Alive & Kickin' . . .

An update on a variety of things that are happening:

My Jenny Craig Quest continues, I'm now down 35.6 lbs! That leaves me 8.6 lbs to my goal weight, whoo hoo!

I had a job interview yesterday. It's in the same company, but with a different department. My boss suggested it, because it would provide a lot more opportunities for advancement than my current position does. Cross your fingers!

I have had five dates with the same guy. #6 is tomorrow. That's all I'm saying about that.

This may be the coolest thing I've heard or read in a month: ‘Lost World’ of wildlife found in Indonesia. Rock on! Now let's work to protect it so we have time to figure out what all is there!

I had my midterm in my first MBA class last night. 72 questions of the T/F, Multiple Choice, and Matchig variety, plus fewer than 10 short answer. I finished i 25 minutes, and that's WITH re-reading everything to double-check. We'll see how I did next week.

I didn't know that Darwin's birthday is Sunday. Happy birthday, Chuck!

Thing that most ticked me off this week: KSDK Channel 5 did an I-Team investigation on what they called "a dark secret at the Saint Louis Zoo." Ready for the secret? THIRTY YEARS AGO, we had chimpanzee shows. Was it acceptable then? yes, and lots of places did it. Is it morally reprehensible in today's world? heck yeah! The news "investigation" says this:

It's a past the Zoo President admits to, but doesn't like to acknowledge.

Here's just a part of what Zoo Pres. Dr. Bonner said:

"Wound up in animal testing?" "Yeah, exactly so," says Dr. Bonner. "How did that happen?" "Well, again going back historically, at a time when that was acceptable they were placing animals and really, probably not many from St. Louis. . . . Fault and responsibility are two different things, should we do everything we can to remedy that, even though it's not our fault, yes we should,"

To me, that sounds less like a lack of acknowledgment and more like a "we're doing what we can, even though our hands are legally tied in some areas," what more do they want?

The reporter spent a long time talking about this "dark secret" that's not really a secret, and then covers his tail by saying

"By the late 1980's, most zoos adopted strict guidelines set forth by the Chimpanzee Species Survival Plan. Members, like the St. Louis Zoo, must abide by the plan's breeding and transfer recommendations, ensuring the chimpanzee's future.

Steve Ross from the Chicago's Lincoln Park Zoo is the coordinator for that program. He tells me, no chimpanzee today could ever be sold to a medical testing facility. He also says the St. Louis Zoo is held with the highest regard when it comes to caring for chimps."

Any mention of our new, state-of-the-art, multimillion dollar Fragile Forest Exhibit? Noooooooo!
Good Grief.

Okay, I'm done.

Adios!