All about city-zens,

Jack a member of an online forum I belong to asked me: Just curious, "DeRanger" Steve, what is your beef with folks who live in the city? You know, quite a few of us have advanced degrees in science, live in cities, and are actually fairly intelligent. Please do enlighten me as to the animal-related health scams that I might be ignorant enough to fall for.

I don't have a beef with people who live in the city. I have a beef with city-zens, a particular type of people who live in the city. Degrees, intelligence, whether you belong to Mensa or the bowling team have nothing to do with being a City-zen. Neither does being artsy-fartsy or biscuits and beer. Simply put a city-zen is someone who moves to the desert and brings with them all of those things we ask them not to. The list is long and starts with 'A' for attitude and goes to 'Z' for zoology. City-zens bring uncontrolled growth and major changes to the environment and ecology in an area with limited resources (water) and a very delicate ecology. They build unwanted gated developments then complain that the desert is disappearing. It is disappearing because you are building gated developments. Buying a new home here they see xerescape (desert landscaping) not grass and missing suburbia's vast green lawns they plant grass not realizing that they are wasting our most precious resource, water, and creating allergies in a place where that was once known as a health resort because of it's clean air. City-zens bring driving habits compatible and acceptable where they live but not here and they refuse to change. e.g. We have surface street speed limits of 60mph. That is no place to be doing 40mph. Left turns are made from the left lane, not the right, there is a thing called a turn signal and pedestrians have the right of way. City-zens have taken what was once a laid back and relaxed environment with a very close knit community and turned it into Los Angeles. That is not something natives of the desert and long time residents want. We ask people who move to the desert to adapt, to teach their children a more relaxed lifestyle. All they do is bring that lifestyle with them and create more stress and rage. It's seen on our streets everyday.

Right now a developer wants to build 2500 homes at the entrance of a national park. He says he is doing it for "Our community" including himself in "Our community". He lives in Philadelphia what the hell does he know about "Our community" or the desert? We aren't resisting change and growth here. We are resisting the way the city-zens are doing it.

Worst city-zen we ever had here was Sonny Bono - Mayor of Palm Springs. He killed spring break, drove the tourists away and made a nice place for city-zens to live while killing the economy. "I got you babe".

We encourage people to move here. Just leave your city behind. This is the feeling of many desert communities including mine. I live in a an area that was surrounded by open desert and I could walk into the mountains. Now I have lots of neighbors and there's a fence to keep me out of the mountains. Locals didn't do that.

So you see Jack, it's not the people who live in the city. It's what they do when they move here.

The Desert is closed - Redux.

I figured I'm just gonna take the dogs out for a walk in Willis Palms, part of the Coachella Preserve. When I get there I find a sign that says No Dogs. I go look for another place, Pushawalla Oasis, No Dogs. Fine" sez I more than a little miffed. So I drive over behind the high school to an open piece of desert where I've taken the dogs before but now there's a sign that says "No Access, Federally Owned Land." followed by a list of what's not allowed including of course dogs. I could take them downtown for coffee and a brioche, the city is dog gone friendly and welcomes dogs. I could take them to the dog park. No thanks, dog parks are a haven for diseases like Parvo, Heart worm and Canine Distemper. I've had my experience there so no more dog parks. Finally I remember a canyon I haven't been to in years where there's water, cottonwood trees and nice place to play. Best of all there are no signs prohibiting dogs. They say welcome, come visit, beware of lions, and tigers and bears, Oh My! (there are no tigers in the desert but there are snakes).

I guess it started in the 1970s when the Indians closed Tahquitz Canyon. Too many people getting hurt. That was followed by the closing of the Whitewater River by Windy Point then the Ponds where we went windsurfing. "Too many people getting hurt", said one group. "Protect the desert", said another over a hundred square feet of plant that grew over several acres in a protected area only a few miles away. Most recently is was too much noise from off road vehicles. With a typical lack of thought and foresight the Riverside County board of Supervisors closed all of Riverside County to off road driving with a few exceptions at the east end of the county. Now the desert is being closed to dogs our faithful companions for thousands of years. That one actually started in the (at that time proposed) San Jacinto Santa/Rosa National Monument with the voluntary closure of prime hiking areas and trails to dogs during the best time of the year to hike. This was done to prevent dogs from disturbing the endangered Big Horn Sheep. I've lived at the base of the monument for over 25 years and remember Big Horns in my front yard (before the sheep fence) eating my wife flowers. I remember dogs barking at the Big Horns and I remember Big Horns ignoring the dogs while they continued to eat the landscaping such as it was. The only dogs that chase sheep are sheepdogs.

My point is that as we continue to close places that are now open to the public including our dogs what is going to be left and for whom? I travel with my dogs, gone to forests, national and state parks, the beach, hiking, camping both along trails and in the wilderness. They've stayed in tents, RV's, hotels and the homes of unwilling relatives never bothering anyone. There is no reason in the world why areas like preserves, monuments and parks should be closed to our closest companions. There is no reason to prevent our four footed friends from enjoying the outdoors either. The reasons for closing these areas to the canine set is filled with faulty logic. The fact is people who travel with dogs have well behaved ones that have been trained and they clean up after them. I've never had another dog lunge at mine on a trail or in a campground. It's always a friendly greeting, sniff the butt and let's play. Yet I go downtown and there are dogs towing their owners down the street growling and barking at every dog that walks by. Or worse jumping out from a cafe table. If your dog pulls on the leash while walking and barks on the street leave it home. Better yet take an obedience class because well trained dogs are a joy to everyone and always welcome. At 16wks old Jin my Border Collie is well trained to go out in public, a friendly tail wagging dog. He sits quietly at cafes and poses for pictures. I don't need the guy being hauled by a Pit Bull, German Shepard or whatever whose barely in control to come out of the crowed and start being aggressive toward a defenseless puppy. Unfortunately they are always there.

Did I ever say take water?

It's not even summer yet and I'm already running into people in distress because they forgot one simple item. Water!! I think this summer I'm going to sell my water instead of giving it away. After all; you're in the desert without any water. Lesee, events and venues get as much as $2.50 for 1/2l bottle I think I could get $5.00 for 3/4 of a liter. Whaddya thunk?
As long as I'm on the subject what else have you forgotten? A knife, whistle or cell phone, lighter? These are the four most important items you can have yet is seems the only thing you carry is a cell phone and when it doesn't work I get blamed for it. Cell phones still don't work everywhere.
I digress. Last year more than a few people bit the dust in the desert including a couple of famous ones. Evan Tanner UFC Champion died because he ran out of water and tried to walk out. Turn back when your water is half gone. No one is really sure what happened to Steve Fosset the intrepid aviator other than he crashed into the mountains. However in the search for him eight other planes missing for years turned up. Even Fosset himself took a year to be found and then it was by accident. Let someone know where you are going and when you expect to get back. Let's see if we can beat the desert this summer with no deaths in the local deserts.

The Blue Djinn is home again now a healthy puppy ready to resume his life and training. As part of a discussion I was having the subject of what do we do for our pets during an emergency, disaster or survival situation. Over the next several weeks I'm going to include what you can do for our furry friends. Startng with an essentials list we'll look at the problems and how animals react to disaster and what you can do to keep them comfortable and calm. Your input is welcomed.

Critter warning. Don't forget California is in a drought. Critters of all shapes and sizes are going to be coming out of the mountains and washes to backyards and swimming pools this summer to look for water, shelter and Fluffy who makes a nice meal. Last year a number of small cats and dogs were taken by larger birds of prey. Keep y0u yard secure and don't leave any food out.

Jin on the mend

Fans of the Blue Djinn know he has had a very rough week battling Canine Parvovirus. Untreated Parvo has a 91% fatality rate among puppies. Fortunately we caught it in time. Jin is still at the vets and getting better. We hope to have him home by the end of the week and up and around for the Earthday Conservation Fair at the Hi-Desert Nature Museum in Yucca Valley, Ca. on Saturday April 18, 2009. Come out and meet Jin, myself and the staff of The Sunrunner Magazine.

Of course the vets bill is going to be horrendously expensive. We even have a guessing game going on the Border Collie forum as to how much it shall be. The closest guess gets a Desert Bandanna. Nonetheless whatever the bill is it shall be well worth it considering that Jin is mt friend will eventually become a service dog. In order to pay for his medical we ask that everyone dropping buy the O'blogitory buy a Desert Bandanna with all the proceeds currently going to pay for Jin's medical bill. Of course you can always make a non-deductable charitable donation to Jin through PayPal. Receive a a Desert Bandanna with any donation over $20.00. Be sure to leave your email address.

Click to help Jin.

Jin is in the hospital with Parvo

I know how emotionally involved I am with Jin a Border Collie.. Totally. I have spent the last several hours crying because Jin has Parvo. I took him out for his run at the dog park and everything was all right. Then he sort of collapsed. I thought it was just him being tired but when I got him home he wouldn't get out of the car nor would he eat an ice cube. He was not Jin and he fell asleep on the floor. I went shopping for my sons birthday dinner, tonight Kyle is 24, and when I got back Jin barely greeted me then he came in and crashed, asleep again. I thought something might be wrong so I tried the acid test. He tuned up his nose at his fav treat and would not drink any water. I called the vet and took him over there where he tested positive for Parvo. Doctor Teri wasn't happy with the result of the first test due to an anomoly and did a second. Again positive. At this point I totally broke down. When I introduced Jin to my therapist it took an hour to show and explain to her what he means to me and how close the bond is. Dominique told me at the end of the session that if I had not bought him in she would never have understood.

My Border collie owning friends Sue, Sue, John, Eileen and everyone else understand. I am totally devastated right now. I'm praying for Jin's life to be spared. I want to bring him home, I must bring him home because I am too emotionally tied to a puppy I was given on Valentines Day.

Please dear God let him live.

Together we, Ranger and Jin.

I love my puppy.

Snake season approacheth

It's Spring. With evening temps going above 70 it's time to concern ourselves with wildlife in our yards. This year's heavy, Mr. Longfellow... the Snake.

Generally speaking you shall find that snakes are not aggressive with a few exceptions like the Coachwhip a non-poisonous species. I have, hiking about, stepped on and kicked more snakes than I care to count with the result of the snake just being scared and wanting to get out of the way. Snakes are not going to stalk and hunt you down nor will they chase, bite and fill you with the worlds most toxic venom and have dinner. Plain simple fact is if given a chance most snakes, even a startled one, will leave the area. The best way to get bit by a snake is to antagonize one. That's the reason for most snake bites. Statistically these bites usually occur on the hand and are received by young stupid men between the ages of 15 and 30 who have been drinking. What does that say? Don't pick them up. If you encounter a snake in the wild the best thing to do is take a picture then walk around or away from the snake giving him plenty of distance. If you find one in the back yard call animal control but don't expect them to show up. If your worried about how close a snake is just remember that the distance a rattlesnake can strike is about half a body length. The average snake is less than 5ft. So distance is your best defense. If you do get too close a walking stick is useful for fending off snakes since they primarily sense prey through heat and they won't sense your walking stick. As for you and your dog, the two of you are large heat signatures and they want nothing to do with that. Even if you are struck by a startled snake it may not inject venom there's about a 50/50 chance of that happening; it's called a dry strike. Additionally snakebites are very survivable even for a 50lb dog if treatment is received as soon as possible. Never try to kill a snake. It's tough trick and all you do is piss 'em when you try. don't run over snakes; it seems that some people get a perverse pleasure out of running over snakes in their cars sometimes stopping and backing over them again. That seems to be a rather cruel thing to do do when the snake hasn't run you over. Treatment for snake bite is simple. Transport to a hospital ASAP. don't cut, suck or anything else. Just transport.

I was asked about snake avoidance training for dogs on the Border Collie forum I belong to. If you are interested here are a couple of links I found in a Google search, SoCal and Arizona. This is not an endorsement of either of these companies. I know nothing about them. I suggest you call and study what they say before making a choice. Because of our drought I do expect to see more snakes than usual this year so use care when out and about.

Climber falls to death from the Desert Sun

A man fell to his death and another was injured while rock climbing at Joshua Tree National National Park in Twentynine Palms on Sunday Mar.15 2009.

Curtis Woodrow Stark II, 67, of Riverside was climbing the Great Burrito rock about a 150 to 200 feet tall rock formation near the Hidden Valley Nature Trail about 4:40 p.m. when he fell about 100 feet, according to Joseph Zarki, a National Park Service spokesman.

Stark, an experienced climber, was not wearing a helmet and died of head injuries, Zarki said. He was pronounced dead at the scene at 5 p.m., according to the Riverside County Coroner’s Office. His climbing companion, Alfred Kuok, 44, of Claremont, was taken Desert Regional Medical Center in Palm Springs with back pain, broken ribs and possibly internal injuries, Zarki said.

According to the National Park Service, Stark was the lead climber. He became dehydrated, started losing strength and began to descend. “During the descent he lost his grip and fell,” Zarki said. In the fall, Stark knocked Kuok off the rock. Some of the hardware protection they put into the rock — bolts and clips fastened into rock crevices — did not hold causing Stark to fall to the ground", Zarki said. Kuok didn’t fall because other hardware protection held.

Two firemen from the Joshua Tree area who had been climbing nearby helped rescue Kuok. Four park rangers and nine Joshua Tree Search and Rescue volunteers also responded. A San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department helicopter airlifted Kuok to the hospital. Because it’s an inherently dangerous activity, safe climbing techniques and proper safety gear, including helmets, should be used when climbing the rocks, Zarki said.

I have a dog.

Not the usual fare for this blog but I was given a Border Collie puppy by my daughter on Valentines Day. His name is Jin and as of 5 Mar he is 3 months old. The thing is Border Collies (BC's) are veryintellegent with the IQ of a 5 yr old and much smarter than a fifth grader. The question is what to do with him. He can't become a SAR dog for at least a year and a half. On the other hand there are dog sports like frisbee, flyball , agility and freestyle.








Tremendous fun we welcome Jin to our home.