with us, laying in the back seat, resting her head on our shoulders. She drove the Alaska Highway a few times with us, rode a plane from Anchorage to Seattle, lived with several different families while we found a permanent place to live, and narrowly avoided being sent back to the doggie slammer one Labor Day weekend in Madison.
Whenever a visitor came over that didn't necessarily like dogs, she scoped them out. She'd go over to them and gently rest her head on their lap, working to win them over. Many of them she did. She would chase Chunky (the cat) down from the counter on command. Chunky would jump up, we'd yell "get the kitty" and off she'd go to nose and cajole the cat off the counters quickly.
She was well trained - would not only come, sit, and stay for an hour or more. She would go the bathroom on command. She was very smart and so eager to please that training her was easy and it stuck, even when she was off leash. Her name was Rosa, but Amanda always called her Rosa Lynn, so that's her unofficial middle name.
She only had two flaws. One, she had the worst breath imaginable... dead fish breath, is what we labeled it. And, every once in a while she would have a nervous attack and eat or lick everything in sight - blankets, carpet, plants, dirt. It would come up later, or out, for that matter. We were never sure what triggered these attacks, but we thought it was something between an upset stomach and a large part of her early life spent in a shelter. Luckily, we still have a blanket with a corner missing due to one of her episodes.
She loved running free and I loved it that she seemed most excited being an Alaska dog. When we took trips to Flat Top, she'd run all over the hill chasing the chirping ground squirrels. She'd always come back and check on us, but then hear a "chirp" and take off again. She loved Big Lake, also, and was a great swimmer. We could throw the ball out as far as we wanted and she'd go get it.
In fact, there was an infatuation with tennis balls. She loved them. The funny thing is she'd find one no matter where we were at. Sometimes we'd take walks by a tennis court and that was just torturous for her. Other times we'd go for a walk in some random spot and she'd go off for a while only to return with a tennis ball.
She introduced all four of our kids to dogs. She was great with our boys, as they were infants and toddlers and pulled, jumped, and layed on her. She was gentle as Jenna and Carli both learned how to have a pet. Our cats loved her and Cody often curled up and slept next to her. She loved chasing dogs, or being chased, but was pretty picky about the dogs that she'd be friends with and the ones she'd turn up her nose at. She liked Pepper because she'd bark and Pepper would go running. Even in her old age, she could do a pretty good job of keeping up with Pepper.
In the end, she had cancer and likely pretty severe internal bleeding. The kids got to say goodbye. While at home, with all of us crying and telling her we loved her, she looked scared and uncomfortable. At the vet, I took her in and laid her on the table. She looked much more at peace, more relaxed like she knew it was time. However, even though she knew and I knew it was time, it is so hard to say goodbye to such a dear friend. I know all dogs go to heaven and I told her about all the friends she'd see up there. I miss her so much and am thankful that she was so good to us.
Thursday, March 06, 2008
Best Friend 2
Rosa is on her last few days here. She has a bleeding tumor and likely internal bleeding. She doesn't seem to be in pain, but she is weaker.
One other story... many years ago my friend Tad and I decided to bike up Powerline Pass. I think it is about 12 miles one way and the last part gets pretty rocky. Rosa went everywhere with me and so of course, she came on this excursion. She stuck with us to the top but when we got there I noticed she was slowing down and during one rest stop, I noticed her paws were starting to bleed. Well, we were at the top and there wasn't any way of getting her down... she was going to have to muscle through it. And she did... she followed quite a ways behind us and I stopped frequently to wait up for her. But, she kept plugging along all the way down. That night I had to carry her out of the car as she was so sore.
One other story... many years ago my friend Tad and I decided to bike up Powerline Pass. I think it is about 12 miles one way and the last part gets pretty rocky. Rosa went everywhere with me and so of course, she came on this excursion. She stuck with us to the top but when we got there I noticed she was slowing down and during one rest stop, I noticed her paws were starting to bleed. Well, we were at the top and there wasn't any way of getting her down... she was going to have to muscle through it. And she did... she followed quite a ways behind us and I stopped frequently to wait up for her. But, she kept plugging along all the way down. That night I had to carry her out of the car as she was so sore.
Monday, March 03, 2008
Best friend 1
My aunt wrote me today with some sentiments on dogs, the best being there is a reason dog is God spelled backwards. Our oldest dog, Rosa, is really getting old. She's not eating much, has a bit of trouble keeping it down when she does eat, and is loosing weight rapidly. She seems fine and is still getting around ok, but she has declined so fast this past month or two that it's hard not to brace for an end. And, it's really hard facing that fact again, with a dog that's so close. So, I thought I'd try and share some memories now, while she's still here.
Rosa is the most loyal dog I know. My son Andrew had an exchange with Amanda the other day...
Andrew: Pepper (our other dog) loves to be pet; she loves everyone.
Mom: Yeah, she does, Andrew.
Andrew: But Mom, why does Rosa only love Daddy and follow him around?
She does... always has. It really has only been the past week or two when she's been willing to leave me and go find a more comfortable spot to lie down. It drives my Mom and Dad crazy. They take care of her at times when we're gone, feed her, walk her, give her treats. Yet, no matter how long were gone, when I come back in the house she comes right to me.
She's still Rosa, she just doesn't do some of the same things she used to. It's pretty hard to get her riled up to want to bark and fight with me. And she doesn't really chase after Pepper much anymore. She's hard of hearing, well basically deaf, and so she doesn't cock her head to the side when I talk to her and ask her questions she can't understand. One benefit to being deaf, she can't hear Amanda and I when we raise our voices to each other... that used to make her very nervous and she'd go into the corner and shake until we reassured her. We always knew when we were in a fight because Rosa was nervous. But, she still has soft eyes filled with adornment. She is still loyal and wants to be with us. And, she's still here and can comfort Amanda and I as we remember all the life she's lived with us.
Rosa is the most loyal dog I know. My son Andrew had an exchange with Amanda the other day...
Andrew: Pepper (our other dog) loves to be pet; she loves everyone.
Mom: Yeah, she does, Andrew.
Andrew: But Mom, why does Rosa only love Daddy and follow him around?
She does... always has. It really has only been the past week or two when she's been willing to leave me and go find a more comfortable spot to lie down. It drives my Mom and Dad crazy. They take care of her at times when we're gone, feed her, walk her, give her treats. Yet, no matter how long were gone, when I come back in the house she comes right to me.
She's still Rosa, she just doesn't do some of the same things she used to. It's pretty hard to get her riled up to want to bark and fight with me. And she doesn't really chase after Pepper much anymore. She's hard of hearing, well basically deaf, and so she doesn't cock her head to the side when I talk to her and ask her questions she can't understand. One benefit to being deaf, she can't hear Amanda and I when we raise our voices to each other... that used to make her very nervous and she'd go into the corner and shake until we reassured her. We always knew when we were in a fight because Rosa was nervous. But, she still has soft eyes filled with adornment. She is still loyal and wants to be with us. And, she's still here and can comfort Amanda and I as we remember all the life she's lived with us.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)